Moor Hall tops the 2019 National Restaurant Awards, while London dominates the top 100

The National Restaurant of the Year was announced tonight for the annual Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2019 and the academy of voters (200 chefs, restaurateurs, food writers and critics) deemed Lancashire's Moor Hall to be the bee's knees.

Chef Mark Birchall (ex-L’Enclume) has only been open two years but has already picked up no fewer than two Michelin stars and 5 AA Rosettes along with this top honour.

While London may have ceded the top slot that it held for just one year with Kiln, the capital remains the key place to eat in this country, rising slightly year-on-year to have 54 of the top 100 restaurant slots. Seven of the top 10 restaurants are in London.

It was a particularly good evening for two East London restaurants. Tomos Parry's Brat in Shoreditch jumped up from 14 to second place and Hackney's Cornerstone, which last year won the One To Watch award, went straight in at No 3. Monica Galetti's Mere was also a high new entry - coming onto the list at No 7.

London also took home seven of the evening's special awards. John Williams MBE, executive chef at London’s The Ritz, was a hugely popular winner of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. While Clare Smyth, chef-patron at Core in Notting Hill, was named this year’s Chef’s Chef of the Year.

The full awards are as follows:

Special Awards

• One to Watch, sponsored by Schweppes 1783: Emilia
• Best Restaurant in Northern Ireland, sponsored by Hildon: Yügo
• Best Restaurant in Wales, sponsored by Hildon: Ynyshir
• Best Restaurant in Scotland, sponsored by Hildon: Ondine
• Wine List of the Year, sponsored by San Marzano: Hide
• The Sustainability Award, sponsored by John Mower: Oxo Tower Restaurant
• Cocktail List of the Year, sponsored by Seedlip: The Frog by Adam Handling
• OpenTable Diners’ Choice ‘Fit for Foodies’: Carters of Moseley
• Chef to Watch, sponsored by Woods Foodservice: Sally Abe
• Chef of the Year, sponsored by Ritter Fresh: Clare Smyth
• Restaurateur of the Year, sponsored by threesixty° by UCC Coffee: Tom and Michaela Kitchin
• Gastropub of the Year, sponsored by Estrella Damm: The Sportsman
• Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Quandoo: John Williams
• The Service Award, sponsored by Liberty Wines and Piper Heidsieck: Bibendum by Claude Bosi
• Estrella Damm National Restaurant of the Year: Moor Hall

And the top 100

1. Moor Hall
2. Brat, London
3. Cornerstone, London
4. Core by Clare Smyth, London
5. Sabor, London
6. L’Enclume
7. Mere, London
8. Claude Bosi at Bibendum, London
9. Ynyshir
10. The Ledbury, London
11. A Wong, London
12. The River Café, London
13. The Sportsman
14. Restaurant Sat Bains
15. Kiln, London
16. Paul Ainsworth at No. 6
17. Lyle’s, London
18. Forest Side
19. Casamia
20. House of Tides
21. Restaurant Nathan Outlaw
22. Roganic, London
23. The French House, London
24. Elystan Street, London
25. The Ritz, London
26. Frenchie, London
27. Brawn, London
28. Noble Rot, London
29. The Black Swan at Oldstead
30. The Fordwich Arms
31. Chez Bruce, London
32. Hide, London
33. Ikoyi, London
34. Trinity, London
35. The Crown at Burchett’s Green
36. The Coach
37. The Hand & Flowers
38. The Parkers Arms
39. Freemasons at Wiswell
40. Skosh
41. The Elephant
42. Roots
43. The Clove Club, London
44. The Frog by Adam Handling, London
45. Roux at Parliament Square, London
46. Burlington at The Devonshire Arms
47. Cora Pearl, London
48. Hicce, London
49. Ondine
50. The Quality Chop House, London
51. Black Axe Mangal, London
52. Pollen Street Social, London
53. Whatley Manor
54. Coombeshead Farm
55. St. John, London
56. The Angel Inn at Hetton
57. The Dairy, London
58. The Fat Duck
59. The Palomar, London
60. Helene Darozze at The Connaught, London
61. Kym’s, London
62. Social Eating House, London
63. The Kitchin
64. Bright, London
65. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London
66. Etch
67. Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons
68. Timberyard
69. Midsummer House
70. Rochelle Canteen, London
71. Two Lights, London
72. 40 Maltby Street, London
73. Mana
74. The Walnut Tree
75. Indian Accent, London
76. Kitchen Table by Bubbledogs, London
77. Yügo
78. Restaurant Story, London
79. The Little Chartroom
80. The Laughing Heart, London
81. The Mash Inn
82. Raby Hunt
83. Hedone, London
84. Restaurant Andrew Fairlie
85. The Woodspeen
86. Wine and Brine
87. Holborn Dining Room, London
88. The Harwood Arms, London
89. Brigadiers, London
90. Perilla, London
91. The Little Fish Market
92. The Man Behind the Curtain
93. Carters of Moseley
94. Darjeeling Express, London
95. Joro
96. Le Cochon Aveugle
97. The White Swan at Fence
98. Spring, London
99. Holbeck Ghyll
100. Trullo, London

For more, check out the National Restaurant Awards website. 

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