For the first time in seven years there's a new Best Restaurant in the UK, according to the Good Food Guide 2014. This year Simon Rogan's L'enclume was judged to be the best in the UK, toppling Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck which has held that top slot since 2007.
Elizabeth Carter, Consultant Editor of the Waitrose Good Food Guide to give it its new official title, explained why Rogan's Cumbrian restaurant finally made the leap to the No 1 position. "After achieving the top score in last year’s Guide, Rogan and his team haven’t missed a beat, despite the pressures of the past year – from opening the French at the Midland Hotel in Manchester to overseeing a pop-up restaurant in London. Rogan rightfully takes his place as leader of the pack when it comes to modern British cooking."
Overall the top 10 restaurants have all kept a top 10 position but there has been a bit of jiggling around. In London Hibiscus, The Square and The Ledbury have all gone up a spot while Pollen Street Social remained static at 6 and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay slipped down one position from 4 to 5.
2014 guide Top 10 - last year's positions in brackets
1. L’Enclume, Cartmel, Cumbria. Cooking score 10 (2)
2. The Fat Duck, Bray, Berkshire. Cooking score 10 (1)
3. Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Rock, Cornwall. Cooking score 9 (5)
4. Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham. Cooking score 9 (3)
5. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London. Cooking score 9 (4)
6. Pollen Street Social, London. Cooking score 9 (6)
7. Hibiscus, London. Cooking score 8 (8)
8. The Square, London. Cooking score 8 (9)
9. The Ledbury, London. Cooking score 8 (10)
10. Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire. Cooking score 8 (7)
Waitrose Good Food Guide 2014 is published on 9th September 2013 and is priced £17.99
