Last night at The Hurlingham Club in London was Restaurant magazine’s annual National Restaurant Awards with the big winner of the night coming from Indian restaurant Gymkhana being named National Restaurant of the Year.
Now in their seventh year, the National Restaurant Awards are recognised as the definitive awards for the UK’s diverse restaurant industry with the awards this year in particular seeing neighbourhood bistros and tapas bars sit alongside respected and refined dining rooms, as well as recognition of established chefs as well as fresh young talent.
The first ever Indian restaurant to pick up the coveted National Restaurant of the Year award, Gymkhana’s blend of authentic Indian food and modern British styling helped it become an immediate hit when it opened in September 2013 in London’s Mayfair.
Chef restaurateur Karam Sethi’s commitment to Indian culinary tradition and a refusal to tone down his kitchen’s cooking for the European palate has created one of the most striking and well-received restaurants in recent years.
In addition to the National Restaurant of the Year, excellence across each of the regions was recognised, as well as awards presented for front of house service, sustainability, the best wine and cocktail lists, and the Chefs’ Chef of the Year.
Last year’s number one restaurant,
Tom Kerridge’s The Hand & Flowers in Marlow, remained a favourite among judges as this year he bagged Gastropub of the Year, sponsored by Estrella Damm.
Chef James Lowe’s recently launched Lyle’s in Shoreditch, meanwhile, was picked as the One To Watch, sponsored by Lavazza, while The Service Award, sponsored by Liberty Wines, went to The Waterside Inn in Berkshire.
Full list of Awards:
National Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by Estrella Damm: Gymkhana, London
Best Restaurant in Scotland, sponsored by Speyside Glenlivet: Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, Gleneagles
Best Restaurant in Wales, sponsored by Speyside Glenlivet: The Walnut Tree, Abergavenny
Best Restaurant in Northern Ireland, sponsored by Speyside Glenlivet: Shu, Belfast
Gastropub of the Year, sponsored by Estrella Damm: The Hand & Flowers, Marlow
Chefs’ Chef of the Year, sponsored by Ritter Fresh: Ashley Palmer-Watts of Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The Service Award, sponsored by Liberty Wines: The Waterside Inn, Bray
Wine List of the Year, sponsored by Matthew Clark: Le Gavroche, London
OpenTable Diners’ Choice ‘Fit for Foodies’ Award: The Dairy, London
Highest Climber Award, sponsored by Appletiser: Restaurant Story, London
Cocktail List of the Year, sponsored by Mixxit: Grain Store, London
One To Watch, sponsored by Lavazza: Lyle’s, London
While London holds the highest number of restaurants in the list, there are seven Scottish restaurants and six from the North of England in the top 100. From the latest burger bar to classic fine dining restaurants, the seventh annual National Restaurant Awards celebrate talent and excellence across the breadth of the UK’s dining scene.
