UK Restaurants celebrated at the Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2021

Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

Deputy Editor

Last night, the UK's most celebrated chefs and restaurateurs were invited to Allegra at London's Stratford Hotel to the Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2021, one of the first physical ceremonies since the beginning of the pandemic.

The awards, bestowed based on the votes of 200 of the UK’s most respected chefs, restaurateurs and food journalists, placed two Michelin-starred Moor Hall, headed by Mark Birchall, in the top spot for the second year running.

In second and third position were The Angel at Hetton and Core by Clare Smyth - the latter also taking the title for best London restaurant.

In fourth place was Newcastle's Michelin-starred House of Tides, followed by L'Enclume, Sabor, Tomos Parry's Brat, Pimlico restaurant A.Wong, Monica Galetti's Mere, and, in tenth place, The Black Swan at Oldstead.

Meanwhile, Tom Kerridge received the outstanding intrustry contribution award for his team's Meals from Marlow initiative to feed key workers throughout the first lockdown in 2020 and Tommy Banks was named restaurateur of the year.

Andrew Wong was named chef of the year, Daniel Humm's Davies and Brook restaurant at Claridge's received the service award and Tom Booton, head chef of The Grill at The Dorchester was named this year's Chef to Watch. The sustainability award went to Doug McMaster's zero-waste Hackney restaurant, Silo and the One to Watch award went to recently-launched The Pem restaurant at Conrad St James', led by Sally Abé and Emma Underwood.

Individual awards were given to restaurants in each of the devolved nations; the Welsh accolade went to Gareth Ward's celebrated restaurant with rooms, Ynyshir; the Scottish award was given to Ondine, while the title of best Northern Irish restaurant was given to Ox Belfast, headed by Stevie Toman.

You can view the full Estrella Damm NRA 2021 top 100 here.

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