National Restaurant Awards: London leads the way amid an Asian invasion

The capital dominated the top 100 list, while Asian restaurants stormed ahead
Som Saa: Asian restaurants proved hot stuff
Adam Weatherley
Ben Norum13 June 2017

London’s restaurant scene has showed its strength once again as it swallowed up well over half of the rankings at last night's National Restaurant Awards.

The capital did not scoop the top spot, which went to Michelin-starred gastropub The Sportsman in Seasalter, Kent for the second year running.

However, London managed the unprecedented feat of having 30 restaurants in the top 50, and topped that total up to 55 in the top 100.

The city’s best performer was The Ledbury which reached number two, up one spot from number three last year.

The Ledbury: London's top spot

This was followed by Andrew Wong’s Chinese restaurant A Wong in Victoria at number three, up from 19 last year, and a new entry at number four for Thai restaurant Som Saa.

The capital’s new wave of Asian restaurants were the big winners of the night, with these two being joined inside the top 10 by Soho Thai restaurant Kiln which entered the list at number nine.

London restaurants with 2 and 3 Michelin stars

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Soho Sri Lankan Hoppers, Mayfair Indian Gymkhana and Thai restaurant Smoking Goat also put in strong performances, all rising significantly to reach 13, 22 and 49 respectively.

Meanwhile at the lower end of the list, there were new entries from Indian restaurants Kricket at 80 and Gunpowder at 100.

​Barrafina, The Clove Club, Elystan Street and Hedone completed London’s run of eight restaurants in the top 10.

Others with reason to celebrate included The Palomar which rose from 42 to 14, Claude Bosi whose new Bibendum made it to 23, and newcomers 108 Garage at 33, Neil Rankin’s Temper at 34, London Bridge pasta spot Padella at 39 and Clipstone at 40.

The list is compiled using votes from 150 industry experts, including chefs, restaurateurs, food writers and critics.

The full list:

1. The Sportsman, Seasalter

2. The Ledbury, London

3. A Wong, London

4. Som Saa, London

5. Barrafina Adelaide Street, London

6. Casamia, Bristol

7. The Clove Club, London

8. Elystan Street, London

9. Kiln, London

10. Hedone, London

11. The River Café, London

12. Lyle’s, London

13. Hoppers, London

14. The Palomar, London

15. The Fat Duck, Bray

16. Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham

17. L’Enclume, Cartmel

18. Coombeshead Farm, Lewannick

19. The Dairy, London

20. The Walnut Tree, Abergavenny

21. The Waterside Inn, Bray

22. Gymkhana, London

23. Claude Bosi at Bibendum, London

24. The Elephant, Torquay

25. The Raby Hunt, Darlington

26. Midsummer House, Cambridge

27. Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Port Isaac

28. Brawn, London

29. Bulrush, Bristol

30. 64 Degrees, Brighton

31. Primeur, London

32. The Coach, Marlow

33. 108 Garage, London

34. Temper, London

35. Chez Bruce, London

36. Noble Rot Restaurant & Wine Bar, London

37. Frenchie, London

38. Le Gavroche, London

39. Padella, London

40. Clipstone, London

41. The Hand & Flowers, Bray

42. 40 Maltby Street, London

43. The Quality Chop House, London

44. The Little Fish Market, Hove

45. The Man Behind the Curtain, Leeds

46. Trinity, London

47. Sticky Walnut, Chester

48. Bocca di Lupo, London

49. The Smoking Goat, London

50. Lake Road Kitchen, Ambleside

51. The Crown, Burchetts Green

52. Adams, Birmingham

53. Gidleigh Park, Chagford

54. Hispi, Manchester

55. Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Great Milton

56. Jikoni, London

57. P Franco, London

58. The Black Swan at Oldstead

59. Typing Room, London

60. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London

61. Margot, London

62. Timberyard, Edinburgh

63. Black Axe Mangal, London

64. Blacklock Soho, London

65. El Pastor, London

66. Holborn Dining Room, London

67. Pollen Street Social, London

68. StreetXO, London

69. Bao Soho, London

70. Moor Hall, Ormskirk

71. Paul Ainsworth at Number 6, Padstow

72. Quo Vadis, London

73. The Marksman, London

74. The Pony & Trap, Bristol

75. Rochelle Canteen, London

76. The Seahorse, Dartmouth

77. Freemasons at Wiswell, Clitheroe

78. El Gato Negro, Manchester

79. Hawksmoor Air Street, London

80. Kricket, London

81. Sosharu, London

82. The Star Inn, Harome

83. The Hardwick, Abergavenny

84. Wine & Brine, Moira

85. Box-E, Bristol

86. Morito, London

87. Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, Gleneagles

88. Norn, Edinburgh

89. Ondine, Edinburgh

90. Portland, London

91. Lorne, London

92. Murano, London

93. The Beehive, White Waltham

94. The Kitchin, Edinburgh

95. St John Bread and Wine, London

96. Simpsons, Birmingham

97. Forest Side, Grasmere

98. Pizarro, London

99. The Pig, Brockenhurst

100. Gunpowder, London

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