L'Enclume has been named the UK's best restaurant, taking the Waitrose Good Food Guide title for the third year in a row.
Chef Simon Rogan's restaurant in the northwest of England saw off the challenge of Gordon Ramsay, who moved to second place from third. Pollen Street Social jumps three positions to third place.
Other London restaurants in the Top 50 include Hibiscus (5th), The Ledbury (8th), The Square (11th), Fera (12th), Le Gavroche (13th), Marcus (15th), Alain Ducasse (25th) and Dinner (26th). Robin Gill of the Dairy and the Manor, based in Clapham, south London, wins chef of the year.
The Good Food Guide was first published in 1951 and is now in its 65th edition. In its earliest incarnation it listed 600 establishments across Britain where you could order a good meal at a reasonable price. Anyone who remembers postwar UK food must wonder how low the bar was set at that time.
Then, as now, the results were based on anonymous inspections of restaurants as well as feedback from diners.
The best new pub accolade went to the Lickfold Inn, West Sussex.
"I am over the moon that we have achieved this three years running. There are so many great restaurants that would be deserving of that place at the top and I couldn't be happier that we are still there. We don't stand still, we keep moving forward," Rogan said when reached by telephone.
Rogan's London restaurant, Fera, ranked 12th and the French, Manchester came 17th.
"We'll try to remain there next year. I am very proud of my team in all the restaurants," he said.
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