lemiCultures and traditions converge in the United Kingdom. Explore the amalgamation of old and new.
United (Kingdom) Food Champs
United Kingdom
Amongst historical palaces, old monuments, and lush green lands, the United Kingdom is a hub of culinary masterpieces. Here, we’ve curated 2018’s best of the best with a little help from The Michelin Guide, San Pellegrino’s The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and The Good Food Guide. Seasonal produce and British cuisine reign supreme on this list, but there are also rare Japanese and French gems that round out the mix. Savor exceptional flavors from different sides of the globe, as you explore the country’s award-winning restaurants worthy of royal tastes!
World-renowned chef Heston Blumenthal tells a childhood tale at The Fat Duck. The three Michelin-starred joint, which placed fifth in The Good Food Guide’s Top UK Restaurants of 2018, presents a multi-sensory gastronomic journey aptly called The Itinerary. Before your meal, their storytelling waitstaff gives you a map to guide you through the courses. Prices are steep and reservations are elusive, but the dinner-and-show combo is well worth it!
- +44 1628 580333
High Street, Bray, Berkshire, United Kindom
- https://www.thefatduck.co.uk/
Three Michelin-starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsay holds the sixth spot in The Good Food Guide’s Top 50 UK Restaurants. The celebrity chef impresses with dishes that emphasize his attention to detail, both in flavor and presentation. Catch the Inspiration Table for lunch or dinner—you may be one of four lucky people granted an exclusive look into the restaurant’s innovative menu, prepared and cooked right before your eyes!
- +44 20 7352 4441
68 Royal Hospital Road, London, United Kingdom
- https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/restaurant-gordon-ramsay
Depending on the seasonal produce it champions, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester occasionally changes its French food lineup. The set lunch menu even varies every Wednesday! Savor the best of the three Michelin-starred outpost (which is 21st in The Good Food Guide’s Top UK Restaurants) by partaking in the Table Lumière experience. The romantic and gastronomic combination of 4,500 twinkling fiber-optic lights in the backdrop as you enjoy your exquisite meal is a must-try!
- +44 20 7629 8866
The Dorchester, Park Lane, London, United Kingdom
- https://www.alainducasse-dorchester.com/
The beauty of the River Thames perfectly complements The Waterside Inn’s three Michelin stars. The “restaurant with rooms” wows with its excellent French menu, first-class service, and elegant table setting. It also holds the 34th spot on The Good Food Guide’s Top 50 UK Restaurants 2018 lineup, so expect sophisticated food combinations made with quality seasonal ingredients. Pair your meal with a glass from a selection of over 1,000 wines from France, and you’re golden!
- +44 1628 620691
Ferry Road, Bray, Berkshire, United Kingdom
- https://www.waterside-inn.co.uk/
Three Michelin-starred The Araki is a nine-seater sushi restaurant helmed by master Mitsuhiro Araki. The chef magnificently creates his signature Sushi “Omakase” Chef’s Set Menu, despite the challenge of using European fish. Booking is essential here, and it is quite difficult—keep your fingers crossed for that coveted seat at the counter!
- +44 20 7287 2481
12 New Burlington Street, London, United Kingdom
- http://the-araki.com
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The Clove Club’s locally sourced modern British tasting menu deserves the 33rd spot on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Train your eyes on the blue-tiled open kitchen to witness the staff expertly craft your Tasting Menu, or the shorter 5-Course Menu available during lunch. Remember to make a reservation as the restaurant has limited space. On the upside, the cozy atmosphere allows for an intimate meal made even more pleasant by the attentive waitpersons!
- +44 20 7729 6496
Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, London, United Kingdom
- https://www.thecloveclub.com/
Joining The Clove Club in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants is Lyle’s, holding the 38th slot. Delivering a micro-seasonal spread of the country’s best produce, Lyle’s features fruit from the south coast during summer. Meanwhile, shooting period brings in game bird and venison to the menu. Watch out for The Guest Series, which are monthly events where esteemed culinary maestros join local chefs to bring a new perspective to British cuisine.
- +44 20 3011 5911
Tea Building, 56 Shoreditch High Street, London, United Kingdom
- https://www.lyleslondon.com/
Australian-born chef Brett Graham has two Michelin stars, the 42nd spot on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, and the 18th rank on The Good Food Guide’s Top 50 UK Restaurants under his belt. All these are well-deserved distinctions, thanks to The Ledbury’s outstanding high-end London dining experience. Sample modern British food injected with Pacific touches, delivered by an exceptional service team. Stand-outs include their Tasting Menu’s Candy Beetroot, Baked in Clay, Caviar Salt and Smoked Eel and the Lunch Menu’s Cornish Cod, Caramelised in Richmond Park Honey and Kohlrabi.
- +44 20 7792 9090
127 Ledbury Road, London, United Kingdom
- https://theledbury.com/
Another brainchild of Heston Blumenthal, Dinner boasts two Michelin stars, the 45th spot on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, and the 13th rank in UK’s The Good Food Guide Top 50 Restaurants. Its innovative British menu takes inspiration from history, featuring dishes that reach as far back as the 14th century. Peer through the glass-walled kitchen to see the magic that goes behind the restaurant’s famous Meat Fruit (chicken liver parfait and grilled bread), Rice and Flesh (saffron, calf tail & red wine), and Tipsy Cake (spit roast pineapple).
- +44 20 7201 3833
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, London, United Kingdom
- https://www.dinnerbyheston.co.uk/
Number one on The Good Food Guide’s Top 50 UK Restaurants list, two Michelin-starred Restaurant Nathan Outlaw serves the most exquisite seafood tasting menu in Cornwall! The joint cooks up sustainably sourced fish caught by day boats off the coast. Elevate your dining experience by grabbing a seat on the first floor for a stunning view of the Cornish coastline.
- +44 1208 880896
6 New Road, Port Isaac, Cornwall, United Kingdom
L’Enclume’s farm-to-table approach is awarded two Michelin stars and the second spot on The Good Food Guide’s Top UK Restaurants list. The restaurant curates a menu off of fresh produce from their own farm, as well as the surrounding Cumbrian countryside. Kick back at the delicately restored ironmonger building as you delight in their roster of creative dishes. Take advantage of the sommelier, and ask for the best wine to pair with your meal.
- +44 15395 36362
Cavendish Street, Cartmel, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, United Kingdom
- https://www.lenclume.co.uk/
With a menu oozing with British spirit, Jason Atherton proves that he rightfully deserves to be third in The Good Food Guide’s Top UK Restaurant list. Enter one Michelin star Pollen Street Social, enjoy a classic English meal (which, to our big appetite’s dismay, comes in stingy helpings), and wash it down with a cocktail from the bar—also lauded as one of the World’s 50 Best Bars!
- +44 20 7290 7600
8-10 Pollen Street, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom
- https://pollenstreetsocial.com/
Located beneath a flyover off of the A52 is Restaurant Sat Bains, a two Michelin-starred restaurant and fourth on The Good Food Guide’s Top UK Restaurant lineup. The modern joint features an avant-garde 10-course, five-tastes British tasting menu consistently worked to perfection by chef Sat Bains. The front-of-house is also award-winning, so prepare for an all-around delightful dining experience!
- +44 115 986 6566
Lenton Lane, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- https://www.restaurantsatbains.com/
About United Kingdom
