L’Enclume tops Harden’s Top 100 Best UK Restaurants poll

The Lake District restaurant - which was awarded its third Michelin-star earlier this year​​ - has featured in the Harden’s Top 100 every year since the list launched in 2011, but this is the first time it has reached the top spot. 

Feedback from diners hailed it as “a completely faultless experience” marshalling the finest local produce – much of it from Simon’s Our Farm on the surrounding hillsides – to provide “a symphony of beautifully orchestrated food”.

“L’Enclume has always been consistent in its top quality offering and it was wonderful to hear the recent news that Paul Burgalières, who has been a key figure in L’Enclume’s evolution over the past six years, has now been appointed executive chef,” says Harden’s co-founder Peter Harden. 

“Coming in at £300+ including drinks and service, it’s certainly one of the higher priced restaurants in our listings, but we see none of the resistance from diners with regards to paying those prices that we’ve witnessed at other top establishments. Those who’ve made the pilgrimage think it’s money very well spent.”

Based on feedback from normal diners rather than a group of professional inspectors, the 33rd edition of the Harden’s guide is published this week.

A total of 30,000 reports are submitted from a survey of 2,500 diners and covers restaurants of all price points with around 2,800 venues listed in total. 

Newcomers Solstice (Newcastle), Grace & Savour (Hampton in Arden) and Ugly Butterfly (St Ives) are some of the UK’s newest eateries on this year’s list, along with Bouchon Racine, Restaurant St Barts and Alex Dilling in London.

The number of Top 100 restaurants based in the capital has fallen to an all-time low. Usually expected to make up between 45-50% of the final rankings, this year only 36 of the UK’s best restaurants are located in London.

“London’s grip on the Top 100 list is the weakest that we have ever recorded (the lowest previous figure was 41 in the 2020 guide),” Harden says. “Whilst 12 months is too little data for firm pronouncements, this swing to the shires may reflect the increasing excellence of dining out across the country.”

Harden says it is not regional cities that are driving any swing from London, but destination dining in scenic locations as demonstrated by this year’s top placed establishments.