National Restaurant Awards

Meet the new face of progressive Scottish cuisine

17-Apr-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Just two years into the job, former Noma and Restaurant Andrew Fairlie chef Mark Donald has bagged The Glenturret Lalique a shiny new two-star plaque.

Entries are now open for The Estrella Damm Sustainability Award 2024

16-Apr-2024 By Restaurant

Restaurants that have introduced a sustainable initiative over the past 12 months can enter The Estrella Damm Sustainability Award, with shortlisted entries able to attend this year’s National Restaurants Awards in June.

Pensons to close citing ‘relentless inflationary pressure’

16-Nov-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Michelin-starred Worcestershire restaurant Pensons will close permanently this Christmas with its owner citing ‘relentless inflationary pressure’.

Moor Hall to add seven Garden Rooms to its estate

02-Nov-2023 By Restaurant

Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms is expanding its accommodation offering with the launch of seven Garden Rooms.

LSL Capital to take Jamavar and MiMi Mei Fair to Dubai

27-Sep-2023 By James McAllister

LSL Capital, the luxury London-based group led by Samyukta Nair, is to establish outposts in Dubai for both its Jamavar and MiMi Mei Fair restaurant brands.

Merlin Labron-Johnson’s Osip launches Kickstarter to fund move to larger digs

25-Sep-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Chef Merlin Labron-Johnson has launched a crowdfund as part of plans to move his Somerset restaurant Osip to a larger, more rural location.

Chishuru to open in Fitzrovia next month

23-Aug-2023 By Restaurant

Adejoké Bakare will open the second iteration of her West African restaurant Chishuru on London’s Great Titchfield Street next month.

Joshua Cutress named head chef at The Harwood Arms

21-Mar-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Joshua Cutress has been promoted from sous chef to head chef at Brett Graham and Mike Robinson’s high-profile Fulham pub The Harwood Arms.

Small plates, big flavours - is Erst the perfect neighbourhood restaurant?

14-Nov-2022 By Joe Lutrario

In an age of £200-plus tasting menus, Will Sutton and Patrick Withington's low-key yet highly-rated restaurant is worth raising a glass to.

Latest opening: Solstice

11-Aug-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Kenny Atkinson’s second Newcastle restaurant will see him “push his skills” in what looks to be a play for two Michelin stars.

Halo effect: How Michael Wignall breathed new life into the UK’s first gastropub

01-Aug-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Yorkshire’s The Angel at Hetton is ascending once again thanks to its chef patron’s (relatively) down-to-earth approach and unquestionable skill in the kitchen.

Inside The Angel at Hetton

24-Jun-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Michael Wignall on his progressive Yorkshire Dales venue, which has just been named Gastropub of the Year at the Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards for the second time running.

Gareth Ward: "We want to put Ynyshir on the world map"

16-Jun-2022 By Joe Lutrario

The chef patron of Ynyshir on his restaurant being named the best place to eat in the UK at the Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards earlier this week.

Ynyshir in Wales named the Best Restaurant in the UK

13-Jun-2022 By Restaurant

Gareth Ward’s Ynyshir restaurant in Wales has been crowned the UK’s best restaurant at The Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2022.

The Moorcock Inn announces plans to close early next year

31-Mar-2022 By James McAllister

The owners of the popular The Moorcock Inn in Norland, West Yorkshire, have announced they will close the business in January 2023, five years after taking it over.

Tyneside story: how Kenny Atkinson made fine dining work in Newcastle

07-Feb-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Having enjoyed considerable success with House of Tides the North East-born chef is doubling down with Solstice, a more intimate and ambitious high-end dining experience.

The Ledbury to relaunch later this month following a major makeover

17-Jan-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Brett Graham’s The Ledbury is to reopen late this month with a new look and feel following a hiatus of nearly two years.

Claude Bosi to return to Mayfair this summer with French Riviera-inspired restaurant

13-Jan-2022 By Restaurant

Claude Bosi is making a return to Mayfair by teaming up with Bombay Bustle and MiMi Mei Fair owner Samyukta Nair to open a new restaurant this year.

Latest opening: Manteca

12-Jan-2022 By Restaurant

Chris Leach and David Carter have made a triumphant move to Shoreditch.

Mark Birchall: "Ultimately, it's about making the guests want to come back"

25-Aug-2021 By Joe Lutrario

We catch up with the chef behind 2021’s Estrella Damm National Restaurant of the Year about what a meal at Moor Hall involves and his policy of incremental improvement.

Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2021 in pictures - updated

17-Aug-2021 By Joe Lutrario

The biggest names in the business came together at East London hotel The Stratford to celebrate the UK restaurant industry last night (16 August).

Moor Hall named Best Restaurant in the UK for second year running

16-Aug-2021 By Restaurant

Mark Birchall’s restaurant Moor Hall has been named the Estrella Damm National Restaurant of the Year for the second year running.

Roberta Hall-McCarron to relocate The Little Chartroom

08-Jul-2021 By James McAllister

Roberta Hall-McCarron is to relocate her bijou Edinburgh bistro The Little Chartroom to a larger premises and use the original site to launch a new concept later this year.

John Ogier steps away from Lyle's and Flor

10-Feb-2021 By Restaurant

John Ogier has stepped down from London restaurants Lyle's and Flor that he opened with chef James Lowe.

Elystan Street launches prize draw in aid of FOH team

10-Feb-2021 By Joe Lutrario

Chelsea restaurant Elystan Street has launched a prize draw to support its front of house team.

Shoreditch restaurant Two Lights announces permanent closure

25-Nov-2020 By James McAllister

Two Lights, the neighbourhood-style restaurant in London's Shoreditch from Clove Club alumnus Chase Lovecky, has announced it will close permanently due to ongoing Coronavirus restrictions making the business 'untenable'.

Brett Graham partners with Wiltshire Truffles

06-Nov-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Brett Graham is collaborating with Wiltshire Truffles to produce a range of The Ledbury-branded truffle-based products.

Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards Sessions

Nathan Outlaw on rethinking top-end dining

30-Oct-2020 By Joe Lutrario

The next video in the Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards' Sessions series features Nathan Outlaw, who relaunched his flagship as a much simpler affair earlier this year.

Stephen Harris on terroir, growing his own and the future of The Sportsman

23-Oct-2020 By Joe Lutrario

The Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards' Sessions series kicks off with a detailed look at seminal North Kent gastropub The Sportsman.

Asma Khan to relocate Darjeeling Express to Covent Garden

24-Aug-2020 By James McAllister

Asma Khan is to relocate her Darjeeling Express restaurant from London's Soho to Covent Garden, having taken over the former Carluccio's site on Garrick Street.

Asma Khan: "I left a light on in the hope I'd come back"

26-Jun-2020 By Restaurant

Asma Khan will not reopen her Soho restaurant Darjeeling Express once lockdown has been lifted on the 4 July but says she has plans to relaunch it in a larger venue that will become an incubator for female talent.

Moor Hall's Mark Birchall: 'help shape our return'

29-May-2020 By Stefan Chomka

Mark Birchall is asking guests and subscribers to his restaurant’s newsletter to help shape the reopening of his two Michelin-starred Moor Hall.

Future of Soho pub the French House "guaranteed until February" thanks to rent relief

29-May-2020 By James McAllister

The future of iconic Soho establishment the French House, which is home to one of the UK's best restaurants, is "guaranteed until February" following a rent reprieve and successful fundraiser.

Tommy Banks to change format of York restaurant Roots post lockdown

21-May-2020 By Stefan Chomka

Tommy Banks says he will change the format of his sharing plates restaurant Roots in York when it finally reopens because of concerns over the Coronavirus.

George Barson to leave Kitty Fishers and Cora Pearl

18-Feb-2020 By Joe Lutrario

George Barson is to leave his role as head chef at both Kitty Fishers and Cora Pearl next month.

National Restaurant Awards Explores: London

03-Dec-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Our series of restaurant tours that feature venues on Restaurant magazine’s list of the top 100 restaurants in the UK heads to the capital, where we check in on three top dining rooms.

National Restaurant Awards Explores: York

14-Aug-2019 By Joe Lutrario

As part of a new series of food tours featuring venues on Restaurant magazine’s list of the top 100 restaurants in the UK, we head to gastronomic hotspot York to visit a trio of forward-thinking establishments.

Latest opening: Flor

14-Aug-2019 By Joe Lutrario

James Lowe and John Ogier’s follow-up to Lyle’s is stripped back and buzzy with an accessibly priced menu that takes its cues from the buvettes of Paris and the pintxos bars of San Sebastián.

In case you missed it: the 2019 Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards

09-Jul-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Last month Restaurant magazine hosted the annual Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards at London's plush private members The Hurlingham Club. And in case you've been living off grid for the past few weeks, here's what happened.

Tom Sellers to relocate Restaurant Story to Cornwall for the summer

28-Jun-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Tom Sellers is giving his Bermondsey restaurant a summer holiday, temporarily closing it and relocating it to Cornwall.

Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2019: as it happened

11-Jun-2019 By Sophie Witts

The Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards returned to The Hurlingham Club in London last night. Here's a taste of what went on...

Moor Hall named Best Restaurant in the UK

10-Jun-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Moor Hall in Lancashire has been crowned National Restaurant of the Year at The Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2019.

Mikael Jonsson’s Hedone closes

04-Jun-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Mikael Jonsson’s celebrated Chiswick restaurant Hedone has closed to the public. Its last official service was held on Saturday 1 June.

Further details announced for Lyle’s follow-up Flor

26-Apr-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Lyle’s founders James Lowe and John Ogier will open their Borough Market wine bar, bakery and restaurant Flor in June.

Restaurant Eats Out: Chelsea

15-Apr-2019 By Sophie Witts

Restaurant magazine took a group of chefs and operators, some of whom featured on last year's Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards top 100 list, to explore London's Chelsea for its latest food and drink tour.

Shortlist revealed for 2019 Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards

12-Apr-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Restaurant magazine has announced the shortlist for the 2019 Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards, which are being held at London’s The Hurlingham Club on Monday 10 June.

In case you missed it... the 2018 Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards

28-Jun-2018 By Georgia Bronte

The annual National Restaurant Awards, held at the Hurlingham Club in Putney earlier this month, saw an eclectic list of high-end restaurants rubbing shoulders with more affordable ones.

Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2017: The top Asian winners

16-Jun-2017 By Hannah Thompson

This year's award winners featured an unmistakable rise of new wave Asian restaurants, from A. Wong to Som Saa to Gunpowder. We round up the best

Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2017: The red carpet

13-Jun-2017 By Sophie Witts

Restaurant magazine rolled out the red carpet (sort of) for the Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards last night (12 June). We caught some of the high-profile arrivals on their way in.

The Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2017: As it happened

13-Jun-2017 By Hannah Thompson

The Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2017 took place at the Hurlingham Club on Monday night, with attendees spanning a who’s who of the industry. We look back at the star-studded night