Toptable.com recently polled half a million diners who have booked tables through their online reservation sem to determine the top 100 British restaurants. This is a feat by itself, as 40 years ago, there would be only 10! It should be noted that there are restaurants that do not use the on-line reservation service (they do take a fee from the restaurants).
All derision aside, there are great restaurants in Great Britain and the change was led be Chefs Albert and Michele Roux of Le Gavroche and Waterside Inn fame. The Roux group is represented by five out of the one hundred. I am sure that many of those on the list have also been influenced or trained by one of the Rouxs.
Here’s the Top 100 as scored by Toptable customers:
1 Restaurant Martin Wishart, Edinburgh.
2 Piccolo Mondo, Glasgow.
3 Le Gavroche, London.
4 Chez Bruce, London.
5 Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s, London.
6 Conservatory Restaurant, Exeter.
7 India Quay, Glasgow.
8 Case Restaurant with Rooms, Sudbury
9 Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, London.
10 Artisan, London.
11 Black Horse, Swadlincote.
12 Apsleys, a Heinz Beck Restaurant, London.
13 Roux at The Landau, London.
14 French Table, Surbiton.
15 Petrus, London.
16 Number One, Edinburgh.
17 Launceston Place, London.
18 Chapter One, Locksbottom.
19 Greenhouse, London.
20 Kendells Bistro, Leeds.
21 Vatika, Shedfield, Southampton.
22 Restaurant Tristan, Horsham.
23 Ondine, Edinburgh.
24 Zucca, London.
25 Clos Maggiore, London
26 Grill at the Dorchester, London.
27 Living Room, Glasgow.
28 Rhubarb, Edinburgh.
29 Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, London.
30 Pied a Terre, London.
31 Gauthier Soho, London.
32 Gaucho, The O2, London.
33 Seven Park Place by William Drabble, London.
34 Spice Pavilion, Edinburgh.
35 Khyber, Croydon.
36 Borelli’s, Farnham.
37 Cah-Chi, Earlsfield.
38 Blenio Bistro, Brighton.
39 Mystica, Addlestone.
40 Tigerlily, Edinburgh.
41 Bartellas, Margaretting.
42 Quantus, London.
43 One-O-One, London.
44 Trinity, London.
45 Restaurant at Drakes, Brighton.
46 Olive Tree, Bath.
47 Gaucho, Manchester.
48 Galvin La Chapelle, London.
49 Roussillon, London.
50 Roux at Parliament Square, London.
51 Thackeray’s, Tunbridge Wells.
52 Albert’s Table, Croydon.
53 Sketch Lecture Room and Library, London.
54 Orrery, London.
55 Bath Priory, Bath.
56 Trattoria La Ruga, London.
57 Waggoners, Welwyn.
58 Monsoona, Aberdeen
59 Dower House, Bath.
60 L’Escargot Blanc, Edinburgh.
61 Kerachers, Perth.
62 Mulberry, Langshott.
63 Ashiana, Newark.
64 Il Portico, London.
65 Milroy, Les Ambassadeurs Club, London.
66 Vineyard, Wrotham Heath.
67 The Ritz, London.
68 Stockbridge, Edinburgh.
69 Canny Man, Lugton
70 Restaurant at the New Ellington, Leeds.
71 Opus One, Radisson Edwardian, Manchester.
72 River Bar and Restaurant, Lowry Hotel, Manchester.
73 Promenade, the Dorchester, London.
74 Brasserie Roux, Sofitel St. James, London.
75 Bartellas, Meopham.
76 Linen, Manchester.
77 The Square, London.
78 Gaucho, Leeds.
79 Prosecco, Bristol.
80 Hibiscus, London.
82 Gaucho, Tower Hill, London.
83 Gaucho, Charlotte Street, London.
84 Cafe No 8, York.
85 San Carlo, Manchester.
86 Warung Tujuh, Brighton.
87 JW Steakhouse, London.
88 Ronnie’s, Thornbury.
89 Upstairs at the Grill, Chester.
90 The Bingham, Richmond.
91 Asha’s Indian Bar and Restaurant, Birmingham.
92 Cinnamon Club, London.
93 Galvin at Windows, London.
94 Benares, London.
95 Soseki, London.
96 Villa Romana, Fareham.
97 Wiltons, London.
98 L’Ortolan, Reading.
99 Turners of Harborne, Birmingham.
100 Graze, Hove.
