• Andrew Fairlie at The Gleneagles Hotel, Scotland, awarded number 1 spot in Harden’s Top 100 Best UK Restaurants, followed by Evelyn’s Table at The Blue Posts, London, and Waterside Inn, Bray.
• South West is strongest dining region after the South East with Cornwall as the county with the most Top 500 listings.
• Increasingly cost-conscious diners are exhibiting ‘push-back’ against restaurants perceived as overpriced.
Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland has been crowned the UK’s best restaurant in Harden’s Top 100 Best UK Restaurants diners poll.
Scotland’s world-famous restaurant hailed – ‘a memory to be treasured’ – shot to the top spot for its luxurious ingredients prepared with ‘impeccable skill and creativity’ and attentive staff who are ‘knowledgeable in all respects’.
Peter Harden, co-founder of Harden’s, comments:
“Chef Andrew Fairlie may sadly no longer be with us but his spirit lives on in this restaurant which bears his name. Reaching the top spot this year is a huge credit to his long-time lieutenants, head chef Stephen McLaughlin and general manager Dale Dewsbury.
“Evelyn’s Table at The Blue Posts being runner up is certainly something to celebrate from the Selby brothers as our diners were quick to point out that they are demonstrating “levels of skill and technique to compete with much better- known places that leave you with a far higher bill” – a point that has been further reinforced by the recent appointment of Luke Selby to Executive Chef at Le Manoir.”
The 32nd edition of the Harden’s guide, published this week (ISBN: 978- 1916076150, price £18.99: also available as apps for Apple or Android), is now the only UK restaurant guide sold in bookshops based on feedback from normal diners rather than a group of professional inspectors. A total of 30,000 reports are submitted from a survey of 3,000 diners. Restaurants at all price levels are listed: from street food vendors to the country’s most ambitious dining rooms, with 2,800 restaurants listed in total.
The South West became the nation’s strongest dining region after the South East and London with Cornwall alone landing three restaurants in the Top 100. While the county’s most famous son Rick Stein was noticeably absent, Nathan Outlaw and Paul Ainsworth were commended for delivering ‘outstanding’ experiences and ‘face-slappingly good flavours’ respectively. An additional 18 top scoring venues in the elite ranking secured Cornwall as the county with the most Top 500 listings after London.
But the national poll also revealed a growing discomfort amongst increasingly cost-conscious diners towards those restaurants whose prices are perceived to outweigh the value of the experiences they provide.
Peter Harden, who revealed in November that prices at some top UK restaurants have doubled since Brexit, commented:
“Value is at the heart of the whole Harden’s survey system, therefore any dip in perception of value-change in the restaurants visited by our diners results in them quickly slipping down the rankings.
“We’re really seeing some pricing push-back in the comments being submitted by those surveyed. This could be why this year we’ve seen the likes of Ynyshir drop from number 7 to 37, and Restaurant Sat Bains, which took last year’s top spot, fall out of the top 100 list entirely.
“We all know that high quality food comes at a price and diners are accepting of that but, at the same time, we’re witnessing some restaurants charging staggering amounts that would have been inconceivable in the UK only a couple of years ago.
“Even if supply issues and cost pressures are the root of the issue for chefs, the resulting price hikes have happened so quickly that customers are clearly struggling to confront the new reality.
“What is perceived as an enjoyable treat at £100 per head can soon leave a bad taste when the cost for a similar experience begins to mount over £200 per head. Chefs are faced with a real challenge of where to draw the line and strike that balance in order to fall on the right side of customer perception, especially as the cost of living crisis continues to bite.”
