Good Food Guide Names Britain's Best Restaurant

The best restaurant in Britain has been announced and you may be surprised to hear it’s not in the capital city.

Restaurant Nathan Outlaw in Cornwall has achieved a perfect score of 10 in The Good Food Guide 2018.

The Port Isaac seafood restaurant has been crowned number one in the UK for being “the whole package”, with its relaxed dining room and a menu carefully crafted around the freshest Cornish seafood.

Judges also praised the restaurant for its perfect service, which “just happens in the most discreet and attentive way”.

Outlaw takes the title of Britain’s best restaurant from L’Enclume in Cumbria after their four years at the summit.

However, Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume still retains a perfect 10 score for its “fiercely seasonal ingredients” and “knockout dishes”.

Good Food Guide

Nathan Outlaw

Speaking about the newly crowned number one restaurant, Waitrose Good Food Guide (GFG) editor, Elizabeth Carter said: “Nathan Outlaw’s food is characterised by the absolute freshness of ingredients and a clear sense of purpose.

“He has done an enormous amount to educate and encourage the public appetite for fish, driven by his supply of impeccably fine ingredients and a special talent for creating unique and thrilling fish dishes.

“Moreover, nobody seems to leave Nathan Outlaw’s staff – they just go and work in another one of his restaurants. They obviously think he’s a pretty good boss as well as a fine chef.”

Outlaw said: “We’ve always been proud to have a place in the listings, but to hear that Restaurant Nathan Outlaw has made it to No 1 is phenomenal. I’d say the award has come due to the hard work and dedication of our team who have now been working together for a decade.

“It just goes to show that if you stay true to yourself, get your head down, look after your customers and use the very best ingredients available to you, you’ll make it to the top.”

Alongside the finest dining establishments, the GFG also champions more unusual eateries that you may not find in more traditional restaurant guides. In addition to anonymous inspections, the GFG’s research list is based on the huge volume of feedback received from readers and this helps uncover new foodie finds every year.

This year’s edition features four new entries housed under railway arches: Umezushi in Manchester; Hart’s Bakery in Bristol; and Bala Baya and El Pastor, both in London.

Also new to the GFG this year is Vice and Virtue, a Leeds restaurant located in a former strip club.

Chef to Watch has been awarded to Ben Crittenden, from Stark, located in Broadstairs, Kent. His tiny 12-seater restaurant only has a galley kitchen tucked in the corner but serves a well-prepared six-course tasting menu. The restaurant is so small it doesn’t yet have a loo, but a friendly landlady from the pub up the road welcomes Stark’s diners.

The top 50 restaurants according to the guide are:

1 Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Cornwall (10)
2 L’Enclume, Cumbria (10)
3 Pollen Street Social, London (9)
4 Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottinghamshire (9)
5 The Fat Duck, Berkshire (9)
6 Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London (9)
7 Hedone, London (8)
8 Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, Tayside (8)
9 Claude Bosi at Bibendum, London (8) New
10 Casamia, Bristol (8)
11 Bohemia, Jersey (8)
12 Ynyshir, Powys (8)
13 Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London (8)
14 Fraiche, Merseyside (8)
15 Marcus, London (8)
16 Le Champignon Sauvage, Glos (8)
17 Adam Reid at The French, Manchester (8)
18 The Ledbury, London (8)
19 André Garrett at Cliveden, Berkshire (8)
20 Midsummer House, Cambridgeshire (8)
21 Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, London (8)
22 The Peat Inn, Fife (8)
23 The Kitchin, Edinburgh (7)
24 Sketch, Lecture Room & Library, London (7)
25 The Three Chimneys, Isle of Skye (7) New
26 Moor Hall, Lancashire (7) New
27 The Greenhouse, London (7)
28 The Ritz, London (7) New
29 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh (7)
30 Forest Side, Cumbria (7)
31 Orwells, Oxfordshire (7)
32 Paul Ainsworth at No. 6, Cornwall (7)
33 Restaurant Marianne, London (7)
34 The Waterside Inn, Berkshire (7)
35 Restaurant James Sommerin, Glamorgan (7)
36 Artichoke, Buckinghamshire (7)
37 The Raby Hunt, Durham (7)
38 Whatley Manor, The Dining Room, Wiltshire (7)
39 Restaurant Story, London (7)
40 Simpsons, Birmingham (7)
41 Restaurant Martin Wishart, Edinburgh (7)
42 The Sportsman, Kent (7) New
43 Adam’s, Birmingham (7)
44 Freemasons at Wiswell,
Lancashire (7)
45 Gidleigh Park, Devon (7)
46 Le Gavroche, London (7)
47 Hambleton Hall, Rutland (7)
48 Murano, London (7)
49 The Whitebrook, Gwent (7)
50 The Man Behind the Curtain, Leeds (7) New

Best Chinese Restaurants In London

Chinese Laundry, Islington(01 of05)

Step into Chinese Laundry with its patterned wallpaper and kitsch lampshades, and you’ll think you’ve stepped back in time. Inspired by the founders’ childhood growing up in Beijing in the 80s, the menu is full of lesser-known specialities such as fermented foods and dishes that have been slow-cooked for hours “how grandma does it”.

Try the Manchurian Lamb, which is twice-cooked lamb belly (first it’s slow-cooked in fermented soybean paste and then it’s fried for a crispy finish), pair it with the smashed cucumber, which is a refreshing and light accompaniment for the heavier dishes.

Feeling brave? Try the century egg (pictured on the right), a Chinese delicacy that involves preserving the egg for two weeks in clay and salt, among other things. At Chinese Laundry, they encourage sharing plates and recommend between three to five dishes for a party of two.

Chinese Laundry, 107 Upper St, Islington, N1 1QN
020 7686 6847
http://chineselaundryroom.co.uk/ (credit:Chinese Laundry)

Hakkasan, Mayfair(02 of05)

The Michelin-starred restaurant in Mayfair has a trendy interior that oozes class, yet has a relaxed atmosphere.

The 'Taste Of Hakkasan' menu is an affordable way to try a selection of food, including the dim sum (which is to die for). It's £38 per person for three courses including one of their signature cocktails.

The starter dim sum selection with a Szechuan salad was a highlight. There's a large selection of mains, including several vegetarian options, all of which come with seasoned veg and jasmine rice. The Sanpei chicken clay pot is incredibly flavoursome with a tang of chilli.

If you can fit in dessert and are a chocolate fan, try the Jivara bomb comprising milk chocolate, hazelnut praline and rice krispies.

Hakkasan, 17 Bruton St, Mayfair, London, W1J 6QB
020 7907 1888
hakkasan.com (credit:Hakkasan)

Canton, Chinatown(03 of05)

Tucked into the eastern corner of China Town, Canton offers a rather more primitive dining experience than its rivals on the main strip. But what it lacks in furnishings, it more than makes up for in charming service and authentic Cantonese cuisine.

The compact restaurant is a favourite among London’s Chinese community who come for its Szechuan specialties. The crispy BBQ duck is a personal favourite. If you want a taste of China without the sky-high airfares, Canton is the one.

Canton, 11 Newport Place, London, WC2H 7JR
020 7437 6220
http://chinatown.co.uk/en/restaurant/canton/ (credit:Chinatowncouk)

Yauatcha, Soho(04 of05)

Yauatcha is the kind of place you'd take your parents or a date you really, REALLY liked. The decor is stylish, but not over the top, and the atmosphere is vibrant.

The dim sum menu is well-priced and has a lot on offer - the melt in your mouth venison puffs (£5.80), crispy lobster rolls (£9.80) and multi-textured prawn and beancurd cheung fun (£9.20) are absolutely delicious. The spicy pork Szechuan wontons with peanut (£4.90) turn the heat up a notch, but are equally tasty. Each dish comes with new and exciting flavours. Washed down with a mandarin and chilli iced tea, you can't really go wrong.

Surprisingly, four dim sum dishes is enough to fill up two people, but if you're feeling extra hungry it's worth ordering 1/4 crispy duck which comes with pancakes, cucumber and plum sauce.

Yauatcha, 15-17 Broadwick Street, Soho, W1F 0DL
020 7494 8888
http://www.yauatcha.com/soho/ (credit:Yauatcha)

Ping Pong, Shepherd's Bush(05 of05)

There are numerous Ping Pong restaurants across London, but the Shepherd's Bush branch is a personal favourite. The restaurant is always buzzing which makes for a fantastic atmosphere.

The menu and ordering process is a little unusual, as you mark what you want on a slip of paper and your order is then taken.

It's good to get lots of dishes to share - the honeyed chilli chicken and mushroom rice pot has a hearty spice kick, but is equally delicious. The crispy duck rolls are a great combination of veg spring rolls and aromatic crispy duck. The steamed buns are tasty and come with various fillings - try the char sui bun, which comes with honey barbecued pork. The cocktails are also a must-try, with prices starting from £6.55.

The great thing about Ping Pong is that the prices are affordable and there are lots of restaurants across London, which means late booking isn't a problem. You simply walk in and wait.

Ping Pong, Westfield London, Southern Terrace, Ariel Way, White City, W12 7SH
020 7952 5310
https://www.pingpongdimsum.com/restaurants/westfield-shepherds-bush-london (credit:Ping Pong)

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