National Restaurant Awards 2024: The Ledbury named UK’s best restaurant

The Ledbury in Notting Hill has reclaimed its title as the UK’s best restaurant at the prestigious National Restaurant Awards, highlighting a triumphant return after its 2020 closure

Brett Graham’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant first won the accolade from 2010 to 2012 (PA/Getty)

The Ledbury in Notting Hill has been crowned the UK’s best restaurant at the prestigious National Restaurant Awards (NRAs), reclaiming the top spot for the fourth time in its history. Chef Brett Graham’s three-Michelin-starred establishment first won the accolade consecutively from 2010 to 2012.

Held last night at Magazine London, the annual ceremony recognised the finest in the UK’s dining scene, with votes cast by over 200 top chefs, restaurateurs, food writers and critics. The Ledbury’s comeback is particularly noteworthy, having closed in 2020 before reopening in 2022 with a refreshed approach. Known for its precise and technically brilliant dishes, The Ledbury continues to offer an exceptional fine dining experience.

Stefan Chomka, editor of Restaurant magazine, which organises the awards, praised Graham’s leadership and the restaurant’s ethos, stating: “Brett Graham leads by example in the kitchen and is one of the hardest working chefs cooking at this level in the country. The Ledbury is revered for its produce-led dishes that arrive strikingly plated but also for the refreshing down-to-earth nature of its cooking, with the team always prioritising deliciousness over culinary showboating. It’s an outstanding restaurant, one that fully deserves to be recognised as the best in the UK.”

London dominated the awards, with 53 out of the top 100 restaurants located in the capital. Notable among these was Tomos Parry’s Mountain, which claimed the number two spot barely a year after its opening. Parry’s other venture, Brat, also made the list at number 47.

Other high-ranking London establishments include Bouchon Racine (4), Kiln (6), Da Terra (7), The Devonshire (9), and Ikoyi (10). The Devonshire, notable for being the first pub to win Opening of the Year, was also named Gastropub of the Year.

Outside London, Moor Hall in Lancashire secured the third spot, while last year’s winner, Ynyshir, dropped to fifth place. The awards also highlighted new entries like Claude Bosi’s Josephine Bouchon (24) and Brooklands (34), and Adejoké Bakare’s Chishuru (31), with Bakare winning Chef of the Year.

Michel Roux Jr was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising his contributions to the culinary landscape through Le Gavroche, which closed in January after 57 years of service. Other special awards included the Estrella Damm Sustainability Award for The Bull Inn in Totnes, Chef to Watch for Ayo Adeyemi of Akoko, and the Service Award for Stuart Raiston’s Lyla in Edinburgh.

The NRAs, organised by Restaurant magazine, celebrate the best in the UK’s dining industry, showcasing both established and emerging talents. This year’s awards highlighted the resilience and innovation within the industry, particularly in the wake of the challenges posed by the pandemic.

The top 100 restaurants in the UK 2024

1. The Ledbury, London
2. Mountain, London
3. Moor Hall, Lancashire
4. Bouchon Racine, London
5. Ynyshir, Wales
6. Kiln, London
7. Da Terra, London
8. Opheem, Birmingham
9. The Devonshire, London
10. Ikoyi, London
11. The Glenturret Lalique, Scotland
12. Restaurant Pine, Northumberland
13. The Ritz, London
14. Mana, Manchester
15. Endo at the Rotunda, London
16. Higher Ground, Manchester
17. Myse, York
18. Kitchen Table, London
19. A Wong, London
20. L’Enclume, Cumbria
21. Dorian, London
22. Paul Ainsworth at No.6, Padstow
23. Akoko, London
24. Josephine Bouchon, London
25. Sabor, London
26. Solstice, Newcastle Upon Tyne
27. Kolae, London
28. Lyla, Edinburgh
29. The Sportsman, Kent
30. Hjem, Northumberland
31. Chishuru, London
32. Core By Clare Smyth, London
33. Trinity, London
34. Brooklands by Claude Bosi, London
35. BiBi, London
36. Sollip, London
37. The Angel at Hetton, North Yorkshire
38. Woven by Adam Smith, Sunningdale
39. SOLA, London
40. Frog by Adam Handling, London
41. The Black Swan at Oldstead, North Yorkshire
42. Inver, Scotland
43. Fallow, London
44. Luca, London
45. The Little Chartroom, Edinburgh
46. Upstairs by Tom Shepherd, Sheffield
47. Brat, London
48. Cycene, London
49. Kol, London
50. Erst, Manchester
51. Parkers Arms, Lancashire
52. Solo, Aughton
53. Morchella, London
54. The French House, London
55. Ugly Butterfly, St Ives
56. The Unruly Pig, Woodbridge
57. Heft, High Newton
58. The Midland Grand Dining Room, London
59. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London
60. Lumiere, Cheltenham
61. Crocadon Farm, St Mellion
62. The Fordwich Arms, London
63. Manteca, London
64. Osip, Bruton, Somerset
65. The Cedar Tree, Brampton
66. Grace and Savour, West Midlands
67. Annwn, Narbeth
68. The Clove Club, London
69. Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham
70. Chez Bruce, London
71. Singburi, London
72. Wilson’s, Bristol
73. Hide, London
74. Northcote, Lancashire
75. Forest Side, Grasmere, Ambleside
76. Lyle’s, London
77. St John, London
78. Restaurant 22, Cambridge
79. Lisboeta, London
80. The Harwood Arms, London
81. The Muddlers Club, Belfast
82. Aulis by Simon Rogan, London
83. Interlude, Horsham
84. Manifest, Liverpool
85. Maison François, London
86. Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons, Oxfordshire
87. Sune, London
88. Smoking Goat, London
89. Evelyn’s Table, London
90. Trivet, London
91. Etch, Hove, East Sussex
92. The Grill by Tom Botoon, London
93. Gymkhana, London
94. The Palmerston, Edinburgh
95. The Quality Chop House, London
96. Updown Farmhouse, Deal
97. Planque, London
98. The Seahorse, Dartmouth, Devon
99. Sette, London
100. Camille, London

And the special awards were:

• Chef of the Year: Adejoké Bakare (Chishuru)
• Restaurateur of The Year: Joshua and Victoria Overington (Myse)
• Opening of The Year: The Devonshire, London
• Chef to Watch: Ayo Adeyemi (Akoko)
• One to Watch: Skof, Manchester
• The Sustainability Award: The Bull Inn, Totnes
• Gastropub of the Year: The Devonshire, London
• The Service Award: Lyla, Edinburgh
• Wine List of the Year: Trivet, London
• Cocktail list of the Year: The Dover, London
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Michel Roux

For more on the awards, head over to the official site.