Best New Restaurant
In a year of high-profile openings, these frontrunners have wowed the GFG editors and GFG readers with their innovative, imaginative seasonal menus and by offering good a la carte choice. Only the impressive Myse flies the flag for tasting menus. All are taking a credible part in pushing modern British dining forward.
Dorian, London
Higher Ground, Manchester
Lark, Suffolk
Mountain, London
Mýse, North Yorkshire
Noble Rot Mayfair, London
The Abbey Inn, North Yorkshire
Best Front Row Seat
This year, the best front row seats are all found in London. Rather than a chef’s table tucked into a restaurant, our shortlist is devoted to intimate counter dining experiences shaped by direct interaction with the chef in the style of a sushi or tapas bar. All of these places have upped the stakes to a new level of comfort and style of delivery.
Aulis London, London
Barrafina Dean Street, London
Behind, London
Harrods Dining Hall, London
The Sea, The Sea Chef’s Table, London
Best Farm to Table Restaurant
These days, the most innovative restaurants have a strong connection with where their produce comes from. These nominees are, in our opinion, at the top of their game. They have taken things a step further, embedding farming in their restaurant operations with one big benefit: their customers get a deeper understanding of seasonality and freshness.
Coombeshead Farm, Cornwall
Crocadon, Cornwall
Osip, Somerset
Our Farm, Cumbria
The Goods Shed, Kent
The Small Holding, Kent
Drinks List of the Year
If only all drinks lists looked this good. This highly competitive shortlist has one thing in common: their menus are all designed to encourage adventurous drinking. From superbly curated cellars that major in mature vintages to impeccably chosen listings of contemporary wines.
Allium at Askham Hall, Cumbria
Furna, Brighton
Noble Rot, London
The Kitchin, Edinburgh
Chef to Watch
The Good Food Guide’s long-running Chef to Watch award has always recognised young chefs for the confidence and clarity of their cooking - Gareth Ward and Peter Sanchez-Iglesias are notable alumni. This year’s shortlist reflects the concentration of top talent in small, independent neighbourhood restaurants. Each chef has their own distinctive style which is much appreciated by loyal regulars.
James Carn - Lark, Suffolk
Max Coen - Dorian, London
Kasia Piątkowska - Tropea, Birmingham
Rob Sachdev - Upstairs at Landrace, Bath
Wesley Smalley - Seasonality, Maidenhead
Jamie Smart - Cadet, London
Restaurant of the Year
From the old guard to the new, these restaurants have pulled to the front of an exceptional pack through constantly forging ahead and relentlessly inventing, whether it’s headline-grabbing DJs and disco balls or simply pushing ingredients to extract maximum flavour and interest.
L’Enclume, Cumbria
Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Oxfordshire
Pine, Northumberland
The Sportsman, Kent
Ynyshir, Wales
Most Exciting Food Destination
In 2022, the title of Most Exciting Food Destination was awarded to Birmingham, a city well served by unique and frequently exceptional restaurants right across the price range. This year, we’re excited to highlight a spot that is quietly booming with destination worthy dining, beautiful landscapes and a rich larder for its chefs to draw upon.
All winners will be announced at The Good Food Guide Awards on Tuesday 30th January, alongside the restaurants that have achieved a rating of Exceptional or World Class for 2024.
