The best restaurants in the UK and Ireland, according to Michelin
IN THE upper echelons of British and Irish fine dining, no news is good news: All eight three-star restaurants from the 2022 Michelin Guide for Great Britain and Ireland kept their prestigious status, while none joined the ranks in the latest edition.
In fact, there were no bombshells ahead of this year’s Great Britain and Ireland ceremony, unlike what transpired in France in February. A few days ahead of the French Michelin star ceremony, news leaked that two three-star restaurants had lost their top ranking, including Guy Savoy.
The UK stars were announced on Mar 27 in a glitzy live ceremony at the Silverstone Circuit in Northampton. It is the first live event for Michelin in two years. They invited the chefs who received new stars in 2021 and 2022 to go onstage and receive their accolades in person, celebrating getting past a tough few years for the restaurant industry, while drinking champagne overlooking the F1 track.
Last year there was one new three-star restaurant, L’Enclume, from chef Simon Rogan in the Lake District town of Cartmel.
Gwendal Poullennec, international director for Michelin Guides, did not look at the lack of additional three-star spots as a disappointment, nor as an indicator of a slowdown at the high end of the UK restaurant scene. Rather, in a press conference following the ceremony, she flagged how consistent the winners were, and how dynamic the culinary scene is throughout the two countries.
Twenty restaurants gained one-star status, including Timberyard in Edinburgh and Luca in London. Three spots joined the two-star list, including the return of the celebrated Ledbury in West London, bringing the total to 25. Last year there were a total of 22 two-starred restaurants, which included five new spots.
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A rating of three stars is given for “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”, said Michelin. Two stars represent “excellent cooking, worth a detour”. One star is for “high-quality cooking, worth a stop”. Michelin also has a list of Bib Gourmands, for good-value, inexpensive restaurants.
This year, Michelin also recognised the science of mixology for the first time, in the form of a cocktail award. The winner was Makis Kazakis from Mayfair’s Park Chinois restaurant. Among the awards that were announced ahead of time were the Bib Gourmands, or cheap eats. There were four new bib gourmands added in London, bringing the total in the capital to 39.
Guides from Michelin date back to 1900; initially, they focused on practicality, with information such as street maps and places to stop for fuel. They have since evolved into the signature red-bound books of restaurant listings. In 2021, the guides took up an all-digital format.
Below are the winners in the three-star and two-star categories, and the new one-star establishments.
** Indicates a new entry
Three Stars
Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, London; Core by Clare Smyth, London; Gordon Ramsay, London; Helene Darroze at the Connaught, London; L’Enclume, Cartmel, England; Sketch (the Lecture Room & Library), London; Fat Duck, Bray, England; Waterside Inn, Bray, England
Two Stars
A. Wong, London**; Alex Dilling at Hotel Cafe Royal, London; Aimsir, Celbridge, Ireland; Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, Auchterarder; Claude Bosi at Bibendum, London; Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen, Dublin; The Clove Club, Shoreditch, London; Da Terra, London**; Dede, Baltimore, Ireland; Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London; Hand and Flowers, Marlow; Ikoyi, St James’s, London; Kitchen Table, London; La Dame de Pic London, London**; The Ledbury, London; Le Gavroche, London; Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, a Belmond Hotel, Great Milton; Liath, Blackrock, Dublin; Midsummer House, Cambridge; Moor Hall, Aughton; Patrick Guilbaud, Dublin, Ireland; Raby Hunt, Summerhouse; Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham; Story, London; Ynyshir, Machynlleth, Powys
New One Stars
**Acleaf, Plymouth**; Ben Wilkinson at The Pass, Horsham**; Cycene, London**; Gidleigh Park, Chagford**; Grace & Savour, Hampton in Arden**; Heft, Newton in Cartmel**; Heron, Leith**; Luca, London**; Lumiere, Cheltenham**; Pentonbridge Inn, Penton**; Restaurant Twenty-Two, Cambridge**; sō–lō, Aughton**; Solstice by Kenny Atkinson, Newcastle upon Tyne**; St. Barts, London**; Store, Stoke Holy Cross**; Taku, London**; Terre, Castlemartyr** ;The Samling, Ambleside**; The Tudor Pass, Egham**; Timberyard, Edinburgh
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