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City centre restaurant with Gordon Ramsay trained chef crowned ‘Scotland's best'
Read on to discover if you've dined in one of the UK's best spots
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SCOTLAND'S best food spot has been crowned at a prestigious industry bash.
Lyla in Edinburgh - helmed by a Gordon Ramsay-trained chef - was handed the plaudit from the National Restaurant Awards.
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Chef Stuart Ralston's restaurant was crowned the best in Scotland
Credit: Justin Rodrigues
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Chef Ralston and the team accept a Michelin star outside the Edinburgh food spot
Credit: Lyla/Instagram
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The Ritz bagged first place on the list compiled by National Restaurant Awards
Credit: Getty
The ceremony celebrates the best of British grub as it compiles the country's top 100 places to eat.
And Lyla, the brainchild of chef Stuart Ralston, bagged 17th place alongside the crème de la crème of culinary excellence.
The Ritz in Mayfair, London scooped first place, Restaurant Moor Hall in Lancashire was second while The Ledbury in Notting Hill, London took home the bronze medal.
Triumphant chef Ralston said: 'We are immensely proud and grateful to have been voted Scotland's best restaurant, and for coming 17th in the top 100 in the UK.
'Thank you, National Restaurant Awards for this accolade and to our incredible staff who have worked so hard to make it a possibility.'
Ralston once gained experience working in Gordon Ramsay's Michelin-starred restaurant in New York.
NATIONAL RESTAURANT AWARDS - TOP 20 The Ritz, London: The top-ranked restaurant, a renowned establishment in Mayfair. Moor Hall, Aughton: A three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Lancashire. The Ledbury, Notting Hill, London: Known for its innovative and refined fine dining experience. Trinity, Clapham, London: A popular restaurant offering modern British cuisine. Bouchon Racine, Clerkenwell, London: Renowned for its expertly crafted French bistro classics. OMA, Southwark, London: A new entrant to the list, known for its chic, Greek-inspired tapas. AngloThai, Marylebone, London: A restaurant celebrating the fusion of Anglo and Thai cuisines. Osip, Bruton, Somerset: Known for its focus on sustainability and local ingredients. Ynyshir, Machynlleth, Powys: A previous winner, known for its unique and idiosyncratic approach to dining. Dorian, Notting Hill, London: A restaurant offering a diverse and flavorful menu. Mountain, Soho, London: Known for its modern take on classic dishes. The Devonshire, Soho, London: A gastropub with a strong focus on locally sourced ingredients. Kiln, Soho, London: A restaurant known for its vibrant and creative dishes. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Chelsea, London: A highly acclaimed fine dining establishment. Woven by Adam Smith: Located at Coworth Park, known for its service and food quality. Ikoyi, Covent Garden, London: A restaurant offering a unique and innovative dining experience. Lyla, Edinburgh: A restaurant celebrating Scottish cuisine. A Wong, Victoria, London: Known for its modern and innovative take on Cantonese cuisine. Da Terra, Bethnal Green, London: A restaurant offering a dynamic and creative dining experience. Brooklands by Claude Bosi, Knightsbridge, London: A restaurant offering a refined and elegant dining experience.
In 2023, the award-winning chef opened Lyla in premises once occupied by Paul Kitching's influential 21212 on Royal Terrace.
The 28-cover restaurant, billed by Ralston as 'unapologetically fine dining', received a Michelin star in February 2025.
The National Restaurant Awards this week commented: 'Lyla is not a fish restaurant per se but is fish-focused, with the majority of the courses on its tasting menu seafood-based.
'With just 10 tables to worry about (and a maximum party size of four), Ralston has been able to up the culinary ante significantly.
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"His previous flagship Aizle has 50 covers – delivering picture-perfect dishes that demonstrate good technique while still allowing his high-quality ingredients to do the talking.'
Elsewhere in Edinburgh, The Little Chartroom ranked at number 79 while nearby The Palmerston came in at 97th place.
