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Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Scotland's six best restaurants named at prestigious National Restaurant Awards
Here are the top eateries in the country. Scotland's top restaurants were crowned earlier this week at the National Restaurant Awards. The list of 100 is described as the "definitive guide to the UK's best restaurants". Revealed on Monday, June 9, a total of six Scottish restaurants are featured on the prestigious roundup. Three Edinburgh eateries are included, as well as restaurants in Perth and Kinross, Fife, and Argyll and Bute. The Daily Record has compiled a list of all of the restaurants in Scotland named on the National Restaurant Awards' top 100. From fine dining establishments to trendy venues that won't break the bank, there is something for everyone. Read on for the six Scottish restaurants that were named among the best in the UK at the National Restaurant Awards. The full list can be found on the National Restaurant Awards website. Lyla, Edinburgh The highest-placing Scottish restaurant on the list, coming in at number 17, is Lyla. The fine dining restaurant, which has been recognised with a Michelin star, is located on Royal Terrace in the Scottish capital. As reported by the Daily Record, Lyla champions Scotland's natural larder. It sources line-caught fish and shellfish from the Scottish islands, as well as organic meats and vegetables. The restaurant serves up a 10-course tasting menu between Wednesday and Saturday that is priced at £165 per person. It also offers a five or seven-course lunch menu, costing £65 and £95 per person respectively. The Glenturret Lalique, Crieff The Glenturret Lalique placed at number 41 on the National Restaurant Awards' list. Housed within the iconic Glenturret whisky distillery, it has received two Michelin stars. The restaurant's menu takes inspiration from The Glenturret, as well as Scotland's stunning landscapes. Its food was praised by the National Restaurant Awards for being "playful in concept but always graceful and elegant". Priced at £220 per guest, The Glenturret Lalique's sample dinner menu includes dishes such as BBQ Orkney scallop XO, line caught bream, and 'Bisque-it'. The Kinneuchar Inn Next up is The Kinneuchar Inn in the village of Kilconquhar. The 17th-century pub and restaurant came in at number 66. The Kinneuchar Inn was noted by the National Restaurant Awards for its "good-value daily-changing à la carte menu that celebrates seasonal, locally sourced ingredients". It also earned praise for its "down-to-earth" atmosphere. Guests at The Kinneuchar Inn can enjoy dishes such as tagliatelle with Trombetta courgette, basil, and pecorino and grilled Balcaskie mutton chop with Manteca beans, kale, and green sauce. Other options include roast hake with braised fennel, chickpeas, monk's beard, and aïoli and white peach with goat's curd, oak leaf, and hazelnut. Inver, Argyll and Bute Inver is a small restaurant nestled along the shores of Loch Fyne that specialises in simply prepared fresh seafood and native meat and game in season. It placed at number 78 on the National Restaurant Awards' roundup. The restaurant was noted by the experts for its commitment to sustainability. Inver previously became among the first restaurants to be awarded a Michelin Green Star—recognising sustainable gastronomy. Inver's tasting menu is priced at £115 and includes dishes such as scallop with white asparagus and argan and potato handkerchiefs springtime onions. There is also an à la carte menu available, with dishes like Arbroath smokie broth with scallop dumplings and green asparagus and spring chicken terrine with white asparagus and dandelion shoots. The Little Chartroom, Edinburgh Elsewhere, The Little Chartroom in Edinburgh came in at number 79 on the roundup. Situated in the Scottish capital's buzzy Leith district, the eatery serves up a small menu of high-end dishes. The restaurant was described as "low key", but was noted for its modern interiors. Meanwhile, the food itself was praised for its "great confidence and imagination". The Little Chartroom offers both three and five-course dinner menus, priced at £73 and £95 respectively. Dishes include St. Bride's duck breast and leg pastilla with cauliflower, courgette, and apricot and wild garlic fazzoletti with asparagus, pheasant back mushroom, and caramelised cream. The Palmerston, Edinburgh Finally, The Palmerston in Edinburgh is the last Scottish restaurant to be included on the National Restaurant Awards' list of 100. The retro restaurant and bakery is known for its old-fashioned decor and daily-changing menu of locally sourced dishes. The Palmerston was applauded for its "familiar and comforting" atmosphere, as well as its varied menu. The restaurant was also noted for its affordable prices, with a three-course set lunch menu costing less than £25. Visitors to The Palmerston can enjoy dishes such as fish stew with cod, hake, mussels, violet artichoke, fennel, and aïoli and roast turbot with asparagus, sea spinach, agretti, and hollandaise. There is also a huge variety of desserts to choose from, including everything from tarts to trifle.
Scotsman
6 hours ago
- Business
- Scotsman
The elegant Scottish restaurant named best in the country in national awards
The 2025 National Restaurant Award winners have been announced, and six restaurants in Scotland have taken home accolades with only two in the top 50. Lyla in Edinburgh made number 17 in the top 50 list and was named the best restaurant in Scotland. The restaurant, which gained a Michelin Star earlier this year, received the Service Award last year and is headed up by chef Stuart Ralston who also has Noto, Aizle and tipo. The National Restaurant Awards said this of Lyla: 'The 28-cover Lyla is billed by Ralston as 'unapologetically fine dining' and the chef's focus (he now cooks there exclusively). 'The experience begins in a stylish upstairs bar featuring a Krug-branded champagne trolley, a large lighting installation, and meat and fish ageing fridges stocked with house-made charcuterie and top-tier local seafood including whole halibut and plaice.' Picture: Murray Orr Speaking to The Scotsman in February after Lyla was awarded a Michelin Star, Mr Ralston said: 'It's a culmination of a long time coming. It's amazing for Edinburgh and Scotland to get another star. "Lyla is the whole package, it's an amazing building and my team - it's very personal - is interactive, a diverse experience and we spend a lot of money on quality produce, the majority of which comes from Scotland.' The Glenturret Lalique restaurant, which gained Two Michelin Stars in 2024, placed at number 41 in the top 50 this year having won best restaurant in Scotland last year. In the top 100 restaurants in the UK, The Kinneauchar Inn came in at number 66; Inver at 78; The Little Chartroom at 79 and The Palmerston at 97. The National Restaurant Awards is Restaurant's annual countdown of the top 100 restaurants in the UK as voted for by the UK's leading chefs, restaurateurs and food writers. You can find out more and see the full top 50 and 100 at the National Restaurant Awards website.
Western Telegraph
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Western Telegraph
Narberth restaurant named among UK's best by national awards
The National Restaurant Awards took place on Monday (June 9), celebrating "the brilliance and vibrancy of the UK restaurant scene, honouring the best chefs and operators across the country". Awards handed out at the annual event included: National Restaurant of the Year Gastropub of the Year Chef of the Year Cocktail List of the Year Wine List of the Year Opening of the Year Best Restaurant in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (four individual awards) A list of the UK's top 100 restaurants was also revealed, featuring one Pembrokeshire restaurant - Annwn. The best restaurants in the UK The best restaurants in the UK, according to the National Restaurant Awards, are: Why Annwn is among the UK's best restaurants Annwn was ranked the 68th best restaurant in the country at the National Restaurant Awards. The Narberth-based restaurant describes itself as "a Welsh food movement" that pays homage to its Welsh surroundings and landscapes. It was recommended by the National Restaurant Awards for its "hyper-local food with a sustainable conscience". The Awards website explains: "Chef-patron Matt Powell serves a single 10-course menu that changes during the seasons using ingredients that are not only local to the area, including many that are foraged close by - often within walking distance of the restaurant - but those that support sustainable producers and the country's wild ecosystems. "A meal at Annwn starts with a selection of snacks, that might include bread 'cooked on the planc' and seasonal offerings such as cured and air-dried meats before getting to the heart of the matter with a procession of dishes that celebrate Pembrokeshire's bounty and which feature some unusual and not often used ingredients. "Plating is meticulous, with dishes served on a wide variety of crockery and items from the natural world to accentuate the restaurant's natural approach. "By contrast, the dining room is less formal than the food's presentation might suggest, with wooden tables and chairs, dark slate flooring, and vintage furniture creating a rustic but comfortable space in tune with its surroundings." Previous dishes at Annwn have included: Kilpaison oyster with purée, estuary plants, and an oyster cracker A broth of velvet swimmer crab, St Brides prawns, sea buckthorn emulsification, sea radish and (nicer than it sounds) scurvy grass Mallard accompanied by damson Paste, hazelnuts, and preserved hogweed seeds Customers agree Annwn is "one of the best in the world" It's not just the experts who love Annwn, but customers as well, with it boasting a perfect 5 rating on Tripadvisor from 46 reviews. It has been described by visitors as a "culinary gem", "one of the best in the world" and a "beacon worth travelling a long way" for. Have you visited Annwn before? (Image: Tripadvisor) One person, commenting about their experience at Annwn, said: "Top 3 restaurant in the world for a special experience. "I am fortunate to have eaten at highly rated restaurants all over the world, including those with multiple Michelin stars. "Annwn stands out for the authentic and deeply immersive experience into Welsh food, history, and community. It was worth every penny and much more." RECOMMENDED READING: Another customer, posting on Tripadvisor, added: "True to name, Annwn is out of this world, in the best of ways. "A fabulous experience of top Michelin quality food in a wonderfully intimate and personal setting. Cannot recommend highly enough. "Surely Annwn will be awarded its star very soon. "Matt is the most committed and passionate chef I have spoken with and, together with Naomi, they host a brilliant experience."
Telegraph
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The Ritz's chef John WIlliams: ‘I'm the best value in London'
The kitchen beneath The Ritz's dining room is in full swing at lunchtime. Around 20 chefs in whites – toques and all – are applying finishing touches to their plates. Waiters in black tailcoats push trolleys hurriedly through narrow corridors. The only hint this isn't a normal day at the 119-year-old hotel is that the team have all just enjoyed a glass of Bollinger before service. The previous night the restaurant was named the country's best at the National Restaurant Awards (NRAs), just four months after it earned its second Michelin star (long overdue according to many in the food industry). 'I was absolutely amazed, ecstatic,' says John Williams MBE, The Ritz's executive chef, in his office, which offers a panoramic view of the kitchen like a pundits' studio at a football stadium. 'You're always hopeful to do better than the year before [it finished 13th in 2024]. I squealed a bit when they read out number two.' With previous two-time winner Moor Hall confirmed in the runner-up position, The Ritz's fate was sealed. In an industry beholden to trends, its resurgence is remarkable. No natural wine, small plates or Korean fried chicken here. Instead, you'll find pressed Anjou pigeons, a beef Wellington trolley and crêpes suzette prepared tableside. ' The Ritz is a special place, I thought we were forgotten,' said Williams after the Michelin announcement in February. Perhaps it suffered from always being there, a symbol of old London preserved in aspic – a rich tourist's destination? 'I do believe it took a long time for people to accept. You have to break the bar of what that expectation is to get noticed.' Stefan Chomka, editor of Restaurant magazine which organises the NRAs, says The Ritz is a 'transformative restaurant'. He continues: 'The moment you cross its threshold you are taken to a place unlike any other in London, or indeed in the UK.' I have been lucky to eat there and it was certainly memorable. At tables in the grandiose Louis XVI dining room, all pinks and golds with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling fresco, sat wealthy septuagenarians with their granddaughters (or possibly their girlfriends), families celebrating special occasions and couples on what seemed like impressively expensive second dates. As for the food, the turbot 'ton sur ton', a preparation involving two sauces – one champagne, the other lobster – was perfect. The crêpes theatrical. Most delicious? A tuile filled with coronation chicken, a dish which last year gained the attention of restaurant critic Tim Hayward for involving 'every kind of twattery required' and marking every culinary 'cliché on the bingo card', but tasting 'bloody gorgeous'. The Ritz isn't subtle. A neo-Baroque sprawl of alcoves and dining rooms, it has been called ' cartoonishly grand '. Almost everywhere you'll hear someone playing piano. The Long Room gives Versailles a run for its money. It is the perfect home for Williams, a chef with five decades experience in hotels. But it is a far cry from where he was raised. Born in South Shields in 1958, Williams grew up with food playing a significant role in his childhood. His father was a fisherman, bringing home seafood from the North Sea. Williams, the second of six children, was always on hand in the kitchen or doing the food shop. One of his earliest food memories is aged around 11, helping his mother to scrape Jersey royals for the Sunday roast. 'I made some mint sauce that day and as a treat she gave me three large Jerseys with melted butter on top,' he recalls. 'That was it, I was hooked.' Williams talks with Proustian verve, his accent becoming ever so slightly more Geordie, about his father's love of pig's trotters and curries, and his own occasional treat of minced tripe with vinegar. And strawberries. The 'pungent' smell of the grocer's, when there was still little refrigeration. 'The aroma was magnificent, you hardly get that now, because they're all chilled.' Walking home, he and his mother would stop to eat the berries, the juice running down their chins. Unlike most of his peers, Williams was what one might now call a 'foodie'. Most of his contemporaries would become fishermen, miners or dock workers. He enrolled in a cookery course, making bolognese and impressing his teacher. That led to an apprenticeship at The Percy Arms, a hotel in Northumberland, where Williams realised he wanted to cook 'posh food' for 'posh people'. London was the logical next step. Before turning 17, he enrolled at catering school and secured a job at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington. By 27, he was second in command at Claridge's, in charge of around 80 cooks, before stints at The Berkeley and a return to Claridge's as executive chef, where he cooked for at least three US presidents. But The Ritz, which Williams joined in 2004 as executive chef, was arguably his calling. He remembers walking under its fabled arches back in the 1970s, peering through its glass windows and thinking, presciently, 'maybe one day I'll work there'. Many have shared the desire to step inside the neoclassical building. Founded by Swiss hotelier César Ritz in 1906, eight years after its Parisian counterpart, it has been the hotel of choice for Hollywood royalty and actual royals. Jackie Onassis stayed there, as did Charlie Chaplin and Noel Coward. Edward Heath and Harold Macmillan dined there, while Winston Churchill met Charles de Gaulle and Dwight Eisenhower in the Marie Antoinette Suite in 1942. Princess Diana was a fan, and it was where the then Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles were first pictured together in public, in 1999. Queen Elizabeth II hosted Charles's birthday bash at The Ritz in 2002, following with her own 80th birthday celebrations in 2006 for which langoustines and lamb were on the menu. On the wall in Williams' office is a framed letter of congratulations from King Charles III, received two days after the restaurant earned its second Michelin star. It is easy to see why The Ritz is beloved of the great and good. Its front doors, manned by porters dressed in tailcoats, top hats and white gloves, are a portal into another world. The afternoon tea parlour is packed (hosting five sittings and around 400 people a day), the scones sound tracked by soft jazz tinkling from a grand piano. So culturally significant is The Ritz that it spawned an adjective – the best word to describe it is, indeed, ritzy. For Williams, the challenge from day one was to evolve without straying from what makes it The Ritz. In 2004 it was, he has said, a 'reliable, if slightly outdated establishment'. Certainly not anyone's idea of trendy. 'It wasn't the greatest, in all honesty,' says Williams now. 'It was ultra expensive, but they weren't delivering the very best. That made me think of [ensuring] value for money, making sure we give the very best we can.' Williams' cooking is firmly rooted in the tradition of haute cuisine and grand hotels – he is a disciple of Georges Auguste Escoffier, who popularised traditional French cooking methods in the late 1800s. But he has tailored that to contemporary needs – introducing vegetarian and vegan menus, using less sugar and serving lighter sauces, without compromising his gastronomic principles. 'I was the correct kind of person to come to The Ritz because I solemnly believe in classic cooking and Escoffier. We really wanted to bring that on. It's not about totally changing the menus. In a place like this there's a structure, and you can't just say 'that's all out and this is in'. You'd have a riot.' What does Williams think sets The Ritz apart? It's not only the basis in classical cookery but sourcing the finest possible ingredients. Being part of a Qatari-owned hotel surely helps purchasing power (the proprietor is Abdulhadi Mana Al-Hajri, a business tycoon and brother-in-law of the Emir of Qatar), but don't all restaurants claim to use only top-notch meat, fish and veg? 'You could interview 100 chefs, they're all going to say that,' Williams admits. 'Let me tell you there's only about three or four of them looking for the very, very best, and capable of paying the very, very best. Some of my ingredients are extreme in price.' Dublin bay prawns are an example, which Williams says he buys for up to £9 a pop. Those sauces for the turbot, from champagne (which is made with Ritz Reserve Champagne Barons De Rothschild) to lobster, are also costly both to source the ingredients for and to create (it's the single role of one chef). The £221 seven-course tasting menu begins to make sense. 'I believe solemnly, 100 per cent, [that] I'm the best value in London, for cost of product and then selling price. Value for money is everything that I believe in.' One of the first things he did when taking the reins in 2004 was reduce the menu du jour by £10 – a relatively significant sum at the time. Many still tell him he should charge more. Williams has earned a reputation as one of the nation's best chefs without acquiring much fame beyond his industry. He is rarely seen on TV and uses social media sporadically (mostly when his partner makes him post holiday snaps; Williams has spoken in the past of his previous 20-year marriage coming to an end because of his career). Chef Henry Harris, who runs Bouchon Racine, a hugely popular French restaurant in London's Farringdon which took fifth place at the NRAs, recalls cooking alongside Williams and 'several truly great chefs' at a private dinner 25 years ago. 'He out-cooked us all. His understanding of our craft, techniques and traditions delivers some of the most beautiful and memorable dishes I've been lucky enough to eat. He is also a rare individual who embraces complex, often forgotten techniques that deliver dishes that aren't found anywhere to that level. We all crave tradition and comfort, and to get that in London's most beautiful dining room, with generous and attentive service, makes [The Ritz] somewhere we should all go at least once.' For Williams, a great restaurant starts with the front-of-house staff. Many have been at the hotel for years, including head hall porter Michael de Cozar, who joined in 1973 following his father's footsteps, and starred, albeit briefly, in the film Notting Hill,which included several scenes filmed on site. 'The quality of the food is one aspect, but if the human touch is not there, you might not come back,' stresses Williams. For some, however, the service can be a little out of touch. Telegraph columnist Xanthe Clay is a big fan of the food and dining room but admits 'things don't always go perfectly'. On her last visit, a working lunch with a female colleague, she found 'glitches in the service, starting with a peremptory receptionist and a delay being seated. Then, when a cheery waiter sallied forth declaring, 'Ladiiies, what are we celebrating today?' I could feel my esteemed companion shudder. Two women lunching alone, apparently, must mean a birthday at least.' Yet the accolades are finally rolling in, with a royal warrant in 2024 preceding the second Michelin star and the NRAs result. Last week, however, a report labelled the Michelin guide 'Eurocentric'. Williams believes that's 'totally untrue. They're worldwide, they've become more diverse than ever before.' The NRAs were certainly London-centric, with over half of the top 100 (and seven of the top 10) located in the capital. Yet, winning was seismic for Williams. 'For someone to say you are number one in the UK, it's one hell of a statement.' He has strong views about social media, not least the rise of restaurants creating dishes specifically for Instagram and TikTok. 'That really winds me up. I have gone to a couple of places where I've thought that looks nice, and it tasted absolute rubbish.' Nothing at The Ritz, he insists, is made for show. Williams is still at the pass every day ('I taste all the sauces on a daily basis'), playing as much golf as he can in his spare time. He is motivated by nurturing the next generation of top chefs, and plenty have already passed through his kitchen. Spencer Metzger, who rose from apprentice to head chef at The Ritz, now runs Row on 5 in London, while Adam Byatt (of Trinity, in Clapham) and Adam Smith (of Woven at Ascot) are former Ritz employees. He points to a young chef in the corner of the kitchen, Daniella, who he claims will be the 'next great chef. There are certain people [in whom] you're able to see that. The women at the moment are a bit better than the men.' Williams bookends our interview with sartorial gripes, starting by telling me most chefs at the previous night's ceremony weren't suited. Of those who were, the majority were from The Ritz, Williams jokes. I tell him the only time I wear jackets are at weddings and funerals – and when I ate at The Ritz. 'A lot of people say that,' he admits. Before I leave, he expresses a mild disdain for chefs in T-shirts and aprons. His own 30cm-tall white pleated toque is worn at all times, except when he's in his office, and he believes strongly in the dining-room's dress code which dictates a tie and jacket for men, no sportswear and no jeans. 'You walk into that restaurant and go wow. It's special, isn't it? Next thing, you see the waiters, they're dressed in a particular way. You look at the tabletops, they're dressed in a similar style. My belief is you don't want anybody with shorts and flip flops walking into a room like that, do you?' Just before leaving to join the lunch service, Williams weighs up The Ritz in the context of London's current dining scene. Its approach to sourcing and seasonality are thoroughly modern, he argues, but few chefs are turning out dishes like pressed pigeon and soufflé in a decidedly old-school dining room. 'The beautiful thing about it,' he says, 'is we've become unique, and now people are coming back to us.'
The Courier
a day ago
- Business
- The Courier
Fife's Kinneuchar Inn finally among UK's top 100 restaurants - here's why I'm not surprised
Although it is impossible to say for certain, an oft-repeated estimate is that there are well over 30,000 restaurants operating in the UK at any given time. Whittling this number down to a top 100 is a task of gargantuan proportions. One the National Restaurant Awards manages to complete annually. This year's awards took place on Monday June 9, and two Courier Country restaurants made the cut. For the first time in the restaurant's history, The Kinneuchar Inn was one of them. I spoke to James Ferguson – who runs the Kilconquhar restaurant alongside Alethea Palmer – back in May, a few days after he'd found out they'd made the shortlist. 'We're really happy,' he told me. 'We've got a good following in the industry and good friends in the industry.' The fact The Kinneuchar Inn ended up being named the 66th best restaurant in the UK at these awards is a testament to its popularity. The National Restaurant Awards ranking is dictated by votes taken from the industry's leading chefs, restaurateurs and writers. That said, the honour still seems well overdue. The Kinneuchar Inn has long held a reputation as a restaurateur's restaurant thanks to its nose-to-tail ethos and the generous, seasonal dishes the team serve. On a given night, customers can expect everything from Pittenweem surf clams with leeks, cider and dulse to pig's head croquettes. To make matters even better, several of the restaurant's main courses are priced under £25. Other restaurants that offer this style of honest, well-executed and affordable food – such as The Palmerston in Edinburgh – have been named in the National Restaurant Awards' top 100 several years in a row. Naturally, this has added to many people's convictions that it was only a matter of time until The Kinneuchar Inn made the list. Still, James and the team were delighted when the news finally came through. 'We've had a lot of support from other restaurants in Scotland. Loads of them got in touch when it was announced we'd made the shortlist,' he told me with a smile. The vast majority of restaurants named in the top 100 specialise in fine dining. It seems many in the industry still think expensive tasting menus are the ultimate expression of gastronomy. An example of such a menu comes from Crieff's The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant, which was named the 41st best restaurant in the UK at this year's National Restaurant Awards. The restaurant – which boasts two Michelin stars – is known for producing an extensive tasting menu that costs £220 per person. When eating at Glenturret, diners can expect to enjoy excellent dishes that pay homage to Scottish produce. These include the likes of juniper-smoked roe deer and barbecued Orkney scallops. The same can be said of this year's highest rated Scottish restaurant, Lyla. Here, a 10-course tasting menu focuses on sustainable Scottish seafood. It costs £165 per head. And yet, I still find myself drawn towards The Kinneuchar Inn. Maybe I just like an underdog, but there is something infinitely refreshing about seeing a relaxed, rural and affordable restaurant breaking into the UK's most prestigious restaurant list.
