The Ritz named the Best Restaurant in the UK

Led by veteran chef John Williams MBE, the restaurant has finally climbed to the top of the prestigious UK Top 100 Restaurants list having been a regular on it for many years.

Mark Birchall’s Moor Hall in Lancashire, which won a third Michelin star back in February, came in second on this year’s list, with Birchall also taking home the coveted Chef of the Year award.

Last year’s winner The Ledbury in Notting Hill was third.

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.

The 2025 winners were announced this evening (9 June) at a ceremony held at Magazine London.

‘A bastion of fine French food’

Williams has more than two decades of experience under his belt at the helm of The Ritz London, which is one of the capital’s most recognised culinary institutions.

His brigade of chefs have defined themselves by their commitment to classical French techniques, inspired by the likes of Escoffier and other practitioners of haute cuisine, and were rewarded earlier this year with the restaurant winning its second Michelin star.

“As a bastion of fine French food served in unashamedly refined surroundings, The Ritz stands alone in the UK,” says Stefan Chomka, editor of Restaurant.

“The UK’s Top 100 Restaurants list reflects the diverse nature of our eating out scene and the changing trends within it, whether they be less formality, more farm to fork menus, or embracing new cuisines, but it’s also wonderful to see a restaurant unwavering in its focus finally get the recognition it merits.

“The Ritz is an exemplary restaurant, one fully deserving of the title National Restaurant of the Year.”

London’s dominance in the restaurant scene remains

This year’s list shows the continuation of the capital’s dominance in the restaurant scene, with a total of 56 restaurants from London in the Top 100 list.

David Carter celebrated being named Restaurateur of the Year 2025 with having two of his restaurants on this year’s list, both based in Borough Market: OMA, which made its debut at sixth place on the list, making it this year’s Highest New Entry; and AGORA at number 51.

John and Desiree Chantarasak’s progressive Thai restaurant AngloThai in Marylebone was The Square Opening of the Year, with the restaurant coming in at number seven on the list.

Former Trinity and Elystan Street chef Aaron Potter, who launched the Mediterranean-inspired restaurant Wildflowers in Belgravia, was named Chef to Watch, while Woven by Adam Smith in Ascot picked up The Service Award.

Wildflowers entered the UK Top 100 Restaurants list for the first time too, coming in at number 70. Woven by Adam Smith, meanwhile, climbed from 38 to 15 on this year’s list.

Claude Bosi at Bibendum in Kensington re-entered the list this year at number 39, making its chef patron the only restaurateur with three restaurants within the Top 100 – the others being Brooklands by Claude Bosi at number 20; and Josephine Bouchon (Chelsea), co-owned by Lucy Bosi, at number 23.

James Lowe’s landmark East London restaurant Lyle’s, which closed its doors last month after 11 years of operating and is credited with changing the topography of the capital’s dining scene, climbed 55 places on the list, coming in at number 21 this year.

Australia-born chef and restaurateur Skye Gyngell, whose flagship London restaurant Spring celebrated its 10th birthday last year, took home the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising her contribution not just to the British culinary scene, but also her work tapping into the confluence of food and culture.

The full list of the UK’s Top 100 Restaurants can be found on the National Restaurant Awards website.