The North triumphs at National Restaurant Awards 2021

Listen. Do you hear that? That’s the sound of North West restaurant websites crashing as people scramble to book tables after the events of yesterday evening.

The National Restaurant Awards 2021 was a biggy for the North of England as restaurants and chefs from the North West and Yorkshire placed highly in the Top 100 with Moor Hall, The Angel at Hetton and chef Tommy Banks coming away with major awards.

Elsewhere the Top 100 reads like a culinary tour of Lancashire and Yorkshire

Two years in a row for Mark Birchall and Moor Hall

Moor Hall in Aughton, Lancashire topped the national rankings for the second year in a row winning Restaurant of the Year. A title for each Michelin Star. Banks meanwhile, whose Black Swan at Oldstead and Roots came in at tenth and fiftieth respectively on the rankings. The Angel at Hetton, which placed second (up like a rocket from position 56 in 2019) also won Gastropub of the Year.

The awards ceremony in association with Restaurant Magazine, held this year at the Stratford Hotel in London, is voted for by an academy of chefs, restaurateurs and food writers from across the UK with a presentation of the annual Top 100 on the night as well as special awards including the coveted Restaurant of the Year.

Due to the pandemic, 2019 was the most recent edition of The Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards which were first established in 2007.

North on the map, north in the rankings

This year the North, with emphasis on the North West especially, did extremely well. Four of the top five restaurants, as well as nine of the top 20, were all from the North with Manchester’s Mana the city’s highest-ranked in eleventh place. Erst in Ancoats made its debut on the list coming in at 47.

Elsewhere the Top 100 reads like a culinary tour of the North West.

This is a dramatic contrast to last year’s list which was dominated by London and the South. The Parkers Arms (23), Northcote (34), The White Swan at Fence (36) and Freemasons at Wiswell (38) were all flying the flag for the Lancashire in the top 50 whilst Merseyside and Cheshire were also represented by Fraiche (43) and Sticky Walnut (62) respectively.

Yorkshire also did extremely well with dramatic rises up the rankings for The Angel at Hetton (56 to 2), Skosh in York (40 to 18), The Man Behind The Curtain in Leeds (91 to 19), Sheffield’s Jöro (94 to 32) and York's Le Cochon Aveugle (95 to 41). Tommy Banks' Roots which won a Michelin Star this year moved down a few places (42 to 51) and The Moorcock Inn (14) near Halifax was a well deserved new entry this year. 

Cumbria boasted new entries from The Cottage In The Wood (24), Hrishi (39) and Lake Road Kitchen (78).

Kerridge and Rashford recognised

Other award winners on the night included Tom Kerridge who was recognised for his work in campaigning to end child poverty with Manchester United and England striker Marcus Rashford. The Bull & Bear chef was awarded an Outstanding Contribution Award for his Meals From Marlow initiative which has so far raised over £180,000 for NHS staff and people in need.

Andrew Wong of A Wong in London’s Victoria was awarded Chef of the Year whilst both drinks awards were Southern affairs with Soho’s Noble Rot winning Wine List of the Year and Mayfair’s Hide winning Cocktail List of the Year.

Well done to everyone that made the list and anyone that can manage to get a table anywhere on this list for the next six months. We couldn't be prouder.