We find out for you…
What makes a restaurant great? Some of us can forgive ordinary food if the atmosphere is exceptional enough, while others of us will happily put up with surly service if every mouthful is palate-perfect. And what about shifting trends – with crazes like regionalism, new expectations such as local sourcing and buzzwords like ‘fusion’ floating around, can a restaurant that hasn’t changed its menu in 20 years be truthfully described as great? Not forgetting personal taste – no matter how gushing the reviews, or how long the waiting list for a table, the world’s finest Indian restaurant will never appeal to someone who starts to sweat at the mention of curry, and the hip new seafood joint that everyone’s raving about will only inspire dread in those who can’t stomach fish.
And therein lies the answer. Perhaps universal gastronomical greatness cannot exist – it’s a matter of taste. With this in mind we’ve compiled a list of restaurants that excel in service, ambience and their particular cuisine, many of which feature in San Pellegrino’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants. And we guarantee that no matter how unique your palate or how specific your restaurant requirements, you’ll find one here that you’ll genuinely believe is great.
3 of the best celebrity chef's restaurants
1 THE FAT DUCK
Heston Blumenthal
Heston Blumenthal’s restaurant came second in The San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2007 survey. There is something about the combination of ingredients – calculated to turn every guest into one big erogenous zone.
Blumenthal’s food (his roast scallop with chocolate, his best end of lamb with sweetbread and oyster, his smoky bacon ice cream whipped up in a bowl of liquid nitrogen), is so creative and entertaining that eating here evokes emotions in us that we never knew we had.
High Street, Bray, Berkshire, SL6 2AQ, England 01628 580333; www.fatduck.co.uk
‘This is food of extreme flavours, textures and temperatures. Nothing you put in your mouth is what you think it is going to be. The combinations are not the attention-seeking, phoney sophistication of international fine dining, but intensely thought-out, lonely-hearts ingredients’ AA Gill
2 FIFTEEN
Jamie Oliver
The West Country is host to Jamie Oliver’s charitable restaurant foundation with a spectacularly beautiful setting overlooking Watergate Bay near Newquay. It’s the perfect place to be when the weather’s rubbish, with a glass of ruby red and a plate of delicious antipast as the waves lash the beach into total submission.
On The Beach, Watergate Bay, Cornwall; 01637 861000; www.fifteencornwall.co.uk
3 RESTAURANT GORDON RAMSAY
Gordon Ramsay
Never one to rest on his laurels, Gordon Ramsay closed his flagship restaurant for an extensive refurbishment in summer 2006 and it has emerged with a contemporary feel. The food – and the prices – have moved on, too. Ramsay is rarely at the stove these days, but head chef is clearly producing dishes that push the boundaries of classical cooking.
Feast on roasted scallops served on discs of octopus carpaccio. Long-term fans who insist the ‘stunning food’ traditionally served here has ‘never been bettered’ will no doubt be pleased to find that many favourites, including the much-loved ravioli of lobster, langoustine and salmon, are still on the menu. A great wine list adds to your dining experience.
68-69 Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4HP; 020 7352 4441; www.gordonramsay.com/royalhospitalroad
1 CAFE MAITREYA
Winner of the UK’s top vegetarian restaurant 2007 in the Observer Food Awards, Café Maitreya is famed for its edgy approach to vegetarian cooking. Dishes are rich in contrasts and vibrant in flavour – think wild mushroom, hazelnut and butternut brioche with wild mushroom stroganoff and sloe jelly – all served in a relaxed and unshowy setting. Maitreya pride themselves on using only local ethical suppliers and organic, seasonal ingredients.
89 St Mark’s Road, Easton, Bristol; 0117 951 0100; www.cafemaitreya.co.uk
2 THE RIVERSIDE VEGETARIA
Established in 1989 The Riverside Vegetaria’s been a favourite among London’s vegetarians for years. Serving a specialised selection of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and wheat-free dishes, the menu still manages to be exciting and the food itself exquisite – try the Caribbean Casserole or Tofu Teriyaki. Overlooking the Thames in Kingston, the setting is idyllic and in fine weather the glass doors are thrown open for al fresco dining on the banks of the river.
64 High street, Kingston, KT1 1HN; 020 8546 7992; www.rsveg.plus.com
3 222 VEGGIE VEGAN RESTAURANTS
Only opened in 2004, 222 has already established itself as one of the capital’s top veggie restaurants. Situated in West Kensington, the simple décor and excellent service make for a relaxed atmosphere. And the food, crafted by Ghanaian-born head chef Ben Asamani, is top-notch. The restaurant’s signature dish, 222 Gardens, combines Afro-Caribbean style plantain and okra with Middle Eastern falafel, oriental-style soy-marinated aubergines and Mediterranean-style tomato sauce – delicious.
222 North End Road, W14 9NU; 020 7381 2322; www.222veggievegan.com
1 CHUTNEY MARY
Established in 1990, Chutney Mary has long been regarded as one of the finest and most fashionable Indian restaurants in the UK, with a slew of awards and accolades to prove it. The restaurant was among the first ventures of the Panjabi sisters, who also run Amaya and Masala Zone, and the kitchen now specialises in modern Indian cuisine. There’s an emphasis on seafood such as Chutney Mary’s own take on the crab dishes that are all the rage in Bombay restaurants. Located in the heart of Chelsea, the atmosphere’s perfect for parties and quiet dinners alike. Service is impeccable, and the wine list is fabulous too.
535 Kings Road, Chelsea, SW10 0SZ; 0871 223 8071; www.realindianfood.com
2 THE RED FORT
Famed for its décor as much as its menu, the Red Fort is a glorious mix of traditional and modern design – a haven of sandstone walls, mosaic floors and antique artifacts. The food itself is superb – expect dishes such as exquisite regional biryianis, packed full of flavour with delicate perfume and vibrant colours – the legacy of The Red Fort’s former head chef Mohammed Rais, the direct inheritor of a 300-year-old culinary tradition of Mughal court cooking.
77 Dean St, Soho, W1D3SH; 020 7437 2525; www.redfort.co.uk
3 AKBAR’S
Opened in summer 2006, the Manchester site of this much-hyped, award-winning group of curry houses has lived up to expectations. The food is high quality, the atmosphere vibrant and the service superb. Akbar’s specialises in sizzling pan-cooked baltis from Baltistan, an extreme mountainous region North of Pakistan – and it’s the exciting menu that gives the chain its reputation as one of the best Indian restaurants in the North of England.
73-83 Liverpool Road, Manchester; 0161 834 8444; www.akbars.co.uk
1 THE IVY
The reputation of The Ivy as a gastronomic incarnation of OK magazine, fuelled by its opaque, stained-glass windows and infamously impossible-to-book tables, often overshadows what’s really great about it – the food. Dishes that span continents and cultures are prepared with seasonal ingredients and stunningly presented. Whether you fancy shepherd’s pie or sashimi, the execution is faultless and the service outstanding. And yes, the chances are you probably will spot an A-lister or two.
1-5 West Street, WC2H 9NQ; 020 7836 4751; www.the-ivy.co.uk
2 NOBU
Uber-stylish modern Japanese restaurant, Nobu, is located on the first floor of the Metropolitan Hotel, Park Lane, and tends to attract swathes of home-grown and visiting Hollywood celebrities. The décor is fashionably minimalist and the atmosphere chic but welcoming. The predominantly Japanese cuisine draws on Latin American influences to produce some incredibly unique and exciting fusion dishes – think yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno – each one an intense combination of flavours, colours and textures.
19 Old Park Lane, W1K !LB; 020 7447 4747; www.noburestaurants.com
3 LEMONIA
Uber-stylish modern Japanese restaurant, Nobu, is located on the first floor of the Metropolitan Hotel, Park Lane, and tends to attract swathes of home-grown and visiting Hollywood celebrities. Décor is fashionably minimalist and the atmosphere chic but welcoming. The predominantly Japanese cuisine draws on Latin American influences to produce some unique and exciting fusion dishes – think yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno – each one an intense combination of flavours, colours and textures.
19 Old Park Lane, W1K 1LB; 020 7447 4747; www.noburestaurants.com
1 NOMA
Set in a restored harbourside warehouse, Noma’s whitewashed walls, exposed beams, pale wood floor and leather chairs draped in animal hides is the height of Nordic cool. So, too, is the cooking from rising gastronomic force René Redzepi, who applies modern techniques to seasonal Nordic produce in dishes such as musk ox, grilled leek ashes and milk-skin which you slice with a reindeer-handled Saami blade.
Strandgade 93, Copenhagen K, Denmark; +45 3296 3297; www.noma.dk
2 LES AMBASSADEURS
This is a sexy place to eat or stay, and Jean-Francois Piège’s food is a real treat, particularly his crazy reconstructions of dishes such as spaghetti carbonara or rice pudding – nothing like you might expect but delicious none the less. The dining room is all gold candelabras and marble walls but is nowhere near as hushed as it initially appears. For those lucky enough to stay over, Sunday brunch is a truly decadent affair.
10 Place de la Concorde, Paris; 33(0)1 44 711616; www.lesambassadeurs.com
3 EL BULLI
Voted San Pellegrino’s best restaurant in the world an unprecedented three times, El Bulli is rarely out of the press. Head chef Fernando Adria Acosta, recognised by chefs all over the world as a true culinary genius, has been described as ‘an eccentric scientist with an artistic bent’, the result of his experiments as ‘21st-century tapas’. Idylically situated in Roses, on the Costa Brava, two hours north of Barcelona, El Bulli is only open from April to September. For the rest of the year, its chefs are holed up in their laboratory in Barcelona devising new recipes. Exotic, eclectic and exciting – new dishes this year include pan-fried brioche shanghai and pita of Iberian ham fat and veal bone marrow.
Aparado 30, 17480 Roses en Cala Montjol, Spain; +34 97215 045; www.elbulli.com
4 L’ATELIER
The Parisian outpost of what has since become a global brand, with branches now in London, Las Vegas, New York and Tokyo, is where the legendary Joël Robuchon’s comeback started to gather momentum. It’s hard not to be seduced by its small-plate menu, low-lit red-black bento-box-like interior and chic clientele.
5-7 rue de Montalembert, Paris, +33 (0)1 42 22 56 56; www.robuchon.com
5 WAKIYA
This is the restaurant Alan Yau should have opened for famed hotelier, Ian Schrager. Yet with the project all but finished, Yau pulled out leaving behind this opulent dining room and bar in the Gramercy Park Hotel. Now it’s managed by the team from Nobu with Japanese chef Yuji Wakiya’s take on regional Chinese cooking.
Lexington Avenue, New York; 001 212 920 3300; www.gramercyparkhotel.com
6 LE QUARTIER FRANCAIS
Located in the heart of the Cape Winelands, amidst the Franschhoek Mountains, the setting of Le Quartier Francais is nothing short of spectacular. And the food, created by executive chef Margot Janse, is more than a match for the surroundings. Fresh and exciting combinations of quality local ingredients are lightly prepared and accompanied by a fine, all-South African wine list. Wild game from warthog to wildebeest is always on the menu.
16 Hugenot road, Franschoek, Western Cape, South Africa; +27 21 876 2151; www.lequartier.co.za
7 LOUIS XV
Raymond Blanc, chef patron of the Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, says, ‘This is one of the most amazing places I’ve ever visited! It’s so over the top, but absolutely beautiful and it has the most amazing ambience. Staff all dress in black tie, yet the welcome is warm and personal. Dishes reflect local flavours and the menu reflects the seasons with themes including the vegetable garden and the sea.’
Place du Casino, Monaco, +377 98 06 88 64; www.alain-ducasse.com
8 SARASTRO
The Mediterranean cuisine with a Turkish slant is top-drawer but it’s the unique ambience for which Sarastro is famed. Often referred to as the show-after-the-show, you might be lucky enough to catch a turn from stars of the nearby Royal Opera House. Individually styled opera boxes line the restaurant, and velvet drapes abound, all adding to the ‘backstage-at-the-Opera-House atmosphere.
126 Drury Lane, WC2B 5QG; 020 7836 0101; www.sarastro-restaurant.com
9 TETSUYA’S
The best restaurant in Australia is guarded behind swish embassy-style gates, has a dining room that opens onto a serene Japanese garden of bonsai and water features and a menu from chef Tetsuya Wakuda that’s a 14-course seafood-rich journey.
529 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia; +61 2 9267 2900; www.tetsuyas.com
10 LE CALANDRE
Head chef Massimiliano Alajmo has created a truly world-class restaurant, with experimental cuisine that draws heavily on its regional roots. Dishes include squid ink cappuccino and suckling pig with mustard and coffee powder, and the wine list is superb.
Le Calandre, Via Liguria 1, 35030 Padua, Italy; +39 04 96 30303; www.calandre.com
