Heston Blumenthal and Tom Aikens just two of the stars in olive magazine’s Top 100 restaurant guide

Cutting-edge British chefs Heston Blumenthal and Tom Aikens have made it into olive magazine’s restaurant guide for ‘top gastronomic experience’ in the UK. The five restaurants to get the grade in the prestigious gastronomic category are London’s Sketch/Pierre Gagnaire (Modern French) and Tom Aikens/Tom Aikens (Modern French); Anthony’s/Tony Flinn in Leeds (Modern British); The Fat Duck/Heston Blumenthal (Modern European) in Berkshire and L’Enclume/Simon Rogan (Modern European), in Cumbria.

The November issue of olive (on sale 5th October) has compiled a list of the UK’s TOP 100 RESTAURANTS for great food and excellent service. The judges included TV presenter and restaurant critic Richard Johnson, restaurant writers Terry Durack and Mario Wyn-Jones, and olive magazine’s editor and assistant editor, Christine Hayes and Lulu Grimes. Over 300 readers also contributed to the guide.

As well as making it to the final for ‘top gastronomic’ category with The Fat Duck, Heston Blumenthal’s Hind’s Head Hotel made it to the final five ‘top gastropubs’. The pub was praised for its menu of classic British comfort food which includes Lancashire hotpot; oxtail and kidney pudding and his famous triple-cooked chips. Every gastropub in the final list serves British food proving the resurgence of home-grown dishes and produce.

Rhodes 24/Gary Rhodes (Modern British), Fifteen/Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay/Gordon Ramsay (French), Auberge du Lac/Jean-Christophe Novelli (Modern French) and Lindsay House/Richard Corrigan (Modern British) all made it to the final five celebrity chef restaurant category further ensuring their star-status in the UK.

Says olive’s editor Christine Hayes: “While most categories feature at least one London restaurant, most of those in the TOP 100 are outside the capital. True foodies will be inspired to travel all over the UK to eat at olive’s TOP 100 - restaurants that are full of character, whether top class or cheap as chips.”

A total of 20 restaurant categories were compiled for the survey: top gastronomic experience, top organics, top for a party, off the beaten track, meat fest, intimate dinner for two, top bars with food, celebrity chef, top veggie, family friendly, top seafood, top Italian, top Chinese, top views, top gastropubs, top British, top cafes, top sushi, top bistros and top Thai.

A full list of results is featured at the bottom of the release.

Notes
olive launched in November 2003 in response to the emergence of a new group of food lovers, christened the ‘white plate generation’. Trend-literate, with eating and drinking at the heart of their social life, they’re looking to keep into touch with developments on the restaurant, bar and travel scene and also to recreate their favourite food easily and stylishly at home. olive is the first magazine in the world to cater for this group, providing new recipes from established chefs and the food world’s new talent.

BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company exists to maximise the value of the BBC’s assets for the benefit of the licence payer and invest in public service programming in return for rights. In 2004/05 BBC Worldwide returned £145 million to the BBC from its six business operations: TV Channels, TV Sales, BBC Magazines, Home Entertainment, Children's and New Media.

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4 Oct 05

Full list:

Top gastronomic experience:
L’Enclume, Modern European - Cavendish Street, Cartmel, Cumbria (015395 36362)
Anthony’s, Modern British - 19 Boar Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire (0113 245 5922)
The Fat Duck, Modern European - High Street, Bray, Berkshire (01628 580333)
Tom Aikens, Modern French - 43 Elystan Street, London Sw3 (020 7584 2003)
Sketch, Modern French - 9 Conduit Street, London W1 (0870 777 4488)

Top gastropubs:
Hind’s Head Hotel, British - High Street, Bray, Berkshire (01628 626151)
The Sportsman, Modern British - Faversham Road, Seasalter, Whitstable, Kent (01227 273 370)
The Star Inn, Modern British - High Street, Harome, North Yorkshire (01439 770397)
Three Fishes, Modern British - Mitton Road, Mitton, Nr Whalley, Lancashire (01254 826888)
Anchor & Hope, Modern British - 36 The Cut, London SE1 (020 7928 9898)

Family friendly:
The Fleece Inn, Modern British - 154 Main Street, Addingham, West Yorkshire (01943 880491)
Melton’s Too, Modern European - 25 Walmgate, York, North Yorkshire (01904 629222)
Explorers Café, Café food - Drusillas Park, Alfriston, East Sussex (01323 874100)
Stravaigin 2, Global - 8 Ruthven Lane, Glasgow (0141 334 7165)
Croma, Pizzeria - 1–3 Clarence Street, Manchester (0161 237 9799)

Top organics:
Duke of Cambridge, Modern British - 30 St Peter Street, London N1 (020 7359 3066)
Daylesford Organic Farmshop Café - Daylesford, Near Kingham, Gloucestershire (01608 731700)
Village Bakery, Melmerby - Melmerby, Penrith Cumbria (01768 881811)
Percy’s Country House Hotel and Restaurant - Coombeshead Estate, Virginstow, Nr Okehampton, Devon (01409 211236)
Penrhos Court, Modern European - Kington, Herefordshire (01544 230720)

Top for a party:
Atlantic Bar and Grill, Modern European - 20 Glasshouse Street, London W1 (020 7734 4888)
60 Hope Street, Modern European - 60 Hope Street, Liverpool (0151 707 6060)
Obsidian Restaurant and Bar, Modern European - 18–24 Princess Street, Manchester (0161 238 4348)
Ubiquitous Chip, Modern European - 12 Ashton Lane, Glasgow (0141 334 5007)
Marlow Bar and Grill, Modern European, Marlow - 92 High Street, Marlow, Buckinghamshire (01628 488544)

Off the beaten track:
Gidleigh Park, Modern European - Chagford, Devon (01647 432367)
Fraiche, Modern French - 11 Rose Mount, Oxton, Wirral, Cheshire (0151 652 2914)
The Millbank at Millbank, Modern European - Sowerby Bridge, Nr Halifax, West Yorkshire (01422 825588)
St Ervan Manor, Modern European - Nr Padstow, Cornwall (01841 540255)
Plas Bodegroes, Modern British - Nefyn Road, Pwllheli (01758 612363)

Meat fest:
Yew Tree Inn, Modern British - Hollington Cross, Andover Road, Highclere, Hampshire (01635 253360)
Santa Maria Del Buen Ayre, South American - 50 Broadway Market, London E8 (020 7275 9900)
Smith’s of Smithfield, Modern British - 66–77 Charterhouse Street, London EC1 (020 7251 7950)
Snooty Fox, British - Main Street, Lowick, Kettering, Northamptonshire (01832 733434)
Champany Inn, British - Champany Corner, Linlithgow, West Lothian (01506 834532)

Intimate dinner for two:
L’aventure, French - 3 Blenheim Terrace, NW8 (020 7624 6232)
Stock Hill Country House Hotel, Modern European- Gillingham, Dorset (01747 823626)
Harry’s Place, Modern French - 17 High Street, Great Gonerby, Grantham, Lincolnshire (01476 561780)
The Witchery, Modern European- 352 Castlehill, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh (0131 225 5613)
Jessica’s, Modern European - 1 Montague Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham (0121 455 0999)

Top bars with food:
Severnshed, Modern European - Harbourside, The Grove, Bristol (0117 925 1212)
Poppyred, Modern British - Arcadian, Hurst Street, Birmingham (0121 687 1200)
World Service, Modern European - Newdigate House, Castle Gate, Nottingham (0115 847 5587)
Oloroso, Modern European - 33 Castle Street, Edinburgh (0131 226 7614)
Lonsdale, Modern European - 48 Lonsdale Road, London W11 (020 7727 4080)

Celebrity chef:
Richard Corrigan /Lindsay House, Modern British - 21 Romilly Street, London W1 (020 7439 0450)
Jamie Oliver/Fifteen, Modern European - Westland Place, London N1 (0871 330 1515)
Gordon Ramsay/Gordon Ramsay, French - 68 Royal Hospital Road, London SW3 (020 7352 4441)
Jean-Christophe Novelli/Auberge du Lac, Modern French - Brocket Hall, Welwyn, Hertfordshire (01707 368888)
Gary Rhodes/Rhodes 24, Modern British - 5 Old Broad Street, EC2 (020 7877 7703)

Top veggie:
Terroir - High Street, Cley Next The Sea, Norfolk (01263 740336)
Blah! Blah! Blah! - 78 Goldhawk Road, Shepherds Bush, London W12 (020 8746 1337)
Greens - 43 Lapwing Lane, West Didsbury, Manchester (0161 434 4259)
Terre a Terre - 71 East Street, Brighton, East Sussex (01273 729051)
Blake Head Vegetarian Café - 104 Micklegate, York, North Yorkshire (01904 623767)

Top seafood:
The Seafood Restaurant - Riverside, Padstow, Cornwall (01841 532700)
One-O-One, Knightsbridge - 101 William Street, Knightsbridge, London Sw1 (020 7290 7101)
Riverside Restaurant - West Bay, Bridport, Dorset (01308 422011)
Wheelers Oyster Bar - 8 High Street, Whitstable, Kent (01227 273311)
The Seafood Restaurant - 16 West End, St Monans, Fife (01333 730327)

Top Italian:
Palmiro - 197 Upper Chorlton Road, Manchester (0161 860 7330)
Firenze - 9 Station Street, Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicestershire (0116 279 6260)
Ramsons - 18 Market Place, Ramsbottom, Lancashire (01706 825070)
Branca - 111 Walton Street, Oxford (01865 556111)
Locanda Locatelli - 8 Seymour Street, London W1 (020 7935 9088)

Top Chinese:
Royal China - 13 Queensway, London W2 (020 7221 2535)
Noble House - 9 St David’s House, Wood Street, Cardiff (029 20 388430)
Amber Regent - 50 West Regent Street, Glasgow (0141 331 1655)
King Neptune - 34 Stowell Street, Newcastle-upon-tyne (0191 261 6657)
Hakkasan - 8 Hanway Place, London W1 (020 7927 7000)

Top views:
West Beach Bar and Restaurant, SeafoodBeach Road - Woolacombe Devon (01271 870634)
Oxo Tower Restaurant, Modern British - Oxo Tower Wharf, Barge House Street, South Bank, London SE1 (020 7803 3888)
Hotel Portmerion, Modern British - Portmeirion, Gwynedd, Wales (01766 770228)
Le Mont, Modern French - Levels 5 & 6, Urbis Centre, Cathedral Gardens, Manchester (0161 605 8282)
The George Hotel, Modern British - Quay Street, Yarmouth, Isle Of Wight (01983 760331)

Top British:
St John - 26 St John Street, London EC1 (020 7251 0848)
The Angel Inn - Hetton, Nr Skipton, North Yorkshire (01756 730263)
Northcote Manor - Northcote Road, Langho, Lancashire (01254 240555)
The Stagg Inn - Titley, Nr Kington, Herefordshire (01544 230221)
Crown at Whitebrook - Whitebrook Nr Monmouth, Monmouthshire (01600 860254)

Top cafes:
Michael Caines Café Bar - Royal Clarence Hotel, Cathedral Yard, Exeter, Devon (01392 310031)
Thyme Café - 490–492 Glossop Road, Sheffield (0114 267 0735)
Almshouses Café - Palace Green, Durham (0191 386 1054)
Hive on the Quay - Aberaeron, Ceredigion, Wales (01545 570445)
Inn the Park - St James’s Park, London SW1 (020 7451 9999)

Top sushi:
Edamame - 15 Holywell Street, Oxford (01865 246916)
Café Japan - 626 Finchley Road, London NW11 (020 8455 6854)
The Rosemary - The Avenue, Stanton Fitzwarren, Swindon, Wiltshire (01793 861777)
Ikkyu - 67a Tottenham Court Road, London W1 (020 7636 9280)
Zuma - 5 Raphael Street, London SW7 (020 7636 9280)

Top bistros:
Almeida - 30 Almeida Street, London N1 (020 7354 4777)
Bistro 21 - Aykley Heads House, Aykley Heads, Durham (0191 384 4354)
Bistro on the Beach - Solent Promenade, Bournemouth (01202 431473)
First Coast - 99–101 Dalry Road, Edinburgh (0131 313 4404)
Café Citron - 74 Lemon Street, Truro (01872 274144)

Top Thai:
Nahm - Halkin Hotel, 5 Halkin Street, London SW1 (020 7333 1234)
Isarn - 119 Upper Street, London N1 (020 7424 5153)
Thailand - 9 Ring Road, Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich (01603 700444)
Chiang Mai Kitchen - Kemp Hall Passage, 130a High Street, Oxford (01865 202233)
Thaisanuk - 21 Argyle Place, Edinburgh (0131 228 8855)