An early announcement thanks to a leak (bookshops, we’re looking at you) saw the Michelin Guide to Great Britain and Ireland 2016 released unexpectedly this afternoon. Appetites were whetted earlier in the week with news of restaurants awarded Bibs Gourmands, so we were chomping at the bit by the time the 17 starry newcomers were announced, as well as 14 deletions. Check out our round-up of everything you should know, particularly those who’ve added a Michelin star-shaped string to their bow…
London
New Two Stars
The Araki, Mayfair (above)
It was big news when Japanese sushi master Mitsuhiro Araki announced that he was shuttering his three-Michelin-starred eatery in Ginza and moving the whole sushi-ya to Mayfair, but The Araki, which seats nine diners and serves a £300-a-head menu, is like no other restaurant in the capital, so it’s hardly surprising that it’s swooped into the Michelin guide and picked up two stars. Our advice: do what’s necessary to get a seat at this totally absorbing show from a chef who one of our readers calls “one of the greatest living proponents of high-art sushi”.
Umu, Mayfair
The only other restaurant to be awarded two stars this year, ultra-discreet Umu isn’t the sort of place you just stumble upon, but those who find their way into this temple to high-class Kyoto cuisine will experience a menu boasting dishes of supreme lightness, finesse and layered with subtle flavours. Head chef Yoshinori Ishii told us he was “very, very, very happy for the team” (who swiftly popped ten bottles of Dom Pérignon Champagne), while restaurant owner Marlon Abela (also of The Greenhouse) proudly stated: “It is through the team’s endless passion and our relationships with fisherman and farmers that Umu can deliver epicurean excellence.”
New One Stars
Bonham’s, Mayfair
Refined, elegant food comes courtesy of chef Tom Kemble, who we not so long ago described as ‘up-and-coming’; today’s Michelin star shows he has well and truly arrived with the creation of this masterpiece. We caught up with a starstruck Tom who said he was “absolutely delighted” and “over the moon”, giving special thanks to his team and Mikael Jonsson (of one Michelin-starred restaurant Hedone) who he previously worked under and sees as a huge inspiration.
Dining Room at The Goring, Belgravia
The family-owned Goring Hotel, “on the nice side of Victoria” as one reader says, is the proud holder of a royal warrant and now also the proud holder of a Michelin star thanks to chef Shay Cooper. Come here for bowler-hatted doormen, cream and beige interiors designed by the Queen’s nephew Viscount Linley and cooking that resists the full-on heritage approach for something more sophisticated, including Eggs Drumkilbo (the Queen Mum’s favourite).
Lyle’s, Shoreditch
Chef James Lowe has been a face on London’s food scene for several years, making a name for himself as one of The Young Turks at supperclubs and residencies around town. Lyle’s, his first solo restaurant, has scooped a star thanks to its eight-course daily changing dinner menu which is big on British ingredients with plenty of Scandi influences.
Portland, Fitzrovia
A collaboration between Will Lander (co-owner of The Quality Chop House) and Daniel Morganthau (of 10 Greek Street), Portland feels like a neighbourhood joint in the middle of town serving an assortment of Anglo-European dishes with eclectic overtones; it’s Michelin star will no doubt propel it further into the realms of epicurean supremacy.
New Out-of-London One Stars
Carters of Moseley, Birmingham
It made our top 100 restaurants list this year so we couldn’t agree more that this Brummie eatery from chef Brad Carter and his partner Holly Jackson – where ‘simple, affordable and fun’ are the watchwords – deserved a Michelin star this year. We particularly like the fact that vegetarians are treated to their very own menus, while the food is supported by a fascinating choice of global wines and beers.
The Cellar, Fife
Under the devoted stewardship of Peter and Susan Jukes, this converted cooperage and smokehouse became one of Scotland’s premier-league destinations, famed for its personal touch and fabulous fresh fish. Following Peter’s death in 2012, The Cellar fell idle for a while, but it has now been given a second chance (and a Michelin star) – thanks to local boy Billy Boyter (formerly Jeff Bland’s head chef at the Michelin-starred Number One Restaurant in Edinburgh).
Eipic, Belfast
Michael Deane’s new venture in the city centre has met with very early success having been awarded a star just 18 months after opening, returning a star to Deane after a four-year pause (he previously held one for 14 years). The most high-end of the Deanes restaurant group, a twinkling Michelin star will no doubt ensure it retains its status as one of Belfast’s (and, indeed, Northern Ireland’s) finest restaurants.
Gravetye Manor, Sussex
Surrounded by 1,000 acres of fields, forests and stunning gardens, with the inside a picture of cosseting luxury, complete with giant fireplaces, comfy sofas and a gracious wood-panelled dining room, Gravetye is pretty special before we even get onto the food. But then head chef George Blogg arrived from Hotel TerraVina in Hampshire with a remit to indulge his fondness for seasonal ingredients and has done it so exceptionally well that he’s added a star to add to their already overflowing plate. Good work.
House of Tides, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Big-name North Country chef/proprietor Kenny Atkinson extended the interiors of this Grade I-listed merchant’s residence on Newcastle’s humming Quayside to accommodate booming business, which will no doubt pick up even more thanks to a Michelin star. A surprised Atkinson was caught off guard when the results were unexpectedly announced mid-service: “I never expected this. We’ve only been open 18 months and just hoped to create a friendly, relaxed environment which encouraged diners to feel connected with us. It’s the icing on the cake. I’d like to thank the whole team, the guests, and most importantly my wife.” Congratulations all!
John’s House, Loughborough
A fine dining restaurant in Leicestershire, a place more commonly known for its curry than cuisine, this is the place to enjoy exquisite, home-grown food sourced from local farms and independent producers, while basking in the warm glow of its first Michelin star.
The Man Behind the Curtain, Leeds
Taking its name from a quote in The Wizard of Oz and with chef Michael O’Hare at the helm, this zany Leeds offering stirs the Michelin pot with ‘vanishing ravioli’ and a 12-course tasting menu that runs from potato with lardo and raspberry to tobacco ice, kooky chocolate riffs and fruit compression. Definitely worth a trip up north if you’re not lucky enough to live locally…
OX, Belfast
Another star for Belfast, this Oxford Street eatery masterminded by chef Stephen Toman and co-founder Alain Kerloc'h, OX has enjoyed unprecedented success since opening in 2013, and a Michelin star is not surprising considering its triumph winning Menu of the Year at the prestigious Catey awards in London recently.
The Woodspeen, Newbury
Head chef John Campbell was once behind the stoves just a few miles away at The Vineyard at Stockcross, where he gained two Michelin stars, so we’re sure he’s pleased that this smart country restaurant without formality where everything is prepared to an impeccable standard has scooped a star this year.
Going down…
As always, we saw a few restaurants lose their stars. In London, Chelsea’s Rasoi and Maze in Mayfair both lost their places in the guide, as did Sussex’s Curlew pub in Bodiam and the well-known Castle Terrace in Edinburgh.
For the full Michelin 2016 Guide press release , click here.
This article was published 16 September 2015