The best fine-dining restaurants have been named by Tripadvisor, with Michelin-starred The Old Stamp House Restaurant in the Lake District rated number one in the UK and the world, beating France into second place.
The low-key eatery has been handed the accolade as part of Tripadvisor’s 2021 Travellers’ Choice ‘Best of the Best’ Restaurants Awards, which are decided by an algorithm that analyses the millions of reviews and opinions collected in a single year from travellers around the world.
The second-best restaurant in the global ranking is Restaurant La Maison d’a Cote in quaint Montlivault, central France, followed by Ise Sueyoshi in Tokyo. America failed to make it into the top ten, but the lavish Inn at Little Washington in Virginia is 12th overall, and for Instagrammers, the ‘epic’ aquarium-style Koral Restaurant in Nusa Dua, Bali, takes home the gong in the Picture-Perfect category.
The best fine dining restaurants have been named by Tripadvisor, with Michelin-starred The Old Stamp House Restaurant in the Lake District rated number one in the UK and the world, beating France into second place
The Old Stamp House Restaurant (dish from it above) has been handed the accolade as part of Tripadvisor’s 2021 Travellers’ Choice ‘Best of the Best’ Restaurants Awards
The top-rated spot, the Old Stamp House Restaurant, is located in the heart of the Lake District village of Ambleside.
Housed in the former office of William Wordsworth, this intimate restaurant boasting a Michelin star celebrates the cultural heritage of Cumbria with dishes such as black pudding ‘bon bon’ and crab from the west coast of the region.
One glowing review said: ‘This was our first time dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant and it certainly did not disappoint. Every course was immense.
‘The letter we received on the table with all the details of the ingredients was such a nice touch and really set the tone for the rest of the meal. The staff were very friendly and engaging. So glad we booked the Old Stamp! Cannot fault.’
Another said: ‘Excellent Michelin star taster menu. Innovative ideas for vegetarian. Fish courses superb as was the lamb.’
The second-best restaurant in the world ranking is Restaurant La Maison d’a Cote in Montlivault, France
In third place is Ise Sueyoshi in Tokyo’s Nishiazabu district, which serves up a sequence of small, artistically prepared dishes
Fourth on the global list is Restaurante Benazuza in Cancun, Mexico, which has a five out of five rating on Tripadvisor for the food, service, value and atmosphere
Silver-medal winner Restaurant La Maison d’a Cote has two Michelin stars and offers four, six and nine-course tasting menus, with all of the ingredients, including eel and guinea fowl, sourced from the Pays de la Loire region.
Bronze-medallist Ise Sueyoshi in Tokyo’s Nishiazabu district serves up a sequence of small, artistically prepared dishes.
The menu changes according to what produce is available and sake pairings are available.
Fourth on the list is Restaurante Benazuza in Cancun, Mexico, which has a five out of five rating on Tripadvisor for the food, service, value and atmosphere.
Coming in fifth in the global ranking is Les Plaisirs Gourmands in the city of Schiltigheim in north-eastern France
Rounding out the top 10 in the global ranking is Ristorante Villa Crespi in Orta San Giulio, Italy
One customer wrote after a visit in July: ‘If you are a foodie, love molecular gastronomy, or want something different, definitely come here! Amazing culinary journey in Cancun! Started at the bar with some innovative cocktails and progressed through 22 courses.’
In fifth is Les Plaisirs Gourmands in the city of Schiltigheim in north-eastern France. This venue was described by one diner as ‘pure pleasure all along’.
The rest of the worldwide top 10 comprises El Xato in La Nucia, Spain (sixth), Martin Berasategui, in Lasarte-Oria, Spain (seventh), Oro Restaurante in Rio de Janeiro (eighth) and Quintessenza in Trani, Italy (ninth), and in tenth-place is Italy’s Ristorante Villa Crespi, in Orta San Giulio.
The Kitchin in Edinburgh, which is second in the UK ranking, has over 3,200 ‘excellent’ ratings
Third in the UK ranking is L’Enclume (left) in Cartmel, Cumbria, which boasts two Michelin stars and has a £175 tasting menu (right)
Coming second in the UK ranking is The Kitchin in Edinburgh, a Michelin-starred spot serving up ‘fantastic’ seasonal Scottish produce, with specialities including a whole Newhaven lobster cooked ‘a la plancha’ and a roasted loin of roe deer from the Hopetoun Estate.
Third in the UK ranking is L’Enclume in Cartmel, Cumbria, which boasts two Michelin stars and has a £175 tasting menu.
Fourth in the UK is Adam’s in Birmingham, which ranked number one in 2019 and is run by husband and wife team Adam and Natasha Stokes. In the contemporary dining room guests enjoy modern British cuisine made using ingredients such as Isle of Wight tomatoes and Cornish turbot.
Fourth in the UK is Adam’s in Birmingham, which ranked number one in 2019 and is run by husband and wife team Adam and Natasha Stokes
In the contemporary Adam’s dining room guests enjoy modern British cuisine (above)
Two-Michelin-starred Moor Hall in Aughton comes fifth in the UK ranking. The glass-fronted restaurant boasts ‘lovely views’ over the lake on the Moor Hall estate.
The other restaurants in the UK top 10 are Winteringham Fields in Winteringham (sixth), Maison Bleue Restaurant in Bury St. Edmunds (seventh), Outlaw’s New Road in Port Isaac (eighth), Restaurant Sat Bains With Rooms in Nottingham (ninth) and John’s House Restaurant in Mountsorrel (10th).
Top-ranked American restaurant, the Inn at Little Washington in the town of Washington in Virginia, doubles as an upscale hotel and restaurant, with both in the prestigious Relais & Chateaux portfolio.
The eatery is intimate, with just 30 tables, but boasts a ginormous 14,000-bottle wine cellar. The bills for guests are big, too. Tasting menus start from $265 (£194).
Moor Hall in Aughton is fifth in the UK fine-dining ranking. This two-Michelin-starred glass-fronted restaurant boasts ‘lovely views’ over the lake on the Moor Hall estate
Top-ranked American restaurant The Inn at Little Washington has just 30 tables, but a 14,000-bottle wine cellar
One of the most popular creations from chef and proprietor Patrick O’Connell includes a warm Granny Smith apple tart with buttermilk ice cream, with the recipe listed on the website. One reviewer said of the creation: ‘Apple tarts are a common item and most are quite good even in lesser restaurants, but this tart was the exemplar for what all apple tarts should be.’
The other restaurants in the US top 10 are Cafe Monarch in Scottsdale (second), Halls Chophouse in Charleston (third), Sazón in Santa Fe (fourth), Collage Restaurant in St. Augustine (fifth), Mama’s Fish House in Paia (sixth), GW Fins in New Orleans (seventh), Lahaina Grill in Lahaina (eighth), Circa 1886 Restaurant in Charleston (ninth) and Kokkari Estiatorio in San Francisco (10th).
Meanwhile, the top-rated restaurant in Australia is Juniper & Bay in Como.
The small high-end eatery describes its cuisine as being a blend of ‘sophisticated European and modern Australian cuisine’.
Cafe Monarch in Scottsdale is second in the US Fine Dining Restaurants category
The other restaurants ranking in Australia’s top ten are Wild Harvest in Grassy (second), Pipeclay Pumphouse in Mudgee (third), Chez Pierre in Nedlands (fourth), Pepper & Salt Restaurant in Denmark (fifth), EXP. restaurant in Pokolbin (sixth), Friends Restaurant in Perth (seventh), Melaleuca in Port Douglas (eighth), The Stunned Mullet in Port Macquarie (ninth) and Sunset Food and Wine in Kangaroo Island (10th).
However, no Australian restaurant made it into the top global list.
This year there are five new subcategories – Hottest New Restaurants, Picture-Perfect, Best Vegan Spots, Best Brunch Spots and Date Night.
Instagrammers take note – Koral Restaurant in Nusa Dua, Bali, has been crowned world number one in the Picture-Perfect category. Tripadvisor says of the venue: ‘At this epic aquarium restaurant you’ll feel as though you’re dining underwater as tropical fish swim around and above you and a hypnotic soundtrack plays to complete the full below-the-waves experience’
For those looking to inject a little romance into dinnertime, the best date spot in the world is Degusteria Italiana agli Uffizi in Florence
The grand global prize in the Best Vegan Spots category goes to Vegan Beat in Athens
Brunch has quickly become the trendiest meal in town and Scarlett Green in Soho, London, is the winner in Tripadvisor’s Best Brunch Spot category both globally and in the UK
Winner of the Hottest New Restaurant global category is Asil Restaurant in Dubai, which already has an impressive 637 ‘excellent’ reviews on Tripadvisor out of 773.
For those looking to inject a little romance into dinnertime, the best Date Night restaurant in the world is Degusteria Italiana agli Uffizi in Florence, while in the UK list the Old Stamp House Restaurant in Ambleside scores gold again, and in the US it’s The Silver Fork in Manchester, Vermont, that comes out on top.
The grand global prize in the Best Vegan Spots category goes to Vegan Beat in Athens, while Cosmic Kitchen in Plymouth tops this category for the UK and Full Bloom Vegan on Miami Beach for the US.
Instagrammers take note – Koral Restaurant in Nusa Dua, Bali, has been crowned world number one in the Picture-Perfect category. Tripadvisor says of the venue: ‘At this epic aquarium restaurant you’ll feel as though you’re dining underwater as tropical fish swim around and above you and a hypnotic soundtrack plays to complete the full below-the-waves experience.’
Brunch has quickly become the trendiest meal in town and Scarlett Green in Soho, London, is the winner in Tripadvisor’s Best Brunch Spot category, both globally and in the UK.
The hip eatery, inspired by Melbourne and Sydney cafe culture, serves up a brunch menu with smashed avocado, smoked salmon croissants and shakshouka among the most popular picks. There’s also the option to go ‘bottomless’, with free-flowing fizz and mimosas for 90 minutes.
Commenting on this year’s outcomes, Martin Verdon-Roe, general manager of hospitality solutions at Tripadvisor, said: ‘It’s no secret that the restaurant industry has taken a hit over the past year or so, but the good news is that would-be diners all over the world are hungrier than ever to dine out again.
‘There is so much good out there to explore this summer and beyond and no matter what you’re craving, the Best of the Best Restaurants Awards is on hand to serve as a menu of options to satisfy your appetite.’
To view the full winners lists for the 2021 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice ‘Best of the Best’ Restaurants Awards, visit www.tripadvisor.co.uk/TravelersChoice-Restaurants.