THE Waitrose 2016 Good Food Guide’s Top 50 restaurants list is again a personal triumph for Simon Rogan with his three flagship venues all making the top 20 and L’Enclume in Cartmel repeating its perfect 100 score to pip Restaurant Gordon Ramsay for top spot – for the third year running.
Rogan’s own London outlet, Fera at Claridges, came 12th and Manchester’s The French – see TOM’s recent review – was 17th. The French, which recently reopened after a refurb, is the highest scoring non-Michelin starred restaurant.
Other north west establishments that figure are Fraiche on the Wirral (9th), Fischers at Baslow Hall, Derbyshire (41st), meteoric newcomer, The Lake Kitchen, Ambleside (48th) and Northcote near Blackburn (50th).
The Freemason’s at Wiswell, near Whalley heads the Top 50 Pubs list, just ahead of Tom Kerridge’s Hand & Flowers in Buckinghamshire (the pair are respectively 42nd and 43rd among the restaurants). Another Ribble Valley regular, Duke of York Inn, Grindleton is the 35th best pub, six places ahead of Charles Brierley’s excellent White Hart at Lydgate, above Oldham.
You can buy the 2016 GFG online at £12.99 instead of £17.99, with free P&P, for a limited period via this link.
Don’t forget, the annual Manchester Food and Drink Awards are fast approaching. They will be presented at a Gala Dinner in Manchester Cathedral on Monday, September 21. For the full shortlist visit here.