Harden’s has today released the final shortlist for this year’s definitive London Restaurant Awards, sponsored by Gusbourne, which takes place on 9 September in the ballroom of The Langham, London.
Nominations for the awards are derived statistically from Harden’s 29-year-old annual survey of UK restaurant-goers. This year 7,500 people contributed 50,000 nominations within the categories specified by Harden’s. The awards shortlist reflects the number of nominations within each category, with two places in each category reserved for up-and-coming names that have opened in the last 2-3 years.
Vying for the Gusbourne award for Top Gastronomic Experience is TV Centre’s much-fêted newcomer, Endo at Rotunda; together with Taylor Bonnyman’s sophisticated Chelsea star Five Fields; James Knappett’s celebrated Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs; and ever-inspirational Portuguese chef, Nuño Mendes’s latest Shoreditch project: Mãos.
Meanwhile Emily Roux’s Caractère in Notting Hill; Granary Square’s Tom Dixon-designed Coal Office; Kerridges from the Hand & Flowers’ Tom Kerridge, and Kutir in Chelsea are all in the running to become London’s Top Newcomer.
For the first time, the awards will recognise the increasing importance of vegetarian and vegan cuisines, with a dedicated award. Contenders in this first year include Californian import, by Chloe; acclaimed temple of gastronomy, Gauthier Soho; Midtown’s adventurous Vanilla Black; and Vanilla Black alumni, Franco Casolin’s Wulf & Lamb near Sloane Square.
As well as the categories derived from the Harden’s annual survey, the ceremony will again include an award for Outstanding Achievement in the restaurant trade, as judged by the guide’s editors.
For the first time this year, the presentation will be sponsored by accountants haysmacintyre, publishers of the annual haysmacintyre UK Hospitality Index compiled from a survey of operators within the hospitality sector.
Peter Harden, co-founder of Harden’s and host of the awards, commented:
“The London Restaurant Awards will again celebrate the incredible robustness of London dining in 2019, a year when the ‘animal spirits’ of the capital’s restaurateurs have shown impressive fearlessness in the face of a daunting period of change in the trade. Street-food vendors will rub shoulders with London’s most famous chefs, restaurateurs and food journalists and influencers, as we recognise all types of restaurant – from the budget rising stars to veteran celebrity kitchens – all of which continue to make London the world’s best restaurant city.”
The awards ceremony, now entering its fourth year, is presented by the BBC’s Nigel Barden, and will take place amidst the luxurious surroundings of The Langham, London on 9 September 2019, starting at noon.
The Shortlist in Full
TOP GASTRONOMIC EXPERIENCE
- Endo At Rotunda
- Five Fields
- Kitchen Table
- Maos
TOP NEWCOMER
- Caractere
- Coal Office
- Kerridges
- Kutir
TOP BAR OR PUB
- Bar Douro
- Black Dog Beerhouse
- Canton Arms
- The Wigmore
BEST FOR BUSINESS
- Brigadiers
- Coq d’Argent
- The Goring
- Kerridges
BEST FOR ROMANCE
- Brasserie of Light
- Chez Bruce
- The Petersham (WC2)
- La Poule au Pot
WINE LIST OF THE YEAR
- Lorne
- Noizé
- Rex Whistler, Tate Britain
- Ten Cases
BEST AFTERNOON TEA
- Cake & Bubbles
- Claridges Foyer & Reading Room
- Jean George at the Connaught
- The Ritz, Palm Court
BEST VEGAN OR VEGETARIAN
- By Chloe
- Gauthier Soho
- Vanilla Black
- Wulf & Lamb
BEST BREAKFAST OR BRUNCH
- The Delaunay
- Dishoom WC2
- Granger & Co W11
- Zobler’s, The Ned
BEST FISH & SEAFOOD
- Bentley’s
- Cornerstone
- The Oystermen
- Scotts
BEST STEAKS & GRILLS
- The Coal Shed
- Hawksmoor EC2
- Lurra
- Lutyens Grill
TOP COFFEE HOUSE
- Dropshot Coffee
- Rhythm & Brews
- TabXTab
- The Watch House SE1
TOP CHEAP EAT
- Bancone
- Brasserie Zédel
- Roti King
- Sambal Shiok
BEST STREET FOOD
- Black Bear Burger
- Duck Truck
- Flank
- Smokoloko
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
The ceremony will include the recognition of outstanding achievement in the London restaurant scene, as judged by the editors drawing on performance in the Harden’s survey over a number of years
About the Awards
The Harden’s London Restaurant Awards comprises a total of 15 categories – with nominees in all but the Outstanding Achievement award taken from those who performed best in the annual Harden’s restaurant survey. This year, more than 7,500 foodies contributed 50,000 reviews.
Each category consists of four nominees, two selected purely on the strength of diners’ votes, and a further two selected on a similar basis, but solely from newer restaurant openings of the last 2-3 years. Where a restaurant has already won an award or been nominated in prior years, the editors may substitute another high-ranking name in the shortlist.
From the four candidates, the Harden’s editors pick the final winner, with a bias to recognising rising talent that possesses the potential to emerge as some of London’s very best in any given category.
The awards ceremony, presented by the BBC’s Nigel Barden, will take place at The Langham Hotel in London’s West End on 9 September 2018.
For any press enquiries please contact editorial@hardens.com.
