A Michelin rating is arguably the most coveted decoration in the restaurant industry at the moment, so it’s no wonder that any new announcements generate a real buzz every year. The following spots have recently earned their first Michelin stars, so you better get in quick if you want to give them a try!
Restaurant 1890 by Gordon Ramsay, London
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The celebrity chef’s third outpost in The Savoy is a decadent art deco den, which boasts only ten tables and a modern tasting menu inspired by the French chef Georges Auguste Escoffier, who joined the hotel in 1890… The lunch menu is priced at £75pp and consists of six courses, while the dinner menu is a ten-course affair costing £175pp.
Akoko, London
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Akoko brings innovative and flavourful West African food to a cool, laidback space in Fitzrovia. Each inventive dish on the tasting menu is arranged as precisely and strikingly as a work of art and there are numerous versions, so the restaurant can cater to everyone from carnivores all the way to vegans.
Aulis, London
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It’s not that surprising that Simon Rogan’s intimate and immersive Soho restaurant Aulis has been awarded its first Michelin star, since the esteemed chef’s Lake District restaurant with rooms L’Enclume boasts an impressive three! The 12-seat spot is another on the list that only offers a tasting menu. The farm-to-fork dishes are cooked in front of diners and explained along the way.
Chishuru, London
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Fitzrovia welcomes another Michelin star for its West African cuisine, this time for the chic yet warm surrounds of Chishuru. This is the first permanent spot for chef Adejoké Bakare who has been building up a buzz with her supper clubs and pop-ups for years. The set lunch and dinner menus are incredibly reasonable — their many highlights include the charcoal-grilled guineafowl breast yassa with caramelised onion and lemon sauce and yaji peanut spice.
The Cedar Tree by Hrishikesh Desai, Cumbria
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The Cedar Tree restaurant can be found within the sumptuous four-star Farlam Hall country house hotel in Cumbria. Headed by Hrishikesh Desai who won the Roux Scholarship in 2009 and reached the final of the BBC’s Great British Menu, the elegant restaurant serves up British classics with an Indian twist, including an Aglionby Longhorn beef tandoori ‘Wellington’, which consists of a tandoori spiced marinated beef fillet with a tandoori jus.
Crocadon, Cornwall
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The 120-acre farm where this restaurant is located in a restored barn provides practically everything needed for Dan Cox’s menu, making this a hyperlocal field-to-fork experience — the land is home to sheep, and even a micro dairy! Cox cut his teeth with one of the most celebrated masters of farm-to-fork dining, Simon Rogan, so you can expect interesting and inventive arrangements such as Jerusalem artichoke, mashua root and horseradish, or a meaty maitake mushroom with fermented swede and scallop roe.
D’Olier Street, Dublin
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Australian-born chef James Moore has deservedly earned a Michelin star in the Republic of Ireland capital via a career that has seen him work in kitchens in London, Vancouver and New York. The D’Olier Street Restaurant is housed on the ground floor of a striking 19th-century building and offers modern fine dining in the form of a 12-course tasting menu, which features delights such as yuzu kosho cream with octopus, lobster and ginger. Don’t dismiss the desserts either, which include chocolate with sweet potato, buttermilk and muscovado.
Dorian, London
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Dorian is an edgy, carnivorous bistro in Notting Hill headed by Max Coen whose previous accomplishments include working at Ikoyi. This eatery claims to be ‘anti-Notting Hill’ and made for locals — it features an open kitchen with a marble counter where you can watch the action unfold. One of its signature serves is its steak, which is cooked from raw and presented on the bone.
Homestead Cottage, Doolin
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The most rural of all the newly-awarded eateries, Homestead Cottage is a former crofter’s cottage that is positioned spectacularly on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way near to the Cliffs of Moher. This location informs the seasonal ingredients that make up the daily-changing lunch menu and seven-course dinner menu — think locally-caught seafood presented like precious jewels, including Moher crab, Connemara scallop and Wild Atlantic hake.
Humble Chicken, London
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Humble Chicken is the brainchild of Tokyo-born chef Angelo Sato. The snug Soho izakaya is adorned aptly with neon and plays familiar, upbeat pop tunes: the food is just as fun and bold, featuring 13 omakase dishes (meaning they are left entirely up to the chef). One of the most surprising courses consists of mussels mysteriously wrapped around sliced avocado and served with kosho ponzo. There’s also, of course, plenty of chicken to sample, including an unfathomably smooth chicken liver parfait.
Humo, London
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As arguably one of the list’s most interesting collaborations, this sultry Mayfair spot fuses Japanese and Colombian influences with British produce. Meaning a name that means smoke in Spanish, Humo revolves around wood-fired cooking (no gas or electricity is used in the process), using different woods to create nuanced flavours and results. The enchanting decor reflects the restaurants theatrical and elemental nature, and features warm tones, low lighting and squidgy corners for hushed conversations.
Lake Road Kitchen, Cumbria
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Another northern star, Lake Road Kitchen is nestled in the scenic Lake District, however it almost looks like a Scandinavian snug with its abundance of wood and sheepskin-adorned chairs. There are three different sized serving menus to choose from, as well as vegetarian, vegan and pescatarian variations. Diners can expect showstopping dishes that incorporate Japanese influences, such as kingfish tartare with white soy, mirin and nori as well as A5 Miyazaki Wagyu beef (for a little extra).
Mountain, London
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Mountain is the cool younger sibling of cult Shoreditch favourite Brat. Those in the know will spot similarities between the two establishments, from the showy sharing dishes to the open kitchen with its flaming grills. Tables here have been in demand since its opening, and its buzz shows no sign of quietening. Snacks include Pembrokeshire cockles and the intriguing spider crab omelette, while the mains consist of whole fish and hefty cuts of meat. If you can, leave enough room to try one of the enticing desserts.
mýse, Hovingham
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mýse can be found in the picture-perfect village of Hovingham just outside of York, and in addition to its restaurant, it’s home to three cosy rooms, so you can make a real event of a visit here if you wish. The interior is aptly rustic, featuring exposed beams and a log fire for maximum country bumpkin vibes, and the tasting menus revolved around British produce sourced from small-scale producers. Highlights include the charmingly presented hand dived Orkney scallop which is cooked in its own shell with sea urchin butter.
Ormer, London
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Ormer is tucked away beneath the five-star Flemings Mayfair Hotel — it’s an intimate, quirky space where you can really unwind for a while. The dining options are two tasting menus (five courses or seven courses), which have been created by the executive chef Sofian Msetfi and feature British sourced produce presented exquisitely. Signature dishes include the Scottish langoustine with yuzu and saffron sabayon, plus there’s a charming cheese trolley if you’ve got any room for a post-meal nibble!
Pavyllon, London
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Another hotel restaurant that is breaking the mould, Pavyllon in the Four Seasons Hotel at Park Lane is headed by Yannick Alléno who has achieved an incredible 16 Michelin stars across his 17 restaurants. The warm, contemporary space is arranged around a central countertop that looks into an open kitchen. This place isn’t just a tasting menu affair either, its French-inspired menu offers breakfast, brunch, afternoon tea and even a dedicated kids’ menu.
Sushi Kanesaka at 45 Park Lane, London
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This elevated dining experience begins as soon as you enter 45 Park Lane, as you are taken to an intimate room on the hotel’s first floor that consists of counter seating only. The menu here is omakase, which means ‘trust the chef’, and consists of around 18 courses, including precious bites like Cornish king crab with beluga caviar and binchotan grilled Kobe beef, with wasabi and shio. Costing over £400pp without drinks, this is a truly special encounter.
The Bishop’s Buttery, County Tipperary
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Located in what was once the Cashel Palace kitchen, The Bishop’s Buttery charms with its vaulted ceiling, original flagstones and flickering fireplace. The menu here revolves around Irish fare, and specifically the ingredients native to Tipperary: the menu features East Cork crab, local cheeses, and an Irish whiskey baba. Set in such spectacular surrounds that even boast views of the Rock of Cashel, dining here is an experience fit for royalty.
