Harden's Guide 2024: Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume crowned UK's number 1 restaurant

The Staff Canteen

Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume in Cartmel has been voted the UK’s best restaurant in Harden's Top 100 Best UK Restaurants diners’ poll.

The much-loved Lake District dining destination has featured in the Harden’s Top 100 every year since the list first launched in 2011, but this is the first time it has reached the top spot.

Commenting on the accolade, Chef Owner Simon Rogan says: "My team and myself are honoured that L’Enclume has been rated the number 1 restaurant in the UK by diners on behalf of Harden’s."

He added: "To have been featured in Harden’s Top 100 every year since its inception in 2011 is an amazing achievement and being awarded the top spot for the 2024 edition is a testament to the amazing year we’ve had."

Feedback from diners hailed it as “a completely faultless experience” marshalling the finest local produce – much of it from Simon’s ‘Our Farm’ on the surrounding hillsides – to provide “a symphony of beautifully orchestrated food” in a 17-course meal.

Peter Harden, co-founder of Harden’s, commented: "L’Enclume has always been consistent in its top quality offering and it was wonderful to hear the recent news that Paul Burgalières, who has been a key figure in L'Enclume’s evolution over the past six years, has now been appointed Executive Chef."

Newcomers Solstice (Newcastle), Grace & Savour (Hampton in Arden) and Ugly Butterfly (St Ives) are some of the UK’s newest eateries to have swiftly hit this year’s list, along with Bouchon Racine, Restaurant St Barts and Alex Dilling in London. 

England's largest cities like Birmingham and in particular Manchester have a large number of total entries in the guide, but proportionately fewer at the top end in the Top 100 or Top 500. With 8 entries in the Top 500, Brighton beats either location in this department.

Harden's Top 100 UK Restaurants 2024

1 L’Enclume, Cartmel

2 Outlaw's New Road, Port Isaac

3 Andrew Fairlie, Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder

4 Paul Ainsworth at No6, Padstow

5 Endo at The Rotunda, TV Centre, London

6 Moor Hall, Aughton

7 Core by Clare Smyth, London

8 Restaurant Martin Wishart, Edinburgh

9 Midsummer House, Cambridge

10 Da Terra, Town Hall Hotel, London

11 Lympstone Manor, Exmouth

12 A Wong, London

13 The Kitchin, Edinburgh

14 Hjem, Wall

15 Solstice, Newcastle upon Tyne

16 Cail Bruich, Glasgow 

17 Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms, Eglwys Fach

18 Sorrel, Dorking

19 Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library, London

20 Meadowsweet, Holt

21 The Ledbury, London

22 Alex Dilling Café Royal, London

23 Restaurant Twenty Two, Cambridge

24 Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, Port Isaac

25 PLU, London

26 Maru, London

27 Gravetye Manor, East Grinstead

28 Roots, York

29 The Five Fields, London

30 Latymer, Pennyhill Park Hotel, Bagshot

31 Ugly Butterfly, St Ives

32 The Forest Side, Grasmere

33 Anglo, London

34 The Black Swan, Oldstead

35 Etch, Brighton

36 La Dame de Pic London, London

37 Frog by Adam Handling, London

38 Sushi Tetsu, London

39 Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham

40 Muse, London

41 Waterside Inn, Bray

42 Adam's, Birmingham

43 Hambleton Hall, Hambleton

44 Behind, London

45 SOLA, London

46 Lumière, Cheltenham

47 Pine, East Wallhouses

48 Where The Light Gets In, Stockport

49 Morston Hall, Morston

50 Club Gascon, London

51 The Sportsman, Seasalter

52 Bohemia, Jersey 

53 Restaurant Roots, Southbourne

54 Chez Bruce, London

55 The Ritz, London

56 Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, Great Milton

57 The Fat Duck, Bray

58 Pied à Terre, London

59 Hakkasan Mayfair, London

60 Paris House, Woburn

61 Barrafina, London

62 The Wilderness, Birmingham

63 The Ninth London, London

64 Fhior, Edinburgh

65 Restaurant St. Barts, London

66 Otto's, London

67 BiBi, London

68 Evelyn’s Table at The Blue Posts, London

69 The Small Holding, Goudhurst

70 Northcote, Langho

71 Bulrush, Bristol

72 Riva, London

73 Vanderlyle, Cambridge

74 White Swan at Fence, Fence

75 Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall, Grantley

76 The Dining Room, Beaverbrook, Leatherhead

77 Woven by Adam Smith at Coworth Park, Ascot

78 John's House, Mountsorrel

79 Salt, Stratford upon Avon

80 The Three Chimneys, Dunvegan

81 The Neptune, Old Hunstanton

82 Stark, Broadstairs

83 SY23, Aberystwyth

84 The Fordwich Arms, Fordwich

85 Wheelers Oyster Bar, Whitstable

86 Allium at Askham Hall, Penrith

87 Sollip, London

88 The Whitebrook, Restaurant with Rooms, Whitebrook

89 Wilson's, Bristol

90 The Nut Tree Inn, Murcott

91 Bouchon Racine, London

92 The Fernery, Grove of Narberth, Dyfed

93 Pollen Street Social, London

94 Kitchen Table, London 

95 Hide & Fox, Saltwood

96 Sabor, London

97 Mana, Manchester

98 Nobu, Metropolitan Hotel, London

99 Clarke’s, London

100 Grace & Savour, Hampton-in-Arden

In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall and restrict access – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 12 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 500,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.

The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 13th December 2023

Harden's Guide 2024: Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume crowned UK's number 1 restaurant