The Sportsman in Seasalter, Kent has been declared the UK's best restaurant by Restaurant Magazine.
The Michelin-starred pub restaurant, once referred to as a ‘grotty boozer by the sea’ by its owner beat off stiff competition from other top eateries to claim the top spot at Restaurant Magazine’s National Restaurant Awards held at The Hurlingham Club on 27 June.
Restaurant editor, Stefan Chomka, said: "Stephen Harris once described The Sportsman as a 'grotty boozer by the sea'. But it's certainly way more than that. The former history teacher is one of a handful of UK chefs to practice genuine terroir cooking down in the Kent estuary. A magnificent restaurant and a very worthy number one, congratulations to The Sportsman."
London restaurants The Ledbury and Hedone took third and fourth places respectively while Restaurant Nathan Outlaw in Port Isaac, Cornwall, was fifth.
Allan Pickett and Andre Blais's London restaurant Piquet, which opened last year, was awarded Highest New Entry (7th) while Lake Road Kitchen in Ambleside (7th) was named Highest Climber after climbing up 70 places from last year.
Philip Howard, was awarded Chef's Chef of the Year and Pierre Koffmann was given a Lifetime Achievement Award.
The top 100 is decided by votes from 150 industry experts from across the UK, including chefs, restaurateurs, food writers and critics.
Philip Howard
Top 100 UK Restaurants 2016:
The Sportsman, Kent
Barrafina Adelaide Street, London
The Ledbury, London
Hedone, London
Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Port Isaac
The Clove Club, London
Piquet, London (Highest New Entry)
L'Enclume, Cartmel
Lyle's, London
The River Café, London
The Walnut Tree, Abergavenny
Casamia, Bristol
The Dairy, London
Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham
Lake Road Kitchen, Ambleside
64 Degrees, Brighton
Hoppers, London
Le Gavroche, London
A Wong, London
Frenchie, London
Noble Rot, London
Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, Auchturader
The Waterside Inn, Bray
Black Axe Mangal, London
The Quality Chop House, London
Bells Diner and Bar Rooms, Bristol
The Man Behind the Curtain, Leeds
Fera, London
Duck & Waffle, London
40 Maltby Street, London
Hibiscus, London
The Elephant, Torquay
The Hand and Flowers, Marlow
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London
Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London
Hawksmoor Seven Dials, London
Birch, Bristol
Northcote, Blackburn
Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
The Hardwick, Abergavenny
Portland, London
The Palomar, London
Midsummer House, Cambridge
Bao, London
Gymkhana, London
Pollen Street Social, London
The Seahorse, Dartmouth
Ellory, London
Alyn Williams at The Westbury, London
Manchester House, Manchester
Paul Ainsworth at Number 6, Padstow
Pitt Cue, London
Brawn, London
Otto's, London
Smoking Goat, London
Simpsons, Birmingham
The Manor, London
Oldroyd, London
The Coach, Marlow
Ondine, Edinburgh
The Ninth, London
Bocca Di Lupo, London
Kitchen Table, London
Social Eating House, London
Fraiche, Oxton
Restaurant Story, London
Marcus, London
The Fat Duck, Bray
The Wolseley, London
Wright's Food Emporium, Llanarthney
Chez Bruce, London
Lurra, London
Primeur, London
Sticky Walnut, Chester
The Kitchin, Edinburgh
Tyddyn Llan, Corwen
Colony Grill Room, London
Castle Terrace, Edinburgh
The French, Manchester
Darsham Nurseries, Darsham
El Gato Negro, Manchester
Snaps and Rye, London
Deanes EIPIC Restaurant, Belfast
The Wild Rabbit, Kingham
Ynyshir Hall, Machynlleth
Theo Randall at The InterContinental, London
Bentleys Oyster Bar & Grill, London
The Parkers Arms, Newton in Bowland
The Chilli Pickle, Brighton
The Pipe and Glass Inn, Beverley
Carters of Moseley, Moseley
The Flitch of Bacon, Dunmow
Silo, Brighton
MeatLiquor Marylebone, London
Sartoria, London
Wilks Restaurant, Bristol
Berners Tavern, London
Café Murano St James, London
House of Tides, Newcastle
Driftwood Hotel
Special Awards:
Chef's Chef of the Year - Philip Howard
Lifetime Achievement Award - Pierre Koffmann
One to Watch - Som Saa
Highest New Entry - Piquet
Highest Climber - Lake Road
The Service Award - The Clove Club
Cocktail List of the Year - Social Eating House
Wine List of the Year - Noble Rot
Best Italian - The River Café
Sustainable Restaurant of the Year - Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
Best in UK/Gastropub - The Sportsman
Best in Scotland - Restaurant Andrew Fairlie
Best in Wales - The Walnut Tree
Best in Northern Ireland - Deanes EIPIC Restaurant
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