The restaurant at the historic Ritz hotel on Piccadilly in London has been named the best in the country at the National Restaurant Awards.
The restaurant, overseen by Executive Chef John Williams MBE, is famous for French-inspired classical fine dining using British ingredients, enjoyed in an opulent dining room complete with all the bells and whistles – staff in white gloves and tails and plenty of dishes finished tableside, including beef Wellington and crêpes Suzette.
The award and top 100 list was announced at a ceremony in London, with Moor Hall in Aughton, Lancashire and The Ledbury in London in second and third place respectively. The awards are voted for by over 200 industry experts, including food writers, chefs and restaurateurs.
Williams’ cooking and leadership has won him a legion of fans in and outside the industry, with the likes of chefs Adam Smith and Spencer Metzger having passed through the Ritz’s kitchens. Williams himself had won the National Restaurant Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
Many though had felt that he and the restaurant had been under appreciated until Michelin finally awarded it a second star earlier this year. The announcement prompted one of the biggest cheers of the night at the unveiling of the Michelin Guide to Great Britain and Ireland 2025 in Glasgow in February.
The Ritz remains a revered dining experience, a special occasion restaurant and the kind that is saved up for and relished and it’s continued success proves there is still a place for classic fine dining experiences in the culinary landscape.
