20 restaurants gain first Michelin star

20 restaurants were awarded their first Michelin star last night as the prestigious food guide served up its 2023 offering.

There were also three restaurants awarded two Michelin stars – The Ledbury and Alex Dilling at Hotel Cafe Royal, both in London, and dede in County Cork – to increase the number of two-starred restaurants to 25.

The eight three-star restaurants, including L’Enclume in Cumbria, all kept their award.

“In every region of Great Britain and Ireland, you can now find hugely talented chefs calling out to gourmets with their exquisite and accomplished cuisine,” said Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides.

“Great Britain & Ireland continues to impress with the sheer variety of its Michelin Stars. Whether diners are looking for somewhere formal or casual, historic or new, there is a Michelin-starred establishment for them.”

The Michelin Guide Ceremony was held at Silverstone in Northamptonshire last night. In total, the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland 2023 recommends 1,143 restaurants, of which 206 are Michelin-starred, 29 have been awarded a Michelin Green Star, and 116 are highlighted with a Bib Gourmand.

Cumbria is the county boasting the greatest number of new stars, with three, while Devon has two.

Cumbrian restaurants newly recognised are The Samling, “where the cooking is now more than a match for the spectacular views”, heft offers “imaginative cooking” in a 17th-century inn, and Pentonbridge Inn.

In Lancashire, chef Tim Allen achieves a star for his first solo restaurant – appropriately named sō–lō.

Devon’s two new stars went to Gidleigh Park, “with its modern dishes contrasting with the striking Edwardian surroundings”, and Àclèaf in Plymouth, which offers “classically based cooking within the impressive Boringdon Hall hotel”.

In Cheltenham, Lumière has been rewarded “for over 14 years the inspectors have witnessed the cooking maturing”.

Grace & Savour in the West Midlands has been recognised for “its Nordic influences…in the surprise menu”.

In total, the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland 2023 recommends 173 One Michelin Star restaurants.