‘One of the UK’s most exciting food destinations’: West Midlands restaurants celebrated as Harden’s Top 100 diners’ poll names five among UK’s best

The West Midlands has reaffirmed its status as one of the UK’s most exciting food destinations, with five restaurants across the region securing coveted places in the newly released Harden’s Top 100 Best UK Restaurants 2026.

Birmingham has 25 restaurants listed in the guide, with two making the Top 20, with a Lichfield venue also among the top 100. 

The latest edition of the prestigious Harden’s guide – now in its 35th year – features 70 West Midlands’ venues in total. Harden’s is unique in being based entirely on 30,000 reports from regular diners, rather than professional inspectors.

Birmingham leads the region with two Top 20 restaurants. Among this year’s standout performers is one of Birmingham’s newest culinary arrivals, Albatross Death Cult in the Jewellery Quarter, which makes a remarkable debut at No. 12 after opening as recently as June 2024. Diners praised chef Alex Claridge’s intimate concept as “just amazing in every way” and “a unique and rewarding experience for West Midlanders and anyone willing to travel.”

Returning to the upper rankings, Birmingham’s Opheem continues to impress under chef Aktar Islam whose cooking was hailed as “setting the bar for modern British Indian cuisine” and “taking it to an entirely new level,” further elevated by “the distinct style of head sommelier Stefan’s wine flights.” 

Strong representation in Harden's UK Guide across the wider West Midlands

Beyond Birmingham, West Midlands culinary gems continuing to shine are: 

Upstairs by Tom Shepherd, Lichfield – No. 66 Included in the Top 100 for the second year running, with diners praising “magnificent cooking” in a venue that feels “friendly, warm and unpretentious.” 

The Royal Oak, Whatcote, Warwickshire – No. 100 - A highly rated village pub from Richard and Solanche Craven where “originality and local resourcing are dominant concerns”. Richard’s cookery is “always spot-on and his love for game shines through.”  

Grace & Savour, Hampton Manor, Hampton-in-Arden – No. 63 Celebrated for its “all-round great experience”, “attention to detail” and chef David Taylor’s “sophisticated, original and delicious” tasting menu. 

Commenting on the last year in hospitality, Harden’s co-founder and editor Peter Harden says: “It’s understandable that over the last 12 months the hospitality industry has been toiling away under a cloud of gloomsterism. Hit by food inflation, rising wages, relentless rent increases and soaring utilities – some long-term operators say that 2025 is the toughest year they can recall. 

“However, what our survey results and data-crunching from across the sector shows is the remarkable resilience at work from those in the trade: our number of entries remains very steady and strong newcomers are emerging in each area of a quality that is probably better than ever.  

“What is bad for suppliers can be good for consumers. Customer expectations are so high now, restaurants have to work ever-harder to cut through and we’re seeing a number of new openings from across the UK going straight into the Top 100. For restaurants like Birmingham’s Albatross Death Cult, this really is testament to the rigorous standards, hard work and innovation being put in by front and back of house teams who are impressively determined to find a way in difficult circumstances and continue to raise the bar to bring diners high quality experiences.” 

Moor Hall in Aughton, West Lancashire crowned UK’s No.1  

Topping this year’s national list is Moor Hall, Mark Birchall’s acclaimed restaurant set in a Grade II-listed 13th-century manor house in Aughton, West Lancashire. Rising from 74th place last year, Moor Hall beat Simon Rogan’s previous winner L’Enclume and Alain Roux’s Waterside Inn Bray to claim the UK’s top spot. 

Diners described the experience as “superb from beginning to end” with food deemed “faultless in every way”. 

Peter Harden adds: "Moor Hall has been a recurring name in the Harden’s Top 100 UK Restaurant’s list for many years now – a testament to the high quality of the food, service and location. It’s wonderful to see Mark and his talented team reach 

this year’s pole position and, whilst diners who took part in our national survey did often flag the higher price point, it appears to be a venue regarded as well worth it, albeit for a rare treat.” 

Celebrating 35 years of polling diners for their views on the nation’s best places to eat, the latest edition of the Harden's guide, published this week (ISBN: 978-1-0684576-1-6, price £20: also available as apps for Apple or Android), is one of only two surviving established UK restaurant guides made available in print, and the only one based on feedback from normal diners rather than a group of professional inspectors. 

A total of 30,000 reports are submitted from a survey of 2,500 diners. Restaurants at all price levels are included: from street food vendors to the country’s most ambitious dining rooms, with 2,800 restaurants listed in total. 

The Harden's 100 ranking of the UK's best restaurants in full

The Top 100 restaurants derived from the 30,000 reports with ratings submitted by 2,500 diners who contributed to the Harden's annual survey.

1. Moor Hall, Aughton (74)

2. L’Enclume, Cartmel (73)

3. Waterside Inn, Bray (11)

4. The Ledbury, London (8)

5. ROW on 5, London

6. Woven by Adam Smith at Coworth Park, Ascot (4)

7. Humble Chicken, London

8. Outlaw’s New Road, Port Isaac (12)

9. Da Terra, Town Hall Hotel, London (19)

10. Skof, Manchester

11. Mana, Manchester (29)

12. Albatross Death Cult, Birmingham

13. Northcote, Langho (33)

14. Paul Ainsworth at No6, Padstow (22)

15. Osip, Bruton (20)

16. Meadowsweet, Holt (36)

17. Andrew Fairlie, Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder (15)

18. Behind, London (24)

19. Roketsu, London (27)

20. Opheem, Birmingham (6)

21. Plates, London

22. The Angel, Hetton (26)

23. Sollip, London

24. Gwen, Machynlleth (64)

25. Core by Clare Smyth, London (17)

26. The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant, Crieff

27. Kitchen Table, London (44)

28. Myse, Hovingham (96)

29. A Wong, London (25)

30. Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham (38)

31. The Black Swan, Oldstead

32. Paris House, Woburn (60)

33. Winteringham Fields, Winteringham

34. Gidleigh Park, Chagford

35. Hambleton Hall, Hambleton (47)

36. Restaurant Martin Wishart, Edinburgh

37. Morston Hall, Morston Holt

38. Pine, East Wallhouses (2)

39. Akoko, London (21)

40. AngloThai, London

41. Restaurant St. Barts, London

42. Trinity, London (82)

43. Hunan, London

44. Caractère, London

45. Cornus, London

46. Ikoyi, London

47. Heft, Newton in Cartmel (65)

48. Roots, York (76)

49. Bohemia, Jersey (48)

50. Kioku at the OWO, London

51. Lympstone Manor, Exmouth (23)

52. Frog by Adam Handling, London (100)

53. Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library, London

54. The Fat Duck, Bray (72)

55. Aulis London, London (14)

56. LPM (fka La Petite Maison), London

57. The Ritz, London (71)

58. Sushi Tetsu, London (32)

59. Edinbane Lodge, Edinbane

60. Alchemilla, Nottingham (28)

61. Gravetye Manor, East Grinstead (99)

62. Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms, Eglwys Fach (93)

63. Grace & Savour, Hampton-in-Arden (30)

64. Brooklands, London (55)

65. Takahashi, London

66. Upstairs by Tom Shepherd, Lichfield (63)

67. The Cedar Tree, Farlam Hall, Brampton

68. Cail Bruich, Glasgow (40)

69. The Kitchin, Edinburgh (81)

70. The Forest Side, Grasmere

71. Hide, London

72. Evelyn’s Table at The Blue Posts, London

73. SOLA, London (98)

74. Trivet, London

75. Interlude, Lower Beeding

76. Home at Penarth, Penarth

77. Allium at Askham Hall, Penrith

78. The Tudor Room, Great Fosters Hotel, Egham

79. The Cocochine, London

80. The Dining Room, Whatley Manor, Easton Grey

81. Kai Mayfair, London

82. House of Tides, Newcastle upon Tyne

83. The Nut Tree Inn, Murcott (59)

84. The Cottage In The Wood, Braithwaite

85. Nobu, Metropolitan Hotel, London

86. So-lo, Aughton

87. Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, Port Isaac (41)

88. The Whitebrook, Restaurant with Rooms, Whitebrook (88)

89. The Old Deanery, Ripon

90. Bar des Prés, London

91. Ormer Mayfair by Sofian, Flemings Mayfair Hotel, London (51)

92. Old Stamp House, Ambleside (37)

93. Number One, Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh

94. Artichoke, Amersham (79)

95. The Jackdaw, Conwy

96. Furna, Brighton (42)

97. Hakkasan Mayfair, London

98. Unalome by Graeme Cheevers, Glasgow (43)

99. John’s House, Mountsorrel (10)

100. The Royal Oak, Whatcote