The Best 20 UK Restaurants Outside London 2011

Whole grilled lobster from Newhaven cooked Thermidor style, served with buttered samphire, sea spinach and sauteed squid. The Kitchin , Leith.


Here is the list of of the best restaurants outside London where I live. Generally speaking the quality of sourcing is often higher outside London but service levels can be patchy. The restaurants are not listed in order of preference but I would be happy to travel to all the ones listed for lunch or dinner.


1. The Kitchin. (Tom Kitchin)
2. The Royal Oak ( Dominic Chapman)
3. The Walnut Tree Inn (Shaun Hill)
4. The Fat Duck (Heston Blumenthal)
5. The Waterside Inn (Alain Roux)
6. Martin Wishart
7. The Star Inn (Andrew Pern)
8. Castle Terrace (Dominic Jack)
9. La Bécasse (Will Holland)
10. The Sportsman (Stephen Harris)
11. Nathan Outlaw
12 L'Enclume (Simon Rogan)
13 Restaurant Sat Bains
14 Lanterna Ristorante (Giorgio Alessio)
15 Le Champignon Sauvage (David Everitt-Matthias)
16 Siena Restaurant (Russel Brown)
17 The Elephant (Simon Hulstone)
18 L'Ortolan (Alan Murchison/Nick Chappell)
19 Mr Underhill ( Chris Bradley)
20 The Pipe and Glass (James Mackenzie)

N.B I have not eaten at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons for 3 years hence it's not on the list .

The Kitchin , Leith ,Edinburgh

Amuse-Bouche 1. Cheese Straws and Balls






Amuse-Bouche 2. Summer Courgette Soup



Saying hello to the Newhaven Live Lobster




Tartare of wild Salmon from Usan, served with diced apple and a lemon creme fraiche




Whole grilled lobster from Newhaven cooked Thermidor style, served with buttered samphire, sea spinach and sauteed squid



Rich Valrohna Manjari tart with Perthshire Rasberries and mint cream

Wine Consumed : HERMITAGE 'CHANTE-ALOUETTE' 2006 M.Chapoutier.


I have now eaten at The Kitchin four times , once in late 2007 , twice in 2008 and most recently on Thursday 19th of August 2010 , with my family (the pictures on this post are of what I ate on this day).

Every time with out exception I experienced world class cooking based on superbly sourced produce (most from Scotland's ample larder) coupled with first class service. All this in a relaxed , simple tastefully decorated restaurant.

Tom Kitchin is a great talent but he has also garnered a an impressive culinary education not only his many years with Pierre Koffman at Tante Claire , Royal Hospital Road ( he also returned to Tante Claire when it moved to the Berkeley ) but also Guy Savoy in Paris and Alain Ducasse's Louis XV in Monte Carlo.

I must have eaten Tom's cooking many times at Tante Claire and maybe even at Guy Savoy whilst he was there but at The Kitchin he is the man, and what a man , for me there is no better restaurant in the UK . I have not been as impressed with food in a restaurant in the British Isles since some of my early meals at Chez Nico , Tante Claire and the late Gunn Eriksen's, Altnaharrie Inn .

On this occasion it was a real pleasure to meet Tom for the first time and find a humble, charming individual who along with his brigade, produces perfectly executed and seasoned dishes.

My Tartare of wild Salmon from Usan, served with diced apple and a lemon creme fraiche was perfectly balanced and refreshing.

The whole grilled lobster from Newhaven cooked Thermidor style, served with buttered samphire, sea spinach and sauteed squid was really inspired with each ingredient perfectly seasoned and well - proportioned to create a superlative synthesis .

I finished a wonderful Rich Valrohna Manjari tart with Perthshire Rasberries which showed again that the brigade is strong in executing every course be it savoury or sweet.

The HERMITAGE 'CHANTE-ALOUETTE' 2006 from Chapoutier was sublime and served at the correct tempreture also worked well with my wife's Scallop starter and Turbot main.

The Kitchin’s sister restaurant Castle Terrace openeded on 14th July on Castle Terrace in central Edinburgh, with Chef and co patron Dominic Jack behind the stove. Edinburgh-born Dominic Jack who worked as a trainee with Tom at Gleneagles has followed a similar career path that has included L’Arpège and Taillevent in Paris. It seems that Tom Kitchin is expanding in a controlled and intelligent way , whilst spending most of his time in the Kitchen !

I'm already planning a long week end in Edinburgh.