Bristol restaurant named second best in UK

Casamia has been named the second best restaurant in the UK in the prestigious Harden’s Best UK Restaurants 2018 list.

It was only beaten to the top spot by The Araki, a £300-a-head Mayfair sushi restaurant that seats nine diners and was awarded its third Michelin star earlier this year.

The list is based on an annual poll of 8,500 diners, who between them contributed 50,000 reviews to Harden’s.

The guide describes Casamia at The General in Redcliffe as a “magical dining experience” with “clever cuisine” and “impeccable service”.

Chef-patron Peter Sanchez-Iglesias said: “We’re completely overwhelmed at the news that we’ve been named number two in the Harden’s 100 and to be named the highest ranking restaurant outside London is just mind-blowing.

“We are so grateful for the acknowledgement and kind words – this summarises exactly how we want our guests to feel dining with us at Casamia.”

Peter Sanchez-Iglesias at the pass at Casamia

Peter, who earlier this year was named as the Good Food Guide’s chef of the year, added: “Bristol’s food scene is one of the most exciting in the UK right now and we want to highlight that and encourage people visit the city and sample the talents of the chefs and producers based here.

“This recognition goes to the whole team here who have devoted themselves to this restaurant and I could not be more proud of them. It’s just the most awesome end to our year.”

Here is the full top-100 list:

1) The Araki, London
2) Casamia, the General, Bristol
3 The Ledbury, London
4) Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Port Isaac, Cornwall
5) The Fat Duck, Bray, Berkshire
6) Marianne, London
7) Waterside Inn, Bray, Berkshire
8) Black Swan, Oldstead
9) Restaurant Martin Wishart, Edinburgh
10) The Clove Club, London
11) Gidleigh Park, Chagford, Devon
12) Fraiche, Oxton, the Wirral
13) Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham
14) Ormer Mayfair, London
15) Gareth Ward at Ynyshir, Eglwys Fach, Powys
16) Sushi Tetsu, London
17) Story, London
18) L’Enclume, Cartmel, Cumbria
19) Yorke Arms, Ramsgill-in-Nidderdale, North Yorkshire
20) The Greenhouse, London
21) Midsummer House, Cambridge
22) Le Gavroche, London
23) Pied à Terre, London
24) Sketch, Lecture Room, London
25) Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire
26) Umu, London
27) Bubbledogs, Kitchen Table, London
28) The Five Fields, London
29) Raby Hunt, Summerhouse, Darlington
30) Moor Hall, Aughton, Ormskirk
31) Bohemia, Jersey
32) Adam’s, Birmingham
33) Texture, London
34) Estiatorio Milos, London
35) Andrew Fairlie, Auchterarder
36) Morston Hall, Morston, Norfolk
37) Hélène Darroze, London
38) Tyddyn Llan, Llandrillo, Denbighshire
39) The Box Tree, Ilkley, West Yorkshire
40) Le Cochon Aveugle, York
41) Pétrus, London
42) Hedone, London
43) Hambleton Hall, Hambleton, Rutland
44) The Neptune, Old Hunstanton, Norfolk
45) The Ritz, London
46) Roux at Parliament Square, London
47) The Kitchin, Edinburgh
48) Murano, London
49) Llangoed Hall, Llyswen, Powys
50) Paul Ainsworth at No. 6, Padstow, Cornwall
51) 108 Garage, London
52) Hakkasan Mayfair, London
53) Chez Bruce, London
54) Lympstone Manor, Exmouth, Devon
55) Jamavar, London
56) Hunan, London
57) The Forest Side, Grasmere, Cumbria
58) The Art School, Liverpool
59) André Garrett At Cliveden, Taplow, Berkshire
60) House of Tides, Newcastle upon Tyne
61) Artichoke, Amersham, Buckinghamshire
62) 5 North Street, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire
63) Goodman City, London
64) Trishna, London
65) Wilks, Bristol
66) Norn, Edinburgh
67) One-O-One, London
68) The Three Chimneys, Dunvegan, Isle of Skye
69) Elystan Street, London
70) Typing Room, London
71) La Trompette, London
72) Where The Light Gets In, Stockport, Cheshire
73) The Man Behind The Curtain, Leeds
74) Restaurant James Sommerin, Penarth, Cardiff
75) Marcus, The Berkeley, London
76) The Whitebrook, Whitebrook, Monmouthshire
77) Pollen Street Social, London
78) Gauthier Soho, London
79) Zuma, London
80) La Petite Maison, London
81) Locanda Locatelli, London
82) Northcote, Langho, Lancashire
83) The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, Marlborough, Wiltshire
84) The Woodspeen, Newbury, Berkshire
85) The Sportsman, Seasalter, Kent
86) The Glasshouse, Kew, London
87) Wiltons, London
88) Purnells, Birmingham
89) Coya, London
90) La Dame de Pic London, London
91) Roka, London
92) Seafood Restaurant, Padstow, Cornwall
93) The Seahorse, Dartmouth, Devon
94) The Peat Inn, Cupar, Fife
95) Scott’s, London
96) Stovell’s, Chobham, Surrey
97) Trinity, London
98) Portland, London
99) Min Jiang, London
100) Medlar, London

Read more: Bristol chef named UK best