Angela Hartnett’s Murano is London’s best new restaurant, says Harden’s

The Gordon Ramsay group restaurant Murano,  presided over by Angela Hartnett, is London’s best new restaurant according to the 2010 Harden’s restaurant guide.

The new edition of Harden’s London Restaurants, which is published today, awarded the Rémy Martin VSOP Award for London’s Best Newcomer of the Year to Hartnett who also won the Chef Award at this year’s Cateys.

The award provides a ray of light in an otherwise grey year for Gordon Ramsay, which has seen his Chelsea flagship – until just two years ago unchallenged as London’s best top-end restaurant for nearly a decade – experience an “unprecedented slide” in survey reporters’ approval.

Guide co-editor Peter Harden notes: “Angela Hartnett is to be congratulated, and Murano’s success shows the Ramsay group still has what it takes. The year’s survey results, though, confirm there are some very deep-seated problems in the group, and we have to hope that Murano’s success marks a real turning point.

“All eyes will now turn to Pétrus – Ramsay’s forthcoming fine dining restaurant shortly to be reborn in Belgravia. An undoubted success there would really confirm that the green shoots of a true Ramsay recovery were starting to show through.”

Ramsay’s former protégé Marcus Wareing’s restaurant at the Berkeley hotel maintained its position as London’s undoubted best top restaurant (first gained last year), and was awarded the Rémy Martin XO Excellence Award.

Bruce Poole’s Wandsworth restaurant Chez Bruce was voted Londoners’ favourite restaurant for the fifth consecutive year, while the big ‘riser’ was Mayfair celebrity-magnet Scott’s - now third most-mentioned, up from 7th last year.

REMY MARTIN AWARD-WINNERS AND RUNNERS–UP

Rémy Martin XO Award for best all-round restaurant –

Winner
1. Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley
Runners –up
2. Chez Bruce
3. Le Gavroche
4. The Ledbury
5. La Trompette
6. The Landau
7. L’Aventure
8. Clos Maggiore
9. J Sheekey
10. Barrafina

Remy Martin VSOP Award for best-rated newcomer

Winner
1. Murano
Runners-up
2. Min Jiang
3. Soseki
4. Bull & Last
5. Trishna

Chef Award - Cateys 2009 >>

Video interview: Michelin-starred-chef Angela Hartnett becomes the first female chef to win the Catey Chef Award  >>

Wareing pips mentor Ramsay in new Harden's guide >>

Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing battle over the real Pétrus >>

By Gemma Sharkey

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