Chez Bruce pushes Ivy off Harden's top spot

Celebrity restaurant the Ivy has been knocked off its number one slot in the Harden's London Restaurants guide for the first time in nine years.

Neighbourhood restaurant Chez Bruce in Wandsworth was voted the guide's favourite restaurant for 2006, also taking third place in the list of the capital's top gastronomic experiences.

Chef proprietor Bruce Poole said he was very happy with the news. "I like the Ivy a lot," he said. "It's been quite a surprise but we won't let it go to our heads."

Harden's co-editor Richard Harden said the change represented a shift in London restaurant-goers affections. "This result is a remarkable tribute to both chef-proprietor Bruce Poole and group owner Nigel Platts-Martin," he said. "For the first time suburban restaurants are out-gunning the West End."

Chiswick restaurant La Trompette, also part of the Nigel Platts-Martin group, rose two positions to number seven in the guide's list of top gastronomic experiences.

"Nigel Platts-Martin is becoming the Danny Meyer of the London restaurant world," Harden said. "He's the only restaurateur in London to be associated only with businesses of the highest quality."

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay's Royal Hospital Road restaurant took first position in the capital's top gastronomic experiences and his Claridge's restaurant came in second.

The Oxo Tower was voted the most disappointing and overpriced restaurant and the Ivy was second most disappointing and fifth most overpriced.

The Wolseley took third position in the favourite restaurant list and also in the most disappointing round-up.

Harden's best (and worst) in London

Top gastronomic experience (last year's position in brackets)

• 1. Gordon Ramsay, Royal Hospital Road (1)
• 2. Gordon Ramsay at Claridges (2)
• 3. Chez Bruce (2)
• 4. Tom Aitkens (4)
• 5. Le Gavroche (5)
• 6. Nobu (6)
• 7. La Trompette (9)
• 8. The Ivy (8)
• 9. Pétrus (-)
• 10. Locanda Locatelli (10)

Favourite restaurant

• 1. Chez Bruce (2)
• 2. The Ivy (1)
• 3. The Wolseley (8)
• 4. J Sheekey (3)
• 5. Le Caprice (4)
• 6. Gordon Ramsay (5)
• 7. La Trompete (6)
• 8. Hakkasan (7)
• 9. Nobu (-)
• 10. Zuma (10)

Most disappointing restaurant

• 1. The Oxo Tower (1)
• 2. The Ivy (2)
• 3. The Wolseley (5)
• 4. Gordon Ramsay at Claridges (3)
• 5. Quaglino's (6)

Most overpriced restaurant

• 1. The Oxo Tower (2)
• 2. Sketch (Gallery) (1)
• 3. Nobu (3)
• 4. The River Café (5)
• 5. The Ivy (7)

By Jessica Gunn