London wins five additional Michelin stars

Michelin has awarded London restaurants with five additional stars, in the second edition of the company’s dedicated guide for the capital.

The Michelin Guide London 2008 features 45 starred restaurants, including 39 one-starred, five two-starred, and one three-starred establishment.  

Among the newly starred restaurants is Gary Rhodes’ latest outlet Rhodes W1 Restaurant at the Cumberland hotel, which opened in May last year.

Restaurateurs Anthony Demetre and Willl Smith, who launched the Michelin-starred Arbutus restaurant in 2006, have claimed a star for their sister operation, Wild Honey, which opened in July.

Demetre told Caterersearch he and Smith were “thrilled for the team” and “couldn’t have asked for a better start to the year”.

“Our pricing policy is very good and it’s great to see the impact that that has had on the business,” he said.

“It just goes to show you can do something in the same vein as Arbutus and we’re delighted by the comments from Michelin about the benefits of less formal dining.”

The remaining three London stars were awarded to La Trompette in Chiswick; Quilon in Victoria; and Hibiscus in Mayfair, which after its move from Ludlow lost one of its two stars. 

While there were no two or three stars awarded this year, two London restaurants have been tipped as two-star establishments of the future: Tom Aikens in Chelsea, who has held one star since 2004, and Hibiscus.

Three restaurants in the capital lost a star, including D&D London’s Orrery in Mayfair. Gordon Ramsay Holdings’ collection of Michelin stars went from 12 to 10 stars following the closure of Angela Hartnett at the Connaught and The Savoy Grill. 

New one star restaurants

• La Trompette, Chiswick
• Rhodes W1 (Restaurant), Marylebone
• Quilon, Victoria
• Hibiscus, Mayfair
• Wild Honey, Mayfair

Rising star

• Galvin at Windows, Mayfair 

Rising two stars

• Hibiscus, Mayfair, London
• Tom Aikens, Chelsea, London

Deletions

• Angela Hartnett at Connaught, Mayfair
• Orrery, Marylebone
• The Savoy Grill, Strand

No top awards for restaurants in this year’s Michelin guide >>

Hibiscus fails to keep it's two-Michelin-starred status >>

England gains six new Michelin stars >> 

You can read more news on Michelin restaurants here >>

Michelin website >> 

By Kerstin Kühn

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