Brett Graham's Ledbury serves best food in London, according to Harden's

Brett Graham's cooking at the Ledbury has been rated as the best in London by the 2012 Harden's restaurant guide, winning the award just weeks after the venue was attacked by the London rioters.

The two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Notting Hill beat Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley hotel, who had held it for four consecutive years. However, the latter has retained its title for offering London's best gastronomic experience.

The 21st edition of Harden's London Restaurants, which is published today, is based on a survey of more than 8,000 regular restaurantgoers. Held in association with Rémy Martin Fine Champagne Cognac, it named Bruce Poole's Chez Bruce Londoners' favourite restaurant for the seventh consecutive year. Both the Ledbury and Chez Bruce are owned by Nigel Platts-Martin.

Meanwhile the Rémy Martin VSOP award for best newcomer went to Heston Blumenthal's Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, arguably London's most hyped restaurant opening this year.

After a 16-year run, Pimlico's Poule au Pot has been ousted as London's most romantic restaurant, with Clos Maggiore in Covent Garden taking the top spot.

The Wolseley has retained its poll position for both best for business and best for breakfast, while the Anchor & Hope has again been voted as the best pub.

Harden's voted Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's as the restaurant with the most disappointing cooking, with the Oxo Tower named as the most overpriced restaurant.

Peter Harden - the co-editor of Harden's London Restaurants 2012, said: "Brett Graham and the team at the Ledbury, who acquitted themselves so well in defending their customers against a mob, deserve the highest credit for establishing the Ledbury as the restaurant where you find London's best food.

"It is also an extraordinary achievement for Nigel Platts-Martin, who co-owns both Chez Bruce and the Ledbury."

Best Food
1 The Ledbury
2 Le Gavroche
3 One-O-One
4 The Square
5 Marcus Wareing

Best Ambience
1 Le Gavroche
2 The Ledbury
3 The Ritz Restaurant
4 Marcus Wareing
5 The Square

Best Newcomer
1. Dinner
2. Mortito
3. Yashin
4. Pollen Street Social
5. Brawn

Top Gastronomic Experience
1 Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley (1)
2 Le Gavroche (2)
3 The Ledbury (3=)
4 Chez Bruce (3=)
5 Dinner

Favourite
1 Chez Bruce (1)
2 The Wolseley (5)
3 Le Caprice (3)
4 Galvin Bistrot de Luxe (2)
5 The Ledbury

Best for Business
1 The Wolseley (1)
2 The Don (5)
3 The Square (3)
4 Bleeding Heart (4)
5 Galvin La Chapelle (9)

Best for Romance
1 Clos Maggiore (2)
2 La Poule au Pot (1)
3 Andrew Edmunds (3)
4 Bleeding Heart (4)
5 Chez Bruce (6)

Best Breakfast/Brunch
1 The Wolseley (1)
2 Roast (3)
3 Smiths (Ground Floor) (-)
4 Cecconi's (4)
5 Automat (9)

Best Bar/Pub Food
1 The Anchor & Hope (1)
2 Harwood Arms (2)
3 Bull & Last (3)
4 Canton Arms
5 The Orange (8)

Most Disappointing Cooking
1 Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's (2)
2 Oxo Tower (1)
3 The Ivy (4)
4 Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley (-)
5 Gordon Ramsay (3)

Most Overpriced Restaurant
1 Oxo Tower (1)
2 Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's (2)
3 Gordon Ramsay (3)
4 Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley (-)
5 The River Café (5)

London restaurants come under attack from rioters >>

Harden's Guide finds London restaurant prices leap to record levels >>

By Kerstin Kühn

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