Nicola and Kevin Tickle co-owners of Heft, High Newton, in Cumbria, are now listed in SquareMeal’s top 100 UK restaurants, 2024 at number 72.
SquareMeal’s UK Top 100 is the only list of its kind to exclude London’s restaurants – allowing the wider UK’s dining scene to truly shine. Using a combination of thousands of reader votes and SquareMeal’s own expert critics, the UK Top 100 Restaurants list is a true reflection of Britain’s beautifully varied dining scene – featuring everything from fine dining experiences through to farm-to-table restaurants and gastropubs.
This dual approach makes SqaureMeal’s list incomparable, representing not only their professional opinion but also thousands of real-life experiences provided by diners that help to reinforce and bolster the judges final decisions.
SquareMeal’s list of the UK’s top 100 restaurants is all about the best-of-the-best in both emerging and established culinary styles, and also celebrates the incredible chefs and their hospitality teams who go above and beyond to provide their diners with the very best experience.
In order to appear in the list, each restaurant has to offer more than just a good meal. It has to provide guests with an exceptional all-round experience, from gorgeous interiors, impeccable drinks lists, through to exemplary service and sustainability commitments. Absolutely every single detail is taken into account when the judges final decisions are made.
SquareMeal’s Restaurants Editor, Pete Dreyer, explains, ‘’restaurants never cease to amaze us – every year we’re blown away by talented teams, who always seem to find new, innovative ways to push the boundaries of food.’’
Adding: ‘’As always we’re so grateful to everyone who works in hospitality, and we’re forever in awe of the passion and love that goes into restaurants up and down the country. A huge thank you also to the thousands upon thousands who voted to support their favourite restaurants this year.’’
Chef Patron Kevin Tickle commented: ‘’Being listed in SquareMeal’s Top 100 UK restaurants’ recognises what we’ve all achieved in a relatively short space of time. We’ve done our very best to create something very special, striking a balance between being a genuine local pub and a fine dining restaurant, and this listing recognises our continued efforts to realise that ambition.’’
