It’s been revealed that The Cottage in the Wood in the Lake District will be included in the ‘definitive’ list of the UK’s top 100 restaurants for the FIRST time.
The annual Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards highlight the country’s top places to eat as voted for by an elite academy of chefs, restaurateurs and food writers nationwide.
It’s just been confirmed that The Cottage in the Wood’s Michelin-starred ‘restaurant with rooms’ near Keswick will join a select group of 100 eating establishments – ranging from fine dining rooms to bistros and gastropubs – who the Restaurant Awards say should be on people’s culinary hitlist in the coming months.
In an extraordinary coincidence, the team at the former 17th century coaching high up in England’s only true mountain forest found out they’d been shortlisted almost 19 years to the day since they welcomed their very first diners back in 2002. (Owners Kath and Liam Berney were then joined by Chef Director Ben Wilkinson and his partner Restaurant Director Monika Zurwaska in 2017 and the restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star in Autumn 2019).
The Cottage in the Wood now faces an anxious wait until Monday 19 July, when the detailed rankings for the National Restaurant Awards will be publicly revealed at a special awards ceremony bringing together the UK’s best chefs and restaurateurs.
Head Chef at The Cottage in the Wood Ben Wilkinson says, “We were over the moon to hear we’d been shortlisted for the UK’s top 100 restaurants. It was a real surprise, but the National Restaurant Awards are very well respected in the industry and are something we’ve had our eye on for some time.
“Having the Michelin Star is obviously fantastic, but it is mostly about the food. Appearing on this list is about the front of house team too and the vital part they play in the overall customer experience of eating out. After such a challenging time, this accolade is a great boost for us all and we’re all looking forward to seeing where we rank on the full list when it’s revealed next month.”
Co-owner of The Cottage In the Wood, Liam Berney, is also thrilled. He comments, “This is actually quite an emotional moment. We got this amazing news exactly 19 years after we originally opened up our dining room for guests and the past two decades genuinely have been a labour of love.
“Now, to be included in the industry’s definitive list of the UK’s top restaurants – voted for by a panel of top chefs, food writers and restaurateurs – is immensely special. It really is a tribute to the dedication and hard work of the whole team. What a positive start to the new season, after the challenges and disruption of the past 15 months.”
The National Restaurant Awards will announce the full top 100 rankings at a ceremony at Allegra, London on Monday 19 July.
