It's been another super-exciting 12 months of dining around London, the UK and much of the rest of the world. Close on 50 reviews have been added to my website over the last year, with probably double that number of restaurants visited. 2019 also marked the addition of the Global Gunno (opens in a new tab) page to my website, where interested readers can see my top picks from some of my favourite cities visited.
If there were consistent messages across my dining experiences, then they would be of (1) the sheer heterogeneity of the London dining scene (arguably the best in the world - but then I am biased), with boundary-pushing at all points on the price spectrum (2) a regrettably growing trend of many venues prizing style over substance (presumably for the Instagram crowd) (3) bad service continues to trump good food every time!
In terms of what Gourmand Gunno most rated -
High-end -
Core by Clare Smyth (opens in a new tab): there is a three-month wait to get a table on a Saturday night, but it's definitely worth it.
The Lecture Room & Library at Sketch (opens in a new tab): a second visit here in 2019 confirmed just how good this place is; decadent dining at its best.
La Dame de Pic (opens in a new tab): worthy recent recipient of a second Michelin star this year. Set lunch is a relative bargain for this quality.
The Kitchin (opens in a new tab) (Edinburgh): Top cooking from a chef who truly believes in nature-to-fork philosophy.
Cool venues visited for the first time in 2019 -
Sabor (opens in a new tab): This has to be the best Spanish place in London. I regularly dream of their suckling pig dish.
Berenjak (opens in a new tab): As the title of my review said, 'pretty perfect Persian' in a small and intimate Soho venue.
Dinings (opens in a new tab): An off-the-beaten track modern Japanese doing some really innovative things on the edge of Marylebone.
Brigadiers (opens in a new tab): Best new Indian visited over the year, backed by the group behind Gymkhana, Trishna et al.
Old favourites that continue to deliver -
La Petite Maison (opens in a new tab): winning French food with an emphasis on fresh ingredients in a beautiful Mayfair setting.
Hakkasan (opens in a new tab): No question about where I would go if I wanted top Chinese food.
The Garrison (opens in a new tab): Lovely gastro-pub first visited a decade ago and still as good now as it was then. Sunday roast is a stand-out (updated review added in 2019).
Club Marina (opens in a new tab): Not for all, but take a trip to just beyond Wembley if you want to have your perspectives changed on what constitutes Indian food (updated review added in 2019).