AA Restaurants of the Year 2009-2010
Our inspectors' annual selection of the best restaurants
In selecting a Restaurant of the Year, the AA inspectors look for somewhere that is truly exceptional. While the Rosette awards are based on the quality of the food alone, the Restaurant of the Year award recognises all aspects of the dining experience.
England
Purnell's
Birmingham
Purnell's is a chic and contemporary yet intimate fine-dining restaurant located in one of Birmingham city centre's finest conservation areas. Set up by eponymous chef, Glynn Purnell in July 2007, the restaurant occupies a Victorian redbrick and terracotta corner building, boasting sleek decor with slate effect flooring and dark wood furniture, and polished, discreet and knowledgable service.
Glynn Purnell's bold and innovative cooking has invited critical acclaim and numerous awards including three AA Rosettes. The skill and technique is evident and dishes all showcase great depth of flavour and careful presentation.
More about Purnell's
Scotland
Plumed Horse
Leith, Edinburgh
Stylishly simple, with white walls, white linen, and full or light airy space, Plumed Horse is the ideal backdrop to a fine dining experience. Boasting impressively modern cuisine with a good classical twist and perfectly executed presentation, the imaginative menu provides a selection of dishes that bear witness to a consistent approach to cooking with good attention to detail. The wonderful combinations of produce & flavours that are put together work extremely well, with dishes including terrine of foie gras with Armagnac prunes, Griotte cherries, pomegranate reduction and toasted brioche, and roast breast of Gressingham Duck with honey, sesame roasted pak choi, sweet potato, honey & cloves.
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Wales
Y Polyn
Nantgaredig
This cosy, relaxed and inviting bar and restaurant steeped in history is set in the tranquil Welsh countryside, a short distance from Carmarthen. Concentrating on producing straightforward dishes at a very high standard, Y Polyn strives to bring a little more quality day by day, by looking hard at their own improvements rather than attempting to compare itself to competitors.
Everything is prepared on site and locally sourced ingredients are used where possible. Service is friendly and enthusiastic. The kitchen delivers modern, British-themed bistro-style fare, with clean cut and unfussy flavours adding to the restaurant's rustic charm.
More about Y Polyn
London
Corrigan's Mayfair
London, W1K 7PF
Corrigan's Mayfair fuses seasonal produce with chef patron Richard Corrigan's unmistakable flair to offer some of the most refreshing dishes to whet London's appetites in a very long time. Inspired by Richard's humble, rural upbringing, Corrigan's Mayfair brings honest, no-nonsense food to one of the city's most enviable postcodes, with generous portions accompanying an exciting wine list and a relaxed, stylish atmosphere to match.
The cuisine on offer is a very reasonably priced mix of modern and classic British/Irish dishes compiled using the finest natural produce sourced from a select committee of hand-picked suppliers. More about Corrigan's Mayfair