New Michelin Guide showcases stars of Britain’s sustainable food scene

Twenty British restaurants have been awarded a Michelin Green Star for Sustainability in the latest guide for 2021, with three restaurants in Ireland also receiving the accolade.

A brand new distinction for this year, a Green Star recognises outstanding restaurants which serve high-quality food and operate with a focus on ethical and environmental standards.

The Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2021 includes 185 Michelin-starred restaurants in all, including two new three-star establishments in London.

Rewarding the hard work and skills of those in the hospitality industry, three new two-star restaurants in the capital were also recognised in the latest digital-only version of the guide.

Putting a focus on sustainability

Alongside 18 restaurants in England, one in Scotland and another in Wales were given the new Green Star in 2021.

These restaurants were recognised for their efforts to support local farmers and fisherman, for championing local produce and for removing plastics and other non-recyclables from their supply chains.

Other sustainable actions around tackling food waste effectively, growing their own produce and involvement in charity and educational projects were also recognised by inspectors.

Some of the standout restaurants to receive a Green Star include:

• L’Enclume in Cartmel, where chef Simon Rogan offers a tasting menu in the heart of the Lake District with a strong emphasis on farm-to-fork dining.
• To the north of York, The Black Swan in Oldstead is a family-run pub/restaurant that sources the majority of its produce from their own farm.
• Silo, in Hackney, London, has a zero-waste ethos and recycled materials are used throughout.
• Stockport eatery Where The Light Gets In, offers an ever-changing menu that is heavily influenced by the produce that has been foraged and supplied that day.
• Inver, in Starchur, provides locally sourced fresh seafood and native meats on the shores of Loch Fyne on the west coast of Scotland.
• Nottingham’s Restaurant Sat Bains adds a Green Star to its two Michelin stars, with inspectors recognising a menu that makes the most of every ingredient used.

Two new three-star restaurants

Seven three-star restaurants can now be found in The Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2021, including two new entries. 

CORE by Clare Smyth offers fine dining in the heart of Notting Hill, with a menu showcasing the finest British ingredients in highly creative ways.

Using a wide variety of seasonal produce, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught offers personally tailored menus in a stylish and intimidate dining setting.

Three new two-star restaurants

The addition of three new two Michelin star restaurants, all in London, means there are now 20 in Great Britain in total.

A. Wong in Victoria is the first Chinese restaurant in these nations to achieve two stars, a testament to the highly-refined cooking of chef Andrew Wong.

Da Terra, in the heart of Bethnal Green, only won its first Michelin star in 2020, but has been recognised for its menu of modern European cuisine, influenced by flavours from the Latin American roots of its chefs Rafael Cagali and Paulo Airaudo.

The last of the three is Restaurant Story in Southwark, where chef Tom Sellers tells the story of British food with constantly changing seasonal tasting menus.

One-star and Bib Gourmand recognition

Across Great Britain and Ireland, the guide has added 17 new one-star restaurants, bringing the total to 158.

The number of restaurants to have a Bib Gourmand award also increased to 126, a rise of 16 from 2020.

Among the new one-star establishments are two country house hotels, Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall and Latymer at Pennyhill Park, while another standout near Hexham is Restaurant Hjem, given its unique location in the shadow of Hadrian’s Wall.