A country pub in North Yorkshire has been named the best restaurant in the world based on a poll of customer reviews.
The Black Swan in Oldstead, on the edge of the North York Moors, shot straight to No 1 in a list of fine dining restaurants compiled by TripAdvisor. It had never previously been listed in the rankings.
Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Great Milton, Oxfordshire, came second, while the Martín Berasategui in Lasarte-Oria, north-east Spain – which had been ranked first since 2015 – was placed fifth on the list.
The rankings are based on millions of customer reviews over a 12-month period. TripAdvisor first started publishing its list in 2012, but this is the first time a British restaurant has taken the travel website’s global top spot.
The Black Swan, which has a Michelin star and four AA rosettes, is run by the Banks family, who bought it as a struggling village pub in 2006. The head chef, Tommy Banks, the UK’s youngest Michelin-starred chef, described it as “a huge honour” to win the award.
“What makes it really special is that it’s been awarded because of feedback from our customers,” he said.
The restaurant’s website says the Banks family have lived and farmed in the area around Oldstead for generations. “There’s an ‘Oldstead’ style; plenty of tradition and culture cut through with a modern earthy exuberance,” it reads.
The TripAdvisor website describes The Black Swan as: “A tantalising trip for the taste buds. This restaurant is truly a box of delights. The flavours, combinations of ingredients and skill in putting together the menu are joyous.” A tasting menu costs £95 per person.
TripAdvisor said its restaurant rankings differed from others as they were based on feedback from guests and not a small judging panel.
While the first and second places went to British restaurants, the third and fourth spots went to establishments in France – Maison Lameloise in Chagny, and L’Auberge de l’Ill in Illhaeusern. Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, occupied 12th place.
