OpenTable Archives - opentable.co.uk blog

OpenTable reveals the Top 100 Restaurants in the UK for 2018

OpenTable December 5, 2018

As another year of world class dining comes to an end, we are thrilled to reveal the Top 100 Restaurants in the UK for 2018. The list is based on 851,000 verified reviews written by OpenTable diners this year.

This year’s number one spot is taken by CORE by Clare Smyth. Smyth was recently named the World’s Best Female Chef at the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. At her multi-award-winning Notting Hill restaurant, diners can enjoy contemporary British cooking in a relaxed and informal setting.

Click to view the Top 100 Restaurants in the UK for 2018.

Last year’s list saw European cuisine dominating the top 100, but it seems in the past twelve months British diners have been craving tastes and flavours found a little closer to home. Representing 22% of the list, British cuisine has outperformed its nearest competitor, Modern European.

When it comes to the crème-de-la-crème of UK dining, London holds nine out of 10 spots in this year’s top 10.

The OpenTable Top 10 Restaurants 2018, in rank order, are:

Adrian Valeriano, Vice President, Europe, OpenTable, comments “Here at OpenTable, we consider diner reviews as a fundamental element of the service we offer to UK diners, ensuring customers can discover the right dining experience wherever they are in the UK. As London continues to cement itself as the UK’s culinary capital, it’s also great to see outstanding restaurants from across the country including Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and Hampshire all appearing on the list.”

Remember, the winning restaurants were chosen by you and your fellow OpenTable diners so keep writing those reviews.

Step back in time at OpenTable’s Endangered Dishes dinner

OpenTable September 24, 2018

Take a taste trip down memory lane with a three-course dinner inspired by the UK’s most Endangered Dishes. We have teamed up with Andrew Clarke, one of London’s most exciting and innovative chefs, to curate a nostalgic feast inspired by dishes the UK claim have gone into hiding over the last 10 years.

The St Leonards chef-patron will be bringing prawn cocktail, Steak Diane, and jelly and ice cream back to today’s dining table with a modern twist and his own visionary style.

London food lovers are invited to join this exclusive culinary experience with an introduction from Andrew on Britain’s food history and the inspiration behind the Endangered Dishes menu.

The Endangered Dishes dinner takes place on 10th October at First Option Studio in Shoreditch. The three-course meal, which includes alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, is complimentary. Reserve your seat with OpenTable.

Introducing Seating Options: OpenTable lets diners book their favourite seat in the house

OpenTable August 9, 2018

Do you prefer a stool at the bar to a table? Want to save your spot on a restaurant’s terrace? Now you can with the global roll out of Seating Options, a feature that allows diners to reserve a seat at the bar, counter, a table outside, and more during the reservation process. Not only does the feature give diners the freedom to choose where they want to sit at the restaurant, even before they arrive, but it also increases restaurant availability during peak dining times.

Diners can now easily find restaurants around the globe offering various seating options and table types when searching for reservations across desktop and mobile web, as well as on the OpenTable iOS and Android apps. Alternative seating options are noted with a table icon on restaurant profile pages.

“With Seating Options, diners have the flexibility and freedom to make each dining experience exactly what they desire, whether it’s an awesome scene by the bar or a quiet spot outdoors”, said Joseph Essas, Chief Technology Officer at OpenTable. “It’s also a powerful tool for restaurants, who can now offer diners even more choice while maximising every seat in the house.”

Seating Options is now available globally with nearly a third of restaurants on OpenTable already using the feature.

You can now book reservations through OpenTable’s bot for Messenger

OpenTable April 19, 2017

We’re thrilled to introduce a new way for you to search and make restaurant reservations directly through Facebook Messenger. With OpenTable’s bot for Messenger, you can make reservations at any of our more than 40,000 restaurants worldwide right in Messenger.

Wish planning a meal with friends was easier? OpenTable’s bot for Messenger allows you to search and suggest available restaurants to friends as well as make reservations through the bot without leaving the app. It’s an easy, collaborative way to pick the perfect spot for a friend’s birthday dinner, a reunion lunch, or an upcoming trip.

“We’re delighted that now our millions of diners will have the ability to plan and book restaurant reservations with their Facebook friends at home and around the world all within Messenger,” noted Catherine Porter, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at OpenTable. “We hope this service helps diners more easily collaborate on dining plans by sharing restaurant suggestions and coordinating a reservation all in one place.”Continue Reading