North East restaurant named as best in UK- outside of London

A Northumberland restaurant has been named best in the UK by a leading independent guide.

SquareMeal's UK Top 100 is the only list of its kind to exclude London's restaurants- allowing the UK's dining scene to truly shine.

And the number one spot for 2024 goes to restaurant Pine in East Wallhouses, Northumberland, where chef duo Cal Byerley and Ian Waller deliver an exceptional culinary odyssey in a renovated barn.

Pine is run by Cal Byerley and wife and front-of-house manager Sian, as well as head chef Ian Waller and his partner and head sommelier Vanessa Stoltz.

"We are absolutely thrilled and honoured to be recognised as the best restaurant in the UK by SquareMeal,’ said Cal and Sian. ‘This achievement is a testament to the extraordinary dedication and talent of our exceptional team, whose passion and commitment to excellence has brought us to this incredible accomplishment."

Using a combination of thousands of reader votes and SquareMeal’s own expert critics, the UK Top 100 Restaurants list is a true reflection of Britain’s beautifully varied dining scene- featuring everything from fine dining experiences through to farm-to-table restaurants and gastropubs.

Peter Dreyer, SquareMeal's Restaurants Editor, said: "Restaurants never ceast to amaze us - every year we're blown away by talented teams, who always seem to find new, innovative ways to push the boundaries of food.

"As always we're so grateful to everyone who works in hospitality, and we're forever in awe of the passion and love that goes into restaurants up and down the country. A huge thank you also to the thousands upon thousands who voted to support their favourite restaurants this year.

"In Pine we have a true trailblazer leading from top spot. The team sticks resolutely to sustainable principles, but is constantly striving to produce unique and exceptional dishes. Adventurous, entertaining, and absolutely impossible to pigeon hole, Pine is unquestionably one of the very best restaurants in the country."

The full list can be viewed here.