Texture wins UK’s best restaurant wine list

London restaurant Texture claimed the honour of the UK's best wine list at the National Restaurant Awards last night.

Xavier Rousset MS

The Michelin one-star restaurant and Champagne bar in Marylebone was opened in 2007 by chef Agnar Sverrisson and master sommelier Xavier Rousset.

Rousset, a judge at the Decanter World Wine Awards, also runs the duo’s other London business – the two 28°50° Wine Workshop and Kitchen venues in Marylebone and Fetter Lane, where wine is again the focus.

Texture, which placed 33rd in the top 100 list, triumphed over some serious competition for the wine list gong, including Galvin la Chapelle in the City of London, last year’s winner, and new entry 10 Greek Street in Soho, which came in 12th.

The Ledbury, in Notting Hill, was voted the UK’s best restaurant for the third consecutive year, with Pollen Street Social in Hanover Square runner up for the second year in a row. Third was The Hand & Flowers pub in Marlow.

The awards are decided on by the 150 members of the National Restaurant Awards Academy, which includes chefs, critics and restaurateurs.

In other special awards, The River Café in London’s Hammersmith won best front of house, Lima in Soho took the ‘One to Watch’ prize, and Phil Howard of The Square in Mayfair was recognised by his peers, winning the ‘Chef’s Chef’ gong.

London’s Chiswell Street Brewery was the new venue for the awards, where more than 400 guests enjoyed Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi wines over dinner, provided by Hallgarten Druitt, which was also the sponsor of the Wine List of the Year award.

Written by Tina Gellie