Chef Stephen Harris’s "grotty boozer by the sea" was given the award – and the award for Gastropub of the Year – at a ceremony which saw the country’s top 100 eateries revealed at the Hurlingham Club in London last night (27 June).
Stefan Chomka, editor of the Publican’s Morning Advertiser’s sister magazine Restaurant, which organises the awards, said: “It might not look like much from the outside, but the Sportsman is a magnificent place and Stephen Harris a well-deserving recipient of this award."
Eclecticism
Chomka added: “The Sportsman’s journey to the top of this list highlights the eclecticism of today’s eating-out market and proves that you don’t need slick PR, cutting-edge restaurant design or a flashy London postcode to run an establishment that’s best in class.”
Noble Rot, the wine bar that Harris has a consultant chef role with, came in at 21st place and was awarded Wine List of the Year.
Pub winners
Other pubs to make it into the list included Tom Kerridge’s double Michelin-starred Marlow pub the Hand & Flowers (33rd) and the Coach (59th), the Hardwick (40th), the Wild Rabbit (84th), the Parkers Arms (88th), the Pipe & Glass Inn (90th) and high-profile chef Daniel Clifford’s new pub the Flitch of Bacon (92nd).
The Sportsman has gone from strength to strength this year, coming top of the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastopubs for the second year in a row and being named Best Pub at the GQ awards back in April.