Black Swan pub in Yorkshire named world's best restaurant
The Black Swan in Oldstead, on the edge of the North York Moors, has been named as the world's top fine dining restaurant by users of TripAdvisor, despite never previously having been listed in the rankings.
The pub beat off competition from Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons restaurant in Great Milton, Oxfordshire, which came in second, and former top-listed Restaurante Martín Berasategui in Lasarte-Oria, north-east Spain, which was this year placed fifth having been number one since 2015.
The Black Swan is the first UK dining venue to top the world category of the annual Travellers' Choice TripAdvisor awards since their inception in 2012.
Squid in horseradish
The accolade is the culmination of an incredible rise for the team at the Black Swan at Oldstead, led by brothers Tommy and James Banks, who took over the establishment at the ages of just 17 and 19.
In the years since, they and their parents have transformed a quaint Yorkshire pub into the world’s best-rated fine dining restaurant. Four years ago, head chef Tommy was the youngest British head chef ever to win a Michelin star at the age of 24.
With a strong focus on fresh, local ingredients, many sourced straight from their own garden, the pub serves dishes such as squid dressed in horseradish juice, Texel lamb with turnip and mint, and cake made from chicory root and blackcurrant. A tasting menu at the venue costs £95 per person.
'Joyous' flavours and ingredients
The TripAdvisor website describes the Black Swan as: “A tantalising trip for the tastebuds. This restaurant is truly a box of delights. The flavours, combinations of ingredients and skill in putting together the menu are joyous.”
Tommy Banks said: "It's a huge honour to win this award, but what makes it really special is that it's been awarded because of feedback from our customers."
Winners of the Travellers' Choice awards were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews for restaurants around the world, gathered over a 12-month period.
