Which Northern Ireland restaurant has been named in UK top 100 at London awards?

A Michelin-star Belfast restaurant has been named one of the UK’s 100 best restaurants.

The Muddlers Club in Cathedral Quarter was number 81 on the list of the best places to eat in the UK in the National Restaurant Awards (NRAs).

Named after the secret society that met there over 200 years ago, the urban, industrial-style restaurant is led by chef Gareth McCaughey.

It was the only restaurant in the country to feature taking the top spot from fellow Michelin-star rated restaurant OX Belfast which held the title for the last two years.

Owner Gareth explained “It was an honour to be invited to The National Restaurant Awards. We are thrilled to have been recognised as the Best Restaurant in Northern Ireland for 2024 from such a prestigious organisation & placing at number 81 in their top 100 UK restaurants.

"Our hard work has paid off and it is a humbling reminder of the effort we put into practice everyday. Congratulations to all of the other winners across the UK and it was wonderful to represent our small part of the nation this year.”

A Michelin-star Belfast restaurant has been named one of the UK’s 100 best restaurants in a prestigious award. The Muddlers Club in Cathedral Quarter was number 81 on the list of the best places to eat in the UK in the National Restaurant Awards (NRAs)

Held at Magazine London, the annual ceremony recognised the finest in the UK’s dining scene, with votes cast by over 200 top chefs, restaurateurs, food writers and critics. The awards are the largest annual gathering of top chefs and restaurateurs in the UK.

​The awards noted: “There’s plenty of history to be found at this trendy fine dining restaurant.

"Inconspicuously tucked away in the back streets of Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, The Muddlers Club is named after a revolutionary secret society linked to the United Irishmen who met there more than 200 years ago.

“Its setting may be historic, but there’s nothing archaic about this contemporary bistro and cocktail bar.

"One of a handful of more radical restaurants to have opened in the NI capital in the last decade, The Muddlers Club eschews the conventional formality of fine dining in favour of a more casual approach that combines high-quality cooking with a modernist interior that features atmospheric lighting, a moody colour palette and a buzzy open kitchen.“Leading the kitchen is head chef and owner Gareth McCaughey, who originally trained as a pastry chef and previously spent two years as sous chef at Belfast’s Michelin-starred OX restaurant.

"With an emphasis of good, local ingredients, McCaughey hand picks the best of home grown produce daily to ensure the quality of each dish served across the restaurant’s multi-course tasting menu.

"The cooking is deceptively simple with punchy flavours and beautiful presentation, and it’s complemented by an impressive drinks list that’s influenced by NI-based producers and makers – meaning a strong focus on local beer.“Since opening its doors back in 2015, The Muddlers Club has won numerous accolades including a commendation in the Irish Food and Wine Awards 2018. It’s not hard to understand why, this is edgy and exciting dining that’s impossible to ignore.”