Sonnet Restaurant in Northumberland has been named the UK’s favourite restaurant by readers of one of the country’s most prestigious travel magazines.
Conde Nast Traveller announced the accolade at its “Top New Restaurant Awards”, which took place on Monday night at a ceremony in London.
Naming it “one of the friendliest, least pretentious, yet fabulously accomplished fine dining offerings to open in the last year”, it is the only restaurant from the northeast of England to make the winning list and one of only two in the whole of the north (alongside Skof, Manchester). The full list can be found here.
The awards celebrate the best new restaurants to have launched in the last year and judges included Raymond Blanc OBE, Jackson Boxer, chefs Julie Lin and Gizzi Erskine; restaurant critic and food writer Tom Parker Bowles and TikTok sensation Poppy O’Toole.
The Alnwick restaurant, named after the 14-line poem format due to its 14-course tasting menu, is the first restaurant from couple Gary McDermott and Claudia Mazareanu. It opened in early 2024 and has already garnered outstanding reviews, as well as being listed in the Michelin Guide. Sonnet serves a 6-course lunch and 14-course dinner tasting menu inspired by the best seasonal produce from their network of local suppliers and family recipes created with plenty of personality and humour. Courses include ‘Cheese What?’ from Claudia’s reaction to one of Gary’s dish inventions and ‘Quavers’ as well as ‘Elevenses’ as both Gary’s Gran and Mam would stop to enjoy some home baking and a cup of tea at 11 each morning.
Conde Nast Traveller also noted that “it brims with charm from the little pots of ink and quill pens dotted around a high shelf and coffee served in earthy-coloured cups sitting snugly in little wooden platters to the parchment roll of ‘Chef’s notes’ that gives background to each dish. For example, the ‘Cheese sandwich – no bread?’ is McDermott’s take on the classic 1960s ice cream sandwich (Walls’ ice cream block between two wafers): a chilled, smoked brie parfait sandwiched between orange-flavoured tiles.”
The couple have said: “The year started off on a high with our entry to the Michelin Guide but to be voted by readers to win the title of favourite new restaurant in the Conde Nast Traveller Best New Restaurant Awards means so much as it’s our customers recommending us. We are just a small restaurant in a town in the northeast of England so to beat off contenders from London and across the UK is a real accolade. We’re looking forward to the rest of 2025 and continuing cooking the food we love for customers old and new, as well as developing and creating new and fun dishes.”
Sonnet is available for a single service dinner from 6:30pm, serving a 14 course tasting menu priced at £97 per person from Wednesday – Saturday. A single service 6 course lunch menu is served from 12:30pm Wednesday – Saturday priced at £42.50 per person.The dining room is dog friendly during lunch service only.
Sonnet, 41 Bondgate Without, Alnwick NE66 1PR
