AngloThai has been named the AA Restaurant of the Year for London and awarded three Rosettes, the AA confirmed on 21 September at a ceremony held at Grosvenor House, Park Lane. The announcement formed part of the AA’s latest London awards, which also included new three- and four-Rosette recognitions for a number of capital restaurants and a peer-voted chefs’ prize.
The AA confirmed AngloThai as its Restaurant of the Year for London during the ceremony on 21 September at Grosvenor House. The restaurant was also awarded three Rosettes by the AA. The awards were presented as part of the organisation’s annual recognition of restaurants and chefs in the capital.
Alongside AngloThai’s three Rosettes, the AA confirmed that three London restaurants received four Rosettes: The Cocochine, Frog by Adam Handling and Ikoyi. In total, eight London venues were awarded new three- or four-Rosette recognition in this round of results, the AA said. The AA named the following among those newly recognised:
- The Cocochine: awarded four Rosettes.
- Frog by Adam Handling: awarded four Rosettes.
- Ikoyi: awarded four Rosettes.
- AngloThai: named AA Restaurant of the Year for London and awarded three Rosettes.
The AA also announced that Adam Byatt of Trinity was voted AA Chefs’ Chef of the Year. The AA described this prize as a peer vote, indicating it was decided by other chefs rather than solely by the AA’s inspectors or judges. The peer-vote nature of the prize was highlighted in the AA’s summary of the awards.
The round of announcements underscores the AA’s continuing role in assessing and recognising dining in London. Rosettes are used by the AA to indicate levels of culinary excellence and service; three and four Rosettes denote higher tiers of achievement within the organisation’s grading scheme. The AA confirmed the specific Rosette levels and the Restaurant of the Year title at the Grosvenor House ceremony on 21 September.
For the restaurants identified, the confirmed Rosette levels and the Restaurant of the Year title are formal recognitions issued by the AA. These accolades represent the outcome of the organisation’s review process for the assessment cycle and are separate from any statutory licensing or regulatory assessments that relate to operations such as hygiene or planning. The announcements are intended to signal excellence as judged by the AA and, in the case of the Chefs’ Chef prize, by fellow professionals within the industry.
Recipients and newly recognised venues often see public and industry attention following such announcements. The pace and scale of any commercial effect will depend on individual restaurants and their subsequent decisions. The AA said it will include these awards and Rosette levels in its published list of results from this assessment cycle, ensuring the recognitions are recorded in the organisation’s own listings.
The AA’s statement set out the list of newly recognised venues and the winners of the named awards for the London round. It reiterated that the Chefs’ Chef award is decided by peers, thereby reflecting a vote among chefs rather than a solitary decision by the AA’s inspectors. That distinction was noted to clarify the provenance of that particular accolade.
In practical terms, the AA awards provide a reputational marker that restaurants may refer to in their communications and marketing. They do not confer additional legal rights or change operational permissions. The immediate public significance is the recognition of excellence within London’s restaurant sector as determined by the AA and, where applicable, by the professional vote of chefs.
The awards ceremony took place on 21 September at Grosvenor House, Park Lane, and formed part of the AA’s periodic assessments and awards for London dining. The AA confirmed its results at that event and announced that eight capital venues had gained new three- or four-Rosette recognition in this round of awards.
