Michelin goes green: Five UK restaurants putting the planet first
Meet the chefs and restaurant pushing the food scene forwards
First introduced in several 2021 editions of the Michelin Guide worldwide, the Michelin Green star has become a global benchmark for restaurants that go above and beyond to make dining out something that benefits both our palates and the environment. We shine a spotlight on some of the most progressive restaurants in the UK right now.
Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons - Church Road, Great Milton, Oxford
Long before ‘garden-to-table’ and ‘hyper-local’ became buzzwords, there was Raymond Blanc – the doyen of sustainable dining in the UK, whose two-Michelin-starred manor house has been making the most of its 27-acre grounds for four decades. Le Manoir’s ethos has always revolved around seasonality, foraging, self-sufficiency, and avoiding waste – with the restaurant committed to be net-zero by 2030. And with the return of former protégé Luke Selby as executive chef in 2023, Blanc continues his visionary approach – combining the young chef’s contemporary philosophy with his own classical, ingredient-led cooking to create dishes that embody modern garden gastronomy.
Insider tip: Turn your Michelin-starred feast into a foodie weekend, with a class at the Cookery or Gardening schools, and an overnight stay in one of the manor house’s 32 elegant rooms.
L’Enclume - Cavendish Street, Cartmel, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria
On the southern borders of the Lake District, Simon Rogan’s three-Michelin-starred dining destination in the village of Cartmel revolves around a 12-acre kitchen garden known as ‘Our Farm’. Considered to be a natural extension of the kitchen, its vision is to connect the restaurant to its soil, and to keep developing the relationship between cooking and growing.
Rogan works closely with the head grower, as well as local suppliers and foragers, to continuously evolve and refine his tasting menu – with taste, flavour, and seasonality at its heart. To make the most of dinner here, stay overnight at one of L’Enclume’s nearby rooms and suites – all within walking distance of the restaurant.
Insider tip: For a look behind the scenes, book a farm tour, and try Rogan’s version of a chef’s table, Aulis Cartmel – an immersive dining experience for only six guests.
Silo
First floor, Unit 7 Queens Yard, White Post Lane, London
Following the ethos ‘waste is a failure of the imagination’, Douglas McMaster’s East London hotspot went to work to become the world’s first zero-waste restaurant – and is taking this accolade very seriously indeed. The ‘restaurant without a bin’ has its own flour mill, churns its own butter, rolls its own oats, and supports a nose-to-tail and root-to-leaf ideology.
All produce comes delivered in reusable, returnable vessels, with scraps turned into flavoursome garums in the in-house fermentatrium. As for the food itself, the tasting menu is perfect for adventurous palates – go with an open mind, safe in the knowledge that nothing will go to waste.
Insider tip: The upcycling philosophy extends to the stylish furniture and fittings, with plates made from plastic bags, tables crafted from reconstituted food packaging, and crockery forged from crushed wine bottles.
Crocadon
St Mellion, Saltash, Cornwall
Earlier this year, Simon Rogan alumnus Dan Cox’s soil-centric farm in south-east Cornwall was able to add its first Michelin star to its existing Green star. Cox spent five years establishing the 120-acre farm and turning a restored barn into a restaurant, bakery, microbrewery, and pottery – a true labour of love.
The result is a full-circle system that goes beyond zero-waste, with all leftovers returned to the soil or reused. The seasonal tasting and Sunday lunch menus showcase exquisite fermentation, smoking, preservation, and fire-cooking techniques, and are served with a side of idyllic Tamar Valley views.
Insider tip: No time for a sit-down meal? Simply pick up freshly baked sourdough bread and pastries from the onsite farm cafe.
Annwn
1 Market Square, Narberth, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Described as ‘a Welsh food movement’, Matt Powell’s Annwn was one of only six new UK restaurants to gain a coveted Michelin Green star this year. Powell was first introduced to fishing and foraging by his grandfather – from there, he worked for Raymond Blanc and at various fine-dining restaurants across Europe before returning home to open a fishing and foraging business in his native Wales.
Annwn was the logical next step – seasonal, local, and sustainable ingredients showcasing Wales’ wild ecosystems, foraged and served in an intimate setting for just 10 guests.
Insider tip: For a wild and immersive experience, spend the day foraging with an expert guide, followed by a relaxed dinner.
This article is produced by a third-party and does not represent the views of Santander UK