Moor Hall in Aughton ranked second best restaurant in the UK

West Lancashire has reason to feel proud this year. Moor Hall, the restaurant with rooms in Aughton, near Ormskirk, has been ranked No. 2 in the National Restaurant Awards 2026, one of the most closely watched lists in British dining.

It is far from the first time the restaurant has featured near the top. Moor Hall topped the National Restaurant Awards list in 2019 and again in 2021, placed second in 2022, was named Best Restaurant in England in both 2022 and 2023, and finished in the top three in 2024. Few kitchens anywhere in the country can point to that kind of consistency.

The ranking followed another honour earlier in the year. In March, Moor Hall received a Special Achievement Award in the Kuits NRB Top Fifty Hospitality Power List 2026, announced at the Northern Restaurant and Bar show in Manchester, recognising its contribution to the hospitality industry. The list also featured several other Lancashire names, a sign of how strong the county's food scene has become.

The setting is a large part of the story. Moor Hall is a Grade II* listed manor house whose origins go back to the 16th century, with records of the site dating to 1282. Owners Andy and Tracey Bell reopened it in 2017 after an extensive renovation, turning the historic house and its grounds into a destination for food lovers.

In the kitchen is chef Mark Birchall, whose cooking has earned Moor Hall its Michelin stars along with a Michelin Green Star, the guide's recognition for sustainable gastronomy. The restaurant's own news pages report that it has retained three Michelin stars, putting it among a very small group of restaurants in Britain.

Alongside the main restaurant is The Barn, a more relaxed space on the same estate. Both Moor Hall and The Barn appear in the Squaremeal Top 100 Restaurants, so there is more than one way to experience the Birchall approach.

For Aughton and the wider Ormskirk area, having a restaurant of this standing on the doorstep brings visitors from across the country, many of whom also stay in the rooms at the hall.

Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms is in Aughton, near Ormskirk. Menus, room availability and booking details are on the Moor Hall website, and tables are best reserved well in advance.