Remember how chuffed you were when you got your 50m swimming badge? Of course you can, it was an awesome achievement. So just imagine how rip-roaringly over the moon you'd be if you were adjudged to be the best in the entire city at something. Or even the country. Or maybe even the world.
Well, that's where some of these restaurants find themselves - with more accolades than Man Utd's trophy cabinet, see our list of London's best award-winning restaurants... from Harden awards, S. Pellegrinos, Michelin stars and even the coveted All In London: All In One Ultimate Restaurant Award.
Not a 50m swimming badge in sight though.
Our pick of London's award-winning restaurants
This French restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star in 2009, six months after opening; the second arrived in 2011. It also boasts four AA Rosettes and the 2009 Tatler Restaurant Award for most “Fabulous Food”.
The list of awards is as long as your arm, but the most prominent ones include two Michelin stars, 5 AA Rosettes, number 3 in The Sunday Times Food List 2010, Chef of the Year for Marcus Wareing in the 2009 GQ Men of the Year awards, and of course, top place in our very first All in One Ultimate Restaurant List in 2011.
Chez Bruce has been voted London’s favourite restaurant in Harden’s guide several times, as well as earning a Michelin star and 3 AA Rosettes. Add to that being voted number 1 favourite by readers of The Observer as well as Restaurant of the Year from south west London magazine Time & Leisure, and you have a restaurant that is beloved of Londoners and critics alike.
Along with Restaurant Gordon Ramsay this is the only other London restaurant to currently boast three Michelin stars. It has also received awards for its wine, for being the “best culinary experience” in the Virtuoso Best of Best Awards 2010, and consistently ranks highly in the Zagat Survey and the Good Food Guide.
Ask visitors to London which restaurant they regard as the city’s best and this one comes up more frequently than most. Over the years it has acquired three Michelin stars (the longest running London restaurant to hold this many), a 9/10 from the Good Food Guide, 4 AA Rosettes, and the top position in Harden’s eight years running. In 2011 TripAdvisor readers voted it best London restaurant, and in 2012 Jan Konetzki won Moet UK Sommelier of the Year.
Le Gavroche was voted best restaurant in Europe by the 2012 Traveller’s Choice Restaurant Awards, yet another accolade to add to a lengthy list of Michelin stars and high rankings from AA, World’s 50 Best Restaurants and the Good Food Guide. In 1982 it became the first British restaurant to earn 3 coveted stars (it retains two). More recently Michel Roux Jr. was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by Tatler magazine.