Scotland gains two one Michelin star restaurants in 2025 ceremony for UK and Ireland

It was a star-studded night at the museum as the Michelin ceremony arrived in Glasgow - and Scotland had every reason to celebrate, with two new one star restaurants announced.

Two highly-rated Edinburgh venues - Stuart Ralston’s Lyla and Rodney Wages Avery - were both awarded stars as the the Michelin Guide 2025 for the UK and Ireland was held at Kelvingrove Museum on Monday.

A total of 1,147 restaurants, including 220 starred ones, were included in the selection, with Moor Hall in Aughton, West Lancashire, unveiled as The Guide’s latest three-star restaurant. A further three restaurants have been newly awarded Two Michelin Stars and there are 22 new One-Star establishments.

Thirty-six new Bib Gourmands were also awarded for restaurants offering good food at a great price, including five in Scotland. The honour was awarded to Gaga and Margo in Glasgow, Skua and Ardfern in Edinburgh, and the Fish Shop in Ballater.

Five new Green Stars were separately presented for outstanding commitment to a more sustainable approach to gastronomy.

Lyla is chef Ralston's seafood-focused tasting menu restaurant, located on Royal Terrace in Edinburgh - the site of the late Paul Kitching's 21212 restaurant.

Mr Ralston said he was delighted to have won, especially in Glasgow, adding: “It’s a culmination of a long time coming. It’s amazing for Edinburgh and Scotland to get another star. Lyla is the whole package, it’s an amazing building and my team - it’s very personal - is interactive, a diverse experience and we spend a lot of money on quality produce, the majority of which comes from Scotland.”

A ten-course tasting menu is served in the stunning Georgian dining room at Lyla, with the dishes billed as an expression of Mr Ralston’s cooking style, focusing on surprising flavour combinations with low to no manipulation of ingredients.

Lyla is Mr Ralston’s fourth restaurant opening in Edinburgh; following Aizle, Noto and most recently

American chef Rodney Wages, former chef owner of the one Michelin star Avery in San Francisco, meanwhile opened Avery in Edinburgh last year on the site of the former Stockbridge restaurant.

At Avery Edinburgh, he has said he was excited to bring his unique perspective and techniques north of the Border, while celebrating the bounty of Scottish produce, meat, and seafood.

Hosted in Glasgow for the first time ever, the ceremony was brought together in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink and Glasgow Life.

There was cause for celebration in Cardiff, as the city earned its first Michelin star, and Bristol, which now boasts a new star and three new Bib Gourmands. A range of cuisines were represented too, with the UK’s first-ever one-star Greek restaurant, a Korean star and the first plant-based restaurant receiving a Michelin star.

John Devlin

The Scottish Government has provided £90,000 funding to Scotland Food & Drink, which has also invested £50,000, to enable the Michelin Guide ceremony to take place in Glasgow.

It is the latest in a series of high-profile events Glasgow has hosted in recent years – from COP26 to the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, with the city to host the Commonwealth Games next year. Glasgow was also recently named the friendliest city in the UK at the Conde Nast UK: 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards.

Gwendal Poullennec, international director of The Michelin Guides, said: “I am so thrilled to see that our Great Britain & Ireland Guide has had such a strong year yet again. Despite the challenges they face, chefs and restaurateurs have shown us that their talent, commitment and ingenuity know no bounds.

“Moor Hall newly receiving three Michelin stars will rightly be headline news, but I am equally pleased to see a huge total of 22 new stars join our family. Having 36 Bib Gourmands awarded this year is also a great sign for British and Irish hospitality, showing how hard restaurants are working to offer great value to diners. Finally, we must not forget our new Green Stars and their inspiring commitments, for they are role models of our industry.”