The Walled Gardens, the ‘secret restaurant’ in Whalley Range run by chef-patron Eddie Shepherd, has become the only restaurant in the city to be named in the 360° Eat Guide.
The guide, which lists only the most forward-thinking and sustainable places to eat in the world, praised only 13 restaurants in the UK, Shepherd’s pioneering plant-based kitchen – which is run out of his own house – being one of them.
Also on the list were the likes of the internationally-renowned three Michelin starred L’Enclume, two star Moor Hall near Ormskirk and the award-winning Exmoor Forest Inn.
Speaking about the accolade, Shepherd said: “I am incredibly honoured to be listed in the 360°Eat Guide Best UK Restaurants list.
“To be listed amongst so many highly regarded Michelin star restaurants and those pioneering sustainability is always the level of food and sustainability that I aim to deliver and it’s a huge compliment for that to be recognised again here.”
He went on: “I absolutely love what I do, working on my own serving just 8 guests a night means I am inseparable from every aspect of my food – from foraging wild ingredients, making chocolate from scratch to greeting and serving the guests the finished dishes.
“It’s is the most rewarding work I have ever done and something I am passionately committed to long term. It also takes an incredible amount of hard work and very long hours to deliver the tasting menu at the high standard I want it to be at, so I think it’s important to celebrate moments of recognition like this, for both the quality of the food and the less visible but equally important sustainability.
“Next year will mark 10 years since I served the first diners here at The Walled Gardens. I’m not always great at taking the time to celebrate and promote the work I’m doing here. Primarily I want to be in the kitchen cooking or in the garden or a forrest working with ingredients.
“But this sort of recognition from international guides like 360°Eat Guide and the Smart Green Guide alongside other restaurants serving food at the highest level is an achievement I feel really proud of with my unusual tiny set up.
“I can’t wait to keep pushing the food and sustainability even further. There is so much more to come.”
