A £385-a-head sushi restaurant in London is the best dining experience in the UK while Manchester is the fastest improving city for food lovers, according to a respected guide.

The Araki in the capital's Mayfair, which seats nine people and recently gained three Michelin stars, beat Bristol's Casamia and The Ledbury in London in the poll of thousands of diners for the Harden's Best UK Restaurants guide.

The guide named Manchester the fastest improving city, with 66 restaurants achieving a listing, although none made the top 100.

It described Edinburgh as "still unrivalled outside London" with 55 listings and 13 restaurants among the top scorers, including Restaurant Martin Wishart in ninth place, The Kitchin (47) and Norn (66).

Bath and Bristol climbed to joint seventh place from joint 11th position for their number of top scoring restaurants, while Wales achieved five rankings in the top 100.

Sushi has proven a hit with foodies (
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The 27th annual list was based on a survey of 8,500 diners who contributed 50,000 reviews of their restaurant experiences.

The guide's editor and co-founder Peter Harden said: "Manchester is one of the fastest-growing cities and on the back of that is coming the services you expect to see in a thriving city.

"On the other hand it doesn't have the champions to make the top 100."

Famously, Manchester has not had a Michelin star since 1977 at The French restaurant at the Midland Hotel. "It still lacks the type of restaurant you really have to tick off your list."

Mr Harden said The Araki's success was down to its "fabulous level of attention and ingredient quality".

"We often find that smaller restaurants do better because the chef can really focus on your meal and your experience."

Has your favourite made the list? (
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The 100 best restaurants in the UK, according to Harden's:

1. The Araki, London

2. Casamia, Bristol

3. The Ledbury, London

4. Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Port Isaac

5. The Fat Duck, Bray

6. Marianne, London

7. Waterside Inn, Bray

8. Black Swan, Oldstead

9. Restaurant Martin Wishart, Edinburgh

10. The Clove Club, London

11. Gidleigh Park, Chagford

12. Fraiche, Oxton

13. Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham

14. Ormer Mayfair, London

15. Gareth Ward at Ynyshir, Eglwys Fach

16. Sushi Tetsu, London

17. Story, London

18. L'Enclume, Cartmel

19. Yorke Arms, Ramsgill-in-Nidderdale

20. The Greenhouse, London

The list has plenty of family-friendly options (
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21. Midsummer House, Cambridge

22. Le Gavroche, London

23. Pied a Terre, London

24. Sketch, Lecture Room, London

25. Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, Great Milton

26. Umu, London

27. Bubbledogs, Kitchen Table, London

28. The Five Fields, London

29. Raby Hunt, Summerhouse

30. Moor Hall, Aughton

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31. Bohemia, Jersey

32. Adam's, Birmingham

33. Texture, London

34. Estiatorio Milos, London

35. Andrew Fairlie, Auchterarder

36. Morston Hall, Morston

37. Helene Darroze, London

38. Tyddyn Llan, Llandrillo

39. The Box Tree, Ilkley

40. Le Cochon Aveugle, York

From buffets to fine dining there are plenty of options on the list (
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41. Petrus, London

42. Hedone, London

43. Hambleton Hall, Hambleton

44. The Neptune, Old Hunstanton

45. The Ritz, London

46. Roux at Parliament Square, London

47. The Kitchin, Edinburgh

48. Murano, London

49. Llangoed Hall, Llyswen

50. Paul Ainsworth at No 6, Padstow

Woman taking a photo of her dinner with her smartphone (
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51. 108 Garage, London

52. Hakkasan Mayfair, London

53. Chez Bruce, London

54. Lympstone Manor, Exmouth

55. Jamavar, London

56. Hunan, London

57. The Forest Side, Grasmere

58. The Art School, Liverpool

59. Andre Garrett At Cliveden, Taplow

60. House Of Tides, Newcastle upon Tyne

61. Artichoke, Amersham

62. 5 North Street, Winchcombe

63. Goodman City, London

64. Trishna, London

65. Wilks, Bristol

66. Norn, Edinburgh

67. One-O-One, London

68. The Three Chimneys, Dunvegan

69. Eltstan Street, London

70. Typing Room, London

Eating out (
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71. La Trompette, London

72. Where The Light Gets In, Stockport

73. The Man Behind The Curtain, Leeds

74. Restaurant James Sommerin, Penarth

75. Marcus, The Berkeley, London

76. The Whitebrook, Whitebrook

77. Pollen Street Social, London

78. Gauthier Soho, London

79. Zuma, London

80. La Petite Maison, London

Pint of lager and a pie (
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81. Locanda Locatelli, London

82. Northcote, Langho

83. The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, Marlborough

84. The Woodspeen, Newbury

85. The Sportsman, Seasalter

86. The Glasshouse, Kew

87. Wiltons, London

88. Purnells, Birmingham

89. Coya, London

90. La Dame de Pic London, London

91. Roka, London

92. Seafood Restaurant, Padstow

93. The Seahorse, Dartmouth

94. The Peat Inn, Cupar

95. Scott's, London

96. Stovell's, Chobham

97. Trinity, London

98. Portland, London

99. Min Jiang, London

100. Medlar, London