The Bank Tavern, a modest pub located in central Bristol, has claimed the title of the restaurant with the longest waiting list, as per statistics collected by business payment provider, Dojo.
This little neighborhood restaurant has become the ultimate destination for food enthusiasts, with patrons enduring a remarkable four-year wait to savor its delectable Sunday lunch offerings.
Since the 1800s, The Bank Tavern has been an autonomous free house, enduring an impressive array of challenges, including riots, two world wars, Bristol City Council town planners, and even Thatcher's era. This historic pub has stood the test of time and continues to win hearts with its outstanding offerings.
Sunday Supper to Remember
The Observer Food Monthly Awards bestowed the prestigious title of the best Sunday supper in Britain upon The Bank Tavern in 2019. With its handmade gravy and enormous Yorkshire puddings, the pub's Sunday supper has become a celebrated culinary experience that keeps drawing patrons from near and far.
The menu boasts a tantalizing selection, including a 30-day aged rare topside of beef, slow-cooked pork belly, honey and rosemary-roasted leg of lamb, and a delightful veggie lentil loaf. All this can be savored for £26.95 for a three-course meal or £21.95 for a two-course option. However, reservations for Sunday dinners have been temporarily suspended, and eager diners are now encouraged to try their luck with walk-ins during the mid-week dining hours.
UK's Culinary Landscape
The Bank Tavern is not the only restaurant in the UK with an extensive waiting list. Other notable mentions in the top 10 include Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck in Bray, boasting a four-month waitlist, and The Cove Club in London, with a three-month waiting list. The demand for exceptional dining experiences is evident across the country.
The culinary world offers an array of sought-after experiences beyond The Bank Tavern. Masalawala & Sons, also in the same city, boasts a lengthy six-month waitlist. Meanwhile, for those planning a trip to Spain, the Barcelona-based Disfrutar, offering the second-best tasting menu in the world, is already accepting reservations for the following five months.
Damon Baehrel's renowned restaurant, situated in the basement of the owner and his wife’s New York residence, commands a massive 12-month waiting list. While the restaurant claimed to have a reservation backlog of five to ten years in 2014, this statement was never substantiated.
