Restaurant of the Year Award Recognising excellence and good service at restaurants, gastropubs and cafés around the UK
The Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year Award 2009
2009's winner
The Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year 2009 is Ronnies in Thornbury, Gloucestershire.
Ronnies fought off strong competition from rival shortlisted restaurants - including the 2007 Restaurant of the Year, the Yorke Arms in Ramsgill - to take the top prize.
The award was presented to Ronnies' chef Ron Faulkner by top chef Heston Blumenthal OBE, at the Which? Awards 2009 ceremony held at the British Museum on 9 June.
Despite its everyday location – the restaurant is located in a shopping precinct – Ronnies won the award after being voted the public’s favourite South West restaurant.
More than 23,000 people around the country voted for their top local independent restaurant to produce a shortlist of ten regional winners.
Independently owned
Elizabeth Carter, editor of The Good Food Guide, said: ‘Independently owned and run restaurants such as Ronnies are the very antidote of the chain restaurants that dominate our high streets.
'I'm delighted that Ronnies has won The Good Food Guide's Restaurant of the Year award, as it’s a glowing endorsement of Ron Faulkner's skill as a chef and restaurateur.
'His fiercely loyal following is testament to a strong commitment to fresh, local produce, modern food and a genuinely welcoming service.’
About the award
The Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year Award recognises excellence and good service at restaurants, pubs and cafés throughout the UK.
Between 2 March and 15 May 2009, members of the public were invited to nominate their favourite, independently owned establishment – preferably one that offers regional dishes and/or uses local produce.
Elizabeth Carter says: ‘This award champions the very best independent restaurants in every corner of the UK – those that combine fresh, local produce with skilful cooking and exemplary service, to create a really enjoyable dining experience.’
The shortlist
The following restaurants fought off strong competition from rival establishments to become the ten regional winners of The Good Food Guide readers' favourite restaurant award:
East England – Maison Bleue, Bury St Edmunds
London – L’Etranger, South Kensington
Midlands – Entropy, Leicester
North East – Yorke Arms, Ramsgill
Northern Ireland – Mourne Seafood, Belfast
North West – Nutters, Norden
Scotland – Ubiquitous Chip, Glasgow
South East – Mulberry Tree, Boughton Monchelsea
South West – Ronnies, Thornbury
Wales – Tyddyn Llan, Llandrillo
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