Good Food Guide names its Restaurant of the Year

10 June 2009 by Daniel Thomas

A restaurant located in a Gloucestershire shopping centre has been named The Good Food Guide's](http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/good-food-guide/index.jsp) Restaurant of the Year.

Ronnies in Thornbury was presented with the award by Heston Blumenthal, at a ceremony held at the British Museum yesterday.

Despite its everyday location, Ronnies, a modern British restaurant, won the award after being named The Good Food Guide readers' favourite restaurant in the South West.

More than 23,000 people voted for their top local independent restaurant to produce a shortlist of ten regional winners.

Ron Faulkner, owner of Ronnies, said: "We're absolutely delighted. We've had such positive feedback from the general public and it's phenomenal to win this award."

Elizabeth Carter, editor of The Good Food Guide, added: "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 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."

The ten regional winners shortlisted for the award:

Wales: Tyddyn Llan, Llandrillo
East England: Maison Bleue, Bury St Edmunds
London: L'Etranger, South Kensington
Midlands: Entropy, Leicester
Northern Ireland: Mourne Seafood, Belfast
North East: Yorke Arms, Ramsgill
North West: Nutters, Norden
Scotland: Ubiquitous Chip, Glasgow
South East: Mulberry Tree, Boughton Monchelsea
South West: Ronnies, Thornbury