Best Local Restaurant Awards

From The Good Food Guide

100 Best Local Restaurants 2026

The Good Food Guide’s 100 Best Local Restaurants 2026, in partnership with Square, will open for nominations in early March. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates.

About the awards

The Good Food Guide’s 100 Best Local Restaurants Awards celebrate the independent restaurants that define their neighbourhoods. Rooted in reader nominations and rigorously inspected by our team, the awards shine a light on the most exciting, accessibly priced places to eat across Great Britain.

Each year, tens of thousands of nominations are submitted by readers championing their favourite local restaurants. From bustling city dining rooms to small-town gems and rural hideaways, the list reflects the places people genuinely return to and recommend.

The strongest leads are followed up by The Good Food Guide’s nationwide network of inspectors. Stationed across the country, they assess even the most hard-to-reach restaurants, often undertaking concentrated regional tours to ensure no standout local slips through the net. Inspectors visit anonymously, book like any other guest and always pay their own bill.

Their reports are reviewed by The Good Food Guide’s editors, who make the final decision on which restaurants earn a place in the 100 Best Local Restaurants list, alongside the regional winners and one overall Best Local Restaurant.

Previously known as Readers’ Restaurant of the Year and later Local Restaurant of the Year, the awards have evolved over time. The aim remains unchanged: to champion brilliant local restaurants at the heart of their communities.

Eligibility

A Best Local Restaurant will generally meet the following criteria:

• Independently run; owned by the chef or a hands-on proprietor
• Offer regularly changing, seasonal menus at affordable prices
• Demonstrate strong relationships with local suppliers
• Be rooted in the local community
• Offer at least two dinner services a week
• Give customers a genuine, warm welcome

Restaurants do not need to already be featured in The Good Food Guide to take part.

Past winners of The Good Food Guide's Best Local Restaurant awards

The Best Local Restaurant awards has been run by the Good Food Guide for many years. It was previously named Readers' Restaurant of the Year up until 2016 and Local Restaurant of the Year in 2017.

Read about some of the previous years incredible local restaurants below:

BRITAIN'S 100 BEST LOCAL RESTAURANTS 2025

BRITAIN'S 100 BEST LOCAL RESTAURANTS 2024

BRITAIN'S 100 BEST LOCAL RESTAURANTS 2023

BEST LOCAL RESTAURANT AWARDS 2019-2020

BEST LOCAL RESTAURANT AWARDS 2018

LOCAL RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2017

READERS' RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2016

READERS' RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2015