Delifonseca, the restaurant, deli and food store based on Liverpool’s dockside, has today been crowned The Good Food Guide 2014 Readers’ Restaurant of the Year, beating off tough competition to secure the prestigious accolade from the UK’s bestselling restaurant guide.

The team from Delifonseca received the award at a ceremony in central London today. It was presented to them by Simon Rogan, whose renowned restaurant L’Enclume holds a 10 out of 10 rating with The Good Food Guide. Delifonseca won the day over competition from nine other shortlisted restaurants and specifically impressed the judges with its modern, holistic approach combining both restaurant and delicatessen offerings.

Elizabeth Carter, Consultant Editor of The Good Food Guide, said: "With the façade of a classy little supermarket this all-day restaurant may seem an unconventional choice for The Good Food Guide Readers’ Restaurant of the Year winner. But with a flexible menu of tasting platters, salads and sandwiches and a daily changing blackboard of seasonally charged dishes, this enticing café-deli is contemporary dining at its very best. We had to agree with Delifonseca’s many supporters, it’s one hell of an all-rounder."

Candice Fonseca from Delifonseca added: "We are all in pleasurable shock at winning this award from The Good Food Guide, especially as we were in the company of other great shortlisted restaurants. We always try and put our customers first so it's fantastic when they make their voices heard in such a brilliant way. We all love what we do but this adds icing to the cake."

Over 39,000 diners nominated their favourite restaurants, pubs and cafés from around the UK in the quest to find this year’s The Good Food Guide Readers’ Restaurant of the Year.

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