Orwells wins The Good Food Guide 2012 Readers' Restaurant of the Year Award Orwells, in Shiplake, has today beaten stiff competition to be crowned as the overall winner of the prestigious The Good Food Guide Readers' Restaurant of the Year Award.

The award was presented to Orwells by renowned chef and restaurateur Raymond Blanc OBE at a ceremony in central London today. Orwells triumphed over other shortlisted venues* as an example of impressive modern dining with a "˜something-for-everyone' appeal.

Elizabeth Carter, Consultant Editor of The Good Food Guide, praised the Oxfordshire restaurant, saying: "It was the bags of energy and that something-for-everyone appeal that made Orwells stand out - and they had some very strong competition. Ryan Simpson clearly understands the way we want to eat now and has judged his market exactly. The sheer versatility takes in £10 lunches and easy-going, ingredient-led modern cooking in the brasserie, with the fine-dining room for special-occasion dinners the icing on the cake.' Orwells owners Ryan Simpson & Liam Trotman were delighted to win, commenting: "

We're really thrilled and delighted to win The Good Food Guide Readers' Restaurant of the Year in such a short period of time since opening. It shows how hard work, determination and listening to your customers really can pay off.' The Good Food Guide Readers' Restaurant of the Year Award is run annually to find the UK's favourite restaurant as nominated by the general public. To qualify for the awards restaurants needed to be independently-run, offering regional or local produce where possible and deliver consistently great food and excellent service.

Over 27,500 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. The Good Food Guide Award judges whittled down the nominations down to a list of ten regional winners, before today crowning Orwells as the overall winner. The ten regional winners of The Good Food Guide Readers' Restaurant of the Year Awards were shortlisted to be overall winner.

The regional winners were: - Wales - Cwtch, Pembrokeshire - East of England - Roger Hickman's, Norwich - London - Retro Bistrot, Teddington - Midlands - Edmunds, Birmingham - Northern Ireland - Molly's Yard, Belfast - North West - Spire, Liverpool - North East - Salvo's, Leeds - Scotland - Ondine, Edinburgh - South East - Orwells, Shiplake - South West - The Mill Tea & Dining Room, Lyme Regis

>>> Read more on the Good Food Guide 2016