The Good Food Guide 2012 is opening nominations for its highly regarded Restaurant of the Year award on Monday 21^st February.

The award recognises culinary excellence and good service at restaurants, pubs and cafés across the UK. The award is run annually and gives people the opportunity to nominate their favourite local establishment across ten different UK regions, with the criteria that restaurants should be independently owned and offer regional or local produce where possible.

Ten regional winners will be announced from the public nominations before The Good Food Guide judges whittle them down to crown their overall Restaurant of the Year. Last year's awards saw more than 25,000 members of the public nominating their favourite restaurants, with The Swan at Southrop in Gloucestershire beating off the competition to win the coveted crown of The Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year.

Elizabeth Carter, Consultant Editor, The Good Food Guide, says: "Championing fresh, local produce and supporting great independent restaurants are at the heart of what The Good Food Guide does. Our Restaurant of the Year awards are a great way of recognising and rewarding outstanding cooking and exemplary service, and they provide members of the public with a chance to have their say in finding the best the UK has to offer."

Nominations for the awards can be made online at www.thegoodfoodguide.co.uk/awards or by sending in a postcard, available in restaurants* from 21^st February 2011 until 29^th April 2011**. Everyone who submits a nomination will be entered into a free prize draw for a meal for two.*** The ten regional winners**** will be announced at the end of May and the overall winner of The Good Food Guide

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Restaurant of the Year award will be announced at an awards ceremony at Kings Place, London on 23^rd June. checked and any unusual or block nominations will be discounted. Each entry must be individually franked to qualify. *

Restaurants can download and print nomination postcards to give to their diners by visiting www.thegoodfoodguide.co.uk/awards. Please note: all entries are carefully checked and any unusual or block nominations will be discounted. Each entry must be individually franked to qualify. ** Members of the public are invited to nominate their favourite independently owned and run restaurant, pub or café in their region, preferably one that offers regional dishes and/or seeks out local producers.

They can nominate online at www.thegoodfoodguide.co.uk/awards or by submitting a postcard that is available from restaurants. ***The first entry to be drawn at random after the closing date will win a meal for two at the regional winning restaurant most local to the entrant. No refund or cash alternative is available. For full terms and condition please visit www.thegoodfoodguide.co.uk/awards ****

The ten regions are: Wales (last year's winner: Slice, Swansea) East England (last year's winner: Wiveton Bell, Norfolk) London (last year's winner: The French Table, Surbiton) Midlands (last year's winner: Saffron, Birmingham) Northern Ireland (last year's winner: Ginger Bistro, Belfast) North East (last year's winner: Artisan, Hessle) North West (last year's winner: Northcote, Langho) Scotland (last year's winner: La Garrigue, Edinburgh) South East (last year's winner: Vanilla Pod, Marlow) South West (last year's winner: The Swan, Southrop)

>>> Read more on the Good Food Guide 2016

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