Pubs named regional winners in Good Food Guide Award
The pubs are among ten regional finalists. The annual awards invite members of the public to nominate their favourite restaurants, pubs and cafés from around the UK.
The Purefoy, in Preston Candover, Hampshire, owned by husband and wife team Andres and Marie Louise Alemany, holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand and offers their own range of condiments and chocolates.
Elizabeth Carter, consultant editor of the Good Food Guide, said: “It may be a textbook country pub – pretty village location, winter fires, beer garden – but it’s the quirky but appealing modern cooking and genuinely lovely hospitality which makes this pub so popular with our readers.”
Balloo House in Killinchy, Northern Ireland, is one of three sites operated by Balloo Inns, which is owned by Ronan and Jennie Sweeny. Head chef is Danny Millar.
Carter said: ‘The downstairs bar and bistro at Balloo House is where it’s at for me. Atmospheric and lively, with well-executed, generously proportioned pub grub that makes really good use of local ingredients.”
To qualify for awards aimed at championing local neighbourhood eateries, restaurants needed to be independently run and offer regional or local produce where possible.
An overall Good Food Guide Readers’ Restaurant of the Year 2014 will be selected from these finalists and announced at an awards ceremony in London in June.
Other finalists include Turners in Birmingham and Eric’s Restaurant, Huddersfield.
The awards saw 39,000 nominations received, which have all been verified by The Good Food Guide judges in order to select this year’s winners.
