Ryan Simpson's Orwells wins Good Food Guide Readers' Restaurant of the Year award

The Good Food Guide has named Orwells, in Shiplake, Oxfordshire the winner of its Readers' Restaurant of the Year Award.

The restaurant, which is run by Ryan Simpson and Liam Trotman, former chefs of the Michelin-starred Goose, beat nine other finalists voted for by more than 27,500 Good Food Guide readers.

Opened in May 2010, Orwells is a pub-cum-restaurant with a 62-seat pub, 30-seat garden and a 15-seat fine-dining area known as The Room. The set-up means that head chef Simpson can split his menu, offering a fine-dining experience as well as a more accessible, and more affordable, pub menu.

Elizabeth Carter, consultant editor of the Good Food Guide, commented: "It was Orwells' bags of energy and that something-for-everyone appeal that made it 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.'

Orwells owners Simpson and Trotman were delighted, adding: "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.

The 10 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 (winner)
South West - The Mill Tea & Dining Room, Lyme Regis

All regional winners will appear in the Good Food Guide 2012 which will be published on 8 September 2011.

Orwells Menuwatch >>

Good Food Guide reveals 10 regional Restaurants of the Year>>

60 years of the Good Food Guide >>

By Kerstin Kühn

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