Norfolk bistro named best local restaurant in UK

Waitrose & Partners announced its top places to eat and award winners today. Alongside the finest dining establishments in the country the guide celebrates quality restaurants in local areas and new discoveries.

This year The Old Bank in Snettisham was named best local restaurant in East England and the UK's overall best local restaurant.

Elizabeth Carter, editor of The Good Food Guide, said: 'This family-run bistro is the sort of place that I'd love to have on my doorstep.

'There are no pretences to the food (a compact menu of local and seasonal ingredients) or the service (a very welcoming husband and wife, plus two respective siblings), and there's no slick marketing machine. It deserves all the recognition it can get.'

The Old Bank owners Lewis and Aga King. Photo: James Kilcoin (Image: Waitrose)

The Old Bank's owners, Aga and Lewis King, said they were honoured to receive the accolade.

'Being the overall winner for The Best Local Restaurant has surpassed our wildest dreams,' they said. 'We are so proud of what our little restaurant has become in only two years and so honoured to have come out on top of this prestigious competition.

'We couldn't have done it without our kind and devoted customers and our fabulous team and suppliers, whom we thank wholeheartedly.'

Another success for the county was Morston Hall placing in the guide's prestigious top 50 rankings.

The Old Bank. Photo: James Kilcoin (Image: Waitrose)

The Michelin starred restaurant, which is owned by renowned chef Galton Blackiston, is listed at number 47/50 and received a cooking score of 7/10 - with a 10 meaning 'just perfect dishes, showing faultless technique at every service; extremely rare, and the highest accolade the Guide can give.'

North Street Bistro in Burnham Market, The King's Head in Letheringsett, and Woolf & Social in Norwich also feature in the guide as some of the best restaurants in the East of England.

• Have you dined at The Old Bank or any of the other local restaurants mentioned in the guide? Let us know in the comments.