An Essex restaurant which is still basking in glory after having been crowned with a Michelin star in October is celebrating again after scooping another prestigious title.
The Flitch of Bacon in Little Dunmow has made it to number 33 position in the Estrella Dam Top 50 Gastropub Awards, which are voted for by top foodies and hospitality experts.
Votes are cast in a poll of hundreds of industry experts, including top chefs, food writers, pub chiefs, pub-guide editors and top suppliers to draw up a definitive list of the best gastropubs in Britain.
The awards, hosted by The Morning Advertiser and in their 10th year, took place on Monday at Lillibrooke Manor in Maidenhead, where celebrity chef Tom Kerridge and his team took over the kitchens to prepare lunch.
To ensure that each region in the UK has an equal opportunity for their pubs to shine, voters are broken down into six geographical regions, with an equal number of votes collected in each by the Top 50 Gastropubs Voting Academy.
In Norfolk, The Gunton Arms of Thorpe Market, which has appeared on the list in 2018, 2015 and 2014, placing at 44, and Chef Ben Handley’s The Duck Inn in Stanhoe (near Burnham Market) made the Top 50 for the first time.
The Flitch of Bacon’s name is derived from a large salted and cured side of pig, and pays tribute to the medieval heritage of the Dunmow Flitch Trials which was made famous in Chaucer’s bawdy The Wife of Bath’s Tale.
Chef Tim Allen took over the reigns last year at the restaurant, which describes itself as a “modern British place to eat, drink and sleep, serving locally sourced seasonal food in a relaxed and welcoming setting for families, children and dogs.”
Upon hearing the news, he tweeted: “Thank you so much @Top50Gastropubs and @EstrellaDammUK, we are all really stoked to have made the top 50.”
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