Staff at a popular Suffolk gastropub are celebrating after it won a place in The Good Food Guide for the first time - less than a year after reopening.
The Brewers at Rattlesden has received the accolade of a place in the brand new 2020 edition of the Guide. Staff and owners brought out the bubbly to celebrate the news.
Dan Russell-Poole, general manager and head chef, said: "We're very excited - over the moon! It was only October last year when we opened, so this has happened very quickly. We never really knew how well it would be received."
He described the recognition as "very humbling", and added: "We would like to thank everyone who has supported us from day one."
The pub's reinvention as a food venue came after it was bought and lovingly restored by two families from the village.
James and Zos Austin clubbed together with another couple from Rattlesden, Sheona Fraser and Martin Lang, to save The Brewers and give it a new lease of life.
Back in the 1990s, the pub, then known as the Brewers Arms, had been a favourite watering-hole of DJ John Peel. But it later saw tenants come and go, and had ceased trading earlier last year - before its fortunes changed dramatically with the two families taking over.
Since then, it has quickly built a reputation for its quality food, using fresh, local and seasonal ingredients.
READ MORE - New tasting menu at The Brewers, Rattlesden
Mr Russell-Poole paid tribute to the owners, and to all those who had helped to spread the word about the pub, which is currently open from Wednesday to Sunday each week.
"Our menus are constantly revolving," he said. The Brewers has pub classics and a la carte menus, as well as a five or eight-course tasting menu and a special Sunday menu including roasts.
Looking to the future, he said the Brewers would like to go on to win a higher rating in next year's guide and possibly receive other recognition such as an AA rosette.
"We want to be the best pub in Suffolk, that's our long-term goal. There's some big competition and some big names to knock off the top seat, but we are going to keep trying and keep growing."
Montaz, a restaurant in Newmarket specialising in exciting contemporary Indian cuisine, has also won a place in the guide this year for the first time.
Altogether, around 20 restaurants from Suffolk and 12 from Essex are included, with many different styles of cuisine being featured.
The new 2020 edition is being published by Waitrose & Partners on September 12, available in Waitrose shops and online.
READ MORE - Which Suffolk and Essex restaurants are featured in the Good Food Guide 2020?
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