The Michelin-starred Chesil Rectory Restaurant at Winchester is cracking open the champagne again.
Another national guide has placed it in the top 10 restaurants outside London, saying its "consistently-outstanding cooking deserves a wider audience".
The Harden's UK Guide 2002 is based on 10,000 reviews sent in by diners nationwide.
The result has been an overwhelming thumbs-up for the Chesil Rectory and chef/patron, Philip Storey, and his hard-working team.
The two-star ranking for the Chesil Rectory puts it on a par with the Sharrow Bay, Ullswater, and La Terrasse at Sandgate.
"It's a great Christmas present," said a delighted Philip, who has seen the restaurant's reputation grow steadily over the last three years. "The nice thing about Harden's is that it is real people--not inspectors--who comment on our food, service and ambience."
Describing the Chesil Rectory as a "well-kept secret", Harden's also points out that top-class cooking need not be over-priced and highlights their two-course set lunch.
The Chesil Rectory already boasts one Michelin Star, three rosettes from the AA Restaurant Guide and a score of six in the Which Good Food Guide.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article