Michelin guide: pub-style dining is the future of eating out
Pubs have made their mark on the latest edition of the prestigious Michelin Red Guide to Great Britain and Ireland.
Six pubs have been awarded the acclaimed Michelin Bib Gourmand for their food in the latest edition, published this week.
The Stagg Inn in Titley, Herefordshire, which was the first pub to gain a Michelin star, has retained its award this year as has the Star Inn in Helmsley, North Yorkshire, which won its star last year.
And the trend towards more informal dining - with pubs leading the way - has been recognised in the Guide's introduction. "The growth of the gastropub continues," it says. "Many highly-trained chefs have swapped the fast lane for the village inn."
It predicts that pub-style dining is the future for good food, saying: "As dining habits continue to evolve, those restaurants offering a more flexible approach coupled with particularly good value for money continue to prosper."
The Bib Gourmand is awarded to pubs and restaurants serving excellent food at moderate prices (three courses for under £25).
The Walpole Arms in Itteringham, Norfolk, the Red Lion Inn in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, the Three Crowns Inn in Herefordshire, the White Swan in Brecon, the Kings Arms in Stow-on-the Wold and the Sportsman in Whitstable, Kent have all been given Bib Gourmand awards for the quality of their pub food.
The Sportsman, run by brothers Stephen and Philip Harris is also a finalist in the Publican Catering Pub of the Year Award.
The Michelin Red Guide is regarded by many to be the definitive guide to good food in Britain and Ireland.
Top chefs such as Gordon Ramsay and Georgio Locatelli are fiercely proud of their Michelin stars and there are just two restaurants in the country that have managed to attain the top award of three stars.
Restaurants and pubs are assessed anonymously every year by a team of inspectors and have to maintain the high standards the awards recognise, or risk losing them.
Gaining an award is hugely valuable because of the extra trade the Guide can attract both from Britain and across Europe.
