Good Food Awards ranks 18 Northern Irish restaurants, cafes and takeaways among the best in the UK

A number of Northern Irish restaurants, bistros, cafés, coffee houses, takeaways and more have been honoured at The Good Food Awards, recognising them as some of the best in the UK.

The Good Food Awards celebrate and acknowledge culinary excellence across the United Kingdom and aim to promote and bolster local, independent businesses that create delectable food.

The awards recognise the hard-working teams who strive for culinary excellence within their field and are chosen for their food quality, service and value.

Read more: UK 'Curry Oscars' names top five Asian restaurants in NI

Read more: Food places across Belfast already offering 'Christmas Chips' on the menu

The Good Food prestigious Blue Ribbon is then bestowed upon businesses with high customer ratings/votes and is known as – the 'Blue Ribbon for Delicious Dishes'.

This year, 18 food and drink spots across the country have been crowned top in the UK across four categories:

Good Food Awards for Fine Dining, Restaurants and Products

• Milanos - Ballymena

• Top of the Town - Antrim

• Ginza Kitchen - Belfast

• Embers - Armagh (Gold Seal)

Good Food Awards for Cafes, Bistros, Sandwich Shops, Coffee Houses & Tea Rooms

• Middletown Coffee - Ballymena

• Harlem Cafe - Belfast

• Our Dolly's - Ballycastle

• Pickled Duck - Derry

• Leafy Greens & Co - Warrenpoint

Good Food Awards for Fish and Chip Shops

• Golden Cod - Lisburn

• Cafe Fish - Belfast

• John Macs - Newcastle

Good Food Awards for Takeaways

• Sticky Fingers Desserts - Belfast

• Boojum - Belfast

• Lucky House - Ballygawley

• Bebe Adrianos Mexicanos - Bangor

• The Kitchen - Omagh

• Collon Takeaway - Derry (Gold Seal)

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our What's On newsletter