The survey by the Harden's 2009 UK Restaurant Guide dispels any myth of a gastronomic divide between North and South, with diners rating Yorkshire as the best county for eating out.

The White Rose County was found to have 113 good restaurants, based on food value and quality, while southern counties Surrey and East Sussex scored just 43 and 35 respectively.

The North of England can also boast having the restaurant offering the best food in Britain - with Northcote in Langho, Lancashire, claiming the title in this year's guide for its use of local ingredients.

The guide, in association with Remy Martin, was compiled using 85,000 reports from more than 8,000 regular diners.

It found there were 44 quality dining establishments in North Yorkshire alone, with favourites including the Yorke Arms in Ramsgill-in-Nidderdale, the Magpie Cafe in Whitby, the Star Inn at Harome, and Betty's in Harrogate.

Richard Harden, co-editor of the Harden's UK Restaurant Guide, said: "The UK restaurant scene is more diverse and varied than people might think with pockets of excellence all over the country.

"There is most definitely no simple North/South disparity when it comes to dining out.

"It will certainly come as a surprise to the capital's chefs to hear that reporters in our national survey find the very best restaurant food of all in the North West."

Eileen Livingston, marketing manager for Remy Martin UK, added: "People clearly recognise that great food can be found anywhere and with so many restaurants opening each year these awards give a great indication as to the increasing standards in the UK dining scene."

The survey also helps identify new restaurants across the UK which have achieved outstanding levels of excellence through the Remy Martin Restaurant Awards.

This year's top accolade, the Remy Martin Excellence Award, was handed to L'Anima, a contemporary Italian on the northern fringe of the City of London.

Other regional winners include the Highwayman in Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, an off-shoot of Northcote which impressed diners with its 21st century version of "the local", and Barn Asia in Newcastle, which won the North East award for their new twist on Asian food.

The top 10 restaurants in Yorkshire:

• Yorke Arms, Ramsgill-in-Nidderdale, North Yorkshire


• Magpie Cafe, Whitby, North Yorkshire


• Star Inn, Harome, North Yorkshire


• Angel Inn, Hetton, North Yorkshire


• Fox & Hounds, Goldsborough, North Yorkshire


• El Gato Negro, Ripponden, West Yorkshire


• Mumtaz Paan House, Bradford, West Yorkshire


• Weavers Shed, Golcar, West Yorkshire


• Three Acres, Shelley, West Yorkshire


• Betty's, Harrogate, North Yorkshire

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