Bavette, Horsforth: Popular Yorkshire restaurant crowned Best Local Restaurant in the country by The Good Food Guide

These prestigious culinary awards celebrate all that British dining has to offer and independent restaurants from Scotland to Cornwall, Norfolk to North Wales.

Bavette in Horsforth, Leeds, was opened by husband and husband team, Sandy Jarvis and Clement Cousin, in February 2024 and has already been crowned Britain’s Best Local Restaurant, surpassing competition from across the country.

The Guide has received a significant number of nominations from diners across the UK, all eager to champion their favourite places to eat.

An unexpected 60,000 votes were polled, leaving it up to the Guide’s team of expert inspectors to anonymously taste food at a vast number of restaurants across the country.

The result showed a snapshot of extraordinary local creatives and talents, personal hospitality and community spirit.

Bavette’s customers and The Good Food Guide’s anonymous inspectors were impressed with the natural ease and warmth of hospitality at the busy French bistro, along with Jarvis’ menu of authentic French dishes.

It was decided that it has raised the game in this corner of Leeds and beyond, presenting the ‘model of the perfect local restaurant’.

Co-editor of The Good Food Guide, Chloe Hamilton, said: “With Sandy and Clément’s backgrounds in some of London’s top establishments (Terroirs, where they met, is a strong influence), opening a restaurant together in an outer suburb of Leeds looked great on paper.

“But the way they’ve brought it to life – excellent bistro cooking, an adventurous, engaging wine list (including bottles from Clément’s family of organic winemakers in the Loire), and the energy and warmth of the team – make it irresistible.

“They’ve had 1st birthday parties and 90th birthday parties here. It has lit up the community.”

Sandy and Clement said: “We are completely gobsmacked about winning the Best Local Restaurant Award.

“To be included in the top 100 in our first few months would have been a great achievement but to be the overall winners is such a huge honour and testament to all the hard work of the team since day one, so this is for them.

“Our sign above the door says "a neighbourhood bistro" and being a great local restaurant is everything we wanted Bavette to be.

“Thank you to everyone who has come through our doors over the past five months, you’ve made Bavette what it is.”

List of Yorkshire regional winners in the Good Food Guide awards 2024

North East England

Bavette, Leeds (overall winner)

Homestead Kitchen, Goathland

The Empire Cafe, Leeds

The Orange Bird, Sheffield

Origin Social, Northallerton

The Hispanist, Hull

Brook’s Brighouse

Hearth Hull

Coin, Hebden Bridge

Hern Leeds