THE popular Ginger Dog serves the best pub food in the city.
That is the verdict after it won the award in the Best Food Pub category at last night's Brighton and Hove Food and Drink Awards ahead of its sister pub The Ginger Pig - which came second.
Both belong to The Gingerman Group which was founded in 1998 by chef Ben McKellar together with wife and business partner Pamela.
Their flagship is The Gingerman restaurant in Norfolk Square and they now have four venues locally including the Ginger Dog in College Place and The Ginger Pig in Hove Street.
The Ginger Dog is riding high at the moment as its head chef James Villiers has made it through to the knock-out stages of top cookery show Masterchef: The Professionals.
The food awards are the annual celebration of the very best of food and hospitality and are co-ordinated by the Brighton and Hove Food and Drink Festival team.
The public was invited to nominate their favourites in 17 categories before the top three in each section were subject to secret shopping and/or interviews.
Only businesses with a food hygiene rating of four or more were allowed through to the finals
The judges were comprised of media and business people passionate about both food and drink, and representatives from the food festival.
The awards were hosted at My Brighton hotel on Jubilee Street last night.
Festival director Nick Mosley said: "To get into the top three is a huge achievement, and every single business and individual who made the top three in each category really is at the top of their game.
"Brighton and Hove truly punches above its weight when it comes to restaurants, bars, pubs, cafés, hotels and – increasingly – food and drink production.
"Whilst we can’t lay claim to a Michelin-starred restaurant, we do have an incredibly broad range of hospitality businesses from fine dining and bistro to back street boozers and street food style outlets.
"For a city of our size, we have a hospitality sector that is unmatched in the UK, and is the envy of towns and cities across the country."
AND THE FABULOUS FOODIE WINNERS ARE... THE 2016 RESULTS IN FULL
Best food/drink producer Sponsored by Wobblegate apple juice and cider
Gold: Brighton Bier
Joint Silver: Boho Gelato
Joint Silver: Brighton Gin
Best family dining Sponsored by Whizz Bang Pop
Gold: Food for Friends
Silver: Terre à Terre
Bronze: Curry Leaf Café
Best burger Sponsored by Griffith Smith Farrington Webb LLP solicitors
Gold: Burger Brothers
Silver: Coggings & Co
Bronze: The Troll’s Pantry
Best café Sponsored by Brighton & Hove Radio Cabs 204060
Gold: Egg & Spoon
Silver: V&H Café
Bronze: Joe’s Café
Sustainable food business Sponsored by Style accountants
Gold: Infinity Foods
Silver: hiSbe
Bronze: Silo
Best food/drink shop Sponsored by Hilton Brighton Metropole
Gold: Butler’s Wine Cellar
Silver: hiSbe
Bronze: Infinity Foods
Best food pub Sponsored by Cardens accountants
Gold: The Ginger Dog
Silver: The Ginger Pig
Bronze: The Earth & Stars
Best Sunday lunch Sponsored by Yelo architects
Gold: The Earth & Stars
Silver: Breeze Brasserie
Bronze: The Basketmakers Arms
Best place to sleep Sponsored by Midnight
Gold: Artist Residence
Silver: Drakes of Brighton
Bronze: My Brighton
Best pub Sponsored by The Beer Collective
Gold: The Basketmakers Arms
Silver: The Lion & Lobster
Bronze: Brewdog
Best place to do business Sponsored by Cobb Digital
Gold: Curry Leaf Café
Silver: Artist Residence
Bronze: Hotel du Vin
Best newcomer Sponsored by Hensby Law
Gold: Egg & Spoon
Silver: Purezza
Bronze: Fourth & Church
Best international cuisine Sponsored by Baobab developments
Gold: The Chilli Pickle
Silver: Planet India
Bronze: Curry Leaf Café
Food hero Sponsored by Mayo Wynne Baxter solicitors
Gold: Kanthi Kiran Thamma, Curry Leaf Café
Silver: Henry Butler, Butler’s Wine Cellar
Bronze: Richard Humphries, Polygon Pop Up
Best cocktail bar Sponsored by Blackdown Artisan Spirits
Gold: The Cocktail Shack
Silver: The Plotting Parlour
Bronze: Twisted Lemon
Young chef of the year Sponsored by BrightonAndHoveJobs.com
Winner: Roman Mikulica, Curry Leaf Café
Runner-ups: Liam Thorpe, Terre à Terre; George Thomas, Isaac At; Rafe Po.
The Set Best restaurant Sponsored by Ridgeview Wine Estate
Gold: The Set
Silver: Terre à Terre
Bronze: Food for Friends
Special recognition Sponsored by Deliveroo:
Michael Bremner, 64 Degrees
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