The Good Food Guide

The Good Food Guide is a British food and hospitality guide covering restaurants, pubs and cafés across Great Britain. It began as a reader-informed challenge to the prevailing restaurant-guide culture of the early post-war period, when many publications relied primarily on the judgments of professional taste arbiters or carried listings supported by commercial relationships. Its founding purpose was practical and reformist: to help diners find worthwhile places to eat while encouraging better cooking, service and hospitality in Britain. The project was initiated by food writer Raymond Postgate. In 1949, he invited readers to report restaurants through an article in Leader magazine, describing the proposed activity as a Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Food. After the magazine closed, the project continued through Lilliput. A preliminary Good Food Club list of fifteen restaurants appeared in 1950, followed by the first Good Food Guide volume in 1952, covering the years 1951–1952. That edition listed 484 restaurants, hotels and pubs. The guide was initially issued biennially, but became an annual publication from 1969. Its coverage expanded to approximately 750 establishments in the 1961 edition, 1,200 in 1971, and roughly 1,300 entries from 2010 through its final years as a regular print guide. The guide developed a distinctive editorial identity under successive editors. Christopher Driver broadened the guide's cultural scope, gave serious attention to Indian, Chinese and other cuisines that had often been marginalized by traditional British gastronomic writing, and introduced distinctions for exceptional food, hospitality and wine service. Drew Smith made the publication more openly campaign-oriented. His initiatives included the 1983 No Mortgage Needed campaign, which challenged restaurants to provide a complete meal for less than £10, and the 1984 Real Food campaign, which recognized restaurants able to document the use of fresh, non-processed ingredients and local suppliers. Smith also documented the emergence of Modern British Cooking, emphasizing regional sourcing, seasonality, vegetables, traditional dishes and revived British cheeses. The guide later adopted numerical restaurant ratings, first on a 20-point scale and then, under Tom Jaine, on a five-point scale. The publication has also produced related recipe books and dinner-party titles, extending its role beyond restaurant criticism into home cooking and food culture. Elizabeth Carter became editor in 2007 after working as an inspector and contributor since the 1990s. Chloë Hamilton subsequently worked with Carter as co-editor. In August 2013, Waitrose & Partners acquired and published the guide, which continued as an annual print title through the 2021 edition. In October 2021, Adam Hyman acquired The Good Food Guide from Waitrose & Partners for an undisclosed amount. From 2022, the guide was relaunched as a digital service rather than an annual print book. Its current format is designed for continuous updating and includes an app, a weekly digital newsletter, location guides and Club perks or offers. The editorial method continues to combine reader submissions with anonymous inspections, with inspected meals paid for by the guide. In 2024, the guide moved away from a single ranked-list presentation and introduced awards recognizing World Class and Exceptional establishments, as well as categories such as Restaurant of the Year, Best New Restaurant, Best Farm to Table and Chef to Watch.

Raymond Postgate conceived The Good Food Guide as a consumer-oriented response to the quality and value problems he encountered in British restaurants. In 1949, he asked readers to submit recommendations through Leader magazine. When that publication ended, the project was continued with Lilliput. A preliminary Good Food Club list appeared in 1950, and the first full guide, covering 1951–1952, was published in 1952 with 484 entries. Margaret Costa was among the early compilers. The publication initially appeared every two years. Its influence grew as it accumulated reader reports and developed a reputation for candour. The Consumers' Association acquired the guide in 1963, and annual publication began in 1969. Postgate remained associated with the project until his retirement in 1970, later estimating that he had handled around 40,000 reader recommendations. Christopher Driver edited the guide from approximately 1969 to 1982. He expanded its culinary horizons by giving prominent treatment to Indian, Chinese and other cuisines that traditional fine-dining commentary had often overlooked. He also introduced distinctions identifying unusual excellence in cooking, hospitality and wine. Examples included the pestle-and-mortar distinction for exceptional culinary skill, the tureen distinction for hotels with particularly good food and hospitality, and the wine-bottle distinction for notable wine lists and service. Driver also campaigned against smoking in restaurants. Drew Smith became editor in 1982. His tenure made the guide a more visible participant in debates about value, sourcing and British food culture. The No Mortgage Needed campaign in the 1983 guide challenged restaurants to offer a complete meal for under £10. The following year's Real Food campaign promoted kitchens using fresh ingredients and discouraged reliance on processed or frozen products. Participating restaurants could provide supplier information for verification and receive a Real Food badge. Smith also described the rise of Modern British Cooking, a style associated with regional produce, seasonality, local suppliers, vegetables, traditional recipes and renewed interest in British cheeses. During this period the guide introduced a 20-point scoring system, creating a national comparative framework for restaurants. Tom Jaine edited the guide from 1989 to 1994 and replaced the 20-point system with a five-point scale intended to offer broader, more accessible distinctions. Elizabeth Carter became editor in November 2007. She had contributed to the guide and worked as an inspector since the 1990s, and had previously edited other restaurant guides. Chloë Hamilton worked alongside her as co-editor. Waitrose & Partners acquired the publication in August 2013 and continued producing annual print editions. The 2021 edition was the last in the long-running annual print sequence. In October 2021, Adam Hyman acquired the guide from Waitrose for an undisclosed amount. The business was relaunched in 2022 as a continuously updated digital guide, supported by an app, a weekly newsletter, location-based guides and Club benefits. Its reviews are based on reader feedback and anonymous expert inspections; meals inspected for the guide are paid for, and readers remain able to submit recommendations through the website. In 2024, the awards structure was redesigned. Instead of relying solely on a ranked list, the guide highlighted World Class and Exceptional restaurants and presented awards in categories including Most Exciting Food Destination, Best Front Row Seat, Drinks List of the Year, Best Farm to Table, Chef to Watch, Best New Restaurant and Restaurant of the Year.

1. 2024New awards format

   The guide introduced a revised awards format recognizing World Class and Exceptional establishments.

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2. 2022Digital relaunch

   The guide relaunched as a continuously updated digital service.

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3. 2021Final annual print edition and ownership change

   The guide ended its regular annual print run, and Adam Hyman acquired it from Waitrose in October.

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4. 2013Waitrose acquisition

   Waitrose & Partners acquired and published the guide.

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5. 1987Modern British Cooking identified

   Drew Smith used the guide to document a revival of regional, seasonal and ingredient-led British cooking.

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6. 1984Real Food campaign

   The guide introduced a badge for restaurants that could substantiate the use of fresh, non-processed ingredients and named suppliers.

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7. 1983No Mortgage Needed campaign

   The guide challenged restaurants to offer complete meals for less than £10.

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8. 1969Annual publication begins

   After initially appearing every two years, the guide began regular annual publication.

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9. 1963Consumers' Association acquisition

   The Consumers' Association acquired the guide.

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10. 1952First Good Food Guide volume

    The first volume, covering 1951–1952, listed 484 restaurants, hotels and pubs.

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11. 1950Good Food Club preliminary list

    A preliminary list of fifteen recommended restaurants was published as the project developed into The Good Food Guide.

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12. 1949Reader recommendation project begins

    Raymond Postgate invited readers to submit restaurant recommendations for a proposed consumer food guide.

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An independent-minded, reader-informed British dining guide that combines public recommendations, anonymous paid inspections and editorial judgment. Its positioning emphasizes reliable everyday dining as well as outstanding restaurants, transparent assessment, regional food culture, hospitality and the use of good ingredients.

• The Good Food Guide print editionsRestaurant guidebook1952

  The historic core product was an annual or, in earlier decades, biennial guide to restaurants, pubs, cafés and hotels. Entries were informed by reader reports and editorial inspection. The print series expanded from 484 establishments in the first volume to approximately 1,300 entries in its later years. Annual print publication ended after the 2021 edition.

• The Good Food Guide digital serviceDigital dining guide2022

  Relaunched in 2022, the digital service provides continuously updated restaurant entries rather than waiting for a yearly print cycle. It is supported by an app, reader feedback, anonymous expert inspections, location guides and a weekly digital newsletter.

• The Good Food Guide WeeklyDigital newsletter2022

  A weekly digital newsletter associated with the post-2021 digital version of the guide. It forms part of the service's continuing editorial relationship with readers and its program of updates, recommendations and food-related coverage.

• The Good Food Guide AwardsRestaurant awards2024

  The awards format recognizes restaurants and destinations under categories including Most Exciting Food Destination, Best Front Row Seat, Drinks List of the Year, Best Farm to Table, Chef to Watch, Best New Restaurant and Restaurant of the Year. The 2024 format emphasized World Class and Exceptional establishments rather than only a ranked national list.

• 1987Modern British Cooking

  United Kingdom

  The guide documented a movement toward regional sourcing, seasonality, local markets, vegetables, traditional British dishes and revived farmhouse cheeses.

  Outcome. The guide awarded a Modern British Cooking badge to restaurants across England, Scotland and Wales, helping give a name and public profile to the movement.

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• 1984Real Food

  United Kingdom

  The campaign promoted cooking based on fresh ingredients rather than processed, frozen or imitation products. Restaurants could submit supplier information so the guide could assess their sourcing practices.

  Outcome. Restaurants receiving the Real Food badge were presented as supporting local producers and encouraging the growth of small food businesses.

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• 1983No Mortgage Needed

  United Kingdom

  The campaign addressed the perceived high cost of eating out and challenged restaurants to provide a complete meal for under £10.

  Outcome. Restaurants responded with lower-cost menus, and a number of new affordable addresses appeared in the following edition.

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• 2024Change to awards-led recognitionStrategy

  The guide revised how it presented restaurant quality and recognition.

  What changed. It moved away from a ranked-list format and introduced awards centered on World Class and Exceptional establishments.

  Aftermath. The revised format added category awards including Restaurant of the Year and Best New Restaurant.

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• 2022Transition from print to digitalStrategy

  Annual print publication had ended after the 2021 edition, while restaurant information required more frequent updating.

  What changed. The guide relaunched as an app-based digital product with continuous updates, a weekly newsletter, location guides and Club benefits.

  Aftermath. The brand shifted from a yearly reference book to an ongoing digital dining service.

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• 2021Sale to Adam HymanM&A

  The guide's long-running annual print model was approaching a transition.

  What changed. Adam Hyman purchased the guide from Waitrose & Partners in October for an undisclosed sum.

  Aftermath. The brand was relaunched digitally in 2022.

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• 2013Waitrose acquisition and publishing arrangementM&A

  The established restaurant guide remained a print publication with an annual edition.

  What changed. Waitrose & Partners acquired and published The Good Food Guide.

  Aftermath. The annual print guide continued through 2021.

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• 1969Move to annual publicationStrategy

  The guide had originally been issued every two years.

  What changed. Publication became annual from 1969.

  Aftermath. The more frequent cycle supported broader and more current restaurant coverage.

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• 2024The Good Food Guide introduces a new awards format

  The guide changed from a ranked-list format to awards recognizing World Class and Exceptional restaurants across several categories.

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• 2022The Good Food Guide relaunches as a digital product

  The guide moved away from annual print publication and relaunched through an app, continuous digital updates, a weekly newsletter, location guides and Club benefits.

  Product launch
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• 2021Adam Hyman acquires The Good Food Guide

  Adam Hyman purchased the guide from Waitrose & Partners for an undisclosed sum.

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• 2013Waitrose acquires The Good Food Guide

  Waitrose & Partners acquired and published The Good Food Guide, continuing its annual print format.

  M&A
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1. The Good Food Guide
2. The Good Food Guide official website