Eugene McCoy`s restaurant McCoy`s at the Tontine has been voted the best restaurant in the North East at this year`s Gourmet Society awards.
The awards, now in their second year, put 500 restaurants across North East England in the running with votes being cast online for 14 categories by 10,000 members of the public.
Other restaurants picking up awards included Newcastle`s Pan Haggerty, which won Best New Restaurant, Accolade based in West Bedlington, Northumberland for Best Value for Money and pizza chain Ask for Best Chain.
A Lifetime Achievement award, for services to the North East restaurant scene, was also given to the late Abdul Latif, known locally as Lord Harpole. The award was presented to his sons who now continue to run the famous Ruapli’s restaurant, formerly Curry Capital.
The awards ceremony at The Sage Gateshead, saw more than 200 restaurateurs turn out for the results.
Rob Collins, director of the awards said: “Our aim was to put the North East restaurant scene firmly on the map and to single out the very best restaurants both big and small and I think that last night more than achieved this.
"The awards have been a great success and I was delighted with the response from the public in voting for what they thought were the best restaurants across our region – it’s important to get a true reflection of what diners themselves think.”
The Gourmet Society works with 2,000 restaurants across the UK and offers 2-for-1 dining at them to its 50,000 members.
The winners are:
Best Restaurant - McCoy’s Tontine
Best Newcastle, Gateshead and North Tyneside - Initiative Cafe 21
Best Durham - Seaham Hall
Best Teeside and Cleveland - Caf» Lilli
Best South Tyneside and Sunderland- †Paprika
Best Northumberland - Close House
Best Drinks List - The Silk Room
Best Small Restaurant - Riverside Restaurant
Best Indian Restaurant - Char Mausum
Best Oriental Restaurant - Little Saigon
Best European Restaurant - Bouchon
Best Value for Money - Accolade
Best Chain - Ask
Best New Restaurant - Pan Haggerty
Best Interior - †Bar Luga
The Journal Taste – Best use of local produce - Barrasford Arms
Lifetime Achievement – for services to the restaurant scene - Abdul Latif (Rupali’s)
picture L-R Rob Collins, director of the awards, Eugene McCoy and Bob Crosby, awards sponsor