A MONMOUTHSHIRE restaurant has been named among the UK’s top 50 establishment, receiving the accolade for the very first time.

The Michelin-starred The Whitebrook in Monmouth was one of four Welsh restaurants to place in Waitrose’s Good Food Guide 2017

The Gwent eatery, owned by Chris Harrod, placed 47th overall, alongside Glamorgan’s Restaurant James Sommerin (34th) and Powys’ Ynyshir (40th) and Llangoed Hall (48th).

The Good Food Guide is still compiled by coupling reader feedback of eateries up and down the country with anonymous inspections by a team of experts.

In its tenth year, guide editor Elizabeth Carter praised restaurants which have helped to move culinary excellence away from the capital.

“London will always have an extraordinary wealth of top restaurants and chefs but I love the fact that the burgeoning restaurant scene beyond the capital, driven by more affordable start-up costs, has made our great regional cities viable dining destinations,” she said, adding that the notion of restaurants is changing too.

"At the same time, dining out everywhere has become less structured, less formal, with more flexible opening times and menus, and with a much broader choice of quality venues in the lower price bracket.

“It means we’ve all had to come to terms with exposed ductwork, hard seats, small plates and communal tables – but it’s well worth it when you consider the all-day eateries, cafe?s, pizzerias, seafood shacks and pubs of genuine high quality offering everyday eating at everyday prices,” she said.