Lancashire’s La Locanda named No1 Local Restaurant in Good Food Guide

National Recognition for La Locanda: crowned Great Britain’s ‘Number One Local Restaurant’ in The Good Food Guide Italian restaurant La Locanda, nestled in the heart of Lancashire’s Ribble Valley, has been named the overall winner of The Good Food Guide’s Best Local Restaurant 2026, having also secured the regional title of North West Best Local Restaurant.

The family run restaurant, owned by husband-and-wife team Maurizio and Cinzia Bocchi received the prestigious double accolade at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, on 13 July. “We are so happy,” said Chef Maurizio Bocchi. “To be recognised by The Good Food Guide as the best local restaurant in the country is something we could only have dreamed of when we first opened our doors more than 20 years ago.”

The Good Food Guide’s 100 Best Local Restaurants Awards celebrates the independent restaurants that define their neighbourhoods. Rooted in reader nominations and rigorously inspected by the team, the awards shine a light on the most exciting, accessibly priced places to eat across Great Britain.

Each year, tens of thousands of nominations are submitted by readers championing their favourite local restaurants; a list reflecting the places people genuinely return to and recommend. The strongest leads are followed up by The Good Food Guide’s nationwide network of inspectors. Visiting anonymously, their reports are reviewed by The Good Food Guide’s editor, who makes the final decision on which restaurants earn a place in the 100 Best Local Restaurants list, and one overall Best Local Restaurant.

The Good Food Guide praised La Locanda – “There are no more deserving winners than Cinzia and Maurizio. The care and quality in everything they do is outstanding and so is their generosity of spirit that makes you feel part of the family. Lucky are the locals of Gisburn!” Chloe Hamilton, Editor of The Good Food Guide.

The double accolade follows a series of successful years for the restaurant, which has become a destination dining venue attracting visitors from across the UK and beyond. By championing local producers and marrying the finest Lancashire ingredients with authentic Italian dishes, La Locanda has created a dining experience that is deeply rooted in both family and place.

For Maurizio and Cinzia Bocchi, the two awards are not only recognition of more than 20 years of hard work and passion, but also a celebration of their incredible team, loyal customers and local suppliers who have been part of the restaurant’s journey from the very beginning.

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Maurizio is a Taste Lancashire Ambassador, one of the county’s incredible chefs who has worked with Marketing Lancashire to support and raise the profile of Lancashire’s food and drink nationally and internationally,