A FOODIES favourite in Halstead has been awarded a national food award.

The achievement rounds off a particularly successful year for The Little Book Café, on Hedingham Road, having also been finalists in the Essex Life Food and Drink Awards and having reached the top 10 rated Essex restaurants on Trip Advisor.

The Good Food Awards are held every year and are based upon customer feedback, nominations and votes.

Winners have to demonstrate exceptional levels of food quality, service and value.

Husband and wife team, Chris and Claire Buskin, opened the café in 2015 in a 17th century cottage with the aim to provide locals with freshly prepared homemade food and delicious daily specials.

As well as offering brunches and lunches, The Little Book Café also has used books for customers to browse, borrow or buy with half of the money going to charity or local causes.

Claire Buskin, co-owner of The Little Book Café said: "“Giving back to the local community is really important to us.

"One of the reasons we decided to open the business in Halstead was due to the close-knit community feel in the town.

"We wanted to run a café that the local people would be proud of.

"With the awards we’ve been nominated for this year we feel we have gone some way to achieving that.”

Her husband and co-owner, Chris said: "The criteria focuses on both the quality of the food and the standard of service and we’ve always been determined to deliver highly in both of those areas.

"We believe they go hand in hand in creating a great café.

"This award really is recognition for all of the hard work we, and our staff, have put in so we’re proud as punch."

Claire added: "We are over the moon to have been recognised for this award.

"The results are based on customer feedback and so we are especially proud that our customers nominated and voted for us.

"We are very lucky that we have a lot of regular customers who have supported us since we opened almost four years ago.

"We also have a superb team of staff who played a massive role in helping us to achieve this award so we would like to say a big thank you to them too."

The Little Book Café is open Tuesday to Saturday 9am until 3pm.