Pasta and curry top our eating-out choices

Britain is a nation of pasta and curry lovers, an online survey showed today.

Most diners search the web for Italian restaurants, followed by Indian and French, while English cuisine comes in 10th.

The findings were part of a survey by toptable.com into the favourite restaurants of three million diners who booked and ate at one of toptable's 5,000 restaurants during 2009.

British cuisine fared better than just English, and came in fourth place, followed by Thai in fifth spot and Japanese in sixth.

The top 100 restaurant awards included 10 categories: top diner rated, value, under £25, over £45, parties, celebrity chefs, romance, hidden gems, international restaurant and cuisine.

Users rated and reviewed a restaurant after eating there.

Gidleigh Park Restaurant in Chagford, Devon, won this year's top diner-rated award with guests praising its "amazing" food, "faultless" service and "stunning" location.

Several voters said it was the best meal they had ever eaten.

The two Michelin-starred restaurant, set in 107 acres of grounds and parkland in the heart of Dartmoor National Park, was also voted best for romance and best over £45.

Executive chef Michael Caines said: "I am delighted that we have been nominated so often in these awards.

"It is always satisfying to receive recognition and praise, but it is particularly gratifying that the impartial views and ratings of toptable users, our diners, have positioned us so highly."

Karen Hanton, toptable chief executive, said it was "exciting" to watch chefs and restaurants develop and added: "It's also hugely important for the British food scene that so many winners are outside the capital and even beyond major metropolitan areas.

"We may have been called a nation of shopkeepers once but in the 21st century Britain has become a nation of diners who really recognise and appreciate a good dining experience."

Kendells Bistro in Leeds won the hidden gems category and top restaurant under £25.

110 Restaurant in Edinburgh was best for value and Mulberry Restaurant at the Langshott Manor Hotel, Surrey, was voted best for parties.

Martin Wishart. from Restaurant Martin Wishart in Edinburgh, won best celebrity chef restaurant, beating others including Gordon Ramsay at Claridges, London, which came in seventh place.

Best international venue was won by Le Tournebievre in Paris.

The toptable group incorporates city-eating, a network of 61 global food websites, lists 20,000 restaurants in 14 countries and receives three million monthly visitors.

Shareholders include football manager Sir Alex Ferguson and celebrity chef Gary Rhodes.