The Exhibition Rooms in Crystal Palace has scooped the Time Out award for best new local restaurant in London.

The Westow Hill eatery is inspired by the original Crystal Palace, which housed the Great Exhibition in 1851 and moved to SE19 in 1854.

Prince Albert organised the exhibition as a celebration of British grandeur and now the restaurant's food, logo and architecture are in the same spirit.

The Exhibition Rooms was set up in July 2008 by executive chef David Massey and co-owners Nick Christodoulou and Geoff Ridgon, who spotted a gap in the market in Crystal Palace for a bar-restaurant serving British food.

Mr Christodoulou said they were "very pleased" to have won the award, which was voted for by Time Out readers and food critics.

He added: "We always liked the look of Crystal Palace. It's an up and coming area. It is very food-driven.

“Every second shop on Westow Hill seems to be a restaurant or pub. There are lots of Indian, Thai, Italian places but there was only one British restaurant before.”

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