TOP York restaurant, The Blue Bicycle, in Fossgate, has received a five-star cooking rating to earn a place for the first time in the Good Food Guide 2003.

Another York eating place, Melton's Too, in Walmgate, which opened only last year, is also a new entry in the national food bible.

Meanwhile, a popular North Yorkshire pub, the thatched Star Inn, at Harome, near Helmsley, has been served up with another top award, winning the national Dining Pub of the Year award in the Good Pub Guide 2003 for the second time in three years.

In the Good Pub Guide, judges praised the Star's "excellent, inventive food" and home grown herbs and vegetables.

The pub has fish delivered daily from Hartlepool, uses three types of honey from the village and offers 15 British cheeses.

Proprietor and head chef Andrew Pern said today he was "thrilled" with the award.

He told the Evening Press: "It's absolutely brilliant. To win it twice in three years is amazing. We've been here more than six years and to stay top of the pile for so long is very rewarding."

At the Blue Bicycle, head chef Kenny Noble said: "Our award has come about through perseverance and doing our best to please the customer."

Middlethorpe Hall, in Bishopthorpe Road, and Melton's in Scarcroft Road, maintained their places in the food guide.

Two popular York real ale pubs maintained their places in the Yorkshire section of the guide.

The Maltings, in Tanners Moat, is praised for its wide range of ales, while the Tap & Spile, in Monkgate, is commended for its "friendly atmosphere" and handpumped beers.

The Three Legged Mare, in High Petergate, which was the second York Brewery pub to be opened in the city, is a new entry in the guide's Lucky Dip section.

Judges praise its guest beers such as Castle Rock and "generous interesting" sandwiches.

Pub-cum-village shop, Birch Hall, in Beck Hole, Goathland, received the guide's Unspoilt Pub of the Year award.

Updated: 15:18 Tuesday, October 22, 2002