The news is bleak. We know that. So, frankly, we're going to take the wins where we can find them and over the past week or so London has done rather well on that front. We may be an international laughing stock over our response to Covid, but at least when it comes to pizzas and cocktails we're world-beating.

Pizzas first. The 50 Top Pizza Europe 2020 list came out just before the weekend and London

Over in America, the 2020 James Beard Award have been announced and there were several British names up for contention.

If you haven't heard of the awards, think of these as a stateside Oscars, if you like, of the food world. They started 30 years ago and since then have become a barometer of what's hot (and cool) in the culinary world, recognising chefs, restaurants and food writers alike.

This year's winners and shortlisted

You aren't going to see many awards ceremonies this year, what with everything being closed and the whole social distancing thing. But that didn't deter Fortnum & Mason last night. Their awards are primarily about food writing, so this year they moved the ceremony online, presented by Claudia Winkleman as usual, and with a special guest appearance from Stephen Fry. 

So here's who won an award last

As there are no actual restaurants open in many places across the world right now, the people behind the World's 50 Best Restaurants have made the fairly sensible decision to delay their next awards until 2021. After all, even if there are a few restaurants open somewhere, nobody can actually travel to get to them. 

So, the main list is going to be furloughed for a year, assuming that's what the announcement that the "annual list will not be released

Eight London pubs made the 2020 top 50 Best Gastropubs list - here's why.

The votes are in! We asked you to vote for your favourite new restaurant of 2019 - and here's what you said. 

With so much happening on the London restaurant scene this year, it's been harder than ever to whittle down our annual shortlist. But here - for your delectation - is the full list of Hot Dinners Awards for 2019 covering everything from the hottest scene to the tastiest dish, from the counter to be seen dining at to our most coveted accolade, Best Restaurant. 

Always one of the better food awards that happen at the tail end of the year, tonight was the turn of the Observer Food Monthly awards. 

As ever, they're awards which try to spread the love around the whole country, with Bank Tavern in Bristol the best place for a Sunday Lunch, 288 Bar and Wok being a great restaurant for cheap eats and Danny Wallace, working for Gary Usher's

The new AA restaurant guide for 2020 is out and London is storming ahead of the rest of the country.

London got 27 new entries in the book (there were 140 new entries in total). The guide contains over 2,000 restaurants currently awarded Rosettes for culinary excellence by the AA’s professional inspectors.

New this year for London are the following restaurants:

• The Rex Whistler Restaurant, SW1
• Hide – Ground,

There are some constants in this life. And it's a sure thing that every year, come the day that the Michelin Guide reveals who has won, lost and retained a Michelin star, that there will be grumbling. Some will say the stars are no longer relevant, others that not enough have been awarded, others still that the stars have gone to the wrong chefs. But one thing's for sure - for something that's not apparently that important

(We're updating this piece as the awards are released) 

We're gearing up for the new Michelin awards for 2020, probably the most important awards of the season. They're being announced on Monday afternoon - but as ever, Michelin is announcing the new Bib Gourmands to get us in the Michelin mood. 

So these aren't stars - but kind of a prelude to the stars. The Bib Gourmands