We asked you all to vote for your favourite restaurant of 2016 and you didn't disappoint, with votes pouring in for your faves. Thanks for the votes and big congrats to the lucky winner of a dinner at the new Hawksmoor Borough.
But as to who came top of the list? It's time to reveal the winner...
The readers' choice. Best new restaurant of 2016 is: Padella
Padella was Hot Dinners' favourite new restaurant of 2016 and it seems we were totally in tune with our readers. This Borough budget spot comfortably won the most votes from you. Great, consistently-excellent, well-priced food was why you came back here again and again.
What you said:
"This is the one place that opened this year that everyone I know agrees is amazing. Fantastic pasta at great prices. Always fresh and delicious, great vibe and good value wine list. Not to mention the great location right on Borough Market." Duncan W
"It's the best value meal in London - astonishingly good food at reasonable prices. Pasta like you could never make at home. Plus it has that great Barrafina thing of perching up on barstools, watching the chefs at work or the world go by. I've been five times this year, and wish I'd been more" Anna S
"It's very rare to enjoy each and every dish that you try in a restaurant, but I certainly did at Padella. From the flavourful and light starters (sourdough and burrata) to the plates of pasta (fresh, silky soft and utterly indulgent) then the simple desserts (a couple of tarts done well), you can't beat this place for great food and value for money." Seetal S
"I love that the menu is ever changing, so on different visits I could try various new pastas and sampled new ingredients I'd never had before. I liked the simplicity of the menu and the cook on the pasta took me back to my first visit to Italy years ago when I first realised how al dente should have that distinct bite!" Fei W
"Simple food, done perfectly. Reasonable prices. Great to sit at the bar and see the whole process, from cooking to plating. Changing menu is always a nice thing when coming back to a place you love. And THOSE Cacio e Pepe, unreal." Matteo A
The rest of the top 10
With almost 1000 votes cast, we thought it only fair to reveal who else was in the running for our readers' best restaurant this year.
2. The Frog
"Hands down the most creative, tasty and exciting food I've eaten this year. The restaurant is stylish, relaxed but 'special'. Love it." Chris W
"Great food and ambience. Great vegetarian options and CHEESE DONUTS" Kim
3. Som Saa
"The food is simply the best I have had all year. This is now my favourite restaurant, but it's not just the food. The staff are lovely. Some of the nicest guys and gals that really genuinely make you feel at home. The cocktails are also to die for. Eating out isn't just about food, it's about how the place makes you feel, the service, the drinks. and more. It's a night out. Som Saa just gets everything so right." Martin
"After coming back from Thailand last year, it was truly astonishing to find a restaurant that is so unabashedly authentic in its usage of spice and flavour, and great value for money too, will be back often!" Arthur M
4. Smokestak
"A long-time favourite of mine from the early days of Street Feast, its incarnation as a full-blown restaurant has been a long time coming. It's not just another American-style pit barbeque, they've created a new genre of meat mecca. It's helped by the outrageous decor which is like no place I've been before - a celebration of cast iron, reclaimed wood and burnished copper - making dining there feel like a real experience." Alex
"Deliciously smoked meats, tasty cocktails, atmospheric space and a true success story from small beginnings! The pig trotters are pretty amazing too..." Gabi T
5. Temper
"I love the simplicity of the food set against the elegance of the restaurant. Staff are great - the right side of being attentive and knowledgeable without being overbearing. The food...wow. If only more restaurants put such a strong emphasis on sourcing ingredients, the meat is stand-out at Temper." Beki H
"Absolutely brilliant.unique flavours, beautifully done. I'll never look at tacos the same way again. Oh and the Mezcal menu!" Anita M
6. Petit Pois
"It's simple, uncomplicated, delicious, friendly, not too pricey, unpretentious, consistent and feels good in terms of atmosphere. The small menu changes regularly, with well-executed classics. The staff are lovely. The wine is good. The lighting is flattering. The music is just right. The chocolate mousse is insane. The seats are comfy. What's not to love?" Helena
"Their short but complete menu is amazing. Especially their chocolate mousse. The best I've ever had" Michael
7. Kiln
"Simply because you have to try the whole menu. Most restaurants have real standouts and some other great dishes but the guys at Kiln hit the mark on every single dish, every single time I've been. Who knew Pork Belly and Crab would taste so good?" Nigel M
"It is an understatement to say that I love and adore and worship meat. Of all kinds. Living with a vegan-pescatarian sister is tough. But I took her to Kiln and nearly wept when I realised what this implied: I was fairly restricted to ordering the non-animal dishes. But I took a deep breath and we proceeded to eat every plate that could be shared, and what a joyously unexpected culinary surprise it was. Thanks sis for showing me that fish etc is delicious and meat isn't the only stuff worth ordering every single time. Now, may I introduce you to this lamb skewer..." Jenny B
8. The Barbary
"Aside from the amazing food, the great views of the chefs in action, and the banter with all the staff - simply put, it achieves that rare distinction of being better than the original." Sam C
"Fantastic food coupled with an informal atmosphere, where the chefs will happily chat to you as well as the waiting staff. Feels like one big private table!" Adam J
9. Anglo
"Overwhelmingly my favourite meal of 2016. I loved the understated environment with the focus on the amazing food and the interesting wine and beer pairings. Discreet and completely modern." Emma C
"Incredibly well executed modern English cuisine. Despite all the new restaurants that have opened, Anglo is the one that delivers something unique and a level above its peers this year." Max
10. Clipstone
"Because it's managed to combine really interesting, daring and thoughtful food with equally thoughtful comfort food. I think the brains meuniere on toast is the most delicious dish in London at the moment. Also lovely that they've brought some friendly neighbourhood vibes to Fitzrovia, feels like a local. Their aged negroni on tap is heaven, as is the fact their wine on tap starts at £3.50. I love their buttermilk pudding with sable too. It's all so so good!" Kate S
"Simple, elegant, beautiful service, food and wine. A gorgeous neighbourhood spot with great ambience." Isabel
More of our favourites
Looking for more - then read the full Hot Dinners round up of 2016.
And we've also rounded up a shortlist of the best restaurants to open in London in 2016
