Oxford can pat itself on the back after being nominated as the sixth best city in the country to dine out in.

And Cambridge didn't even make it into the Top 20.

The Which? Good Food Guide 2007 not only released its eagerly-awaited entries this week but, for the first year, the guide has categorised the country's cities in its Premier League of restaurants.

The 11 Oxford restaurants keeping the city right up there in the competitive culinary stakes are: Al-Shami, Branca, Brasserie Blanc, the Cherwell Boathouse, Chiang Mai Kitchen, Edamame, Fishers, Gees, the Lemon Tree, Liaison and Sojo Restaurant.

But how much difference does it make to the restaurants and pubs listed?

Al Shami owner Mimo Mahfouz said: "It's amazing news and makes a big difference to our business as we are off the beaten track and people might not otherwise know about us.

"I'd say the GFG recommendations account for 10 per cent of our clientele, so it makes a lot of difference. It's certainly the best guide on the market because you can't pay to get in it."

Al Shami has been in the GFG since it opened in 1988 and Mr Mahfouz said: "All the Lebanese restaurants in London phone up and want to know how I got in it, but it's just because we are consistent.

"Everything is made fresh on site every day and nothing comes out of a tin or is carried over to the next day."

Which? Good Food Guide 2007 editor Andrew Turvil agreed.

"It's not about chains serving the same old stuff but high quality food using fresh produce," he said.

Stephen Ford, the duty manager at Branca, said the guide was more important in attracting Oxfordshire diners rather than tourists.

He added: "As a manager I go round talking to quite a lot of our customers and so many of them say they saw us in the GFG.

"They tend to be more locals than tourists - mainly those who live outside Oxford - and have come in specially for a good meal.

"People go out so much more than they used to. And before, where people would go out for a special meal in London, now they come to Oxford."