The Little Chef on the A303 at Popham, subject of a recent makeover by top chef Heston Blumenthal, has made it into the new edition of The Good Food Guide.

With roadside dining having something of a dire reputation, inspectors from the guide were reportedly so impressed by the preparation of dishes, such as braised ox cheeks as well as Hereford steak and Abbot Ale pie, at the Hampshire eaterie, that they awarded it a score of two out of ten for cooking. A score of two is given to establishments that display 'decent cooking, good basic technical skills and interesting combinations and flavours with occasional inconsistencies'. As a comparison, Blumenthal's Michelin-starred Fat Duck restaurant in Berkshire gets ten out of ten - 'perfect dishes on a consistent basis' - in the same guide.

The menu at the site has retained the spirit - and prices - of its original repertoire but it has been tweaked and upgraded with better quality produce. The new Olympic breakfast includes free-range eggs, outdoor-bred British pork sausages, Wiltshire-cured back bacon and Ramsay of Carluke black pudding. Elizabeth Carter, consultant editor of The Good Food Guide, said: "The minute I walked in I knew it belonged in the guide. It was so welcoming, vibrant and had a real buzz. I'm confident other diners will think so too."

Blumenthal said he was "overjoyed" with the announcement, adding: "It's fantastic news for Little Chef Popham to be recognised by such an established British food guide."