This is Leicestershire --Artisan bakery and coffee shop Brucciani is celebrating two new awards to add to its growing list.
The triumphs come exactly 76 years after its first café and ice cream parlour opened in Horsefair Street, Leicester.
Two of its own baked recipe foods have been awarded three stars in the Guild of Fine Food Great Taste Awards 2013, which attracts nearly 10,000 product entries.
The Brucciani sourdough loaf was awarded two stars and its ham and tomato quiche one star.
Bruccianis is known for its two Leicester city centre cafés, in Churchgate and in Fox Lane.
But the company also has a thriving artisan bakery which supplies the local restaurant, hotel and retail trade and six sandwich rounds for office and factory workers.
The Guild of Fine Food Great Taste Awards is the largest awards scheme for speciality and fine food and drink.
Since 1994, more than 70,000 products have been judged by a panel of specialists including top chefs, cookery writers, food critics, restaurateurs and fine food retailers. In total, 16 judges would have tasted the two Brucciani products.
Managing director Tom Brucciani said: "I was delighted to return from holiday to news of our latest award-winning products.
"We have an artisan bakery providing delicious breads, pastries and celebration cakes and it's always lovely for our excellent bakers to be given the recognition of a national award."
The business employs 56 people and has an annual turnover of about £1.8 million.
On September 4, 1937, Mr Brucciani's grandfather Luigi opened Brucciani's Cafe and Ice Cream Parlour, in Horsefair Street, taking £5 10s 8d that day. He never looked back.
Brucciani's, which opened late every night and had a self-service policy, was a revelation for a Leicester population used to waitress-service cafes, for whom a night out meant going to the pub or paying for an expensive meal.
Mr Brucciani said: "Grandfather hit the right time to open.
"There were not many places that you could just pop in with friends and have a chat, without spending a lot of money, so the late night coffee shops became a real hit.
"Coffee was trendy and glamorous and ice cream was a treat. He sold the business on the speed of service.
"You would come in and the coffee cups would be poured out."
Brucciani's also took over the Turkey Cafe, which it ran until the 1980s.
It was there you could find Brucciani's Ladies Lounge, a man-free zone for women to enjoy a cup of tea and a chat – at least, up until the law changed in the 1970s.
In 1992, the original Horsefair Street café closed when the lease could not be renewed. The shop's old cash ledgers are still kept in an archive. Tom, who joined the company in 1998, said: "We're a family business but our staff have also become part of the family.
"The skill of our craft bakers has been recognised with five national awards in the past two years." Reported by This is 9 hours ago.