The best pubs, restaurants and businesses in Merton have been named.

Firms were given prizes for excellence at the Merton Best Business Awards ceremony at Epsom Downs Racecourse on Wednesday (September 27).

Healthy eating cafe Lu Ma was named the best restaurant.

Lu Ma which sits in the heart of Wimbledon prides itself on healthy eating with vegetarian and vegan options. Its slogan is 'No refined sugar, no diary and no red-meat'

The friendly café is known for having delicious food and having a quirky atmosphere. It opens at 7am for breakfast and closes at 4.30pm. Sat on Worple Road it has foods such as breakfast numbers of Avocado on gluten free toast with poached eggs and lunch/dinner time specials such as a vegan bean burgers with sweet potatoes.

The winner of the best pub in Merton was The Old Frizzle, a modern bar on The Broadway opposite Wimbledon Theatre that boasts flavour-some and classic pub food and a wide selection of beer.

The Old Frizzle prides itself on its great atmosphere, its staff and is also dog friendly.

Merton Business Awards in its fifth year sponsored by Merton Chamber of Commerce which was held on the September 27 with this year being a hit with the number of entries.

Speaking about the stunning night, Diana Sterck, chief executive for Merton Chamber said: “It was a brilliant night, there were far more entries than ever before.

“The winners were very well deserved and it has placed them with a positive effect on their businesses going forward."

Ms Steck said: “As organisers of the awards, each year we see more and more entries and the quality of them is very high. Merton is a great place to run a business and do business."

The winners in full:

Best Restaurant of the Year

Winner – Lu-Ma Cafe

Runner Up – The White Onion

Best Pub of the Year

Winner – The Old Frizzle

Runner Up – Prince of Wales

Best Customer Service

Winner – Quality Stitch

Runner Up – Holistic Fitness Studios

Apprentice of the Year

Winner – Antoniu Dragu, Finling

Runner Up – Ross Walker, Wow Your Crowd

Best Business in Wimbledon Town Centre

Winner – Eligo Recruitment Ltd

Runner Up – Fayre and Square

Best Business under 50 Employees

Winner – Art Division Ltd

Runner Up – GEM and Co Financial Services LLP

Best Enterprising Business

Winner – Harnham Group Ltd

Runner Up – D Parry Pharmacy

Best in the Creative Sector

Winner – Art Division

Runner Up – Wimbledon International Music Festival

Best New Business

Winner – The Orchard Day Nursery

Runner Up – Bear and Pine

Best Service Excellence

Winner – SPS Timber Windows

Runner Up – Kew House Care Home

Entrepreneur of the Year

Winner – Sahaj Kothari, Make In 3D

Runner Up – Karine Torr, Darling Magazine UK

Employer of the Year

Winner – Harnham Group Ltd

Runner Up – Help for Carers

Team Development

Winner – Business Clan Ltd

Runner Up – Eligo Recruitment Ltd

Runner Up – Kew House Care Home

The Extra Mile

Winner – Retail IT

Runner Up – Fitwise

The Best Business Over 50 Employees

Winner – Help for Carers

Runner Up – Elbrook Cash and Carry Ltd

Healthy Workplace

Winner – Peldon Rose Group Limited

Runner Up – MVSC

The Andrew Wakefield Award

Winner – Karine Torr