How we rank

Every guide is ordered by a Cognova score out of 100. The same rules apply to every restaurant.

Website quality, up to 25 points

From our audit of the restaurant's own website: whether Google can read their details, how fast it loads on a phone, and whether it shows a menu, address and a way to order.

Profile on Cognova, up to 40 points

A menu on Cognova (15), at least three photos (8), a way to order or message them (8), opening hours (5) and a proper description (4).

Verified customer rating, up to 15 points

Only people who ordered or booked through Cognova can leave a review, once per visit. A place needs at least 3 reviews before its rating counts; then every half star above 2.5 adds 3 points, up to 15 for a perfect 5.0. Restaurants can reply but can't edit or remove reviews. Each phone number can review a restaurant once a month, and guests marked as no-shows can't review.

What visitors pick, up to 10 points

How often Cognova visitors choose to order, message, call or visit the restaurant. It grows slowly, so a few clicks can't jump a place to the top.

Featured, 10 points

Restaurants can pay to be featured. Featured places are always labelled, and the extra points can't outweigh a much better listing.

We don't copy ratings or reviews from Google or other sites: every rating on Cognova comes from an order or booking made through Cognova. Phone numbers aren't yet confirmed by SMS, so we also watch for unusual patterns and remove reviews that break the rules. Restaurants supply their own menus and photos.