DENTON, Texas (UNT) -- The Club at Gateway Center, a student-run restaurant at the University of North Texas, has won the 2016 Best of Denton Award in the restaurant category. The recognition comes from the Denton Award Program, which honors exceptional venues that "help make the Denton area a great place to live, work and play."

"Food brings people together, and this is an amazing accolade for the Club at Gateway's place in connecting the Denton community," said Young Hoon Kim, interim chair of UNT's Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management. "None of that would be possible, however, without the dedication of our students, as well as the faculty that support them, to bringing this dining locale to life."

The "Best of" award comes months after CEOWORLD Magazine named UNT's hospitality program among the top 50 globally, with a 31st-place ranking.

The Club at Gateway Center provides students enrolled in the hospitality program with real-world, hands-on experience running a successful restaurant, while also serving patrons with gourmet, three-course meals. Students oversee the entire dining experience, including meal preparation, marketing, budgeting, menu planning, and staff management. The restaurant is open for weekday luncheons for a limited time in the fall and spring semesters, and each season also features a culinary great during Guest Chef Day. This past 2015-16 academic year was one of the most successful in the restaurant's history, with 3,500 guests dining at the Club at Gateway Center.

The fall 2016 dining season begins Oct. 3 (Monday). Details are online.