The judges have ruled: Downtown New London restaurant Dev's on Bank Street has won this year's Food Stroll Culinary Excellence Competition.

And it wasn't easy. The competition included nearly two dozen restaurants that were touting their culinary specialties during this past week's Spring Food Stroll, hosted by the New London Main Street organization, which featured the delicacies offered by local restaurants and specialty shops.

The downtown restaurants were judged by Jack Chairo, Peter Cooper and Frank Terranova, who are chef instructors with Johnson & Wales University in Providence, which specializes in the hospitality and culinary arts fields.

New London Main Street organizers said this year's restaurants were judged in four categories for their food offerings: appearance, texture, taste and originality. Dev's on Bank, a popular spot at 345 Bank St. in New London, received top honors for its Red Dragon Noodle Bowl, according to food stroll organizers.

Other winners in the food competition during the food stroll included the Jasmine Thai Restaurant & Sushi Bar, located at 470 Bank St., which garnered a second place award of excellence. The Zavala Authentic Mexican Restaurant at 2 State St. in New London won the third place award of excellence.

The food judges also bestowed a special "judges award" this year to several restaurants for their offerings during the May 12 downtown food stroll. Winners were Gourmet Galley Catering of Quaker Hill and the Passion Coffee House & Restaurant at 45 Bank St., New London.

The judges gave their "best dessert" award to Daniel's Dairy at 60 Bank St. and also bestowed a Johnson & Wales "Special Chef Award" to the New London Fire Department for its firehouse chili and its community involvement.

The New London Main Street organization, which is a downtown advocacy group, holds its food strolls twice yearly, in the fall and in the spring. The stroll is sponsored by the Dime Bank; Pfizer Inc.; the City of New London; Citizens Bank; The Day Publishing Co.; the Buscetto Family and Friends Fund; Cross Sound Ferry; Block Island Express; New London Harbour Towers; Morgan Stanley; the Savings Institute Bank & Trust Co. and Hall Radio.