The Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards (MFDF) are an annual staple in the gastronomic calendar, highlighting the best food and drink establishments across Greater Manchester. This year’s winners have now been revealed, and the categories are jam packed with the region’s stand out food and drink business and individuals who have brought so much to the industry during the past 12 months.
The Awards are the most prestigious in the North West and celebrate the region’s outstanding hospitality talent, with winners having been revealed at the MFDF Gala Dinner at New Century on Monday (29 January).
There were 114 exceptional venues, traders, places and people nominated across 18 categories celebrating another phenomenal year for Greater Manchester’s hospitality industry as the sector continues to go from strength to strength.
The the winners were picked from the shortlisted nominations, compiled by the MFDF Judging Panel, taking into account award submissions from the hospitality industry. The panel is made up of the region’s leading food and drink critics, writers, and experts. The awards are now open to public vote on the MFDF website.
A mystery shopping period determined the eventual winners alongside a public vote.
Alexa Stratton-Powell, Festival Director of Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards said: “We’re delighted to announce the winners of the 2023 MFDF Awards. Times are more challenging than ever for the hospitality industry, which has made it all the more important to champion our fantastic nominees and winners tonight.
“Shining a light on the city’s incredible independent restaurants, bars, cafes and everything in between is what the awards are all about and we’ve loved bringing everyone together to celebrate. We’d like to thank the MFDF judges and presenters, the sponsors of the awards, everyone who voted and New Century for hosting a night to remember.”
Check out all of the winners of the Manchester Food & Drink Festival Awards.
1. Plant Based Offering of the Year: Bundobust
Shortlisted:
Lily’s Indian Vegetarian Cuisine
The Walled Gardens (Whalley Range)
Maray
Speak in Code
The Mekong Cat (Stockport)
2. Takeaway of the Year: Burgerism (Salford)
Shortlisted:
Fat Pat’s
Ad Maoira
Unagi Street Food & Sushi
Wright’s Fish and Chips
Maida Grill House (Salford)
Al Madina
3. Independent Drink Producer of the Year: Track Brewing Co.
Shortlisted:
Sureshot Brewing
Stockport Gin
Cloudwater Brew Co
Tarsier Spirit (Stockport)
Pod Pea Vodka (Irlam)
Manchester Union Brewery
Squawk Brewing Co
4. Independent Food Producer of the Year: Pollen
Shortlisted:
La Chouquette (Didsbury)
Yellowhammer (Stockport)
The Manchester Smoke House
The Flat Baker
Companio Bakery
5. Foodie Neighbourhood of the Year: Stockport
Shortlisted:
Urmston
Monton
Sale
Stretford
6. Coffee Shop of the Year: Grapefruit Coffee (Sale)
Shortlisted:
Cafe Sanjuan (Stockport)
Idle Hands Coffee
Smoak (Chorlton)
Ancoats Coffee Co
Siop Shop
7. Food Trader of the Year: Fat Pat’s
Shortlisted:
Baratxuri (Exhibition)
Chaat Cart (Society)
Triple B (Prestwich)
Tawny Stores (Yellowhammer)
Little Sri Lanken (Reddish)
Pico’s Taco’s (Mackie Mayor)
Oh Mei Dumplings
8. Affordable Eats Venue of the Year: Ornella’s Kitchen (Denton)
Shortlisted:
Nila’s Burmese Kitchen (Trafford Park)
Great North Pie Co
Cafe Sanjuan (Stockport)
Noodle Alley
Tokyo Ramen
House of Habesha (MediaCity)
9. Food and Drink Retailer of the Year: Cork of the North (Stockport)
Shortlisted:
Ad Hoc Wines
Out of the Blue Fishmongers (Chorlton)
Littlewoods Butcher (Heaton Chapel)
Wandering Palate (Eccles)
New Market Dairy (Altrincham)
Petit Paris Deli
La Chouquette
10. Pop Up or Project of the Year: Platt Fields Market Garden
Shortlisted:
Our Place
Tawny Stores (Yellowhammer)
SAMPA (Blossom Street Social)
Little Sri Lankan (Reddish)
Suppher
Fare Share (Openshaw)
Micky’s (PLY)
11. Pub or Beer Bar of the Year: The Marble Arch
Shortlisted:
Track Brewery Taproom
The City Arms
Runaway Brewery Taproom (Stockport)
Fox & Pine (Oldham)
Reddish Ale
Station Hop (Levenshulme)
Heaton Hops (Stockport)
12. Bar of the Year: Schofield’s Bar
Shortlisted:
The Jane Eyre
Blinker
Sterling Bar
10 Tib Lane
Flawd Wine
13. Neighbourhood Venue of the Year: Stretford Canteen
Shortlisted:
Restaurant Örme (Urmston)
OSMA (Prestwich)
Ornella’s Kitchen (Denton)
The Oystercatcher (Chorlton)
Yellowhammer (Stockport)
Fold Bistro & Bottle Shop (Marple Bridge)
The Jane Eyre (Chorlton)
14. Great Service Award: Hawksmoor
Shortlisted:
Schofield’s Bar
Where The Light Gets In (Stockport)
Sterling Bar
Tast Catala
15. Newcomer of the Year: Higher Ground
Shortlisted:
Climat
Restaurant Örme (Urmston)
Fold Bistro & Bottle Shop (Marple Bridge)
The Jane Eyre (Chorlton)
Madre
New Century Kitchen
Stretford Canteen
16. Chef of the Year: Shaun Moffat (The Edinburgh Castle Pub)
Shortlisted:
Joseph Otway (Higher Ground)
Danielle Heron (OSMA)
Luke Richardson (Climat)
Julian Pizer (Another hand)
Patrick Withington (Erst)
Seri Nam (Flawd Wine)
Mike Shaw (MUSU)
17. Restaurant of the Year: Erst
Shortlisted:
Higher Ground
Climat
Another Hand
10 Tib Lane
OSMA (Prestwich)
mana
18. The Howard and Ruth Award for Outstanding Achievement: James Campbell, Sureshot Brewery
Recognising people who have contributed something outstanding to the hospitality industry in Greater Manchester.
James has over two decades of experience in the industry, beginning his journey in Manchester with pioneers of the scene Marble, where he was head brewer for eight years. Then as co-founder and head brewer, he launched the high profile Cloudwater, before constructing brewhouses for the likes of Verdant, Deya, and Bundobust. Now, post-pandemic, he is owner of the acclaimed brewery, Sureshot.