Much has been made of the North’s dominance in the National Restaurant Awards announced this week with four out of the five best establishments up here and 16 in the top 40. Manchester only contributed two, both in Ancoats – Mana at number 11 and Erst, just along Murray Street, at 47.
A truer reflection of the city’s strength in depth came hot on the heels of that national Top 100 when the shortlist for the Manchester Food and Drink Awards 2021 was announced. A record 113 nominees will contest the 15 categories, all the winners to be chosen entirely by the public for the first time in the MFDF’s 24 year history.
It is a matter of expediency, post-Pandemic logistics meaning the normal ‘mystery shopping’ by the judging panel is impracticable. The Manchester Food and Drink Festival , sponsored by Just Eat, kicks off on September 16 and the Awards will be presented at the Ticket Hall at Escape to Freight Island (pictured above) on Monday, September 27.
As a senior MFDF judge my personal wish is for normal service to be resumed in 2022, but this fresh formula of the public picking their favourites from shortlists drawn up by the judges is an interesting litmus test. Ideally it will reflect the increased foodie sophistication of the city and its satellites alongside pride in the hospitality culture that has survived a torrid 18 months. One new category likely to be hotly contested is ‘Best Foodie Neighbourhood’.
You can vote for each Award via the MFDF website or app. The app can be downloaded on the App Store here and Google Play here. The closing date for votes is 11.59pm on Monday, September 20. Fancy a ticket for the Awards presentation dinner itself? Tickets are on sale here.
Here are the 2021 Manchester Food and Drink Awards Nominations:
RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Adam Reid at The French, 16 Peter St, Manchester M60 2DS
Baratxuri, 1 Smithy St, Ramsbottom, Bury BL0 9AT
Erst, 9 Murray St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6HS
Hawksmoor, 184, 186 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3WB
Mana, 42 Blossom St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6BF
The Spärrows, 16 Red Bank, Cheetham Hill, Manchester M4 4HF
Street Urchin, 72 Great Ancoats St, Manchester M4 5BG
Where The Light Gets In, 7 Rostron Brow, Stockport SK1 1JY
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR sponsored by Manchester Evening News
District, 60 Oldham St, Manchester M4 1LE
Open Kitchen MCR, People’s History Museum, Left Bank, Manchester M3 3ER
Osma, 132 Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 0AA
Pho Cue Vietnamese Kitchen, 52a Faulkner St, Manchester M1 4FH
Ramona, 40 Swan St, Manchester M4 5JG
Schofield’s Bar, 3 Little Quay Street Sunlight House, Manchester M3 3JZ
Society, Basement, 100 Barbirolli Square, Manchester M2 3BD
The Moor, 27 Shaw Rd, Stockport SK4 4A
BAR OF THE YEAR
Albert’s Schloss, 27 Peter St, Manchester M2 5QR
Henry C, 107 Manchester Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9GA
Kiosk, Lapwing Ln, West Didsbury, Manchester M20 6UT
Schofield’s Bar, 3 Little Quay Street Sunlight House, Manchester M3 3JZ
Speak in Code, 7 Jackson’s Row, Manchester M2 5ND
The Blues Kitchen, 13 Quay St, Manchester M3 3HN
The Jane Eyre, Ancoats, 14 Hood St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6WX
Three Little Words, 12-13 Watson St, Manchester M3 4LP
CHEF OF THE YEAR
Adam Reid (The French), 16 Peter St, Manchester M60 2DS
Eddie Shepherd (The Walled Garden), The Pavilion, Byrom St, Manchester M3 3HG
Mary-Ellen McTague (The Creameries), 406 Wilbraham Rd, Manchester M21 0SD
Patrick Withington (Erst), 9 Murray St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6HS
Rachel Stockley (Baratxuri), 1 Smithy St, Ramsbottom, Bury BL0 9AT
Sam Buckley (WTLGI), 7 Rostron Brow, Stockport SK1 1JY
Simon Martin (Mana), 42 Blossom St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6BF
Terry Huang (Umezushi Omkase), Unit 4 Mirabel St, Manchester M3 1PJ
PUB OR BEER BAR OF THE YEAR
Beatnikz Republic, 35 Dale St, Manchester M1 2HF
Cob and Coal, Tommyfield Market Hall, Albion St, Oldham OL1 3BG
Edinburgh Castle, 17-19 Blossom St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 5AW
Heaton Hops, 7 School Ln, Stockport SK4 5DE
Nordie, 1044 Stockport Rd, Manchester M19 3WX
Reasons To Be Cheerful, 228 Fog Ln, Manchester M20 6EL
Society, Basement, 100 Barbirolli Square, Manchester M2 3BD
Stalybridge Buffet Bar, Platform 4, Stalybridge Railway Station, Rassbottom St, Stalybridge SK15 1RF
ARTISAN FOOD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Companio Bakery, 35 Radium St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6AD
Gooey, Ducie Street Warehouse, Manchester M1 2TP
Holy Grain Sourdough, 253 Deansgate Great Northern Mews, Manchester M3 4EN
Just Natas, Manchester Arndale, Manchester M4 3AD
Lily’s Deli, 102 Manchester Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9SZ
Manchester Smokehouse, 18 Lloyd St, Manchester M2 5WA
Pollen Bakery, Cotton Field Wharf, 8 New Union St, Manchester M4 6FQ
POP UP/PROJECT OF THE YEAR
Escape to Freight Island, 11 Baring St, Manchester M1 2PZ
Grub, 50 Red Bank, Cheetham Hill, Manchester M4 4HF
Homeground, Medlock St, Manchester M15 4AA
Kampus Summer Guest Events, Aytoun St, Manchester M1 3DA
Platt Fields Market, Platt Fields Market Garden Platt Fields Park, Fallowfield, Manchester M14 6LT
One Central, Charis House, 1 Central Way, Altrincham WA14 1SB
MIF Festival Kitchen Takeovers
NEIGHBOURHOOD VENUE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Roomzzz Aparthotels
Bar San Juan, 56 Beech Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9EG
Levanter, 10 Square St, Ramsbottom, Bury BL0 9BE
Erst, 9 Murray St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6HS
Fisherman’s Table, 103 Church Ln, Marple, Stockport SK6 7AR
Lily’s, 85 Oldham Rd, Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 7DF
Porta, Salford, 216 Chapel St, Salford M3 6BY
Oystercatcher, 123 Manchester Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9PG
Stretford Foodhall, 123 Manchester Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9PG
FOOD TRADER OF THE YEAR
Abeja, Oxford Rd, Manchester M1 7ED
Gooey, Ducie Street Warehouse, Manchester M1 2TP
Wholesome Junkies, 49 High St, Manchester M4 3AH
AFFORDABLE EATS OF THE YEAR sponsored by Just Eat
Abeja, Oxford Rd, Manchester M1 7ED
Chapati Café, 496B Wilbraham Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9AS
Ca Phe Viet, 80-86 Oldham Rd, Ancoats, Greater, Manchester M4 5EB
Little Yeti, 495 Barlow Moor Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 8AG
Lily’s, 85 Oldham Rd, Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 7DF
Mi and Pho, 384 Palatine Rd, Northenden, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 4F
COFFEE SHOP OF THE YEAR
Another Heart to Feed, Northern Quarter, 10 Hilton St, Manchester M1 1JF
Ancoat’s Coffee, 9, Royal Mill, 17 Redhill St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 5BA
Ezra & Gil, 20 Hilton St, Manchester M1 1FR
Federal, Northern Quarter, 9 Nicholas Croft, Manchester M4 1EY
Grindsmith, 62 Bridge St, Manchester M3 3BW
Grapefruit, 2 School Rd, Sale M33 7XY
Just Between Friends, 56 Tib St, Manchester M4 1LG
Pollen Bakery, Cotton Field Wharf, 8 New Union St, Manchester M4 6FQ
Platt Fields Market Garden, Platt Fields Park, Fallowfield, Manchester M14 6LT
Rudy’s Pizza, 9 Cotton St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 5BF / Petersfield House, Peter St, Manchester M2 5QJ
FOODIE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE YEAR
Altrincham
Heaton Moor
Prestwich
Ramsbottom
Sale
Stockport
Stretford
Urmston
VEGETARIAN/VEGAN OFFERING OF THE YEAR
Bundobust, 61 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 2AG
Eddie Shephard (Walled Garden), 17 Alness Rd, Whalley Range, Manchester M16 8SP
Four Side Pizza, 16-20 Turner St, Manchester M4 1BB
Herbivorous, Unit 16, Hatch, 103 Oxford Rd, Manchester M1 7ED
Lily’s, 85 Oldham Rd, Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 7DF
Sanskruti, 93-95 Mauldeth Rd, Manchester M14 6SR
Wholesome Junkies, 49 High St, Manchester M4 3AH
Vertigo, Unit 9, 11 Jack Rosenthal St, Manchester M15 4RA / Unit 2, Bridge House, Salford M50 2BH / 18 Cross St, Manchester M2 7AE
INDEPENDENT FOOD RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Bundobust, 61 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 2AG
Cloudwater Brewery, Units 12—13, Piccadilly Trading Estate, Manchester M1 2NP
Diablesse, 396 Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M20 3B
Hip Pop (Formerly Booch & Brew), Manor House Farm, Station Rd, Dunham Massey, Altrincham WA14 5SG
Manchester Gin, 10-15 Watson St, Manchester M3 4LP
Northern Monk, 10 Tariff St, Manchester M1 2FF
Pomona Island Beer Brew Co Ltd, Daniel Adamson Rd, Salford M50
Steep Soda Co, 73 Temperance St, Manchester M12 6HU
FOOD AND DRINK RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Ancoats General Store, 57 Great Ancoats Street, Manchester M4 5AB
The Butcher’s Quarter, 66 Tib St, Manchester M4 1LG
Bernie’s Grocery Store, 3 Hawthorn Grove, Heaton Moor, Stockport SK4 4HZ
Grape to Grain, 1 Church Ln, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1AN
Isca Wines, 825 Stockport Rd, Levenshulme, Manchester M19 3PN
Out of the Blue, 484 Wilbraham Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9AS
Unicorn Grocery, 89 Albany Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 0BN
Wandering Palate, 191 Monton Rd, Eccles, Manchester M30 9PN
For more information about the Manchester Food and Drink Festival, visit http://foodanddrinkfestival.com/ and follow them on Twitter @McrFoodFest and Instagram @mcrfoodfest