It’s been amazing stepping back inside restaurants and bars post-pandemic. From those first, tentative socially distanced steps to the current slightly strained normality in these difficult economic times.
Still the sheer joy of shared conviviality fuels my renewed enthusiasm for the Manchester Food and Drink Awards (here’s my preview). As a veteran judge, helping to assemble the 2022 shortlists just announced, that sense of responsibility returned but also admiration for the quality of contenders – 113 nominees across 16 award categories and so many worthy indie heroes who just missed the cut.
A special word of praise for a new arrival, the Great Service Award. There’s no hiding from front of house shortages, so a public vote celebrating the heroes who keep the hospitality wheels rolling couldn’t be more important.
The Manchester Food and Drink Festival, celebrating its 25th anniversary, is all about post-COVID recovery and it seems appropriate to continue to give the public a greater say in who wins its coveted Awards. 10 categories will be judged entirely by your vote. Here’s the MFDF voting link.
The winners of four more, Restaurant of the Year, Chef of the Year, Best Newcomer and Bar of the Year, will be chosen by a combination of a ‘mystery shopping panel’ selected from MFDF judges with a measure of public input. Independent Food Producer and Independent Drinks Producer will be judged by a panel taste test.
All the shortlists have been compiled by the MFDF judging panel, consisting of the region’s leading food and drink critics, writers and experts. Businesses were able to self-nominate for their chance to gain a spot on the shortlist and the categories have been carefully considered and curated with an absolute passion for the city’s industry at their heart.
This year’s MFDF Awards are sponsored for the first time by Bruntwood. The closing date for votes is September 16.
The 2022 Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards nominations:
PLANT BASED OFFERING OF THE YEAR
Four Side Pizza 559 Wilbraham Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, M21 0AE
Herbivorous Unit 7, Hatch, 103 Oxford Road, M1 7ED
Otto Vegan Empire 26A Bramhall Lane South, Bramhall, Stockport, SK7 1AF
Ruyi 101 Manchester Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, M21 9GA
Sanskruti 93-95 Mauldeth Road, Manchester M14 6SR
The Walled Garden Whalley Range
Wholesome Junkies Unit 4 Mirabel Street, Manchester, M3 1PJ
INDEPENDENT DRINKS PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Bundobust Brewery St James’ Building, 61-69 Oxford Street, Manchester M1 6EQ
Cloudwater 7-8 Piccadilly Trading Estate, Manchester, M1 2NP
Hip Pop Manor House Farm, Station Road, Dunham Massey, Altrincham, WA14 5SG
Stockport Gin 19B St Peters Gate, Stockport, SK1 1EB
Steep Soda 73 Temperance Street, Manchester, M12 6HU
Track Brewing Unit 18, Piccadilly Trading Estate, Manchester, M1 2NP
INDEPENDENT FOOD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Dormouse Chocolates Unit O, Deansgate Mews, Manchester M3 4EN
Great North Pie Co Market House, Altrincham, WA15 1SA
Holy Grain 253 Deansgate Great Northern Mews, Manchester M3 4EN
La Chouquette 812a Wilmslow Road, Didsbury, Manchester M20 6UH
Long Boi’s Bakehouse 40 Forest Range, Levenshulme Manchester M19 2HP
Yellowhammer 15 Lower Hillgate, Stockport SK1 1JQ
FOODIE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE YEAR
Ancoats, Chapel Street Salford, Monton, Prestwich, Ramsbottom, Sale, Stockport
COFFEE SHOP OF THE YEAR
Cafe Sanjuan 27 St Petersgate, Manchester, SK1 1EB
Factory Coffee 38 King street West, Manchester, M3 2WZ
Grind and Tamp 45 Bridge Street, Ramsbottom, Bury, BL0 9AD
Grapefruit 2 School Road, Sale, M33 7XY
Just Between Friends 56 Tib Street, Manchester, M4 1LG
Station South 975-977 Stockport Road, M19 3NP
Pollen Cotton Field Wharf, 8 New Union Street, Manchester, M4 6FQ
FOOD TRADER OF THE YEAR
Burgerism 18 West Ashton Street, Salford, M50 2XS
House of Habesha Stretford Foodhall, Chester Road, M32 9BD
Little Lanka 238 South Wellington Road South, Stockport, SK2 SNW
Lovingly Artisan Altrincham Market, Greenwood Street, Altrincham, WA14 1PF
Mira Ancoats General Store, 57 Great Ancoats Street, Manchester, M4 5AB
New Wave Ramen Mackie Mayor, 1 Eagle Street, Manchester, M4 5BU
Pico’s Tacos Mackie Mayor, 1 Eagle Street, Manchester, M4 5BU
AFFORDABLE EATS VENUE OF THE YEAR
Aunty Ji’s 987 Stockport Road, Manchester, M19 2SY
Bahn Mi Co Ba 87 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 6EG
Cafe Sanjuan 27 St Petersgate, Manchester, SK1 1EB
Levenshulme Bakery842 Stockport Road, Levenshulme, Manchester, M19 3AW
Go Falafel 3 Newton Street, Manchester, M1 1HW
Mama Flo’s314 Buxton Road, Stockport, SK2 7DD
Salt & Pepper MCR Black Dog Ballroom, 52 Church Street, Manchester M4 1PW
POP UP OR PROJECT OF THE YEAR
Platt Fields Market Garden Platt Fields Park, Fallowfield, Manchester, M14 6LT
Sao Paulo 51 Blossom Street, Ancoats, Manchester, M4 6BF
Eat Well Spring Festival Platt Fields Market Garden, Fallowfield, Manchester, M14 6LT
Bungalow at Kampus Aytoun Street, Manchester M1 3GL
PUB OR BEER BAR OF THE YEAR
Bridge Beers 55 Melbourne Street, Staylbridge, SK15 2JJ
Heaton Hops 7 School Lane, Stockport, SK4 5DE
House of Hops 1 Pendlebury Road, Swinton, Manchester, M27 4AG
The Kings Arms 11 Bloom Street, Salford, M3 6AN
Nordie 1044 Stockport Rd, Manchester M19 3WX
Track Taproom Unit 18 Piccadilly Trading Estate, Manchester, M1 2NP
Station Hop 815 Levenshulme Road, Manchester, M19 3BS
BAR OF THE YEAR
Blinker Bar 64-72 Spring Gardens, Manchester, M2 2BQ
Flawd 9 Keepers Quay, Manchester, M4 6GL
Henry C 107 Manchester Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, M21 9GA
Ramona 40 Swan Street, Manchester, M4 5JG
Schofield’s Bar Sunlight House, 3 Little Quay Street, Manchester, M3 3JZ
Speak in Code 7 Jackson’s Row, Manchester, M2 5ND
10 Tib Lane Tib Lane, Manchester, M2 4JB
NEIGHBOURHOOD VENUE OF THE YEAR
Baratuxi1 Smithy Street, Ramsbottom, Bury, BL0 9AT
Bar San Juan 56 Beech Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, M21 9EG
The Easy Fish Co 117 Heaton Moor Road, Heaton Moor, SK4 4HY
Nilas Burmese Kitchen 386 Third Avenue, Trafford Park, Stretford, Manchester, M17 1JE
Ornellas Kitchen 10 Manchester Road, Denton, Manchester, M34 3LE
Osma 132 Bury New Road, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 0AA
The Perfect Match 103 Cross Street, Sale, M33 7JN
FOOD AND DRINK RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Ad Hoc 28 Edge St, Manchester, M4 1HN
Chorlton Cheesemongers 486 Wilbraham Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, M21 9AS
Hello Oriental Unit 3B South Pavilion 2 Symphony Park, Manchester, M1 7FS
Coopers Lets Fress Deli 70 Bury Old Road, Whitefield, Prestwich, M45 6TL
Le Social Container 147, Pollard Yard, 15 Pollard Street E, Manchester M40 7SL
Out of the Blue 484 Wilbraham Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, M21 9AS
Wandering Palate 191 Monton Road, Eccles, Manchester, M30 9PN
GREAT SERVICE AWARD
Sponsored by Manchester Evening News
Bull & Bear 4 Norfolk Street, Manchester, M2 1DW
Dishoom 32 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 3BT
Hawksmoor 184-186, Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3WB
Flawd 9 Keepers Quay, Manchester, M4 6GL
Schofield’s Bar 3 Little Quay Street Sunlight House, Manchester, M3 3JZ
Speak in Code 7 Jackson’s Row, Manchester, M2 5ND
10 Tib Lane Tib Lane, Manchester, M2 4JB
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Bruntwood
Another Hand Unit F, 253 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4EN
The Alan 18 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 4LG
The Black Friar 41-43 Blackfriars Road, Manchester, M3 7DB
Bundobust Brewery St James’ Building, 61-69 Oxford Street, Manchester M1 6EQ
Flawd 9 Keepers Quay, Manchester, M4 6GL
Yellowhammer 15 Lower Hillgate, Stockport, SK1 1JQ
10 Tib Lane Tib Lane, Manchester, M2 4JB
CHEF OF THE YEAR
Caroline Martins Sao Paulo Project, Blossom Street Social, 51 Blossom St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6AJ
Eddie Shepherd The Walled Garden, Whalley Range
Joseph Otway Flawd, 9 Keepers Quay, Manchester, M4 6GL
Sam Buckley Where the Light Gets In 7 Rostron Brow, Stockport SK1 1JY
Patrick Withington Erst, 9 Murray Street, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6HS
Adam Reid The French, The Midland Hotel, 16 Peter Street, Manchester M60 2DS
Julian Pizer Another Hand, Unit F, 253 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4EN
RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Stephenson’s
10 Tib Lane Tib Lane, Manchester, M2 4JB
Erst 9 Murray Street, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6HS
The Sparrows 16 Red Bank, Cheetham Hill, Manchester M4 4HF
Another Hand Unit F, 253 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4EN
Mana 42 Blossom Street, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6BF
Where the Light Gets In 7 Rostron Brow, Stockport SK1 1JY
The Firehouse 40 Swan Street, Manchester M4 5JG