18 awards were dished out this year, but who won what?
The winners of the 22nd Manchester Food and Drink Festival (MFDF) Awards have been announced at the prestigious MFDF Gala Dinner held at Gorton Monastery.
The annual awards celebrate the best local restaurants, bars, street food pop ups, coffee shops and individuals who ensure that Manchester’s Food and Drink scene remains one of the most prolific in the UK.
Geographically, Ancoats was the overall winner with a number of businesses based there, coming out trumps
There were 18 awards up for grabs this year including two brand new categories: Artisan DrinksProducer of the Year and Vegan Offering of the Year. The first award recognises the rise in innovative and exciting independent drinks producers starting up in the region and the Vegan Offering award replaces MFDF’s previous Vegetarian Award to reflect Manchester’s commitment to the plant-based eating scene. The urban food festival even held a one day vegan takeover during its 11-day run.
The fabulous @ChefTomKerridge welcoming guests to his first sold out #sundaylunch in the Dining Dome at Cathedral Gardens #mfdf19 🥂👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/kRMR2OmGFx
— McrFood&DrinkFest (@MFDF19) October 6, 2019
The 2019 Festival saw over 65,000 people visit the Festival Hub’s new location of Cathedral Gardens. The UK’s largest urban celebration of culinary culture saw the likes of Tom Kerridge, Sam Buckley (WTLGI), Simon Shaw (El Gato Negro) and Rachel Stockley (Baratxuri) create their signature dishes in front of a live audience in the Dining Dome as well as at events across the region.
The awards shortlist was decided on by the MFDF judging panel made up of the region's leading food and drink experts. The nominations for each category were posted on the MFDF website, where the public voted for their favourite and those votes were combined with scores from the judging panel obtained via mystery shop visits.
There were a number of local celebrity presenters giving out the gongs including actor and jazz singer Victoria Ekanoye, also known as Coronation Street’s accountant Angie Appleton.The Sustainability award was presented by Sair Khan, who joined the cast of Coronation Street in June 2014, recently seen swapping the cobbles for the jungle in I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. Bar of the Year was presented by acclaimed actor/writer, Ian Puleston-Davies, currently appearing in ITV drama Confession and also starring in Warner Bros latest smash hit TV series Pennyworth.
The biggest winner of the evening by far was fine dining restaurant Mana in Ancoats, which picked up an award for all but one of the categories it was shortlisted in - after scooping Manchester’s first Michelin star for over 40 years (read Champagne Supernova - corks pop for long awaited Michelin star success in Manchester.) It scooped up prizes for best newcomer, premium fine dining restaurant, restaurant of the year and chef of the year for Simon Martin. Mana only lost out in the front of house category, which was awarded to Hawksmoor.
Geographically, Ancoats was the overall winner, with a number of businesses based there coming up trumps: along with Mana, Pollen won best coffee shop and Jane Eyre won best bar.
See below for the full list of all 18 Manchester Food and Drink Festival award winners:
VEGAN OFFERING OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY R NOONE AND SON
THE SHORTLIST
Bundobust
61 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 2AG
Amma’s Canteen
285 Barlow Moor Rd, Manchester M21 7GH
Dishoom
32 Bridge St, Manchester M3 3BT
Evelyn’s Café Bar
4 Tib St, Manchester M4 1NB
Foodwell
Suite 2, Ground Floor, One New Bailey, Stanley St, Salford M3 5JL
Plant Powered Sundays at GRUB
Mayfield Gatehouse, Baring St, M1 2AD
THE WINNER: Amma’s Canteen
Last year’s winner (of Vegetarian Offering of the Year) – Lily’s
FOODIE EVENT OR PROJECT OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY TASTE OF MANCHESTER
THE SHORTLIST
Auction Against Hunger
Upper Campfield Market Hall, Barton Street, Manchester M3 4NN
Grub
Mayfield Depot, Baring St, Manchester, M1 2PZ
Indy Man Beer Con
Victoria Baths Hathersage Road, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, M13 0FE
Festa Italiana
Cathedral Gardens, Manchester
Stockport Foodie Friday
Stockport Market Place, Stockport
SURPLUS! @ Beer Nouveau
75 N Western Street, Manchester, M12 6DY
THE WINNER: Grub
Last year’s winner – Hatch
FOOD AND DRINK RETAILER OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY LAMB AND WATT
THE SHORTLIST
Lunya
Barton Arcade, Deansgate, Manchester M3 2BB
HM Pasties
395 Manchester Rd, Droylsden, Manchester M43 6QF
Out of the Blue
484 Wilbraham Rd, Manchester M21 9AS
Unicorn Grocery
89 Albany Road, Chorlton, M21 0BN
Taste IT
69 Blackfriars Rd, Salford M3 7DB
Wong Wong Bakery & Café, Ground Floor,32 Princess Street,Manchester,M1 4LB
THE WINNER: Unicorn Grocery
Last year’s winner – Pollen Bakery
ARTISAN DRINKS PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
THE SHORTLIST
Beatnikz Republic Brewing Co
15 Red Bank, Manchester M4 4HF
Diablesse Rum
Farman & Son, LTD, 8 Cranbourne Road, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 8AP
Manchester Union Brewery Limited
96D North Western Street, Ardwick, Manchester, M12 6JL
Manchester Gin
15 Watson Street, Manchester, M3 4LP
Steep Soda
73 Temperance St, Manchester M12 6HU
Track Brewing Co
Unit 5 Sheffield St, Manchester M1 2ND
THE WINNER: Manchester Gin
AFFORDABLE EATS VENUE OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY ROOMZZZ
THE SHORTLIST
Bundobust
61 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 2AG
Rudy’s Pizza
Petersfield House, Manchester, M2 5QJ
Lily’s Indian Vegetarian Cuisine
85 Oldham Road, Ashton Under Lyne, OL6 7DY
Siop Shop
53 Tib St, Manchester M4 1LS
The Spärrows
Unit 3 Mirabel Street, Manchester, M3 1PJ
YES
38 Charles St, Manchester M1 7DB
THE WINNER: Rudy’s Pizza
Last year’s winner – Mi and Pho
COFFEE SHOP OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY GORTON MONASTERY
THE SHORTLIST
Ezra and Gil
20 Hilton St, Manchester M1 1FR
Federal Café Bar
9 Nicholas Croft, Northern Quarter, Manchester, M4 1EY
Siop Shop
53 Tib St, Manchester M4 1LS
Pollen Bakery
Cotton Field Wharf, 8 New Union St, Manchester M4 6FQ
Trove
5 Murray Street, Ancoats, Manchester, M4 6HS
THE WINNER: Pollen Bakery
Last year’s winner – Pot Kettle Black
FRONT OF HOUSE TEAM SPONSORED BY BOUTINOT WINES
THE SHORTLIST
Adam Reid at The French
16 Peter St, Manchester M60 2DS
Dishoom
32 Bridge St, Manchester M3 3BT
Hawksmoor
184-186 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3WB
erst.
9 Murray St, Manchester M4 5BN
Mana
42 Blossom St, Manchester M4 6BF
Tast
20-22 King St, Manchester
THE WINNER: Hawksmoor
Last year’s winner – 20 Stories
NEIGHBOURHOOD RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY BETTAVEG
THE SHORTLIST
Baratxuri
1 Smithy St, Ramsbottom, Bury BL0 9AT
Porta Tapas
216 Chapel Street, Salford, Manchester, M3 6BY
Lily’s Indian Vegetarian Cuisine
85 Oldham Road, Ashton Under Lyne, OL6 7DY
The Creameries
406 Wilbraham Rd, Manchester M21 0SD
The Fisherman’s Table
103 Church Ln, Marple, Stockport SK6 7AR
The Oystercatcher
123 Manchester Rd, Manchester M21 9PG
THE WINNER: Lily’s Indian Vegetarian Cuisine
Last year’s winner –Where The Light Gets In
BAR OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY JJ WHITLEY
THE SHORTLIST
Cocktail Beer Ramen + Bun
101-103 Oldham St, Manchester M4 1LW
Hawksmoor
184-186 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3WB
Henry C
107 Manchester Rd, Manchester M21 9GA
The Jane Eyre
14 Hood St, Manchester M4 6WX
Speak In Code
Jackson's Row, Manchester M2 5ND
YES
38 Charles St, Manchester M1 7DB
THE WINNER: The Jane Eyre
Last year’s winner – Science and Industry
PUB/CRAFT ALE BAR OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY CAMDEN TOWN BREWERY
THE SHORTLIST
Bunbury’s
393 Chorley Old Rd, Bolton BL1 6AH
Cask
Cottonfield Wharf, 2 New Union St, New Islington Marina, Ancoats, M46FQ
ReasonsTo Be Cheerful Café and Real Ale Bar
228 Fog Lane, Manchester, United Kingdom
Sandbar
120 Grosvenor St, Manchester M1 7H
The Flying Horse Hotel
37 Packer St, Rochdale OL16 1NJ
The Magnet
51 Wellington Rd N, Stockport SK4 1HJ
THE WINNER: Sandbar
Last year’s winner – Port Street Beer House
CHEF OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY STEPHENSONS
THE SHORTLIST
Sam Buckley
Where The Lights Get In, 7 Rostron Brow, Stockport SK1 1JY
Aiden Byrne
Restaurant MCR, 18 – 22 Bridge Street, Spinningfields, Manchester
Simon Martin
Mana, 42 Blossom St, Manchester M4 6BF
Adam Reid
Adam Reid at The French, 16 Peter St, Manchester M60 2DS
Omar Rodriguez Marrero
Umezushi 4, Mirabel St, Manchester M3 1PJ
Miquel Villacrosa
Tast Catala 20-22 King St, Manchester M2 6AG
THE WINNER: Simon Martin
Last year’s winner – Rachel Stockley
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS
THE SHORTLIST
Dishoom
32 Bridge St, Manchester M3 3BT
erst.
9 Murray St, Manchester M4 5BN
Mana
42 Blossom St, Manchester M4 6BF
Kala Bistro
55 King St, Manchester M2 4LQ
Tast
20-22 King St, Manchester M2 6AG
The Fisherman’s Table
103 Church Ln, Marple, Stockport SK6 7AR
THE WINNER: Mana
Last year’s winner –The Creameries
CASUAL RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY MANCHESTER CONFIDENTIAL
THE SHORTLIST
Bundobust
61 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 2AG
Canto
Cutting Room Square, Blossom St, Manchester M4 5DH
Cocktail Beer Ramen + Bun
101-103 Oldham St, Manchester M4 1LW
Sugo Pasta Kitchen
Blossom St, Manchester M4 6BA
Dishoom
32 Bridge St, Manchester M3 3BT
Rudy’s Pizza
Petersfield House, Manchester, M2 5QJ
THE WINNER: Sugo Pasta Kitchen
Last year’s winner – Levanter Fine Foods
PREMIUM AND FINE DINING RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY BOOKATABLE
THE SHORTLIST
Hawksmoor
184-186 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3WB
Restaurant MCR
18-22 Bridge Street, Spinningfields, Manchester
Tast
20-22 King St, Manchester M2 6AG
Mana
42 Blossom St, Manchester M4 6BF
Umezushi
4, Mirabel St, Manchester M3 1PJ
Where The Light Gets In
7 Rostron Brow, Stockport SK1 1JY
THE WINNER: Mana
Last year’s winner – Adam Reid at The French
RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY CATERER.COM
THE WINNER: Mana
The winner of Restaurant of the Year was chosen from the Casual Restaurant and Premium and Fine Dining Restaurant shortlists. The nominee that scored the highest via mystery shopping and public vote was crowned the overall Restaurant of the Year.
Last year’s winner - Adam Reid at The French
SUSTAINABILITY AWARD SPONSORED BY THE SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION
THE WINNER: Chancellors Hotels
MFDF were looking for those venues that pride themselves on good food for people and the planet; applications for this award were via a questionnaire in partnership with the Sustainable Restaurant Association.
Last year’s winner – The Creameries
STREET FOOD TRADER OF THE YEAR
THE WINNER: Grandad’s Sausages
Awarding one of the Greater Manchester-based street food legends that are gracing our kerbs with an ever-increasing plethora of gastro goods. There was no shortlist for this award - MFDF handed this over to the public, who voted in their thousands.
Last year’s winner – Oh Mei Dumpling
HOWARD AND RUTH AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
Awarded to Thom Hetherington, Holden Media, NRB Founder
Recognising someone who contributed something outstanding to the food and drink industry in Greater Manchester.
Last year’s winner – Jeremy Roberts, Living Ventures
