Eats

Nominations announced for the Manchester Food and Drink Festival 2021 awards

113 businesses in Greater Manchester have been nominated, and you can vote for your favourite.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 18th August 2021

The list of nominations at this year’s Manchester Food & Drink Festival (MFDF) awards have been announced today.

The annual Manchester Food & Drink Festival celebrates and recognises the region’s local restaurant and bar scene, with more than 100 businesses from all four corners of Greater Manchester having been nominated for a series of accolades at this year’s awards.

Shortlist have been drawn up for 15 awards, with some new categories having also been added this year to reflect what’s been another extraordinary year for the hospitality industry.

Renowned food and drink critics and writers make up the MFDF judging panel.

Foodies are encouraged to vote for their favourites on the MFDF website and app before the deadline closes, with the winners being crowned at the MFDF Awards gala dinner at Escape to Freight Island on 27 September.

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Speaking on release of the award nominations today, Alexa Stratton-Powell – Director of MFDF – said: “This festival was set up to celebrate the city’s food and drink scene, particularly to support and champion local and independent businesses and talented individuals across the entire hospitality industry [and] now, that manifesto is more crucial than ever as we find ourselves in uncharted territory and the most challenging of times.”

Credit: Manchester Food & Drink Festival

She continued: “The Festival is about supporting the recovery of our industry – and we’re proud to use that platform to shout about these incredible businesses who have not only survived but thrived.

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“Please do get involved and vote for your favourite places via the MFDF app and use the Festival as an excuse to visit and try these places for yourself.”

So, who’s received coveted nominations at this year’s awards then?

Here’s everything you need to know.

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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
  • Sparrows – 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 the 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 – 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
Credit: Instagram (@restaurantmana) | Facebook (Erst)

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 / 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, Stalybridge SK15 1RF
Credit: Escape to Freight Island

Artisan Food Producer of the Year

  • Bread Flower – www.breadflower.co.uk
  • 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

  • Eat Well MCR – https://www.eatwellmcr.org/
  • 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 Park, Fallowfield, Manchester M14 6LT
  • One Central – Charis House, 1 Central Way, Altrincham WA14 1SB
  • MIF Festival Kitchen Takeovers – https://mif.co.uk/

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
Credit: Stretford Food Hall

Food Trader of the Year

  • Abeja – Oxford Rd, Manchester M1 7ED
  • Archchi’s – https://www.archchis.com/
  • Gooey – Ducie Street Warehouse, Manchester M1 2TP
  • Honest Crust – https://www.honestcrustsourdoughpizza.com
  • Maison Breizh – https://www.maisonbreizh.co.uk
  • Pico’s Tacos – https://www.instagram.com/eatpicos/?hl=en
  • Tender Cow – https://www.tendercow.uk
  • 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
  • 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

Coffee Shop of the Year

  • Another Heart to Feed – Northern Quarter, 10 Hilton St, Manchester M1 1JF
  • Ancoats 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

Foodie Neighbourhood of the Year

  • Altrincham
  • Heaton Moor
  • Prestwich
  • Ramsbottom
  • Sale
  • Stockport
  • Stretford
  • Urmston
Credit: Federal | Rudy’s

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 Drinks Producer 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 – 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

___

The closing date for votes is 11:59pm on Monday 20 September.

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You can get your votes in here.

Featured Image – MFDF

Eats

One of Manchester’s best restaurants is opening a ‘bread kitchen’ in Exhibition food hall

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Jaan is a new Persian bread kitchen from the team behind Another Hand restaurant in Manchester

A Michelin guide restaurant in Manchester is branching out with a new project, and this time it’s all about bread.

The team behind Another Hand will be taking over one of the kitchens in food hall Exhibition, launching Jaan, which will specialise in Persian cooking.

The new bread kitchen will focus on Wildfarmed House Flatbreads, which will come with an array of seasonal toppings.

And a lot of the produce heading to the Jaan kitchen at Exhibition will be taken from what’s not used at Another Hand around the corner.

For example, a whole sirloin that’s used for Another Hand’s ex-dairy sirloin dish will provide meat trimmings that will be turned into Jaan’s beef tartare.

The tail and trim from Another Hand’s seared trout will head to Jaan to be used in a fire-roasted sea trout fatoush salad.

And the two restaurants will share other bits of produce too, like a squash that will go into both a Winter Squash small plate at the main restaurant and a scorched summer squash dish at the food hall.

Another Hand’s famous flatbreads will be the staple on the menu at Jaan, which is moving into the beautiful kitchen on Peter Street hot on the heels of the departure of Rigatoni’s.

Jaan is a new Persian bread kitchen from the team behind Another Hand restaurant in Manchester
Jaan is a new Persian bread kitchen from the team behind Another Hand restaurant in Manchester
Jaan is a new Persian bread kitchen from the team behind Another Hand restaurant in Manchester
Jaan will specialise in flatbreads

Since it launched in 2022, the restaurant’s become known as one of Manchester’s best, even earning a place in the Michelin guide.

It’s famed for its sharing plates, as well as the team’s efforts to drive sustainable practices, sourcing produce from across the north west.

Most ingredients used in the restaurant have travelled no more than 40 miles, and the bread comes from Holy Grain while the chocolate comes from Dormouse, both right next door.

Jaan will be moving in to the Exhibition food hall in Manchester
Jaan will be moving in to the Exhibition food hall in Manchester

They hope that Jaan will help their sustainable credentials even more, allowing them to use up almost every scrap of produce.

Small plates will all be served with house flatbreads, and toppings will include smoked aubergine, whipper butterbean, black garlic cheese bread, ex-dairy beef tartare, and ras el hanout spiced lamb.

And larger plates will include slow-cooked lamb shank with ancient grains, grilled octopus and nduja, and chermoula chicken rice.

Chef patrons Max Yorke and Julian Pizer said: “We feel extremely privileged to be offered the opportunity to cook alongside Osma and Baratxuri at Exhibition Manchester.

“Over the last few years our small 24 cover restaurant has generated a large waitlist and we are excited to showcase our new concept to a wider audience.

“Most importantly, as we make more steps to improve our environmental standards, our food waste systems showed an obvious area in which we could develop.

“By opening a second kitchen in such a fast paced venue we can take unused produce from Another Hand and even further reduce, and hopefully eradicate, our wastage.”

Jaan Persian Bread Kitchen will open within Exhibition on 8 May, joining Osma and Baratxuri
on the venue’s restaurant floor.

Read more

Featured image: Supplied

Eats

Gary Neville lines up Michelin star chef for his Stock Exchange Hotel restaurant

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Gary Neville has announced the Niall Keating will open Tender in the Stock Exchange Hotel's restaurant space

Gary Neville has announced a new restaurant within his five-star Stock Exchange Hotel, which will open almost a year after the previous eatery announced its shock closure.

The magnificent dining room at the heart of the hotel was previously home to Tom Kerridge’s The Bull & Bear, which closed at the end of 2022.

It was then replaced by Stock Market Grill, a restaurant by the award-winning Schofield brothers (who operate officially the best bar in the UK) – but that was open for only a matter of months.

Thankfully, the Manchester United legend and property mogul now has grand plans for the Stock Exchange’s restaurant offering, roping in two-time Michelin star chef Niall Keating.

Niall will be launching Tender this summer, a luxury dining experience ‘named after the tender care put into crafting each dish’.

There’ll be gourmet food for everyday dining within the hotel’s historic dining room, which will undergo a renovation before Tender’s launch.

Its menu will offer weekday brasserie lunches, a la carte dinners, afternoon teas, Sunday roasts, a chef’s table and a special tasting menu.

The Stock Exchange Hotel is home to one of Manchester's most beautiful restaurant spaces. Credit: The Manc Group
The Stock Exchange Hotel is home to one of Manchester’s most beautiful restaurant spaces. Credit: The Manc Group
The Stock Exchange Hotel is home to one of Manchester's most beautiful restaurant spaces. Credit: The Manc Group
The Stock Exchange Hotel is home to one of Manchester’s most beautiful restaurant spaces. Credit: The Manc Group

Niall Keating at just 33 years old has already earned two Michelin stars, making him one of the youngest two-time Michelin star chefs in the UK.

His CV has included stints in kitchens at the best restaurants in the world, including Restaurant Sat Bains and Benu in San Francisco (a three Michelin-star spot).

He then headed to The Dining Room at Whatley Manor Hotel, where he earned his first star in 2017 and a second in 2019, as well as a prestigious Green Star in 2021 which recognises sustainability practices.

Speaking about today’s announcement, Gary Neville, owner of Stock Exchange Hotel, said: “We couldn’t be happier to be partnering with Niall Keating for Tender and bringing his culinary expertise to the hotel.

“His vision to create versatile and accessible dining options is exactly what we’ve been looking for, to allow everyone visiting Tender to find the right experience for them.”

Niall Keating added: “From when I first walked through the doors of the hotel into the dining room, I knew this was the place for me and that we could create something really special.

“I immediately felt connected to both Gary and General Manager, Tracy Harrison, and I knew what I wanted to create at the hotel and restaurant. I want a space that feels vibrant, warm and energetic, that brings to life the history of the stock exchange roots of the hotel, while providing an upscale and comfortable brasserie dining experience.

“In addition to the main dining room, we will also be opening ‘The Bank’, which is a beautiful private space for up to 12 guests, where we will be providing a truly exceptional dining experience.”

Gary added: “We will also shortly be announcing a series of events and live music experiences, including a weekly music plan, within Tender, that will really bring the venue to life, making it the heart of Stock Exchange Hotel.”

Tender restaurant at the Stock Exchange Hotel will officially open on 5 June.

Its opening hours will be Wednesday to Saturday, midday to 10pm, and Sundays midday to 7.30pm.

Read more

Featured image: Supplied

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