Eats

Tiny Arndale Market stall Salt & Pepper wins big in Deliveroo Restaurant Awards

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 16th November 2021

One of Manchester’s most popular street food stalls has won a huge accolade in the Deliveroo Restaurant Awards, scooping the prize for Best Newcomer.

Salt & Pepper serves a Chinese-inspired menu from a stall inside the Arndale food market, as well as from the kitchens at Black Dog in the Northern Quarter.

The local business has centred its menu around the ever-popular Chinese dish of salt and pepper, with variations including chicken wings, surf and turf, and battered king prawns.

They also serve up sticky Canton-glazed meals, all loaded onto salt and pepper crinkle fries or rice.

Salt & Pepper operates from the Arndale food market and Black Dog in the Northern Quarter. Credit: Supplied

It was the only local independent to win in the awards, though many more were nominated.

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Owner Chloe Tao said: “We’re absolutely delighted to win the award for best newcomer and wanna thank everyone that voted for us.

“Quite honestly, we’ve not had a lot of good news this year and this award has really cheered us all up and kept us validated.

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“We’re really grateful that we’re still able to serve good food to good people and I’m so proud of my incredible team who continue to make this their priority.”

Wingstop won the very top prize – and opens in Manchester this week. Credit: Supplied

Several larger restaurant groups with presences here in Manchester did scoop an award though, including Dishoom, which was crowned best Indian restaurant, and Gaucho, for fine dining.

Wingstop, which is about to open its first Manchester location just off Piccadilly Gardens, was named the Restaurant of the Year.

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The chicken wing restaurant beat out the likes of Proove Pizza and Fat Hippo to claim the top prize.

Read more: Kampus’s restaurant-on-stilts to become bakery, florist and bagel shop

The Deliveroo Restaurant Awards were first launched in 2019 to celebrate the best restaurants and grocers on the platform, with winners across 21 categories chosen by public vote.

The Restaurant of the Year was chosen by a panel of expert judges, made up of food critic Grace Dent, presenter and TV chef Big Zuu, Junior Bake-Off judge Ravneet Gill, and Deliveroo CEO Will Shu.

Will Shu said: “Well done to all of our winners and finalists in every category, the food we’re delivering to customers has never been better and that’s thanks to the incredible restaurants and grocers on our platform.”

Featured Image – Salt & Pepper Manchester