The best restaurants and bars in Manchester have been named at the MFDF Awards 2025

The winners of this year’s Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards have been named, in a night of celebration of our city’s hospitality scene.

The prestigious awards have highlighted 18 winners across Greater Manchester tonight, including the best restaurant, chef, newcomer, bar, and loads more.

In a glittering ceremony held at New Century, hundreds of hospitality insiders gathered together to toast one another and to celebrate another year of brilliant work.

The MFDF Awards, sponsored by Therme Manchester, had a whopping 130 nominees this year, with categories that recognise both the businesses and the talented individuals who shape the region’s culinary scene.

Therme Manchester will be a huge wellbeing destination with pools, saunas, waterslides, and wellbeing therapies – and they’ve sponsored the new Community Food and Drink Project of the Year, which recognises initiatives making a real difference in Greater Manchester.

The winners of this award will receive a £1000 funding boost from Therme, as well as a further £2000 to kick off a joint legacy project.

The awards were handed out based on a combination of public votes, and anonymous visits by a judging panel made up of food and drink experts, writers, and critics.

Alexa Stratton-Powell, Awards Director of Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards commented: “We’re incredibly proud to announce this year’s winners, who together represent the excellence, creativity and resilience of Greater Manchester’s hospitality sector.

“At a time when the industry continues to face tough head winds, it’s more important than ever to recognise and celebrate the people and venues doing exceptional work every day.

“We’re hugely grateful to Therme for their support of the awards, and for backing a sector that plays such a vital role in the life of the city. Manchester continues to lead the way as one of the world’s most exciting food destinations, and we hope this year’s winners and nominees inspire food lovers to go out and support the brilliant venues right on their doorstep.”

Ben Dutson, Head of Food Operations at Therme RPC, added: “We’re delighted to have sponsored this year’s awards and play a part in supporting and celebrating the brilliant food and drink businesses that make Manchester such a phenomenal place.

“It’s been fantastic to also recognise those incredible organisations that give back to the community with our brand new award – we’re looking forward to working with the winner and creating an ongoing legacy.

“Therme is all about living well and having fun – and making wellness more accessible for the community, so I can’t think of a better way of embodying that than by supporting all the great businesses and community groups that we have recognised tonight.”

All the winners in the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards 2025

Affordable Eats Venue of the Year

WINNER: Double Zero

SHORTLISTED VENUES: Noodle Alley, Pho Cue, Cafe Sanjuan, Hong Thai, Seoul Kimchi, Wow Báhn Mì, Rabbie’s Thai

Takeaway of the Year

WINNER: This & That

SHORTLISTED VENUES: Ceresis, Ad Maiora, Home Chinese, Viet Deli, Pancho’s Burritos, Rack, Mughli Charcoal Pit

Café or Coffee Shop of the Year

WINNER: Something More Productive

SHORTLISTED VENUES: Cafe Sanjuan, Oscillate Coffee, Federal Cafe Bar, Just Between Friends Coffee, Sipp Coffee, à bloc, The Old Fire Station Bakery

Wine offering of the Year (new for 2025)

WINNER: Flawd Wine

Ad Hoc, Higher Ground, The Beeswing, Salut Wines, Reserve Wines, Where the Light Gets In, Kerb

Food Trader of the Year

WINNER: Rack

SHORTLISTED VENUES: The Little Sri Lankan, House of Habesha, Baity, Rita’s Reign, Taiko Ramen, Thatziki, Little Scarfs

Foodie Neighbourhood of the Year

WINNER: Stockport

SHORTLISTED NEIGHBOURHOODS: Urmston, Levenshulme, Chorlton, Monton, Salford, Altrincham, Sale

Independent Drink Producer of the Year

WINNER: Track Brewing Co

SHORTLISTED VENUES: Balance Brewing & Blending, Pod Pea Vodka, Stiff Tea Brewing Company, Sureshot Brewing, Runaway Brewery, Seven Bro7hers, Weekend Project Brewing Co

Independent Food Producer of the Year

WINNER: Pollen Bakery

SHORTLISTED VENUES: Long Boi’s Bakehouse, Holy Grain Sourdough, Littlewoods Butchers, Lily’s Vegetarian Indian Cuisine, Wong Wong Bakery, Half Dozen Other, Mayya Bakery

Neighbourhood Venue of the Year

WINNER: Stretford Canteen

SHORTLISTED VENUES: Fold Bistro & Bottle Shop, The Pearl, Lupo, Cantaloupe, Tawny Stores, The Perfect Match, Gladstone Barber and Bistro

Pub or Beer Bar of the Year

WINNER: The Marble Arch

SHORTLISTED VENUES: Victoria Tap, Runaway Brewery, City Arms, The Magnet Freehouse, Café Beermoth, North Westward Ho, Track Taproom

Great Service Award

WINNER: Maray

SHORTLISTED VENUES: Tast Catala, Atomeca, Higher Ground, Adam Reid at The French, Federal Cafe Bar, Blacklock Manchester, Kallos Cafe & Wine Bar

Low or No Offering of the Year (new for 2025)

WINNER: Nell’s Pizza

SHORTLISTED VENUES: Cloudwater Brew Co, Dishoom, Red Light, Blinker Bar, Hinterland, Lina Stores, Speak in Code

Bar of the Year

WINNER: Speak In Code

SHORTLISTED VENUES: Stray, Schofield’s Bar, Red Light, Pray Tell, Renae, Libero, Flawd Wine

Newcomer of the Year

WINNER: Stow

SHORTLISTED VENUES: Cantaloupe, Bangkok Diners Club, Kallos Cafe & Wine Bar, Café Continental, Winsome, Royal Nawaab Pyramid, Kung Fu Noodle

Chef of the Year

WINNER: Matt Bennett (The Pearl)

SHORTLISTED NAMES: Rosie Maguire (Higher Ground), Shaun Moffat (Winsome), Adam Reid (Adam Reid at The French), Mary-Ellen McTague (Pip), Patrick Withington (Erst), Jamie Pickles (Stow), Jack Fields (Restaurant Orme)

Restaurant of the Year

WINNER: Skof

SHORTLISTED VENUES: mana, Adam Reid At The French, Winsome, Higher Ground, Stow, Erst, Cantaloupe

Community Food & Drink Project of the Year (sponsored by Therme)

WINNER: Platt Fields Market Garden

The Howard and Ruth Award for Outstanding Achievement

WINNER: Rustica

Read more: All the Greater Manchester restaurants included in the Michelin Guide

Featured image: The Manc Group