The best places to eat in Manchester as Food & Drink Festival confirms 2020 award winners
The winners of the 23rd Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards have been announced at a virtual award ceremony at MODA Living Apartments in Manchester.
The best food, drink and takeaway services in Manchester were confirmed this week – as Manchester Food & Drink Festival (MFDF) announced the official winners of their prestigious awards ceremony.
The 23rd MFDF Awards was hosted online as a virtual ceremony at MODA Living Apartments on Monday (October 5) – with the ordinary format and categories changed to reflect the sterling efforts of the hospitality sector during a deeply challenging year.
Presented in partnership with headline sponsors Just Eat, the festival awards “celebrated the innovation, resilience, altruism and successes that have taken place within the industry”, with new awards designed to recognise the industry’s innovations since lockdown.
Categories for 2020 included Best DIY Delivery Food Offering, Best Food and Drink Box Delivery, Best Innovation and Lockdown Heroes.
Wholesome Junkies
Votes were cast by the public in the days leading up to the ceremony – which saw the camera cut to winners once they had been revealed by star presenters Noddy Holder, Rhian Sugden, Clint Boon, John Thomson, Victoria Ekanoye, and Sair Khan.
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There were wins on the night for Rudy’s, Shindigger, Wholesome Junkies, Cork of the North and Escape to Freight Island – as well as a special award for Mary-Ellen McTague who recruited an army of fellow hospitality workers to feed heroes on the frontline.
The full list of winners for Manchester Food & Drink Festival Awards 2020 were as follows:
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BEST ONLINE ‘AT HOME’ FOOD AND DRINK CONTENT SPONSORED BY MODA ANGEL GARDENS
Recognising the best online food and drink content shared during lockdown by Manchester’s chefs, producers and industry experts.
Cork of the North– For their live wine tasting masterclasses broadcast via social media.
THE BEST RESTAURANT TAKEAWAY ADAPTATION SPONSORED BY JUST EAT
Recognising restaurants who have adapted their business model, menus and offering to provide a takeaway/delivery service during lockdown.
Rudy’s Pizza– 9 Cotton Street, Ancoats, Manchester M4 5BF
BEST DIY DELIVERY FOOD OFFERING SPONSORED BY ROOMZZZ APARTHOTELS
Recognising the restaurants, chefs and businesses who have created ‘do it yourself’ recipe delivery meal kits for people to create their own restaurant quality meals/dishes at home.
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Northern Soul – Grill it Yourself Kit – Unit 10-11 Church Street, Manchester M4 1PN
BEST FOOD AND DRINK BOX DELIVERY
Recognising the best food and drink delivery boxes created to serve the community with fine food and drink during lockdown.
ShinDigger Brewing Co – Beer Delivery Boxes In Under 3 Hours – Unit 11, Springfield Lane Industrial Estate, Salford, M3 7JQ
BEST INNOVATION SPONSORED BY HUN WINE
Recognising the most impressive business innovations by food and drink operators during the COVID-19 crisis.
BEST ONLINE VEGGIE/VEGAN OFFERING SPONSORED BY MEATLESS FARM
This award recognises the restaurants and food businesses that have provided innovative and exciting menu options for vegetarian and vegan diners via takeaway/delivery services during lockdown.
ARTISAN DRINKS PRODUCER OF THE YEARSPONSORED BY FRANKLIN & SONS
This award recognises the plethora of fabulous local drinks producers, from gins and ciders to ales and meads, if it’s produced in Greater Manchester and tastes great, we want to celebrate it.
This category recognises quality coffee takeaways during the COVID-19 crisis. This category is an adaptation of The Coffee Shop of the year award and only recognises those businesses that were able to stay open via takeaway.
Recognising those individuals and businesses who have provided continued support for the wider community, the food and drink industry and Greater Manchester as a whole during the COVID-19 Crisis..
Recognising someone who has contributed something outstanding to the food and drink industry in Greater Manchester.
Mary-Ellen McTague from The Creameries and Eat Well MCR.
Phil Jones, The Manchester Food and Drink Festival Founding Director, said: “We’re very pleased to be able to recognise our brilliant hospitality sector during this extraordinarily difficult time.
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“MFDF is proud to celebrate such a wonderful range of businesses and individuals, all showcasing the strong stuff that our local industry is made of. There’s been huge amounts of innovation and creativity – even during such a tough time, we’ve much to celebrate.
“Congratulations to all the winners, and nominees – the Festival will continue to support the industry however it can over the coming months.
“Roll on April 2021.”
MFDF itself has been rescheduled to take place in April.
Stay up-to-date with what’s happening in and around Greater Manchester via The Manc’s What’s On section.
Eats
‘Kennedy’s Corner’: Altrincham’s effortlessly charming Irish Deli is at the heart of a new mini-district
Danny Jones
Altrincham is possibly one of the most picturesque little parts of Greater Manchester full stop, but one particular new opening in the quaint market town has seen us fall head over heels in love: we’re talking about the simply named Irish Deli.
Launching at the end of September, Irish Deli has taken pride of place on Greenwood Street in the heart of the lovable Trafford hamlet that is fast becoming less of a village and more of a vibrant hub for food, drink, shopping, leisure and more.
Stocking authentic fresh produce and groceries imported directly from Ireland rarely found anywhere else in the region, as well as serving up proper good brews and freshly made sandwiches, cakes and more, they have very much met the assignment when it comes to a deli.
Put quite simply, this little slice of the Emerald Isle is as pretty as a postcard and is quickly becoming a community cornerstone.
The place might be a bit cosy – though there is extra seating downstairs and a lovely sun-trap terrace outside – but it trades on delivering that open-armed Irish welcome that few others can compare to.
Irish Deli also prides itself on bringing over brands that will remind ex-pats of back home, mainly because you’ll genuinely struggle to find them outside of Ireland itself. As you can see, we walked away with a full hamper of stuff and we’re not even Irish.
We’re not just talking Tayto’s crisps here: we mean McDonnells seasoning sachets for a proper spice bag, Drummully pan boxty potato cakes and superbly sweet Folláin preserves; imported sausages, black and white pudding, whisky brands not typically seen in the UK and so much more.
Ham, cheese, bread and even the simplest-looking biscuits never looked so comforting. Not only does it undoubtedly drum up nostalgia for natives but it feels like being beckoned into the warmth and smell of your mum’s kitchen when you were just a nipper.
Better yet, its doors have opened right next to the adjoining Kennedy’s Irish Bar – a popular watering hole that’s been thriving since it opened back in 2021 – as part of an expansion that’s been in the works for some time.
We very nearly got a second basket…Wall-to-wall Irish goodness.The Irish Deli in Altrincham is a new favourite of ours. (Credit: The Manc Group)
As they explain it, “Typically in Ireland you will find a ship in the back of the pub, so having our Irish Deli right next door to our Irish Bar really gave it that authentic feeling from home.”
With the two increasingly popular spots situated right beside one another, locals have taken to affectionately dubbing this small snapshot of Alty as ‘Kennedy’s Corner’ and even just a couple weeks into opening the deli, it really has struck a chord with the local delegation from Auld Eire and more.
Greater Manchester has also had a huge Irish community ever since the early 19th century, even boasting Little Ireland right here in the city centre and the Heritage Centre over Cheetham Hill.
That being said, whether they live in the WA postcode or not, regular crowds are already travelling to visit this cheerful little shop most days, and you’ll find even more of them descending on Kennedy’s Corner come the weekends – especially when they can stumble into the bustling boozer next door.
And as if all that enticing enough already, there’s sport on the box, live music pretty much from noon until night, it’s super dog-friendly and you can grab pints of Guinness for just £4.70 from 11am-7pm every Monday-Thursday. Say no more.
There’s even a stunning three-bedroom apartment upstairs available on Airbnb that we’re seriously considering for an easy getaway. A full weekend of eating and drinking the very Ireland has to offer before only having to hobble a few yards to find a comfy bed waiting upstairs.
Kennedy’s Corner might not be an official title of any sort just yet but we love that the locals have carved out this special mini-neighbourhood within what is already a perfect melting pot between the modern Manc foodie/hospitality scene, and the splendour of an old Cheshire market town.
It’s not quite suburbia, it’s not quite countryside either; all we know is that this particular street is effortlessly charming and The Irish Deli itself feels a little bit like going back in time to a simpler world. There aren’t many places that can achieve that feeling these days.
Well worth paying a visit the next time you’re in Altrincham.
Lovely staff.Guinness cake is godly.What a great team they make.Our advice for a weekend in Altrincham, spend the day at The Irish Deli and stumble next door come the eve. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Rudy’s is giving away a whopping 3,000 pizzas to celebrate opening their latest location
Danny Jones
After revealing the news that they are set to open their eighth regional restaurant in Prestwich, Rudy’s has announced they will be giving away a whopping 3,000 free pizzas to mark the occasion.
Who doesn’t love free pizza?
Yes, after confirming the seemingly inevitable earlier this year, Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana is set to land in yet another Greater Manchester suburb, with the latest location their 29th in the country all told and they show no signs of slowing down.
However, while we seem to be hearing about a new Rudy’s opening almost every few weeks now, it’s not all that often a new arrival comes with the promise of free pizza – certainly not 3000 of them, anyway.
Rudy’s is giving away free pizza this December. (Credit: The Manc Group)
The new pizzeria will be located right in the heart of Prestwich, transforming the former and beautiful Barclays Bank building situated on Bury New Road, which has stood vacant ever since August 2022.
A spacious 3,000 sq ft venue, it will offer an impressive max capacity of 150 covers, including a 30-seat covered courtyard to retain the charm of the building’s original features and keep in line with many of the other restaurants’ al fresco offerings.
Not only will this mark eight different regional sites (the previous being Rudy’s Altrincham back in July) but it’s also their first foray into North Manchester, specifically.
As per the announcement, the new site promises to deliver “a fresh new dining option to Prestwich’s blossoming food and drink scene, offering its famous pizzas, delicious dips, and classic Italian desserts”, all while nailing the classic Rudy’s vibe on a prime high-street location.
The brand has only gotten bigger and better since it first debuted back in 2015, famously going on to be named among the best in Europe, and now slowly turning more and more sites into pizza spots.
As for how you can get your hands on free Neapolitan pizzas when Rudy’s Prestwich opens, don’t worry, it’s all rather simple.
Just a glimpse of the food that will be on offer at Rudy’s Pizza Prestwich. (Credit: The Manc Eats)
Rudy’s Prestwich is set to open this December – just in time for festive specials to land on the new menu – and all you have to do is sign up to their mailing list HERE to stand a chance of notching not one but two free pizzas for you and a guest.
It’s a quick and simple form too, so you don’t have to go through a load of faff to try and land a freebie. As mentioned, there’s a total of 3,000 pizzas to be given away but there’ll be plenty of other fans fighting over them.
Although the official opening date for the latest location has yet to be set, there is still some reticence on the Prestwich foodie scene in particular, as local and beloved independents are understandably worried about what the arrival of the popular chain could mean for business.
The Manc -
6th October 2020 
