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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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:
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
“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
Traitors star and comedian Joe Lycett is putting cash behind the bar at two Manchester pubs
Daisy Jackson
Comedian Joe Lycett is putting money behind the bar at two Manchester pubs this week, as he continues to encourage people to get out and support their local boozers.
The TV favourite – who is also currently one of the stars on The Traitors – announced the news as he bid farewell to his fictional TV pub The Lycett Arms.
On the show, he said: “There are 45,000 pubs in the UK – go and give them some love.”
Joe Lycett then proceeded to list 30 brilliant pubs up and down the country, including two in Manchester, and announced that the drinks are on him this week.
He told audiences: “[This] Friday I’ll be putting a little bit of money behind the bar in all the pubs you’ve just seen. I hope you can have a drink on me.”
The pubs he picked out in Manchester are the iconic old boozer The Peveril of the Peak, and the excellent pub and comedy venue The Old Monkey.
The Peveril of the Peak on Great Bridgewater Street is a real icon in the city centre, with its green tiled exterior and its cosy interiors.
Until recently, it was run by legendary local landlady Nancy Swanick, who died in July at the age of 96.
The Peveril of the Peak pub in ManchesterInside The Pev
Commenting on Joe Lycett’s post about his pub offer, they wrote: “You are all more than welcome at The Pev. Give me a shout and I will sort you out with a pie, Joe.”
The Old Monkey, meanwhile, is famed for its comedy nights run by Trapdoor Comedy Club, and for its open mic sessions, as well as award-winning beers.
The Portland Street pub has also very kindly agreed to match Joe Lycett’s donation, which means double the budget for pints for Mancs.
The Manchester restaurants and bars shortlisted for the MFDF Awards 2026
Daisy Jackson
The Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards – better known as the MFDF Awards – have revealed the shortlist of local restaurants, bars, cafes, chefs, and more that are up for the city’s ultimate accolade.
Dozens of outstanding local businesses are nominated across 17 categories, covering everything from food trucks to Michelin Star chefs.
The winners will be revealed at the MFDF Awards ceremony on Monday 25 January, which this year will be held at Medlock Square’s City Hall for the first time.
Sponsored once again by Therme Manchester, the MFDF Awards celebrate the outstanding talent in Manchester’s hospitality scene.
Categories have been chosen to showcase new openings, talented chefs and producers, neighbourhood favourites, top restaurants, great pubs, and plenty more.
The shortlist has been selected from a list of submissions by the MFDF Awards judging panel, made up of leading food and drink critics, writers and industry experts.
As well as the public vote, judges will mystery shop venues in a number of categories and will score venues based on their experiences. The mystery shopping and public voting period will end at midnight on 11 January 2027 when the polls will be counted and combined with the judges’ scores and the winner of each category will be chosen.
The awards are now open to public vote on the MFDF website HERE.
Alexa Stratton-Powell, Awards Director of the MFDF Awards, said: “We’re proud to reveal this year’s MFDF Awards shortlists and shine a spotlight on the very best of Greater Manchester’s food and drink scene.
“The awards celebrate the incredible talent, creativity and diversity that make our region a world-class food and drink destination. We’re encouraging everyone to get behind the nominees by voting for your favourites, visiting the shortlisted venues and showing your support for our brilliant hospitality industry.
“We’re also looking forward to bringing the industry together on 25 January 2027 for a fantastic night of celebration and to crown this year’s winners.”
The Community Food and Drink Project of the Year, sponsored by Therme Manchester, is being decided through a separate judging process. The award celebrates initiatives making a positive difference to communities across Greater Manchester, from tackling food poverty and promoting sustainability to improving access to healthy food and bringing communities together.
The Howard and Ruth Award for Outstanding Achievement will also be presented on the night to recognise an outstanding contribution to Greater Manchester’s food and drink industry, with no public shortlist for the category.
The Manchester restaurants and bars on the MFDF 2026 shortlist
1. Affordable Eats Venue of the Year (Sponsored by Therme Manchester)
Sips n Dips in LevenshulmeNoodle Alley in ChinatownCredit: The Manc Group
Al Madina – 76 Wilmslow Rd, Manchester M14 5AL
Noodle Alley – 56A Faulkner Street, Manchester M1 4FH
Sips & Dips – 994 Stockport Rd, Manchester M19 3WN
Que Huong Viet – 76–78 Oldham Rd, Ancoats, Manchester M4 5EB
Kabana – 52 Back Turner Street, Manchester M4 1FR
Bahn Mi 782 – 782 Wilmslow Rd, Didsbury, Manchester M20 2DR
Zaytoni’s – 12 Oldham St, Manchester M1 1JQ
Cafe San Juan – 27 St Petersgate, Stockport, Manchester SK1 1EB
Previous winner – Double Zero
2. Takeaway of the Year
Kool Runnings – 118 Chorlton Road, Old Trafford, Stretford, Manchester M15 4AN
Rita’s Reign – Piccadilly, Manchester M1 1LY
Chicken Run – 6 Yarburgh St, Whalley Range, Manchester M16 7FJ
Viet Deli – 22 Blackfriars Street, Manchester M3 5BQ
Levenshulme Bakery – 842 Stockport Rd, Levenshulme, Manchester M19 3AW
The Post Box Shawarma – 543 Wilbraham Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9PP
The Manc -
6th October 2020 
