The Manchester Food and Drink Festival (MFDF) has just announced the shortlists for its 2022 Awards as it opens up voting to the Manchester public.
This years’ shortlists have been chosen by a judging panel of local food critics and feature a total of 113 nominees split across 16 categories, including a newly-created award designed to recognise great service.
Following a slight change of format caused by the pandemic, this year, winners will once again be decided by the public and MFDF judging panel.
With voting open from now until 16 September, the city’s food and drinks fans are being invited to vote for their favourites over on the MFDF website.
Image: Supplied
This year’s MFDF shortlisted venues are as follows:
PLANT-BASED OFFERING OF THE YEAR
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Four Side Pizza
Herbivorous
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Otto Vegan Empire
Ruyi Chorlton
Sanskruti
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The Walled Garden
Wholesome Junkies
INDEPENDENT DRINKS PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Bundobust Brewery
Cloudwater
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Hip Pop
Into the Gathering Dusk
Stockport Gin
Steep Soda
Track Brewing
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INDEPENDENT FOOD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Polyspore
Dormouse Chocolates
Great North Pie Co
Holy Grain
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Long Boi’s Bakehouse
Yellowhammer
La Choquette
FOODIE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE YEAR
Ancoats
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Chapel Street, Salford
Monton
Prestwich
Ramsbottom
Sale
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Stockport
COFFEE SHOP OF THE YEAR
Cafe Sanjuan
Factory Coffee
Grind and Tamp
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Grapefruit
Just Between Friends
Station South
Pollen
FOOD TRADER OF THE YEAR
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Burgerism
House of Habesha
The Little Sri Lankan
Lovingly Artisan
Mira
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New Wave Ramen
Pico’s Tacos
AFFORDABLE EATS VENUE OF THE YEAR
Aunty Ji’s
Bahn Mi Co Ba
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Cafe Sanjuan
Levenshulme Bakery
Go Falafel
Mama Flo’s
Salt & Pepper MCR
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POP UP OR PROJECT OF THE YEAR
Platt Fields Market Garden
Sao Paulo Project
Suppher
Eat Well MCR Spring Festival
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Bungalow at Kampus
Heart and Parcel
Foodie Friday
PUB OR BEER BAR OF THE YEAR
Bridge Beers, Staylbridge
Heaton Hops
House of Hops
The Kings Arms
Nordie
Track Taproom
Station Hop
BAR OF THE YEAR
Blinker Bar
Flawd
Henry C
Ramona
Schofield’s Bar
Speak in Code
10 Tib Lane
NEIGHBOURHOOD VENUE OF THE YEAR
Baratuxi Bar
Bar San Juan
The Easy Fish Co.
Nilas Burmese Kitchen
Ornella’s Kitchen
Osma
The Perfect Match
FOOD AND DRINK RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Ad Hoc
Chorlton Cheesemongers
Hello Oriental
Coopers Lets Fress Deli
Le Social
Out of the Blue
Wandering Palate
GREAT SERVICE AWARD
Sponsored by Manchester Evening News
Bull & Bear
Dishoom
Hawksmoor
Flawd
Schofield’s Bar
This year, winners will be announced at the MFDF Gala Dinner and Awards sponsored by Bruntwood and taking place at Escape to Freight Island on 26 September.
Some categories will be decided entirely by public vote and some made up from the public votes alongside a mystery shopping visit from members of the judging panel.
The Independent Drinks Producer of the Year and the Independent Food Producer of the Year Awards will also be judged by a panel taste test.
Alexa Stratton-Powell, Director of MFDF said:“This is an incredible list of brilliant businesses that we are proud to celebrate. As we look forward to our 25th year it’s all about the talent that has shaped this last quarter century and made the city’s food scene the world-class destination that it is today. Please get involved, vote for your favourites and visit the amazing venues on the shortlist for yourselves!” Charlotte Wild, Head of Retail & Leisure at Bruntwood commented: “We’re proud to become headline sponsor for these important awards. Manchester’s hospitality scene is phenomenal and the industry is absolutely central to our vision of creating thriving cities. We’re excited to celebrate 25 years of the Manchester Food and Drink Festival this Autumn, alongside all the talented nominees and winners at the Awards on 26th September. Congratulations to all those shortlisted!”
Hawksmoor issues statement after ‘kicking out’ Tommy Robinson from one of its restaurants
Daisy Jackson
Hawksmoor has issued a statement after a viral video captured far-right activist Tommy Robinson being asked to leave one of its restaurants.
In the video, staff at the acclaimed British steak house told Robinson – real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – that he would have to go because members of staff feel uncomfortable serving you’.
The supervisor then politely told the party not to worry about the drinks and that they had been paid for, also handing over a business card for Hawksmoor CEO Will Beckett in case they wanted to discuss the matter further.
Robinson was dining in one of the group’s London restaurants with former prominent EDL member Guramit Singh Kalirai who challenged the staff and asked: “Is it because of the colour of my skin?”
The supervisor responded: “No, no, no. We have a duty of care to our members of staff. We like to look after our people, as I’m sure you can understand.”
After the video went viral on X, Hawksmoor went on to share a statement in response, saying that guests and staff ‘felt uncomfortable and complained’.
The statement, signed by CEO Will Beckett, added that the Hawksmoor team has faced ‘a huge amount’ of ‘quite concerning’ fallout from the Tommy Robinson incident.
He added that ‘this was not about politics or beliefs’.
Hawksmoor’s statement reads: “Our focus is always to give the best restaurant experience to the most people possible.
“On Thursday, a public figure was asked to leave one of our restaurants because guests and staff felt uncomfortable and had complained. The party left peacefully and politely on request.
“This was not about politics or beliefs. Hawksmoor is not a political organisation; we’re a group of restaurants. We want to welcome as many people as possible, regardless of background or views, to our teams or as our guests.
“We’re not trying to engage in a public debate. The team has had to deal with a huge amount of fallout from this, some of which is quite concerning. We would like to get back to focussing on looking after those people, and our guests. Thank you to them, and the many of you who have been so supportive.”
Police release footage of missing Manchester man Adeo Alston-Ekpei’s last-known movements
Emily Sergeant
Video footage showing the last-known movements of a Manchester man who’s been missing for three weeks now has been released.
Detectives at Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are continuing to search for Adeo Alston-Ekpei, who has not been seen since Friday 16 May.
The 25-year-old was seen in Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury at around 3pm, before later being seen walking down Kingsway away from Manchester and close to the River Mersey, at around 5.20pm that same day.
Multiple lines of enquiry being explored by police at present, but anyone who believes they may have seen him from around this time, is asked to get in touch.
Adeo is described as being a mixed-race male, with long curly black hair and a long singular dreadlock, and bleached eyebrows. He has a cupid’s bow piercing and a right eyebrow piercing. He also has an ‘AKA’ tattoo on his right wrist, and a ‘24’ tattoo in the right side of his chest.
He was last seen wearing long blue denim shorts, an undone green short-sleeved button-up shirt, and white Adidas trainers.
Friends have also recently set up a public fundraiser to help with the search for Adeo.
Adeo Alston-Ekpei has been missing for almost three weeks / Credit: GMP
“We are dedicated to finding Adeo and getting much-needed answers for his family,” commented Detective Inspector Kelly, from GMP’s Manchester district, as the footage was released to the public this week.
“I would ask any residents around the Kingsway area, and surrounding housing estates off Kingsway into Gately, and who may have dashcam or CCTV footage from around this time, to please check and get in touch if you have any information.
“Likewise, if anyone believes they have seen Adeo, please get in touch with one of our officers. Any information is appreciated and investigated as we continue our work.”
#MISSING | We are continuing to ask for information relating to missing Adeo, who was last seen on May 16.
We have additionally released CCTV footage showing Adeo’s last known movements on Kingsway, Manchester.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 5, 2025
A spokesperson for Adeo’s family described the missing man as ‘kind, funny, and intelligent’ with a ‘huge heart’, but they say he ‘wasn’t himself when he disappeared’.
“He may have come across as agitated, lost, or confused,” the spokesperson admitted. “In his last call to his mum, he was in a very vulnerable state.”
Anyone with any information regarding Adeo’s whereabouts is urged to contact South Manchester CID directly on 0161 856 6051 or 0161 856 6063, or you can use the LiveChat function on GMP’s website and quote log number 838 of 18/05/25.
Alternatively, you can report information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Georgina Pellant -
28th July 2022 
