Manchester Food and Drink Festival reveal 2022 awards shortlists as voting opens
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.
This year’s MFDF shortlisted venues are as follows:
PLANT-BASED OFFERING OF THE YEAR
Four Side Pizza
Herbivorous
Otto Vegan Empire
Ruyi Chorlton
Sanskruti
The Walled Garden
Wholesome Junkies
INDEPENDENT DRINKS PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Bundobust Brewery
Cloudwater
Hip Pop
Into the Gathering Dusk
Stockport Gin
Steep Soda
Track Brewing
INDEPENDENT FOOD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Polyspore
Dormouse Chocolates
Great North Pie Co
Holy Grain
Long Boi’s Bakehouse
Yellowhammer
La Choquette
FOODIE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE YEAR
Ancoats
Chapel Street, Salford
Monton
Prestwich
Ramsbottom
Sale
Stockport
COFFEE SHOP OF THE YEAR
Cafe Sanjuan
Factory Coffee
Grind and Tamp
Grapefruit
Just Between Friends
Station South
Pollen
FOOD TRADER OF THE YEAR
Burgerism
House of Habesha
The Little Sri Lankan
Lovingly Artisan
Mira
New Wave Ramen
Pico’s Tacos
AFFORDABLE EATS VENUE OF THE YEAR
Aunty Ji’s
Bahn Mi Co Ba
Cafe Sanjuan
Levenshulme Bakery
Go Falafel
Mama Flo’s
Salt & Pepper MCR
POP UP OR PROJECT OF THE YEAR
Platt Fields Market Garden
Sao Paulo Project
Suppher
Eat Well MCR Spring Festival
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.
Read more: The family-run Prestwich bagel shop with queues out the door
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.
Read more: Inside Platzki, the city-centre Polish restaurant with an ever-evolving menu
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!”
To cast your votes, visit the MFDF website here.
Feature image – MFDF