Manchester Food and Drink Festival reveal 2022 awards shortlists as voting opens

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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

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