The best restaurants, bars, chefs and takeaways In Greater Manchester have been revealed at the Manchester Food and Drink Awards. In total 18 winners were crowned from across the region, with awards handed out for best restaurant, best bar and foodie neighbourhood.

The glamorous event took place at the iconic New Century, the storied music hall which once played host to the likes of Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones. It reopened as a music venue and food hall in 2022.

A total of 114 venues, traders, places and people were nominated for the 2023 edition, with awards including the coveted Restaurant of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, and Neighbourhood of the Year, among others. Shortlists were drawn up by a panel of judges made up of critics and food writers, before voting, which included public votes combined with judges on certain categories.

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In May 2023, organisers confirmed the actual festival, which usually takes place ahead of the awards ceremony, would be ‘having a breather’ in 2023 for the first time in the events’ 25-year history, bar missing a year to the pandemic. But it was confirmed that the awards would go ahead in January, instead of the traditional September date – hence the 2023 date.

Speaking at the time, festival director Alexa Stratton-Powell said: “After 25 years of staging the Manchester Food and Drink Festival we will be taking a break in 2023. Creating the festival is a labour of love and as a small team we wanted to take a breather and regroup ahead of bringing the festival back in 2024.

“The awards will continue to celebrate our wonderful hospitality industry.”

Over the years, the festival has brought a host of famous names, from Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver, to Tom Kerridge and Michel Roux. The event would usually take place in Cathedral Gardens in the city centre, and feature a range of bars, food vendors and entertainment during the week, as well as satellite events held across the city.

Last year, Stockport’s Where The Light Gets In scooped the award for Best Restaurant, while Another Hand on Deansgate Mews won Best Newcomer, and Eddie Shepherd, chef-patron of The Walled Gardens in Whalley Range, took home the award for Best Chef.

Commenting on this year’s winners, Alexa Stratton-Powell added: “We’re delighted to announce the winners of the 2023 MFDF Awards. Times are more challenging than ever for the hospitality industry, which has made it all the more important to champion our fantastic nominees and winners tonight.

“Shining a light on the city’s incredible independent restaurants, bars, cafes and everything in between is what the awards are all about and we’ve loved bringing everyone together to celebrate. We’d like to thank the MFDF judges and presenters, the sponsors of the awards, everyone who voted and New Century for hosting a night to remember.”

The full list of 2023 winners can be found below. Did your favourite pick up a prize? Let us know in the comments below.

Manchester Food and Drink Festival 2023 winners in full:

Restaurant of the year – Sponsored by Stephenson’s

WINNER

Erst, 9 Murray Street, Ancoats, Manchester, M4 6HS

THE SHORTLIST

• Higher Ground
• Climat
• Another Hand
• 10 Tib Lane
• OSMA
• Erst

• The Spärrows

• Mana

Newcomer of the Year – Sponsored by Bruntwood

WINNER

Higher Ground, Faulkner House, New York Street, Manchester, M1 4DY

THE SHORTLIST

• Climat
• Higher Ground
• Restaurant Örme
• Fold Bistro & Bottle Shop
• The Jane Eyre, Chorlton
• New Century Kitchen
• Stretford Canteen

Bar of the Year

WINNER

Schofield’s Bar, 3 Little Quay Street

SHORTLIST

• The Jane Eyre
• Blinker
• Red Light
• Sterling Bar
• Hawksmoor
• Schofield’s Bar
• 10 Tib Lane
• Flawd Wine

Chef of the Year – Sponsored by Manchester Evening News

WINNER

Shaun Moffat, The Edinburgh Castle Pub

SHORTLIST

• Joseph Otway (Higher Ground)
• Danielle Heron (OSMA)
• Luke Richardson (Climat)
• Julian Pizer (Another hand)
• Shaun Moffat (The Edinburgh Castle Pub)
• Patrick Withington (Erst)
• Seri Nam (Flawd Wine)
• Mike Shaw (MUSU)

Takeaway of the Year

WINNER

Burgerism, Salford

SHORTLIST

• Fat Pat’s
• Ad Maoira
• Unagi Street Food & Sushi
• Ciaooo Garlic Bread
• Wright’s Fish and Chips
• Maida Grill House
• Al Madina
• Burgerism

Pub or Beer Bar of the Year

WINNER

The Marble Arch, 73 Rochdale Road, Manchester, M4 4NY

SHORTLIST

• The Marble Arch
• Track Brewery Taproom
• The City Arms
• Runaway Brewery Taproom
• Fox & Pine
• Reddish Ale
• Station Hop
• Heaton Hops

Food and Drink Retailer of the Year

WINNER

Cork of the North, 104 Heaton Moor Road, Stockport, SK4 4NZ

SHORTLIST

• Ad Hoc Wines
• Out of the Blue Fishmongers
• Littlewoods Butcher
• Wandering Palate
• New Market Dairy
• Petit Paris Deli
• Cork of the Nort
• La Chouquette

Independent Food Producer of the Year – sponsored by Capital & Centric

WINNER

Pollen Bakery, Cotton Field Wharf, 8 Union Street, Manchester, M4 6FQ

SHORTLIST

• Pollen
• Great North Pie Co
• La Chouquette
• Gooey, Ducie Street Warehouse
• Yellowhammer
• The Manchester Smoke House
• The Flat Baker
• Companio Bakery

Coffee Shop of the Year

WINNER

Grapefruit Coffee, 2 School Road, Sale, M33 7XY

SHORTLIST

• Grapefruit Coffee
• Cafe Sanjuan
• Another Heart to Feed
• Idle Hands Coffee
• Bold Street Coffee
• Smoak
• Ancoats Coffee Co
• Siop Shop

Food Trader of the Year

WINNER

Fat Pat’s, 88 Portland Street, Manchester, M1 4GX

SHORTLIST

• Baratxuri
• Chaat Cart
• Triple B
• Tawny Stores
• Little Sri Lanken
• Pico’s Taco’s
• Oh Mei Dumplings
• Fat Pat’s

Plant-based offering of the Year

WINNER

Bundobust, St James Building, 61-69 Oxford Road

SHORTLIST:

• Bundobust
• Lily’s Indian Vegetarian Cuisine
• Bahn Ví, New Century Kitchen
• The Walled Garden
• Maray
• Speak in Code
• Flawd Wine
• The Mekong Cat

Affordable Eats Venue of the Year

WINNER

Ornella’s Kitchen, 10 Manchester Road, Denton, Manchester, M34 3LE

SHORTLIST

• Nila’s Burmese Kitchen
• Great North Pie Co
• Cafe Sanjuan
• Noodle Alley
• Tokyo Ramen
• Lily’s Deli
• House of Habesha
• Ornella’s Kitchen

Foodie Neighbourhood of the Year – Sponsored by Manchester Finest

WINNER

Stockport

SHORTLISTED

• Levenshulme
• Stockport
• Altrincham
• Urmston
• Prestwich
• Monton
• Sale
• Stretford

Pop Up Project of the Year

WINNER

Platt Fields Market Green

SHORTLIST

• Our Place
• Tawny Stores
• Sampa
• Little Sri Lanken
• Suppher
• Fare Share
• Micky’s

Independent Drink Producer of the Year

WINNER

Track Brewing Co, Unit 18, Piccadilly Trading Estate, Manchester M1 2NP

SHORTLIST

• Sureshot Brewing
• Stockport Gin
• Cloudwater Brew Co
• Tarsier Spirit
• Pod Pea Vodka
• Manchester Union Brewery
• Squawk Brewing Co
• Track

Neighbourhood Venue of the Year

WINNER

Stretford Canteen, 118 Chester Road, Stretford, Manchester, M32 9DX

SHORTLIST

• Restaurant Orme
• Stretford Canteen
• Osma
• Ornella’s Kitchen
• The oystercatcher
• Yellowhammer
• Fold Bistro & Bottle Shop
• The Jane Eyre

Great Service of the Year- sponsored by Boutinot

WINNER

Hawksmoor

SHORLTIST

• Hawksmoor
• Higher Ground
• Schofield’s Bar
• Where The Light Gets In
• Climat
• Wood Manchester
• Sterling Bar
• Tast Catala

The Howard and Ruth Outstanding Achievement Award

WINNER

James Campbell, owner of Sureshot Brewery

Manchester Evening News – Stockport