The Manchester Food and Drink Unveils Its 2023 Award Winners

The Manchester Food and Drink Awards have recently unveiled the top performers in the best restaurants, bars, chefs, and takeaways in Greater Manchester. The prestigious event presented 18 outstanding winners from across the region, covering categories such as the best restaurant, best bar, and the most foodie-friendly neighbourhood.

This esteemed gathering took place at the historic New Century – a music hall with a storied past, hosting legendary figures such as Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones. The venue reopened as a music venue and food hall in 2022, providing the ideal setting for this year’s awards ceremony.

A total of 114 venues, traders, places, and individuals were nominated for the 2023 edition, vying for highly-coveted awards including Restaurant of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, and Neighbourhood of the Year, among others. The shortlists were carefully curated by a panel of judges consisting of esteemed critics and food writers. The winners were determined through a combination of public votes and judges’ decisions in certain categories.

The traditional festival preceding the awards ceremony will be taking a hiatus in 2023 for the first time in its 25-year history, with the exception of a year missed due to the pandemic. Nonetheless, the awards will proceed in January, rather than the customary September date.

According to festival director, Alexa Stratton-Powell, “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.”

The festival has attracted renowned personalities throughout the years, including Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver, Tom Kerridge, and Michel Roux. Traditionally taking place in Cathedral Gardens in the city centre, the event features a diverse range of bars, food vendors, and entertainment activities throughout the week, along with satellite events held across the city.

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

Addressing this year’s winners, Alexa Stratton-Powell expressed her delight, stating, “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.”

The full list of winners includes the Restaurant of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Bar of the Year, Chef of the Year, Takeaway of the Year, Pub or Beer Bar of the Year, Food and Drink Retailer of the Year, Independent Food Producer of the Year, and many others.

From establishments such as the renowned Erst for Restaurant of the Year to Schofield’s Bar for Bar of the Year, the winners represent the cream of the crop of the food and drink industry in Manchester. They embody the passion, creativity, and hard work of the vibrant hospitality scene in the region.

As such, the 2023 MFDF Awards brings well-deserved recognition to these esteemed establishments and individuals, exemplifying excellence and innovation in the city’s dynamic culinary landscape.