The Food Awards England 2022 celebrate the best in the hospitality industry, from the excellent restaurants, chefs and servers, to the specialists and suppliers.
Voted for by the public, categories include Restaurant of the Year, Cafe/Bistro of the Year, Gastro Pub of the Year, Hotel Restaurant of the Year, Caterer of the Year, and Takeaway of the Year.
There’s also Best Indian Establishment, Best Italian Establishment, Best Mediterranean Establishment, Best Oriental Establishment, Best World Cuisine, Best Mexican Establishment, Best Vegetarian Establishment, Best Seafood Establishment, Best Fish n’ Chips Establishment, Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year, Dessert Outlet of the Year, Best Street Food, Artisan Bakery of the Year, Cookery School of the Year, Burger Bar of the Year, Best Pizza Restaurant of the Year, and Buffet Restaurant of the Year.
Now, the finalists have been revealed for 2022 – with several venues across Greater Manchester making the list.
Best restaurant, gastro pub and vegetarian restaurant in Greater Manchester?
The Restaurant of the Year – North West category, as voted for by the public, only includes one Greater Manchester restaurant.
Local gem The Fat Loaf in Sale is a family-friendly restaurant and bar with an open kitchen using local, seasonal ingredients.
A light tapas menu includes the likes of salt cod or Iberian ham croquetas, asparagus with grated egg, cornichon and chervil dressing, or bavette steak a la plancha with chimichurri salsa.
The main menu includes starters such as white pudding and haggis scotch egg with mustard mayo or Scottish scallops with spring green onion risotto, followed by lamb rump, glazed shallots and charred courgette with minted peas and Madeira sauce, or seabass fillet with yellow split pea dhal, ginger, cumin and zhoug dressing.
When it comes to the Gastro Pub of the Year, Bob’s Smithy Inn Country Pub & Dining in Bolton has made the final.
Situated close to Rivington and the surrounding area, the views of Greater Manchester from the pub are exceptional and make it ideal for walkers and sightseeing.
Owners, Lorraine and Stewart along with their son Jordan have run this successful business for the past 30 years.
The Best Vegetarian Establishment category features The Allotment Vegan Eatery (Manchester), which will soon be relocating to Cathedral Gardens, and Greens Restaurant in West Didsbury.
Best for Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican and World Cuisine
When it comes to best Italian, the public voted for Gusto in Didsbury, which offers leather booths and a heated terrace and serves a selection of steaks, pizza and pasta dishes.
ROKKA Mediterranean in Bolton made the final in the list of Best Mediterranean Establishments.
Two Manchester restaurants made the list for Best World Cuisine – Turkish restaurant Etci Mehmet on Chester Street, and Fazenda in Spinningfields.
Chilli Tortilla in Altrincham made the list for Best Mexican Establishment.
Best takeaway, burger and fish n’ chips
We all love a takeaway from time to time, and three in Greater Manchester were voted for as the best by the public.
Zafrani Indian Takeaway in Monton, Spice Island in Bolton and Archie’s (branches in Manchester) all made the list.
Archie’s was also named a finalist in the Burger Bar of the Year category.
For fish and chips, two Manchester favourites made the list – Ferryhill Fish & Chips in Irlam, and Wright’s Fish & Chips on Cross Street.
Nayaab Buffet Restaurant in Fallowfield is a finalist in the Buffet Restaurant of the Year category, while Shazia’s Street Food in Bury makes the Best Street Food list.
Best caterers and cookery schools in Manchester
Three Greater Manchester cookery schools have made the final in The Food Awards England 2022.
Food Sorcery Cookery & Barista School in Didsbury, The Cheshire Cookery School in Altrincham and The Spice Club Cookery School all proved popular with the public.
Herb & Spice in Altrincham was named a finalist in the Caterer of the Year category.
“England offers a wide range of places that serve world cuisines,” said a spokesperson for The Food Awards England.
“The finalists were voted for by the public for providing authentic recipes and unique dishes to their diners, creating memorable experiences for both residents and visitors.
“Undoubtedly, there are some amazing specialists around the country, who know how to offer great service, delicious food and meet the expectations of their diners. These are the professionals that we aim to reward at The Food Awards England 2022.
“We would like to wish all the finalists the best of luck and we can’t wait to welcome all our guests and celebrate the winners with them.”
The black-tie ceremony for The Food Awards England 2022 will take place in Manchester in June 2022.