There are 20 food and drink businesses from Greater Manchester hoping to win gold at the annual Food Awards England. Eateries from five of the boroughs are nominated across 14 categories.
Highlights include the Fat Loaf, in Ashton-upon-Mersey, which is up for the prestigious 'Restaurant of the Year' award, and Manchester-based burger and shakes chain Archie's, which has been nominated in two categories.
Winners will be crowned at a black-tie ceremony inside the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly next month.
Much-loved West Didsbury restaurant Greens is up for the 'Best Vegetarian Establishment', along with the city centre's Allotment Vegan Eatery. Simon Connolly, who owns Greens alongside Sunday Brunch's Simon Rimmer, said: "It's always nice to be recognised.
"When we opened 32 years ago, there was very little else available and there were far fewer vegetarians and vegans around. The change is extraordinary.
"It was seen as something wacky and a lot of restaurants didn't cater to it particularly well but that's changed a lot. We welcome it."
As the only Greater Manchester eatery to be nominated in two categories, Archie's has doubled its odds of taking home an award. Managing director Amer Rafiq said: “At Archie’s we are really proud of what we do – serving great food, fresh to order – so it’s always fantastic to see that people appreciate what we do.
"We’re also honoured to represent Manchester – the city is part of our DNA. As we continue to grow, we hope more and more people across the country will fall in love with the Archie’s experience.”
Over in Bolton, family-run establishment Bob's Smithy Inn has been nominated in the 'Gastropub' category and it's a source of personal pride for owner Jordan Brookes. "My parents had it for 30 years and then about 10 years ago, I took over the reins and brought the food side back to the business," he said.
"A lot of people come for Sunday dinner and a lot of people come for our pies. It's very traditional food with specials in the evening that also go down quite well.
"The nomination as a bit of a shock really. There's a lot of fancier places on there so we're glad to be recognised."
A spokesman for The Food Awards England said: “England offers a wide range of places that serve world cuisines. 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.”
Here is a full list of Greater Manchester's nominees:
Restaurant of the year
Fat Loaf (Ashton-upon-Mersey)
Gastro pub of the year
Bob’s Smithy Inn Country Pub & Dining (Bolton)
Hotel restaurant of the year
Eskdale Lodge ( Sale )
Caterer of the year
Herb & Spice ( Altrincham )
Takeaways of the year
Zafrani Indian Takeaway ( Monton )
Spice Island (Bolton)
Archie's (Manchester)
Best Mediterranean establishment
ROKKA Mediterranean (Bolton)
Best world cuisine
Etci Mehmet (Manchester)
Fazenda (Manchester)
Best Mexican establishment
Chilli Tortilla (Altrincham)
Best vegetarian establishment
The Allotment Vegan Eatery (Manchester)
Greens Restaurant (West Didsbury)
Best fish n' chips establishment
Ferryhill Fish & Chips ( Irlam )
Wright’s Fish & Chips (Manchester)
Best street food
Shazia’s Street Food ( Bury )
Cookery school of the year
Food Sorcery Cookery & Barista School (Didsbury)
The Cheshire Cookery School (Altrincham)
The Spice Club Cookery School (Manchester|)
Burger bar of the year
Archie's (Manchester)
Buffet restaurant of the year
Nayaab Buffet Restaurant ( Fallowfield )
