CityLife

Food And Drink Festival Awards

The Palace Hotel is hosting the awards

THE region’s food and drink community has been nervously counting down the days to the announcement of this year’s CityLife.co.uk Manchester Food And Drink Festival Awards.

At a glittering black tie gala dinner at Manchester’s Palace Hotel on Monday the 2008 winners will be named in 11 categories.

The nominations are:

Restaurant Of The Year: Greens (Didsbury), Ithaca (John Dalton Street), MC Abode (Piccadilly), Punjab (Rusholme), Room (Spring Gardens), Ramsons (Ramsbottom).

Chef Of The Year: David Bright (Luso, Bridge St), Ian Matfin (Abode), Abdulla Naseem (Ramsons), Nasser Laziri (Ithaca), Simon Rimmer (Greens), Kevin Whiteford (Malmaison, Piccadilly).

Best Newcomer: Ambiente (Worsley), Grado (New York Street), Ithaca, MC Abode, The Modern (Urbis), Vermillion (Miles Platting).

Best Bar: Big Hands (Oxford Road), The Deaf Institute (Grosvenor St), Dulcimer (Chorlton), The Modern, Ithaca, Walrus (Hilton Street).

Best Pub: Arden Arms (Stockport), Bar Fringe (Swan Street), The Crown (Stockport), The Crown (Worthington, Wigan), Marble Arch (Rochdale Road).

Best Casual Dining: Art Of Tea Didsbury),Café Aromat (Craft Centre, Oak Street), Cup (Thomas Street), Linda’s Pantry (Ducie Street), Nexus (Dale Street), Philpotts. Best Wine List: Gaucho (2a St Mary’s Street), Grado, Harvey Nichols (Cathedral Gardens), MC Abode, Ramsons.

Best Food And Drink Outlet: Bury Market, Eighth Day (Oxford Road), Hanging Ditch (nr Cathedral), Heroes (Rochdale), Redhouse Farm (Altrincham), Winos (Oldham).

Best Provision For Vegetarians: Croma, Earth Café (Turner Street), Eighth Day, Greens, Punjab, Tampopo.

Healthy Sustainable Eating: Coriander (Chorlton), Earth Café, Dilli (Altrincham), Malmaison, The Modern.

Family-friendly: Barburrito (Piccadilly), Croma, Head Over Heels (Chorlton), Jam Street Café (Whalley Range), Redhouse Farm Tampopo.  

Tickets for the 11th awards ceremony – which includes a seven-course banquet with champagne and wine – are still available at a cost of £90 plus VAT (£900 plus VAT for a table of 10) by logging on to manchesterfoodanddrinkfestival.com or by ringing 0161 834 4312.