Food news: Mana scoops all the top awards at MFDF awards

This year’s Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards took place this week at Gorton Monastery (Mon 7 Oct) and the lucky winners have been revealed, with Ancoats’s seasonally-inspired eatery Mana taking home the bulk of the evening’s awards. Headed up by Chef Simon Martin, Blossom Street’s Mana won a number of accolades, including Newcomer of the Year, Premium Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year and Restaurant of the Year with Martin bagging himself the gong for Chef of the Year for good measure. Other notable wins during this year’s ceremony include popular street food and drink hang-out Grub for Foodie Event or Project of the Year, Chorlton’s Unicorn Grocery for Food and Drink Retailer of the Year, Rudy’s Pizza for Affordable Eats Venue of the Year and Pollen Bakery for Coffee Shop of the Year. These awards close out the city’s Manchester Food and Drink Festival which took over Cathedral Gardens from the 26 Sep – 7 Oct offering a selection of food and drink vendors and live entertainment. You’ll find a full list of this year’s winners below:

VEGAN OFFERING OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY R NOONE AND SON
THE WINNER: Amma’s Canteen
285 Barlow Moor Rd, Manchester M21 7GH

FOODIE EVENT OR PROJECT OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY TASTE OF MANCHESTER
THE WINNER: GRUB
Mayfield Depot, Baring St, Manchester, M1 2PZ

FOOD AND DRINK RETAILER OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY LAMB AND WATT
THE WINNER: Unicorn Grocery
89 Albany Road, Chorlton, M21 0BN

ARTISAN DRINKS PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
THE WINNER: Manchester Gin
78 Temperance St, Manchester M12 6

AFFORDABLE EATS VENUE OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY ROOMZZZ
THE WINNER: Rudy’s Pizza
Petersfield House, Manchester, M2 5QJ

COFFEE SHOP OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY GORTON MONASTERY
THE WINNER: Pollen Bakery
Cotton Field Wharf, 8 New Union St, Manchester M4 6FQ

FRONT OF HOUSE TEAM SPONSORED BY BOUTINOT WINES
THE WINNER: Hawksmoor
184-186 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3WB

NEIGHBOURHOOD RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY BETTAVEG
THE WINNER: Lily’s Indian Vegetarian Cuisine
85 Oldham Road, Ashton Under Lyne, OL6 7DY

BAR OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY JJ WHITLEY
THE WINNER: The Jane Eyre
14 Hood St, Manchester M4 6WX

PUB/CRAFT ALE BAR OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY CAMDEN TOWN BREWERY
THE WINNER: Sandbar
120 Grosvenor St, Manchester M1 7H

CHEF OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY STEPHENSONS
THE WINNER: Simon Martin
Mana, 42 Blossom St, Manchester M4 6BF

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS
THE WINNER: Mana
42 Blossom St, Manchester M4 6BF

CASUAL RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY MANCHESTER CONFIDENTIAL
THE WINNER: Sugo Pasta Kitchen
Blossom St, Manchester M4 6BA

PREMIUM AND FINE DINING RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY BOOKATABLE
THE WINNER: Mana
42 Blossom St, Manchester M4 6BF

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY CATERER.COM
THE WINNER: Mana

SUSTANABILITY AWARD SPONSORED BY THE SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANT ASSOCAITION
THE WINNER: Chancellors Hotels

STREET FOOD TRADER OF THE YEAR
THE WINNER: Grandad’s Sausages