THE winners of awards in the 16 categories were:
Best Small Restaurant of The Year supported by Chester@ Large went to Joseph Benjamin, Northgate Street, Chester for the second year running. Upstairs at the Grill, Watergate Street, earned silver and bronze went to Bollocini, Abbey Green. Runner-up was Village Bistro, Hoole.
Best Large Restaurant of The Year, sponsored by Villeroy & Boch, was won by Chez Jules, Northgate Street, Chester. Last year’s winners The Blackhouse Grill, Newgate Street, Chester won silver and bronze was taken by Moules a Go Go, Watergate Street, Chester. Runner-up was Restaurant 1539.
Best Sandwich Bar, sponsored by Visit Chester and Cheshire, was won by Watergate Deli, Watergate Row, Chester. Henri Harbingers, Watergate Street, earned silver and Number 46, Chester took bronze.
Best Café/Deli was sponsored by Chester Festivals and was presented to Delikate, Handbridge, by director of Chester Festivals, Tracy Lynn. Aldente, Five Ashes Rd, Chester took silver and Deli-vert, Hoole achieved bronze.
Best Bar, sponsored by Marcher Sound, was won by Telford’s Warehouse, Canal Basin, Tower Wharf, Chester. Oddfellows, Lower Bridge Street, Chester, took silver and Cruise, St John Street, Chester won bronze. The Living Room, St Werburgh Street, Chester was runner-up.Š
Best Pub, sponsored by Trinity Mirror, went to The Brewery Tap, Lower Bridge Street. The Oak, Kelsall was awarded silver and The Old Harker’s Arms took bronze. Gill Lightfoot of the Chester Chronicle presented the award.
Best Cocktail Bartender of the Year was Matthew Jones of The Living Room, taking the title from fellow Living Room bartender, David Sale. The competition was sponsored by Maxxium UK and judged on April 7 at a cocktail evening at Cruise attended by more than 60 people. Matthew received his award from Phil Jones, executive director of the Manchester Food & Drink Festival.
Family Friendly Award, sponsored by Kids Direct, was won by newcomers The Ring O’ Bells.
The Christleton pub took the title from this year’s silver winners, The Red Lion, Dodleston The Royal Oak of Kelsall, earned bronze and runner-up was Chez Jules. The award was presented by Anne Benson of the Wirral Food & Drink Festival.
Best Newcomer was sponsored by The Best of Chester and presented by the managing director, Paul Daniels to The Barn, Chester Road, Chester. The Ring O’ Bells was awarded silver and bronze went to Convivio, Chester. The Gunnery, Tarvin, was runner-up.
Local Produce Shop of The Year was sponsored by Made in Cheshire. The Hollies, Little Budworth won gold, The Cheese Shop, Northgate St, took silver and Edens of Handbridge earned bronze. Jane Casson of Made in Cheshire presented the award.
Excellence in Customer Care was sponsored by Cheshire West and Chester and won by Moules a Go-Go. Mike Jones, leader of CWaC presented the award. Silver was given to Chez Jules and Convivio took bronze. Runner-up was The Blackhouse Grill.
Best Use of Local Produce in a Menu was sponsored by the Restaurant Association of Chester & Cheshire and presented to Restaurant 1539, Chester Racecourse. The Royal Oak, Kelsall took silver and bronze went to Harvest Store Café of Middlewich.
Best Chester Sausage of the Festival was presented to David Joinson of Chester Market for the third year running with a pork and apple sausage. Silver was taken by Ernest Edge Butchers of Handbridge and CS Austin of Northgate Street, Chester took bronze. The award was presented by Steve Robinson, chief executive of sponsors Cheshire West & Chester (CWaC).
Cheese of the Year was judged earlier in the week by an expert judging panel to be Allerdale Goat’s Cheese, made by Carolyn Fairburne at Thornby Moore Dairy, Cumbria. The award was presented by Carole Faulkner of The Cheese Shop, Northgate Street, Chester.Š
Best Interior Design was won by Oddfellows. The Barn took silver and Restaurant 1539 achieved bronze. The Arkle, Eastgate Street was runner-up.Š
Outstanding Achievement Award was presented to David Atkinson, Chester Renaissance by last year’s winner, Simon Radley, executive chef at The Chester Grosvenor and Spa.
