The South West’s most hotly anticipated reader-voted awards are back with a bang for 2020
With the guidance of your on-the-ground foodie insights, we’ve crowned the region’s finest chefs, restaurants, retailers and more since 2012. The impressive line-up of past winners reads like a who’s who of the South West food and drink scene (Nathan Outlaw, Michael Caines, Paul Ainsworth etc …) and it’s time to add new names to the list. As ever, we’re putting our trust in you, our fabulous food readers.
After over 10,000 reader nominations, we’re thrilled to reveal the Food Reader Awards 2020 shortlist. Voting is now open and closes on November 22. The grand finalists will be revealed on November 29 and the winners crowned at a VIP awards ceremony at Darts Farm.
Food Reader Awards 2020 shortlist …
Best Chef – sponsored by Sharp’s Brewery
Dan Moon – The Gainsborough Bath Spa
Joseph Fallowfield – Housel Bay Hotel and Restaurant
Malcolm Church – The Bear & Blacksmith
Matthew Street – The Eastbury Hotel
Nicholas Hack – The Cadeleigh Arms
Oliver Certain – The Swan, Bampton
Philip Verden – Lord Poulett Arms
Robert Ndungu – The Acorn Inn, Dorset
Best Restaurant – sponsored by Total Produce
Fletcher’s Restaurant, Plymouth
Number Eight, Bideford
Pasta Ripiena, Bristol
Penrose Kitchen, Truro
The Longstore, Charlestown
The Ollerod, Beaminster
Twenty Seven by Jamie Rogers, Kingsbridge
Woods Bar & Restaurant, Dulverton
Best Foodie Hotel
Atlantic House, Bude
Boringdon Hall, Plymouth
Gidleigh Park, Chagford
Lewtrenchard Manor, Okehampton
The Greenbank Hotel, Falmouth
The Gainsborough Bath Spa
THE PIG – at Combe, Honiton
Two Bridges Hotel, Dartmoor
Best Cocktail Bar
Clockwork Rose, Bristol
Crocketts, Exeter
Dr Ink’s, Exeter
On the Rocks, Truro
Sazerac Social, Bude
SQ, Braunton
The Dark Horse, Bath
Tom Thumb, Newquay
Best Cafe
Bakesmiths, Bristol
Block, Barnstaple
Box & Barber Coffeehouse, Newquay
Halulu, Teignmouth
Porthgwidden Beach Cafe, St Ives
Short and Strong, Charlestown
Strangers with Coffee, Wells
Tincan Coffee Co., Bristol
Best Foodie Pub
Lord Poulett Arms, Hinton St George
Pyne Arms, East Down
The Bank Tavern, Bristol
The Farmers Arms, Woolsery
The Mariners, Rock
The Queens Arms, Corton Denham
The Swan, Bampton
The Victory Inn, St Mawes
Best Drink
Caspyn Cornish Dry Gin
Morveren Absinthe
Northmoor Gin
Salcombe Gin
Sharp’s Offshore Pilsner
St Ives Gin
Wicked Wolf Gin
Wild Blonde, South Hams Brewery
Best Foodie Product – sponsored by Darts Farm
Bampton Game pheasant burger
Bell & Loxton cold pressed rapeseed oil
Cornish Moo milk
Da Bara Bakery cinnamon buns
Duchy Charcuterie ‘nduja
Granny Gothards ice cream
Primrose Herd pork
Sharpham brie
Best Indie Retailer
Ashburton Delicatessen, Devon
Better Food Store, Bristol
Bin Two, Padstow
Great Cornish Food Store, Truro
Hobbs House Bakery, Bristol
Honky Tonk Wine Library, Plymouth
The Cornish Food Box Company, Truro
Veg in a Box, Exeter
Best Cookery School
Exeter Cookery School
Lucknam Park Cookery School, Chippenham
Mahe Cookery School, Padstow
Manna from Devon Cookery School, Kingswear
Rick Stein’s Cookery School, Padstow
The Bertinet Kitchen Cookery School, Bath
Truro Cookery School
Vale House Kitchen, Timsbury, Bath
Best Wine List – sponsored by Regency Wines
Gidleigh Park, Chagford
Marmo, Bristol
Rendezvous Wine Bar, Exeter
Scarlet Wines, Hayle
The Farmers Arms, Woolsery
The Old Rectory Hotel, Exmoor
Twenty Seven by Jamie Rogers, Kingsbridge
Woods Bar & Restaurant, Dulverton
Best Farm Shop – sponsored by Wicked Wolf Gin
Allington Farm Shop, Chippenham
Ben’s Farm Shop, Totnes
Darts Farm, Topsham
Gloucester Services, M5
Greendale Farm Shop, Farringdon
Padstow Farm Shop, Padstow
Stokeley Farm Shop, Stokeley Barton
The Udder Farm Shop, East Stour
These fabulous awards wouldn’t be possible without our fantastic sponsors. Big love to Darts Farm, Regency Wines, Salt Media, Sharp’s Brewery, Total Produce and Wicked Wolf Gin.
Food Reader Awards 2019 winners …
Best Chef – sponsored by Sharp’s Brewery
Winner: Dave Jenkins – Rock Salt Cafe (Plymouth)
Grand finalists: Ashley Wright – The Horn of Plenty (Gulworthy); Claire Moore – The Station Kitchen (West Bay); Dan Moon – The Gainsborough Bath Spa
Best Restaurant – sponsored by Total Produce
Winner: Porthminster Beach Cafe, St Ives
Grand finalists: Bellita – Bristol; Brassica Restaurant – Beaminster; Harry’s Restaurant – Exeter
Best Foodie Hotel – sponsored by Trencherman’s Guide
Winner: Lympstone Manor – Exmouth
Grand finalists: Mount Haven Hotel – Marazion; St Michaels Resort – Falmouth; Ston Easton Park Hotel – Bath
Best Cocktail Bar – sponsored by The Wrecking Coast Distillery
Winner: Crocketts – Exeter
Grand finalists: The Milk Thistle – Bristol; The Old Grammar School – Truro; Tigermilk at The Duke – Plymouth
Best Cafe – sponsored by Frobishers
Winner: Mokoko – Bristol
Grand finalists: Soulshine – Bridport; The Almond Thief – Dartington; The Hidden Hut – Porthcurnick
Best Foodie Pub – sponsored by L George Butchers
Winner: The Rising Sun – Truro
Grand finalists: Bear Bar & Kitchen – St Agnes; The Bear and Blacksmith – Chillington; The Cadeleigh Arms – Tiverton
Best Drink – sponsored by Dartington Crystal
Winner: Wrecking Coast Gin
Grand finalists: Conker Spirit Dorset Dry Gin; Salcombe Gin; Wicked Wolf Gin
Best Foodie Product – sponsored by Impact
Winner: Baker Tom’s Bread sourdough
Grand finalists: Dorset Sea Salt; Purbeck Ice Cream; Extract Coffee Roasters Unkle Funka
Best Indie Retailer – sponsored by Salt Media
Winner: Chococo – Exeter
Grand finalists: Ashburton Delicatessen – Devon; The Cornish Food Box Company – Truro; The Bristol Cheesemonger
Best Cookery School – sponsored by Greenbank Hotel
Winner: Ashburton Cookery School – Devon
Grand finalists: Lucknam Park Cookery School – Wiltshire; Manna from Devon Cookery School – Kingswear; River Cottage Cookery School – Axminster
Best Wine List – sponsored by Enotria & Coe
Winner: The Longstore – Charlestown
Grand finalists: La Cave – Falmouth; The Olive Tree – Bath; Woods Bar & Restaurant – Dulverton
Best Farm Shop – sponsored by Soil Association
Winner: Trevaskis Farm Shop – Cornwall
Grand finalists: Ben’s Farm Shop – Totnes; Greendale Farm Shop – Farringdon; Jon Thorners Farm Shop – Shepton Mallet