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.

You can vote for any of your favourite South West venues and chefs: nominations for the first round open on October 7 and close on October 30. The shortlist will be revealed and a second round of reader voting will open on November 1 and close on November 22. The grand finalists will be revealed on November 29 and the winners crowned at a VIP awards ceremony at Darts Farm.

VOTE HERE

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. 

Want to know who scooped the awards in the 2019?

After thousands of reader nominations and a cracking awards night at The Greenbank Hotel in Falmouth, we’re super excited to share your 2019 winners.

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

Food Reader Awards 2018 winners …

Best Chef – sponsored by Sharp’s Brewery

Winner: Michael Caines – Lympstone Manor Grand finalists: Steve Pidgeon – Arundell Arms Hotel, Nathan Outlaw – Restaurant Nathan Outlaw

Best Restaurant – sponsored by Total Produce

Winner: Oliver’s – Falmouth Grand finalists: The Square – Porthleven, Olive Tree Restaurant – Bath

Best Foodie Hotel – sponsored by Enotria & Coe

Winner: Arundell Arms Hotel – Lifton Grand finalists: Soar Mill Cove Hotel – Devon, The Scarlet – Mawgan Porth

Best Cocktail Bar – sponsored by Wrecking Coast Gin

Winner: Dr Ink’s Curiosities – Exeter Grand finalists: North Coast Wine Co – Bude, The Dark Horse – Bath

Best Cafe – sponsored by Frobishers

Winner: Gylly Beach Cafe – Falmouth Grand finalists: Block – Barnstaple, Society Cafe – Bath

Best Foodie Pub – sponsored by Flying Fish Seafoods and Philip Warren

Winner: The Star & Garter, Falmouth Grand finalists: The Methuen Arms – Corsham, The Rising Sun – Truro

Best Drink – sponsored by Impact

Winner: Black Cow Vodka Grand finalists: Wrecking Coast Clotted Cream Gin, Salcombe Gin

Best Foodie Product – sponsored by Michelmores

Winner: Cornish Gouda Co Gouda Grand finalists: Primrose Herd Cornish Hogs Pudding, Eat The Smoke Rubs

Best Indie Retailer – sponsored by Salt Media

Winner: Riverford Organic, Buckfastleigh Grand finalists: Fillet & Bone – Chipping Campden, Johns of Instow – north Devon

Best Cookery School – sponsored by Fifteen Cornwall

Winner: Exeter Cookery School – Devon Grand finalists: Rick Stein’s Cookery School – Padstow, Ashburton Cookery School – Devon

Best Wine List – sponsored by Trencherman’s Guide

Winner: Gidleigh Park – Chagford Grand finalists: The Idle Rocks -St Mawes, Ben’s Wine & Tapas – Totnes

Best Farm Shop – sponsored by Rodda’s

Winner: Darts Farm – Topsham Grand finalists: Greendale Farm Shop – Woodbury, Daylesford – Moreton-in-Marsh