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 a whopping 100,000 votes, we’re thrilled to reveal the Food Reader Awards 2020 grand finalists. Keep ’em peeled as we’ll be revealing the winners at a foodie-studded awards ceremony at Darts Farm in Devon on February 10.

Food Reader Awards 2020 grand finalists …

Best Chef – sponsored by Sharp’s Brewery

Dan Moon – The Gainsborough Bath Spa
Nicholas Hack – The Cadeleigh Arms
Oliver Certain – The Swan, Bampton
Philip Verden – Lord Poulett Arms

Best Restaurant – sponsored by Total Produce

Number Eight, Bideford
Pasta Ripiena, Bristol
Penrose Kitchen, Truro
The Longstore, Charlestown

Best Foodie Hotel

Boringdon Hall, Plymouth
The Greenbank Hotel, Falmouth
THE PIG – at Combe, Honiton
Two Bridges Hotel, Dartmoor

Best Cocktail Bar

Dr Ink’s, Exeter
On the Rocks, Truro
The Dark Horse, Bath
Tom Thumb, Newquay

Best Cafe

Block, Barnstaple
Box & Barber Coffeehouse, Newquay
Halulu, Teignmouth
Porthgwidden Beach Cafe, St Ives

Best Foodie Pub

Pyne Arms, East Down
The Bank Tavern, Bristol
The Mariners, Rock
The Victory Inn, St Mawes

Best Drink

Northmoor Gin
Salcombe Gin
St Ives Gin
Wicked Wolf Gin

Best Foodie Product – sponsored by Darts Farm

Bell & Loxton cold pressed rapeseed oil
Cornish Moo milk
Da Bara Bakery cinnamon buns
Sharpham brie

Best Indie Retailer

Ashburton Delicatessen, Devon
Great Cornish Food Store, Truro
Hobbs House Bakery, Bristol
Veg in a Box, Exeter

Best Cookery School

Exeter Cookery School
Manna from Devon Cookery School, Kingswear
Truro School Cookery
Vale House Kitchen, Timsbury, Bath

Best Wine List – sponsored by Regency Wines

Gidleigh Park, Chagford
Rendezvous Wine Bar, Exeter
Scarlet Wines, Hayle
Woods Bar & Restaurant, Dulverton

Best Farm Shop – sponsored by Wicked Wolf Gin

Ben’s Farm Shop, Totnes
Darts Farm, Topsham
Gloucester Services, M5
Padstow Farm Shop, Padstow

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