Last chance to vote for Food and Drink Festival Awards

Residents have barely two weeks left to vote for their favourites among the 350 nominations for the St Albans Food and Drink Festival awards.

Thirteen titles are on the menu in the annual contest including best pub, best café and best market stall.

The list includes three new titles – best restaurant for a special occasion, best restaurant for everyday dining and best place to do business.

Everyone is entitled to take part in the online poll which runs until Monday 28 August. For details on how to vote, please go to: www.enjoystalbans.com/foodanddrinkawards.

After the public vote is finished, the top three in each category will go through to the final stage of the competition.

They will then be judged by the Festival steering group, including food and drink experts, who will carry out surprise visits and tastings.

Once they have decided on the winners, the results will be revealed at a glittering Festival Awards Dinner at Sopwell House Hotel on Monday 2 October.

The nominations were made by the public in April and May. Every nominated business or individual that met the category criteria has been put forward for the vote.

The Food and Drink Festival, now in its tenth year, is organised by St Albans City and District Council with the help of the steering group.

It runs from Wednesday 27 September to Saturday 7 October and includes a wide range of activities such as wine tastings and cookery demonstrations.

One highlight is the St Albans Street Feastival (Correct) on Sunday 1 October when the City Centre is taken over by 80-plus food and drink stalls and other activities.

Councillor Beric Read, the Council’s Portfolio Holder for Business and the Community, said: “An impressive number of votes have already been cast, and it is neck and neck in some categories.

“I urge everyone who hasn’t already voted to do so. It’s your chance to reward your favourite pub, takeaway or other food and drink business with some valuable recognition.

“It’s also a way of showing your support to our thriving food and drink industry which helps make St Albans such an exciting place to live.”

The Festival awards categories and nominees (St Albans City unless stated) are:

Best Restaurant for a Special Occasion:
4 Nations, Anastasias Greek Restaurant, Ayos, Bangkok Lounge (Harpenden), Bar Espresso, Bar Meze, Bistro Paprika, Chez Mumtaj, Chilli Raj, Cote Brasserie, Craft & Cleaver, Dylans Kings Arms, Freddie’s, Galvin at Centurion Club, Jamie’s Italian, L’Italiana, Little Marrakech, Lussmanns, Lussmans (Harpenden), Number 23, Oxscale (Wheathampstead), Per Tutti, Prime, St Michael’s Manor Hotel, St Villa, Tabure, Thai Square, The Beech House, The Foragers at the Verulam Arms, The Oasis, The Peacock Bar & Kitchen, The Prae Wood Arms, The Waffle House, Thompson St Albans, Trattoria Italiana da Franco (Harpenden), Veer Dhara.

Best Restaurant for Everyday Use:
Bangkok Lounge (Harpenden), Bar Azita (Harpenden), Bar Espresso, Bar Meze, Bill’s, Carluccio’s, Chez Mumtaj, Cote Brasserie, Craft & Cleaver, Dylans Kings Arms, George Street Canteen, Godfrey’s (Harpenden), Great Northern, Jamie’s Italian, Kimaya, La Cosa Nostra, L’Italiana, Lussmanns, Lussmans (Harpenden), Oxscale (Wheathampstead), Pasto Cibo (Harpenden), Per Tutti, Pin Petch, Relish Real Burgers, Tabure, Thai Square, The Bean and Stove, The Beech House, The Boot, The Cock Inn, The Cricketers (Redbourn), The Foragers at the Verulam Arms, The Gate (Bricket Wood), The Green Kitchen, The Meating Room, The Oasis, The Peacock Bar & Kitchen, The Prae Wood Arms, The Snug, The Waffle
House, Thompson St Albans, Veer Dhara, Verdi’s Trattoria, Wagamama, Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, Zaza (Harpenden), Zizzi..

Best Pub:
Blacksmith Arms, Craft & Cleaver, Dylan's Kings Arms, Great Northern, Hare & Hounds, Six Bells, Speckled Hen, The Boot, The Cock, The Cricketers (Redbourn), The Cross Keys (Harpenden), The Crown, The Farmer's Boy, The Farriers, The Foragers at The Verulam Arms, The Fox, The Gate (Bricket Wood), The Holly Bush, The Horn, The Jolly Sailor, The King Harry, The Mermaid, The Peacock Bar & Kitchen, The Peahen, The Prae Wood Arms, The Plough & Harrow (Harpenden), The Plough (Sleapshyde), The Plough (Tyttenhanger), The Portland Arms, The Queen’s Head (Sandridge), The Rose and Crown, The Slug and Lettuce (Harpenden), The White Hart Tap, The White Lion; The White Swan, Ye Olde Fighting Cocks.

Best Bar:
Bar Azita (Harpenden), Craft & Cleaver, Dylan's Kings Arms, Harry’s (Harpenden), Mokoko, Suckerpunch, The Beech House, The Peacock Bar & Kitchen, The Peahen, The Slug and Lettuce, The Slug and Lettuce (Harpenden), The Snug.

Best Café:
Abigail’s Tea Room, Baked Nation, Bar Espresso, Barrissimo, Cafe Alfresco, Café Nero, Café Nero (Harpenden), Café On The Corner;, Café Roma, Carluccio’s, Carmelo’s (London Colney), Charlie's Coffee & Company, Charlie’s (Wheathampstead), Dulcie’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, Gail’s, George St Canteen, Hatch on the Hill, JK Palmers, Kanuka, Lebanese Kitchen, Molen’s, NICE (Harpenden), The Bean and Stove, The Bread Shop, The Courtyard Café, The Exquisite Peacock Emporium, The Fleetville Larder, The Green Kitchen, The Juice Pharm, The Pudding Stop, The Smoke House Deli, The Waffle House, Trattoria Italiana da Franco (Harpenden).

Best Local Producer:
Carpenter's Nursery (Sandridge), Dizzy Bee Kitchen, Earthworks Emma’s Eggs, Hammond’s End Farm, Farr Brew (Wheathampstead), Hedges Farm Shop, I Am Cocoa, Oaklands College, Redbournbury Watermill and Bakery, The Three Brewers.

Best Food and Drink Shop:
A&C Meats, Beer Shop, Buongiorno Italia, Carluccio’s, Carpenter's Nursery (Sandridge), Eat Wholefoods, Farr Brewery (Wheathampstead),
Flagship Wines, Fleetville Larder, Gail’s, George Street Canteen, Hedges, Marks & Spencer, Parker & Vine (Harpenden), Rock Pop Candy, Rollings Wine Company (Harpenden), The Bread Shop, Thirty Nine 10, Tomoka Spirts, Waitrose, Yvette’s Chocolates.

Best Market Stall:
24 Carrot, Brownbread, Carmen’s Caribbean Kitchen, Filipo’s Italian Cheeses, Chrissy's Cupcakes, Comida Brasil, Cossack Cuisine, Dave’s Tasty Bites, Dizzy Bee Kitchen, Earthworks, Eat Wholefoods, Farr Brew, Cheese Wheeler, Grove Fruits, Jon’s Streat Food, Kimaya, Lantern House, Lebanese Kitchen, The Meating Room, Med Grill, Mumtaj, New Gulshan, The Oasis, Omsins Thai Takeaway, Orissa Real Indian Food, Paya (Harpenden), Peddling Pizza, Po Che, The Pudding Stop, Relish Real Burgers, Bua Thai, Thai Rack, The Kebab Shop, The Rice, The Yard Pizzeria, Veer Dhara, The Viceroy.

Best Takeaway:
Bangkok Lounge (Harpenden), Bar Espresso, Barrissimo, Charlie’s Coffee Company, The Cherry Tree (Wheathampstead), Chi Chinese Cuisine, Chilli Bar and Kitchen, Chilli Raj, China House, Chinese Express, Colney Fish Bar and Kebab (London Colney), Devdas, Fishy Delishy, Flame Light, Godfrey’s (Harpenden), Harry’s Takeaway, Hatch, Hong Kong Inn, Jon’s Streat Food, Kimaya, Lantern House, Lebanese Kitchen, The Meating Room, Med Grill, Mumtaj, New Gulshan, The Oasis, Omsins Thai Takeaway, Orissa Real Indian Food, Paya (Harpenden), Peddling Pizza, Po Che, The Pudding Stop, Relish Real Burgers, Bua Thai, Thai Rack, The Kebab Shop, The Rice (Colney Heath), The Yard Pizzeria (Harpenden),
Veer Dhara, The Viceroy (Bricket Wood).

Best Place To Do Business:
The Beech House, The Bread Shop, The Breakfast Club, Dylan’s Kings Arms, George Street Canteen, Hatch, Hatch on the Hill, The King Harry, The Peacock Kitchen & Bar, The Cock Inn, The Foragers at the Verulam Arms, The Waffle House.

Most Family Friendly Venue:
Bangkok Lounge (Harpenden), Bar Espresso, Bar Meze, Beech House, Bill’s, The Meating Room, Carmelo’s (London Colney), Dylan’s Kings Arms, The Exquisite Peacock Emporium, George Street Canteen, Godfrey’s (Harpenden), Hatch on the Hill, Inn on the Park, Jamie’s Italian, La Cosa Nostra, L’Italiana, The Oasis, Peddling Pizza, The Plough & Harrow (Harpenden), Relish Real Burgers, The Smoke House Deli, The Cricketers (Redbourn), The Fleetville Larder, The Foragers at The Verulam Arms, The Fox (Harpenden), The Gate (Bricket Wood), The Old Bell (Harpenden), The Plough (Tyttenhanger), The Waffle House, Veer Dhara, Wagamama, Ye Olde Fighting Cocks.

Best Newcomer:
24Carrot, The Bean and Stove, Box Local, Carmelo’s (London Colney), The Fleetville Larder, Gail’s, George Street Pantry, Hatch on the Hill, The Juice Pharm, La Vista, Oxscale (Wheathampstead), Peddling Pizza, The Rose and Crown, St Villa Bar & Restaurant, The Oasis, Thirty Nine 10, Yvette’s Chocolates.

Kate D’Arcy Award for Customer Service:
Ross Avvinti, Bar Espresso; Carmelo Giallombardo, Carmelo's; Charlie, Charlie's Coffee Company; Christo Toffali, Ye Olde Fighting Cocks; Ferenc Zellenac, Thirty Nine 10; Fouad Hassan, Bar Meze; Julie Lee, George Street Canteen; Luke Jones, Foragers at the Verulam Arms; Matt Peacock, Jamie’s Italian; Molly Hardwick, Hatch; Motin Miah, Bangkok Lounge (Harpenden); Phil Thompson, Thompson St Albans; Jonny Shepherd, Pudding Stop; Ana Daniels, Rock Pop Candy; Sara Shilsson, Godfrey’s (Harpenden); Sarah Hopkins, Per Tutti; Sean Hughes, Dylans Kings Arms; Mark Pearse, Tabure; Ed Bevin, Fleetville Larder.

Councillor contact:
Cllr Beric Read, Portfolio Holder for Business and the Community for St Albans City and District Council. Email: Cllr.B.Read@stalbans.gov.uk ;Tel: 07956 220264

Contact for the media:
John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, St Albans City District Council. E-mail: john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk; Tel: 01727 296130.