It’s voting time for St Albans Food & Drink Awards 2018
Vote for your favourite restaurant, café, pub, bar, producer or shop from more than 190 businesses nominated for the St Albans Food & Drink Awards 2018.
The winners will be unveiled during St Albans Food and Drink Festival which will run from 26 September to 8 October.
You can see a full list of nominees and select your favourites for each of the 14 categories at: www.enjoystalbans.com/foodanddrink.
Everyone was invited to make nominations for the awards back in June. Now the nominees are being put to the public vote.
Voting will remain open until 11.59pm on 26 August 2018. Only one vote per person per award is permitted.
The awards for Best restaurant for Everyday Dining and Best Takeaway are set to be the most fiercely-contested categories with more than 30 nominees for each.
This year, residents can even vote for their favourite place to go for a hot drink in the Best Hot Beverage category. Twenty businesses, from small independents to national chains, have been nominated for this new award.
Nominations have also flooded in for the Kate D’Arcy Award for customer service with 27 people having had their names put forward for this special award.
Once voting closes, the top three in each category will go through to the next round in the competition. This will involve judges from the St Albans Food and Drink Festival steering group, including food and drink experts, carrying out surprise visits and tastings.
Councillor Salih Gaygusuz, Portfolio Holder for Business and Community for St Albans City and District Council, said:
Make sure the places you enjoy visiting to eat and drink or buy food and beverages get recognition by voting in the St Albans Food & Drink Awards. Almost 200 businesses from across the District have been nominated for these popular awards that help raise the profile of local food and drink establishments, retailers and producers.
The winners of these annual awards will be announced at a glittering Festival Awards Dinner at Sopwell House Hotel on Monday 8 October. The event will be just one of the many highlights of the St Albans Food & Drink Festival. Others include the CAMRA Beer Festival and the St Albans Feastival on Sunday 30 September. More information about the St Albans Food & Drink Festival is available online.
Councillor contact:
Councillor Salih Gaygusuz, Portfolio Holder for Business and Community Councillor at St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 858289, Email: cllr.s.gaygusuz@stalbans.gov.uk
Contact for the media:
Amanda Wilkinson, Senior Communications Officer, St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 819317, E-mail: amanda.wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk
Notes:
The categories for the St Albans Food & Drink Awards 2018 are:
Best Restaurant for a Special Occasion: The winner of this category will serve excellent food and have that elusive ‘wow’ factor to help you celebrate in style.
Best Restaurant for Everyday Dining: This accolade will go to a restaurant that serves good food and offers a more formal dining experience than a café.
Best Pub: The judges are looking for a community-focused pub that serves up a range of good food and drink in a comfortable and relaxed environment.
Best Bar: The winner of this category will provide a diverse and creative drinks menu created by knowledgeable staff.
Best Café: This title will go to a venue that serves meals and drinks during the day in a comfortable and relaxed environment.
Best Hot Beverage: The judges are looking for the best place to get a hot beverage to drink in or to take out, if you are on the go.
Best Local Producer: Local businesses in St Albans District that produce or use raw ingredients in their food or drink products have
Best Food & Drink Shop: Nominated venues sell food or drinks of all types for people to purchase and take home.
Best Market Stall: Stallholders that have traded food or drink goods at Charter or Farmers’ Markets in St Albans or Harpenden at least six times in the last 12 months have been nominated for this category.
Best Takeaway: Nominated outlets in this category allow people to purchase food and/or beverages to be taken away to consume off site.
Best Place to Do Business: Venues that provide facilities and support to business people to conduct meetings, facilitate remote working and host networking opportunities have been nominated for this award.
Most Family Friendly: The judges are looking for venues that go the extra mile for children and young people, by offering a varied menu and making their experience enjoyable.
Best Newcomer: This category covers businesses that have acquired a positive reputation in the local community since they began trading.
Kate D’Arcy Award: This special award for customer service is in memory of Kate D’Arcy, a much-loved restaurateur who died in June 2010. The judges are looking for someone who has exceeded normal expectations by providing outstanding service and delivering a faultless customer experience.