The People Have Spoken! Taste Cheshire Food and Drink Awards 2025 Shortlist Announced
The Taste Cheshire Food and Drink Awards are delighted to announce the highly anticipated shortlist for 2025, following a brilliant and passionate public vote. This year’s awards, a true celebration of the Cheshire’s vibrant culinary scene, saw thousands of nominations from the public, who were encouraged to vote for their absolute favourites in a wide range of categories.
The public’s choices have once again delighted and surprised the directors of Taste Cheshire. Briony Wilson and Tori Hayes, expressed their excitement: “We are over the moon with the brilliant response from the public. Every year, we are excited and surprised by the public’s choices. While it’s sometimes hard to see some venues miss out, it’s also wonderful to see new faces and the passion and dedication of all of these businesses and the people behind them is awe inspiring.”
The Taste Cheshire Food and Drink Awards are a unique event, as the public casts the initial votes, allowing for a truly democratic and authentic representation of the best of Cheshire’s food and drink landscape. The final shortlists are a testament to the hard work, creativity, and dedication of the businesses and individuals who make Cheshire a culinary destination.
The shortlisted venues and producers, as chosen by the public, are as follows:
Best Casual Eatery
Little Yellow Pig, Hoole
Lynda’s Cakes and Tearoom, Saughall
The Emporium, Westminster Park
The Village Kitchen, Holmes Chapel
Best Cheshire Bar
Barlounge, Chester
Liquor & Co., Chester
Little Tap, Tarporley
Vandal, Warrington
Best Cheshire Pub
Fox & Barrell, Cotebrook
The Architect, Chester
The Leopard, Nantwich
The Swan at Marbury
Best Large Restaurant
Chefs Table, Chester
Chez Jules, Chester
Hickory’s Smokehouse, Chester
Shrub, Chester
Best Newcomer
Bread & Butter, Chester
Plana terra, Chester
Rooftop Social Club, Chester
TBC Bar, Chester
The Stixx, Chester
Best Small Restaurant
Poco, Chester
Restaurant 209, Farndon
St Martha’s, Nantwich
Terrarium by Little Tap, Tarporley
Upstairs at the Grill, Chester
Cheshire Accommodation Award
The Hollies Forest Lodges
The Pheasant Inn, Burwardsley
The Pied Bull, Chester
The Swan at Tarporley
Cheshire’s Best Micro Pub
Bluestone, Broughton
Bondies Bar, Ellesmere Port
Beer Heroes, Chester
Homebrew Tap, Hoole
Drink Producer of the Year
Small Batch Brewing Co
Spitting Feathers Brewery
Spookton Brew Co.
Weetwood Cheshire Brewery & Distillery
Family-Friendly Venue of the Year
Hickory’s Smokehouse, Chester
Pesto at Cabbage Hall
Ring O’ Bells, Christleton
Rooftop Social Club, Chester
The Shady, Tiverton
Food Producer of the Year
Cheshire Cheese Company
Cheshire Farm Ice Cream
Groobox
Snugbury’s Ice Cream
The Bear Bakery, Chester
Local Produce Shop of the Year
Cheerbrook Farm Shop, Nantwich
Lowe’s Farm Shop, Byley
Rose Farm Shop, Tarporley
SJ Bebbington Butchers, Chester
The Hollies Farm Shop, Tarporley
Representation of Local Produce in a Menu
Poco, Chester
Restaurant 209, Farndon
Terrarium by Little Tap
The Chester Fields
Twenty Eight, Chester
These businesses will now be mystery dined or shopped by a panel of experts to determine the Gold, Silver, and Bronze in each category, which will be announced at a glittering gala awards dinner at the end of the month. We
wish all the shortlisted finalists the best of luck as the judges have a tough job ahead!