15 Aug Finalists for Weetabix Northamptonshire Food & Drink Awards’ Best-in-Class Dining Categories Announced
The spotlight is shining bright on Northamptonshire’s finest food and drink venues this month, as finalists in the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food & Drink Awards’ venue categories are unveiled.
Judges have been hard at work evaluating and shortlisting brilliant businesses in the Booker Gastro Pub, Community Café, Restaurant and World Cuisine Restaurant of the Year categories, and after final Mystery Shopping visits, winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony at the Royal & Derngate Theatre in October.
This year’s competition is proving as exciting as ever, with hugely inspiring entries from every corner of the county. These awards don’t just celebrate amazing food and drink – they honour the stars behind the scenes – the people and places that are helping Northamptonshire earn its place on the food and drink map of England.
Rachel Mallows MBE, Awards Director, announced the finalists and commented:
“These awards are a badge of honour for businesses delivering unforgettable experiences. Being shortlisted is a defining moment, helping businesses stand out and attract new fans across Northamptonshire and beyond. Let’s rally behind all our finalists, celebrate their incredible contributions, and eat out when we can.”
Finalists for the Booker Gastro Pub of the Year, sponsored by Booker, are:
The Four Pears, Little Houghton
The Kings Arms, Polebrook
The Kings Head, Spratton
The Rose & Crown, Yardley Hastings
The Sheaf Inn, West Haddon
The Tollemache Arms, Harrington
Finalists for the Community Café of the Year, sponsored by West Northamptonshire Council Public Health, are:
Bob’s Cafe, Corby
Bugbrooke Community Café CIC
Café Oak (Youth Works), Geddington
Saints Coffee, Northampton
The Hut Café, Kettering
Whites Kitchen, Earls Barton
Finalists for Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by Whitco Catering & Bakery Equipment Limited, are:
Restaurant Ember, Wellingborough
Nuovo, Northampton
The Gallery at Escapade, Silverstone
The Palmichael Restaurant, Burton Latimer
Staci’s Italian Restaurant, Rothwell
Finalists for World Cuisine Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by British Pepper and Spice, are:
Bodrum Turkish Cuisine, Burton Latimer
Mooche Wala, Denton
Saffron Fine Dining, Brackley
Taste of India, Rothwell
The Raj, Kettering
Truva Lounge Cocktail Bar, Towcester
Stuart Hyslop, Catering Managing Director at Booker said:
“We’re proud to sponsor the Booker Gastro Pub of the Year category. As long-standing supporters of the hospitality industry, we’re passionate about celebrating the businesses that help make our county’s food scene so vibrant. We’re looking forward to seeing this year’s finalists and the next generation of standout gastro pubs shine in October’s final.”
Vita Whittaker, CEO & Commercial Director at the WhitCo Group, added:
“During these exceptional, challenging, and ever-changing times, it is once again a proud moment to see the county’s restaurants being entrepreneurial and dynamic in both their food and customer service. Being involved as a sponsor of the Restaurant of the Year category brings us closer to the county, and allows us to share our UK-wide ideas to support restauranteurs beyond the Awards. Congratulations to all the finalists – you are all brilliant, and we’re looking forward to the Awards night. Your prosperity and your contribution to the county’s food and drink economy are why WhitCo continues to invest in and sponsor these fantastic awards.”
The Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards shine a spotlight on local culinary excellence. Recognising and celebrating the county’s brilliant people, places and producers, the Awards fly the flag for buying and supporting local.
The free-to-enter categories in the 2025/26 Awards (with their respective sponsors) are:
Artisan Local Drink of the Year (Wharf Distillery)
Artisan Local Product of the Year (Heygates Flour and Animal Feed Millers)
Artisan Local Vegetarian / Vegan Product of the Year
Booker Gastro Pub of the Year (Booker)
Booker Young Chef of the Year (Booker)
Canapé competition (Portfolio Events)
Chef of the Year (Greedy Gordons)
Community Café of the Year (West Northamptonshire Council Public Health)
Farming Environment Award (Weetabix)
F&B Achiever of the Year (J Sweeney Accountants)
Food and Drink College Student of the Year (University of Northampton)
Healthy Food and Wellbeing Award (Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust)
Local Food Hero of the Year (Howes Percival)
One to Watch (Whitworth Bros. Ltd Flour Millers)
Outstanding Contribution to Food & Drink (All Things Business)
Restaurant of the Year (WhitCo Catering & Bakery Equipment Limited)
Weetabix Sustainability Award (Weetabix)
World Cuisine Restaurant of the Year (British Pepper & Spice Co. Ltd)
The results of the competition, which will again see finalists awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze, will be announced at the Awards celebrations taking place on 16 October 2025 at The Royal & Derngate Theatre,
supported again by national catering awards winners Portfolio Events.
For more details on all the categories in the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2025/26, please visit the Awards’ website – www.northamptonshirefoodanddrink.co.uk – or call the Awards team on 01933 664437 or email awards@northamptonshirefoodanddrink.co.uk
