Manchester Food and Drink Festival unveils line-up

After welcoming an impressive 100,000 punters last year, Manchester Food and Drink Festival returns for 2016 to celebrate the heroes of Manchester and beyond between 29 Sep-10 Oct.

Once again, at the heart of the citywide celebration is the Festival Hub at Albert Square, which will be crammed full with street food traders, live music and booze, along with a programme of events spanning everything from masterclasses and demos to parties and mini festivals – with highlights in the form of Ramsbottom’s pintxos bar Baratxuri bringing a Basque menu to the Hub restaurant for one night only, along with a three-day takeover from The French's Adam Reid, whose inclusive tasting menu will be available at his 'Fest-Urant'. 

Split into two separate runs, the traders switch over halfway through the festival so that you can refresh those palettes, but you can be guaranteed that the Square's the best spot to capitalise on relaxed sunny evenings throughout the fest, pizza in one hand, beer in t'other. 

[London Road Fire Station, Photo: Mikey]

However, MFDF’s ace card this year looks set to be The Hidden Banquets, a series of secret feasts in association with Allied London, taking place within some of Manchester’s most fascinating undiscovered spaces – among which include the recently renovated London Road Fire Station, which will play host to 'Innovation', a one-off 200-head banquet from Manchester House’s Aiden Byrne in its old engine room. A cut of the ticket sales will also be given to The Christie and Manchester Children’s Hospital in late Living Ventures boss Tim Bacon’s name.

Elsewhere, we're also getting an as-yet unannounced event from Nacho Manzano, who runs the two-Michelin-starred Spanish restaurant Casa Marcial in Arriondas; The Big Indie Wine Fest, this year at the Whitworth; and live cookery demos fromThe Great British Bake Off's Nadiya Hussain. Speaking of which, the Great Manchester Bake Off – a take on the popular BBC baking comp, sans BBC budget – returns for 2016.

[Former MFDF winner Mei Mei's Street Cart]

And of course, don't forget the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Gala Dinner and Awards on 10 October, which will see caps doffed to Manchester's best and brightest.

Here's the shortlist for this year's awards:

Restaurant of the Year

Hawksmoor
El Gato Negro
Evelyn’s
Volta (Didsbury)
Sugo (Altrincham)
Levanter (Ramsbottom)

Last year's winner: The French 

[Hawksmoor]

Premium & Fine Dining Venue of the Year

Hawksmoor
Manchester House
The French by Simon Rogan
El Gato Negro
Australasia
Iberica

Casual Restaurant of the Year

Evelyn’s
Sugo (Altrincham)
Indian Tiffin Room
Rudy’s Pizza
Salvi’s
Volta (Didsbury)

Newcomer of the Year

Albert’s Schloss
Rudy’s Pizza
El Gato Negro
Sugo (Altrincham)
Indian Tiffin Room
Evelyn’s

Last year's winner: Hawksmoor

Chef of the Year

Adam Reid, The French by Simon Rogan
Simon Shaw, El Gato Negro
Aiden Byrne, Manchester House
Joe Botham, Levanter (Ramsbottom)
Terry Huang, Umezushi
Byron Moses, Evelyn’s

Last year's winner: Alex Shaw, Volta

Pub of the Year

Smithfield Tavern
Magnet (Stockport)
Baker’s Vault (Stockport)
The Eagle Inn (Salford)
Dock Yard (Salford)
Crown and Kettle

Last year's winner: The Marble Arch

[The Marble Arch]

Food Pub of the Year

White Hart (Saddleworth)
The Marble Arch
Hearth of the Ram (Ramsbottom)
Eagle and Child (Ramsbottom)
The Parlour (Chorlton)
Oddfellows (Mellor)

Last year's winner: The Clarence

Bar of the Year

Albert Schloss
Hawksmoor
Cottonopolis
Tariff and Dale
Black Cat at El Gato Negro
The First Floor Bar at Cane and Grain

Last year's winner: PLY

[Port Street Beer House]

Craft Ale Bar of the Year

Café Beermoth
Heaton Hops (Stockport)
Beagle (Chorlton)
Port Street Beer House
Font (Chorlton)
Saison (Didsbury)

Coffee Bar or Tea Shop of the Year

Trove (Levenshulme)
Pot Kettle Black
Grindsmith (Deansgate)
Takk
Ezra and Gill
Fig and Sparrow

Last year's winner: Lupo Caffe Italiano

[Northern Soul Grilled Cheese]

Cheap Eats Venue Of The Year

Viet Shack
Honest Crust (Altrincham)
Northern Soul Grilled Cheese
Chaat Cart
Siam Smiles
Lupo Caffe Italiano (Salford)

Last year's winner: Lily's

Neighbourhood Restaurant of the Year

Volta (Didsbury)
Sugo (Altrincham)
Baratxuri (Ramsbottom)
Levanter (Ramsbottom)
Brassica (Stockport)
Rose Garden, 218 Burton Rd, Manchester, Lancashire M20 2LW

Front of House Team of the Year

Hawksmoor
The French by Simon Rogan
Iberica
Manchester House
Fazenda
Asha’s

[Trove]

Best Food and Drink Retailer

Lunya
Trove (Levenshulme)
Out of the Blue (Chorlton)
Altrincham Market (Altrincham)
Reserve Wines (Didsbury)
Salvi’s

Last year's winner: A Taste of Honey

Best Food and Drink Pop Up, Event, Club or Project

Not Just Soup
Real Junk Food Project
Grub
Sadlers Yard
Stockport Foodie Friday
Neil Buttery for the Buttery Pop Ups and Pud Clubs

Last year's winner: Altrincham Market

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Manchester Food and Drink Festival takes place from 29 September to 10 October 2016; for more information head to foodanddrinkfestival.com