Warwickshire News Mine

Now in its seventh year, the overall aim of the popular awards scheme continues to champion and reward quality, excellence and the innovative use of local produce and to encourage all catering and retail outlets within the region to source their supplies locally wherever possible.

Around 150 businesses and individuals from across the region attended the awards ceremony to find out which were fortunate enough to scoop an award.

Awards were given for ‘Best Restaurant’, ‘Best Dining Pub’, ‘’Best International Restaurant’ ‘Best Breakfast’, ‘Best Coffee House/Tea Shop’, ‘Best Restaurant Café within a Visitor Attraction’, ‘Best Local Food or Drink Producer’, ‘Champion of Local Produce – Retailer’ ‘Champion of Local Produce – Food Service’,  ‘Best Food and Drink Experience’ and ‘Excellence in Customer Service and Quality’.

Each of the winners were rewarded with a gleaming trophy and certificate and the sought-after title of best in Coventry & Warwickshire for 2008.

The 2008 winners are:

Hospitality Categories

Best Restaurant -
Chapel House, Atherstone (Winner)
Malbec Restaurant, Stratford-upon-Avon (Highly Commended)
Tailors Restaurant, Warwick (Commended)

Best Dinning Pub/Inn -
The Bluebell, Henley-in-Arden (Winner)
The Peacock, Oxhill (Highly Commended)
The Granville @ Barford, Barford (Commended)

Best Breakfast -
Ashton Lodge Country Hotel & Restaurant, Stretton-under-Fosse, Nr Rugby (Winner)
Planters Restaurant, Freasley, North Warwickshire (Highly Commended)
Glebe Farm, Ashorne (Commended)

Best Coffee House/Tea Shop -
Mrs Brown’s Tea Room, Shipston-on-Stour (Winner)
Greenbean Mobile Coffee Company, Stratford-upon-Avon (Highly Commended)
McKechnies Independent Tea and Coffee Bar, Stratford-upon-Avon (Commended)

Best Restaurant / Café within a Visitor Attraction -
The Restaurant at Garden Organic Ryton, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Nr Rugby (Winner)
Planters Restaurant, Freasley, North Warwickshire (Highly Commended)
Malt Kiln Farm Shop, Stretton-under-Fosse, Nr Rugby (Commended)

Best International Restaurant -
Agra Palace, Nuneaton (Joint Winner)
The Cellar Restaurant, Warwick (Joint Winner)
Cardamom Indian Cuisine Restaurant & Takeaway, Alcester (Commended)

Producer & Retailer Categories

Best Local Food or Drink Producer -
The Soupery, Stoneleigh (Winner)
Harvest of Arden, Snitterfield, Nr Stratford-upon-Avon (Highly Commended)
19 Gales Farmhouse Foods, Bentley, Nr Atherstone (Commended)

Champion of Local Produce – Retailer
Taste of the Country, Shipston-on-Stour (Winner)
Malt Kiln Farm Shop, Stretton-under-Fosse, Nr Rugby (Highly Commended)
19 Gales Farmhouse Foods, Atherstone (Commended)

Judges Commendations

Champion of Local Produce – Food Service
Ashton Lodge Country Hotel & Restaurant, Stretton-under-Fosse, Nr Rugby (Winner)

Best Food and Drink Experience -
Chapel House, Atherstone (Winner)

Champion of Quality and Customer Service -
Astrid Le Goff, Malbec Restaurant, Stratford-upon-Avon (Winner)

Cllr Chris Saint, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development at Warwickshire County Council, said:  “The Coventry & Warwickshire Food and Drink Awards have set a very high benchmark for the industry over the past few years and as usual the 2008 competition was fierce. 

“Increased recognition of the awards reflects not only reflects huge consumer interest in the outstanding food and drink produced and served in Coventry & Warwickshire, but also acknowledges the importance of food and drink as part of the overall regional visitor economy. 

“Our winners are truly ‘beacons of best practice’, delivering the highest quality experience for our visitors, helping to promote local distinctiveness and shaping positive perceptions of our area as a great place to visit”.  “I congratulate all our 2008 winners and finalists and wish them every success."

Link to WCC