The Café Life Awards 2015 have announced the best Cafés in the UK. From Britain’s best independent cafes to the finest café chains, the Awards also recognise all other aspects of the industry. In all, nine of the country’s best independent cafés received Gold Awards and Rhode Island Coffee, George Street, Altrincham, took Platinum.
Cafe Chain of the Year
Coffee#1, which opened its first store in Cardiff in 2001 now has over 50 stores and has once again scooped the Café Chain of the Year award fending off stiff competition from the UK’s and the world’s leading café and coffee shop brands.
The Café Life Awards, held in conjunction with lunch! the contemporary food to go show, on Thursday 24 September, took place at the Grange Tower Bridge Hotel. In true café style, this smart casual evening had dinner, wine and music. The host for the evening was celebrity chef and café entrepreneur, Aldo Zilli.
The Café Society’s Gethin Evans said: “Café culture in the UK is one of the fastest growing lifestyle choices on the High Street. More and more outlets are taking inspiration from Cafés and Coffee Shops. Pubs, bakery chains and even fast food outlets modelling themselves on cafes and one in five of us is a daily café visitor.
“The Café Life Awards celebrates all that is great in British café life and the award winners are truly great producers, suppliers, people and organisations.”
The full list of winners
The Cafe/Coffee Bar Chain of the Year Award
Coffee#1
The Independent Cafe/Coffee Bar of the Year Award
Rhode Island Coffee, George Street, Altrincham
The Café Design of the Year Award Nominees
Independent category:
Absolute Abode, Raynors Park, London
Chain Category:
Boston Tea Party, Plymouth
The Cafe Food Award
The nominations in the Savoury category are:
Highly Commended: The Real Soup Company – Single Serve Soups
Also Highly Commended: Mom’s Fabulous Hot Dogs – Mom’s Beefy Hot Dog
Winner: Aryzta Food Solutions – Vegetable and Feta Crumble Pie
The nominations in the Sweet category are:
Highly Commended: Y3K Foods – Water Baked Cheescakes
Winner: Foxcroft & Ginger – The Cruffin
The Cafe Beverage Award
In the hot category
Winner: Barry Callebaut – Caprimo Crème Brulee
In the cold category
Highly Commended: Hampstead Tea Organic Iced Tea Range
Winner: SMOOTHEELICIOUS
Café Innovation Award
In the Retail category:
Highly Commended: Ginger Bakers – Almondie, gluten & dairy free
Winner: Nudie Snacks – Premium Toasted Coconut Crisps
In the Foodservice category:
Winner: Brakes – Black Rice, Quinoa and Ginger Salad
The New Café Product (non-food) of the Year Award
The Packaging category:
Highly Commended: Tri-Label – Allergen Food Rotation Label
Winner: Tri-Star Packaging – The Oval Eco Street Bowl
The General Products/Equipment category:
Highly Commended: Chicopee – Coffee Towel
Winner: Mulmar Food Service Solutions’ Biomeco Cloud Water hand washing device
The Coffee Equipment category:
Winner: La Cimbali – Cimbali S39 with PGS superautomatic coffee machine
Cafe Sandwich Challenge
Menumaster Category Winner: Barny Luxmore from The Jabberwocky – The Manwich.
New York Style Bagel Category Winner: Simon Chiremba from Premium Foods – The Ultimate ‘Double BLTA’
Evening Culture Category Winner: Sue Price-Whittle from The Cooking Company – Worcestershire Sticky Pomegranate Lamb flatbread
Overall Winner: Simon Chiremba from Premium Foods
Tetley Afternoon Tea Experience Challenge
Winner: Richard Farrington from the Old Forge Cafe with his take on a Devonshire Cream Tea
The Cafe Society Award
The flagship award – the ultimate industry accolade. The Café Society Award is for those who the judges consider have done most to influence and shape our industry.
This is a lifetime award which may be presented to an individual or organisation that the judges consider merits recognition for the contribution they have made to the development, growth and prosperity of the café/coffee bar market.
The winner this year is Starbucks in recognition of their commitment to excellence and their guiding principles through to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality Arabica coffee. With every cup served to every customer, they bring a unique café experience to life.
