The finalists for the county’s independent food awards have been announced.
Chefs, restaurants, pubs, cafés, producers and retailers from throughout the county have been selected for the 2025 Cumbria Food Awards shortlists.
The much-anticipated awards, held in association with Caterite, are due to take place on Thursday March 20 at Kendal College, to be hosted by the chef and TV presenter Matt Tebbutt of BBC’s Saturday Kitchen.
Finalists come from every part of the county: from Industry Kitchen in Barrow to West Walls Brewing Co at Carlisle, The Black Bull at Sedbergh and The Lakes Distillery at Bassenthwaite.
Long-established businesses, including The Toffee Shop at Penrith, have made the cut alongside new ventures, such as The Schelly at Ambleside and Cloud Nine Kitchen in Dalton-in-Furness, as well as the Michelin-starred restaurants, Farlam Hall at Brampton, Rogan & Co at Cartmel and The Forest Side at Grasmere.
There were more than 1,000 business entries and public nominations for 13 competitive categories, which were considered by an independent panel of 15 judges.
Co-organiser Harry Atkinson said: “This is the fourth annual Cumbria Food Awards and the competition is tougher than ever.
“Our judges have done a fantastic job of selecting finalists from all parts of the county, including takeaways, pubs, drinks producers, casual dining venues and specialist shops. All of the finalists should be very proud to have been selected.
“Thank you to every member of the public and all the business owners who took the trouble to get involved by making an entry or nomination. Now we can’t wait to find out who our judges choose as their winners and celebrate with them in March.”
The Cumbria Food Awards reception, dinner and presentation will be attended by more than 160 finalists, sponsors and special guests. Kendal College students will cook and serve canapés and a two-course dinner while the host, Matt Tebbutt, will announce the winners.
Special awards to be presented during the evening include The Rising Star Award, sponsored by Kendal College and the top award, sponsored by Caterite.
Cumbria Food Awards category sponsors are: Academy by Simon Rogan; Booths; Cranstons; Cumbria Crack; Enterprise Answers; Grapevine; Hawkshead Relish; Herdwick Cottages; Kendal College; Lamont Pridmore; More? The Artisan Bakery; Porsche Centre South Lakes; Thomson Hayton Winkley Solicitors and Westmorland Farmshop.
We are Cumbria Food Awards media partner. Northern grocer Booths is supplying the food for the networking reception and H&H Reeds is providing printing services.
For more information see www.cumbriafoodawards.co.uk
Cumbria Food Awards 2025 finalists
Specialist Retailer of the Year
Sponsored by Hawkshead Relish
- Basecamp North Lakes, A66 near Penrith
- Roast Mutton, Kendal
- The Meat Hook, Sedbergh
Food Producer of the Year
Sponsored by Booths
- Eden Yard Rapeseed Oil, Plumpton near Penrith
- The Pie Mill, Threlkeld, Keswick
- The Toffee Shop, Penrith
Drinks Producer of the Year
Sponsored by Grapevine
- Crooked River Brewing Co, Cockermouth and Workington
- Lakes Brew Co, Kendal
- The Lakes Distillery, Bassenthwaite
Pub, Bar or Taproom of the Year
Sponsored by Herdwick Cottages
- The Hare & Hounds Inn, Bowland Bridge
- Lake District Wine, Keswick
- West Walls Brewing Co, Carlisle
Service of the Year
Sponsored by Academy by Simon Rogan
- Craig Blackburn, Old Stamp House, Ambleside
- Peter King, The Yan at Broadrayne, Grasmere
- Stacey Lee Raath, Ramble, Kendal
New Business of the Year
Sponsored by Thomson Hayton Winkley
- Billy’s Barr and Restaurant, Hawkshead
- Cloud Nine Kitchen, Dalton-in-Furness
- The Schelly, Ambleside
Sustainable Business of the Year
Sponsored by Porsche Centre South Lakes
- Basecamp North Lakes, A66 Near Penrith
- Our Farm, Cartmel
- Torpenhow Farmhouse Dairy, near Wigton
Café of the Year
Sponsored by Cumbria Crack
- Industry Kitchen, Barrow-in-Furness
- Mathilde’s Café, Grasmere
- Whytes Café Bar, Carlisle
Takeaway or Street Food Trader of the Year
Sponsored by Cranstons
- British Raj, Kendal
- Fish Express, Kendal
- Peace & Loaf, Barrow-in-Furness
Casual Dining Venue of the Year
Sponsored by Enterprise Answers
- Barua Street Food, Keswick
- Ramble, Kendal
- The Round, Keswick
Contemporary Restaurant of the Year
Sponsored by Lamont Pridmore
- George and Dragon, Clifton, Penrith
- Mizu Pan Asian Restaurant, Borrowdale
- The Black Bull, Sedbergh
- The Oak, Curthwaite near Wigton
Acclaimed Restaurant of the Year
Sponsored by More? The Artisan Bakery
- Farlam Hall, Brampton
- Rogan & Co, Cartmel
- The Forest Side, Grasmere
Chef of the Year
Sponsored by Westmorland Farmshop
- Jack Bond, The Cottage in the Wood, Braithwaite, near Keswick
- Scott Fairweather, Harry’s Café Bar, Yew Tree Barn, Low Newton
- Paul Leonard, The Forest Side, Grasmere
