Marketing Derby Food and Drink Awards 2025 set to launch

The Marketing Derby Food and Drink Awards 2025 will officially launch later this month.

Designed to shine a light on Derby’s brilliant food and drink businesses, the awards, organised by Marketing Derby, aim to recognise and celebrate the very best places to eat and drink across the city.

Last year, the awards attracted more than 4,500 nominations from the public, with Morley Hayes’ Dovecote restaurant carrying off the prestigious Restaurant of the Year title.

This year’s awards will launch on Friday 27 June when public nominations open.

The window for nominations closes on 25 July, after which judges will choose their finalists.

The winners will then be crowned at a spectacular ceremony, which will be held at The Chocolate Factory, in John Street, on 6 October.

Christopher Tebbs, inward investment executive at Marketing Derby and Food and Drink Awards lead, said: “We are really looking forward to launching this year’s Food and Drink Awards – which will be the 17th time we have held the event.

“Every year we are overwhelmed by the quality of establishments put forward – not to mention the number of nominations received from the public.

Featuring 11 categories, the awards have been designed to allow as many food and drink businesses as possible to enter.

The categories include:

• Restaurant of the Year 2025
• Best Café
• Best Bar
• Best Pub
• Best Country Pub / Restaurant (outside of the city)
• Best Newcomer
• Best Overall Experience
• Best International
• Best Curry

There will be an Innovation Award, chosen by Marketing Derby, and an award will be presented on the night recognising Outstanding Achievement.

An updated Food and Drink Guide will also be produced, which will feature all of the 2025 winners.

The public, the business community and the food and drink outlets themselves are all invited to make nominations.

Christopher said: “This year, we are encouraging as many food and drink outlets across the city as possible to put themselves forward for an award – particularly those who have a great reputation, but do not normally enter awards. Now, is the time to receive the recognition you deserve!

“And if you know a really great place to eat and drink, and feel they deserve some plaudits, then please nominate them.

“The awards night itself is a really fun event, attracting hundreds of people. It is a great opportunity to shine a light on the many hard-working people who operate in this sometimes challenging sector.”

For more information about the awards visit https://www.marketingderby.co.uk/food-and-drink-awards/.