Over 1,000 nominations received for Food and Drink Awards

More than 1,000 nominations have been received in just under a week for the Marketing Derby Food and Drink Awards 2026.

Entries for the annual celebration of Derby’s brilliant food and drink businesses started being accepted from Friday 3 July.

Since then, there has been an overwhelming response with numbers fast approaching 1,500 nominations.

Christopher Tebbs, inward investment executive at Marketing Derby and Food and Drink Awards lead, said: “To surpass the milestone of 1,000 public nominations in just under a week of voting shows just how passionate people are about their favourite places to eat and drink.

“We look forward to reading all of their comments when nominations close on the 31 July.”

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

This year’s categories include Best Café, Best Pub, Best Bar and Best Country Pub / Restaurant – and, of course, Restaurant of the Year.

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

An updated Food and Drink Guide will also be produced, which will include all the 2026 winners.

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

Once the nomination period closes on 31 July, judges will round them down to a shortlist of finalists, who will be announced in August.

The winners will then be revealed at a vibrant ceremony inside a stunning new venue – Derby City Council’s Derby Market Hall – on Monday 12 October.

This year, the awards have also attracted a fantastic line-up of sponsors, including SEGRO plc, Catering24, Derby College Group, trentbarton, Edwards, Flint Bishop, Leonardo, Locally We Do, Royal Crown Derby, HUUB and the University of Derby.

To nominate click here.