PizzaExpress, Zizzi, Toby Carvery, Wagamama, All Bar One, Las Iguanas, ASK Italian, and Jamie’s Italian are among the big-name brands in the running to receive a Casual Dining Restaurant & Pub Award.
Over 100 casual dining restaurants and pubs from across the UK are among the finalists to make the shortlist, which was announced in full today. Now in its fourth year, the annual awards celebrate the very best of the multi-billion pound casual dining sector. The winners will be announced at a prestigious awards dinner on the evening of 27 February 2019 at the London Marriott Hotel, in Grosvenor Square, following the first day of the Casual Dining trade show.
Operators will compete across 18 categories, ranging from new menu concepts, restaurant and pub designs and marketing campaigns, to recognising the best new openings and standout brands of the year. This year will also see the introduction of two new categories, the Ethical Operator Award and Best Family Dining Experience.
Casual Dining’s event manager, Eva Ellis, says: “Over the past three years, the Casual Dining Restaurant & Pub Awards has established itself as a key event on the casual dining calendar. It’s a fantastic way to reward and celebrate the achievements of those companies who are driving forward Britain’s fastest-growing food sector. Congratulations and good luck to each of our shortlisted finalists.”
The 2019 Casual Dining Restaurant & Pub Awards finalists are:
New Casual Dining Concept of the Year – sponsored by Reynolds
• Brother Marcus
• The Bus Café
• Claw
• The Florist
• Ugly Dumpling
Best New Pub / Bar Site – sponsored by Lamb Weston
• The Alchemist – Cardiff
• BrewDog – Outpost Tower Hill
• Butcombe Brewing Company – The Castle Inn, Lulworth Cove
• Cork and Bottle – Hampstead, London
• The Cow – Dalbury
• Dirty Martini – Birmingham
• Oakmann Inns – The Royal Foresters, Ascot
• Revolucion de Cuba – Newcastle
Best New Restaurant Site – sponsored by Arla PRO
• Alston Bar & Beef – Manchester
• Bistrot Pierre – Preston
• Caravan – Fitzrovia, London
• The Cosy Club – Lincoln
• The Florist – Liverpool
• Haché – Holborn
• Miller & Carter – Aberdeen
• Pizza Pilgrims – City, London
• PizzaExpress – Rushden Lakes
• Zizzi – Bath
Ethical Operator Award
• The Alchemist
• Café Rouge
• Lussmanns
• Oakman Inns and Restaurants
• PizzaExpress
• Stem + Glory
Employer of the Year – sponsored by Yapster
• BrewDog
• Casual Dining Group
• Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars
• Dirty Martini
• Flat Iron
• The New World Trading Company
• Oakman Inns and Restaurants
• PizzaExpress
• Wagamama
Menu Innovation Award (1-19 sites) – sponsored by Essential Cuisine
• The Alchemist
• Cabana
• Caravan
• Dancing Man Brewery
• Dirty Martini
• Hammer & Tongs
Menu Innovation Award (20+ sites) – sponsored by Essential Cuisine
• All Bar One
• ASK Italian
• Browns Brasserie & Bar
• Café Rouge
• Jamie’s Italian
• Las Iguanas
• PizzaExpress
• Toby Carvery
• wagamama
• Zizzi
Marketing Campaign of the Year – sponsored by Chef Direct
• All Bar One – ‘One For All and All For Wine’
• Bella Italia – ‘Aperitivo’
• Cabana – ‘Take Me to Rio’
• Casual Dining Group – ‘Bombay Sapphire Botanical Serves’
• Harvester – ‘Sneaky Harvester’
• PizzaExpress – ‘Gather Round Great Food’
• Pizza Pilgrims – ‘Pizza Pilgrims Student Pizza Taster Campaign’
• wagamama – ‘feed your inner good’
• YO! – ‘No Labels. Just Pride’
• Zizzi – ‘Zizzi with Added Summer’
Best Designed Pub / Bar of the Year – sponsored by London Design Fair
• The Box – Leeds (designed by Fusion by Design)
• The Cow – Dalbury (designed in-house)
• Cubitt House – Marylebone, London (designed by Coriander)
• Dirty Martini – Birmingham (designed by Grapes Design)
• Electric Star – Bethnal Green, London (designed by KAI Interiors)
• Huckster – Paddington, London (designed by KAI Interiors)
• The White Brasserie Company – Thame (designed in-house)
Best Designed Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year – sponsored by Commercial Kitchen
• ASK Italian – Leeds (designed in-house)
• The Beech House (Oakman Inns & Restaurants) – Amersham (designed by Harrison)
• Bistrot Pierre – Preston (designed by GYA Architects)
• Cinnamon Kitchen – Battersea, London (designed by DesignLSM)
• The Florist – Liverpool (designed in-house)
• Hubbox – Taunton (designed by Meor Design)
• PizzaExpress – Guildford (designed by Quadrant Design)
• Zizzi – Westfield, Stratford (designed in-house in partnership with Fuse)
Best Family Dining Experience
• Bella Italia
• Café Rouge
• Frankie & Benny’s
• Harvester
• Jamie’s Italian
Pub of the Year – sponsored by Fentimans
• The Boathouse – Falmouth
• The Cholmondeley Arms (Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars) – Cheshire
• The Cock Inn (Berkeley Inns) – Mugginton
• The Crabtree (Metropolitan Pub Company) – Fulham, London
• The Lighterman (Open House London) – King’s Cross, London
• The Methuen Arms (Butcombe Brewing Company) – Wiltshire
• The Purefoy Arms – Hampshire
• The Salisbury Arms (Charles Wells) – Cambridge
Independent Restaurant of the Year (under 5 sites) – sponsored by Casual Dining
• The Chilli Pickle – various locations
• Cin Cin Italian Bar & Kitchen – Brighton & Hove
• London Shell Co. – Sheldon Square, London
• Olive Tree Brasserie – various locations
• Percy & Founders – Fitzrovia, London
• The Rooftop – The Trafalgar St. James, London
Multi-Site Pub Operator of the Year (5+ sites)
• All Bar One
• Charles Wells
• Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars
• Oakman Inns & Restaurants
Small Multi-Site Restaurant Brand of the Year (5-19 sites) – sponsored by Boutinot
• Cabana
• Caravan
• Flat Iron
• Haché
• Hubbox
• Mowgli Street Food
• Pizza Pilgrims
Large Multi-Site Restaurant Brand of the Year (20 Sites +) – sponsored by Coca-Cola European Partners
• ASK Italian
• Bella Italia
• Cosy Club
• Las Iguanas
• Miller & Carter
• Pho
• wagamama
• Zizzi
Casual Dining Group of the Year – sponsored by Carlsberg UK
• Azzurri Group
• Casual Dining Group
• Greene King
• Mitchells & Butlers
• New World Trading Company
• Novus Leisure
• Stonegate Pub Company
• Sweet Potato Group (Cabana, Hush, Haché)
• The Restaurant Group
• Whitbread
The impressive line-up of judges for the 2019 awards includes industry legend Ian Neill, chairman of Hush Haché; Karen Forrester, CEO of TGI Friday’s UK; Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality; Jon Knight, CEO of Jamie's; Zoe Bowley, UK & Ireland MD of PizzaExpress; Chris Hill, CEO of New World Trading Company; Susan Chappell, divisional director of Mitchells & Butlers; David McDowall, CEO of BrewDog Retail; Alex Salussolia, MD of Glendola Leisure Group; Stephen Wall, owner of Pho; Brian Keeley Whiting, owner of Whiting & Hammond; Garry Duncan, operations director of Nando’s UK & Ireland; Luisa Fernandez, marketing director of YO!; Jo Fleet, MD of Flat Iron; Scott Collins, co-founder & MD of MEATliquor; Peter Martin, director of CM&Co; and Chris Brazier, group event director of Casual Dining.