Brands including Pho, Las Iguanas, wagamama, ASK Italian, Burger & Lobster, Carluccio's, GBK, MEATliquor, Nando’s, Pizza Express, Revolution, Giggling Squid, and La Tasca, have made the shortlists for this year’s Casual Dining Restaurant & Pub Awards.
They’re among 67 casual dining pub and restaurant operators nominated for awards across 14 categories, which cover everything from new concepts, menu innovation and employee engagement to marketing and design, as well as recognising the outstanding brands of the year.
Due to popular demand and a long waiting list of attendees and sponsors in 2016, these important awards are now moving to a new, bigger venue – Marriot London Grosvenor Square – on the evening of 22 February 2017, following the first day of next month’s Casual Dining show.
Casual Dining’s group event director, Chris Brazier, said, “The casual dining market is thriving, thanks in large part to the fantastic innovations and dedication of operators and the incredible dining experience they offer.
'The Casual Dining Restaurant & Pub Awards is a fantastic way to celebrate their achievements and reward those companies who are making a real difference to the growth of this sector. The calibre of entries has been incredible, congratulations and good luck to all our shortlisted finalists.”
Casual Dining Restaurant & Pub Awards 2017 finalists include:
New Casual Dining Concept of the Year - sponsored by Fresh Direct
Blackberry Grove, Liverpool
Levi Roots Caribbean Smokehouse, Westfield Stratford City
Oliver Maki, London
Trade Union, London
Casual Dining Community Award - sponsored by Casual Dining
The Breakfast Club
Las Iguanas
Pasta Remoli
Independent Casual Dining Pub of the Year - sponsored by Budweiser Budvar
The Arbor House, Ipswich
The Augustus John, Fordingbridge
Cartwheel Inn, Whitsbury
Hatton Arms, Hatton
The Malt House, London
ndependent Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year
Artisan, Manchester
inamo, London
Jack & Alice, Gerrards Cross
KuPP, London & Exeter
Lupita Central, London
Pasta Remoli, London
Pizza Pilgrims, London
Rub Smokehouse & Bars, various locations
Serrano & Manchego, Edinburgh
Whyte & Brown, London
Small Casual Dining Employer of the Year
Jack & Alice
Pasta Remoli
Whyte & Brown
Large Casual Dining Employer of the Year - sponsored by Reynolds
Dishoom
MEATliquor
The New World Trading Company
Peach Pub Company
Pizza Pilgrims
Revolution Bars Group
Menu Innovation Award - sponsored by Eurilait
ASK Italian
Casita Andina
Cosy Club
KuPP
La Tasca
Las Iguanas
Marston's
The Nicholas Culpeper Pub & Dining (TRG)
Oliver Maki, London
Pasta Remoli
Multiple Casual Dining Pub Brand of the Year - sponsored by McCain Foodservice
The Botanist (New World Trading)
Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars
The Draft House
ETM Group
Harvester
Marston's
Revolution Bars Group
Seafood Pub Company
White Brasserie Company (Brasserie Bar Co)
Whiting & Hammond
Multiple Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year - sponsored by Bar Foods
ASK Italian
Brasserie Blanc
The Breakfast Club
Cosy Club
Gourmet Burger Kitchen
Giggling Squid
Koh Thai Tapas
Nandos
Pizza Express
Wagamama
Casual Dining Marketing Campaign - sponsored by Chef Direct
The Alchemist – The Alchemist that stole Christmas
Brasserie Blanc – Food for Thought 2016
Cabana - #RoadtoRio
Koh Thai Tapas – 2016 Marketing Campaign
Las Iguanas – Summer 2016 Championsheeps Family Dining Campaign
Marston's – Tastes of the World
Pho – Snapchat campaign
Thaikhun – Kids Campaign
Best Designed Independent Casual Dining Restaurant
Absurd Bird, Spitalfields, (designed by DesignLSM)
Casita Andina, London (designed by Martin Morales & Cantor Masters)
Chit Chaat Chai, London (designed by Avocado Sweets Design Studio)
Cinnamon Bazaar, Covent Garden (designed by DesignLSM)
inamo, London, (designed by Philip Watts Design)
MillWorks, Cambridge (designed by Loci Interiors)
Mustard, Brook Green, London (designed by DesignLSM)
The Vincent Café & Cocktail Bar, Liverpool (designed by DesignLSM)
Best Designed Multiple Casual Dining Restaurant - sponsored by Commercial Kitchen – The Catering Equipment Show
ASK Italian, Gloucester Road, London (designed by Gundry & Ducker)
Brasserie Blanc, Southbank, London (designed by Blacksheep Design Studio)
Burger & Lobster, W Hotel, Leicester Square (designed by DesignLSM)
Carluccio's, Spital Square, London (designed by Fusion by Design)
Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Bolton (designed by Moreno: Masey Architects & Interiors)
MEATliquor, Boxpark, Croydon (designed by Shed)
Nandos, Loughborough (designed by Moreno: Masey Architects & Interiors)
Pizza Express, Glossop (designed by Quadrant Design)
Red’s True Barbecue, Newcastle (designed by DesignLSM)
Stonehouse Pizza & Carvery, Coventry (designed by Mitchells & Butler)
Thaikhun, Guildford (designed by JMDA Design)
Best Designed Casual Dining Pub or Bar
The Arbor House, Ipswich (designed in-house)
The Club House, Liverpool (designed by Paul Danson Imagineering)
Galvin HOP, Spitalfields (designed by DesignLSM)
The Iron Duke, Wellington Somerset, (designed by KD Paine & Associates)
The Rose & Crown, Orpington (designed by Whiting & Hammond)
The Sheep on Sheep Street, Stow-on-the-Wold (designed by Brakspear)
Trailblazer of the Year - sponsored by Lamb Weston
The winner is decided upon by the judging panel and announced on the night.
The impressive judging panel includes Karen Forrester, CEO of TGI Friday’s UK; Keith Bird, commercial director of GBK; Jane Holbrook, chief operating officer of wagamama; industry pioneer Ian Neill; Garry Duncan operations director of Nando’s UK & Ireland; Kate Nicholls, chief executive of The ALMR; Mark Fox, CEO of Bill’s; Scott Collins, co-founder & M.D of Meat Liquor;; Lizzie Barber, head of marketing at Cabana; Brian Whiting, owner of Whiting & Hammond Joycelyn Neve, managing director of Seafood Pub Co; Paul Charity, MD of Propel; Peter Martin, vice chairman of CGA Peach;; Peter Backman, managing director of Horizons; Mark McCulloch, founder and CEO of WE ARE Spectacular; Lorraine Wood, director of Arena; Tony Reynolds, managing director of Reynolds; David Worthington, chairman of Holmes & Marchant Design Group; Afroditi Krassa, founder of AfroditiKrassa; Tina Norden, project director at Conran and Partners; and Chris Brazier, group event director of Casual Dining.