THE GOOD FOOD AWARDS 2022

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This month we’re cooking up something rather special as we launch our Good Food Awards for 2022. Vote for your favourite restaurants and food & drink from across Lincolnshire and we’ll ensure they get the recognition they deserve...

Words: Rob Davis.

Introducing the Pride Magazines Good Food Awards 2022, a quest to name the finest restaurants, hotels and food & drink producers from across Lincolnshire and give them all the recognition they deserve... and you can help by voting for your favourite places to dine, too!

Below: Jed Stout, Head Chef of the Dower House, Woodhall Spa; Simon Hibbert, Head Chef at The Castle, Lincoln; Phil Cook of The Bronze Pig, Lincoln; Andrew Gilbert, Chef Patron of Magpies Horncastle, Ben Nichol of Dodington’s Black Bull.

Vote for your favourite restaurants, coffee shops or food producers at www.pridemagazines.co.uk or use the voting form at the end of this feature.

Since our last Good Food Awards we’re delighted to see the continued decline of Covid-19 from the news headlines. The pandemic decimated the hospitality industry despite schemes like the good-intentioned Eat Out to Help Out, but still the industry faces tough times, with many reporting difficulties in recruiting chefs and other staff, and a cost of living crisis is causing many consumers to watch their pennies and perhaps dine out less regularly. Meanwhile, other research suggests that around 400 pubs in the UK close each year. That all sounds very negative, but on the other hand, there’s plenty of cause to be cheerful. The hospitality industry has always proved to be really resilient, and remains determined to get back to full strength. There’s also a booming staycation market as the rising cost of flight this summer ensured that 53% of British people said that they intended to holiday at home instead of going abroad. And of course, the talent of British chefs, especially emerging talent entering the industry has never been stronger. With Christmas approaching too, we’ll all be looking to plan parties, enjoy dining out and raise a glass at our local pubs, restaurants and enjoy really good coffee at our local independent coffee shops. That’s why we’re again hosting our Good Food Awards to recognise the best businesses across Lincolnshire across six categories. We’re asking you, our readers, to name the best restaurants, pubs, coffee shops, hotels, and to nominate your local food and drink heroes. Vote for whichever businesses you wish, using the entry form at the back of this feature. We look forward to seeing your recommendations! >>

HOW TO GET INVOLVED IN OUR AWARDS...

This month we’ll introduce our awards categories and profile some of the talent around the county in each category. We’re asking you to vote for your favourite Lincolnshire restaurants, cafés and food & drink suppliers either by filling in the form at the end of this feature, or by voting online at www.pridemagazines.co.uk. Your votes will county towards the naming of our overall winners in our January edition.

THIS YEAR’S CATEGORIES ARE: n Restaurant of the Year n Café, Bar or Bistro of the Year n International Cuisine n Restaurant with Rooms n Local Food Producer n Lincolnshire Drink >>

Afternoon tea at Magpies, Horncastle. Above: Louth’s Jim & Odile Sutcliffe were the winners of last year’s Best Food Producer category.

Vote for your favourite restaurants, coffee shops or food producers at www.pridemagazines.co.uk or use the voting form at the end of this feature.

Restaurant of the Year 2022

In the first category of our Good Food Awards, we’re keen to know your recommendations for the restaurant you think offers the best combination of satisfying food, attentive service, a great setting and good value for money too...

OUR FIRST CATEGORY and the flagship award in this year’s Good Food Awards is dedicated to finding out which restaurant our readers reckon is the best in the county. That’s quite a large undertaking, so perhaps we’ll reflect a little on what makes a restaurant really good. Food is subjective, with some preferring hearty gastropub dishes, and others opting for smaller dishes more oriented to fine dining. In addition, a restaurant’s setting and its front of house team also need to be considered. There’s a lot to be said for consistency, too. This year in Pride we’ve enjoyed the great setting of Woodhall Spa’s Petwood Hotel (01526 352411, www.petwood.co.uk), offering everything from a classic afternoon tea to à la carte restaurant dining, as well as the exceptionally well-presented dishes that another great Woodhall Spa restaurant, the Dower House (01526 352588, www.dowerhousehotel.co.uk) presented for our April edition, prepared by Head Chef Jed Stout. For dining in a great setting on the outskirts of Lincoln, we’ll also recommend Burton Waters’ Harbour Lights (01522 808233, www.harbour lights.uk.com, with its menu of Mediterranean classics as well as more traditional English gastropub-oriented dishes from grill options to fish ‘n’ chips. We’re looking to award our title to a restaurant that our readers think serves really enjoyable food, but also offers really good service, a friendly atmosphere, a great setting and value for money too. Our suggestions are just that... you’re welcome, of course, to vote for any restaurant in Lincolnshire you think deserves recognition for the overall experience that its diners enjoy. You can vote for your favourite restaurant online or using the form at the end of this feature. n

Last Year’s Winners:

THE BUSTARD INN, SOUTH RAUCEBY...

Our readers voted The Bustard Inn, based in South Rauceby, last year’s winner of our flagship Restaurant of the Year category for 2021. The restaurant was renovated in 2007 and taken over by Julian and Lesley Lonsdale nearly four years ago. The restaurant, near Sleaford, has been created in the former malthouse and pub of the Rauceby Estate, but today it’s more focused towards beautifully presented dishes and attentive service. A previous Head Chef of The Bustard Inn, Phil Lowe, returned ‘home’ earlier this year and is now heading up the kitchen, producing really brilliant food. n Main St, South Rauceby, Sleaford NG34 8QG, Call 01529 488250 or see www.thebustardinn.co.uk.

Vote for your favourite restaurants, coffee shops or food producers at www.pridemagazines.co.uk or use the voting form at the end of this feature.

Café, Coffee Shop or Bistro of the Year 2022

For lighter dining and afternoon tea across Lincolnshire, we’re appealing for your best recommendations of a place to enjoy morning coffee, lunchtime dishes with local ingredients, or afternoon tea with a slice of homemade cake...

OUR NEXT CATEGORY asks our readers to name their favourite daytime destination, somewhere to enjoy brunch, morning coffee, lunch or afternoon tea.

If you’re in the north of the county, we’ll direct you to The Pink Pig (01724 844466, www.pinkpigfarm.co.uk) which is run by Sally & Andrew Jackson. Farmers by trade, they’re understandably keen to promote local produce. Lincoln, meanwhile, has venues like last year’s winners in this category, Doddington Hall (see opposite), and Stokes Tea & Coffee (01522 581921, www.stokescoffee.com), which has excellent cafés both at High Bridge on High Street, and at The Lawn. Another great Lincoln tip is Bunty’s Tea Room on Steep Hill (01522 537909, www.buntyslincoln.com), a nice traditional vintage tea room serving its homemade cakes, scones and good coffee from mismatched china cups and saucers. In the south of the county, Springfields at Spalding has a newly opened Edwardian-style tea room, The Parlour (01775 760909, see springfieldsoutlet.co.uk) serving its tiered afternoon teas, homemade cakes and really nice brunch options. The place was profiled in our last edition and is well worth a look.

Finally, The Engine Yard adjacent to Belvoir Castle now includes a new Champagne and afternoon tea venue, The Duchess’ Parlour, as well as its Engine Yard coffee shop (01476 247059, www.engineyardbelvoir.com). Both have the benefit of being next to a wealth of shops and boutiques. n

Last Year’s Winners:

DODDINGTON HALL COFFEE SHOP...

We asked our readers last year for their recommendations for a place serving good coffee and great lunchtime dishes. Many voted Doddington Hall as their favourite daytime dining venue. The country estate of Doddington Hall was founded in the 1590s and has been in the custodianship of Claire and James Birch since 2006. They’ve developed the farm shop and café in such a way as to serve as an ambassador for the best Lincolnshire produce. On the menu is a range of brunch options, burgers, the usual sandwiches and baguettes, and in summer, afternoon teas in the adjacent Doddington Tea Room. n Main Street, Doddington, Lincoln LN6 4RU Call 01522 812505 or see www.doddingtonhall.com.

Vote for your favourite restaurants, coffee shops or food producers at www.pridemagazines.co.uk or use the voting form at the end of this feature.

International Cuisine 2022

Not so much around the world in 80 days, as around the county in several dishes. We’d like to name your favourite local restaurant for international cuisine, and we’ve some suggestions of our own to inspire you, as well!

THEY SAY THAT TRAVEL broadens the mind... indeed, so does enjoying international cuisine, and despite being the beating heart of UK food, Lincolnshire is also well-served with restaurants serving international cuisine. Last year’s winner in this category was the Mediterranean restaurant of San Pietro (see opposite), owned by Pietro and Michell Catalano. Other recommended Italian restaurants include Woodhall Spa’s Zucchi (01526 354466, www.zucci.org) and Sleaford-based Tiamo (01529 305223, tiamoitalian.co.uk). If you’re keen to enjoy pan-Asian cuisine, the best option in Lincolnshire for Chennai and Bengali dishes is The Agra in Sleaford (01529 414162, www.theagra.co.uk), home to Leeneth Karim, who previously created ‘the world’s hottest curry’ – the Widower – in his previous restaurant, Bindi in Grantham. Thankfully his repertoire also includes milder but flavoursome dishes that are authentic and delicious.

Other recommendations include the Japanese Teppanyaki and sushi restaurant Katana in Grantham & Spalding 01476 979171, www.mykatana.co.uk), and in Stamford, Orbis (01780 766772, www.orbisstamford.co.uk), offering imaginative pan-Asian fusion food, presented in a contemporary setting. For cuisine with a French bias, Petit Delight in Cleethorpes (01472 238176, petitdelight.co.uk) has a menu including French classics like Bouillabaisse and Baked Camembert, whilst The Six Bells at Witham on the Hill near Bourne (01778 590360, sixbellswitham.co.uk) hosts its Auberge evening every Monday offering three courses for £22, and two options per course, all inspired by rustic French inns. We look forward to receiving your own recommendations as you vote for your favourite restaurants serving international cuisine too! n

Last Year’s Winners: SAN PIETRO, SCUNTHORPE

For an authentic taste of Mediterranean cuisine, there’s only one place to go according to our readers. San Pietro in Scunthorpe isn’t another anglicised Italian restaurant serving pasta and pizza. Instead, it’s the home of modern and innovative cooking, with a menu del giorno, an à la carte menu and a tasting menu too. Traditional Sicilian dishes courtesy of Pietro Catalano are created with the skills and ingredients of a passionate kitchen team, and the setting, a former windmill, is really quirky. Latterly Pietro and Michelle Catalano have also created a colourful boutique hotel on the site of the restaurant too. n High Street East, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire DN15 6UH Call 01724 277774 or see www.sanpietro.uk.com.

Vote for your favourite restaurants, coffee shops or food producers at www.pridemagazines.co.uk or use the voting form at the end of this feature.

Restaurant with Rooms

Retire to bed in comfort after a fulfilling meal, as we invite you to vote for your favourite ‘restaurant with rooms.’ Here are our suggestions to provide some inspiration...

FOR A GETAWAY without the travel, a short break in Lincolnshire is a good opportunity to unwind, and if you’ve friends or family visiting the area, it’s always good to have in mind a few places they can spend a day or two in comfort. Located in the north of the county is Scunthorpe’s contemporary, quirky and luxurious San Pietro (01724 277774, www.sanpietro.uk.com) with its 14 bedrooms, and also Winteringham Fields (01724 733096, winteringhamfields.co.uk), which remains the county’s only Michelin-starred dining room. It’s a 16th century boutique hotel with Colin McGurran’s exceptional cuisine available to add even greater appeal. Meanwhile, in the centre of Lincoln, The Bronze Pig (01522 524817, thebronzepig.co.uk) and Reform Restaurant Bar & Grill within The Castle Hotel just off Bailgate (01522 538801, www.castlehotel.net are comfortable hotels with exceptional restaurants. Also in Lincoln and a little larger than the above boutique hotels is Doubletree by Hilton on the city’s Brayford Wharf (01522 565180, www.hilton.com.) with its own Marco Pierre White-affiliated steak house, plus Eastgate’s Lincoln Hotel (01522 520348, www.thelincoln hotel.com) and now under its new ownership, Bailgate’s White Hart Hotel (01522 526222, whitehart-lincoln.co.uk.

Another recommendation is Washingborough Hall (01522 790340, www.washingborough hall.com) on the outskirts of Lincoln, a beautiful Georgian country house hotel that’s Grade II listed and retains both its elegant character and the standard of its dining thanks to owners Lucy & Ed Herring’s team. If you’re in the south of the county, pay a visit to Stamford and enjoy the classic elegance of The George of Stamford, the grand dame of coaching inns (01780 750750, www.george hotelofstamford.com). These, of course, are merely our suggestions... so we look forward to seeing your nominations! n

Last Year’s Winners:

PETWOOD, WOODHALL SPA...

The Petwood Hotel at Woodhall Spa describes itself as offering timeless elegance, and we can’t help but agree... it’s so elegant in fact that we’ve given over the front cover to a shot of its Peto-landscaped gardens to this month’s front cover as we launch our Good Food Awards. It’s a favourite of ours offering a beautiful Edwardian setting and vast grounds, plus its historic links to the Dambusters and dining for everything from afternoon tea to à la carte dining in the evening. Its 53 bedrooms are subject to an ongoing programme of refurbishment, and all have plenty of character, but we especially like the hotel’s four-poster beds. n Petwood Hotel, Stixwould Road, Woodhall Spa LN10 6QG Call 01526 352411 or see www.petwood.co.uk.

Vote for your favourite restaurants, coffee shops or food producers at www.pridemagazines.co.uk or use the voting form at the end of this feature.

Local Food Producer 2022

We love to champion the county’s best food producers and farmers... and our readers do as well. So we’ve created our penultimate category to represent the area’s best local farmers, butchers, bakers and food producers creating exceptional food!

LINCOLNSHIRE has a wealth of food suppliers and many speciality foods, which is why, from the cereals in the field to traditional Lincolnshire sausages, we’re regarded as the county that feed the country. This category is designed to recognise our food producers. In terms of butchery, for example, Boston Sausage (also known as Mountains) based in the town and at Abbey Parks Farm Shop (01205 362167, www.boston sausage.co.uk), and Gary Simpson Butchers (01529 460403, www.gsimpsonbutchers.co.uk.) fly the flag for great sausages, 28-day aged beef, pork and lamb plus specialities like chine and haslet. We’ll also recognise Hambleton Farms with its outlets in Boston and Lincoln, (01572 723800, www.hambletonfarms.co.uk), and South Lincolnshire’s Grasmere Farms (01778 342344, www.grasmere-farm.co.uk). In terms of bakeries, AW Curtis of Lincoln (01522 511022, www.curtisoflincoln.com) has 15 shops across Lincolnshire, whilst Louth’s Pocklingtons (01507 450222, pocklingtonsbakery.co.uk) and Myers of Horncastle (01507 525871, www.myersbakery.co.uk) continue to champion the traditional Lincolnshire teatime treat of plum loaf. For fans of smoked fish, Grimsby-based Alfred Enderby (01472 342984, alfredenderby.co.uk) is one of the county’s oldest smokehouses, whilst East Lincolnshire Seafood (01205 364372, www.eastlincsseafood.co.uk) is still keeping locals supplied with fresh shellfish and Wash-caught Seafood. The county is also renowned for its artisan cheese, from Lincolnshire Poacher produced at Ulceby Cross since 1992 (01507 466987, www.lincolnshirepoachercheese.com), Michael and Mary Davenport’s Cote Hill Cheese (01673 828481, www.cotehill.com) and Lymm Bank’s 18 flavoured cheese varieties (01754 880312, www.postacheese.com). A mention too for Lincoln’s Cheese Society (www.the cheesesociety.co.uk 01522 511003) and café. Finally, we offer up jams and preserves from Lincoln’s Jenny’s Jams (01522 62254, jennysjams.co.uk), and Grantham Gingerbread (01476 501740, www.hawkensgingerbread.com), plus Tiffin & Co Bakehouse (www.tiffinand cobakehouse.co.uk among our recommendations for our penultimate category. Of course, these are just our suggestions. You can and should nominate your preferred local food producer and ensure that we can recognise their talent in this year’s Good Food Awards! n

Last Year’s Winners:

THE MANSION FARM SHOP

Imagine being able to enjoy Lincolnshire’s best produce, delivered right to your door. Based in Louth, Jim and Odile Sutcliffe describe themselves as a micro-business, making, baking and preparing a range of delicious products then having them delivered directly to customers from their farm in the heart of the Lincolnshire Wolds. Butchery products include dry-aged beef, rare breed pork, Wolds lamb, sausage and pork pies. Baked goods include bread, pies and cakes, plus the business offers a range of greengrocery, products from fishmongers plus charcuterie, jams and pickles, pasta and condiments. Gift boxes are also available of you’re looking to treat a loved one, and send delicious local produce to those outside the county! n The Mansion Farm online farm shop and deli, www.mansionfarmshop.com.

Vote for your favourite restaurants, coffee shops or food producers at www.pridemagazines.co.uk or use the voting form at the end of this feature.

Best Local Drink Producer

Raise a glass or stick the kettle on as we celebrate Lincolnshire’s best producers of refreshing drinks..

OUR CONSIDERATION of Lincolnshire drinks couldn’t possibly begin anywhere but on Salem Bridge in Wainfleet where, since 1874, the county’s most well-known brewery has been established.

Batemans (01754 880317, bateman.co.uk) is nearly 150 years old, and is now under the custodianship of fourth-generation brewers, brother and sister duo Stuart & Jaclyn Bateman. The company produces about 2.5m pints a year and its XXXB still remains a favourite amongst both local and national real ale enthusiasts despite the recent renaissance in craft beer.

Just like music or clothing, drinks ebb and flow according to fashions, and enormously popular over the past couple of years has been craft gin. Lincolnshire producers include James Wood with his brand, Gentleman Distillers (01522 695893, www.bandsmangin.co.uk), whose flagship Bandsman features tomatoes and basil among its range of botanicals. Meanwhile, Bottomley Distillers of Louth (01507 600410, bottomleydistillers.co.uk) produce their Pin Gin and Lincolnshire rum, and have just started to produce an apple flavoured vodka too.

Operating from Harrington are Simon and Bridget White of Oven’s Farm Vineyard (07919 320290, www.ovensfarmvineyard.com) which produces award-winning wine from such as Bacchus and Solaris, welcoming cellar door sales.

Not all of the county’s drinks producers are aiming to get us squiffy though. Lincs Tea & Coffee (01522 681838, www.thelincolnteaand coffeecompany.co.uk) have worked with Lincolnshire tea expert Will Battle to produce the county’s own blend of tea, whilst Stokes (01522 581921, www.stokescoffee.com) began roasting in 1892 and still have their roastery at The Lawn in Lincoln where they produce bespoke coffee blends for restaurants as well as domestic consumers. n

Last Year’s Winners:

BELVOIR FRUIT FARMS, GRANTHAM

The strapline of Belvoir Fruit Farms, producers of elderflower cordial and now many other soft drinks, is ‘premium drinks, crafted by nature.’ It’s an ethos to which the company has remained faithful even though it’s grown terrifically since it began trading in 1984. Pev Manners’ mother always used to maker her own elderflower cordial, which was a huge hit with Pev and his friends. So much so that he started to produce it commercially, and now has 40 other drinks including new botanical sodas and alcohol-free ‘gin & tonics,’ ‘bellinis’ and ‘Martinis.’ n Bottesford, Grantham NG13 0DH Call 01476 870286 or see www.belvoirfarm.co.uk

Vote for Your Favourite Restaurants and Lincolnshire Food & Drink Suppliers...

You’re free to vote for whichever Lincolnshire businesses you choose; they don’t have to be mentioned in this edition. You can also vote online at www.pridemagazines.co.uk. !

Restaurant of the Year 2022: Your overall favourite place to dine in Lincolnshire.

Café, Bar or Bistro of the Year 2022: Your preferred place to enjoy a lighter meal or coffee.

International Cuisine 2022: A Lincolnshire restaurant providing great international dishes.

‘Restaurant with Rooms’ 2022: A restaurant that also has really special accommodation.

Local Food Producer: A producer of local artisan food e.g.: a butcher, baker or cheesemaker.

Lincolnshire Drink: This could be a wine or spirit, locally roasted coffee, local tea or soft drink.

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Cut out this page and send your nominations to Pride Magazines Good Food Awards 2021, Pride Magazines, Boston Enterprise Centre, Enterprise Way, Boston, Lincolnshire PE21 7TW. CLOSING DATE 1ST NOVEMBER 2022.