Food and Drink Festival Award Winners 2023 Revealed
An Indian restaurant and bar has scooped two titles at the Enjoy St Albans Food and Drink Festival Awards 2023.
Nouvellé Lounge, in Marshalswick, St Albans, won both the Restaurant of the Year and Best Newcomer awards.
The business opened a year ago with the aim of providing traditional curry dishes in a modern setting.
Eight awards were announced at a ceremony at St Michael’s Manor on Monday 2 October.
Members of the Festival’s Steering Committee presented the trophies while among the guests was the Mayor of St Albans City and District, Councillor Anthony Rowlands.
The Festival, now in its 16th year, is organised by St Albans City and District Council with the help of a steering group. SA Law and St Albans BID sponsor it.
The winners were:
Restaurant of the Year - Nouvellé Lounge, Marshalswick, St Albans.
Best Pub or Bar - The Green Man, Sandridge.
Best Café - The Potting Shed, Carpenters Nursery, Sandridge.
Best Food and Drink shop or Market Stall - Carpenter's Nursery, Sandridge.
Best Takeaway or Street Food - Kat's Oriental Cuisine, St Albans.
Best Local Producer - The Pudding Stop, Redbourn.
Best Newcomer- Nouvellé Lounge.
Kate D’Arcy Award for Customer Service - The Angoni family of Bellacino's, French Row, St Albans.
Mayor Rowlands said:
My congratulations go not just to the winners, but to all of the finalists. It is a tremendous honour to win one of these coveted awards which give recognition to our local hospitality industry.
I enjoyed meeting many of the finalists at the awards ceremony and have been hugely impressed with the passion they have for their work.
Councillor Lynn Cunningham, Lead Councillor for Events, said:
The awards allow us the chance to celebrate the achievements of our marvellous food and drink industry.
It also helps us promote these outstanding businesses and highlight how much choice and value there is on offer when you eat, drink and shop locally.
Residents nominated venues and producers from around the District earlier this year in the eight categories. A shortlist was then drawn up for a public vote.
A panel from the Steering Committee selected a winner from the top three in each category after making surprise visits to the venues.
They chose the winners according to criteria such as product quality, customer service and atmosphere.
Picture: The Mayor, Councillor Anthony Rowlands, wearing his chain of office, and some of the award winners. The Mayoress, Annie Stevenson, is immediately behind him, to his right.
Media contact: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727 819533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.