Restaurant groups including Nando’s, Mowgli, Honest Burgers and Tortilla were among the winners at Restaurant magazine’s R200 Awards, held last night (3 December) at Hawker House.
James Gould-Porter’s Island Poke won the coveted Best New Scalable Concept award with Best Restaurant Operator - 20 sites and under being awarded to Dishoom. Expanding burger brand Honest Burgers took home the title of Best Restaurant Operator - over 20 sites.
Opening Of The Year went to food hall operator Market Halls for its inaugural Fulham site and three-strong modern Indian restaurant group Kricket took home Most Effective Restaurant Design for its recently launched White City restaurant.
Mowgli, the street food-inspired Indian group helmed by Nisha Katona, was named Best Value Restaurant Operator – 20 sites and under; and burrito brand Tortilla was named Best Value Restaurant Operator – over 20 sites.
Azzurri Group chief executive Steve Holmes received the Unsung Hero Award for successful piloting the group’s Italian brands Ask Italian, Zizzi and Coco Di Mama through choppy waters in the casual dining category.
The awards were announced by top comedian Russell Kane at a dinner at Hawker House and are based on votes from members of Restaurant magazine’s R200 Club. Founded in 2008, the club is an industry networking group of the top 200 multi-site restaurant operators in the UK.
The winners in full:
Most Effective Restaurant Design
Kricket White City
Best New Scaleable Concept
Island Poke
Food-Led Pub Company
Harcourt Inns
Opening Of The Year
Market Halls Fulham
Best Family Restaurant Operator
Nando’s
Best Restaurant Drinks Offer
MEATliquor
Best Value Restaurant Operator – 20 sites and under
Mowgli
Best Value Restaurant Operator – over 20 sites
Tortilla
Best Restaurant Operator – 20 sites and under
Dishoom
Best Restaurant Operator – over 20 sites
Honest Burgers
Unsung Hero Award
Steve Holmes, CEO, Azzurri Group