Lincolnshire Life invites you to the Taste of Excellence Awards 2023

Tickets are now on sale for Lincolnshire’s most delicious food and drink awards, Taste of Excellence 2023, and you’re invited to join us.

We will be returning to The Drill, Lincoln this year to work with their fantastic team. Their catering cohort, under chef Rob Smith, plans to once again wow us with a superb three-course meal starting with drinks and canapés during the greeting reception starting at 6.30pm on Thursday 2nd November.

We have some spectacular entertainment for you too which is sure to get you up on your feet not only celebrating the ‘champions’ of Lincolnshire food, drink and hospitality but also networking with our sponsors and partner guests.

Lincolnshire Life readers have once again broken our record for the number of nominations and for the number of individual businesses highlighted, so thank you for your votes and comments about your favourites. Here are the top ten in each of our categories. Congratulations on their success so far.

Our judges are now out judging the top three nominated businesses in each category, no easy feat I can assure you, and we are looking forward to announcing all the winners and finalists at the Awards Evening.

We wouldn’t be able to put this event together without the help and support from our sponsors who are listed below. You can meet some of them who will be there on the evening to hand out the many awards.

Tickets are priced at £87.50 per person inc VAT and can be purchased from sales@lincolnshirelife.co.uk or telephone 01522 689671. Details of the menu are in the side panel and on our website. Please advise us of any dietary requirements. Put the date in your diary and we hope you can join us.

BEST RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by HIT Training
Black Swan, Beckingham
Pig & Whistle, Healing Manor Hotel, Healing
MaCh Indian Restaurant, Lincoln
Nasturtium, Grimsby
Queens Head, Kirkby la Thorpe
Reform at The Castle Hotel, Lincoln
San Pietro, Scunthorpe
Tablez Cafe Bistro, Sleaford
Washingborough Hall Hotel, Washingborough
Winteringham Fields, Winteringham

BEST DINING PUB OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Sleaford Quality Foods
Beach Bar, Sutton-on-Sea
Black Horse Inn, Blyton
Bottle & Glass, Harby
Cross Keys, Stow
Five Bells, Bassingham
Pig & Whistle, Healing Manor Hotel, Healing
Nosey Parker, Lincoln
Queens Head, Kirkby la Thorpe
The George, Langworth
Three Horseshoes, Scotton

BEST TEA OR COFFEE SHOP OF THE YEAR
Baythorpe Tea Room, Swineshead
Doddington Tea Room, Doddington Hall
Insomnia Coffee Shop, Sleaford
Lady B’s, Mablethorpe
Riverhead Coffee, Cleethorpes
Smiths Tea Room, Boultham Park, Lincoln
Something Special at Birchgrove Garden Centre, Pinchbeck
Tablez Cafe Bistro, Sleaford
Tilly’s Tea and Gift Shop, Metheringham
Victoria House Tearoom, Gosberton

BEST FARM OR LOCAL SHOP OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Dexter & Sharpe
Doddington Hall Farm Shop, Lincoln
Farmer Browns, Huttoft
Gelston Lamb, Gelston
Leagate Road Farm Shop, Coningsby
Manor Farm Shops, Leasingham
Mountain’s Abbey Park Farm Shop, East Heckington
S Sharpe and Daughter Fruit & Veg, Stainton by Langworth
Uncle Henry’s, Grayingham
Vine House Farm Shop, Deeping St Nicholas
Williamson’s Farm Shop, Gainsborough

BEST FOOD TO YOUR DOOR
Bistro Bar & Kitchen, Market Rasen
By Darren Rogan, Lincoln
Fiddley Diddley Catering Services, Mablethorpe
Little Italy Pizza, Sleaford
Mountains Boston Sausage, Boston
Nathan Willows Fresh Produce, Lincoln
Riverhead Coffee, Cleethorpes
Slow Rise Pizza, Lincoln
Watergate Yard, Sleaford
Yellowbellykitchen, Fulletby

BEST BAKES OR SWEET TREATS OF THE YEAR
Bistro Bakes, Market Rasen
Cakes for Chocoholics, Sleaford
Cherry Blossom Cake Designs, Horncastle
Just Bake It, Lincoln
Lady B’s Cupcakery, Mablethorpe
No. 12 Chocolatier, Kirton in Lindsey
Rose’s Bakes, Skegness
Something Special at Birchgrove Garden Centre, Pinchbeck
Tiffin & Co Bakehouse, Sleaford
Wilcox Bakery, Ruskington

BEST DRINKS PRODUCT OF THE YEAR
Bandsman Gin, Lincoln
Batemans Brewery, Wainfleet
Docks Beers, Grimsby
Ferry Ales Brewery, Fiskerton
Giraffe Distillers – Pin Gin
Insomnia Coffee, Sleaford
Lincoln Gin, Lincoln
Lincoln Tea and Coffee Company, Lincoln
Luda Brewing Co, Louth
Massingberd-Mundy Gin, South Ormsby

BEST PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Cote Hill Farm Cheese, Osgodby
Doddington Hall, Doddington
Gelston Lamb, Gelston
Lincolnshire Honey, Spalding
Luda Brewing Co, Louth
Mountain’s Boston Sausage, Boston
No. 12 Chocolatier, Kirton in Lindsey
Redhill Farm, Gainsborough
Swales, Scartho
Tiffin & Co Bakehouse, Sleaford

BEST HOTEL OF THE YEAR
Castle Hotel, Lincoln
Dower House, Woodhall Spa
The Elm Tree, Hundleby
Healing Manor Hotel, Healing
Petwood Hotel, Woodhall Spa
Priory Hotel, Louth
San Pietro, Scunthorpe
Stallingborough Grange, Stallingborough
Tower Hotel, Lincoln
Washingborough Hall, Washingborough

BEST WEDDING VENUE OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Ruby & Co
Abbey Farm, Woodhall Spa
Doddington Hall, Lincoln
Dower House, Woodhall Spa
The Elm Tree, Hundleby
Healing Manor
Petwood Hotel, Woodhall Spa
Priory Hotel, Louth
Stallingborough Grange Hotel
Walled Garden Baumber
Washingborough Hall Hotel

BEST BED & BREAKFAST ACCOMMODATION OF THE YEAR
Black Horse Inn, Blyton
Castle Hotel, Lincoln
Clarke’s Farm, Heighington
The Elm Tree, Hundleby
Manor Farm Stay, Sutton-on-Sea
San Pietro, Scunthorpe
The Grange, East Barkwith, Market Rasen
Village Limits, Woodhall Spa
Washingborough Hall, Washingborough
Watergate Yard, Sleaford

BEST SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION OF THE YEAR
The Burrow Escape, Branston
Dale View Barn, Winceby
Dibley Lodge, Cranwell
Doddington Holiday Cottages
Manor Farm Stay, Sutton-on-Sea
The Groom’s Quarters, Wragby
Rush Hill Barn and Beater’s Lodge, Irby Estate
The Grange East Barkwith
The Treehouse, Lincoln
Treetop Hideaways, Woodhall Spa

BEST NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Ace Bakes, Chapel St Leonards
Bistro Bar & Kitchen, Market Rasen
Eastfield Farm Plants, Alford
Fiddley Diddley Catering Services, Mablethorpe
Monkey & I, Boston
Ohana Bar & Cocktail Lounge, Holbeach
Spokes Coffee Shop, Gainsborough
The Cake Mama, Alford
The Sycamore, Lincoln
Yellowbellykitchen, Fulletby

BEST APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by HIT Training
Thank you for all your nominations. HIT Training are assessing all the entries to later announce our three finalists.

YOUR MENU FOR THE EVENING
70s with a ‘Twist’
Starters:
Prawn Cocktail (GF)
Endive, slow roast tomatoes, adobo mayonnaise, lemon gel
Or
Pâté (GF)
Chicken liver, pear & date, pickled red onion
Or
Fan of Melon (GF, VG, V)
Trio of melon, basil sorbet, blackberry compote

Main Course:
Sirloin Diane (GF)
Sirloin of beef, beef fat fondant, tenderstem, squash puree, Diane sauce
Or
Vegetable Wellington (VG, V)
Puff pastry, winter vegetables, vegan cream, savoy, fondant

Desserts:
Lemon Meringue (can be made gluten free)
Lemon posset, shortbread, glazed meringue, curd, raspberries
Or
Black Forest
Chocolate sponge, cherry & kirsch gel, kirsch soused cherries, cream
Or
Strawberry Cheesecake (Vegan)
Vegan Cream cheese, strawberry compote, shortbread crumb

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