Taste of Excellence Food and Drink Awards 2026 – Your top ten!

Tickets are now on sale for Lincolnshire’s most delicious food and drink awards, which this year celebrates 30 years.

This year we will be welcoming guests to a new, intimate venue for a very special event. Our Taste of Excellence Awards 2026 marks 30 years since Lincolnshire Life launched its prestigious competition. From small beginnings and only four nomination categories, the awards has grown to honour the finest food, drink and hospitality businesses in the county across 14 categories.

We have chosen a special new venue this year, Charlotte House Hotel, at The Lawn in Lincoln. They will be providing a superb three-course meal starting with a drinks reception starting at 6.30pm on Wednesday 4th November.

We have some fantastic entertainment for you with the theme of ‘Bonfire Night’. Acclaimed Gary Barlow impersonator Dan Hadfield will be sure to ‘relight your fire’ with his incredible versions of Take That classics.

Guests will not only be able to celebrate the ‘champions’ of Lincolnshire food, drink and hospitality but also network with our sponsors and partners.

Thank you once again to everyone who voted and provided their thoughtful comments, which prove the passionate support for the hardworking businesses across our county. Here are the top ten in each of our categories. Congratulations on their success so far.
Our judges are now out judging and there will be a cook-off for the Young Chef of the Year in October, with more details to be announced soon.

We hope you can join us for the all-important announcements of the winners and finalists at the Awards Evening.

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

Please note, owing to venue capacity, tickets for this year’s event are limited to 4 per business. These are sure to sell out quickly, so get in touch to book today.

Tickets are priced at £95 per person inc VAT and can be purchased from sales@lincolnshirelife.co.uk or by calling 01522 689671. Put the date in your diary and we hope you can join us.

SPONSORS
Staging ‘Taste of Excellence 2026’ would not be possible without our fantastic sponsors. Thank you to all our partners and sponsors for your continued support of these awards.

CATEGORIES:

Best Restaurant of the Year – sponsored by Allen Signs
• Antlers Restaurant – White Hart Hotel, Lincoln
• Cognito, Lincoln
• Grain Store Restaurant & Bar, Doddington
• Lawson’s Bar & Bistro, Lincoln
• Olé Olé Tapas Bar & Restaurant, Lincoln
• Reform Restaurant – The Castle Hotel, Lincoln
• Restaurant Auction House, Louth
• Restaurant DOM, Scunthorpe
• San Pietro, Scunthorpe
• Washingborough Hall Hotel, Lincoln

Best Dining Pub of the Year – sponsored by Allen Signs
• The Bottle & Glass, Harby
• The Chequers, Potterhanworth
• Duke William Hotel, Lincoln
• The Hope & Anchor, South Ferriby
• The New Inn, Great Limber
• The Railway Inn, Thorpe on the Hill
• The Tempest Arms, Coleby
• Three Horseshoes, Scotton
• Watergate Yard, Sleaford
• White Horse, Lincoln

Best Tea or Coffee Shop of the Year – sponsored by Good Taste Lincolnshire
• Coffee by the Arch, Lincoln
• Coffee Depot, Lincoln
• Dandelion and Duck, Gainsborough
• Doddington Farm Shop Café, Lincoln
• Lions Café, Sleaford
• Riverhead Coffee, Cleethorpes
• Smiths Tea Room, Lincoln
• Soul Foods, Alford
• Tablez Café Bistro, Sleaford
• The Threshing Barn at Coleby Lodge Farm, Lincoln

Best Independent Farm or Local Shop of the Year – sponsored by Dexter & Sharpe
• Burgess Farm Shop, Waddington
• Doddington Farm Shop, Lincoln
• Manor Farm Shops & Garden Centre, Leasingham
• Mountain’s Farm Shop, East Heckington
• Navenby Butchers, Navenby
• Redhill Farm Shop, Lincoln
• S Sharpe & Daughter Fruit and Veg, Lincoln
• Uncle Henry’s, Gainsborough
• Williamsons Farm Shop, Gainsborough
• The Wolds Edge, Market Rasen

Best Food to Your Door – sponsored by Discover Lincolnshire
• The Choowee Cookie Company, Lincoln
• Dale’s Kitchen, Boston
• Fiddley Diddley Catering Services, Mablethorpe
• Good Little Party Food, Sudbrooke
• Just Bake It, Lincoln
• Riverhead Coffee, Cleethorpes
• Soma Café, Sleaford
• Tang, Lincoln
• Watergate Yard, Sleaford
• Yellowbellykitchen, Fulletby

Best Bakes or Sweet Treats of the Year – sponsored by Good Taste Lincolnshire
• Ashleigh Farm Artisan Bakery, Willingham-by-Stow
• The Candy Garage, Lincoln
• The Choowee Cookie Company, Lincoln
• Coffee Depot, Lincoln
• Cookie Doodle Doo, Louth
• Good Little Party Food, Sudbrooke
• Just Bake It, Lincoln
• Lions Café, Sleaford
• Riverhead Coffee, Cleethorpes
• Stirrup A Treat, Gainsborough

Best Drinks Product of the Year – sponsored by Charlotte House Hotel
• Batemans Brewery, Wainfleet
• Belvoir Farm, Belvoir
• The Lincoln Distillery, Fiskerton
• The Lincoln Tea & Coffee Company, Lincoln
• Louth Distillery, Louth
• Mayfield Vineyard, Sleaford
• Riviera Iced Tea, Newark
• Stokes Coffee, Lincoln
• Wressle Vineyard, North Lincolnshire
• Zest Brewery, Grantham

Best Producer of the Year – sponsored by Good Taste Lincolnshire
• Cote Hill Cheese, Osgodby
• Doddington Hall, Lincoln
• Dyson Farming, Nocton
• Gelston Lamb, Grantham
• The Lincoln Tea & Coffee Company, Lincoln
• Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese, Alford
• Lincolnshire Pork Co, Gainsborough
• The Spud Barn, Bardney
• Stourton Estates, nr Baumber
• Vine’s Bakery, Lincoln

Best Hotel of the Year – sponsored by Lincolnshire Life
• Castle Hotel, Lincoln
• Dower House Hotel, Woodhall Spa
• The George at Stamford
• Hope & Anchor, South Ferriby
• Laceby Manor, nr Grimsby
• Petwood Hotel, Woodhall Spa
• San Pietro, Scunthorpe
• Tower Hotel, Lincoln
• Washingborough Hall Hotel, Lincoln
• White Hart Hotel, Lincoln

Best Wedding Venue of the Year – sponsored by Ruby & Co
• Doddington Hall, Lincoln
• The Elm Tree, Hundleby
• Elsham Hall
• Granary Barn, Hubberts Bridge
• The New Chapel, Greylees
• The Pyewipe, Lincoln
• San Pietro, Scunthorpe
• Walled Garden Baumber, Horncastle
• Washingborough Hall Hotel, Lincoln
• White Hart Hotel, Lincoln

Best Bed & Breakfast of the Year – sponsored by Discover Lincolnshire
• Bridleway Bed & Breakfast, Grange de Lings
• Brills Farm, Norton Disney
• Clarke’s Farm, Heighington
• The Elm Tree, Hundleby
• The Hope & Anchor, South Ferriby
• Manor Farm Stay, Sutton on Sea
• The New Inn, Great Limber
• The Pyewipe, Lincoln
• Victoria Guest House, Mablethorpe
• Watergate Yard, Sleaford

Best Self Catering Accommodation of the Year – sponsored by Discover Lincolnshire
• Ashleigh Farm Caravan and Glamping, Willingham-by-Stow
• Bainland Lodge Retreats, Woodhall Spa
• The Bothies at Elsham Hall
• Doddington Hall, Lincoln
• Elms Farm Cottages, Hubberts Bridge
• Hip Haüs, Cleethorpes
• Otby Lake Boat House, Market Rasen
• Panton House Farm Holiday Cottages, Wragby
• Treetop Hideaways, Woodhall Spa
• Watergate Yard, Sleaford

Best Newcomer of the Year – sponsored by Lincolnshire Life
• Amore, Cleethorpes
• Ashleigh Farm Artisan Bakery, Willingham-by-Stow
• Cafe Cognito, Lincoln
• The Good Spud Ltd, Horncastle
• Little Oven Bakehouse, Sleaford
• No.8 Coffee Shop, Horncastle
• Otby Lake Boat House, Market Rasen
• Soma Café, Sleaford
• Stirrup A Treat, Kirton In Lindsey
• Yusu Sushi by Tang, Lincoln

Best Young Chef of the Year – sponsored by Lincoln College
• Emily Ayrton, Restaurant Auction House
• Lucie Cairns, Lincoln College
• Theo Haxby, Grain Store Restaurant & Bar
• Kris Gadzhonov, Restaurant DOM
• Zara Tobin, The Hope & Anchor, South Ferriby

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