Food delivery company UberEats has revealed its shortlist for the UK’s best restaurant of the year, with nominated eateries including a vegan Chinese and Detroit-style pizza joint.
Brits can vote for their favourite takeaway to be in the chance of winning a £100,000 investment prize.
The shortlist includes 130 restaurants and 40 cuisines, from burgers and chicken to street food and even smoothie places.
The award aims to champion small restaurant business owners, with finalists seeking to impress the judging panel with their ‘hero dish’ in London.
This year, the judges include Andi Oliver, influencer Kieran Monlouis (@foodyfella), 2023 winner Josh Kleiner from Sandwich Sandwich and UberEats general manager Matthew Price.
UberEats has revealed its shortlist for the best restaurant of the year. Pictured: London’s Junglees, which is one of 130 nominated eateries
Brits can vote for their favourite takeaway to be in the chance of winning an £100,000 investment prize. Pictured: ANSH in Wales
As the restaurants battle it out to be crowned the best takeaway in the UK, customers can have their own say by voting on the UberEats website.
Among the nominated restaurants is Tofu Vegan in Islington, which offers Chinese-inspired dishes with a vegan twist.
Tofu Vegan has a completely plant based menu, with most dishes being made from tofu and mushrooms, or Asian imitation meats made from bean proteins.
Its most popular options include wontons in a spicy sauce, dim sum, and sweet-and-sour ‘chicken’ for £13.80.
Meanwhile its expert team includes chefs from Sichuan, the Cantonese south of China and the northeastern Dongbei region, so the menu features a range of enticing regional flavours.
Two Detroit pizza joints make the list – Cuties Pies and Fries Detroit Pizza in the South East, and Detroit Pizza in London’s Spitalfields.
Two Detroit pizza joints make the list – Cuties Pies and Fries Detroit Pizza in the South East, and Detroit Pizza in London’s Spitalfields (pictured)
Among the nominated restaurants is Tofu Vegan in Islington, which offers Chinese-inspired dishes with a vegan twist
Restaurants with healthier alternatives have also been nominated, such as Juice Jar in Northern Ireland which offers clean juices, berry bowls and smoothies
American-inspired breakfast sandwich outlet Davey’s in the North East offers mouthwatering finds
At the London outlet, a Detroit large pizza costs £26.99 and is topped with pepperoni, picked jalapeno, honey and parmesan, or you can pay £4.99 for a selected single slice.
Meanwhile Junglees was established in 2021 after founder Nomaan decided to leave his corporate career in law to pursue his passion for food.
Junglees specialises in burgers and wings, even offering a full cod fillet in a burger – dubbed ‘The Codfather’ – for £11.49.
The nominated include a wide variety of cuisines from 12 regions across the UK with a wide range of options on the shortlist.
You can also vote for a customisable toastie restaurant (Grilladh in Ireland), a breakfast sandwich place (Davey’s in the North East) or healthier alternatives, such as Juice Jar in Northern Ireland which offers clean juices, berry bowls and smoothies.
If customisable toasties are your thing, you can vote for Grilladh in Ireland
Each restaurant has an individual selling point, such as ANSH in Wales, which has a famous Bari Ddu burger with a black burger bun, filled with Welsh black beef, smoked streaky bacon, smoked cheddar cheese and a seaweed rum sauce for £13.
Matthew Price, General Manager UK, Ireland and Northern Europe at Uber Eats said ‘We created the Restaurant of the Year Awards to spotlight the very best independent restaurants across the UK and Ireland.
‘Small businesses like these make up a huge part of Uber Eats and we want to help every one of them thrive because Uber Eats only succeeds when our restaurant partners succeed’.
Customers can vote for their favourite local restaurant at ubereatsawards.com until October 4.