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Daily Mail
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Is this £12 toastie REALLY the best takeaway in the UK? We tried Deliveroo's most popular order to see if it's worth the hype
RAW VIDEO: RAW 3450971 MailOnline tries Deliveroo's top order to see if it's worth the hype Few meals are as universally satisfying as a good sarnie - but would you pay for £12 for one? It would appear that the answer is, overwhelmingly, yes, for many Britons - who voted a trendy toastie vendor as the Independent Restaurant of the Year UK & Ireland at the Deliveroo awards. The winners of the food delivery platform's annual accolades were announced last week, based on 160,000 customer votes and the verdict of a panel of judges; founder Will Shu, food critic Jimi Famurewa and Tilly Ramsay. Taking the crown for one of the categories was Crunch - a viral foodie spot with locations in London 's Soho and Spitalfields Market. The brioche bread pop-up shop is particularly beloved for its £12 Patty Melt, promising a filling of 'truffle beef patties, red Leicester cheese, crispy onion marmelade and black truffle mayonnaise'. I was cynical on my approach to the stall in East London, broadly feeling that the endeavour will essentially end up in me eating a glorified burger sans the soft bun. What's more, I was hesitant about the structural soundness of framing your brand around crispy slices of toast, which could so easily fall apart go soggy. Deciding to also sample a veggie options for the less carnivorously inclined, I opted to taste-test their £12 Buffalo Cauliflower sandwich, which featured 'deep-fried florets, ranch coleslaw, butter-buffalo sauce and a rich parmesan cream'. Upon first bites of both, I was quickly humbled by how incredibly well crafted a toastie could be - and deeply baffled by how anyone could achieve such witchcraft. It was about 15 minutes after me purchasing the sandwiches that I was actually able to sit down and eat them, so they were also sternly subject to 'delivery' conditions - and I was blown away by the (for lack of a better word, crunchy!) bite. Starting with the Patty Melt - a saucy endeavour that packed two juicy, well-cooked meat patties as well as other adornments - I was ready for the impact of wettened bread. Instead, the perfectly buttered brioche tasted as if it had just popped out the toaster, while still staying springy and not dry at all. The individual elements themselves all sang in harmony, never feeling too overpowering. And yet everything was tasteable, from the fragrant truffle to the sweet onion jam. It was far from a burger rip-off, but instead felt to me like what all burgers should now be doing, to deal with the consistent issue of soggy bread melting into the filling. I've paid well over £15 for over-hyped smashed, double stacked and ornately-decorated burgers in London; so £12 felt to me like a more than fair price for not just the quality of the ingredients but the craftsmanship presented. While the Patty Melt truly is a bestseller for the brand (and was the most popular dish on Deliveroo) they're also known for their creative veggie options. Tucking into my cauliflower I once again braced myself for disappointment - this time not only the bread was at risk but the frying batter could easily become too soft, covered in condiments, around an already tender vegetable. But science-defying culinary mastery won over, as I bit into a perfectly crispy concoction that had held up perfectly. What's more, unlike being a token meatless option offered at many other vendors (particularly smaller ones, like Crunch) it was not only one of a few on offer but was absolutely delicious in taste. I found myself torn between going to the Patty Melt and back to the cauliflower sarnie, finding both equally impressive. More incredulous to me as well is that the florets - which are 'marinated overnight in the same buffalo butter and a bunch of spices' - usually part of a typically bland veg on its own, were packed so full of flavour. I struggled to find a single flaw in the meal, and would happily splurge the £24 on them once again. Deliveroo last week revealed the top takeaway restaurants in the UK which along with Crunch, included high street bakery Gail's. Winners were split across five different categories including independent businesses on both national and regional levels - and a new category sponsored by darts sensation Luke Littler who uncovered the nation's best kebab. Competing against Crunch for the crown, were restaurants who'd already picked up regional awards, including a Leeds cake shop and Bristolian fast-food chain. Each were judged by the panel on brand personality, food quality and value, packaging and presentation, customer reviews and loyalty, innovation, and going the extra mile. After being crowned the International Restaurant of the Year for Greater London, Crunch went on to battle against the other regional winners before winning the national category too. The self-described 'experimental' eatery, which opened in 2022, amassed a cult following on social media, with the trendy bap makers were praised for their string of five star reviews, and by judges 'for creating a new era of game-changing sandwiches and their fearless approach to cooking'. Regional categories were won by a mixture of pizza, cake and salad outlets. In Belfast, health food restaurant and burrito bar, Seed, won the Independent Restaurant of the Year for Ireland. Serving acai bowls, superfood salads, burritos and smoothies, health conscious Seed won the hearts of the Irish. Scotland preferred pizza over salad, with the nation nominating Big Manny's Pizza as their winner. The Aberdeen-based eatery serves a range of decadent cheesy pies and is famed for their unrivalled meat specials and 18-inch pizzas, available by collection only. Bristol won on burger and chips with the city's Oowee Diner located on North Street, winning the area for its burgers, tasty dips and loaded dirty fries. Get Baked, a cake shop and bakery located in Leeds, took home the crown for Manchester and Leeds. The eatery has amassed a cult following online, in particular for its Bertha cake, a huge layered chocolate cake that was inspired by the Roald Dahl tale Matilda. Leeds was also the destination for the winner of the Luke Littler x Deliveroo Best Kebab Award, with the city's Sqew Shawarma Bar nabbing the title. The darts prodigy shortlisted ten 'Litter-approved' venues, all of which went to a public vote with Sqew Shawarma Bar, coming out top. Sqew's Khobez kebab with chicken, salad and sauce, was a notable mention. Additional awards were granted in acknowledgment of other hospitality strengths, including Deliveroo's Above and Beyond awards. Divisive high-street bakery, Gail's, was also given a Heart of the Community award across the nation, a win that will no doubt come as a surprise to those who have accused the chain of 'gentrification'. The bakery was at the heart of fierce debate last year, as locals in a number of locations, including Worthing and Wandsworth, fought back against plans to build new outlets on their high-streets. Others in the category included the Environmentally Sustainability award, given to Bujo in Dublin, the Customer Obsession award, which went to Burger Me Up in Birmingham, and the Rider Love award given to Thunderbirds, a chicken restaurant with various outlets across London. The Icon awards also showcased the talents of UK restaurant owners, with Naeem Aslam, Director of Aagrah Leeds winning the Lifetime Achievement, and Rich Myers, Founder of Get Baked scoring the Changing the Game award. The Rising Star award went to Enrico Pinna, Co-Founder of Ad Maiora, in Manchester. The Role Model award was given to Tim Vasilakis, Founder of The Athenian, which boasts multiple locations across the UK, including in London, Bristol and Sheffield. Reflecting on the overall winner of this year's Deliveroo awards, Jimi Famurewa, food critic and Deliveroo restaurant awards judge, said: 'It's an honour to be a returning judge for Deliveroo's UK & Ireland restaurant awards, and I was blown away by the passion and talent on display at the Independent Restaurant of the Year cook-off. 'Each finalist brought something unique and delicious to the table, making the final decision incredibly tough for us. 'However, Crunch from London stood out amongst the fierce competition, showcasing immense creativity, fine dining-level technique and mindblowing flavour that impressed us all.' Michael Medovnikov, Co-founder of Crunch said: 'From our humble beginnings in a Shoreditch pub to winning Independent Restaurant of the Year for UK & Ireland with Deliveroo in just a few years – it's an absolutely surreal and incredible feeling. We poured our hearts into every single sandwich we've made for our customers, so this award is for our amazing team and all the customers who've supported us from the start of this wild journey. Thank you to Deliveroo and everyone who voted for us to receive this amazing recognition!'
The Herald Scotland
01-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Coishi in Southampton wins prize at Deliveroo Awards 2025
First launched in 2018, Deliveroo's Restaurant Awards celebrate and recognise the very best and most-loved restaurants across the country. This ranges from local independent burger joints to neighbourhood sushi restaurants and "all the dishes, cuisines, and flavours in between". This year saw a total of 65 awards up for grabs, with more than 160,000 votes cast by fans keen to show support for their favourite local restaurants. A judging panel formed by Deliveroo's CEO and founder, Will Shu, food critic and journalist Jimi Famurewa, and TV Chef and personality Tilly Ramsay also helped decide the winners. In the South of England and Wales region, Coishi picked up the award for Best Japanese Restaurant. The full list of winners at the 2025 Deliveroo Restaurant Awards can be found on the website here. Coishi named best Japanese restaurant in the South of England and Wales Located on Above Bar Street, Coishi offers a mix of sushi and bento dishes for diners. According to the Visit Southampton website, it also has a range of "meticulously cooked hot dishes" and "refreshing bubble tea crafted with care". It adds: "Coishi delivers a range of delectable, nutritious fare and top-notch beverages at accessible prices. "Embraced by the Southampton community, Coishi stands out for its modern comfort food and unparalleled fusion flavours, inviting guests to savour a truly memorable culinary journey." It has overall been well-received by diners, with it earning a 4.4/5 score on Google Reviews from 439 ratings. One person wrote: "Pretty authentic Asian food, the Bento Boxes were excellent, the sushi is great. The menu has a lot of choice, all the food looked good. "Service was good, order and pay at the counter, the place has the usual cheap looking white plastic tables and chairs & doesn't look like anything special, but the food is great, certainly worth trying." Recommended reading: Another said: "Been coming here for years now and it never fails to always be amazing! The staff are lovely here and the food is great, I would say one of the best sushi places in Southampton." A third shared: "This time I ordered stewed beef brisket and Japanese curry chicken rice, which was really delicious. The chicken and beef were very tender, the sauce was super fragrant, and the rice was also very soft and sticky. "I highly recommend this restaurant, the environment is very clean, and the staff are very enthusiastic."
The Irish Sun
30-05-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
The best 12 food spots in Ireland revealed at takeaway awards with over 160k votes cast
IRELAND's best takeaway spots for 2025 have been revealed at a major awards ceremony. Twelve Irish 2 The results of Ireland's 2025 Deliveroo awards have been revealed Credit: LightRocket via Getty Images 2 And some top Irish food spots brought home awards Credit: Deliveroo Galway's Smashbird and Juice Jar, which operates in both Belfast and Dublin also took home major awards at the ceremony. BuJo in Dublin won the Ireland and UK Environmentally Sustainable award while SEED in Deliveroo launched these awards back in 2018 to celebrate the best local eateries across Ireland and the UK. READ MORE ON FOOD This year, 65 categories were available, covering a wide variety of cuisines and restaurant types. Taste of Hong Kong in Dublin took Best Chinese, The Pizza Co in Belfast got Best Pizza and Pablo Picante in Dublin won Best The Juice Jar secured Best Salads and Healthy Cuisine for its locations in Belfast and Dublin, Kerala Kitchen won Best Indian and Nepalese, while Galway's Smashbird was named Best Burger and American. San Sab in Dublin won Best Thai, Mad Egg took Best Chicken and Musashi earned Best MOST READ IN FABULOUS And Reyna was the first ever winner of the new Best Middle Eastern cuisine category. Boss Aylin Aydin said they are looking forward to serving up our award-winning Middle Eastern dishes to Dublin locals for a long time to come. Ireland's first 24-7 pizza vending machine arrives in Dublin He said: 'Wow, I can't believe we've won! It's incredible to be named Deliveroo's Best Middle Eastern restaurant in Ireland. "Huge thanks to everyone who voted – your support means everything. We're looking forward to serving up our award-winning Middle Eastern dishes to Dublin locals for a long time to come." One of the most contested awards in Ireland is Best Burger, which was won this year by They said: 'We can't believe it — we actually did it! The team here at Smashbird Galway are absolutely buzzing to have won Deliveroo's award for Best Burgers & American in Ireland! Bujo in Sandymount won the Deliveroo award for Environmental Sustainability. They said: 'We are thrilled to have won the Deliveroo award for Environmental Sustainability. "We go above and beyond to make sure we are as sustainable as possible from using eco-packaging and cooking with ethically sourced products all underpinned by an award winning waste management system." 'Finest culinary talent' SEED narrowly missed out on the UK & Ireland Independent Restaurant of the Year but still took home the Irish title. Deliveroo's judging panel included CEO Will Shu, food critic Jimi Famurewa and TV chef Tilly Ramsay. Helen Maher from She added: 'Congratulations to all the winning restaurants recognised as the best local favourites across Ireland. "This year's winners and nominees represent some of the finest culinary talent we've ever seen. "At Deliveroo, we're proud to partner with such exceptional restaurants to create more meaningful and memorable moments for our customers."
Glasgow Times
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Why this independent London restaurant is the best in the UK
CRUNCH in Soho received the most coveted award, after being named the Independent Restaurant of the Year UK & Ireland 2025 at the Deliveroo 2025 Restaurant Awards. The awards aim to celebrate the best and most loved local restaurants across the UK and Ireland. They were judged by Deliveroo's CEO and founder, Will Shu, food critic and journalist Jimi Famurewa and TV Chef and personality Tilly Ramsay. All finalists had forty-five minutes to cook their most popular dish on Deliveroo for the panels. Each restaurant was assessed against criteria including brand personality, food quality and value, packaging and presentation, customer reviews and loyalty, innovation, and going the extra mile. Independent London restaurant, CRUNCH, named best in the UK Winning the award, CRUNCH cooked its most popular Deliveroo dish, "the "Patty Melt", which judges described as "next level". The dish features truffle beef, red Leicester, and black truffle mayonnaise on golden brioche. Describing their win, Michael Medovnikov, Co-founder of CRUNCH, said: "From our humble beginnings in a Shoreditch pub to winning Independent Restaurant of the Year for UK & Ireland with Deliveroo in just a few years – it's an absolutely surreal and incredible feeling! "We poured our hearts into every single sandwich we've made for our customers, so this award is for our amazing team and all the customers who've supported us from the start of this wild journey." It's not just Deliveroo judges who praise CRUNCH, as guests have also taken to the online review platform Tripadvisor to share their thoughts. Recommended Reading One happy guest said: "I had the 'Michaels Chicken' and 'Patty Melt'. I enjoyed every single mouthful. Really high-quality ingredients and assembled beautifully." Another happy guest said: "Absolutely enjoyed their Patty Melt, made it extra saucy as I'm a big fan of Truffle Mayonnaise. "The toasts on the outside were crunchy and the beef patty was tender and juicy."
North Wales Live
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
Best restaurants and takeaways named after 160,000 votes
The best restaurants and takeaways in the country have been named after 160,000 votes in the Deliveroo 2025 Restaurant Awards UK and Ireland. The Independent Restaurant of the Year UK & Ireland 2025 has been won by 'next level sandwich' restaurant, CRUNCH (London) after battling it out at a cook-off held at Deliveroo Editions in London, against Regional Independent Restaurant of the Year Award winners GET BAKED from Leeds & Manchester (North England & Midlands), Oowee Diner, Bristol (South England & Wales), Big Mannys' Pizza, Aberdeen (Scotland) and Seed, Belfast (Ireland Region). The award was judged by Deliveroo's CEO and founder, Will Shu; returning judge, food critic and journalist Jimi Famurewa; and the awards' youngest ever judge, TV Chef and personality Tilly Ramsay. Competing finalists had forty-five minutes to cook their most popular dish on Deliveroo for the panel. Each restaurant was assessed against criteria including brand personality, food quality and value, packaging and presentation, customer reviews and loyalty, innovation, and going the extra mile. Michael Medovnikov, Co-founder of CRUNCH: "We poured our hearts into every single sandwich we've made for our customers, so this award is for our amazing team and all the customers who've supported us from the start of this wild journey. Thank you to Deliveroo and everyone who voted for us to receive this amazing recognition!" Jimi Famurewa, food critic and Deliveroo restaurant awards judge, said: 'I was blown away by the passion and talent on display at the Independent Restaurant of the Year cook-off. Each finalist brought something unique and delicious to the table, making the final decision incredibly tough for us. However, CRUNCH from London stood out amongst the fierce competition, showcasing immense creativity, fine dining-level technique and mindblowing flavour that impressed us all." Deliveroo also introduced several new award categories for 2025, including the Luke Littler x Deliveroo Kebab Award, fronted by the UK darts champion, which saw a shortlist of ten 'Littler-approved' restaurants go head to head in a public vote to crown the nation's best kebab spot Sqew Shawarma Bar from Leeds has won the title. Mitch Renshaw, Owner of Sqew Shawarma Bar said: 'We're still pinching ourselves! To know that so many of our loyal Lioners have voted for us to win means so much, especially after being personally approved by Luke Littler himself. It is an incredible feeling and a real testament to the hard work and passion of our entire team who make and serve our freshly made Kebabs to the local community with love, every day. This golden shish trophy will take pride of place in our shop – it's a massive honour.' Tilly Ramsay also judged a brand new category for 2025, the Rising Star award, alongside Deliveroo's CEO and founder, Will Shu, and Dame Karen Jones DME, which aims to celebrate an individual in the early stages of their industry journey, showcasing remarkable talent, ambition, and excellence. Enrico Pinna, co-owner of Ad Maiora in Manchester, was crowned the 2025 Rising Star at the Deliveroo Restaurant Awards. Starting his Italian sandwich business from a single flat during Covid, he now successfully runs three beloved shops in Manchester, attracting a cult local following, including Manchester footballers. Enrico triumphed over strong finalists Daisy Johnston (Senior Marketing Manager, Master Bao, London), Harry Pykett (founder of Homeboy Pizza Co, Leeds), and Jonny Beckett (Founder of Wing It, Belfast), all commended for their ambition. First launched in 2018, Deliveroo's Restaurant Awards celebrate and recognise the very best and most-loved restaurants across the country. National Independent Restaurant of the Year Awards 2025 Independent Restaurant of the Year UK & Ireland 2025 - CRUNCH, Old Spitalfields Market, London. Independent Restaurant of the Year, Ireland 2025 - Seed, Belfast Independent Restaurant of the Year Scotland 2025 - Big Mannys' Pizza, Aberdeen Independent Restaurant of the Year South England and Wales 2025 - Oowee Diner, Bristol Independent Restaurant of the Year North England and Midlands 2025 - Get Baked, Manchester & Leeds Independent Restaurant of the Year, Greater London 2025 - CRUNCH, Old Spitalfields Market, London. Icon Awards 2025 Lifetime Achievement 2025 - Naeem Aslam, Director of Aagrah, Leeds Changing the Game 2025 - Rich Myers, Founder of Get Baked, Manchester & Leeds Rising Star 2025 - Enrico Pinna, Co-Founder of Ad Maiora, Manchester Role Model 2025 - Tim Vasilakis, Founder of The Athenian, London, Bristol, Birmingham, Swindon, and Sheffield. Above and Beyond Awards 2025
