The excitement was palpable amongst the finalists at the Midlothian and East Lothian Food & Drinks awards that took place on Thursday evening at the very glamorous Eskmills Venue in Musselburgh. A fitting venue for such a prestigious event, renowned for its first class food, using the freshest seasonal ingredients whenever possible, and supporting local and Scottish producers.
After a very tough period for hospitality, it was exciting to see so many local businesses continuing to thrive and grow and to be rewarded for their hard work, determination and excellence in all they do. There were a total of 9 award categories and Midlothian was well represented amongst the finalists and winners on the night. My Midlothian highlights of the evening included:
Best Eatery – Dolly’s Tea Room in Roslin, Lavender Coffee and Crumbs and The Kitchen at Restoration Yard both in Dalkeith, were amongst the finalists but were pipped at the post by The Victoria Inn in Haddington.
Restaurant of the Year – The Radhuni in Loanhead triumphed in the Restaurant of the Year category and deservedly so. Consistently high levels of service, beautiful surroundings and exceptional food. If you enjoy a good curry, the Radhuni is the place to go!
Pub/Bistro of the Year – Midlothian was well represented with The Laird and Dog in Lasswade and Stobsmill Inn in Gorebridge making the finals but narrowly losing out to The Waterside Bistro in Haddington.
Excellence in Customer Service – Another Midlothian win, this time for the Rosslyn Chapel Café/Saltire Hospitality in Roslin. The café is located in the Chapel’s visitor centre and also has an outdoor terrace with stunning views of Roslin Glen. They pride themselves on their high standards of catering and hospitality and it certainly shows!
Best Takeaway – The Cavaliere Italian restaurant and takeaway in Dalkeith picked up the award for best takeaway. A firm favourite in the area, cooking up authentic pizza and pasta dishes and being owned and run by the same family for almost 60 years. Special mention to Manda Huevos located at the Midlothian Innovation Centre, who also made the finals for this category, for their superb authentic tapas and tortilla.
It was a fabulous evening and huge congratulations must go to all the Midlothian and East Lothian finalists and winners who were thoroughly deserving of their nominations and awards. As Keith Barbour, Chamber President said “We’re fortunate indeed to have such a vibrant food and drink scene here on our doorstep” and I, for one, wholeheartedly agree with him! Read the full article here.
