The Oliver Awards were first launched in 2008, with the aim of showcasing the incredible talent from our city’s diverse and vibrant hospitality sector. There were hundreds of entries this year, our 14th awards, and our panel of judges had the tough job of whittling them down to a shortlist, with the winners across 16 categories announced at a glitzy ceremony at Headingley Stadium last night.
There were three new categories this year - Best Dog-Friendly, Best Hotel Restaurant and the return of the popular Best World Restaurant. At the end of the evening, the prestigious Overall Restaurant of the Year award was announced, before guests enjoyed the official after party at Green Room.
Here is every Leeds business to have won an Oliver Award 2023.
1. Every winner of the Oliver Awards
Here are the winners of the Yorkshire Evening Post's Oliver Awards 2023 Photo: National World
2. Best Cafe/Deli
Gray’s scooped the Best Cafe/Deli award. The Rothwell coffee and gift shop, founded by Giles and Heather Amos (pictured), has built up a fiercely loyal base of customers. It offers a fabulous range of coffee and food, as well as selling cards and gifts from independent makers and hosting events. The finalists were: Bean & Gone Espresso Bar; Bruschetta by Food Cabaret; Residence 74; The Collective Inc and The Little Deli Co. Photo: James Hardisty
3. Best Bar
Best Bar was awarded to Bar Fibre. The Lower Briggate party hotspot has recently undergone a £1million refurbishment, and judges praised its legacy on the Leeds bar scene for the last 20 years - led by Terry George and his partner Michael Rothwell. The finalists were: Farrands; Green Room; Saint Jude; Salon Privé, Dakota Leeds and Tailors Gin. Photo: Joe Rendell
4. Best World Restaurant
Chaophraya scooped the Best World Restaurant award. Founded by Kim Kaewkraikhot (pictured) and her partner in 2004, the lavish restaurant serves a contemporary take on traditional food from every corner of Thailand, washed down with a range of cocktails, wines and beers. The finalists were: Dastaan Leeds, El Gato Negro, Fleur Restaurant and Bar, Prashad and Sakku. Photo: Tony Johnson
5. Best Takeaway
Sabroso Street won the Best Takeaway category, judged by Rate My Takeaway host and social media star Danny Malin. Originally founded as a street food van in 2017, the authentic Mexican eatery opened its bricks and mortar restaurant and takeaway in Farsley in 2019. The finalists were: AfroSpice; Manjit’s Kitchen; Poco Sicilian Street Food & CULTO; Pizza Loco; The Bearded Sailor. Photo: Gary Longbottom
6. Best Speciality
The winner of Best Speciality is The Oxford Place. The family-run city centre restaurant is 100% gluten free and serves fine-dining British dishes using locally-sourced ingredients, with gluten free accreditation from Coeliac UK. The finalists were: Bundobust; byMolly Private Chef Hire; Issho; Prashad and Tharavadu. Photo: Tony Johnson