Which of the UK’s best street foods have you tried?

On September 17th, in Manchester’s Mayfield Depot, the UK’s 17 best street food traders battled it out at the finals of this year’s British Street Food Awards. Winning traders from five regional heats cooked up a street food storm, serving their signature dishes to a panel of discerning (and hungry) judges.

Visitors got in on the tasting too. A so-called “mad minute”, heralded by a blast on the official British Street Food air horn, allowed each person just 60 seconds of tiny tastings at each of the trader’s stands. 

Who, or what, was the talk of the Depot? The taste and texture that set Andy’s Low ’N’ Slow barbecue apart. The genius of The Buffalo Truck and Mac Daddies in recreating culinary classics. The heartfelt, make-you-cry passion of Ranie from Jah Jyot, and the championing of British seafood by Shrimpwreck.

After much tasting and debating, the prize for 2017’s Best of the Best went to Wingmans. Their offering of chicken wings topped with homemade pickles, toasted sesame, coriander and lime stopped the judges dead in their tracks. Baked In Brick and Tikk’s Thai came in close behind, while the People’s Choice Award, voted for by everyone who came through the doors, went to Dim Sum Su.

These are the dishes that were voted best.

Best main dish
Mr D’s Magnificent Pie Machine: Freshly-baked individual Yorkshire raised steak pie, trio of mushed peas with mint sauce, creamed Maris Piper with peppered red wine gravy, wet Yorkshire salad.

Best sandwich
Sticky Bundits: Boom Hanoi Pork – Vietnamese pork patty and pork belly, Asian basil chutney, peanuts, sesame rice buns (gluten free, dairy free and no added sugar).

Best burger
The Flying Cows: The High Flyer Burger – aged Dexter beef, Cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, diced red onion, club sauce, glazed smoked streaky bacon, and a seeded bun.

Best vegetarian
Brother Thai: Jackfruit and shiitake mushroom roti.

Best snack
Wingmans: The Bang Coq Wings topped with homemade pickles, toasted sesame, coriander and lime.

Best dessert
Truly Crumptious: Homemade organic crumpet with homemade raspberry jam and frangipani.

Have you sampled any of these vendors’ street food offerings? Got a favourite not mentioned here? Tell us!