Every neighbourhood needs a good cafe.
Across the UK, cafes and coffee shops open before everyone else, serve the first coffee of the day and become the place where a community meets, usually run on long hours and thin margins.
The Cafe Awards exist to recognise the cafes, coffee shops and people whose food, drink and welcome make every neighbourhood better.
First to open.
Last to close.
Finally, recognised.
Cafes bring people together. They are rarely thanked.
A barista who remembers every regular's order.
An owner who opened a cafe with savings and a dream.
A tearoom that has served the same village for thirty years.
A community cafe giving young people their first job.
A team that kept smiling through the busiest Saturday of the year.
Cafes spend every day making other people's day better.
This time the recognition is for them.
“We noticed.”
“Thank you.”
From the coffee cart to the tearoom.
Independent cafes, coffee shops, tearooms, bakery cafes, baristas, owners, managers, teams, roasters and suppliers.
The Cafe
The one everyone wishes was on their street.
The Barista
Skill and warmth in every cup.
The Owner
Building something people love.
The Team
Making every shift work.
The Community Cafe
Giving back more than it takes.
Know a cafe that deserves to be recognised?
Four ways to be recognised.
Cafes and Coffee Shops
Independent cafes, coffee shops, neighbourhood cafes, new cafes, tearooms, brunch spots, bakery cafes and cafe groups.
Coffee, Food and Craft
Baristas, roasters, speciality coffee, cakes and bakes, plant based cafes and menu innovation.
Cafe People
Owners, managers, rising stars, teams and customer service.
Community and Sustainability
Community cafes, sustainability, accessibility, dog friendly cafes and suppliers.
Recognition that brings people through the door.
Pride for the team
Something every member of staff can be proud of.
New customers
Independent recognition that people trust.
Great staff
Good people want to work for recognised cafes.
Connections
Meet cafe owners and suppliers from across the UK.
You do not need a big cafe.
Judges consider the size and setting of every business, so a single counter kiosk can win against a busy high street cafe or a small group.
Business figures can be given as ranges.
Nothing in an entry is shared beyond the judging panel.
How good your cafe is matters more than how big it is.
The question isn't:
“Is our cafe big enough?”
A better question might be:
“Do our customers love us?”
Recognition only counts when it is earned fairly.
The value of an award depends on the integrity behind it, so the way entries are judged should be clear before anyone enters.
Free to enter
Nominating and entering cost nothing. No category depends on buying a ticket, a table or a package.
Independent judging
Entries are scored by an independent panel, not by the organisers, working under a confidentiality agreement.
Read moreConflicts managed
Judges declare any conflict of interest and stand aside from the entries it touches.
Read moreSponsors support the awards. They never decide the results.
The best cafes are too busy to enter.
They say:
“We just make coffee.”
“The customers make it special.”
“We have no time to fill in forms.”
And sometimes that is exactly why somebody else needs to say:
“They made the difference.”
“They deserve to be recognised.”
If you know a cafe, barista or team like that, put their name forward. It takes a minute.
From a name to the night itself.
Discover
Find the award category that fits the achievement best.
Nominate
Put forward your favourite cafe, a barista, a cafe team or your own business.
Tell the story
Share what was achieved, and the difference it made.
Judging
Eligible entries are judged against the published criteria.
Recognition
Finalists and winners are celebrated at the awards.
A good cafe is how a good day begins.
Every cafe has a story.
Every cup has a moment.