Dave’s Hot Chicken was named as this year’s One to Watch, while Big Mamma Group took home the International Group of the Year award. Brother Marcus took home this year’s Scalable Concept award and Wingstop was awarded the title of QSR Group of the Year.
Other winners included Honest Burgers Smash + Grab, which won the Innovation Award; BLOODsports, which was named Opening of the Year, Dishoom, which was named Restaurant Group of the Year 20 sites and under, and Pizza Pilgrims, named Restaurant Group of the Year over 20 sites.
The annual awards, created by Restaurant, celebrate excellence in the hospitality sector and are voted for by industry professionals. They were held last night at a special dinner at Big Mamma’s Circolo Popolare restaurant in Manchester.
Dave’s Hot Chicken was recognised for its successful launch that saw its debut site in London has become the highest grossing sales site ever opened by Azzurri Group. Moreover, the group recently revealed that it was forced by police to temporarily close its restaurants in London, Birmingham and Liverpool due to overcrowding after a giveaway to coincide with investor rapper Drake’s birthday was somewhat oversubscribed.
Eastern Mediterranean inspired group Brother Marcus took home the Scalable Concept Award for its continued growth. Since launching in 2016, the group has grown steadily into an impressive business that now operates seven sites in the capital. An eighth will open in Victoria next year.
Wingstop was named QSR Brand of the Year having described 2024 as a ‘transformational year’ for the business, with pre-tax profits more than tripling and turnover soaring past the £100m mark. The fried chicken brand has opened more than 15 sites this year and has ambitions to reach 200 sites nationally by 2030. In June this year, it was recognised as the fastest growing restaurant group in the UK by The Sunday Times 100 for an impressive third year in a row.
Dishoom was recognised for another impressive year, in which turnover, pre-tax profit and EBITDA has risen as it continues to expand across the UK with new openings under both its Dishoom and Permit Room brands. The company also this year successfully secured outside investment as it prepares to open its first US site, in New York, next year.
Pizza Pilgrims picked up its gong for an impressive year that saw it receive investment from L’Osteria, the Germany-based Italian casual dining brand backed by McWin, which acquired a majority stake in the business. The brand has successful expanded outside of its London heartland and still has its sights on the capital – having refurbed its OG Soho site and a new King’s Cross restaurant opening next month.
Honest Burgers’ Innovation Award was presented for the company’s Smash + Grab brand, that made its debut at the end of last year. The company says the smash burger brand has played an important role in it returning to profit for the first time since 2020, and plans more openings in the coming year.
Big Mamma was named International Company of the Year following a period of European expansion. In late 2023 the French founded Italian restaurant group did a ‘coals to Newcastle’ move when it opened in Milan, which it described at its most significant stage in its European journey. Since then, it has opened in Barcelona and the group is about to make its Irish debut with the opening of Gloria Osteria in Dublin.
This year’s Person of the Year was awarded to Marcello Distefano, CEO at Italian restaurant group San Carlo. Distefano has overseen the growth of the company across the UK and overseas over the past two decades, helping establish it as the UK’s leading premium casual dining brand.
The full list of winners
Best New Opening, sponsored by One Voice Hospitality - BLOODsports
One to Watch, sponsored by Chapman Ventilation - Dave’s Hot Chicken
Scalable Concept Award, sponsored by Greenwoods - Brother Marcus
Campaign of the Year - Hawksmoor £19 steak and chips
Food-led Pub Group, sponsored by Zonal - Cubitt House
Best Value Restaurant Group, sponsored by Lockhart Catering Equipment - Blacklock
QSR Group of the Year, sponsored by Deliverect - Wingstop
Restaurant Group of the Year (20 sites and under), sponsored by Tripleseat - Dishoom
Restaurant Group of the Year (over 20 sites), sponsored by Damm - Pizza Pilgrims
Innovation Award, sponsored by Illy - Honest Burgers Smash + Grab
International Company of the Year - Big Mamma Group
Person of the Year, sponsored by Poppleston Allen - Marcello Distefano, CEO San Carlo