We were worried that ‘the British Street Food Awards’ sounded a bit dull. We thought it might conjure up images of conference centres, with men in dickie bows and grapefruit segments for a starter. So we created the British Street Food Festival — the ultimate expression of what we do. The British Street Food Awards PLUS. The very best traders from all across the UK, competing for YOUR vote — with live music, beer buckets, food quizzes, fire pits and #vibes unbounded.

After one massive road trip, tracking down the best street food in the five regional heats for the 2016 British Street Food Awards, you finally got to try it all – and vote for your winner. We parked up at the Digbeth Dining Club – who have won our Best Street Food Event award twice in the last three years. The weekend was the stuff of legend.  
 
Food? Yes. And here is the full breakdown of the menu for the weekend. But this was a proper Festival. So we brewed up the world’s first street food craft beer – which worked alongside everything from tofu to tacos. It’s a session beer that we matched (exclusively and exhaustively) with BSFA alumni. And we launched it in Brum. Plus there was LeftFoot DJs, JamJah Sound, Dead Pixels retro gaming and street art. And seminars on the future of food. The British Street Food Festival 2016 was a bit special. 

The finest traders in Britain (and beyond) have been cooking up a storm to win the Awards since 2010, but this year was been the best ever. We set up shop in some of the country’s most perfect ‘found’ places – including Leeds Dock, an oyster festival in County Down and Blackheath Common. The Rainbow Arena, an old builder’s merchant yard adjacent to the disused railway line that runs through the heart of Digbeth, took it to a new level. 
 
This is how it went down…

SATURDAY September 17 11-8pm

Today was all about the party. Your chance to eat taster plates from the best street food traders in Britain. All day. That meant 1.deliciousness and 2.underhand tactics. We’ve seen it all….

PLUS sets from Digbeth Dining Club’s finest DJs

AND kids’ stuff….with retro gaming from Dead Pixels in the Warehouse

11am-2pm….Jam Jah Sound
2pm-3pm…. Call Me Unique w/ Guitar (live music)
3pm-5pm…. Leftfoot DJs
5pm-8pm…. DDC Residents

SUNDAY

SUNDAY September 18 11-6pm

11am-6pm Live sets from Digbeth Dining Club’s finest DJs

Today was all about the food. Another chance to eat those taster plates, against a backdrop of DJ sets, PLUS kids stuff….and retro gaming from Dead Pixels in the Warehouse

BUT

We also had some Awards to decide on.

SO

11am-4pm Voting in the People’s Choice (sponsored by NCASS) continued until 3.30pm. But the judging panel kicked off at 11am. Xanthe Clay (President, Guild of Food Writers and Daily Telegraph Food Columnist), Simon Hulstone (Michelin-starred chef at the Elephant), Brad Carter (Michelin-starred chef at Carter’s), Nathan Eades (Michelin-starred chef at Simpson’s) and Richard Johnson (founder of the British Street Food Awards) tried the two dishes entered by each trader in a series of different categories:

Best Sandwich
Best Burger
Best Main Dish (sponsored by Steelite)
Best Vegetarian
Best Snack
Best Dessert

Winners in each category PLUS winners of our Facebook vote for Best Looking Mobiler and Best Street Food Event were announced on the stage at 2pm.

2pm Roundtable on The Future of Food, featuring Xanthe Clay, Nathan Eades, Brad Carter, Simon Hulstone and Richard Johnson.

3.45pm Judges’ table. The judges tried all the category winners live on stage and chose their overall winner — the Best of the Best (sponsored by Santa Maria).

4pm The Best Of The Best (sponsored by Santa Maria) AND the People’s Choice (sponsored by NCASS) AND the Lifetime Achievement Award announced live on stage.