The roo-sults are in! Deliveroo announces the winners of its 2024 Restaurant Awards, which celebrate the best and most loved independent restaurants across the UK and Ireland.
The most coveted award – Independent Restaurant of the Year 2024 – has been won by Yeeros in Dublin after battling it out against Regional Independent Restaurant of the Year Award winners White Men Can’t Jerk in Peckham, London, Luxford Burgers in Edinburgh, Scotland, Dhamaka in Bristol, South England and Slap & Pickle in Sheffield, North England.
The award was judged by renowned food critic and writer Jimi Famurewa, in collaboration with Deliveroo’s CEO and founder, Will Shu. Jimi toured the width and breadth of the UK and Ireland to meet with each shortlisted regional restaurant, scoring them against criteria that included brand personality, food quality, packaging and presentation, customer reviews, and environmental consciousness.
Jimi was blown away by Yeeros’ commitment to serving the best-tasting authentic Greek street food in Dublin – from developing innovative cooking methods to creating tasty modern twists on Greek classics, glowing reviews from customers who’d do anything to eat their food* and their warm family-focused approach to serving the city. Most notably, Yeeros was commended for its commitment to sustainability by creating bespoke compostable packaging, with a different box designed specifically for each dish on their menu.
George Stamopoulos, managing director at Yeeros, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have won the title of Independent Restaurant of the Year 2024 out of thousands of restaurants across Ireland and the UK. This is a fantastic achievement for the business! It was always our vision to create an authentic Greek Street Food concept in Ireland. Somewhere I’d be happy to go! I’d like to thank our customers, our suppliers and Deliveroo for their support which has been incredible since we have opened.
It is a big honour for me and the entire Yeeros team, as well as an acknowledgement of the great work put in every day in our restaurants to maintain our high standards in quality food and excellent customer service.”
Jimi Famurewa, food critic and Deliveroo restaurant awards judge, said: “It’s been an honour and a privilege to tour the UK & Ireland to meet some of the nation’s best restaurateurs in the running for Deliveroo’s Independent Restaurant of the Year. Crowning the winner was challenging; every finalist blew me away with the taste, quality and standard of food they serve to neighbourhood doorsteps, along with their commitment to their customers and the local community.
The winners, Yeeros, ticked every box for me – innovation is at the heart of everything they do, from their food to their packaging, and most importantly, everyone who orders from Yeeros becomes part of their family. Congratulations, Yeeros and all the other finalists, and thank you to Deliveroo for trusting me to crown the winner.”
Jimi also judged a new award category for 2024 – Beating Heart of the Community – which celebrates the restaurant that is a winner amongst their local area.
The wider judging panel included TV personality and takeaway fan Rylan, Deliveroo’s CEO and founder Will Shu and Busi Sizani, Head of Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Deliveroo. The four finalists – Happy Mondays, Wingstop, GAIL’s Bakery, and Zambrero Ireland – were invited to give a presentation to the expert foursome to tell the story of how they support their local community.
Family-run independent cafe, Happy Mondays, took home the gong for supporting its local area of Rushden in Northampton. In August 2021, couple Luke and Daniela Wood, both on furlough and out of work, took a leap of faith to open the independent cafe to provide a warm and welcoming environment that brought people together. The judges were inspired by the couple’s community-first ethos – from supporting local suppliers to serving fresh, locally sourced food and products, as well as fundraising for local charities and hosting markets and events for Rushden residents to enjoy.
Luke Wood, co-owner of Happy Mondays, commented on the win: “We were excited enough to hear that we were a finalist for Deliveroo’s ‘Beating Heart of the Community’ award, but to find out we have won it…it’s hard to put into words.
We started Happy Mondays with a mission to serve and support the local community in Rushden, so this recognition is as much for our local customers, suppliers and residents as it is for us. It was great to meet Rylan, Jimi, Busi and Will, who not only judged the awards but who all share a passion for community in the same way that we do.”
Full list of winners of the 2024 Deliveroo Restaurant Awards national categories:
- Yeeros (Dublin, Ireland) – Independent Restaurant of the Year 2024 winner – A family-run restaurant which quickly gained a cult following for its tasty modern take on Greek street food
- Happy Mondays (Rushden, Northampton) – Beating Heart of the Community Award 2024 winner – An independent and community-focused coffee shop in the heart of Rushden, run by couple Luke and Daniella
- Shake Shack (London, Oxford & Cardiff) – Most Sustainable Restaurant Award 2024 winner – High-street burger restaurant with a focus on fresh, simple, high-quality food at a great value
- Pizza Pilgrims (London, Brighton, Nottingham, Cambridge & Leeds) – Best Customer Innovator Award 2024 winner – Originally serving from the back of a Piaggio Ape in London and now growing to multiple locations around the UK, they serve traditional Neapolitan sourdough pizzas
- Quaggy’s Kitchen (London) – Rider Love Award 2024- Local Indian takeaway restaurant based out of Lewisham, serving a diverse menu of mouthwatering curries and tandoori delights to satisfy any craving
First launched in 2018, Deliveroo’s Restaurant Awards celebrate and recognise the very best and most-loved restaurants across the country – from local independent burger joints to neighbourhood sushi restaurants and all the dishes, cuisines, and flavours in between. This year saw a total of 60 awards up for grabs, with more than 66,000 votes cast by hungry fans keen to show support for their favourite local restaurants.
All winners will be announced on Deliveroo’s social channels from 21st February as part of a 2024 Restaurant Awards social takeover, which will spotlight all 60 award winners.
