There are nine categories in the awards, which recognise great British pub classics. Three pubs have been shortlisted as finalists in each category. The competition recognises the quality of each pub’s classic British dish and its sales success.
The finalists are:
- Best Fish & Chips: St Austell’s the Ship, Plymouth, Devon; the Harbour Inn, Southwold, Suffolk; the Victory, Mersea, Essex
- Best Steak & Chips Offer: the Elm Tree, Elmton, Derbyshireshire; Peach Pubs’ the Richard Onslow, Cranleigh, Surrey; the Woodman, Battersea, south London
- Best Desserts Offer: the Crabtree, Lower Beeding, West Sussex; Ye Old Sun Inn, Colton, North Yorkshire; the Sun Inn, Dummer, Hampshire
- Best Sandwich Offer: the Woodman, Battersea, London; So! Bar & Eats, Harrogate, North Yorkshire; the Market Inn, Sandwich, Kent
- Best Curry Offer: the Fighting Cocks, Horton Kirby, Kent; the Noel Arms, Chipping Campden, Glou-cestershire; the Ring O’Bells, Christleton, Chester
- Best Burger Offer: Peach Pubs’ the James Figg, Thame, Oxfordshire; Oakman Inns’ the Akeman, Tring, Hertfordshire; Benson Blakes Bar & Grill, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
- Best Pie Offer: the Black Bull Inn, Balsham, Cambridgeshire; Forum Cafe Bars’ the Broadfield Ale House, Sheffield, South Yorkshire; the George & Dragon, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire
- Best Bar Snacks Offer: the Crabtree, Lower Beeding, West Sussex; Anglian Country Inns’ the White Horse, Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk; the Woodman, Battersea, London
- Best Roast Offer: Anglian Country Inns’ Hermitage Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire; the Bell, Alderminster, Warwickshire; the Red Lion, Britwell Salome, Oxfordshire.
Judging site visits are underway with judges including: Martin Bates, CEO of the Craft Guild of Chefs; Elizabeth Carter, consultant editor of the Good Food Guide; and David Hancock, editor of the Alastair Sawday’s Pubs & Inns Guide. The competition includes a business briefing, dish tasting and mystery box challenge.
The winners of each category will be invited to an awards lunch on 18 March at the Michelin-starred Royal Oak, Paley Street, Berkshire.