The Annual PAPA Awards showcases the finest Pizza, Pasta and Italian food businesses across the country. Whether your business is a major High Street name or an independent, the Awards are an opportunity for gaining recognition for your success as well as for promotion.

A fabulous gala dinner awaited us on Thursday 12th November as the Pizza, Pasta and Italian Foods industry descends on old London Town. The day will already have been an action packed one for the finalists in this year’s Pizza Chef of the Year Award and those entering the Pizza Art Competition.

These two had their live final in the Lancaster London Hotel in the afternoon and then it was a quick change from chef whites to black tie for the PAPA Awards Dinner in the Westbourne Suite.

Celebrated Italian chef Aldo Zilli had a very busy day. Not only was he judging the afternoon’s competitions and presenting the evening awards but he’s also designed the menu for the dinner and will be keeping the kitchens ship shape for service.

The best independent pizza and Italian restaurants are not where you might expect and the best supermarket pasta might surprise you. The Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association (PAPA) Awards have recognised the best in the Italian Food industry.

The UK’s finest Independent Italian Restaurant is Il Michelangelo in Weston-Super-Mare and the best Independent Pizza Restaurant is Suffolk Stonehouse in Bungay. The Pizza Restaurant Chain Award went to Pizza Express; ASK Italian scooped the Italian Restaurant Chain Award and Co-Operative, Iceland and Aldi pick up two awards each.

These were just some of the awards given out at the PAPA Awards at the Lancaster London Hotel, Hyde Park. Some 450 of the Industry’s leading lights came out to recognise the wonderful achievements of their peers.

The Full list of Award winners are:

Independent Italian Restaurant Award – Il Michelangelo, Weston-Super-Mare

Italian Restaurant Chain Award – ASK Italian

Independent Pizza Restaurant Award – Suffolk Stonehouse, Bungay

Pizza Restaurant Chain Award – Pizza Express

Independent Pizza Delivery Store – Stone Willy’s Kitchen, Birmingham

Pizza Delivery Chain Award 

Regional Winner – Basilico

National Winner – Papa John’s

New Product/Ingredient Award

Food Service Category – Taste of Sicily White Truffle Oil

Retail Category – Italia Formaggi Raspadura cheese

Innovative Food to Go Award – Winner: Project Pie UK, Dundee

The PAPA Marketing Award

Regional Award – La Favorita, 10th Anniversary campaign

National Award – Iceland – Power of Frozen campaign

Manufactured Pizza Product Award 

Everyday Category – Iceland – Pizza Pala range – ham, mushroom and mascarpone

Indulgent Category – Co-operative Truly Irresistible Kashmiri butter chicken, red onion and spinach pizza

Innovative Category – Goodfella’s gluten free pepperoni, chorizo and mushroom pizza

Manufactured Pasta Product Award 

Retail Ambient Category – Morrisons Signature Lumaconi

Retail Chilled Category – La Tua Pasta – Tortelloni black truffle

Foodservice Category – Rondanini – hand made braised beef Tortelloni with Barolo wine

Frozen Pizza Multiple Retailer of the Year – Aldi

Convenience Store Pizza Retailer of the Year – The Co-operative for the second successive year

Chilled Pizza Multiple Retailer of the Year – Waitrose

Pasta Retailer Award – Aldi (Last year’s joint winner alongside Waitrose)

The PAPA Industry Award – John Lucas, Managing Director of Stateside Foods who has been with the company more than 20 years and is responsible for many million pounds of investment, development and growth within Stateside and has influenced growth across the whole sector.

Thank you PAPA for a great night and look forward to next year…