Luton restaurant celebrates after being crowned best takeaway in England

It’s official – Luton's Lemon Crispy Chicken and Pizza is the country’s best takeaway after scooping two awards at The Food Awards England.

The awards ceremony, held in Birmingham on Monday, celebrated the best of the country’s food industry with the Luton eaterie winning awards for Takeaway of the Year (South) and Overall Takeaway of the Year.

The takeaway, based in Old Bedford Road, has won the award before, but was again shortlisted along with Al Quds of New Bedford Road which made the final list for the South’s ‘Best World Cuisine’ award.

Crispy Chicken and Pizza owner Syed Shah, said: “I’m overwhelmed really and very happy. We have won the regional award before but honestly didn’t expect to win the overall award, so we’re delighted.”

Mr Shah attributed the win to quality and customer service adding: “It’s down to hard work, we put our customers first and don't compromise on quality of our food.

“We will be holding a special celebration to mark this achievement at the restaurant next Saturday.”

The popularity of both restaurants nominated attracted huge support on social media with Step Forward Luton, stating: ‘Great to see two of our foodie spots getting national recognition’ and John Sheils commenting ‘Lemon crispy my fav. Get down there enjoy the food and vote’, and Tahseen Gilani declaring, ‘Lemon crispy best in town. Food and service excellent’.

The awards aim to recognise excellence across various categories, showcasing the best food establishments England has to offer and promote the food industry, celebrating diversity and quality.

A spokesperson for The Food Awards England 2023 said: “We received an overwhelming response from the public, who nominated some fantastic establishments across the country.

"These awards are a testament to the passion and dedication of the country’s food industry, and the hard work of those who provide exceptional culinary experiences to their customers.

"The winners should be proud of their achievement, as they represent the very best of England’s food scene, and are a true reflection of the quality and diversity of the industry.

“Congratulations to all of the winners and finalists, who have demonstrated excellence in their respective categories.”