The Lancashire Telegraph's Food and Drink Awards return

Following the success of last year’s awards, we want to know the best places to grab a pint, a curry, and a cup of tea and cake in 2017.

This year’s categories include Best Gastropub/Restaurant, Best Place for Italian Food, Best Real Ale Pub, Best Curry House, Best New/Refurbished restaurant, Best Fish and Chips, Best Chinese and the Best Cafe.

Starting today, readers will have four days to nominate their favourite gastro pub and restaurant, and will get the chance to nominate for the other awards over the coming weeks.

On Friday, a shortlist will be drafted and readers will have the chance to vote for their favourite.

Last year’s winners included Franco’s in Oswaldtwistle, which claimed 70 per cent of the vote to be crowned the ‘Top Italian Eatery’ award.

After gaining the award, head chef Lee Hwyatt said: “We were very grateful to receive this award.

“It meant a lot to us because it had been voted for by the public.

“The people in this area had given us so much support over the years and we worked hard to make them happy.

“We had pushed over the last 33 years to make this restaurant the best it can be.

“Without the support of the community we would not be here today.

“We are all very happy to have been given this award.”

The Ribchester Arms took home the ‘Pub with the Best Grub’ award, taking 57 per cent of the votes.

Cemetery Chippy in Keighley Road, Colne, was crowned the Best Chippy, taking 35 per cent of the votes.

Craft Vintage’s pop up bar came out number one in the ‘Best Nightclub and Cocktail Bars’ section.

Founder Laura Johnson said: “I was blown away really.

“We were a small company that started out from scratch and had been built up over time.

“We were expanding and doing bigger events than ever before.

“It was really good that people have voted for us in such large numbers and it meant a lot.”

Nominations can be made via the Lancashire Telegraph social media pages.