The revamped Manchester Jewish Museum has scooped the Café/Restaurant of the Year prize at the Museums + Heritage Awards.
Its kosher-style vegetarian café opened last year when the museum returned to its Cheetham Hill site following a £6 million redevelopment.
The menu features lentil soup with spinach, falafel with homemade hummus and vegetarian cholent.
Pre-packed kosher snacks are also available, as well as seasonal offerings linked to festivals.
One recent inclusion was the “not quite chicken soup”, a hearty meat-free interpretation by café team leader Joe Davey featuring oyster mushrooms and matzah balls. Introduced for Passover, its popularity has kept it on the menu as part of the museum’s Shabbat experience.
The café also helps visitors to learn about the history of Jewish food.
Mr Davey said it was “great to get recognition at such an important event.
“Being voted the Café of the Year proves that we are on the right track, interpreting the traditions in a playful but respectful way.”
Curator Alex Cropper, who represented the museum at last week’s awards ceremony in London, said it had been exciting to see it recognised alongside some of the major names in the sector.
The museum was also nominated in the permanent gallery category, won by the Imperial War Museum in London.
Manchester Jewish Museum's vegetarian cafe wins national award
Its menu includes "not quite chicken soup" and its role is also educational
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