A sandwich shop in Leeds has been crowned the best takeaway in the UK and Ireland as the Uber Eats Awards announced its 2025 winner.
Silver’s Deli from Leeds was crowned the winner at the restaurant awards in London on Tuesday evening.
The eatery in Headingly, which offers a range of sandwiches and wraps, scooped £100,000 in prize moneyto ‘help accelerate its in-store and delivery growth, while maximising the diner experience’.
Founded in 2023 by Chris Riley, whoset out to create ‘something timeless and not just a passing trend’,Silver’s Deli- named after his daughter – hasbecome a cult favourite among locals.
Now, according to Uber Eats, its stacked salt beef sandwiches, inventive specials, and community-driven spirit helped the deliwin over a panel of judges.
The panel included Uber Eats General Manager Matthew Price,food entrepreneur Levi Roots, Irish celebrity chef Clodagh McKenna, 2024 winner Natty Crutchfield, foodie creator Eating with Todd, and Lorraine Copes, CEO and founder of Be Inclusive Hospitality.
More than 130 restaurants were nominated for the award, before being whittled down to 12 regional finalists, with Silver’s Deli being crowned the UK’s best. Each of the 12 finalistswill receive £5,000 and tailored support from Uber Eats.
According to Uber Eats, the Leeds-based businessstood out for its ‘big flavours and compelling story of entrepreneurship, impressing both the judges and the public in a competition designed to spotlight the very best of small, independent restaurants’.
Silver’s Deli in Leeds was crowned restaurant of the year at the Uber Eats awards on Tuesday (pictured: one of the eatery’s sandwiches)
Matthew Price, General Manager of Uber Eats UK, Ireland and Northern Europe, said: ‘Independent restaurants are the beating heart of our food scene. Silver’s Deli embodies everything these awards are about: creativity, resilience, and a commitment to serving their community.
‘We’re proud to support their journey and can’t wait to see how they use this prize to grow their business.’
Levi Roots, entrepreneur, musician and Uber Eats judge, added: ‘Food is all about heart and soul, and Silver’s had both in spades. They brought real fire to the table — creativity, community spirit, and a story that will inspire so many other small businesses. I can’t wait to see where they go next with this prize.’
Meanwhile,Chris Riley-Smith, founder of Silver’s Deli, described winning the prize as a ‘dream come true’.
He added: ‘This award isn’t just recognition for our food, but for the hard work of our whole team and the incredible support of our community. When I first set out, I was literally watching YouTube tutorials to learn how to build the restaurant myself, so to now be recognised on this stage feels surreal.
‘The £100,000 prize will allow us to refurbish our current site, refine our in-store operations, and grow sales. We can’t wait to take the next step in our journey. Thanks to the judges, the team, and of course, my wonderful daughter, Silver – this is for you!’
The other 11 finalists included London-based Japanese eaterySanjugo; Sushi Me Rollin’ inNewcastle; Burg N Ice in Northwich;Taqi’s Grill in Birmingham;Low & Slow inBristol; andUmami Street Food in Portsmouth.
YAYAS in Glasgow;Sharkbite Burgers in Cwmbran;Wok & Grill in Leicester; Seed in Belfast; and Urban Health in Dublin also made the shortlist.
Silver’s Deli owner Chris Riley-Smith is pictured being awarded £100,000, as the winner of the Uber Eats Restaurant Of The Year Awards 2025
In addition to the grand prize, Uber Eats also honoured several restaurants for their outstanding contributions to the industry.
Judged by food industry experts includingChef’s Table star Asma Khan; TikTok creator and bestselling author Seema Pankhania; Mathilde Carraro and Rachel Moriarty of Prince William’s Earthshot Prize; and Mary Parsons, Head of Food at City Harvest,the Trailblazer Award recognised restaurants driving positive change in the sector across four crucial impact areas.
Each Trailblazer winner received £7,000 to fuel their business growth, along with a bespoke marketing campaign and in-app support package from Uber Eats.
TheWomen in Food Award was awarded to Laura’s Pizzas inBristol, theClimate Impact Award was scooped by The Hogless Roast in London, and theHealthy Eats Award went to Eat Clean inWhitley Bay.
Meanwhile, theSocial Impact Award was won by Piatto in Glasgow, and theNext Gen Award by Aros Kitchen in Warrington.
According to Uber Eats, which works with more than70,000 merchants in the UK 0 themajority being small or medium-sized businesses – past winners have seen ‘transformative growth’.
Last year’s victor, Natty’s Jerk from Portsmouth, has since launched a new site in Bournemouth and built a national profile.
This year saw the fourth instalment of the awards, whichwere created in 2022 to ‘celebrate and support the small businesses that make the UK and Ireland’s food scene so diverse and exciting’.
