IT HAS been a year of celebrations for one café in Romsey.

Dish Deli and Kitchen, Latimer Street, Romsey, celebrated its tenth birthday this year and just two months later, was announced Café of the Year 2020/21 in the Romsey Advertisers competition.

Mike and Rachel Hedges along with their team of eight staff members were nominated by customers to pick up the award.

Mike said: “We got a letter, we were top five, we were amazed.”

Rachel added: “We’re really chuffed, you don’t apply, customers nominate you so its amazing and people have actually put in letters to do it. We have a wonderful loyal customer base.

“Our staff work so hard, it’s a lovely accolade to them, the award is for them as much as us.”

The well-known food establishment has been owned by Mike and Rachel for ten years after they re-located to Romsey to set up a new life.

In that time, they have built a community focused bistro style restaurant where they aim to support the community by using locally sourced produce such as homemade chutneys and jams.

The bistro also has its own kitchen garden where Rachel grows vegetables for the restaurant to reduce their carbon footprint.

As well as locally sourced produce, they try to employ staff from the area where possible and are getting ready to recruit. Mike said how they have known their current trainee chef since he was about eight years old, and it is a pleasure that he has now come to work with them.

Rachel explained, they don’t have the standard application process, they like to meet someone first and if they connect, they offer employment, sometimes even when a job hasn’t been available, they just `make it work`.

Among the recent award, the team at Dish Deli Kitchen have also been nominated for the `Good Food Award` and as a thank you to the customers for their support, they have announced they will be holding a special promotion for customers in October, all to be revealed closer to the time.

Mike and Rachel are also looking to expand the opening hours to seven days a week by November.