Twenty Sixteen Coffee & Kitchen, an independent cafe in Oxton Village, Wirral, has won a Good Food Award for the third consecutive year. This year, the business received the Gold Seal award, the highest tier of recognition issued by the Good Food Awards.
The Good Food Awards, established in 2002, recognise businesses that demonstrate consistently high standards of food and service. Winners are selected using a combination of customer feedback, nominations and votes, alongside online reviews and food hygiene ratings.
Family-run cafe in Oxton
The cafe first opened in Oxton Village in 2022, founded by married couple Helen and Chris Jones. The couple named the business after the year their daughter was born. They met while Helen, 40, was waitressing at the same restaurant where Chris, 47, was working as a head chef. Chris has worked with hotels across Liverpool and Wirral, until he realised that he wanted a better work life balance.
The couple found the "perfect" premises close to home in Oxton. Speaking to the ECHO previously after winning the award last year, owner Helen said she was "stunned". She said: "We couldn't believe it. It was fantastic and then obviously it wasn't getting published until November. So we left it until they published the report with all the winners and then we announced it to all our customers as well."
Gold Seal recognition
This year, the business has won the Gold Seal award, the highest tier of recognition issued by the Good Food Awards. It is the third time in a row the cafe has been recognised in the awards. Helen said: "We are beyond thrilled to receive such a reputable award for the third year in a row, and the fact that this now makes us Gold Seal winners makes it even more special! It means so much to us. We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who nominated us, voted for us and left us such fantastic reviews, helping us secure this accolade once again. We would also like to thank our wonderful team for their continued hard work and loyalty. Their friendly and welcoming approach to service is a huge part of what makes Twenty Sixteen what it is, and why so many of our regulars tell us it feels like a home away from home."
The cafe serves an all-day menu of breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes, from full English breakfasts, waffles and muffins to pasta dishes, burgers, loaded fries and sandwiches with vegetarian options, as well as separate vegan and children's menus, all while supporting other independent businesses.
Private hire and chef's experience
The venue also offers private hire, hosting evening functions and delivering private dining for special occasions. Owner and chef Chris has gained more than 27 years of experience in the industry, having served as head chef and executive chef at leading restaurants and hotels across Merseyside and Cheshire.
He said: "We were delighted when we found out we had won a Good Food Award again. We are excited to be able to proudly display our new Gold Seal award." Chris added: "We're so glad that our community has recognised this and supported us. The past few years have been incredibly challenging for the hospitality industry, especially independent, family-run businesses like ourselves. Receiving recognition like this really does make all the hard work worthwhile. A huge thank you goes to our loyal customers and our hardworking team - we genuinely couldn't have done it without your support."
