Popular West Kirby café Hardy’s Kitchen has been nominated in the annual Merseyside Independent Business Awards.
The Banks Road eatery, which is run by husband and wife team Matt and Louise Hardy, is nominated in the Best Independent Place to Dine category.
The café, which opened in 2014, faces stiff competition from some of Liverpool’s most renowned restaurants, including Paul Askew’s The Art School, Japanese fusion restaurant Miyagi and 60 Hope Street.
As well as the café, the couple, also run a food truck, nicknamed the ‘Big Dub of Love’, via their converted 1979 VW Camper.
Owner Louise Hardy said: “Matt and I are so honoured and excited to have been shortlisted in Merseyside Independent Business Award, for Best Place to Dine!
“We opened Hardy’s Kitchen in 2014 out of a love of good food, and its been a fun, sometimes hard, but incredibly rewarding journey so far.
“We have now expanded into outside catering, selling yummy Street Food from our VW van The Big Dub of Love, plus collaborating with establishments in Liverpool looking after their food operations. We love all aspects – and are very proud to be a small independent business.”
The awards, organised by Morecrofts Solicitors, are now in their fourth year and aim to recognise the region’s most inspiring entrepreneurs and SMEs.
Alison Lobb, managing partner at Morecrofts Solicitors, said: “Once again, we received dozens of nominations from a diverse range of exceptionally talented, successful independent businesses.
“The sheer wealth of homegrown business talent in Merseyside shone through to our judges, further reinforcing the need for a competition like the MIB Awards.
“Some of the business names are pretty eye-catching too, which again reflects the ambition and confidence which courses through entrepreneurial businesses and I wish them all the very best of luck when the winners are announced in September.”
To find out how the Merseyside Independent Business Awards are judged, view Alison Lobb’s blog here
To view the full list of the shortlisted businesses, click here.