Gurkha's, Blythe Hill Tavern and Kirkdale Bookshop are among 14 winners of the 2026 Mayor of Lewisham Business Awards, decided by a record 9,430 public votes.
Fourteen Lewisham businesses and community groups have won this year’s Mayor of Lewisham Business Awards. The winners were named at a ceremony at the Broadway Theatre in Catford, and the council published the full list on Thursday 22 October (Lewisham Council).
Residents decided 12 of the categories by public vote. The council says it received a record 9,430 votes, 1,000 more than in 2025, from a shortlist of 96 finalists. More than 2,000 nominations came in earlier in the year. We published the full list of finalists when voting opened in September.
The winners
| Category | Winner | What the council says about them |
|---|---|---|
| Best Restaurant | Gurkha's | Sydenham restaurant serving Nepalese and Indian cuisine |
| Best Sustainable Business | Lewisham Good Food Network | Network working to bring locally grown and produced food to the borough |
| Best Online Business | Natty's Saturday Kitchen | Home-based halal Trinidadian food business in Sydenham, with doubles, roti and aloo pie on Saturdays |
| Best New Business | The Jerk Shac | Caribbean fusion, for dine in, takeaway and Sunday brunch events |
| Best in the Creative Sector | Lewisham Youth Theatre | Running since 1987 for ages 3 to 24, with no auditions and no fees |
| Best Café | Arlo and Moe | Neighbourhood cafés in Crofton Park and Hither Green |
| Best Bar or Pub (joint) | Blythe Hill Tavern | Classic corner pub with real ales, draught ciders and a family-friendly beer garden |
| Best Bar or Pub (joint) | Ladywell Tavern | Live music, open mic, quiz and poetry nights, with food from in-house kitchen Bang Bang |
| Best High Street Business | Sundae Gelato | Independent gelato shop making its gelato in house in small batches |
| Best Hair and Beauty Business | Aqua Hair Salon | Independent salon in Brockley since 2001 |
| Best Independent Business | Ben's Bicycles | Mobile bike repairs on your doorstep |
| Best Community Contribution | Lewisham Donation Hub | Volunteer-run hub giving food, clothing and electrical goods to people in hardship at no cost |
| Best Market Trader | Van Dough Pizza | Family business baking pizza in a wood-fired oven in the back of a van |
| Lewisham Legacy Award | Kirkdale Bookshop | One of south east London's longest-standing independent bookshops, with author events and book groups |
Best Bar or Pub was the only category with two winners.
Repeat winners and the Mayor’s pick
Two of this year’s winners have won before. Gurkha’s was Best Restaurant in 2024, and Blythe Hill Tavern won the pub category the same year.
The Lewisham Legacy Award is the one category not decided by the public. The Mayor chose Kirkdale Bookshop, on Kirkdale in Sydenham, for its long-standing contribution to the area.
Mayor of Lewisham Liam Shrivastava said the awards “recognise and celebrate their tenacity, hard-work and the positive impact Lewisham businesses make every day”. Councillor Shireen Asaw, Cabinet Member for Workers, Business and Skills, said: “Huge congratulations to every nominee and winner.”
What it means for you
- Want to try a winner? Natty’s Saturday Kitchen cooks only on Saturdays, so check its Instagram before you go.
- Need a bike fixed? Ben’s Bicycles comes to you.
- Got things to give away? Lewisham Donation Hub redistributes food, clothes and electrical goods. Its website has the details.
- Know a business that deserves a nod next year? Nominations for the 2026 awards drew more than 2,000 entries. The council’s business awards page is where the 2027 round will be announced.
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