Bognor restaurant named finalist of major culinary contest

The finalists for the 15th edition of the British Kebab Awards have been announced, with 22 categories and 283 businesses nominated.

The Mezze, at 3 The Arcade, has The Mezze has officially reached the final of the British Kebab Awards 2027, competing for the title of Best Kebab Restaurant – South of England.

The winners will be revealed on February 23 next year at the Park Plaza.

The Meze co-owner Serkan Turgut said: “We are incredibly proud of this achievement, especially as we only reopened The Mezze in February this year.

“In just eight months, our team has worked tirelessly to rebuild the restaurant’s reputation, earning a five-star food hygiene rating, receiving the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award 2026, and gaining wonderful support from our local community.

“We are now competing against some very established restaurants across the South of England, and we would love to bring this prestigious award home to Bognor Regis.”

Founder of the British Kebab Awards, Ibrahim Doğuş added: “Congratulations to all 283 finalists. Reaching the final is a significant achievement, and this year’s finalists reflect the talent and hard work of the whole industry – from independent family businesses to larger restaurant groups.

“More than 6,000 nominations and over 40,000 votes show how strongly people support these businesses.

“The Awards bring people from every part of the UK to Westminster and have become one of the largest, if not the largest, cross-party events of the year. I look forward to celebrating with everyone on February 23.”

All finalists carry forward their semi-final points, earned through public votes (two points each), MP and councillor endorsements (250 points each), Google and TripAdvisor ratings (50 points per star), and food hygiene ratings (50 points per rating, with a Scottish “Pass” counting as five).

Public voting and endorsements remain open until 11.59pm on January 31, 2027.

Each person may vote once per category through the official BKA voting page, using a valid, identifiable email address.

Businesses can promote voting but must not vote on others’ behalf or offer rewards in exchange.

Votes will be audited, say the organisers, with invalid votes removed and points deducted or finalists disqualified in serious cases. Vote totals remain confidential during the finals.

Endorsements must come from sitting MPs or councillors and be verifiable through official email addresses or social media accounts. Each person may endorse a business only once.

An independent judging panel will meet from February 1 to 3, reviewing finalist information and conducting research, including mystery shopping.

Each judge casts one vote per category, worth 100 points. Their votes remain confidential until the awards night.

The Mezze’s official finalist listing can be found here: https://www.britishkebabawards.co.uk/bka_finalists_2027?category=best_kebab_restaurant_south_of_england