Winner
Unicorn Grocery, Manchester
Although their watchwords are vegan, organic, sustainable and fairly traded, there's nothing worthy about Unicorn Grocery. Instead, picture a trendy, bustling deli selling everything from burritos to vegan burgers, calzones and cakes - many of them gluten-free. Elsewhere stock up on seasonal, unpackaged fruit and veg. They even sell 'cruelty-free' booze, made using no animal by-products and a range of fair-trade rums and wines. And it's not just their suppliers who get a good deal - Unicorn is a workers' cooperative, so all employees are part-owners. Their latest initiative? A wetland on the shop roof, designed for endangered birds. There's nowhere better for guilt-free goodies.
· 89 Albany Road, Chorlton, Manchester, 0161 861 7675, www.unicorn-grocery.co.uk
London
Brindisa
The Floral Hall, Stoney St, Borough Market, SE1, 020 7407 1036; 32 Exmouth Market, EC1, 020 7713 1666; www.brindisa.com
Superlative stockists of Spanish ham and Catalanian cheeses.
Neal's Yard Dairy
17 Shorts Gardens, WC2, 020 7240 5700; 6 Park St, Borough Market, SE1, 020 7367 0799; www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk
Experts on British cheeses. They visit every single producer.
La Fromagerie
2-4 Moxon St, W1, 020 7935 0341; 30 Highbury Park, N5, 020 7359 7440; www.lafromagerie.co.uk
An Aladdin's cave of brilliantly sourced cheese and produce.
Trinity Stores
5-6 Balham Station Rd, SW12, 020 8673 3773, www.trinitystores.co.uk
New York-style deli and grocer that will deliver breakfast to your house.
Ginger Pig
Borough Market, SE1, 020 7403 4721; 2 Moxon St, W1; www.thegingerpig.co.uk
Caring farmer who's come a long way since his first Tamworth pig.
Bumblebee
30-33 Brecknock Rd, N7, 020 7607 1936
The Hampstead smart set drive their 4x4s here for their organics.
Southern England
Taj Mahal Stores
95-99 Western Rd, Brighton, 01273 735 728
Stocks over 9,000 different lines including local goodies.
Riverford Farm Shop
38 High St, Totnes, Devon, 01803 863 959, also at Staverton and Yealmpton, www.riverfordfarmshop.co.uk
Discerningly sourced local foods that are largely organic or from known small producers. Plus excellent home-delivery service.
Better Food Company
The Bristol Proving House, Sevier St, Bristol, 0117 935 1725, www.betterfood.co.uk
Started by a small, passionate team, this shop and café is going from strength to strength.
Sussex in the City
2c Meeting House Lane, Brighton, 01273 747 769, www.sussexandthecity.co.uk
Fishmonger and grocer that sources its food from within 50 miles of Brighton.
Sandy's Fishmonger
56 King St, Twickenham, 020 8892 5788
Huge weekend queues for the fish and meat at this family-run shop.
Secretts Farm Shop
Whitmore Lane, Sutton Green, Guildford, 01483 520 500, www.secretts.co.uk
Supplier of lovely salad leaves to most top restaurants, they also stock over 300 cheeses.
Midlands
Honeysuckle
53 Church St, Oswestry, Shropshire, 01691 653 125, www.honeysuckle-wholefoods.co.uk
Cooperative with a huge stock of vegetables and organic products.
Gonalston Farm Shop
Southwell Rd, Gonalston, Nottingham, 0115 966 5666, www.gonalstonfarmshop.co.uk
None of the meat comes from further than eight miles away - delicious sausages.
Hillers Farm Shop
Dunnington Heath Farm, Alcester, Warwickshire, 01789 773 057, www.hillers.co.uk
One fan reported their local fresh vegetables were cheaper than Tesco. Great meat too.
Ludlow Food Centre
Bromfield, Shropshire, 01584 856 000, www.ludlowfoodcentre.co.uk
You can smell the coffee-roasting room from down the street.
Northfield Farm
Whissendine Lane, Cold Overton, Oakham, Rutland, 01664 474 271, www.northfieldfarm.com
Lovely Dexter beef and cheery music evenings.
Northern England
Beanies
205 Crookes Valley Rd, Sheffield, 0114 268 1662, www.beanieswholefoods.co.uk
Vegetarian with a huge range of fresh herbs and vegetables such as okra and tamarind.
Weetons
23-24 West Park, Harrogate, 01423 507 100, www.weetons.com
Home-baked bread and pies, plus meat, cheese and home delivery.
Barbakan
67-71 Manchester Rd, Chorley-Cum-Hardy, Manchester, 0161 881 7053, www.barbakan-deli.co.uk
The Polish baker here bakes an unbelievable range from Belgian chocolate to roast potato bread.
Low Sizergh Barn
Sizergh, Kendal, 01539 560 426, www.lowsizerghbarn.co.uk
The dairy herd is out the back and the jam is from hedgerow fruit.
Love Saves the Day
57 Thomas St, Manchester, 0161 839 0470, www.lovesavestheday.co.uk
The committed gourmets who run this shop and café are also keen recyclers and offer customers the old coffee grouts as compost.
Mattas
51 Bold St, Liverpool, 0151 709 3031
You'll often find a local chef or two in here sourcing unusual Asian products or fresh herbs.
Delifonseca
12 Stanley Rd, Liverpool, 0151 255 0808, www.delifonseca.co.uk
Huge range of food from cheese to charcuterie and legendary wine-tasting evenings.
Wales
Wally's
42 Royal Arcade, Cardiff, 029 2022 9265, www.wallysdeli.co.uk
German and Italian charcuterie, Argentinian dulce de leche and Polish honey.
Blas Ar Fwyd
25 Heol yr Orsaf, Llanrwst, Gwynedd, 01492 640 215, www.blasarfwyd.com
This well-stocked deli boasts the largest wine stock in Wales plus Celtic Spirit poteen.
Sarah's Delicatessen
11 Church St, Beaumaris, Anglesey, 01248 811 534, www.sarahsdelicatessencoffeehouse.co.uk
Mother-and-daughter-run deli with over 100 cheeses and home-made tapas and meze that you can take away or eat right there in the coffee shop.
Scotland
Delizique
66 Hyndland St, Glasgow, 0141 339 2000, www.delizique.co.uk
Besides fresh produce, there are two full-time chefs who prepare chic takeaway meals.
Heart Buchanan
380 Byres Rd, Glasgow, 0141 334 7626, www.heartbuchanan.co.uk
Owner Fiona Buchanan sells her home-made takeaways by saying, 'Switch on the oven and pour yourself a large glass of wine.'
Falko
7 Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh, 0131 656 0763, www.falko.co.uk
Stunning German bakery who were OFM winners last year with an unrivalled selection of doughy treats.
Valvona & Crolla
19 Elm Row, Edinburgh, 0131 556 6066, www.valvonacrolla.co.uk
A place of pilgrimage, this ultimate deli now crops up regularly in Alexander McCall Smith's books. And quite right too.
Crombies
97 Broughton St, Edinburgh, 0131 557 0111
Butcher famous for its free-range pork sausages and haggis.
Northern Ireland
Sawyers Fountain Centre
College St Unit 7, Fountain Centre, Belfast, 028 9032 2021
Rammed with locally caught fish and Irish cheeses.
Pheasant Hill Farm Shop
37 Killyleagh Rd, Downpatrick, County Down, 028 4483 8707, www.pheasantshill.com
Supplies free-range, rare-breed meats.
Arcadia Deli
378 Lisburn Rd, Co Antrim, 028 9038 1779
Enthusiastically run deli with a vast array of fine cheeses and stuffed olives.
Camphill
8 Shore Rd, Holywood, 028 9042 3203
Instore bakery that produces gluten-free breads.
Churchtown Organics
30 Churchtown Rd, Strangford, County Down, 028 4488 1128, www.churchtownfarmorganicproduce.com
Clover-fed lamb and Aberdeen Angus are bestsellers.
