Following the announcement of the finalists in the first British Street Food Awards recently, Antony Worrall Thompson, Mark Hix and Thomasina Miers were blown away by the food and drink offered up in the final. The event - created by food journalist and broadcaster Richard Johnson to recognise the best of the 10,000 mobilers who sell their wares on our streets - attracted finalists from all over Britain.

A pink VW camper van from Harrogate served up tea and cakes, a polished Airstream trailer from Belfast bunned up the fattest, pinkest burgers you've ever tasted, and a beach hut from the coast of Suffolk served up plump white cod, chips and mushy peas. But the winner was a London ice cream van. Kitty from LaGrotta Ices served up a Sicilian lemon granita, topped with candied lemon peel, and came away as Best of the Best. Her little ice cream truck had been stolen only weeks before (the work of 13-year-old joy riders), which made it even sweeter to win the Award.

"I had a tiny hope pinned on winning best pud" she said. "As a cook,nothing makes you happier than people liking what you're doing- especially flattering when they are judges like A.W.T, Tommi and M.H. But winning Best of the Best was a real shock. I have to admit I had my fingers crossed for Yianni and his Meatwagon who is really making something spectacularly delicious with a single-minded passion which I admire very much, and which is what I think street food should be about: idiosyncratic, original, fresh, economical and delicious - something not easy to replicate in restaurants. If I fit into this category also then I'm very pleased with that."

Johnson is now bringing some of the winning finalists to London, and will be creating a BSFA area at Brent Cross shopping centre in October.

The winners that brought home prizes for London were:

Best Of The Best & overall winner: La Grotta Ices, Southwark

Best Pie: Eat My Pies, Spitalfields

Best Dessert: La Grotta Ices, Southwark

Best Hot Drink: Indie Coffee, Marylebone

Best Sandwich: The Meatwagon, various locations

Best Snack: Healthy Yummies, Dalston

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