Three standout South West London businesses are celebrating this week after winning top honours in the 2025 Muddy Stilettos Regional Awards.
Among them is Wandsworth’s very own Avenue Cookery School, which was crowned Best Family Experience, beating out stiff competition. The school triumphed over four high-profile finalists: Cutty Sark (Greenwich), Horniman Museum (Forest Hill), Paddington Bear Experience (South Bank), and Young V&A (Bethnal Green)—a remarkable achievement for the independent, family-run business.
Known for its sociable and hands-on approach to cookery, Avenue Cookery School offers everything from sushi-making and bottomless brunches to children’s birthday parties, Duke of Edinburgh cookery sessions, and private classes. The win follows local buzz and we previously featured the school as a “cream of the crop” culinary destination.
The 2025 Muddy Stilettos Awards, now in their 12th year, are organised by the national lifestyle website Muddy Stilettos and celebrate the UK’s best independent lifestyle businesses across 21 categories. This year’s awards received over 500,000 nominations with votes cast by the public.
Joining The Avenue Cookery School among this year’s South West London winners were:
- Exhibit Balham – Best Bar
A vibrant all-day venue combining a cocktail bar, restaurant, garden, and late-night party space. With bottomless brunches, flowing dinners, DJs and a hidden garden bar, Exhibit is a local favourite in Balham. - Maremma, Brixton – Best Restaurant
A neighbourhood Tuscan gem offering handmade pasta, charcoal-grilled meat and fish, and delicacies imported directly from the Maremma region of Italy.
All regional winners now automatically progress to the National Finals, where the Muddy Stilettos Editors will hand-pick the ‘Best of the Best’ in each category. The national winners will be announced on 25 June 2025.
Hero Brown, founder and Editor-in-Chief of Muddy Stilettos, said:
“I set up these awards 12 years ago to give local lifestyle indies a chance to shine. It’s been an honour to showcase these most creative, innovative lifestyle businesses across London. The response to this year’s Muddy Awards has been incredible, with thousands voting to support an amazing array of local businesses big and small.”
We will continue to follow The Avenue Cookery School as they prepare to represent Wandsworth on the national stage next month.
