A FURNESS restaurant has been recognised for the second consecutive year at an annual competition that celebrates the best of Italian hospitality across the UK.

Dodona House in Barrow was selected as the finalist for the 2024 Italian Awards in two categories - Best Italian Pizza and Best Restaurant Manager.

This is the restaurant's second consecutive year of being a finalist in the awards. Last year they were selected for the Best Restaurant in the North West.

Diamant Pllana and Horizont Pllana are in the category for best managerDiamant Pllana and Horizont Pllana are in the category for best manager (Image: Submitted)

Among the finalists for the award's eighth edition are dozens of restaurants including those from Liverpool, Chester and Manchester.

The Italian Awards aims to recognise excellence and pick out the very best restaurants in categories from Best Pizzeria to Best Barista.

Owner of Dodona House Horizont Pllanna said it was a 'very proud moment' when he found out his restaurant was amongst the finalists. 

He said: "This is our second consecutive year we are in the final for the Italian Awards. 

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"It’s an amazing achievement for all of us here at Dodona and our outstanding hard work to get recognised is overwhelming.

"We thank all our customers for giving us the support and our customers are our biggest drive. Without our customers, we wouldn’t be here. Being in the final with the best Italian restaurants in the whole northwest of England is really special for DODONA."

The restaurant offers traditional Greek, Mediterranean and Balkan cuisine, as well as authentic Italian pizzas.

In three years of business, Dodona House has received several awards including an award for Best BBQ in Barrow and a recommendation badge from Restaurant Guru.

The owners also opened a new sandwich shop specialising in Mediterranean cuisine in Barrow town centre in March.

The Italian Awards give initial voting power to the general public allowing the award to generate finalists who truly are the nation's favourites, battling it out to become the best of the best.

The restaurants that make it to the finals will be visited by the awards panel of independent judges and scored. The winner will be crowned at their final gala.

For more information about the Italian Awards visit their website here.