The UK’s first ever nugget shop has been nominated for the Best Chicken in Greater London award at Deliveroo’s Restaurant Awards 2025.
NUGS, which is based in Romford, has been nominated alongside London staples Wingman’s, Cocotte and Chicken Shop for the coveted prize of best chicken in the capital.
The winners of the different accolades at the Deliveroo Restaurant Awards 2025 will be announced on 28 May following customer voting and NUGS’ co-founder Reis Esiroglu has been filled with confidence for the future of the business after being nominated.
He said: “We’re up against pro guys where their chicken is so so good, and its good to have that confirmation and recognition but I’d also still back ourselves.
“It would be pretty amazing to be the best in London when really we’re kind of not even in London, we’re in Essex. It fills us with confidence for when we do properly move into the city.”
NUGS was founded in 2019 by Esiroglu and his partner Charley after he had noticed a gap in the festival catering market for high quality nuggets, and an even bigger gap for good gluten-free products.
Unfortunately for them, the pandemic hit before they were able to attend any summer events they had booked in, and Esiroglu lost his job in the music and events industry.
But during lockdown and equipped with a £20 Asda fryer and his mum’s garden, the duo started taking delivery orders on Instagram and before long had garnered a strong customer base including the likes of Vicky Pattison and Love Island winner Millie Court.
NUGS quickly outgrew the garden and moved into a pub kitchen in Hornchurch, followed by moving into a permanent location in Romford.
A second permanent location in in Leigh-on-Sea opened in November.
Having grown up in his family-owned Turkish restaurant, Esiroglu is not just a good cook but passionate about food.
The chicken at NUGS goes through a double brining process, starting with a 24-hour brine which adds the flavours to the chicken, followed by a buttermilk brine which adds more tenderness.
Their gluten-free coating has gone through a number of versions until the perfect one was achieved, using four different gluten-free flours, and their homemade sauces have taken time to perfect.
Esiroglu said: “Our core value as a business is continuous improvement and never settling for what we’re doing but always trying to get better.”
NUGS are working with Coeliac UK to ensure their next menu is entirely gluten-free.
Esiroglu is also aiming to expand the business into the city, as well as to move to a bigger permanent location in Romford.
NUGS has amassed plenty of devout followers who have been voting for the restaurant to win the Deliveroo accolade.
Reis said: “It would mean a lot to the team [to win the award], as well as myself for all of the hard work we’ve been doing over the past couple of years.
“And it’s a nice accolade to have as well – London’s best chicken.”
Featured image credit: Reis Esiroglu
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