THE region’s best street food traders will be gathering in Birmingham to battle it out for a British Street Food Award.

The annual awards, launched in 2009, last year saw street food break out of the capital when Birmingham’s weekly Friday night feast Digbeth Dining Club clinched the award for Best Street Food Event.

In recognition that street food is no longer the domain of the London hipster, awards organiser Richard Johnson has this year called for regional heats to be held outside the capital, with Birmingham hosting the central heat tomorrow.

After last year’s win, the honour has gone to Digbeth Dining Club to host the event, with plans to close Lower Trinity Street (behind the Duddeston viaduct arches) for a free family-friendly street party with 18 of the Midlands’ most highly-rated traders.

On Friday May 2, from 5pm until midnight street food will be served to voters with live music in a speakeasy in Spotlight and new neighbouring venue Next Door.

Jack Brabant, who launched Digbeth Dining Club, said: “We’re planning to cram as much as we can into a small space to create a street food party.

“Richard approached us hoping we could put on a good show.

“It’s testament to the fact street food has really moved out of London and there’s so much going on here in Birmingham.”

Members of the public will be able to vote for their favourite trader by downloading the British Street Food app and the regional winner will go through to the national finals in London on September 26-28.