The European Commission has announced the seven winners of the 2025 EU Organic Awards, celebrating innovation and excellence in sustainable food and farming. Among them is Greece’s Peskesi restaurant, based in Heraklion, Crete, which received the prize for Best Organic Restaurant/Catering.
This year’s awards drew more than 100 applications from across the EU, with 21 finalists representing 13 countries. The initiative, which spans six categories and seven awards, highlights projects that add value to organic farming and consumption through creativity, sustainability, and community engagement.
Peskesi stood out for its “farm-to-table” philosophy, practiced since 2014. The restaurant sources 98% of its ingredients from local producers, alongside its own organic farm. Internationally recognized, Peskesi revives Cretan gastronomy through sustainable agriculture, zero-waste practices, and cultural initiatives that safeguard traditional recipes, indigenous varieties, and regional identity.
According to the European Commission, the work of this year’s winners shows how organic farming and production can generate added value, foster rural communities, create jobs, and bring ambitious sustainability goals to life. It also demonstrates how organic food systems can build resilience and look to the future.
In its new Common Agricultural Policy proposal, the EU has pledged to maintain strong political support for the organic sector, ensuring its continued growth.
The 2025 EU Organic Award winners are:
• Best Organic Female Farmer: Albina Yasinskaya, Bulgaria
• Best Organic Male Farmer: Lieven Devreese, Belgium
• Best Organic Food Processing SME: Joseph Brotmanufaktur GmbH, Austria
• Best Organic Restaurant/Catering: Peskesi, Greece
• Best Organic Food Retailer: Radis&Bona eG, Germany
• Best Organic City: Valpaços, Portugal
• Best Organic Region/Bioregion: Võru County, Estonia
