The best restaurants in Connaught were awarded in the third of four regional finals in this year’s Irish Restaurant Awards last night.

More than 400 people were in attendance at the ceremony held in Roscommon’s Kilronan Castle, with 76 awards presented to the top establishments in each county.

The categories covered were Best Casual Dining, Best Emerging Irish Cuisine, Best Kids Size Me, Best ‘Free From’, Best World Cuisine, Best Restaurant Manager, Best Wine Experience, Pub of the Year, Best Café, Best Customer Service, Best Gastro Pub, Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant, Best Newcomer, Best Chef and Best Restaurant. There was also a special Regional award for Connaught’s Local Food Hero.

Speaking at the awards, Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) said: “Now in their tenth year, the Irish Restaurant Awards continue to showcase the exquisite and admirable calibre of food available in our restaurants and pubs nationwide. Online nominations have increased from 9,000 in 2013 to over 80,000 this year and with the increase in interest comes an increase in standards, making the judging process more difficult than ever.”

He added: “Our small island boasts everything from fine dining to high quality gastropubs, from the exotic taste explosions of world cuisine to the comfort of traditional dishes. We have an appreciation for what we eat, for the journey of our food from farm to fork, and for the dedication of those working in the food industry to serve up Ireland’s finest food.”

Check out the full list of winners below:

Galway

Best Casual Dining sponsored by San Pellegrino – Gather Restaurant
Best Emerging Irish Cuisine sponsored by Odaios Foods – Tartare Cafe + Wine Bar
Best Kids Size Me sponsored by Dubliner Cheese – Gather Restaurant
Best ‘Free From’ sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro Gluten Free – TGO Falafel Bar
Best World Cuisine sponsored by Aryzta – Papa Rich, Street Food Kitchen
Best Restaurant Manager sponsored AIB Merchant Services – Magaret Bohon of Dela Restaurant
Best Wine Experience sponsored ClassicDrinks – Aniar Restaurant and Boutique Cookery School
Pub of the Year sponsored by Bushmills – Tigh Neachtain
Best Café sponsored by Illy – Le Petit Délice
Best Customer Service – Powers Thatch, Bar & Restaurant
Best Gastro Pub sponsored by Coca Cola & Schweppes – O’Dowd’s Seafood Bar and Restaurant
Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant sponsored by BWG Foodservice – West Restaurant at The Twelve Hotel
Best Newcomer sponsored by Elavon – The Kasbah Wine Bar
Best Chef sponsored by Nisbets – Jess Murphy of Kai Café and Restaurant
Best Restaurant sponsored by Tindal Wine Merchants – Kai Cafe And Restaurant

Leitrim

Best Casual Dining sponsored by San Pellegrino – Riverbank Restaurant
Best Kids Size Me sponsored by Dubliner Cheese – Vittos Restaurant
Best ‘Free From’ sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro Gluten Free – Sweet Geranium Café
Best World Cuisine sponsored by Aryzta – Divino Italian Restaurant
Pub of the Year sponsored by Bushmills – Flynns Bar
Best Café sponsored by Illy – Lena’s Tea Room
Best Gastro Pub sponsored by Coca Cola & Schweppes – The Oarsman
Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant sponsored by BWG Foodservice – The Boardwalk at The Landmark Hotel Carrick-on-Shannon
Best Newcomer sponsored by Elavon – Buffalo Boy
Best Chef sponsored by Nisbets – Shamzuri Hanifa of The Cottage Restaurant
Best Restaurant sponsored by Tindal Wine Merchants – St. George’s Terrace
Best Restaurant Manager sponsored by AIB Merchant Services – Lee Hanifa of The Cottage Restaurant
Best Wine Experience sponsored by ClassicDrinks – Cox’s Steakhouse
Best Customer Service – Luna Restaurant
Best Emerging Irish Cuisine sponsored by Odaios Foods – St. George’s Terrace Restaurant

Mayo

Best Casual Dining sponsored by San Pellegrino – Bar One Mayo
Best Kids Size Me sponsored by Dubliner Cheese – Café Rua
Best ‘Free From’ sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro Gluten Free – Leafy Greens Café
Best World Cuisine sponsored by Aryzta – Love Lee’s Asian Restaurant
Best Restaurant Manager sponsored by AIB Merchant Services – Eva Ivanova of Sage Restaurant
Best Wine Experience sponsored by ClassicDrinks – Ashford Castle
Pub of the Year sponsored by Bushmills – John McHales
Best Café sponsored by Illy – Heffernan’s Fine Foods
Best Customer Service – House of Plates
Best Gastro Pub sponsored by Coca Cola & Schweppes – Cronin’s Sheebeen
Best Newcomer sponsored by Elavon – Jack Fenn’s Courtyard Cafe at Belleek Castle
Best Chef sponsored by Nisbets – Philippe Farineau of Ashford Castle
Best Restaurant sponsored by Tindal Wine Merchants – Cian’s on Bridge Street
Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant sponsored by BWG Foodservice – Wilde’s at The Lodge
Best Emerging Irish Cuisine sponsored by Odaios Foods – Wilde’s at The Lodge

Roscommon

Best Casual Dining sponsored by San Pellegrino – The Yew Tree Restaurant
Best Emerging Irish Cuisine sponsored by Odaios Foods – The Yew Tree Restaurant
Best World Cuisine sponsored by Aryzta – MoMA Restaurant
Best Restaurant Manager sponsored by AIB Merchant Services – David Keenan of Keenan’s Hotel
Best Wine Experience sponsored by ClassicDrinks – L’Escale Restaurant at Hodson Bay Hotel
Pub of the Year sponsored by Bushmills – JJ Harlows Bar
Best Café sponsored by Illy – Rogue & Co. Café
Best Customer Service – P.S. Red
Best Gastro Pub sponsored by Coca Cola & Schweppes – Regan’s Gastro Pub and Restaurant
Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant sponsored by BWG Foodservice – Abbey Hotel
Best Chef sponsored by Nisbets – Paul Horohoe of P.S. Red
Best Restaurant sponsored by Tindal Wine Merchants – P.S. Red
Best ‘Free From’ sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro Gluten Free – The Old Stonehouse
Best Kids Size Me sponsored by Dubliner Cheese – Gleesons Townhouse & Restaurant

Sligo

Best Casual Dining sponsored by San Pellegrino – Gilroy’s Bar & Ait Eile Restaurant
Best Emerging Irish Cuisine sponsored by Odaios Foods – Hargadon Bros
Best Kids Size Me sponsored by Dubliner Cheese – Shells Seaside Bakery & Café
Best ‘Free From’ sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro Gluten Free – Sweet Beat Café
Best World Cuisine sponsored by Aryzta – Miso Sligo
Best Restaurant Manager sponsored by AIB Merchant Services – Declan Harrison of Harrison’s Restaurant & Bar
Best Wine Experience sponsored by ClassicDrinks – Coach Lane at Donaghy’s
Pub of the Year sponsored by Bushmills – The Pilot Bar
Best Café sponsored by Illy – Pudding Row
Best Customer Service – Langs Bar and Restaurant
Best Gastro Pub sponsored by Coca Cola & Schweppes – Austies Bar and Restaurant
Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant sponsored by BWG Foodservice – Hazelwood Restaurant at Sligo Park Hotel
Best Newcomer sponsored by Elavon – Hooked
Best Chef sponsored by Nisbets – Ethna Reynolds of The Nook Café
Best Restaurant sponsored by Tindal Wine Merchants – Eala Bhán

Best Local Food Hero sponsored by Rewarding Times – Liam & Justina Gavin of Drumanilra Farm Kitchen