Home » Top Restaurants in Connaught Announced at the Irish Restaurant Awards 2016

Top Restaurants in Connaught Announced at the Irish Restaurant Awards 2016

The Connaught Regional Final of the Irish Restaurant Awards took place in The Benbulben Suite at Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Sligo last night and named the top restaurants in the five counties for 2016. Over 500 restaurant owners and staff celebrated their hard work and achievements at the Awards, which saw many well-known restaurateurs of Connaught turn out to see if they had won one of the prestigious awards.

Speaking at the awards, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland Adrian Cummins said; “The Irish Restaurant Awards celebrate their eighth year this year and have become the Island’s biggest food awards. The credibility that these awards have is reflected in the amount of nominations they received this year – over 70,000 individual nominations were cast across fourteen categories, showing that these are the awards that everyone wants to win.

The Irish restaurant scene is internationally recognised for its high calibre of restaurateurs and chefs. These awards celebrate the people that make the restaurant sector the dynamic and exciting industry it is. They are the people who provide 72,000 jobs to our economy and generate revenue in excess of €2 billion. We’re recognising the talent, hard work and commitment that everyone here gives to the food industry. Tonight, everyone is a winner.”

TheTaste are proud sponsors of the Best Customer Service award at the Irish Restaurant Awards for the second year running. The other categories were; Best Gastro Pub, Best Casual Dining, Best Hotel Restaurant, Best Chef, Best Restaurant, Best Wine Experience, Best Restaurant Manager, Best Kids Size Me, Local Food Hero, Best Emerging Irish Cuisine and Best Newcomer as well as two new main award categories – Best Café and Best World Cuisine.

All County winners now compete for the Regional and All Ireland Title which will be announced at the Irish Restaurant Awards in the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel, Dublin on Monday 16th May, 2016.

The Connaught winners are as follows;

Best Restaurant – Sponsored by Dalcassian Wines & Spirits and Astoria Wines

– Galway – Loam
– Leitrim – The Cottage Restaurant
– Mayo – Sage
– Roscommon – The Purple Onion
– Sligo – Eala Bhán

Best Chef – Sponsored by La Rousse Foods

– Galway – Enda McEvoy of Loam
– Leitrim – Shamzuri Hanifa of The Cottage Restaurant
– Mayo – Aine Maguire of The Idle Wall
– Roscommon – Alison Crean of Terrace Restaurant at Abbey Hotel
– Sligo – Andy Donaghy of Coach Lane

Best Hotel Restaurant – Sponsored by Elavon

– Galway – Restaurant Gigi’s at The G Hotel
– Leitrim – Sandstone Restaurant at Lough Rynn Castle
– Mayo – The Library Restaurant at Belleek Castle
– Roscommon – Terrace Restaurant at Abbey Hotel
– Sligo – Coopershill House

Best Casual Dining – Sponsored by San Pellegrino

– Galway – Taste Matters
– Leitrim – Vittos Restaurant
– Mayo – The Pantry and Corkscrew
– Roscommon – Les Petites Tartres
– Sligo – Miso Sushi

Best Gastro Pub – Sponsored by Bunzl McLaughlin

– Galway – Blake’s Bar
– Leitrim – The Oarsman
– Mayo – Pat Cohan’s Bar
– Roscommon – Keenan’s Of Tarmonbarry
– Sligo – Langs Bar & Restaurant

Best Newcomer – Sponsored by BWG Foodservice

– Galway – Le Petit Pois
– Leitrim – St. George’s Terrace
– Mayo – The Idle Wall
– Roscommon – The Yew Tree
– Sligo – Pudding Row

Best Wine Experience – Sponsored by Classic Drinks & Masottina

– Galway – Upstairs @ West at The Twelve
– Leitrim – St. George’s Terrace
– Mayo – Ashford Castle
– Roscommon – The Douglas Hyde at Kilronan Castle
– Sligo – Hargadon Bros

Best Customer Service– Sponsored by TheTaste

– Galway – Kai Café & Restaurant
– Leitrim – St. George’s Terrace
– Mayo – The Hungry Monk Café
– Roscommon – Benny’s Deli
– Sligo – Harrison’s Restaurant & Bar