The first of four regional finals in this year’s Irish Restaurant Awards took place in the Lyrath Estate, Kilkenny, last night where 105 awards were presented to the country’s leading chefs, restaurants and pubs. Over 600 people attended the RAI Leinster regional awards final on Wednesday evening where the top establishments in each county were named.
The ceremony included six regional titles including: Best Café; Best Emerging Irish Cuisine; Best Kids Size Me; Best Restaurant Manager; Best World Cuisine; and Local Food Hero. County winners from each of Leinster’s 11 counties were selected from the following categories: Best Restaurant; Best Chef; Best Gastro Pub; Best Casual Dining; Best Hotel Restaurant; Best Customer Service; Best Wine Experience; Best Newcomer; and Pub of the Year.
Speaking at the awards, Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland said: “Now in their ninth 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.
“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,” said Cummins.
All County winners will now compete for the Regional and All Ireland Titles which will be announced at the Irish Restaurant Awards in the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, Dublin 2 on Monday 8th May, 2017.
The RAI Leinster award winners are as follows.
Regional Categories:
Best Café
– Café de mode, Ballon, Co Carlow
Best Emerging Irish Cuisine
– Canteen Restaurant, Celbridge, Co Kildare
Best Kids Size Me
– Seasons Restaurant at Whitford House Hotel, New Line Road, Co Wexford
Best Restaurant Manager
– Riccardo Cavaliere of Ristorante Rinuccini, Kilkenny City, Co Kilkenny
Best World Cuisine
– Chakra by Jaipur, Greystones, Co Wicklow
Local Food Hero
– Mag Kirwan of Goatsbridge Trout Farm, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny
County Winners 2017:
Best Restaurant
– Carlow: Sha-Roe Bistro
– Kildare: TwoCooks Restaurant
– Kilkenny: Campagne
– Laois: Batoni’s
– Longford: Black Olive
– Louth: The Bay Tree Restaurant at Belvedere House
– Meath: Cinnamon Garden Restaurant
– Offaly: The Blue Apron Restaurant
– Westmeath: Thyme Restaurant
– Wexford: La Côte Seafood Restaurant
– Wicklow: The Pigeon House
Best Chef
– Carlow: Henry Stone of Sha-Roe Bistro
– Kildare: Josef Zammit of TwoCooks Restaurant
– Kilkenny: Ken Harker of The Lady Helen at Mount Juliet
– Laois: Sam Moody of Ballyfin Demense
– Longford: Gary O’Hanlon of VM Restaurant at Viewmount House
– Louth: Reuven Diaz of Eastern Seaboard Bar & Grill
– Meath: Adrian Cassidy of Brabazon at Tankardstown House
– Offaly: Niall Kavanagh of P&H’s at the Brewery Tap
– Westmeath: Feargal O’Donnell of the Fatted Calf
– Wexford: Paul Hynes of La Côte Seafood Restaurant
– Wicklow: François Jacusse of The Pigeon House
Best Gastro Pub
– Carlow: Teach Dolmain
– Kildare: The Dew Drop Gastro Pub
– Kilkenny: The Marble City Bar
– Laois: Treacy’s Bar & Restaurant
– Longford: The Rustic Inn
– Louth: PJ O’Hares
– Meath: The Snailbox
– Offaly: Hennessy’s
– Westmeath: The Villager Bar & Restaurant
– Wexford: Mary Barry’s Bar
– Wicklow: Byrne & Woods Bar & Restaurant
Best Casual Dining
– Carlow: Rathwood
– Kildare: Bistro 53
– Kilkenny: Rive Gauche
– Laois: McEvoy’s Steak & Wine Bar
– Longford: Tús Nua
– Louth: Eastern Seaboard Bar & Grill
– Meath: Copper & Spices
– Offaly: Sirocco’s
– Westmeath: Red Earth
– Wexford: Wild and Native
– Wicklow: Dockyard No. 8
Best Hotel Restaurant – Sponsored by Elavon
– Carlow: The Lord Bagenal Restaurant
– Kildare: The Linden Tree at Carton House
– Kilkenny: The Lady Helen at Mount Juliet
– Laois: Ballyfin Demense
– Longford: VM Restaurant at Viewmount House
– Louth: Scholars Restaurant at Scholars Townhouse Hotel
– Meath: Vanilla Pod at the Headfort Arms Hotel
– Offaly: Slí Dala Restaurant at Kinnitty Castle Hotel
– Westmeath: Killinure Restaurant at Glasson Country House Hotel
– Wexford: Reeds Restaurant at Ferrycarrig Hotel
– Wicklow: Sika Restaurant at Powerscourt Hotel
Best Customer Service
– Carlow: LENNONS@VISUAL
– Kildare: Vie de Châteaux
– Kilkenny: Zuni Restaurant and Boutique Hotel
– Laois: Judge Roy Beans at The Heritage
– Longford: Dillon’s Bar & Bistro
– Louth: Fitzpatrick’s Bar & Restaurant
– Meath: Conyngham Arms Hotel
– Offaly: Café Q
– Westmeath: Weirs Bar & Restaurant
– Wexford: The River Bar & Restaurant at The Riverbank House Hotel
– Wicklow: Rathsallagh House
Best Wine Experience
– Carlow: Mimosa Wine & Tapas Bar
– Kildare: The Byerley Turk at The K Club
– Kilkenny: Ristorante Rinuccini
– Laois: Castle Durrow
– Longford: Skelly’s Bar
– Louth: D’Vine Bistro & Tapas Bar
– Meath: Brabazon at Tankardstown House
– Offaly: Captain House Restaurant
– Westmeath: Fine Wine & Food Co.
– Wexford: Greenacres
– Wicklow: Sika Restaurant at Powerscourt Hotel
Best Newcomer
– Carlow: Le Fermier
– Kildare: The Green Barn at Burtown House
– Kilkenny: CakeFace Patisserie
– Laois: Kelly’s Steakhouse
– Longford: Mekong
– Louth: No. Three Old Bar & Restaurant
– Meath: Inside Out
– Offaly: P&H’s at the Brewery Tap
– Westmeath: Browne’s On The Green
– Wexford: Mi Street Food
– Wicklow: The Wild Goose
Pub of the Year
– Carlow: The Terrace
– Kildare: The Salmon Leap Inn
– Kilkenny: Brewery Corner
– Laois: Morrissey’s
– Longford: Edward J. Valentines
– Louth: Clarke’s Bar
– Meath: Marcie’s Pub
– Offaly: The Chestnut
– Westmeath: Bracken’s Bar
– Wexford: Simon Lambert & Sons
– Wicklow: The Glenmalure Lodge
For more information on the RAI Awards click here.