- Overall (Best Restaurant): Midtown Kitchen & Bar, Longford town. A standout modern restaurant and bar in the heart of Longford town, recognised as the county’s top overall dining spot. It offers creative, flavour-forward dishes in a vibrant, welcoming setting, with strong praise for its kitchen team (including chef Sardar Jeewan) and consistent excellence that earned it the Best Restaurant title sponsored by American Express.
- Café: Fabiani, Townparks, Longford. A popular café in Longford town (Townparks area), celebrated for its quality coffee, fresh bakes, light meals, and relaxed atmosphere. Evolving from a family business background, it provides a friendly daytime spot with high standards in casual café fare, earning the Best Café accolade.
- Casual Dining: PV’s Longford. A go-to casual dining venue in Longford, known for hearty, approachable meals with great value and a welcoming vibe. It excels in everyday dining options like breakfasts, lunches, and pub-style food, consistently delivering reliable quality that secured the Best Casual Dining win sponsored by Musgrave Marketplace.
- Chef: Marco Fabbi, Sorrento Restaurant, Lanesboro. Head chef and owner at Sorrento Restaurant & Café in Lanesboro, an authentic Italian eatery he opened in mid-2025. Marco brings expertise in classic Italian cooking with fresh ingredients, earning rave reviews for his dishes and the Best Chef award sponsored by BWG Food Service.
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: The Glenview Bar and Lounge, Longford. A community-focused bar and lounge in Aughnacliffe (near Longford), specialising in modern takes on Irish classics using local produce. It combines pub warmth with elevated, seasonal dishes in a cosy setting, recognised for its strong contemporary Irish offerings.
- Customer Service: The Rustic Inn, Abbeyshrule. A charming, family-run pub and restaurant in Abbeyshrule, honoured for its exceptional hospitality and attentive, genuine service. It creates a warm, inviting experience for locals and visitors alike, with staff dedication making it a standout in customer care.
- Employee Excellence Award: Hanna Kadet, Newcastle House, Ballymahon: Hanna Kadet was recognised for her outstanding dedication and performance at Newcastle House in Ballymahon. This award celebrates her exceptional contributions, likely through superb service, positivity, and impact on the team and guests in this venue.
- Gastro Pub: Richmond Inn, Cloondara. A welcoming gastro pub in Cloondara (near the Royal Canal), blending traditional Irish pub charm with quality elevated food. It offers homemade dishes, a great drinks selection, and a relaxed atmosphere, earning praise as the county’s top gastro pub for its hospitality and consistent standards.
- Hotel and Guesthouse Restaurant: Longford Arms Hotel. The in-house restaurant at the Longford Arms Hotel, a central, well-established hotel in Longford town. It offers a range of dining options from casual meals to more formal fare, with a focus on quality hospitality, comfortable surroundings, and reliable service that earned it recognition as the county’s top hotel/guesthouse dining venue.
- Innovator of the Year: John Stone Beef, Ballymahon. A renowned butcher and beef producer based in Ballymahon, specialising in premium, dry-aged Irish beef sourced from carefully selected farms. Known for innovative approaches to ageing, butchery, and supply to high-end restaurants, it was honoured for pushing standards in quality meat production and sustainable practices in the local food scene.
- Local Food Hero: Pat & Fiona McCormack, The Farmhouse Bees and Trees, Abbeyshrule: Pat and Fiona McCormack, family-run beekeepers and producers at The Farmhouse in Abbeyshrule, maintaining native Irish honey bees (Apis mellifera mellifera) across apiaries near the River Inny and Royal Canal. They produce raw, seasonal honeys (spring, summer, heather, ivy), beeswax candles, and support conservation efforts, celebrated for championing local, ethical beekeeping and biodiversity.
- Newcomer: Gooseberry Cafe, Townparks, Longford. A welcoming new café in Longford town’s Townparks area, run by Gus Mac Entire and his wife Natalie, which opened around early 2025. It quickly gained popularity for its fresh coffee, homemade bakes, light meals, and friendly service, marking its first year with this award for standout debut and community appeal.
- Pub of the Year: Ronnie Nally & Sons, Ballymahon. A traditional, family-run pub in Ballymahon, offering classic Irish pub hospitality with drinks, food, and a warm atmosphere. It stands out for its community focus, welcoming vibe, and consistent excellence, earning it top pub honours in the county.
- Restaurant Manager: Frances Nugent, Spice India Longford: Frances Nugent, the restaurant manager at Spice India in Longford town. She was recognised for her exceptional leadership, team coordination, and dedication to delivering outstanding front-of-house service and guest experiences in this popular Indian restaurant, contributing to its multiple successes.
- Sustainable Practices: Fiona Egan, Cloughan Farm & Cookery School, Abbeyshrule: Fiona Egan of Cloughan Farm & Cookery School in Abbeyshrule, awarded for her strong commitment to sustainable farming, eco-friendly operations, and educational initiatives. The venue combines organic produce, cookery classes, and low-impact practices to promote environmental responsibility in food production and learning.
- Use of Social Media: Jolly Boys Pizza & Grill, Ballymahon. A lively pizza and grill spot in Ballymahon, highlighted for its engaging and effective social media presence. It uses creative content to showcase its menu, specials, events, and welcoming atmosphere, helping to build a strong online community and attract customers.
- Wine Experience: Vocella’s, Townparks, Longford: Vocella’s, an Italian restaurant and venue in Longford town’s Townparks area, renowned for its curated wine selection and pairings. It offers an impressive range of Italian and international wines that complement its authentic dishes, providing a refined and knowledgeable wine-focused dining experience.
- World Cuisine: Spice India, Longford. A highly regarded Indian restaurant in Longford town, specialising in authentic and flavourful curries, tandoori dishes, biryanis, and other South Asian classics. It excels in bringing vibrant world cuisine to the local scene with fresh ingredients, generous portions, and a welcoming atmosphere, earning double recognition in the awards.
Restaurant awards
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow – Overall – County winners – Good Food Ireland – Michelin Star
Dining
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
2026 Irish Restaurant awards by county:
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
2025 Irish Restaurant awards by county:
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
2024 Irish Restaurant awards by county:
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
Longford offers a peaceful blend of history and countryside, with the Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre showcasing an ancient Iron Age road. The county’s St Mel’s Cathedral in Longford town provides architectural beauty, while the River Inny offers opportunities for kayaking and fishing. Other attractions include the rolling farmlands and historic Ardagh village. Longford is Ireland’s fourth smallest county by size and second smallest by population (46,751). Population peaked at 115,491 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 28,250 in 1971. In terms of hospitality, Longford is Ireland’s 32nd most visited and Ireland’s least visited tourist county with around 22,000 international visitors per year.
Ireland’s County Longford:
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