- Overall (Best Restaurant): The Blue Apron Restaurant, Tullamore. A highly acclaimed fine-dining restaurant in Tullamore town, recognised as Offaly’s top overall venue. It specialises in modern, seasonal cuisine with creative flair, exceptional presentation, and a strong emphasis on quality ingredients and service. It also secured the Best Wine Experience award in the county, highlighting its curated wine list and pairings in an elegant, welcoming setting.
- Café: The Bog’s Dollops, Rhode. A hilariously named, charming, family-run café and bakery in Rhode Village, known for its award-winning homemade breads, scones, treats, quality coffee, and light bites like a√ßai bowls. Aptly named and community-focused, it operates limited hours (Thu-Sat) with fresh, artisanal offerings, earning praise for its warmth and consistent quality in the local café scene.
- Casual Dining: Luker’s Bar, Restaurant & Live Music Venue, Shannonbridge. A vibrant bar, restaurant, and live music spot in Shannonbridge, offering relaxed, hearty casual dining with fresh, approachable meals in a lively atmosphere. It combines pub-style food, great value, and entertainment (including live sessions), making it a popular community hub celebrated for its welcoming vibe and reliable standards.
- Chef: Anthony O’Connor, Old Warehouse, Tullamore. Head chef at the Old Warehouse in Tullamore, honoured for his skilful, passionate approach to contemporary cooking. He creates refined, flavour-balanced dishes using seasonal and local ingredients, contributing to the venue’s double win and building on his reputation for excellence in Irish cuisine.
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: Old Warehouse, Tullamore. A standout restaurant in Tullamore (co-owned by golfer Shane Lowry), specialising in modern Irish dishes with a focus on fresh, seasonal produce and elevated pub-restaurant dining. It blends classic elements with creative twists in a welcoming, atmospheric setting, earning this award for its consistent quality and contemporary style.
- Customer Service: Emma’s Café, Birr. A beloved café in Birr, recognised for its outstanding, warm, and attentive hospitality. It excels in creating a friendly, personalised experience for customers through dedicated staff who prioritise genuine care, enhancing the enjoyment of its daytime offerings in this local favourite.
- Employee Excellence Award: Klaudia Iskra, Meet&Fit, Tullamore: Klaudia Iskra was recognised for her exceptional dedication and performance at Meet&Fit in Tullamore. This award celebrates her outstanding contributions, likely through superb service, enthusiasm, teamwork, and positive impact on customers and colleagues in this venue.
- Gastro Pub: Hennessy’s, Ferbane. A family-run gastro pub in Ferbane, combining traditional Irish pub warmth with high-quality, homemade food using fresh ingredients. It offers elevated pub dining, a great drinks selection, and a relaxed, community-focused atmosphere, securing the top gastro pub title for its hospitality and consistent excellence.
- Hotel and Guesthouse Restaurant: Hackett’s Eatery at County Arms, Birr. The elegant in-house restaurant at the historic County Arms Hotel in Birr, offering a relaxed yet luxurious dining experience. It features hearty classics, fresh local produce, and exquisite seasonal dishes prepared by talented chefs in a beautifully appointed setting, complemented by warm hospitality and an extensive drinks menu.
- Innovator of the Year: Ballycommon Bake House. A charming café and bakery located on the banks of the Grand Canal near Tullamore (in Ballycommon), described as a hidden gem in the Midlands. It specialises in award-winning artisan bakes, fresh pastries, quality coffee, and light meals in a peaceful, scenic location, recognised for its creative approach to baking and daytime dining.
- Local Food Hero: Margaret Edgill, Mount Briscoe Organic Farm, Daingean: Margaret Edgill, who has run the family organic farm at Mount Briscoe (a 46ha holding converted to organics in 1998) since 2012. She champions sustainable farming, produces high-quality organic food, hosts workshops/events, and offers luxury accommodation, celebrated for her dedication to ethical practices, biodiversity, and promoting organic agriculture in Offaly.
- Newcomer: Crun Chicken, Tullamore. A recently opened chicken-focused eatery in Tullamore (linked to similar spots like in Athlone), specialising in crispy, flavourful fried chicken and related fast-casual options. It quickly gained popularity for its tasty, satisfying menu and has earned this award for its strong debut and appeal in the local food scene.
- Pub of the Year: Craughwell’s Pub, Birr. A family-run traditional pub in the heart of Birr on Castle Street, known for its welcoming atmosphere, live music sessions (every Saturday night), and classic Irish pub hospitality. It offers great pints, a cosy vibe, and community focus, standing out as Offaly’s top pub for its charm and consistent excellence.
- Restaurant Manager: Kristina Sapovala, S Cafe, Tullamore: Kristina Sapovala, the restaurant manager at S Cafe in Tullamore. She was recognised for her exceptional leadership, front-of-house skills, and commitment to delivering outstanding service and guest experiences in this popular café venue.
- Sustainable Practices: Biasol, Tullamore. An innovative Irish food start-up based in Tullamore, dedicated to upcycling food waste (such as spent craft beer grains) into nutritious, delicious, zero-waste products like tasty snacks and foods. It maximises nutrition while minimising environmental impact through circular economy principles, earning acclaim for its pioneering sustainable approach.
- Use of Social Media: J.J. Houghs Singing Pub, Banagher. A legendary 250-year-old traditional pub on Main Street in Banagher, famous for its live music every day, characterful dark interior, thriving vine-covered exterior, and lively sessions. It was highlighted for its highly engaging social media presence that effectively promotes its music, food (including Phil’s Grill), events, and unique atmosphere to a wide audience.
- Wine Experience: The Blue Apron Restaurant, Tullamore: Offaly’s overall Best Restaurant in Tullamore, also honoured for its exceptional wine programme. It offers a carefully curated selection of wines with knowledgeable pairings that enhance its modern, seasonal cuisine, providing a sophisticated and memorable wine-focused dining experience in an elegant setting.
- World Cuisine: Sanjay’s Kitchen, Birr. A popular restaurant in Birr specialising in authentic and flavourful world-inspired dishes (with a strong emphasis on Indian and Asian influences). It brings vibrant, diverse global flavours to Offaly using fresh ingredients, generous portions, and a welcoming atmosphere, earning recognition for its quality and appeal in the category.
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
Offaly is a county of historic depth and natural beauty, with the Clonmacnoise monastic site featuring ancient high crosses and a riverside setting along the Shannon. Tullamore’s historic distillery provides insights into Irish whiskey production, while the Bog of Allen Nature Centre explores the county’s unique peatlands. Other attractions include the Slieve Bloom Mountains’ hiking trails. Offaly is Ireland’s 18th largest county by size (1,998 square km) and ninth smallest by population (83,150). Population peaked at 146,857 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 51,533 in 1961. In terms of hospitality, Offaly is Ireland’s 30th most visited (and third least visited) tourist county with around 37,000 international visitors per year.
Ireland’s County Offaly:
Introduction – Adventure – Anthem – Archaeology – Attractions – Awards – Birdwatching – Breweries & Distilleries – Camping – Castles – Churches – Contact list – Cycling – Dining – Equestrian – Festivals – Fishing – Folklore – Gardens – Golf – Graveyards – Happening – Haunted– Highest – Hiking – History – Holy Wells – Hotels – Hotels top 8 – Hunting & shooting – Instagrammable – Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury– MICE – Movies – Music – Name – New – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random Facts – Restaurant Awards – Sacred Places – Saints – Songs – Spas – Sports – Sunsets – Sustainable – Things to do – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist –Weddings – Wild swimming – Writers – 1837 – 1846 – 1852 – 1909 – 1955 – 1980 –
