- Overall: Restaurant Chestnut, Ballydehob An intimate Michelin-starred restaurant (just 18 seats) in West Cork’s Ballydehob, led by chef Rob Krawczyk. It specializes in modern Irish cuisine using hyper-local, seasonal ingredients, renowned for exceptional quality and service (including past national awards for customer service).
- Café: Grumpy Bakers – Cork City, Cork city A popular, no-nonsense bakery-café in Cork City, celebrated for its artisan breads, pastries, and hearty baked goods, offering a casual, high-quality spot for coffee and treats with a grumpy-charming vibe.
- Casual Dining: O’Mahony’s of Watergrasshill, Watergrasshill A reimagined historic village pub-turned-modern Irish restaurant run by Máire O’Mahony and Victor Murphy. It serves excellent value comfort food, small plates, and a thoughtful low-intervention wine and craft beer list in a relaxed country setting.
- Chef: Ahmet Dede, Dede at The Customs House, Baltimore Acclaimed chef-owner of the Michelin-starred Dede, blending Turkish and Irish flavors with hyper-local West Cork ingredients. His innovative, seasonal tasting menus have earned widespread praise and multiple top accolades.
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: Goldie, Cork city A vibrant Cork City seafood-focused restaurant (Bib Gourmand) led by chef Aishling Moore. It emphasizes sustainable, fin-to-scale seafood with creative, Asian-influenced techniques and bold flavors in a lively, accessible setting.
- Customer Service: The Glass Curtain, Cork city A Cork City spot recognized for outstanding hospitality and warm, attentive service, making diners feel exceptionally welcome in a welcoming atmosphere.
- Employee Excellence Award: Ciara O’Shea, Caseys Bar & Restaurant, Clonakilty Honoring Ciara O’Shea for her dedication, professionalism, and outstanding contribution as an employee at this longstanding Clonakilty venue known for its bar and restaurant offerings.
- Gastro Pub: O’Sullivans Bar, Crookhaven A classic West Cork gastro pub in scenic Crookhaven, praised for elevated pub fare, local ingredients, and a genuine, welcoming pub experience with great food.
- Hotel and Guesthouse Restaurant: Rare at Blue Haven Hotel, Kinsale The acclaimed restaurant within the Blue Haven Hotel in charming Kinsale, offering high-quality dining with a focus on seasonal, local produce in a hotel setting.
- Innovator of the Year: The Flour Patch, Castlefreke Recognized for creative innovation in food, likely a bakery or small producer spot in Castlefreke pushing boundaries with unique baked goods or concepts.
- Local Food Hero: Mike Parle and Darcie Mayland, Lost Valley Dairy + Creamery, Inchigeela Celebrating Mike Parle and Darcie Mayland for their outstanding work at Lost Valley Dairy + Creamery, producing exceptional local dairy products and championing regional ingredients.
- Newcomer: Azure Harbour Bistro, Cobh A fresh, promising bistro in Cobh, noted as a strong new entry for its welcoming vibe, quality food, and harbor-side appeal.
- Pub of the Year: An Spailpín Fánach, Cork city A beloved traditional pub in Cork City, awarded for its authentic pub atmosphere, great drinks, music, and food offerings.
- Restaurant Manager: Barbara Nealon, Saint Francis Provisions, Cork city Honoring Barbara Nealon for exemplary management at Saint Francis Provisions, a highly regarded Cork City spot known for its modern Irish fare and natural wine focus.
- Sustainable Practices: Good Day Deli, Cork city Praised for strong commitment to sustainability, likely through ethical sourcing, waste reduction, and eco-friendly operations in this popular Cork deli.
- Use of Social Media: The Lifeboat Inn, Courtmacsherry Recognized for effective, engaging social media presence showcasing its coastal pub and restaurant in Courtmacsherry.
- Wine Experience: MacCurtain Wine Cellar, Cork city Celebrated for its excellent wine selection, knowledgeable service, and overall wine-focused experience on MacCurtain Street.
- World Cuisine: Miyazaki, Cork city A standout Cork City restaurant specializing in Japanese cuisine, delivering authentic and high-quality world flavors.
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
Cork blends historic sites with scenic beauty, with Cork City’s English Market and St Fin Barre’s Cathedral offering cultural and architectural depth. Blarney Castle, home to the famous Blarney Stone, provides historic allure, while the coastal town of Kinsale offers sailing and seafood. Other attractions include the Beara Peninsula’s rugged trails. Cork is Ireland’s largest county by size (7,460 sq km) and third largest by population (584,156). Population peaked at 854,118 in 1841 (when Cork was Ireland’s most populous county) and reached its lowest point, 330,443 in 1961. In terms of hospitality, Cork is Ireland’s second most visited tourist county with around 1,228,000 international visitors per year.
Ireland’s County Cork:
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 – New – Name – 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 –
