- Best Restaurant: OX, Belfast, A celebrated fine-dining restaurant in central Belfast, renowned for its innovative modern Irish cuisine with bold flavours, seasonal local produce, and precise technique in an elegant, intimate setting.
- Best Chef: Aaron McNeice of Waterman Restaurant, Belfast, A skilled chef recognised for his creative, high-quality contemporary cooking and expertise with fresh ingredients in this acclaimed Cathedral Quarter venue.
- Best Restaurant Manager: Eva McCloskey of Mourne Seafood, Belfast, An exceptional manager honoured for outstanding leadership and contribution to exceptional service in this popular seafood-focused restaurant.
- Café: Ursa Minor, Ballycastle, A welcoming café known for its excellent coffee, fresh bakes, and relaxed atmosphere in the coastal town of Ballycastle.
- Casual Dining: Yügo, Belfast, A vibrant eatery specialising in approachable, high-quality casual meals with innovative twists and a lively vibe.
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: The Muddlers Club, Belfast, A modern venue acclaimed for its creative interpretations of Irish classics using seasonal produce in a stylish setting.
- Customer Service: The Dairy, Belfast, Awarded for exceptional friendly, attentive, and professional hospitality.
- Employee Excellence Award: Jack Lyons of Follow Coast, location in County Antrim, A dedicated team member recognised for outstanding performance and contribution to hospitality.
- Gastro Pub: The Morning Star, Belfast, A historic and vibrant gastro pub celebrated for its innovative pub food, great atmosphere, and quality local offerings.
- Hotel and Guesthouse Restaurant: The Bushmills Inn, Bushmills, An elegant inn restaurant known for refined dining, warm hospitality, and a focus on seasonal fare in this iconic whiskey town.
- Innovator: LUNA, location in County Antrim, Honoured for creative approaches to dining and strong community engagement.
Georgina Campbell Awards
- Newcomer of the Year: Dunluce Lodge, Portrush, A fresh and welcoming newcomer recognised for exceptional hospitality and quality dining in this scenic coastal location.
- Traditional Pub of the Year: The House of McDonnell, Ballycastle, A historic pub honoured for its authentic Irish pub experience, excellent hospitality, and traditional charm.
- Culinary Haven Finalist: The Bushmills Inn, Bushmills, Shortlisted for its outstanding hospitality and dining offerings in a classic inn setting.
Good Food Ireland Awards
- Supreme Award Of The Year: FishCity, Belfast, Awarded the top honour for exceptional overall culinary experience, sustainability, and high-quality Irish ingredients in this standout Belfast venue.
- 5-Star Hotel Finalist: Dunluce Lodge, Portrush, Recognised for top-tier hospitality and dining.
- 5-Star Hotel Finalist: Galgorm Resort, Ballymena, Shortlisted for excellence in luxury hospitality and restaurant offerings.
- Sweet & Savoury Producer of the Year: Irish Black Butter, County Antrim, Honoured for premium artisanal products supporting the local food scene (producer-focused).
Michelin Guide
- Gareth McCaughey’s Muddler’s Club Belfast: A relaxed yet accomplished spot in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, it focuses on honest, seasonal cooking with excellent meats, fish, and vegetables. Chef Gareth McCaughey delivers refined plates with attention to detail and sustainability, in an approachable, modern environment.
- Stephen Toman’s Ox Belfast: Overlooking the River Lagan, Ox offers understated elegance with a menu centred on superb ingredients, particularly meats and sustainable seafood. Chef Stephen Toman’s cooking is precise and flavour-focused, with seasonal vegetables playing a key role in balanced, thoughtful dishes
- Bib Gourmand: Waterman, Belfast, A no-frills, high-quality restaurant offering excellent value with flavourful contemporary dishes in the Cathedral Quarter.
- Recommended (selected prominent examples): Yugo, Belfast (Asian-inspired); Home, Belfast (Mediterranean); EDŌ, Belfast (European contemporary); mrDeanes, Belfast; James St., Belfast; Orā, Belfast; Beau, Belfast; The Muddlers Club, Belfast.
- County Antrim’s awards scene is dominated by Belfast’s vibrant urban dining (OX and Waterman as key standouts), alongside coastal gems in areas like Ballycastle, Bushmills, and Portrush (with Dunluce Lodge as a major newcomer), blending fine dining innovation, seafood excellence, historic pubs, and welcoming hospitality in Ireland’s second most populous county.
Restaurants Association of Ireland full list of winners
The 2025 Ulster provincial awards ceremony took place on Tuesday 1st April, Hillgrove Hotel, Old Armagh Road, County Monaghan.
- Overall: Ox, Belfast.
- Café: Ursa Minor
- Casual Dining: Yügo
- Chef: Aaron McNeice of Waterman Restaurant
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: The Muddlers Club
- Customer Service: The Dairy
- Employee Excellence Award: Jack Lyons of Follow Coast
- Gastro Pub: The Morning Star
- Hotel and Guesthouse Restaurant: The Bushmills Inn
- Innovator: LUNA
- Local Food Hero: Caroline Wilson, Belfast Food Tour
- Newcomer: Amelia Hall
- Pub: Ulster Sports Club
- Restaurant Manager: Eva McCloskey of Mourne Seafood
- Sustainable Practices: Broughgammon Farm
- Use of Social Media: Flout!
- Wine Experience: OX
- World Cuisine: Bo Tree Kitchen
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
2025 Restaurants Association of Ireland 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 Restaurants Association of Ireland 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
Antrim:
Introduction – Adventure – Anthem – Archaeology – Attractions – Awards – Birdwatching – Camping – Castles – Churches – Contact list – Cycling – Dining – Equestrian – Festivals – Fishing – Folklore – Gardens – Golf – Graveyards – Happening – Haunted – Highest – Hiking – History – Holy Wells – Hotels – Hotels8 – Instagrammable – Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury – MICE – Movies –Musicians – Name – New – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random facts – Restaurant Awards – Sacred Places – Saints – Spas – Sports – Sunsets– Sustainable – Things to do – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist – Weddings – Wild swimming – Writers – 1837 – 1846 – 1852 – 1909 – 1955 – 1980 –
Antrim offers a stunning blend of coastal beauty and historic sites, with the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, showcasing unique basalt columns along the rugged shore. Carrickfergus Castle provides a glimpse into medieval history, while the Glens of Antrim offer scenic drives through rolling hills. Other attractions include the Belfast Botanic Gardens and coastal. Antrim is Ireland’s ninth largest county by size (3,046 square km) and second largest by population (651,321). In terms of hospitality, Antrim is Ireland’s fifth most visited tourist county with around 525,000 international visitors per year.
