Café de mode, Ballon, Co Carlow won the Leinster title at the Irish Restaurant Awards in Lyrath, Kilkenny.
The Leinster final wasattended by 600 as 105 awards were dispensed to the province’s leading chefs, restaurants and pubs.
Best Café was Café de mode, Ballon, Co Carlow, Best Emerging Irish Cuisine was Canteen Restaurant, Celbridge, Co Kildare, Best Kids Size Me was 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 was Chakra by Jaipur, Greystones, Co Wicklow.
Local Food Hero was Mag Kirwan of Goatsbridge Trout Farm, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny.
The shortlists for the Dublin nominees will be announced today via via facebook live. The RAI is advising nominees to log on to https://www.facebook.com/IrishRestaurantAwards/ from 10.30am on the 2nd of March to find out the shortlist. We will also post the Top 10 Dublin shortlists for the main categories on our official website www.irishrestaurantawards.com.
Those who have been shortlisted will also be notified by letter by Monday 6th March regarding the next step in the judging process for the Irish Restaurant Awards 2017.
All County winners now compete for the Regional and All Ireland Title which will be announced at the Irish Restaurant Awards in the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, Dublin 2, on Monday 8th May, 2017.
Speaking at the awards, Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) 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.”
Provincial Champions
- Provincial champions:
- Best Café –Café de mode, Ballon, Co Carlow (website) Sponsored by Illy
- Best Emerging Irish Cuisine Canteen Restaurant, Celbridge, Co Kildare (website) Sponsored by Odaios Foods
- Best Kids Size Me–Seasons Restaurant at Whitford House Hotel, New Line Road, Co Wexford Sponsored by Heinz,
- Best Restaurant Manager Riccardo Cavaliere of Ristorante Rinuccini, Kilkenny City, Co Kilkenny Sponsored by Tindal Wine Merchants,
- Best World Cuisine Chakra by Jaipur, Greystones, Co Wicklow Sponsored by Dubliner Cheese,
- Local Food Hero Mag Kirwan of Goatsbridge Trout Farm, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny (website) Sponsored by Rewarding Times,
County winners
- Best Restaurant – Sponsored by Dalcassian Wines & Spirits and Cielo
- 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 – Sponsored by Pallas Foods
- 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 – Sponsored by Coca Cola
- 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 – Sponsored by S. Pellegrino
- 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 – Sponsored by Peroni
- 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 – Sponsored by CLASSICdrinks
- 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 – Sponsored by BWG Foodservice
- 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 – Sponsored by Bushmills
- 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
