- Overall (Best Restaurant): Campagne: This Michelin-starred restaurant in Kilkenny city centre offers elegant, French-inspired modern cuisine in a comfortable, art-filled setting. It is renowned for richly flavoured classic dishes made with top-quality local Irish ingredients, exceptional value, accomplished service, and a sleek ambiance.
- Cafe: Knockdrinna Cafe, Stonyford: A charming rural Cafe near Stonyford (Stonyford), celebrated for its fresh bakes, quality coffee, welcoming atmosphere, and consistent excellence-it has won best Cafe in Kilkenny for the second consecutive year.
- Casual Dining: Ar√°n Artisan Bakery & Bistro, Kilkenny: This standout venue in Kilkenny city blends artisan baking with modern bistro fare, offering innovative, high-quality casual dining focused on fresh, community-driven food and a relaxed yet creative experience.
- Chef: John Kelly, Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate: Head chef John Kelly leads the fine dining at the Lady Helen Restaurant within the luxurious Mount Juliet Estate, delivering skilful, seasonal contemporary dishes with elegance and precision in a historic hotel setting.
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: Dizzy Goat Restaurant, Owning: Nestled in the countryside near Owning (Skough, Castletown, close to Piltown), this farm-to-fork restaurant emphasises fresh, locally sourced, free-range, and organic ingredients-including from its own farm raising goats and wild boars-for sustainable, vibrant modern Irish dishes in a cosy, community-focused environment.
- Customer Service: Tābú, Thomastown: This Thomastown spot excels in warm, attentive hospitality and outstanding customer service, making guests feel valued through professional, dedicated team efforts and a welcoming vibe.
- Employee Excellence Award: Agnieszka Mokrzycka, Cafe La Coco, Kilkenny: Agnieszka Mokrzycka is honoured for her exceptional dedication, teamwork, and outstanding contributions to guest experience and service at Cafe La Coco in Kilkenny.
- Gastro Pub: Left Bank, Kilkenny: A vibrant, award-winning gastro pub in the heart of Kilkenny city (on The Parade), known for its lively atmosphere, extensive bar food menu with fresh locally sourced produce, craft drinks, events, and a transformed historic setting that combines great hospitality with pub classics and grill options.
- Hotel and Guesthouse Restaurant: Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate: This Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant at the luxurious Mount Juliet Estate in Thomastown offers gourmet dining in an opulent Georgian manor setting with views of the estate and River Nore. Led by head chef John Kelly, it features boldly flavoured, visually impressive dishes skilfully prepared using seasonal ingredients from the estate, county, and coast.
- Innovator of the Year: Ar√°n Artisan Bakery & Bistro, Kilkenny: This popular artisan venue in Kilkenny city combines an award-winning bakery with a stylish bistro, innovating through all-day brunch, private evening dining, and daily stone-baked sourdoughs made with simple, high-quality ingredients. It emphasises seasonality, local produce, and creative casual dining.
- Local Food Hero: Sean Ring, Ring’s Farm, Castlecomer: Sean Ring runs Ring’s Farm in Castlecomer, a family-operated organic and free-range poultry producer converted to organic practices in 2016. He is celebrated for supplying top restaurants, Cafes, and butchers across Ireland with high-quality chickens, promoting sustainable local farming and provenance.
- Newcomer: Wildflower Tearooms, Thomastown: This recently opened tearooms on the grounds of Sanctuary at Kilfane House near Thomastown provides a peaceful, nature-surrounded spot for relaxed brunch, freshly baked scones, coffee, and treats. Set in a beautiful walled garden with walkways, it offers a welcoming, tranquil escape.
- Pub of the Year: The Dylan Whisky Bar, Kilkenny: A renowned spot on John Street in Kilkenny, this Victorian-charm pub with traditional snug is a temple to whiskey, boasting nearly 200 premium world whiskeys (including rare vintages) alongside tasting platters. It excels in hospitality and has long been a standout in the city’s whiskey scene.
- Restaurant Manager: Paul Byrne, Zuni Restaurant & Boutique Hotel, Kilkenny: Paul Byrne, owner and managing director of the long-established Zuni in Kilkenny city centre (housed in the former Empire Theatre building), is recognised for his exceptional leadership and contributions to outstanding service, operations, and guest experience at this popular restaurant, Cafe, and boutique hotel.
- Sustainable Practices: Statham’s by Pembroke Kilkenny: This restaurant at Pembroke Hotel in Kilkenny prioritises sustainability through fresh, high-quality ingredients with a focus on provenance, farm-to-fork events, seasonal menus, and eco-conscious practices like respecting local sourcing and waste reduction.
- Use of Social Media: Ar√°n Artisan Bakery & Bistro, Kilkenny: Ar√°n in Kilkenny stands out for its highly engaging social media presence, effectively showcasing its award-winning sourdoughs, seasonal brunches, baked goods, and vibrant bistro vibe to build community and highlight daily offerings.
- Wine Experience: Ristorante Rinuccini, Kilkenny: This longstanding Italian restaurant opposite Kilkenny Castle features an exceptional wine programme with a custom-made cellar for diners to explore, a strong focus on Italian wines, expert pairings, and knowledgeable service complementing its classic fine cuisine.
- World Cuisine: Tābú, Thomastown: Tābú Tapas in Thomastown offers joyously delicious, shareable plates with global influences and flair, blending Spanish-inspired tapas classics with creative international flavours, freshness, and a welcoming neighbourhood atmosphere.
Michelin Star
- Campagne, Kilkenny City, A long-established favourite owned by chef Garrett Byrne, offering modern cuisine with classic techniques, local ingredients, and relaxed yet professional service.
- Lady Helen, Thomastown (Mount Juliet Estate), An opulent fine-dining restaurant in a historic estate setting, praised for its luxurious, skilfully executed dishes and impressive presentation (retaining its star for the 12th year).
Georgina Campbell Awards
- Historic Destination (Casual Dining): Petronella, Kilkenny City, A charming restaurant on the famous Butterslip Lane, capturing historic atmosphere with quality food in a unique medieval setting.
Other Notable Awards
- Hotel Restaurant of the Year (Food Awards Ireland): Zuni, Kilkenny City, Recognised for exceptional hotel dining within the Zuni Boutique Hotel, blending modern fare with warm hospitality.
- County Kilkenny’s awards scene emphasises its fine-dining excellence (particularly the Michelin-starred Campagne and Lady Helen), innovative urban spots like Arán, and historic charm, with a focus on high-quality local ingredients and professional hospitality in both city and estate settings.
Restaurants Association Award winners full list
- Overall (Best Restaurant): Campagne
- Café: Knockdrinna Café, Stonyford
- Casual Dining: Arán Artisan Bakery & Bistro, Kilkenny
- Chef: John Kelly, Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: Dizzy Goat Restaurant, Owning
- Customer Service: Tābú, Thomastown
- Employee Excellence Award: Agnieszka Mokrzycka, Cafe La Coco, Kilkenny
- Gastro Pub: Left Bank, Kilkenny
- Hotel and Guesthouse Restaurant: Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate
- Innovator of the Year: Arán Artisan Bakery & Bistro, Kilkenny
- Local Food Hero: Sean Ring, Ring’s Farm, Castlecomer
- Newcomer: Wildflower Tearooms, Thomastown
- Pub of the Year: The Dylan Whisky Bar, Kilkenny
- Restaurant Manager: Paul Byrne, Zuni Restaurant & Boutique Hotel, Kilkenny
- Sustainable Practices: Statham’s by Pembroke Kilkenny
- Use of Social Media: Arán Artisan Bakery & Bistro, Kilkenny
- Wine Experience: Ristorante Rinuccini, Kilkenny
- World Cuisine: Tābú, Thomastown
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
Kilkenny:
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 –
Kilkenny is a county of medieval charm, with Kilkenny City’s castle and St Canice’s Cathedral showcasing well-preserved architecture and round towers. The Dunmore Cave offers intriguing limestone formations, while the Nore Valley’s walking trails provide scenic beauty. Other attractions include the historic Jerpoint Abbey’s intricate carvings. Kilkenny is Ireland’s 16th largest county by size (2,062 square km) and 21st largest by population (104,160). Population peaked at 202,420 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 60,463 in 1966. In terms of hospitality, Kilkenny is Ireland’s eleventh most visited tourist county with around 207,000 international visitors per year.
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
