The winners of the Ulster Regional section of the 2026 Restaurants Association of Ireland awards were announced at a gala event in the Armagh City Hotel: New county champion restaurants were revealed in Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Fermanagh, Monaghan and Tyrone
Antrim:
- Overall: The Muddlers Club Restaurant, Belfast
- Café: General Merchants Belfast
- Casual Dining: Square Bistro Lisburn
- Chef: Stevie Toman, Ox Restaurant, Belfast
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: Beau Restaurant Belfast
- Customer Service: Shu Restaurant Belfast Belfast
- Employee Excellence Award Aiden Adams, The Deer’s Head Belfast
- Gastro Pub The Deer’s Head Belfast
- Hotel and Guesthouse: Bushmills Townhouse, Bushmills
- Innovator: Waterman House Belfast
- Local Food Hero: Jordan Weir, The Dairy – Bistro, Butchers & Farm Shop Glenoe
- Newcomer: Luna Belfast
- Restaurant manager: Paul Vaughan, James St, Belfast
- Pub: The Garrick Belfast
- Sustainable Practices: Ursa Minor Ballycastle
- Use of Social Media: Nova Belfast
- Wine Experience The Crafty Vintner Tasting Room Belfast
- World Cuisine: Amaravathi Belfast Belfast
Armagh:
- Overall: Sinton’s at The Bridge, Scarva
- Café: Sojourn Coffee Armagh:
- Casual Dining: Viet By Vee PortaDown:
- Chef: Darragh Dooley, Killeavy Castle Estate, Newry
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: Sally McNallys PortaDown:
- Customer Service: Mulberry Bistro Armagh:
- Employee Excellence Award Fabio Chessa, Zio PortaDown:
- Gastro Pub Digby’s Bar & Restaurant Killylea
- Hotel and Guesthouse: Killeavy Castle, Newry
- Innovator: The Corner House Derry:macash
- Local Food Hero: The Dougan Family, Ballymoran Meats Keady
- Newcomer: Jireh – Filipino Asian Cuisine And Café Lurgan
- Restaurant manager: Claire Macklin, Digby’s Bar & Restaurant, Killylea
- Pub: The Hole In The Wall Armagh:
- Sustainable Practices: Killeavy Castle Estate Newry
- Use of Social Media: Sojourn Coffee Armagh:
- Wine Experience Charlemont Arms Hotel Armagh:
- World Cuisine: Spice Lounge Armagh:
Cavan:
- Overall: MacNean House & Restaurant, Blacklion
- Café: Hard Boiled Egg Café Cavan:
- Casual Dining: Chapter One Food & Living
- Chef: Peter Styskal, People’s Restaurant,
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: The Olde Post Inn Cloverhill
- Customer Service: Atrium Bar at Crystal Hotel Cavan:
- Employee Excellence Award Jean Wilson, Virginia Park Lodge Virginia
- Gastro Pub Murph’s Gastro Pub at The Derragarra Inn Butlersbridge
- Hotel and Guesthouse: Cabra Castle, Kingscourt
- Innovator: Blossoms by Marissa Ballyjamesduff
- Local Food Hero: Kieron and Claire Moran, Moran’s Mega Jam Cavan:
- Newcomer: Café Nua Lurganboy Cavan:
- Restaurant manager: Christopher McPartlin, MacNean House & Restaurant, Blacklion
- Pub: Abbey Bar Cavan:
- Sustainable Practices: Oak Room Restaurant Cavan:
- Use of Social Media: Farnham Estate Spa and Golf Resort Cavan:
- Wine Experience Wine Goose Cellar Bar at Farnham Estate Cavan:
- World Cuisine: Chilli Lounge Cavan:
Derry:
- Overall: Artis Restaurant by Phelim O’Hagan,
- Café: Vittle Bakeshop Portstewart
- Casual Dining: Amici Ristorante Portstewart
- Chef: Stevie McCarry, Lir, Coleraine
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: The Fold Derry:
- Customer Service: Ardtara Country House Maghera
- Employee Excellence Award Colin McLindan, Harry’s Shack Portstewart
- Gastro Pub Walled City Brewery Derry:
- Hotel and Guesthouse: Oak Room Restaurant at The Ebrington Hotel,
- Innovator: Umi Derry:
- Local Food Hero: Emily McCorkell, Lo & Slo Derry:
- Newcomer: The Fold Derry:
- Restaurant manager: Roisin O’Donnell, Browns in Town,
- Pub: Portstewart Arms Portstewart
- Sustainable Practices: Lo & Slo Derry:
- Use of Social Media: Yum Cakes Derry:
- Wine Experience El Tapas Grá Derry:
- World Cuisine: Mekong Derry:
Donegal:
- Overall: The Lemon Tree Restaurant, Letterkenny
- Café: Mrs B’s Coffee House Killybegs
- Casual Dining: Fisk Seafood Bar Down:ings
- Chef: Colin Bradley, The Restaurant at Harvey’s Point, Town
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: No. 9 Market Square Letterkenny
- Customer Service: Yellow Pepper Letterkenny
- Employee Excellence Award Lina Krolenko, Sonder Letterkenny
- Gastro Pub (no announcement in this batch)
- Hotel and Guesthouse: Castle Grove Country House Hotel, Letterkenny
- Innovator: Dip’N’Sip Bundoran
- Local Food Hero: Martin Anderson, Sonder Letterkenny
- Newcomer: Mo Chlann Coffee & Bar Town
- Restaurant manager: Susan Miah, Chandpur Restaurant, Town
- Pub: Bridge Inn Dungloe Dungloe
- Sustainable Practices: Castle Grove Country House Hotel Letterkenny
- Use of Social Media: Shandon Hotel & Spa Portnablagh
- Wine Experience The Restaurant at Harvey’s Point Town
- World Cuisine: Braai Restaurant Creeslough
Down:
- Overall: Noble, Holywood
- Café: Cultura Belfast
- Casual Dining: Buck’s Head Inn Dundrum
- Chef: Sean Tinman, Frae, Holywood
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: Origin 101 Moira
- Customer Service: Frae Holywood
- Employee Excellence Award Mine Bennet, Noble Holywood
- Gastro Pub The Dirty Duck Alehouse Holywood
- Hotel and Guesthouse: Newforge House, Magheralin
- Innovator: Underground Dining Bangor
- Local Food Hero: Melissa McCabe, Feast Rostrevor
- Newcomer: Capparelli at The Mill Dundonald
- Restaurant manager: Davina McGowan, Wine and Brine, Moira
- Pub: Dundrum Inn Dundrum
- Sustainable Practices: Clandeboye Lodge Hotel Bangor
- Use of Social Media: The Dirty Duck Alehouse Holywood
- Wine Experience Maggies Wine Bar Crossgar
- World Cuisine: Lasa Belfast
Fermanagh:
- Overall: Tully Mill Restaurant, Florencecourt
- Café: The Toastery Enniskillen
- Casual Dining: Franco’s Enniskillen
- Chef: Glen Wheeler, 28 At The Hollow, Enniskillen
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: The Street Kitchen Enniskillen Enniskillen
- Customer Service: Franco’s Enniskillen
- Employee Excellence Award Rebecca Ford, The Street Kitchen Enniskillen Enniskillen
- Gastro Pub Irvine’s Steakhouse & Bar Tempo
- Hotel and Guesthouse: Catalina Restaurant at Lough Erne Resort, Enniskillen
- Innovator: 28 at the Hollow Enniskillen
- Local Food Hero: Joe Kelly, Joe the Baker Enniskillen
- Newcomer: Emilia’s Pizza Enniskillen
- Restaurant manager: Margaret Elliot-Tredinnick, The Dog and Duck Inn, Lisbellaw
- Pub: Linnet Inn Boho
- Sustainable Practices: Tully Mill Restaurant Florencecourt
- Use of Social Media: Charlie’s Bar, Enniskillen Enniskillen
- Wine Experience Catalina Restaurant at Lough Erne Resort Enniskillen
- World Cuisine: Dollakis Enniskillen
Monaghan
- Overall: Courthouse Restaurant, Carrickmacross
- Café: Screaming Bean Café Monaghan
- Casual Dining AmbleDown: Cottage Glaslough
- Chef: Karl Breen, Wild Thyme, Threemilehouse
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: Snaffles Restaurant at Castle Leslie Estate Glaslough
- Customer Service: Jimmy’s Bar & Restaurant Monaghan
- Employee Excellence Award: Dean Coyne, Hillgrove Hotel, Leisure & Spa Monaghan
- Gastro Pub :Andy’s Bar & Restaurant Monaghan
- Hotel and Guesthouse restaurant: Snaffles Restaurant at Castle Leslie Estate, Glaslough
- Innovator of the Year Screaming Bean Café Monaghan
- Local Food Hero Gareth Moore, Fatboy Sauces Monaghan
- Newcomer: An Nead Monaghan
- Restaurant Manager: Charlotte Carr, Courthouse Restaurant, Carrickmacross
- Pub of the Year Terry’s Bar Monaghan
- Sustainable Practices Wild Thyme Threemilehouse
- Use of Social Media The Squealing Pig Bar & Restaurant Monaghan
- Wine Experience DV Lounge at Westenra Arms hotel Monaghan
- World Cuisine Eastern Balti Monaghan
Tyrone
- Overall: The Brewer’s House, Donaghmore
- Café: The Kitchen Omagh
- Casual Dining: El Greco Castlederg
- Chef: Vincent Mahon, Oysters Restaurant, Strabane
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: Moghrá Dungannon
- Customer Service: Brew & Bia Omagh
- Employee Excellence Award Bernie Broderick, The Cheeky Fox Omagh
- Gastro Pub The Gasworks Dungannon
- Hotel and Guesthouse: Corick House Hotel, Clogher
- Innovator: Moghrá Dungannon
- Local Food Hero: Kevin Clarke, Oysters Restaurant Strabane
- Newcomer: Sadie’s Pantry Plumbridge
- Restaurant manager: Shane Breslin, The Banks Restaurant, Strabane
- Pub: Brodericks Bar & Off Licence Omagh
- Sustainable Practices: Oysters Restaurant Strabane
- Use of Social Media: The Gasworks Dungannon
- Wine Experience The Tasting Room at The Wine Rack Cookstown
- World Cuisine: Tusk Strabane
Restaurant award winners
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
