FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MARCH 29th 2017.

TOP RESTAURANTS IN CONNAUGHT ANNOUNCED AT

THE IRISH RESTAURANT AWARDS 2017

• CONNAUGHT’s BEST RESTAURANTS, CHEFS & PUBS HONOURED AT AWARDS

The last of four regional finals in this year’s Irish Restaurant Awards took place in the Radisson Blu in Sligo last night where over 50 awards were presented to the country’s leading chefs, restaurants and pubs.

Over 600 people attended the Connaught Regional Awards on Tuesday evening where the top establishments in each county were named.

The ceremony included six regional titles including: Best Café; Best Emerging Irish Cuisine; Best Kids Size Me; Best Restaurant Manager; Best World Cuisine; and Local Food Hero. County winners from each of Connaught’s five counties were selected from the following categories: Best Restaurant; Best Chef; Best Gastro Pub; Best Casual Dining; Best Hotel Restaurant; Best Customer Service; Best Wine Experience; Best Newcomer; and Pub of the Year.

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.”

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 8^th May, 2017.

The Winners in Connaught are…

Regional Winning Categories in 2017

Best Café – Sponsored by Illy

• Leaf and Bean, Tuam, Co Galway

Best Emerging Irish Cuisine – Sponsored by Odaios Foods

• Aniar Restaurant, Galway city

Best Kids Size Me – Sponsored by Heinz

• Café Rua, Castlebar, Co Mayo

Best Restaurant Manager – Sponsored by Tindal Wine Merchants

• Eimear Killian of Brasserie on the Corner, Galway city

Best World Cuisine – Sponsored by Dubliner Cheese

• Wa Café, Galway city

Local Food Hero – Sponsored by Rewarding Times

• Stefan Griesbach of Gannet Fishmongers, Galway city

County Winners 2017

Best Restaurant – Sponsored by Dalcassian Wines & Spirits and Cielo Wines

• Galway Kai Café & Restaurant, Galway city
• Leitrim The Cottage Restaurant, Carrick-on-Shannon
• Mayo Sage Restaurant, Westport
• Roscommon Yew Tree Restaurant, Lecarrow
• Sligo Eala Bhán, Sligo town

Best Chef – Sponsored by Pallas Foods

• Galway  Enda McEvoy of Loam Restaurant, Galway city
• Leitrim  Shamzuri Hanifa of The Cottage Restaurant, Carrick-on-Shannon
• Mayo  Jonathan Keane of The Lodge at Ashford Castle, Cong
• Roscommon Mark Treacy of The Abbey Hotel Restaurant, Roscommon town
• Sligo Ethna Reynolds of Nook Café & Restaurant, Collooney

Best Gastro Pub – Sponsored by Coca Cola

• Galway O’Dowds Seafood Bar & Restaurant, Roundstone
• Leitrim The Oarsman, Carrick-on-Shannon
• Mayo Flanagan’s Gastro Pub, Claremorris
• Roscommon Keenans of Tarmonbarry Gastro Bar, Tarmonbarry
• Sligo    The Draft House, Strandhill

Best Casual Dining – Sponsored by San Pellegrino

• Galway     Cava Bodega, Galway city
• Leitrim Riverbank Restaurant, Dromahair
• Mayo Bar One, Castlebar
• Roscommon Rogue & Co Café, Roscommon town
• Sligo Langs Bar & Restaurant, Grange

Best Hotel Restaurant – Sponsored by Elavon

• Galway Upstairs at West @ The Twelve, Barna Village
• Leitrim Boardwalk Café at The Landmark Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon
• Mayo Wildes at the Lodge, Cong
• Roscommon Abbey Hotel Restaurant, Roscommon town
• Sligo Coral Restaurant at the Diamond Coast Hotel, Enniscrone

Best Customer Service – Sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro

• Galway Roisín Dubh Restaurant at Renvyle House Hotel, Connemara
• Leitrim St George’s Terrace Restaurant, Carrick-on-Shannon
• Mayo Library Restaurant at Belleek Castle, Ballina
• Roscommon Drumanilra Farm Kitchen, Boyle
• Sligo Lyons Café, Sligo town

Best Wine Experience – Sponsored by CLASSICdrinks

• Galway Sheridans Cheesemongers Wine Bar, Galway city
• Leitrim St George’s Terrace Restaurant, Carrick-on-Shannon
• Mayo Newport House Restaurant, Newport
• Roscommon Douglas Hyde Restaurant at Kilronan Castle, Boyle
• Sligo Hargadon Bros, Sligo town

Best Newcomer – Sponsored by BWG Foodservice

• Galway Hallorans Café & Restaurant, Oughterard
• Leitrim The Grass Roof Café, Rossinver
• Mayo Cian’s on Bridge Street, Westport
• Roscommon Regans Gastro Pub and Restaurant, Roscommon town
• Sligo Nook Café & Restaurant, Collooney

Pub of the Year – Sponsored by Bushmills

• Galway Paddy Coynes Pub, Renvyle
• Leitrim The Barrelstore, Carrick-on-Shannon
• Mayo John Moran’s Bar, Westport
• Roscommon JJ Harlows, Roscommon town
• Sligo Thomas Connolly’s Pub, Rathquarter

ENDS

For further information contact:

Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive Officer

Restaurants Association of Ireland

Mobile: +353 86 8263311

Telephone: +353 1 6779901

Fax: +353 1 6718414

Email: awards@rai.ie

Website: www.irishrestaurantawards.com

Twitter: @restawards

Facebook: www.facebook.com/IrishRestaurantAwards

Instagram:@irishrestawards