March 14th, 2024 – COUNTY winners from across the region were announced yesterday at the Irish Restaurant Awards Leinster Regional Final 2024, the first regional final of this year’s awards season, which took place at the Lyrath Hotel in Kilkenny on Wednesday, March 13th.

Over 1,000 attended the celebration of food and hospitality in Leinster on the night.

In total, this year’s Irish Restaurant Awards – the 15th year of the Awards – received over 160,000 public nominations for restaurants, cafés and other food services establishments across the country – the highest number yet. Nominations were made by the public through The Irish Times website, the Irish Restaurant Awards’ media partner.

Once all regional events have been completed and county winners announced, Regional and All Ireland Winners – including in categories such as Best Restaurant and Best Chef – will be revealed at the All Ireland Awards Gala Dinner at the Clayton Hotel on Burlington Road, Dublin 4 in May.

Ticket and event information will be released in April following Regional Events.

Speaking at the event, President of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Paul Lenehan, said:

“During these undoubtedly tough times for our industry, celebrating Ireland’s food and hospitality offering is as crucial as ever. Above all, the Awards give us the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the hard work of Ireland’s talented restaurant, café and food-led hospitality staff.

“These Awards highlight the resilience and innovation in our food industry. Behind every great dish is a team of individuals committed to creating memorable dining experiences.

“As ever, this year’s Leinster Regional Final showcased the very best of the region’s culinary talent. I would personally like to extend my congratulations to all the winners and nominees for their dedication and passion.”

Please find below the list of this year’s county winners from across Leinster

Local Food Hero – Sponsored by Flo Gas

• Carlow – Séamus Jordan, Plúr
• Kildare – Billy Gray, Feighcullen Farm
• Laois – Brendan Guinan, Fiorbhia Farm
• Longford – Louis Herterich, Herterich Artisan Meats
• Louth – Peter Thomas, Bellingham Blue Cheese
• Meath – Kevin Sheridan, Sheridan’s of Virginia
• Offaly – Asad Mahmud Khondkar, Shishir
• Westmeath – Lynda McFarland, Lowe and Co.
• Wexford – Pauline Dunne, Killowen Farm
• Wicklow – Quincey Fennelly, Wicklow Wolf
• Kilkenny – Mark & Helen Murphy, Mooncoin Beetroot

Innovator of the Year – Sponsored by Diageo

• Carlow – Goodly Barrow
• Kildare – Harrigan’s Bar and Grill
• Laois – Solas Eco Garden Centre
• Longford – PVs Longford
• Louth – Coast & Co
• Meath – The Central Navan
• Offaly – The Supper Club at New Order District
• Westmeath – Dead Centre Brewing
• Wexford – Raspberry Restaurant
• Wicklow – The Fat Fox
• Kilkenny – Nóinín

Best Sustainable Practices – Sponsored by Familia Torres

• Carlow – Corries Bar and Bistro at Talbot Hotel Carlow
• Kildare – The Green Barn
• Laois – Mueller and O’Connell Bakery
• Longford – Fiona Egan Cloughan Farm & Cookery School
• Louth – The Bare Food Company
• Meath – Ardú Coffee
• Offaly – The Little Coffee Hut
• Westmeath – Peadar’s Bar
• Wexford – The Harvest Room at Dunbrody Country House Hotel
• Wicklow – Tinahely Farm Shop
• Kilkenny – Butcher Restaurant

Best World Cuisine – Sponsored by San Pellegrino

• Carlow – New Moon Tandoori Restaurant
• Kildare – Red Torch Ginger Maynooth
• Laois – Mayur Indian Restaurant
• Longford – Spice India Longford
• Louth – Atami Japanese Cuisine
• Meath – Copper Spice
• Offaly – Sanjay’s Kitchen
• Westmeath – Umami Sushi
• Wexford – Nori
• Wicklow – Daata Bray
• Kilkenny – Aroi – Asian Fusion Restaurant

Best Café – Sponsored by Illy

• Carlow – Brooks Cafe Bar
• Kildare – Victorian Tearooms
• Laois – Bowe’s Foodhall & Cafe
• Longford – Sambos
• Louth – Ruby Ellen’s Tea Rooms
• Meath – Rise & Grind
• Offaly – Woodfield Cafe and Garden Centre
• Westmeath – Days Bazaar
• Wexford – Hook Lighthouse Cafe
• Wicklow – Firehouse Bakery
• Kilkenny – Fennellys of Callan

Best Customer Service – Sponsored by Restaurant-Insurance.ie Provided by Dolmen

• Carlow – Pimento
• Kildare – The Club Hotel at Goffs
• Laois – O’Gormans Bar & Restaurant
• Longford – Moments Cafe & Restaurant
• Louth – Windsor Bar and Restaurant
• Meath – Vanilla Pod Restaurant Kells
• Offaly – Galileo Restaurant Luigi’s Family Diner
• Westmeath – Lalla
• Wexford – Gralinn
• Wicklow – Hasu Izakaya Restaurant Greystones
• Kilkenny – Zuni Restaurant at Zuni Boutique Hotel

Best Wine Experience – Sponsored by Bibendum

• Carlow – Lord Bagenal Inn
• Kildare – Neighbourhood Naas
• Laois – Batonis
• Longford – Vocella’s
• Louth – D’Vine Bistro & Tapas Bar
• Meath – Eatzen Restaurant
• Offaly – Old Warehouse
• Westmeath – The Villager Bar & Restaurant
• Wexford – Green Acres of Wexford
• Wicklow – Conlon’s Wine Bar
• Kilkenny – Ristorante Rinuccini

Best Newcomer – Sponsored by Square

• Carlow – Lamberts Coffee House
• Kildare – The Club Hotel at Goffs
• Laois – Bramley Abbeyleix
• Longford – Jodhpur Indian Restaurant
• Louth – Number One Jocelyn Bistro
• Meath – Our Boy Bailey
• Offaly – Förj Coffee
• Westmeath – The Cellar Bistro
• Wexford – Santorinis Restaurant
• Wicklow – The Barn at Belmont
• Kilkenny – Tābú

Best Contemporary Irish Cuisine – Sponsored by FBD Insurance

• Carlow – The Cellar Restaurant at the Step House Hotel
• Kildare – TwoCooks Restaurant
• Laois – The Hare’s Corner
• Longford – Torc Café and Food Hall
• Louth – Strandfield
• Meath – Zucchini’s Restaurant
• Offaly – Browne’s Bistro
• Westmeath – The Fatted Calf
• Wexford – Mary Barry’s Bar
• Wicklow – Grangecon Kitchen
• Kilkenny – Statham’s by Pembroke

Best Gastropub – Sponsored by Molson Coors

• Carlow – Teach Dolmain
• Kildare – Hartes of Kildare
• Laois – The Thatch Pub
• Longford – The Rustic Inn
• Louth – The Glyde Inn
• Meath – Jacks Bar Restaurant Garden
• Offaly – Luker’s Bar, Restaurant & Live Music Venue
• Westmeath – Browne’s on the Green
• Wexford – The Strand Cahore
• Wicklow – The Brass Fox
• Kilkenny – Marble City Bar

Best Casual Dining – Sponsored by Musgrave Marketplace

• Carlow – Goodly Barrow
• Kildare – Bread and Beer
• Laois – The Pantry Cafe & Walled Garden
• Longford – Jolly Boys Pizza & Grill
• Louth – Myrtle Bistro
• Meath – Fifty50 Navan
• Offaly – The Brewery Tap
• Westmeath – Il Colosseo
• Wexford – Wild and Native
• Wicklow – Little Acorn Cafe
• Kilkenny – Arán Artisan Bakery & Bistro

Pub of the Year

• Carlow – Tully’s Bar
• Kildare – Straffan Inn
• Laois – Morrissey
• Longford – Begley’s Bar
• Louth – The Neptune
• Meath – Boyle’s of Slane
• Offaly – Craughwell’s Pub
• Westmeath – Conor Murtagh’s Pub
• Wexford – Macken’s The Cape Bar, The Undertakers
• Wicklow – The Dying Cow
• Kilkenny – Lenehan’s Public House

Employee Excellence Award – Sponsored by Peninsula

• Carlow – Kayleigh Corcoran, The Green Lemon Cafe and Bakery
• Kildare – Beata Fitzsimmons, Silken Thomas
• Laois – Dora Gabrysiak, Mueller and O’Connell Bakery
• Longford – Riane McGrath, Edward J Valentines Bar
• Louth – David Tallon, Sally Cinnamons Bar
• Meath – Sophie Hogan, Hogan’s Farm Shop & Cafe
• Offaly – Usame Said, Shishir
• Westmeath – Dervla Egan, Kafe U Athlone
• Wexford – Andrew Balfe, Forthside Bar Bistro at Whitford House Hotel Wexford
• Wicklow – Cyril Brennan, Tulfarris Hotel & Golf Resort

• Kilkenny – Lorraine Doran, The Lime Tree Cafe & Restaurant

Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant – Sponsored by Frylite

• Carlow – The Cellar Restaurant at the Step House Hotel
• Kildare – The Morrison Room at Carton House
• Laois – Ballyfin Demesne
• Longford – PVs Longford
• Louth – Ghan House
• Meath – Brabazon Restaurant at Tankardstown House
• Offaly – County Arms Hotel
• Westmeath – Glasson Lakehouse
• Wexford – Beaches Restaurant at Kelly’s Resort Hotel & Spa
• Wicklow – Sika Restaurant at Powerscourt Hotel
• Kilkenny – Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate

Best Restaurant Manager – Sponsored by Elavon

• Carlow – Jamiul Alam, New Moon Tandoori Restaurant
• Kildare – Molly Kemmy, Dubh
• Laois – Kasia Urban, Bramley Abbeyleix
• Longford – David Dowd, Tus Nua Restaurant
• Louth – Eugene Molloy, Scholars Townhouse Hotel
• Meath – Edel Healy, Inside Out
• Offaly – Arif Soysal, Captain House Restaurant
• Westmeath – Martina Linehan, Beans and Leaves
• Wexford – Aine Gaynor, The Kitchen at Gorey
• Wicklow – Muhammad Waseem Saeed, Daata Greystones

• Kilkenny – Trpa Kraljevic, Rive Gauche

Best Chef – Sponsored by BWG Food Service

• Carlow – Henry Stone, Sha-Roe Bistro
• Kildare – Philip Mahon, Alumni Kitchen Table
• Laois – James Flannery, Bramley Abbeyleix
• Longford – Jimmy Egan, The Rustic Inn
• Louth – Conor Woods, The Bay Tree Restaurant
• Meath – Johnny Sarkozi, Brabazon Restaurant at Tankardstown House
• Offaly – Kenan Pehlivan, The Blue Apron Restaurant
• Westmeath – John Coffey, Thyme Restaurant
• Wexford – Andrew Duncan, Table Forty One
• Wicklow – Michael Thomas, Rathsallagh Country House

• Kilkenny – John Kelly, Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate

Best Restaurant – Sponsored by San Miguel

• Carlow – Clashganny House Restaurant
• Kildare – Neighbourhood Naas
• Laois – Batonis
• Longford – Vocella’s
• Louth – The Trinity Quarter
• Meath – Cinnamon Garden Restaurant
• Offaly – Captain House Restaurant
• Westmeath – Thyme Restaurant
• Wexford – Table Forty One
• Wicklow – Chakra by Jaipur
• Kilkenny – Campagne

Official Sponsors of the Irish Restaurant Awards 2024

• Avonmore
• BDO
• Bibendum
• BWG Food Service
• Cashel Blue
• Customer Perceptions
• Diageo
• Elavon
• Familia Torres
• FBD Insurance
• Flo Gas
• Frylite
• Generation Apprenticeships
• IMRO
• Illy
• Ireland’s Blue Book
• Irish Times
• Istil
• Molson Coors
• Monin
• Munch’d by Zoma
• Musgrave Marketplace
• Peninsula
• Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet
• Restaurant-Insurance.ie Provided by Dolmen
• San Miguel
• San Pellegrino
• Square

Notes to the editor

For more information on the Irish Restaurant Awards 2024 visit: https://irishrestaurantawards.com/faqs/

Official Photographs from the Leinster Regional Awards: https://irishrestaurantawards.com/official-photos-leinster-regional-awards-2024

All Images Credit: Paul Sherwood

For media queries contact adam@rai.ie or (01) 677 9901.