MUNSTER RESTAURANTS & CHEFS

HONOURED AT PRESTIGIOUS IRISH RESTAURANT AWARDS 2018

Thursday, 22nd March 2018

• For immediate release

The second of four regional finals in this year’s Irish Restaurant Awards took place in the Radisson Blu, Little Island, Cork, last night where 91 awards were presented to the country’s leading chefs, restaurants and pubs.

Over 500 people attended the Munster Regional Final on Wednesday evening where the top establishments in each county were named.

The awards covered a wide range of venues and the winners from each of Munster’s six counties were selected from the following categories: Best Casual Dining, Best Emerging Irish Cuisine, Best Kids Size Me, Best ‘Free From’, Best World Cuisine, Best Restaurant Manager, Best Wine Experience, Pub of the Year, Best Café, Best Customer Service, Best Gastro Pub, Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant, Best Newcomer, Best Chef and Best Restaurant. There was also a special Regional award for Munster’s Local Food Hero.

Speaking at the awards, Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) said: “Now in their tenth 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.”

Kerry Winners Are As Follows:

• • Best Casual Dining sponsored by San Pellegrino – O’Neills The Point
  • Best Emerging Irish Cuisine sponsored by Odaios Foods – Global Village
  • Best Kids Size Me sponsored by Dubliner Cheese – The Boathouse
  • Best ‘Free From’ sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro Gluten Free – Bookstop Café
  • Best World Cuisine sponsored by Aryzta – Giovannelli
  • Best Restaurant Manager sponsored by AIB Merchant Services – Jim McGrath of The Oyster Tavern
  • Best Wine Experience sponsored by Classic Drinks – Sol y Sombra Tapas Bar & Restaurant
  • Pub of the Year sponsored by Bushmills – Nora Murphy’s Pub Brandon Pier
  • Best Café sponsored by Illy – Maison Gourmet
  • Best Customer Service – Giovannelli
  • Best Gastro Pub sponsored by Coca Cola & Schweppes – McMunns Bar
  • Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant sponsored by BWG Foodservice – Park Hotel Kenmare
  • Best Newcomer sponsored by Elavon – Croí Restaurant
  • Best Chef sponsored by Nisbets – Chad Byrne of Danu at The Brehon
  • Best Restaurant sponsored by Tindal Wines – Mulcahys

Limerick Winners Are As Follows:

• • Best Casual Dining sponsored by San Pellegrino – The Buttery
  • Best Emerging Irish Cuisine sponsored by Odaios Foods – 1826 Adare
  • Best Kids Size Me sponsored by Dubliner Cheese – Kyoto
  • Best ‘Free From’ sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro Gluten Free – Cornstore Limerick
  • Best World Cuisine sponsored by Aryzta – La Cucina Centro
  • Best Restaurant Manager sponsored by AIB Merchant Services – John Edward Joyce of The Mustard Seed at Echo Lodge
  • Best Wine Experience sponsored by Classic Drinks – House Limerick
  • Pub of the Year sponsored by Bushmills – Flannerys Bar Limerick
  • Best Café sponsored by Illy – Jack Mondays Coffee House
  • Best Customer Service – The Mustard Seed at Echo Lodge
  • Best Gastro Pub sponsored by Coca Cola & Schweppes – Curragower Pub
  • Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant sponsored by BWG Foodservice – The River Restaurant at the Limerick Strand Hotel
  • Best Newcomer sponsored by Elavon – The Silver Room Restaurant
  • Best Chef sponsored by Nisbets – Tom Flavin of the Limerick Strand Hotel
  • Best Restaurant sponsored by Tindal Wines – 1826 Adare

Tipperary Winners Are As Follows:

• • Best Casual Dining sponsored by San Pellegrino – Café Hans
  • Best Emerging Irish Cuisine sponsored by Odaios Foods – Dooks Fine Foods Fethard
  • Best Kids Size Me sponsored by Dubliner Cheese – Niamh’s Restaurant & Delicatessen
  • Best ‘Free From’ sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro Gluten Free – Jenny’s Kitchen Gluten Free Bakery
  • Best World Cuisine sponsored by Aryzta – Befani’s Mediterranean & Tapas Restaurant
  • Best Restaurant Manager sponsored by AIB Merchant Services– Christine Gannon of The Old Convent
  • Best Wine Experience sponsored by Classic Drinks – The Peppermill Restaurant
  • Pub of the Year sponsored by Bushmills – McCarthy’s Fethard
  • Best Café sponsored by Illy – Dooks Fine Foods Fethard
  • Best Customer Service – Larkins Bar & Restaurant
  • Best Gastro Pub sponsored by Coca Cola & Schweppes – Flanagan’s on the Lake
  • Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant sponsored by BWG Foodservice – Hotel Minella Clonmel
  • Best Newcomer sponsored by Elavon – Dooks Fine Foods Fethard
  • Best Chef sponsored by Nisbets – Jason Matthia of Chez Hans
  • Best Restaurant sponsored by Tindal Wines – The Old Convent

Waterford Winners Are As Follows:

• • Best Casual Dining sponsored by San Pellegrino – Bodega
  • Best Emerging Irish Cuisine sponsored by Odaios Foods – Momo Restaurant
  • Best Kids Size Me sponsored by Dubliner Cheese – GROW HQ Café and Food Education Centre
  • Best ‘Free From’ sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro Gluten Free – Nutrilicious Food Co
  • Best World Cuisine sponsored by Aryzta – Cafe Goa
  • Best Restaurant Manager sponsored by AIB Merchant Services – Antonio Clemente of Waterford Castle & Golf Resort
  • Best Wine Experience sponsored by Classic Drinks – Waterford Castle
  • Pub of the Year sponsored by Bushmills – J. & K. Walsh Victorian Spirit Grocer
  • Best Café sponsored by Illy – Cass & Co.
  • Best Customer Service – Bianconi Restaurant at The Granville Hotel
  • Best Gastro Pub sponsored by Coca Cola & Schweppes – Moorings
  • Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant sponsored by BWG Foodservice – The Roseville Rooms at Faithlegg House Hotel & Golf Club
  • Best Newcomer sponsored by Elavon – Lagoon Seafood Fusion Restaurant
  • Best Chef sponsored by Nisbets – Sam Burfield at The Tannery Restaurant
  • Best Restaurant sponsored by Tindal Wines – The Bay Tree Bistro

Clare Winners Are As Follows:

• • Best Casual Dining sponsored by San Pellegrino – Linnane’s Lobster Bar
  • Best Emerging Irish Cuisine sponsored by Odaios Foods – Wild Honey Inn
  • Best Kids Size Me sponsored by Dubliner Cheese – The Lakeside Hotel
  • Best ‘Free From’ sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro Gluten Free – The Cloister Restaurant
  • Best World Cuisine sponsored by Aryzta – Lana Restaurant – Asian Street Food
  • Best Restaurant Manager sponsored by AIB Merchant Services – Tony Frisby of Dromoland Castle
  • Best Wine Experience sponsored by Classic Drinks – Dromoland Castle
  • Pub of the Year sponsored by Bushmills – The Roadside Tavern
  • Best Café sponsored by Illy – Elizabeth Jane Coffee House
  • Best Customer Service – Noel’s at The Manor
  • Best Gastro Pub sponsored by Coca Cola & Schweppes – Vaughans Anchor Inn
  • Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant sponsored by BWG Foodservice – Moy House
  • Best Newcomer sponsored by Elavon – Boruma Gastro Bar
  • Best Chef sponsored by Nisbets – Aidan McGrath of Wild Honey Inn
  • Best Restaurant sponsored by Tindal Wines – Wild Honey Inn

Cork Winners Are As Follows:

• • Best Casual Dining sponsored by San Pellegrino – PILGRIM’S
  • Best Emerging Irish Cuisine sponsored by Odaios Foods – SAGE Restaurant
  • Best Kids Size Me sponsored by Dubliner Cheese – Market Lane
  • Best ‘Free From’ sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro Gluten Free – The Rocket Man
  • Best World Cuisine sponsored by Aryzta – Palmento
  • Best Restaurant Manager sponsored by AIB Merchant Services– Sally O’Brien of Farmgate Restaurant and Country Store
  • Best Wine Experience sponsored by Classic Drinks – The Black Pig
  • Pub of the Year sponsored by Bushmills – Mutton Lane Inn
  • Best Café sponsored by Illy – Organico
  • Best Customer Service – Iyer’s
  • Best Gastro Pub sponsored by Coca Cola & Schweppes – Poachers
  • Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant sponsored by BWG Foodservice – Bayview Hotel
  • Best Newcomer sponsored by Elavon – Bao Boi Cork
  • Best Chef sponsored by Nisbets – Ahmet Dede of Mews Restaurant
  • Best Restaurant sponsored by Tindal Wines – Mews Restaurant

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

Notes for the Editor:

Judging Process

• Public Nomination – During the initial stage of the Munster Regional Restaurant Awards members of the public voted to nominate their favourite restaurants, hotels and hospitality personal. These nominations were independently assessed by BDO.

• Judging Panel – Our judging panel, made up of industry experts, food writers, culinary academics and critics, then narrowed down the list of nominations to our final regional winners.