April 11th, 2024 – COUNTY winners from across the region were announced yesterday at the Irish Restaurant Awards Ulster Regional Final 2024 which took place on Wednesday, April 10th in the Armagh City Hotel.

Over 800 restauranteurs attended the celebration of food and hospitality in Ulster 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:

“We all see media reports day in and day out of how difficult it is to run a restaurant or café in Ireland today.

“But, in many ways, this is why it is more important than ever to take the time to reflect on all that makes Ulster’s culinary offering one of the best around.

“In particular, the Ulster Regional Irish Restaurant Awards provide an excellent platform to recognise the hard work and dedication of all of the talented restaurant, café, and food-led hospitality staff in the province.”

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

Local Food Hero – Sponsored by Flogas

• Antrim – Ciara OHartghaile, Ursa Minor
• Cavan – Barry Crowe, Barry John Sausages
• Derry – Emily McCorkell, Lo & Slo
• Donegal – Brian O’Donnell, Danny Minnies Country House
• Down – Johnny Mcdowell, Indie Fude
• Fermanagh – Mark Edwards, Enniskillen Taste Experience
• Monaghan – Jen Gonnelly, Monaghan Taste Club
• Tyrone – Clodagh Harney, Castle Coffee Castlederg
• Armagh – Simon Dougan, Yellow Door Deli

Innovator of the Year – Sponsored by Diageo

• Antrim – A Peculiar Tea
• Cavan – The Castle Sports & Gastro Bar Belturbet
• Derry – Walled City Brewery
• Donegal – The Blue Goat
• Down – Underground Dining
• Fermanagh – Franco’s
• Monaghan – Screaming Bean Cafe
• Tyrone – The Auction Rooms
• Armagh – Yellow Door Deli

Best Sustainable Practices – Sponsored by The Findlater Group

• Antrim – Fish City
• Cavan – Hawthorn Lodge B&B, Belturbet
• Derry – The Ebrington Hotel
• Donegal – Sonder
• Down – No 14 at The Georgian House
• Fermanagh – Tully Mill Restaurant
• Monaghan – The Hive
• Tyrone – The Coach Inn
• Armagh – Kitchen Lurgan

Best World Cuisine – Sponsored by San Pellegrino

• Antrim – Yügo
• Cavan – Chilli Lounge
• Derry – Umi
• Donegal – Chandpur Restaurant
• Down – La Taqueria Ormeau
• Fermanagh – Kamal Mahal Enniskillen
• Monaghan – Monaghan Spice
• Tyrone – Bengal Spice Indian Restaurant & Takeaway
• Armagh – Viet by Vee

Best Café – Sponsored by Illy

• Antrim – Ursa Minor
• Cavan – Latte Da
• Derry – Vittle Bakeshop
• Donegal – The Narrow Quarter Bistro & Coffee House
• Down – Cafe Marmalade
• Fermanagh – The Bees Knees Cafe
• Monaghan – The Raglan Road Tearooms
• Tyrone – The Kitchen
• Armagh – Arose Coffee Shop

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

• Antrim – Elephant Rock Hotel
• Cavan – Setanta Restaurant at The Slieve Russell Hotel Golf & Country Club
• Derry – Amici Ristorante
• Donegal – Blas at the Gateway Lodge
• Down – Noble
• Fermanagh – Franco’s
• Monaghan – Hillgrove Hotel, Leisure & Spa
• Tyrone – Moy Larder
• Armagh – Keegan’s Bar and Restaurant

Best Wine Experience – Sponsored by Bibendum

• Antrim – Ora Wine and Tapas
• Cavan – The Olde Post Inn
• Derry – Quaywest Wine Bar and Restaurant
• Donegal – The Restaurant at Harvey’s Point
• Down – Fontana Restaurant
• Fermanagh – Catalina Restaurant at Lough Erne Resort
• Monaghan – Snaffles Restaurant at Castle Leslie Estate
• Tyrone – The Tasting Room at the Wine Rack
• Armagh – Wine and Brine

Best Newcomer – Sponsored by Square

• Antrim – Waterman Restaurant
• Cavan – Silvie’s Coffee Stop
• Derry – Salumeria Mariuccia
• Donegal – Hatch’d Coffee
• Down – Cleaver
• Fermanagh – Bigfoot Spuds
• Monaghan – Blayney Bistro
• Tyrone – Cafe Blas
• Armagh – Viet by Vee

Best Contemporary Irish Cuisine – Sponsored by FBD Insurance

• Antrim – James St
• Cavan – The Oak Room
• Derry – Browns Bonds Hill
• Donegal – The Lemon Tree Restaurant
• Down – Fontana Restaurant
• Fermanagh – 28 At the Hollow
• Monaghan – Wild Thyme Restaurant
• Tyrone – Grants of Omagh
• Armagh – Sally McNallys

Best Gastropub – Sponsored by Molson Coors

• Antrim – The Fullerton Arms
• Cavan – Murph’s Gastro Pub, Derragarra Inn, Cavan
• Derry – Walled City Brewery
• Donegal – The Olde Glen Bar, Restaurant & Bia Box
• Down – Jamaica Inn
• Fermanagh – The Taphouse Gastro Pub
• Monaghan – Andy’s Bar & Restaurant
• Tyrone – The Brewer’s House
• Armagh – Digby’s Bar & Restaurant

Best Casual Dining – Sponsored by Musgrave Marketplace

• Antrim – The Square Bistro
• Cavan – Shades Bar & Grill
• Derry – Scarpello & Co Bakehouse & Pizzeria
• Donegal – Biddy’s O’Barnes
• Down – The Poachers Pocket
• Fermanagh – Dollakis
• Monaghan – The Squealing Pig Bar & Restaurant
• Tyrone – The Tailors House
• Armagh – Zio

Pub of the Year

• Antrim – The Garrick
• Cavan – Matthews Pub Virginia
• Derry – Bennigans Bar and Jazz Club
• Donegal – John Joe’s Kilcar
• Down – The Maypole
• Fermanagh – Linnet Inn
• Monaghan – Terry’s Bar
• Tyrone – The Square Bar
• Armagh – The Hole in the Wall

Employee Excellence Award – Sponsored by Peninsula

• Antrim – Conor McGill, The Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast
• Cavan – Molly O’Reilly, Hard Boiled Egg Cafe
• Derry – Ellie Bucklee, Awaken
• Donegal – Eoin Sweeney, Villa Rose Hotel and Spa
• Down – Susan Hughes, Graphite
• Fermanagh – Celeste Piers, The Toastery
• Monaghan – Leanne Duffy, Westenra Arms Hotel
• Tyrone – Geraldine Henderson, Sperrin Restaurant
• Armagh – Liam McKenna, Armagh City Hotel

Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant – Sponsored by Frylite

• Antrim – Bayview Hotel
• Cavan – The Courtroom Restaurant at Cabra Castle Hotel
• Derry – Shipquay Restaurant at Shipquay Hotel
• Donegal – The Restaurant at Harvey’s Point
• Down – The Cuan
• Fermanagh – Catalina Restaurant at Lough Erne Resort
• Monaghan – Snaffles Restaurant at Castle Leslie Estate
• Tyrone – Carleton Restaurant at Corick House Hotel & Spa
• Armagh – Killeavy Castle Estate

Best Restaurant Manager – Sponsored by Elavon

• Antrim – Conor McHugh, Waterman Restaurant
• Cavan – Lynda Boylan, The Courtroom Restaurant at Cabra Castle Hotel
• Derry – Ian Jarvis, Browns Bonds Hill
• Donegal – Anne Cannon, La Bella Donna Restaurant
• Down – Paula McCann, Courtneys Steakhouse
• Fermanagh – Norman Coalter, Horseshoe & Saddlers
• Monaghan – Stephen Treanor, Neighbourhood
• Tyrone – Caroline Clarke, Oysters Restaurant
• Armagh – Claire Macklin, Digby’s Bar & Restaurant

Best Chef – Sponsored by BWG Food Service

• Antrim – Gemma Austin, A Peculiar Tea
• Cavan – Garret Galligan, The Olde Post Inn
• Derry – Sean Harrigan, The Sooty Olive
• Donegal – Ciaran Sweeney, The Olde Glen Bar, Restaurant & Bia Box
• Down – Shaun Tinman, Frae
• Fermanagh – Stephen Holland, Catalina Restaurant at Lough Erne Resort
• Monaghan – Karl Breen, Wild Thyme Restaurant
• Tyrone – Tommy Mangan, The Brewer’s House
• Armagh – Darragh Dooley, Killeavy Castle Estate

Best Restaurant – Sponsored by San Miguel

• Antrim – The Muddlers Club Restaurant
• Cavan – Macnean House & Restaurant
• Derry – Lir
• Donegal – The Red Door Country House
• Down – Noble
• Fermanagh – 28 At the Hollow
• Monaghan – Courthouse Restaurant
• Tyrone – The Banks Restaurant
• Armagh – Wine and Brine

All sponsors of the Irish Restaurant Awards 2024

• Avonmore
• BDO
• Bibendum
• BWG Food Service
• Cashel Blue
• Customer Perceptions
• Diageo
• Elavon
• Familia Torres
• FBD Insurance
• Flogas
• Frylite
• Generation Apprenticeships
• IMRO
• Illy
• Ireland’s Blue Book
• Irish Times
• Istil38
• Mad March Hare Poitin
• Molson Coors
• Monin
• Munch’d by Zoma
• Musgrave Marketplace
• Peninsula
• Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet
• Restaurant-Insurance.ie Provided by Dolmen
• San Miguel
• San Pellegrino
• Square

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

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

All Images Credit: Paul Sherwood

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