The five-star Lyrath Estate Hotel in Kilkenny was jam-packed on Wednesday night for the reveal of this year’s winners for the Leinster region as part of the Irish Restaurant Awards for 2024.
This was the first of four regional nights (Connaught, Munster and Ulster) to follow before the All-Ireland awards are given out in Dublin in May.
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I’ll dig into it more in the blog later in the week but with an eye on the hometown heroes, congratulations to all of this year’s winners across Leinster but to those on my doorstep in Kilkenny in particular. It was great to see the likes of Etaoin and Fennelly’s recognised for their continued work in Callan, the customer service at Zuni take another nod, the wine experience (it’s extensive) at Rinuccini’s recognised while Tabú, the darling of Thomastown, recognised as best newcomer in the county this year.
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Catch up on the blog later this week for a county-by-county breakdown but for the time being, here’s the full list of winners for Leinster as part of the 2024 Irish Restaurant Awards.
Local Food Hero
- Carlow: Séamus Jordan, Plúr
- Kildare: Billy Gray, Feighcullen Farm
- Kilkenny: Mark & Helen Murphy, Mooncoin Beetroot
- 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
Innovator of the Year
- Carlow: Goodly Barrow
- Kildare: Harrigan’s Bar and Grill
- Kilkenny: Nóinín
- 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
Best Sustainable Practices
- Carlow: Corries Bar and Bistro at Talbot Hotel Carlow
- Kildare: The Green Barn
- Kilkenny: Butcher Restaurant
- 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
Best World Cuisine
- Carlow: New Moon Tandoori Restaurant
- Kildare: Red Torch Ginger Maynooth
- Kilkenny: Aroi: Asian Fusion Restaurant
- 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
Best Café
- Carlow: Brooks Cafe Bar
- Kildare: Victorian Tearooms
- Kilkenny: Fennellys of Callan
- 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
Best Customer Service
- Carlow: Pimento
- Kildare: The Club Hotel at Goffs
- Kilkenny: Zuni Restaurant at Zuni Boutique Hotel
- 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
Best Wine Experience
- Carlow: Lord Bagenal Inn
- Kildare: Neighbourhood Naas
- Kilkenny: Ristorante Rinuccini
- 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
Best Newcomer
- Carlow: Lamberts Coffee House
- Kildare: The Club Hotel at Goffs
- Kilkenny: Tābú
- 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
Best Contemporary Irish Cuisine
- Carlow: The Cellar Restaurant at the Step House Hotel
- Kildare: TwoCooks Restaurant
- Kilkenny: Statham’s by Pembroke
- 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
Best Gastropub
- Carlow: Teach Dolmain
- Kildare: Hartes of Kildare
- Kilkenny: Marble City Bar
- 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
Best Casual Dining
- Carlow: Goodly Barrow
- Kildare: Bread and Beer
- Kilkenny: Arán Artisan Bakery & Bistro
- 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
Pub of the Year
- Carlow: Tully’s Bar
- Kildare: Straffan Inn
- Kilkenny: Lenehan’s Public House
- 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
Employee Excellence Award
- Carlow: Kayleigh Corcoran, The Green Lemon Cafe and Bakery
- Kildare: Beata Fitzsimmons, Silken Thomas
- Kilkenny: Lorraine Doran, The Lime Tree Cafe & Restaurant
- 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
Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant
- Carlow: The Cellar Restaurant at the Step House Hotel
- Kildare: The Morrison Room at Carton House
- Kilkenny: Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate
- 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
Best Restaurant Manager
- Carlow: Jamiul Alam, New Moon Tandoori Restaurant
- Kildare: Molly Kemmy, Dubh
- Kilkenny: Trpa Kraljevic, Rive Gauche
- 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
Best Chef
- Carlow: Henry Stone, Sha-Roe Bistro
- Kildare: Philip Mahon, Alumni Kitchen Table
- Kilkenny: John Kelly, Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate
- 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
Best Restaurant
- Carlow: Clashganny House Restaurant
- Kildare: Neighbourhood Naas
- Kilkenny: Campagne
- 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
Connaught awards are next…
Next up for the Irish Restaurant Awards are the Connaught leg where the regional winners will be announced at Knockranny House Hotel, Mayo, this coming Wednesday evening (20 March)
