The recognition and awards for Kilkenny’s Arán Bakery and Bistro keep on coming.
On Monday last week, the Barrack Street-based bakery and bistro was once again named Innovator of the Year for Kilkenny at the Irish Restaurant Awards Leinster celebrations, adding Best Contemporary Irish Cuisine on the night too. So, hot off the heels of their double win for Kilkenny at the Leinster round of the Irish Restaurant Awards, there’s another plaque going on the wall this week.
The Prestige Awards have seen fit to name Arán ‘Best Bakery’ in Ireland for 2024/25. Not just a Kilkenny or Leinster affair, but the country on a whole.
Launched to ‘celebrate the businesses and individuals that consistently offer excellent products and services to local residents, ex-pats and tourist visitors alike’, the Prestige Awards have been covering Irish businesses since 2020, with the judging panel for each year basing their decisions on ‘service excellence, quality of the product/service provided, innovative practices, value, ethical or sustainable methods of working, as well as consistency in performance’.
It’s no surprise then to see Arán collect another accolade.
“We’re doing the right thing”
Taking to social media at the weekend, co-owner Bart Pawlukojc revealed he’d discovered the win by opening the post in the bakery after a few days away.
“I’ve just finished posting about the 100 Best Restaurants in Ireland by the Sunday Times and opened the post, and this was in the post”, referencing the plaque now set to join the growing list of awards on the bakery wall.
“Thank you so much. I’ve been away for a couple of days and I came back to the office today and I see the envelope of the Prestige Awards, inside the Bakery of the Year. It motivates us and it tells us that we’re doing the right thing and hopefully, we’ll get more power and we’re gonna improve everything even more.”
“But yeah, overwhelmed, very happy… and thank you there our lovely customers and guests.”
If you’re still waiting to get yourself to Arán, or it’s been a while since your last visit, check in on their latest menus here.
