The Leinster Regional Final of Irish Restaurant Awards 2022 took place in the Knightsbrook Hotel, County Meath on Tuesday August 16.
Over 900 restaurant and hospitality business owners and staff celebrated their hard work and achievements at the Awards Event, which saw many well-known restaurateurs of Leinster turn out to see if they had won one of the prestigious awards.
Food outlets were nominated under the categories of Local Food Hero, Best Free From, Best Emerging Irish Cuisine, Best Restaurant Manager, Best Wine Experience, Best Café, Best World Cuisine, Best Newcomer, Pub of the Year, Best Casual Dining, Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant, Best Customer Service, Best Gastropub, Best Chef, and Best Restaurant and finally a new award category for 2022 Best Sustainable Practices.
A total of 12 Laois establishments were named as award winners with The Heritage leading the way with three gongs – including best chef which was won by Tom Comerford.
Treacy’s Bar and Batonis Emo both finished the night with two awards – with Niall Treacy being named as Best Manager.
The Pantry, Mayur Indian Restaurant, Bowe’s Foodhall, Akayu, Wandering Elk, Bob’s Bar, Hare’s Corner, Ballyfin Demesne and The Bog Road were also successful.
Speaking at the Leinster Regional Awards Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Adrian Cummins, said; “Now in their 13th year, the Irish Restaurant Awards returns after the 2020 Awards were cut short.
“The Awards are an opportunity to celebrate the existing and up and coming talent in the sector and are a reminder that hospitality is nothing without the dedicated and passionate staff in the industry.
“The Awards continue to showcase the incredible food that is on offer in the cafes, pubs and restaurants of Ireland. With well over 100,000 nominations received from the public this year, the standard for the judging process was higher than ever.”
All of the county winners now compete for the Regional and All Ireland Titles, which will be announced at the Irish Restaurant Awards All Ireland Final on Monday September 19 in the Convention Centre Dublin.
The winners on the night were:
Local Food Hero Sponsored by The Irish Times
- Carlow Malone Fruit Farm, Tom and Elizabeth Malone
- Kildare Kalbarri Cookery School, Siobhan Murphy
- Kilkenny Butcher Restaurant Kilkenny, Mark Williams
- Laois The Heritage, Killenard, Tom Comerford
- Longford Cloughan Farm and Cookery School Abbeyshrule , Fiona Egan
- Louth Ballymakenny Farm Heritage Potatoes, Maria Flynn
- Offaly Wild Food Mary, Mary Bulfin
- Westmeath Lough Owel Organic Farm, Joe Brady
- Wexford Regan Organic Farm, Mary Regan
- Wicklow Wicklow Way Wines, Pamela Walsh and Brett Stephenson
- Meath The Headfort Arms, Olivia Duff
Best Sustainable Practices Sponsored by Gas Networks Ireland
- Carlow Thrive Cafe
- Kildare The Green Barn Restaurant
- Kilkenny The Fig Tree Restaurant
- Laois The Pantry
- Longford Center Parcs Longford Forest
- Louth Wildwood Cafe
- Offaly Woodfield Cafe and Garden Centre
- Westmeath Bastion Kitchen Athlone
- Wexford Cistín Eile
- Wicklow The Strawberry Tree Restaurant
- Meath The Cross Guns
Best Free From Sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro
- Carlow Caffe 500
- Kildare Lemongrass Fusion
- Kilkenny Truffles Restaurant Kilkenny
- Laois Mayur Indian Restaurant
- Longford Tus Nua
- Louth The Bare Food Company Drogheda
- Offaly Sirocco’s Italian Restaurant
- Westmeath Bastion Kitchen Athlone
- Wexford Donna Marina
- Wicklow Vital Health Café
- Meath Khan Spices Indian Restaurant
Best Emerging Irish Cuisine Sponsored by FBD
- Carlow Clashganny House
- Kildare Brown Bear
- Kilkenny Stratham’s by Pembroke
- Laois The Heritage, Killenard
- Longford Viewmount House Longford
- Louth The Bay Tree Restaurant
- Offaly Lukers Bar
- Westmeath Thyme Restaurant Athlone
- Wexford Aldridge Lodge
- Wicklow Hollywood Inn
- Meath Vanilla Pod Restaurant Kells
Best Restaurant Manager Sponsored by AIB Merchant Services
- Carlow Stephanie Stone of Sha-Roe Bistro
- Kildare The Barton Restaurant, Jason Dunne
- Kilkenny Mount Juliet Estate Thomastown, Aga Kubinska
- Laois Treacy’s Bar and Restaurant, Niall Treacy
- Longford The Rustic Inn Abbeyshrule, Diarmuid Byrne
- Louth Fairways Hotel Dundalk, Elizabeth Duffy
- Offaly Captain House Restaurant, Arif Soysal
- Westmeath Wineport Lodge Athlone, Kash Caleecharrun
- Wexford Lobster Pot Seafood Restaurant, Nicola Zammit
- Wicklow The Old Ship, John Condren
- Meath Vanilla Pod Restaurant Kells, Lareina Quigley
Best Wine Experience Sponsored by Bibendum Ireland
- Carlow Mimosa Bar De Tapas
- Kildare Ely Wine Store Maynooth
- Kilkenny Ristorante Rinuccini Kilkenny
- Laois Batonis Emo
- Longford Vocella’s Longford
- Louth No 3 Wine Bar And Restaurant Collon
- Offaly Townsend House Tapas Restaurant Birr
- Westmeath Thyme Restaurant Athlone
- Wexford Green Acres Restaurant and Wine Store
- Wicklow Sika Restaurant
- Meath Brabazon Restaurant Slane
Best Café Sponsored by Illy
- Carlow Mullichain Cafe Glynn
- Kildare Avenue Cafe, Restaurant & Bar
- Kilkenny Cafe La Coco Kilkenny
- Laois Bowe’s Foodhall & Cafe Durrow
- Longford Torc Café & Foodhall
- Louth Strandfield
- Offaly The Loft Cafe
- Westmeath Bastion Kitchen Athlone
- Wexford D’lush Café Wexford
- Wicklow Russborough Tea Rooms
- Meath Sage & Stone
Best World Cuisine Sponsored by San Pellegrino
- Carlow Pimento Carlow
- Kildare Jaipore
- Kilkenny Indique Indian Restaurant Kilkenny
- Laois Akayu Portlaoise
- Longford Spice India Longford
- Louth Sitar Indian Restaurant And Takeaway Dundalk
- Offaly Shishir Tullamore
- Westmeath Lalla Mullingar
- Wexford The Red Elephant
- Wicklow Pink Salt Indian Restaurant
- Meath Cinnamon Garden Restaurant Ashbourne
Best Newcomer Sponsored by Square
- Carlow The Fermentary
- Kildare Grooms At The Ranch Monasterevin
- Kilkenny Canal Square, Kilkenny
- Laois The Wandering Elk
- Longford Indian Sizzler
- Louth Birch & Co Dundalk
- Offaly Browne’s Bistro
- Westmeath Praline Chocolatiers Athlone
- Wexford Jasper’s Restaurant
- Wicklow Mortimers
- Meath Scullery N°4 Kells
Pub of the Year Sponsored by Jameson
- Carlow Corcoran’s Bar
- Kildare McCormack’s Bar
- Kilkenny Cleeres Bar And Theatre Kilkenny
- Laois Bobs Bar Durrow
- Longford Duignan’s Tallyho
- Louth Russell’s Saloon Dundalk
- Offaly Giltraps Pub Kinnitty
- Westmeath Nuts Corner Athlone
- Wexford The Sky & the Ground
- Wicklow The Dying Cow
- Meath Ryans Bar Navan
Best Casual Dining Sponsored by Musgrave Marketplace
- Carlow Lennons @ Visual Carlow
- Kildare Butt Mullins
- Kilkenny Statham’s By Pembroke Kilkenny
- Laois The Hare’s Corner Mountmellick
- Longford Moments Cafe And Restaurant Longford
- Louth The Spotted Dog
- Offaly The Thatch Crinkill Birr
- Westmeath Poppy Fields Cafe Athlone
- Wexford 10 West Bistro & Cocktail Lounge – Restaurant Wexford
- Wicklow The Enniskerry Inn
- Meath Inside Out Slane
Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant Sponsored By Frylite
- Carlow Step House Hotel Borris
- Kildare Carton House Hotel Maynooth
- Kilkenny Mount Juliet Estate Thomastown
- Laois Ballyfin Demesne
- Longford Viewmount House Longford
- Louth Scholars Townhouse Hotel Drogheda
- Offaly Bridge House Hotel
- Westmeath Bonnies Restaurant of Glasson Lakehouse
- Wexford The Duck Restaurant – Marlfield House
- Wicklow Wicklow Heather Restaurant & House
- Meath Brabazon Restaurant Slane – Tankardstown House
Best Customer Service Sponsored Restaurant-Insurance.ie Provided by Dolmen
- Carlow Lennons @ Visual Carlow
- Kildare Killashee Hotel Naas
- Kilkenny Knockdrinna Cafe Stonyford
- Laois Treacy’s Bar and Restaurant The Heath
- Longford Vocella’s Longford
- Louth Monasterboice Inn (Donegans) Drogheda
- Offaly Balcone Italiano Tullamore
- Westmeath Savoury Fare Athlone
- Wexford One Hundred Degrees Restaurant & Wine Bar
- Wicklow Daata Greystones
- Meath Vanilla Pod Restaurant Kells
Best Gastro Pub Sponsored by Worldpay from FIS
- Carlow Teach Dolmain Pub & Restaurant
- Kildare Hartes Of Kildare
- Kilkenny Left Bank
- Laois The Bog Road Portlaoise
- Longford The Rustic Inn Abbeyshrule
- Louth The Trinity Quarter Drogheda
- Offaly Hennessys Ferbane
- Westmeath The Villager Bar And Restaurant Glasson
- Wexford Simon Lambert & Sons
- Wicklow Butler and Barry Gastrobar
- Meath The Cross Guns Gastropub Navan
Best Chef Sponsored by BWG Foodservice
- Carlow The Step House Hotel, Alan Foley
- Kildare Aimsir Restaurant Celbridge, Jordan Bailey
- Kilkenny Lady Helen Restaurant Thomastown, John Kelly
- Laois The Heritage Killenard, Tom Comerford
- Longford Viewmount House Longford, Siobhan Macdonagh
- Louth Square Restaurant Dundalk, Conor Halpenny
- Offaly The Blue Apron Restaurant Tullamore, Kenan Pehlivan
- Westmeath Thyme Restaurant Athlone, John Coffey
- Wexford La Côte Seafood Restaurant, Paul Hynes
- Wicklow Chakra By Jaipur, Dinesh Chander
- Meath Brabazon Restaurant Slane, Johnny Sarkozi
Best Restaurant Sponsored by Tindal Wine Merchants
- Carlow Sha-Roe Bistro Clonegal
- Kildare Aimsir Restaurant Celbridge
- Kilkenny Campagne Kilkenny
- Laois Batonis Emo
- Longford Aubergine Nua Longford
- Louth Square Restaurant Dundalk
- Offaly The Blue Apron Restaurant Tullamore
- Westmeath Thyme Restaurant Athlone
- Wexford La Côte Seafood Restaurant
- Wicklow Chakra by Jaipur
- Meath Room8 Navan
