Midlands Businesses Celebrating After Leinster Final Of Irish Restaurant Awards

Over 1,000 restaurant and hospitality business owners and staff attended on the night.

Midlands restaurants will be competing for Regional and All Ireland Titles after The Leinster Regional Final of Irish Restaurant Awards 2023 took place in the Killashee Hotel in Kildare on Tuesday. 

There were 39 winners in the midlands, with 14 in both Westmeath and Offaly and 11 in Laois.

Over 1,000 restaurant and hospitality business owners and staff attended on the night.

The Irish Restaurant Awards All Ireland Final will take place on Monday 15th May in the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, Dublin 4.

Speaking at the Leinster Regional Awards President of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Paul Lenehan, said;

“Now in their 14th year, the Irish Restaurant Awards returns with a record breaking number of public nominations (over 130,000). This sheer number of votes highlights the support & appreciation by the general public for our hospitality sector and all who contribute to it. 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 their dedicated and passionate staff. The Awards continue to showcase the incredible food that is on offer in the cafes, hotels, pubs and restaurants of Ireland. We are delighted to be here in Limerick for the first of the Regional Events for 2023 and look forward to welcoming all winners in Leinster to the All Ireland Awards on 15th May.”  

The winners on the 14th of March were: 

Local Food Hero Sponsored by The Irish Times 

•    Laois - Seamus O’ Brien, The Hare’s Corner  

•    Offaly - The Feighery Family, Feigherys Farm

•    Westmeath - Georgia Quealy and Daniel Linehan, Bon Chocolatiers  

•    Carlow -Paula Leyden, The Goodly Barrow  

•    Kilkenny - Mag Kiwran, Goatsbridge Trout Farm  

•    Longford -Ed McGeoy, Rustic Inn  

•    Louth - Marita Collier, Drummond House Garlic  

•    Meath -Andrew Ruiter, The Donkey Shed   

•    Wexford - Nicky Cullen, Mary Barry's Bar  

•    Wicklow - Maggie Roche, The Little Acorn Cafe   

•    Kildare - Caomhán de Brí, The Salt Project  

Best Sustainable Practices Sponsored by Gas Networks Ireland  

•    Laois - Solas  

•    Offaly - Woodfield Cafe And Garden Centre   

•    Westmeath -Bastion Kitchen

•    Carlow - Clashganny House Restaurant  

•    Kilkenny -Truffles Restaurant   

•    Longford -Fiona Egan Cloghan Farm & Cookery School  

•    Louth -Wildwood Café   

•    Meath -Zucchini's Restaurant   

•    Wexford -Monart  

•    Wicklow - Grain Store Restaurant At Killruddery House & Gardens   

•    Kildare - The K Club

Innovator of the Year Sponsored by Diageo  

•    Laois - Solas

•    Offaly - Ballycommon Bakehouse  

•    Westmeath - 1810 Steakhouse

•    Carlow - Neighbourhood Espresso  

•    Kilkenny - Arán Artisan Bakery & Bistro     

•    Longford – Rustic Inn 

•    Louth -Rocksalt Cafe   

•    Meath - Tribe Restaurant    

•    Wexford -Nori  

•    Wicklow -The Big Boys  

•    Kildare - Lock 13 Gastropub & Brewpub 

Free From  

•    Laois - The Hare's Corner  

•    Offaly - Woodfield Cafe And Garden Centre   

•    Westmeath - Spice India

•    Carlow -Cafe 500  

•    Kilkenny - The Cutting Vedge    

•    Longford - Indian Sizzlers  

•    Louth -Strandfield Cafe Florist And Grocer   

•    Meath - Zucchini's Restaurant     

•    Wexford - Karoo Farm Shop & Cafe  

•    Wicklow - Vital Health Cafe  

•    Kildare - Avenue Cafe, Restaurant & Bar   

Best Emerging Irish Cuisine Sponsored by FBD Insurance 

•    Laois -Ballyfin Demesne

•    Offaly - Fallons Bar   

•    Westmeath -Thyme Restaurant

•    Carlow - The Goodly Barrow   

•    Kilkenny -Nóinín     

•    Longford -Mac Shack Keena  

•    Louth - Square Restaurant Townparks  

•    Meath -Inside Out   

•    Wexford -Table Forty One  

•    Wicklow - Grain Store Restaurant At Killruddery House & Gardens  

•    Kildare -Dubh  

Best Restaurant Manager Sponsored by Halcyon Group 

•    Laois - Niall Treacy, Treacy's  

•    Offaly - Sherry Wilawan, Chanapa Thai   

•    Westmeath - Garry Hughes, The Fatted Calf  

•    Carlow - Stephanie Stone, Sha-Roe Bistro  

•    Kilkenny - Aga Kubinska, Lady Helen Restaurant At Mount Juliet Estate   

•    Longford - Shiva Bhargav, Indian Sizzler   

•    Louth - Emily Carton, The Smugglers Rest   

•    Meath - Lareina Quigley, The Vanilla Pod Restaurant At Headfort Arms Hotel    

•    Wexford - Manuel Zoppetti, One Hundred Degrees   

•    Wicklow - Jay Johance, Pink Salt  

•    Kildare - Paul Clarke, Ballymore Inn  

Best Wine Experience Sponsored by Bibendum Ireland 

•    Laois - Batonis

•    Offaly - Browne's Bistro  

•    Westmeath - Fine

•    Carlow - Mimosa   

•    Kilkenny - Ristorante Rinuccini   

•    Longford - Aubergine Nua  

•    Louth - D'vine Bistro & Tapas Bar   

•    Meath - The Winery    

•    Wexford - Greenarces  

•    Wicklow - Ripasso Restaurant & Winebar  

•    Kildare - Nest Wine and Coffee  

Best Café Sponsored by Illy 

•    Laois – Get StuffeD - Coffee Shop and Homemade Food @ The Storeyard 

•    Offaly - Meet and Fit  

•    Westmeath - Fine

•    Carlow - CIBO Café   

•    Kilkenny - Cafe La Coco  

•    Longford - Moments Cafe & Restaurant  

•    Louth - Rocksalt Café  

•    Meath - Room8   

•    Wexford - O'Hana Cafe  

•    Wicklow - Hollywood Cafe  

•    Kildare - Willow and Wild 

Best World Cuisine Sponsored by San Pellegrino 

•    Laois - Mayur Indian Restaurant   

•    Offaly - Sanjay Kitchen  

•    Westmeath - Bacchus

•    Carlow - Pimento   

•    Kilkenny - Aroi Asian Fusion Restaurant   

•    Longford - Spice India  

•    Louth - Sally Cinnamons Bar   

•    Meath - Cinnamon Garden Restaurant    

•    Wexford - Mi Asian Streetfood  

•    Wicklow - Chakra by Jaipur  

•    Kildare - Lemongrass Naas  

Best Newcomer Sponsored by Square 

•    Laois - Notions

•    Offaly - Old Warehouse  

•    Westmeath - Stairwell

•    Carlow - Waterlilies   

•    Kilkenny - Nóinín     

•    Longford - The Bailey Cafe   

•    Louth - Stack'd Coffee  

•    Meath - Gourmet Food Parlour    

•    Wexford - CDMX  

•    Wicklow - Zenobia  

•    Kildare - The Alumni Kitchen  

Pub of the Year Sponsored by Peroni 

•    Laois - The Thatch Pub

•    Offaly - Hough's  

•    Westmeath - Egan's

•    Carlow - Ewings   

•    Kilkenny - Cleeres   

•    Longford - Duignan's Tallyho  

•    Louth - Russell's Saloon   

•    Meath - James Griffin Pub    

•    Wexford - T Morris Bar  

•    Wicklow - O’Keeffe’s Pub  

•    Kildare - JJ Mahons  

Best Casual Dining Sponsored by Musgrave Marketplace 

•    Laois - Treacy's  

•    Offaly - Browne's Bistro  

•    Westmeath - Cornerhouse Bistro

•    Carlow - The Railway House   

•    Kilkenny - Arán Artisan Bakery & Bistro  

•    Longford - Vocellas  

•    Louth - The Spotted Dog   

•    Meath - The Central Navan   

•    Wexford - One Hundred Degrees  

•    Wicklow - Grangecon Kitchen  

•    Kildare - Silken Thomas  

Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant Sponsored By Frylite 

•    Laois - Ballyfin Demesne

•    Offaly - The Dungeon Bar At Kinnitty Castle Hotel  

•    Westmeath - The Shamrock Lodge

•    Carlow - The Cellar Restaurant At Step House Hotel   

•    Kilkenny - Lady Helen Restaurant At Mount Juliet Estate    

•    Longford - The Richmond Inn  

•    Louth - The Bay Tree Restaurant & Guesthouse  

•    Meath - The Vanilla Pod Restaurant At Headfort Arms Hotel Townparks   

•    Wexford - Aldridge Lodge  

•    Wicklow - Hunter's Hotel  

•    Kildare - Carton House  

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

•    Laois - Kelly's Steakhouse

•    Offaly - The Foxy Bean   

•    Westmeath - Kafe U   

•    Carlow - Clashganny House Restaurant  

•    Kilkenny - Butcher Restaurant   

•    Longford - The Bailey Cafe  

•    Louth - Dooleys Of Edmondstown  

•    Meath - Cinnamon Garden Restaurant  

•    Wexford - Ashdown Park Hotel  

•    Wicklow - Daata  

•    Kildare - Saba Kildare Village  

Best Gastro Pub Sponsored by Worldpay from FIS 

•    Laois - O'Gormans  

•    Offaly - Hennessy's  

•    Westmeath - The Shack

•    Carlow - Teach Dolmain  

•    Kilkenny - The Left Bank  

•    Longford - PVs  

•    Louth - The Trinity Quarter  

•    Meath - The Lime Kiln Gastropub     

•    Wexford - Mary Barry's Bar  

•    Wicklow - The Hollywood Inn  

•    Kildare - Hartes Of Kildare  

Best Chef Sponsored by BWG Foodservice 

•    Laois - Paolo Puddu, Batonis

•    Offaly - Sanjay Vishwakarma, Sanjay's Kitchen   

•    Westmeath - John Coffey, Thyme Restaurant  

•    Carlow - Alan Foley, The Cellar Restaurant At Step House Hotel   

•    Kilkenny - Keith Boyle, Restaurant Lady Anne   

•    Longford - Satish Jothi, Aubergine Nua  

•    Louth - Ronan Lawless, The Clermont  

•    Meath - Paul McCullagh, Zucchini's Restaurant    

•    Wexford - Chris Fullam, The Sea Rooms @ Kelly's Resort  

•    Wicklow - Angela Papakonstantinou, Grangecon Kitchen  

•    Kildare - Gareth Naughton, Neighbourhood  

Best Restaurant Sponsored by San Miguel 

•    Laois - Batonis

•    Offaly - The Blue Apron Restaurant  

•    Westmeath - Thyme Restaurant  

•    Carlow - Sha-Roe Bistro   

•    Kilkenny - Campagne   

•    Longford - Tus Nua  

•    Louth  - Square Restaurant  

•    Meath - Brabazon Restaurant At Tankardstown House   

•    Wexford - La Cote  

•    Wicklow - Chakra by Jaipur  

•    Kildare - Vie De Chateaux 

Sponsors of this Year’s Irish Restaurant Awards: 

•    Avonmore  

•    Bibendum Ireland  

•    BWG Foodservice  

•    Diageo   

•    FBD Insurance  

•    Frylite  

•    Gas Networks Ireland  

•    Halcyon Group  

•    Illy  

•    IMRO  

•    Irish Times  

•    Monin  

•    Musgrave Marketplace  

•    Peninsula  

•    Peroni Nastro Azzurro  

•    Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet   

•    Restaurant-insurance.ie provided by Dolmen   

•    San Miguel   

•    San Pellegrino  

•    Square  

•    Wild Irish Game  

•    Worldpay from FIS