Northern Ireland Triumphant at Irish Restaurant Awards!
Last night, the Restaurants Association of Ireland held its ninth All-Ireland Irish Restaurant Awards at The Clayton Hotel Burlington Road, Dublin and named the top restaurants in Ireland for 2017.
Over 900 restaurateurs and staff attended the sold out, black tie event which celebrated the hard work and achievements within the industry over the last 12 months.
Guests were treated to a lavish six course gala dinner prepared by a team of five chefs. The Awards Chef Team is hand-picked by the Restaurants Association each year and is made up of winning chefs from the previous year’s awards with each Chef representing a region of Ireland.
Taste of Ulster members came out on top at the awards with Danni Barry of Deanes EIPIC, Belfast taking home the 2017 All-Ireland Best Chef title.
Originally from Mayobridge, Co Down Danni Barry is Ireland’s only Michelin-starred female chef and won the prestigious All-Ireland Best Chef at last night’s awards. Fellow Taste of Ulster member, Ox Belfast’s Alain Kerloc’h picked up the accolade of All-Ireland Best Restaurant Manager. That wasn’t the only award for Alain and his team as Ox Cave was awarded the accolade of Best Wine Experience in Ireland.
Continuing the success in Belfast, The Muddler’s Club, picked up the All-Ireland award for Best Casual Dining.
The Walled City Brewery, a unique restaurant and brewhouse located in Ebrington Square, Derry-Londonderry was named Best Gastro Pub at the awards while the city’s Lost & Found was named Best Cafe respectively in Ireland.
Speaking at the awards, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland Adrian Cummins commented, “This is the ninth and most successful year of the Irish Restaurant Awards to date. These Awards are the accolades of the Irish restaurant industry – everybody wants to win one. From over 70,000 online nominations cast earlier this year to 2,500 guests attending our regional events, it is clear that the stature, calibre and reputation of the awards is expanding at a considerable rate and it is all in aid of recognising the talent within our sector. All winners and finalists here tonight are very deserving of their awards.”
The full list of regional and All-Ireland winners is as follows;
Best Restaurant – Sponsored by Dalcassian Wines & Spirits and Astoria Wines
- All -Ireland – Chapter One, Dublin
- Dublin – Chapter One, Dublin
- Connaught – Kai Café & Restaurant, Galway
- Leinster – Sha-Roe Bistro, Carlow
- Munster – Wild Honey Inn, Clare
- Ulster – MacNean House & Restaurant, Cavan
Best Chef – Sponsored by Pallas Foods
- All -Ireland – Danni Barry of Deanes EIPIC, Antrim
- Dublin – Ciaran Sweeney of Forest & Marcy, Dublin
- Connaught – Shamzuri Hanifa of The Cottage Restaurant, Leitrim
- Leinster – Gary O’Hanlon of VM Restaurant at Viewmount House, Longford
- Munster – Keith Boyle of The Bay Tree Bistro, Waterford
- Ulster – Danni Barry of Deanes EIPIC, Antrim
Best Restaurant Manager – Tindal Wine Merchants
- All -Ireland – Alain Kerloc’h of OX, Antrim
- Dublin – John Healy of Suesey Street, Dublin
Pub of the Year – Sponsored by Bushmills
- All -Ireland – Morrissey’s, Laois
- Dublin – The Long Hall, Dublin
- Connaught – John Morans Bar, Mayo
- Leinster – Morrissey’s, Laois
- Munster – Davy Macs, Waterford
- Ulster – The Coach House & Olde Bar, Monaghan
Best Hotel Restaurant – Sponsored by Elavon
- All -Ireland – The Dining Room at Gregans Castle Hotel, Clare
- Dublin – The Saddle Room at The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin
- Connaught – Wildes at the Lodge, Mayo
- Leinster – Ballyfin Demesne, Laois
- Munster – The Dining Room at Gregans Castle Hotel, Clare
- Ulster – St Kyrans Country House Restaurant, Cavan
Best Newcomer – Sponsored by BWG Food Service
- All -Ireland – Forest & Marcy, Dublin
- Dublin – Forest & Marcy, Dublin
- Connaught – Cian’s On Bridge Street, Mayo
- Leinster – Three Old Bar & Restaurant, Louth
- Munster – Holy Smoke, Cork
- Ulster – Bull & Ram, Down
Best Gastro Pub – Sponsored by Coca-Cola HBC
- All -Ireland – Walled City Brewery, Derry
- Dublin – The Exchequer, Dublin
- Connaught – Keenans of Tarmonbarry Gastro Bar, Roscommon
- Leinster – Mary Barry’s Bar, Wexford
- Munster – Morrissey’s Bar and Restaurant, Clare
- Ulster – Walled City Brewery, Derry
Best Customer Service – Sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzuro
- All -Ireland – The Maigue Restaurant at Dunraven Arms Hotel, Limerick
- Dublin – Chapter One, Dublin
- Connaught – Library Restaurant at Belleek Castle, Mayo
- Leinster – LENNONS @ VISUAL, Carlow
- Munster – The Maigue Restaurant at Dunraven Arms Hotel, Limerick
- Ulster – MacNean House & Restaurant, Cavan
Best Casual Dining – Sponsored by S. Pellegrino
- All -Ireland – The Muddlers Club, Antrim
- Dublin – Etto, Dublin
- Connaught – Bar One, Mayo
- Leinster – Wild and Native, Wexford
- Munster – Momo Restaurant, Waterford
- Ulster – The Muddlers Club, Antrim
Best Wine Experience – Sponsored by CLASSICdrinks
- All -Ireland – OX Cave, Antrim
- Dublin – Etto, Dublin
- Connaught – Sheridans Cheesemongers – Wine Bar, Galway
- Leinster – Greenacres, Wexford
- Munster – L’Atitude51 Wine Café, Cork
- Ulster – OX Cave, Antrim
Best Kids Size Me – Sponsored by Heinz Ireland
- All -Ireland – Café Rua, Mayo
- Dublin – Farmhill, Dublin
Best World Cuisine – Sponsored by Dubliner Cheese
- All -Ireland – Wa Café, Galway
- Dublin – 777, Dublin
Best Wine Experience – Sponsored by CLASSICdrinks
- All -Ireland – OX Cave, Antrim
- Dublin – Etto, Dublin
- Connaught – Sheridans Cheesemongers – Wine Bar, Galway
- Leinster – Greenacres, Wexford
- Munster – L’Atitude51 Wine Café, Cork
- Ulster – OX Cave, Antrim
Best World Cuisine – Sponsored by Dubliner Cheese
- All -Ireland – Wa Café, Galway
- Dublin – 777, Dublin
Best Café – Sponsored by Illy Caffe
- All -Ireland – Lost & Found, Derry
- Dublin – Meet Me in the Morning, Dublin
Local Food Hero – Sponsored by Rewarding Times
- All -Ireland – Michael Kelly of GROW HQ, Waterford
- Dublin – Brid & Colm Carter of Honest2Goodness, Dublin
Best Emerging Irish Cuisine – Sponsored by Odaois
- All -Ireland – Forest & Marcy, Dublin
- Dublin – Forest & Marcy, Dublin
Best Digital Marketing – Sponsored by Open Table
- All -Ireland – Two Boys Brew, Dublin
Best Cookery School – Sponsored by Avonmore
- All -Ireland – Riot Rye Bakehouse & Bread School, Tipperary
Best Private Dining & Club Restaurant – Sponsored by Laurent Perrier
- All -Ireland – Pullman Restaurant at Glenlo Abbey Hotel, Galway
Best Seafood Experience – Sponsored by Restaurants Association of Ireland
- All -Ireland – Fish Shop Queen St, Dublin
Best Cocktail Experience– Sponsored by Ketel One Vodka
- All -Ireland – Candlelight Bar at Siam Thai Dundrum, Dublin
