Three Laois winners feature at Irish Restaurant Awards

Laois restaurants featured strongly at the All-Ireland finals of the Irish Restaurant Awards on Monday night. 

Ballyfin Demesne, Roundwood House and Morrisseys were among the recipients of Awards.

Roundwood House was the Leinster winner in the Best Customer Service section, while Morrissey's in Abbeyleix was the Leinster winner in the Pub of the Year section. 

Now in its tenth year, the Awards have continued the trend of growing in both attendee numbers and industry esteem. Over 90,000 online nominations were received for Irish restaurants and hospitality businesses this year. Awards were received from 21 categories that included all areas of the sector and keeping with recent movements, the awards introduced their newest category this year, Best ‘Free From’, which received an impressive response from nominees and the general public.

The full list of winners are: 

Best Gastro Pub winners are as follows:

Dublin - The Legal Eagle

Connaught - Cronin's Sheebeen

Leinster - Lennons Gastro Pub

Munster - Moorings

Ulster - The Brewer's House

All-Ireland - The Legal Eagle

Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant winners are as follows:

Dublin - The Marker Hotel

Connaught - Wilde's at The Lodge

Leinster - Ballyfin Demesne

Munster - Park Hotel Kenmare

Ulster - Newforge House

All-Ireland - Park Hotel Kenmare

Best Newcomer winners are as follows:

Dublin - Michael's Mount Merrion

Connaught - Hooked

Leinster - Barrows Keep

Munster - Dooks Fine Foods Fethard

Ulster - Clenaghans

All-Ireland - Clenaghans

Best Cafe winners are as follows:

Dublin - Honey Truffle

Connaught - Pudding Row

Leinster - Strandfield Café

Munster - Maison Gourmet

Ulster - The Jolly Sandwich Bar

All-Ireland - Pudding Row

Best Wine Experience winners are as follows:

Dublin - Piglet Wine Bar

Connaught - Aniar Restaurant and Boutique Cookery School 

Leinster - La Touche Wines 4 U

Munster - The Black Pig

Ulster - Ox Cave

All-Ireland - Piglet Wine Bar

Best World Cuisine winners are as follows:

Dublin - Nightmarket

Connaught - MoMA Restaurant

Leinster - Pink Salt Indian Restaurant 

Munster - Palmento

Ulster - Tuk Tuk Asian Bistro

All-Ireland - Nightmarket

Best Kids Size Me winners are as follows:

Connaught - Gather Restaurant 

Leinster - Platform Pizza Bar

Munster - GROW HQ Café and Food Education Centre 

Ulster - Amici 

All-Ireland - Michaels Mount Merrion

Best Local Food Hero winners are as follows:

Dublin - Jenny & Patrick McNally of McNally Family Farm

All-Ireland - Mark Murphy & Mark Doe of The Apprentice Chef Programme

Best Casual Dining winners are as follows:

Dublin - Hey Donna

Leinster - Truffles Restaurant & Wine Bar

Munster - PILGRIM'S

Ulster - Shu Restaurant Belfast

All-Ireland - PILGRIM'S

Best Emerging Irish Cuisine winners are as follows:

Dublin - Craft Restaurant 

Connaught - Tartare Café + Wine Bar

Leinster - Kernel Bar & Kitchen

Munster - SAGE Restaurant

Ulster - 28 Darling St

All-Ireland - Craft Restaurant

Best Restaurant Manager winners are as follows:

Dublin - Talha Pasha of Michael's Mount Merrion

Connaught - Lee Hanifa of The Cottage Restaurant

Leinster - Joanne Harding of the Aldridge Lodge

Munster - Sally O'Brien of Farmgate Restaurant and Country Store 

Ulster - Saul McConnell  of NOBLE. Holywood

All-Ireland - Sally O'Brien of Farmgate Restaurant and Country Store 

Best ‘Free From’ winners are as follows:

Dublin - I Monelli

Connaught - Sweet Beat Café 

Leinster - Zucchini's Restaurant

Munster - Nutrilicious Food Co

Ulster - The Dirty Duck

All-Ireland - Sweet Beat Café 

Best Customer Service winners are as follows:

Dublin - Etto

Connaught - House of Plates

Leinster - Roundwood House

Munster - The Mustard Seed at Echo Lodge

Ulster - Harvey's Point

All-Ireland - Harvey's Point

Pub of the Year winners are as follows:

Dublin - Walshs Stoneybatter

Connaught - Flynns Bar

Leinster - Morrisseys

Munster - Murphy's Bar Brandon

Ulster - Tomneys Bar

All-Ireland - Walshs Stoneybatter

Best Chef winners are as follows:

Dublin - Barry Sun Jian of Etto

Connaught - Jess Murphy of Kai Restaurant

Leinster - Sam Moody at Ballyfin Demesne

Munster - Aidan McGrath of Wild Honey Inn

Ulster - Chris McGowan of Wine & Brine

All-Ireland - Jess Murphy of Kai Restaurant

Best Restaurant winners are as follows:

Connaught - Cian's on Bridge Street

Leinster - TwoCooks Restaurant & Wine Bar

Munster - Mews Restaurant 

Ulster - The Muddlers Club

All-Ireland - Etto

National winners are as follows:

Best Private Dining & Club Restaurant - Locks Windsor Terrace

Best Cocktail Experience - The Sidecar at The Westbury 

Best Cookery School - MacNean House & Restaurant

Best Seafood Experience - Klaw Seafood Restaurant

Best Digital Marketing - Kai Restaurant