The winners from the four provinces as well as the Dublin shortlist have been announced ahead of the RAI's Irish Restaurant Awards in May.
Among the Dublin restaurants shortlisted for best restaurant were some of the stalwarts of Irish cuisine including Chapter One, l'Ecrivain and Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, as well as some newer players like John Farrell's Luna, new Michelin star winner Greenhouse and Ranelagh hideaway Brioche.
Outside of Dublin in Leinster, notable winners were John Coffey's Thyme Restaurant in Westmeath, The Pigeon House Café in Wicklow and perennial favourite Campagne in Kilkenny.
In Munster, local and tourist hotspot 1826 Adare picked up the best restaurant in Limerick, while Kevin Aherne's Sage was the Cork winner. Paul Flynn's Tannery picked up the Waterford gong.
In Connaught, the plaudits continue to roll in for Michelin star chef Enda McEvoy (pictured) whose Loam restaurant won best in Galway while McEvoy himself was awarded best chef. The same can be said of Shamzuri Hanifa of The Cottage Restaurant in Leitrim. Sage restaurant in Westport came out on top in Mayo.
Harry's Restaurant in Bridgend was the unsurprising winner in Donegal, while The Boat House (Down), The Red Pepper (Tyrone) and The Muddlers Club Belfast (Antrim) also picked up gongs.
The overall winners will be decided at the All Ireland Titles held at the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel, Dublin on Monday 16th May. The winners will be decided by a combination of a mystery guest visit, a judging panel and a menu judging.
Speaking at the awards, chief executive of the RAI Adrian Cummins said: “The Irish Restaurant Awards celebrate their eighth year this year and have become the Island’s biggest food awards.
"The credibility that these awards have is reflected in the amount of nominations they received this year – over 70,000 individual nominations were cast across fourteen categories, showing that these are the awards that everyone wants to win.”
Below is a full list of the winners in each county and the Dublin shortlist:
Dublin:
- Brioche
- Chapter One
- China Sichuan
- Forest Avenue
- Greenhouse
- l’Ecrivain
- Locks
- Luna
- Restaurant Forty One at Residence
- Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud
Leinster:
- Carlow: Sha-Roe Bistro
- Kildare: Vie de Châteaux
- Kilkenny: Campagne
- Laois: Batoni’s
- Longford: Black Olive Restaurant
- Louth: The Bay Tree Restaurant at Belvedere House
- Meath: Zucchini’s
- Offaly: The Blue Apron Restaurant
- Westmeath: Thyme Restaurant
- Wexford: La Cote Seafood Restaurant
- Wicklow: The Pigeon House Café
Munster:
- Clare: Wild Honey Inn
- Cork: Sage Restaurant
- Kerry: Idás restaurant
- Limerick: 1826 Adare
- Tipperary: Chez Hans
- Waterford: Tannery Restaurant
Connaught:
- Galway: Loam
- Leitrim: the cottage restaurant
- Mayo: Sage Restaurant, Westport
- Roscommon: The Purple Onion
- Sligo : Eala Bhan Restaurant
Ulster:
- Antrim: The Muddlers Club Belfast
- Armagh: Uluru Bar & Grill
- Cavan: MacNean House & Restaurant
- Donegal: Harry's Restaurant
- Down: The Boat House
- Fermanagh: Watermill Restaurant
- Monaghan: Courthouse Restaurant
- Tyrone: The Red Pepper
- Derry: Browns Restaurant & Champagne Lounge
