Mayo winners announced at Connaught final of Irish Restaurants Awards 2022
The Connaught regional final of Irish Restaurant Awards 2022 took place in the Landmark Hotel, Co. Leitrim, this week.
Over 600 restaurant and hospitality business owners and staff celebrated their hard work and achievements at the event, which saw many well-known restaurateurs of Connaught turn out to see if they had won one of the prestigious awards.
Speaking at the Connaught Regional Awards, the vice president of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Mark McGowan, 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.”
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, Best Restaurant and a new award category for 2022, Best Sustainable Practices.
All of the Connaught award 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 Mayo winners on the night were:
- Local Food Hero (sponsored by The Irish Times): Achill Sea Salt - the O’Malley family
- Best Sustainable Practices (sponsored by Gas Networks Ireland): Savoir Fare, Westport
- Best Free From (sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro): Friends Bistro, Westport
- Best Emerging Irish Cuisine (sponsored by FBD): Dining Room, Castlebar
- Best Restaurant Manager (sponsored by AIB Merchant Services): Belleek Castle and Jack Fenn's Cafe & Bistro, Ballina - Eva Casey
- Best Wine Experience (sponsored by Bibendum Ireland): Mount Falcon, Ballina
- Best Café (sponsored by Illy): This Must Be The Place, Westport
- Best World Cuisine (sponsored by San Pellegrino): The Everest, Ballina
- Best Newcomer (sponsored by Square): Seven Wanders, Louisburgh
- Pub of the Year (sponsored by Jameson): Staunton's, Lecanvey
- Best Casual Dining (sponsored by Musgrave Marketplace): Poacher Restaurant, Ballina
- Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant (sponsored by Frylite): Ice House, Ballina
- Best Customer Service (sponsor Restaurant-Insurance.ie, provided by Dolmen): The Cot & Cobble, Ballina
- Best Gastro Pub (sponsored by Worldpay from FIS): Flannery's Bar & Restaurant, Ballinrobe
- Best Chef (sponsored by BWG Foodservice): House Of Plates, Castlebar - Barry Ralph
- Best Restaurant (sponsored by Tindal Wine Merchants): An Port Mór Restaurant, Westport