The second of four regional finals in this year’s Irish Restaurant Awards took place in the Lough Erne Resort, Fermanagh last night where 87 awards were presented to the country’s leading chefs, restaurants and pubs.
Over 600 people attended the Ulster Regional Final on Wednesday evening where the top establishments in each county were named.
The ceremony included six regional titles including: Best Café; Best Emerging Irish Cuisine; Best Kids Size Me; Best Restaurant Manager; Best World Cuisine; and Local Food Hero. County winners from each of Ulster’s nine counties were selected from the following categories: Best Restaurant; Best Chef; Best Gastro Pub; Best Casual Dining; Best Hotel Restaurant; Best Customer Service; Best Wine Experience; Best Newcomer; and Pub of the Year.
Speaking at the awards, Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) said: “Now in their ninth year, the Irish Restaurant Awards continue to showcase the exquisite and admirable calibre of food available in our restaurants and pubs nationwide. Online nominations have increased from 9,000 in 2013 to over 80,000 this year and with the increase in interest comes an increase in standards, making the judging process more difficult than ever.
“Our small island boasts everything from fine dining to high quality gastropubs, from the exotic taste explosions of world cuisine to the comfort of traditional dishes. We have an appreciation for what we eat, for the journey of our food from farm to fork, and for the dedication of those working in the food industry to serve up Ireland’s finest food.”
All County winners now compete for the Regional and All Ireland Title which will be announced at the Irish Restaurant Awards in the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, Dublin 2, on Monday 8th May, 2017.
The Winners in Donegal are…
County Winners 2017
Best Restaurant – Sponsored by Dalcassian Wines & Spirits and Cielo Wines
| The Mill Restaurant, Rinclevan, Dunfanaghy |
Best Chef – Sponsored by Pallas Foods
| Colin McKee of Lakeside Restaurant at Harvey’s Point, Lough Eske, Donegal town |
Best Gastro Pub – Sponsored by Coca Cola
| Rosato’s Bar & Restaurant, Main Street, Moville |
Best Casual Dining – Sponsored by San Pellegrino
| The Lemon Tree Restaurant, 39 Lower Main Street, Letterkenny |
Best Hotel Restaurant – Sponsored by Elavon
| Lakeside Restaurant at Harvey’s Point, Lough Eske, Donegal town |
Best Customer Service – Sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro
| Rathmullan House, Lough Eske, Donegal town |
Best Wine Experience – Sponsored by CLASSICdrinks
| Harvey’s Bar at Harvey’s Point, Lough Eske, Donegal town |
Best Newcomer – Sponsored by BWG Foodservice
| 106 Atlantic at the Waterfront Hotel, Dungloe |
Pub of the Year – Sponsored by Bushmills
| Nancy’s Barn, Ballyliffin Village, Ballyliffin |
