The best café, chef, restaurant and more have been revealed in the Irish Restaurant Awards, in a glamorous ceremony attended by many of the country's most prominent food experts.
After a lengthy qualifying process, the All Ireland Final of Irish Restaurant Awards 2022 took place in the Convention Centre Dublin (CCD) on Monday 19 September 2022.
Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen was named Ireland's best restaurant for 2022, re-asserting its status as one of the most in-demand food spots in the country.
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They fended off tough competition from Aimsir in Kildare, Dede in Cork, Lignum in Galway, Deanes Eipic in Belfast and Restaurant Chestnut in West Cork.
The esteemed restaurant recently reopened with Finnish chef Mickael Viljanen taking over as chef-patron from Ross Lewis, and has since garnered more positive reviews and press for its minimalist take on local and seasonal Irish cuisine, blended with luxury staples like fois gras and truffles.
Elsewhere, Tiller + Grain on Dublin's Frederick's St, was named best café in Ireland, while The Rusty Mackerel in Donegal was named the best gastro pub.
Ahmet Dede, of Dede in Cork was named the best chef in Ireland, while The Sky & the Ground in Wexford was named the best pub in the country.
Almost 900 restaurant and hospitality business owners and staff came together to celebrate food and hospitality, following two of the most challenging but in some ways rewarding years for the industry, as the pandemic heightened customers' appreciation for food and service in Ireland.
Now running for 13 years, the awards had been paused for two years during the outbreak of Covid-19. However, they received a record 100,000 online public nominations in June this year, with almost 3,000 attendees taking part in their regional events in Meath, Cavan, Cork and Leitrim.
Speaking at the Irish Restaurant Awards All Ireland Final, President of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Paul Lenehan, said; "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.
"We are delighted to have the Awards back up and running again and it has been a fantastic display of what the industry has to offer here tonight in the Convention Centre Dublin (CCD)."
Read the full list of winners below:
Best Restaurant sponsored by Tindal Wine Merchants
- Leinster: Aimsir
- Ulster: Deanes Eipic Belfast
- Munster: Restaurant Chestnut
- Connaught: Lignum
- Dublin: Chapter One
- All Ireland: Chapter One
Best Café sponsored by Illy
- Leinster: Mullichain Cafe, Glynn
- Ulster: Brøn Cafe Bar and Restaurant
- Munster: Café Lógr, Adare
- Connaught: Lyons Cafe And Bakeshop, Sligo
- Dublin: Tiller + Grain
- All Ireland: Tiller + Grain
Best Chef sponsored by BWG Foodservice
- Leinster: Lady Helen Restaurant Thomastown, John Kelly
- Ulster: The Olde Glen Bar Carrickart, Ciaran Sweeny
- Munster: Dede, Ahmet Dede
- Connaught: Enda McEvoy, Galway
- Dublin: Dax Restaurant, Graham Neville
- All Ireland: Dede, Ahmet Dede
Best Gastro Pub sponsored by Worldpay from FIS
- Leinster: Butler and Barry Gastrobar
- Ulster: The Rusty Mackerel
- Munster: The Glenbeigh Hotel
- Connaught: Coyne's Gastropub, Kilkieran
- Dublin: Davy Byrnes
- All Ireland: The Rusty Mackerel
Pub of the Year sponsored by Jameson
- Leinster: The Sky & the Ground
- Ulster: Charlie's Bar, Enniskillen
- Munster: Mutton Lane Inn
- Connaught: Lowry’s Bar, Clifden
- Dublin: The Old Stand
- All Ireland: The Sky & the Ground
Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant sponsored By Frylite
- Leinster: Mount Juliet Estate,Thomastown
- Ulster: McNean House And Restaurant, Blacklion
- Munster: Cashel Palace Hotel
- Connaught: Foyles Hotel Clifden
- Dublin: The Shelbourne Hotel
- All Ireland: Mount Juliet Estate, Thomastown
Best Newcomer sponsored by Square
- Leinster: Canal Square, Kilkenny
- Ulster: Frae, Holywood
- Munster: Beach House, Tramore
- Connaught: Éan
- Dublin: Orwell Road Restaurant
- All Ireland: Orwell Road Restaurant
Best Wine Experience sponsored by Bibendum Ireland
- Leinster: Ely Wine Store, Maynooth
- Ulster: Ox Cave, Belfast
- Munster: Sheen Falls Lodge, Kenmare
- Connaught: Walker 1781, Sligo
- Dublin: NOTE, Dublin
- All Ireland: Ely Wine Store, Maynooth
Best World Cuisine sponsored by San Pellegrino
- Leinster: Pink Salt Indian Restaurant
- Ulster: Chandpur Restaurant, Donegal
- Munster: Mezze, Tramore
- Connaught: Miso Izakaya, Sligo
- Dublin: BIGFAN
- All Ireland: Mezze, Tramore
Best Casual Dining sponsored by Musgrave Marketplace
- Leinster: The Enniskerry Inn
- Ulster: The Copper Tap & 1806
- Munster: Goldie Cork City
- Connaught: Poacher Restaurant, Ballina
- Dublin: Nannetti's
- All Ireland: Goldie, Cork City
Local Food Hero sponsored by The Irish Times
- Leinster: Butcher Restaurant Kilkenny, Mark Williams
- Ulster: Native Seafood, Stevie And Rebecca Mccarry
- Munster: Paradiso Cork City, Denis Cotter
- Connaught: Kylemore Farmhouse Cheese, Teresa Roche
- Dublin: Bread 41, Eoin McCluskly
- All Ireland: Bread 41, Eoin McCluskly
Best Sustainable Practices sponsored by Gas Networks Ireland
- Leinster: The Green Barn Restaurant
- Ulster: Olde Post Inn
- Munster :Grow HQ Waterford
- Connaught: Sweet Beat Café
- Dublin: Airfield Estate
- All Ireland: Grow HQ Waterford
Best Free From sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro
- Leinster: Truffles Restaurant, Kilkenny
- Ulster: The Hive
- Munster: Copia Green
- Connaught: Greens & Co.
- Dublin: Vietnom
- All Ireland: Copia Green
Best Emerging Irish Cuisine sponsored by FBD
- Leinster: The Heritage, Killenard
- Ulster: Clenaghans Restaurant
- Munster: Old Couch Café
- Connaught: Fish And Bean, Rosses Point
- Dublin: Margadh Food & Wine, Howth
- All Ireland: Old Couch Café
Best Restaurant Manager sponsored by AIB Merchant Services
- Leinster: Vanilla Pod Restaurant Kells, Lareina Quigley
- Ulster: Noble, Saul Mcconnel
- Munster: The Mustard Seed, John Edward Joyce
- Connaught: Buffalo Boy, Gabriel Camburu
- Dublin: Nightmarket, Conor Sexton
- All Ireland: Nightmarket, Conor Sexton
Best Customer Service sponsored Restaurant-Insurance.ie Provided by Dolmen
- Leinster: Treacy’s Bar and Restaurant
- Ulster: Oak Room Restaurant
- Munster: Mitchel House Restaurant
- Connaught: The Twelve
- Dublin: Uno Mas
- All Ireland: Uno Mas
Best Cookery School, All Ireland – Aniar Restaurant & Boutique Cookery School
Best Seafood Experience, All Ireland – Beach House, Tramore
Best Cocktail Experience, All Ireland – Hilliards, Skirmantas "Mossy" Lelys
Private Dining & Club, All Ireland – No 25 Fitzwilliam Place
Best Digital Marketing, All Ireland – Michael's, Mount Merrion
