County winners from across the region of Leinster were announced at the 2026 Irish Restaurant Awards Leinster Regional Final on Tuesday, 3 March.
The very best in food and hospitality across the province were celebrated at the Killashee Hotel in Kildare, with more than 1,100 guests in attendance.
Now in its 17th year, the Irish Restaurant Awards attracted over 150,000 public nominations, submitted via The Irish Times.
Once all regional finals conclude, both Regional and All-Ireland winners will be revealed at the All-Ireland Awards Gala Dinner on Monday, 18 May at the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, Dublin. County winners from Leinster are now invited to secure tickets for the national ceremony.
Best Restaurant – Sponsored by American Express
Carlow: Sha-Roe Bistro
Kilkenny: Campagne
Laois: Bramley Abbeyleix
Longford: Midtown Kitchen & Bar
Louth: Square Restaurant
Meath: Zucchini's Restaurant Navan
Offaly: The Blue Apron Restaurant
Westmeath: Thyme Restaurant
Wexford: La Côte Seafood Restaurant
Wicklow: Caladh
Kildare: Neighbourhood Naas
Best Chef – Sponsored by BWG Food Service
Carlow: Alan Foley, The Cellar Restaurant at Step House Hotel
Kilkenny: John Kelly, Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate
Laois: Richard Picard-Edwards, Ballyfin Demesne
Longford: Marco Fabbi, Sorrento Restaurant
Louth: Mark Gormley, The Clermont
Meath: Johnny Sarkozi, Brabazon Restaurant at Tankardstown House
Offaly: Anthony O’Connor, Old Warehouse
Westmeath: John Coffey, Thyme Restaurant
Wexford: David Harte, The Sea Rooms at Kelly’s Resort
Wicklow: Cormac McCreary, Sika Restaurant at Powerscourt Hotel
Kildare: Adam Nevin, The Morrison Room at Carton House
Best Restaurant Manager – Sponsored by Paynt
Carlow: Maya Dzianach, Pimento
Kilkenny: Paul Byrne, Zuni Restaurant & Boutique Hotel
Laois: Carmel Boyle, Ballyfin Demesne
Longford: Frances Nugent, Spice India Longford
Louth: Wayne Fitzpatrick, No. 3 Wine Bar & Restaurant
Meath: Annesu Oliver, Tribe Restaurant Duleek
Offaly: Kristina Sapovala, S Cafe
Westmeath: Trevor Byrne, Scanlons Pub
Wexford: Mark Walshe, Table Forty One
Wicklow: Aliha Saleem, Daata Bray
Kildare: Shauna Ronan, Hartes of Kildare
Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant
Carlow: The Cellar Restaurant at Step House Hotel
Kilkenny: Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate
Laois: Ballyfin Demesne Longford: Longford Arms Hotel
Louth: Scholars Townhouse Hotel
Meath: The Signal Restaurant at The Station House
Offaly: Hackett’s Eatery at County Arms Birr
Westmeath: Bloomfield House Hotel
Wexford: Ashdown Park Hotel
Wicklow: Fairways Restaurant at Tulfarris Hotel & Golf Resort
Kildare: The Morrison Room at Carton House
Best World Cuisine – Sponsored by National Chef de Partie Apprenticeship & National Sous Chef Apprenticeship Programmes
Carlow: Pimento
Kilkenny: Tābú
Laois: Namo
Longford: Spice India Longford
Louth: Sitar Indian Restaurant & Takeaway
Meath: Eatzen Restaurant
Offaly: Sanjay's Kitchen
Westmeath: Spice India Athlone
Wexford: Nori
Wicklow: Chakra by Jaipur
Kildare: Red Torch Ginger Maynooth
Employee Excellence – Sponsored by Peninsula
Carlow: Courtney Burke, Goodly Barrow
Kilkenny: Agnieszka Mokrzycka, Cafe La Coco
Laois: Orla Maher, Morrissey’s Pub Abbeyleix
Longford: Hanna Kadet, Newcastle House
Louth: Kate Traynor, Carlingford Brewing Company
Meath: Sophie Hogan, Hogan’s Farm Shop & Cafe
Offaly: Klaudia Iskra, Meet&Fit
Westmeath: Aimee Clarke, James Joyce Restaurant at Greville Arms Hotel
Wexford: Ellie Mulligan, Lobster Pot
Wicklow: Connor Kinsella, Lo Co Grocer
Kildare: Tom Breen, Vi’s Restaurant at Lawlor’s of Naas
Best Use of Social Media
Carlow: Mullichain Cafe
Kilkenny: Arán Artisan Bakery & Bistro
Laois: Make and Mark
Longford: Jolly Boys Pizza & Grill Ballymahon
Louth: Mo Chara
Meath: Sage & Stone Offaly: J.J. Houghs Singing Pub
Westmeath: Weir’s Bar & Restaurant
Wexford: Bearú
Wicklow: Little Acorn Cafe
Kildare: Firecastle Kildare
Best Casual Dining – Sponsored by Musgrave Marketplace
Carlow: Waterlilies Café Tullow Market Square
Kilkenny: Arán Artisan Bakery & Bistro
Laois: Bowe’s Foodhall & Cafe
Longford: PV’s Longford
Louth: Kingfisher Bistro
Meath: Inside Out
Offaly: Luker’s Bar, Restaurant & Live Music Venue
Westmeath: Poppy Fields Cafe
Wexford: Partridges Artisan Cafe & Fine Food Shop
Wicklow: Roundwood Stores
Kildare: Rye River Café
Best Gastro Pub – Sponsored by Hendersons Foodservice
Carlow: Conway’s Bar & Restaurant
Kilkenny: Left Bank
Laois: O’Gormans Bar & Restaurant
Longford: Richmond Inn
Louth: Blue Anchor
Meath: Matt the Thresher Julianstown
Offaly: Hennessy’s
Westmeath: The Villager Bar & Restaurant
Wexford: Mary Barry’s Bar
Wicklow: The Horse and Hound, Delgany
Kildare: Hartes of Kildare
Best Contemporary Irish Cuisine – Sponsored by FBD Insurance
Carlow: The Cellar Restaurant at Step House Hotel
Kilkenny: Dizzy Goat Restaurant
Laois: Ballyfin Demesne
Longford: The Glenview Bar and Lounge
Louth: The Spotted Dog
Meath: The Vanilla Pod Restaurant at Headfort Arms Hotel
Offaly: Old Warehouse
Westmeath: Days Bazaar Mullingar
Wexford: Bearú
Wicklow: Albatross Restaurant at Rathsallagh Golf Club
Kildare: The Green Barn
Best Newcomer – Sponsored by Square
Carlow: Brew Stop Café
Kilkenny: Wildflower Tearooms
Laois: Coffee to a Tea
Longford: Gooseberry Cafe
Louth: East
Meath: Forge & Bellows
Offaly: Crun Chicken
Westmeath: The Lough Ree Inn
Wexford: Meraki Cafe Lounge
Wicklow: Críoch Cafe at The Mermaid
Kildare: Ernie’s @ Shackelton Experience
Pub of the Year
Carlow: Tully’s Bar Carlow
Kilkenny: The Dylan Whisky Bar
Laois: The Fisherman’s Thatched Inn
Longford: Ronnie Nally & Sons
Louth: The Vinegar Man
Meath: Marcie Regan’s Pub
Offaly: Craughwell’s Pub
Westmeath: The Snug Bar
Wexford: Mackens the Cape Bar
Wicklow: Tá Sé’s
Kildare: James Nolan’s Pub
Best Wine Experience – Sponsored by Bibendum
Carlow: Lord Bagenal Inn
Kilkenny: Ristorante Rinuccini
Laois: Batonis
Longford: Vocella’s
Louth: D’Vine Bistro & Tapas Bar
Meath: Parterre at Johnstown Estate
Offaly: The Blue Apron Restaurant
Westmeath: The Left Bank Bistro
Wexford: The Conservatory Restaurant at Marlfield House Hotel
Wicklow: Delgany Wine Cottage
Kildare: Barton Grill Restaurant at the K Club
Best Customer Service – Sponsored by Restaurant-Insurance.ie provided by Dolmen
Carlow: Lennons @ Visual
Kilkenny: Tābú
Laois: Treacy’s Bar and Restaurant
Longford: The Rustic Inn
Louth: Carrickdale Hotel and Spa
Meath: The Village Hotel
Offaly: Emma’s Cafe
Westmeath: Il Colosseo
Wexford: Reeds Restaurant at Ferrycarrig Hotel
icklow: Grangecon Kitchen
Kildare: Clanard Court Hotel
Best Café – Sponsored by Illy
Carlow: Rachel’s Garden Café at Arboretum
Kilkenny: Knockdrinna Cafe
Laois: Mueller & O’Connell Bakery
Longford: Fabiani
Louth: Strandfield
Meath: Bácús Cafe
Offaly: The Bog’s Dollops
Westmeath: The Stables Tea Rooms
Wexford: Grálinn Sunny Row
Wicklow: Scéal Bakery
Kildare: Hey Darling Naas
Best Sustainable Practices
Carlow: The Green Lemon Cafe and Bakery
Kilkenny: Statham’s by Pembroke Kilkenny
Laois: Solas Eco Garden Centre
Longford: Fiona Egan Cloughan Farm & Cookery School
Louth: Forge Field Farm Coffee Shop
Meath: Platterbylu Trim – Café and Artisan Pantry
Offaly: Biasol
Westmeath: Bastion Kitchen
Wexford: Ashdown Park Hotel
Wicklow: Wicklow Wolf Brewery & Taproom
Kildare: Woodstack Cafe
Innovator of the Year – Sponsored by Diageo
Carlow: The Green Lemon Cafe and Bakery
Kilkenny: Arán Artisan Bakery & Bistro
Laois: The Merry Mill
Longford: John Stone Beef
Louth: King of Kefir
Meath: Centre of Food Culture Boyne Valley
Offaly: Ballycommon Bake House
Westmeath: Irish Craft Soda Company
Wexford: Fat Tomato
Wicklow: Catalyst Coffee – Beach
Kildare: Lock 13 Gastropub & Brewpub
Local Food Hero – Sponsored by Sugar Snap Agency
Carlow: John Whelan, The Devil's Menu
Kilkenny: Sean Ring, Ring’s Farm
Laois: Cormac & Tracy Loonam, The Red Shed
Longford: Pat & Fiona McCormack, The Farmhouse Bees and Trees
Louth: Kian Louët-Feisser, Carlingford Oyster Company
Meath: Michael & Jenny Finegan, Boyne Valley Farmhouse Cheese
Offaly: Margaret Edgill, Mount Briscoe Organic Farm
Westmeath: The Gillivan Family, Gillivan’s Moate Meats
Wexford: Catherine Kinsella, Saltrock Dairy
Wicklow: Wayne Kelly & Louise Hollingsworth, Kelly’s Fruit and Veg
Kildare: Graham Herterich, Ernie’s @ Shackelton Experience
