The Dublin shortlist for the Irish Restaurant Awards 2026 has been announced today, showcasing the very best of the capital’s food and hospitality sector.
Now in its 17th year, the Irish Restaurant Awards received over 150,000 public nominations in 2026, showing the continued support for and engagement with Ireland’s hospitality sector. Nominations were submitted by the public via The Irish Times website.
Please find below the Dublin shortlist:
Best Restaurant - Sponsored by American Express
- Allta
- Amai by Viktor
- Chapter One Restaurant
- China Sichuan
- Forest Avenue
- Lena
- Liath Restaurant
- Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud
- Uno Mas
- Variety Jones
Best Chef - Sponsored by BWG Food Service
- Barry Sun, Volpe Nera
- Eric Matthews, Kicky's
- John Wyer, Forest Avenue
- Kevin O'Donnell, Comet
- Leticia Miranda, Orwell Road Restaurant
- Mickael Viljanen, Chapter One
- Niall Davidson, Allta
- Paul McNamara, Lena
- Sunil Ghai, Pickle
- Viktor Silva, Amai By Viktor
Best Restaurant Manager - Sponsored by Paynt
- Aaron Higgs, Variety Jones
- Benny Jacobs, Pickle
- Darren Campbell, La Gordita
- Darren Darcy, Volpe Nera
- Declan Maxwell, Spitalfields
- Denise McBrien, The Old Spot
- Jess D'Arcy, Mamó Restaurant
- John Healy, Suesey Street
- Richie Barrett, Bang
- Stéphane Robin, Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud
Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant
- 62 Drury Street at Brooks Hotel
- Cantina Valentina at The Hoxton
- Forbes Street by Gareth Mullins at Anantara The Marker
- Intercontinental Dublin, an IHG Hotel
- Jean-Georges at The Leinster
- Mapas Restaurant at Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel
- The Eddison Restaurant at The Dylan Hotel
- The Garden Room at The Merrion Hotel Dublin
- The Saddle Room at The Shelbourne
- Wilde Restaurant at The Westbury
Employee Excellence - Sponsored by Peninsula
- Andrea Saenz Gallarta, Las Tapas de Lola
- Ante Lukic, Pichet
- Ashling Griffin, King Sitric
- Ciaran McCann, Johnnie Foxes Pub
- Emmanuel Montes Martinez, Etto
- Jess Greene, HERA
- Laszlo Molnor, Saba Baggot Street
- Lauren King, Kay’s Kitchen
- Riccardo Scannerini, La Maison
- Sharon Diffney, Pacinos
Best Use Of Social Media – Sponsored by Revolut
- Bah33º The Authentic Gaucho BBQ
- Boeuf Burger
- Chimac
- Cluck Chicken
- Excuse My French
- Kicky's
- Krewe
- Rosa Madre
- Sprout & Co
- Variety Jones
Best Casual Dining - Sponsored by Musgrave Marketplace
- Assassination Custard
- Chez Max
- Chubbys
- Dimmi by Dunne & Crescenzi
- East Café Bar Howth
- Forêt
- La Vespa
- Mermaid Monkstown
- Osteria Lucio
- Vada
Best World Cuisine Sponsored by National Chef de Partie Apprenticeship & National Sous Chef Apprenticeship Programmes
- 31 Leaves Blackrock
- Ananda
- Andhra Bhavan, Marlborough St
- Bigfan
- Daata Sandymount
- Kaldero
- Nightmarket
- Parilla
- Rei Momo
- Yamamori South City
Best Gastro Pub - Sponsored by Hendersons Foodservice
- Caribou
- Davy Byrnes
- F.X. Buckley @ Ryan's Of Parkgate Street
- HERA
- John Kavanagh The Gravediggers
- L. Mulligan Grocer
- MJ Wright
- The Merrion Inn
- The Old Spot
- The Queens Bar
Best Contemporary Irish Cuisine - Sponsored by FBD Insurance
- Bastible
- Comet
- Craft Restaurant
- Delahunt
- Host Restaurant
- Mae Restaurant
- Mamó Restaurant
- Mr Fox
- Orwell Road Restaurant
- Volpe Nera
Best Newcomer - Sponsored by Square
- Bang
- Borgo
- China Song
- Chubbys
- Comet
- Daata George's Street
- Dión Rooftop Restaurant and Bar
- Fitzers Bistro & Bar
- Gloria Osteria Dublin
- Notions Bistro & Natural Wine Bar
Pub Of The Year
- Anseo
- Mulligan's Poolbeg Street
- O'Reillys of Sandymount
- Pantibar
- The Big Romance
- The Cobblestone
- The Long Hall
- The Sackville Lounge
- The Swan Bar
- The Villager
Best Wine Experience - Sponsored by Bibendum
- 64 Wine
- A Fianco
- Bar Pez
- Fíon Eile
- Frank's Green
- Man Wines
- Montys of Kathmandu
- Note Dublin
- Rosa Madre
- The Wine Cellar at Fallon & Byrne
Best Customer Service - Sponsored by Restaurant-Insurance.ie provided by Dolmen
- Ananda China Song
- Etto
- La Maison
- Marco Pierre White Steakhouse & Grill
- Osteria Lucio
- Rasam Restaurant
- Richmond
- Sole Seafood & Grill
- Table 45
Best Cafe - Sponsored by Illy
- Alma
- Baabaa Cafe
- Baked and Bottled
- Brew 21
- Cloud Picker Cafe
- Pearse St
- Excuse My French
- Goat In The Boat
- MELO Castleknock
- Two Boys Brew
- Two Pups
Best Sustainable Practices
- Bread 41
- Fairmental
- Glas Restaurant
- Overends Kitchen
- Sprout & Co
- The Fumbally
- The Seafood Café by Niall Sabongi
- Vada
- Woodruff Wren
- Urban Nest
Innovator of the Year - Sponsored by Diageo
- Amuri Restaurant
- Artybaker Bar
- 1661
- Bread 41
- Flight Club
- HERA
- Mr Fox Whiskey
- Saba Group
- The Corkscrew Wine Merchants
- Tribe
Local Food Hero - Sponsored by Sugar Snap Agency
- Alan and Mark Taylor, Taylor's of Lusk
- Barry and Paul McNerney & John Byrne, Lotts & Co
- Claire and Christopher Arnold, Lennox Street Grocer
- Graham Herterich, The Cupcake Bloke
- Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire, Technological University of Dublin, Grangegorman
- Mark Senn, Mushroom Butcher
- Peter Caviston, Cavistons Restaurant and Food Emporium
- Robert Bullock, Le Patissier
- Simon O'Donnell, Belvedere College
- Tadgh and Damien O'Meara, Kish Fish
