Big Wicklow Din Wins At Irish Restaurant Awards

Who doesn’t like a bit of Horse when you’re hungry…?

here was much hooting agus hollering from our local eateries at the Leinster finals for this year’s Irish Restaurant Awards at the Killashee Hotel in sunny Kildare on Tuesday.

And that’s because, naturally enough, some of our favourite foodie havens bagged some major Wicklow titles.

When it came to the friendly-verging-on-cuddly Horse & Hound, they walked home with the Best Gastro Pub Award, whilst Chakra once again bagged Best World Cuisine.

Also celebrating on the night was Brian Walsh, whose Caladh on Church Road picked up Best Restaurant.

Other Wicklow winners on the night included Blessington’s Fairway Restaurant grabbing the Best Hotel And Guesthouse Restaurant, Críoch Cafe in The Mermaid got Best Newcomer, Tá Sé in Wicklow Town securing Pub Of The Year, Wicklow Wolf Brewery & Taproom getting the Best Sustainable Practices award, Delgany’s Wine Cottage in, eh, Killincarrig getting Best Wine Experience, Grangecon Kitchen won Best Customer Service, the Employee Excellence Award went to Connor Kinsella of Arklow’s Lo Co Grocer, and Bray’s Catalyst Coffee were named Innovator Of The Year.

When it came to individuals being singled out, Daata Bray’s manager, Aliha Saleem, was named Best Restaurant Manager whilst Best Chef went to Cormac McCreary at Powerscourt Hotel’s Sika Restaurant. Wayne Kelly and Louise Hollingsworth of Kelly’s Fruit & Veg in Wicklow Town got the Wicklow Local Hero Award.

The full list of Wicklow winners reads…

⦿ Best Restaurant Caladh, Greystones

⦿ Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant Fairways Restaurant at Tulfarris Hotel & Golf Resort, Blessington

⦿ Pub of the Year Tá Sé’s, Wicklow town

⦿ Best Restaurant Manager Aliha Saleem, Daata Bray

⦿ Best Chef Cormac McCreary, Sika Restaurant at Powerscourt Hotel

⦿ Best Sustainable Practices Wicklow Wolf Brewery & Taproom

⦿ Innovator of the Year Catalyst Coffee, Bray

⦿ Best Wine Experience Delgany Wine Cottage

⦿ Best Customer Service Grangecon Kitchen

⦿ Best World Cuisine Chakra by Jaipur

⦿ Employee Excellence Award Connor Kinsella, Lo Co Grocer, Arklow

⦿ Best Gastro Pub The Horse and Hound, Delgany

⦿ Wicklow Local Food Hero Wayne Kelly & Louise Hollingsworth, Kelly’s Fruit and Veg, Wicklow town

⦿ Best Newcomer Críoch Cafe

Well done to all the winners, even the stuck-up, annoying feckers.

Now, go show some local love for your favourite chomping ground by voting in our annual competition here.