Bishop’s Gate Hotel wins Best Customer Service in Irish Restaurant Awards
And during the Ulster Regional Awards for the 2019 Irish Restaurant Awards, some of Derry’s finest eateries, bars, restaurants and hotels carrying the flag for Derry.
They included Bishops’ Gate Hotel, The Shipquay Hotel, the Walled City Brewery, The Sooty Olive, The Primrose Bar, Browns in Town, Soda and Starch, Browns Bond Hill, Peadar O’Donnell’s, Nonnas Wood Fired Pizzas, Mekong Street Food, Hidden City Café, and Church Street Restaurant.
Over 450 restaurant owners and staff attended the second of four regional events where the top establishments in each county were named.
The awards covered a wide range of venues and the winners from each of Ulster’s nine counties were selected from the following categories: Best Casual Dining, Best Emerging Irish Cuisine, Best Kids Size Me, Best ‘Free From’, Best World Cuisine, Best Restaurant Manager, Best Wine Experience, Pub of the Year, Best Café, Best Customer Service, Best Gastro Pub, Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant, Best Newcomer, Best Chef and Best Restaurant. There was also a special Regional award for Ulster’s Local Food Hero.
Speaking at the awards, Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) said:
“Now in their 11th year, the Irish Restaurant Awards continue to showcase the incredible food that is on offer in the cafes, pubs and restaurants of Ireland, as well as recognising the teams behind these establishments and the hard work and dedication that they put in.
“With well over 80,000 nominations received from the public this year, the standard for the judging process was higher than ever.
“Ireland may be a small country, but it boasts everything from fine dining to high quality gastropubs, from the comfort of traditional Irish food to exploring the world though exotic world cuisine, the Irish restaurant industry has much to offer.
“We have an appreciation for what we eat and where our food comes from, as well as the dedication of those working in the food industry”.
Those who won at county level will progress to the All-Ireland event on May 13 with the restaurants that have already won in Leinster, where they will all compete for the Regional and All-Ireland titles.
Well done to all the Derry establishments and good luck in May.
Best Restaurant – Sponsored by Tindal Wine Merchants
Antrim: Ox
Armagh: 4 Vicars
Cavan: MacNean House and Restaurant
Derry: The Sooty Olive
Donegal: The Lemon Tree Restaurant
Down: NOBLE.
Fermanagh: 28 Darling Street
Tyrone: Oysters Restaurants
Monaghan: Courthouse Restaurant
Best Chef – Sponsored by Nisbets
Antrim: Alex Greene of Deanes Eipic
Armagh: Simon Dougan of The Yellow Door
Cavan: Gearóid Lynch of The Olde Post Inn
Derry: Bryn Evans of Primrose Derry
Donegal: Colin McKee of Harvey’s Point
Down: Chris McGowan of Wine & Brine
Fermanagh: Noel McMeel of The Catalina Restaurant at Lough Erne Resort
Tyrone: Colin Mc Menamin of The Red Pepper
Monaghan: Conor Mee of Courthouse Restaurant
Best Restaurant Manager – Sponsored by AIB Merchant Services
Antrim: Gareth McCaughey of The Muddlers Club
Armagh: James Scott at The Bawn Pantry
Cavan: Blaithin McCabe at MacNean House & Restaurant
Derry: Stephanie Bradley of Walled City Brewery
Donegal: Orhan Erinc of Harvey’s Point
Down: Saul McConnell of NOBLE.
Fermanagh: Charlie Oldcroft of The Moorings Restaurant
Tyrone: Caroline Clarke of Oysters Restaurant
Monaghan: Shane Treanor of Porky’s Restaurant at The Squealing Pig
Best Customer Service – Sponsored by Lockton
Antrim: The Muddlers Club
Armagh: Newforge House
Cavan: People’s Restaurant
Derry: Bishop’s Gate Hotel
Donegal: Harvey’s Point
Down: NOBLE.
Fermanagh: Tully Mill Restaurant
Tyrone: Restaurant 1861 at Sion Stables
Monaghan: Snaffles Restaurant at Castle Leslie
Best Hotel and Guesthouse Restaurant – Sponsored by BWG Food Service
Antrim: The Taylor & Clay Restaurant at Bullitt Hotel
Armagh: Newforge House
Cavan: The Courtroom Restaurant at Cabra Castle Hotel
Derry: The Shipquay Hotel
Donegal: Rathmullan House
Down: Rayanne House
Fermanagh: The Catalina Restaurant at Lough Erne Resort
Tyrone: The Kitchen at Tullylagan Country House Hotel
Monaghan: Snaffles Restaurant at Castle Leslie
Best Gastro Pub – Sponsored by Elavon
Antrim: The Morning Star
Armagh: Clenaghans
Cavan: Murph’s Bistro at the Derragarra Inn
Derry: Walled City Brewery
Donegal: The House Gastro Pub
Down: The Dirty Duck
Fermanagh: The TapHouse
Tyrone: The Brewer’s House
Monaghan: Andy’s Bar & Restaurant
Best Café – Sponsored by Illy
Antrim: Curated Kitchen & Coffee
Armagh: The Bawn Pantry
Cavan: Hard Boiled Egg Cafe
Derry: Primrose on the Quay
Donegal: The Salty Fox
Down: McCooey’s
Fermanagh: The Jolly Sandwich Bar
Tyrone: Deli On The Green
Monaghan: Dinkin’s Home Bakery & Cafe
Pub of the Year – Sponsored by Jameson Caskmates
Antrim: Sunflower Public House
Armagh: McConville’s
Cavan: Gartlan’s
Derry: Peadar O’Donnell’s
Donegal: The Rusty Mackerel
Down: Ned’s Bar
Fermanagh: Blakes Of The Hollow
Tyrone: Tomneys Bar
Monaghan: Coach House & Olde Bar
Best Wine Experience – Sponsored by Gilbeys with Bibendum
Antrim: OX
Armagh: Clenaghans
Cavan: MacNean House & Restaurant
Derry: Browns In Town
Donegal: Harvey’s Point
Down: NOBLE.
Fermanagh: Watermill Lodge Restaurant
Tyrone: The Brewer’s House
Monaghan: The Fiddlers Elbow
Best Newcomer
Antrim: Bia Rebel Ramen
Armagh: Arose Coffee Shop
Cavan: The Stone Cottage Restaurant
Derry: Nonnas Wood Fired Pizzas
Donegal: Fisk Seafood Bar
Down: Hara
Fermanagh: Belle Isle Bistro
Tyrone: District 80 Restaurant
Monaghan: Kinga’s Café
Best World Cuisine
Antrim: Jumon
Armagh: Bengal Tandoori
Cavan: Chilli Lounge
Derry: Mekong Street Food
Donegal: Chandpur Restaurant
Down: Tuk Tuk Asian Bistro
Fermanagh: Dollakis Restaurant
Tyrone: Dragon Garden
Monaghan: Eastern Balti
Best “Free From” – Sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro Gluten Free
Antrim: Home Restaurant
Armagh: Digby’s Bar & Restaurant
Cavan: The Olde Post Inn
Derry: Hidden City Café
Donegal: Wholegreen Healthfood
Down: Yaks
Fermanagh: Becketts Dining Room at The Enniskillen Hotel
Tyrone: Oysters Restaurant
Monaghan: Neighbourhood
Best Kids Size Me
Antrim: Ramore Wine Bar
Armagh: Zio
Cavan: Oak Room Restaurant
Derry: Church Street Restaurant
Donegal: Mill Park Hotel
Down: Coast
Fermanagh: Café Merlot
Tyrone: Tullylagan hotel
Monaghan: Meeting House
Best Local Food Hero – Sponsored by Rewarding Times
Antrim: Dara and Ciara O hArtghaile of Ursa Minor Bakehouse
Armagh: Susie Hamilton Stubber of Burren Balsamics
Cavan: John Smith & Charles Smith of Farmers to Market
Derry: Ian Orr of Browns Bonds Hill
Donegal: Mairead Anderson of Killybegs Seafood Shack
Down: Johnny McDowell & Laura Anne Bradley of Indie Füde
Fermanagh: Joe McGirr of The Boatyard Distillery
Tyrone: Jonathan Cuddy of Ispini Charcuterie
Monaghan: Trevor Connolly
Ulster Regional Local Food Hero – Sponsored by Rewarding Times
Trevor Connolly of Monaghan Town Team
Best Emerging Irish Cuisine – Sponsored by Odaios
Antrim: The Slemish Market Supper Club
Armagh: Wee Paddy’s Bistro
Cavan: The Olde Post Inn
Derry: Soda and Starch
Donegal: Foyle’s Hotel and Restaurant
Down: Wine and Brine
Fermanagh: 28 Darling St
Tyrone: Restaurant 1861 at Sion Stables
Monaghan: Andy’s Bar and Restaurant
Best Casual Dining – Sponsored by Just Eat
Antrim: Slemish Market Supper Club
Armagh: Wee Paddy’s Bistro
Cavan: The Olde Post Inn
Derry: Soda & Starch
Donegal: Foyle’s Hotel Restaurant
Down: Wine & Brine
Fermanagh: 28 Darling St
Tyrone: Restaurant 1861 at Sion Stables
Monaghan: Andy’s Bar & Restaurant
