Revealed: Ireland’s best restaurant, chef, gastropub, cafe and more

Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen was named Ireland’s best restaurant for 2022 at the Irish Restaurant Awards on Monday night.

The restaurant, on Parnell Square in Dublin, has been in the headlines for all the right reasons since it reopened, just over a year ago, with the Finnish chef Mickael Viljanen taking over as chef-patron from Ross Lewis; the pair now co-own it. The Michelin Guide cited the move as “the most exciting development in Dublin’s restaurant scene in years” when it awarded Chapter One two Michelin stars in February this year, citing its “sophisticated, confidently delivered dishes”.

[ This is the best restaurant in Ireland. It’s world class ]

In its review, The Irish Times awarded it a 10-out-of-10 score for a faultless lunch; Marina O’Loughlin, restaurant critic of the Sunday Times of London, said that it had reignited her love for haute cuisine.

Viljanen, who cooks classically using a larder of luxury ingredients, including truffles, foie gras and game, previously earned two Michelin stars for the Greenhouse restaurant, on Dawson Street in Dublin, during his time as head chef there.

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[ Michelin awards 2022: Chapter One and Liath win two stars ]

The Turkish-born chef Ahmet Dede, the chef-patron of Dede restaurant in Baltimore, Co Cork, was named best chef in Ireland at the awards. Dede earned a Michelin star for his eponymous restaurant in 2021, his second time bringing a Michelin star to Baltimore; he had previously earned one in 2019, when he was head chef of the now-closed Mews restaurant. His cooking, which is underpinned with classic techniques, has evolved to draw on his Turkish roots, using spices and ingredients he imports to add a dimension to the best of local produce from west Co Cork. Dede owns the restaurant with his business partner, Maria Archer.

Orwell Road restaurant, in Rathgar, Dublin 6, owned by Marc and Conor Bereen, with chef Daniel Hannigan heading the kitchen, received the best-newcomer award. Goldie, in Cork, bagged the award for best casual dining. Mezze, in Tramore, Co Waterford, run by Dvir Nusery and Nicola Crowley, won the best-world-cuisine category; and the Old Couch, in Waterford, was awarded best emerging Irish cuisine. Mount Juliet Estate, in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, picked up the award for the best hotel and guesthouse restaurant.

[ Michelin awards 2021: New star for Dede, acclaimed west Cork restaurant ]

Eoin Cluskey of Bread 41, in Dublin 2, received the Local Food Hero award, sponsored by The Irish Times. He was the first to introduce a “no cup, no coffee” policy to eliminate the use of single-use paper cups, and has a driving commitment to become a zero-waste business. This year saw the first award for best sustainable practices; it was won by Grow HQ, in Waterford.

The Irish Restaurant Awards, which are awarded by the Restaurants Association of Ireland, and are now in their 13th year, were held at Convention Centre Dublin. Nominations are made by the public, then followed by a judging panel at regional and, subsequently, national level. The association’s national judging academy is made up of industry experts, food writers, culinary academics and critics, chaired by Adrian Cummins, the organisation’s chief executive.

Irish Restaurant Awards 2022: The winners

Best cookery school

Aniar Restaurant & Boutique Cookery School, Galway City

Best seafood experience

Beach House, Tramore, Co Waterford

Best cocktail experience

Hilliards, Skirmantas “Mossy” Lelys, Killarney, Co Kerry

Private dining and club

No 25 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin City

Best digital marketing

Michael’s, Mount Merrion, Co Dublin

Local food hero

Bread 41, Dublin, Eoin Cluskey

Best sustainable practices

Grow HQ, Waterford

Best free from

Copia Green, Castletroy, Co Limerick

Best emerging Irish cuisine

Old Couch Café, Waterford

Best restaurant manager

Nightmarket, Dublin, Conor Sexton

Best wine experience

Ely Wine Store, Maynooth

Best cafe

Tiller + Grain, Dublin

Best world cuisine

Mezze, Tramore

Best newcomer

Orwell Road Restaurant, Dublin

Pub of the year

The Sky & the Ground, Wexford

Best casual dining

Goldie, Cork City

Best hotel and guesthouse restaurant

Mount Juliet Estate, Thomastown, Kilkenny

Best customer service

Uno Mas, Dublin

Best gastropub

The Rusty Mackerel, Carrick, Co Donegal

Best chef

Dede, Baltimore, Co Cork, Ahmet Dede

Best restaurant

Chapter One, Dublin

REGIONAL WINNERS

Local food hero

• 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

Best sustainable practices

• Leinster The Green Barn Restaurant, Athy, Co Kildare
• Ulster Olde Post Inn, Cloverhill, Co Cavan
• Munster Grow HQ, Waterford City
• Connaught Sweet Beat Café, Strandhill, Co Sligo
• Dublin Airfield Estate, Dundrum, Dublin 14

Best free from

• Leinster Truffles Restaurant, Co Kilkenny
• Ulster The Hive, Roosky, Co Monaghan
• Munster Copia Green, Castletroy, Co Limerick
• Connaught Greens & Co, Galway City
• Dublin Vietnom, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7

Best emerging Irish cuisine

• Leinster The Heritage, Killenard, Portarlington, Co Laois
• Ulster Clenaghans Restaurant, Craigavon, Co Down
• Munster Old Couch Café, Waterford City
• Connaught Fish And Bean, Rosses Point, Co Sligo
• Dublin Margadh Food & Wine, Howth, Dublin 13

Best restaurant manager

• Leinster Vanilla Pod Restaurant, Kells, Co Meath, Lareina Quigley
• Ulster Noble, Holyrood, Co Down Saul Mcconnel
• Munster The Mustard Seed, Ballingarry, Co Limerick, John Edward Joyce
• Connaught Buffalo Boy, Carrick-On-Shannon, Co Leitrim, Gabriel Camburu
• Dublin Nightmarket, Ranelagh, Dublin 6, Conor Sexton

Best wine experience

• Leinster Ely Wine Store, Maynooth, Co Kildare
• Ulster Ox Cave, Belfast City
• Munster Sheen Falls Lodge, Kenmare, Co Kerry
• Connaught Walker 1781, Co Sligo
• Dublin Note, Dublin 2

Best cafe

• Leinster Mullichain Cafe, Glynn, Co Carlow
• Ulster Brøn Cafe Bar and Restaurant, Co Derry
• Munster Café Lógr, Adare, Co Limerick
• Connaught Lyons Cafe And Bakeshop, Sligo
• Dublin Tiller + Grain, Dublin 2

Best world cuisine

• Leinster Pink Salt Indian Restaurant, Bray, Co Wicklow
• Ulster Chandpur Restaurant, Co Donegal
• Munster Mezze, Tramore, Co Waterford
• Connaught Miso Izakaya, Co Sligo
• Dublin Bigfan, Dublin 2

Best newcomer

• Leinster Canal Square, Co Kilkenny
• Ulster Frae, Holywood
• Munster Beach House, Tramore, Co Waterford
• Connaught Éan, Galway City
• Dublin Orwell Road Restaurant, Rathfarnham, Dublin 6

Pub of the year

• Leinster The Sky & the Ground, Whitewell, Co Wexford
• Ulster Charlie’s Bar, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh
• Munster Mutton Lane Inn, Cork City
• Connaught Lowry’s Bar, Clifden, Co Galway
• Dublin The Old Stand, Dublin 2

Best casual dining

• Leinster The Enniskerry Inn, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow
• Ulster The Copper Tap & 1806, Omagh, Co Tyrone
• Munster Goldie, Cork City
• Connaught Poacher Restaurant, Ballina, Co Mayo
• Dublin Nannetti’s, Dublin 2

Best hotel and guesthouse restaurant

• Leinster Mount Juliet Estate, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny
• Ulster McNean House And Restaurant, Blacklion, Co Cavan
• Munster Cashel Palace Hotel, Cashel, Co Tipperary
• Connaught Foyles Hotel, Clifden, Co Galway
• Dublin The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin 2

Best customer service

• Leinster Treacy’s Bar and Restaurant, Portlaoise, Co Laois
• Ulster Oak Room Restaurant, Abbeyland, Co Cavan
• Munster Mitchel House Restaurant, Thurles, Co Tipperary
• Connaught The Twelve, Barna, Co Galway
• Dublin Uno Mas, Dublin 2

Best gastropub

• Leinster Butler and Barry Gastrobar, Bray, Co Wicklow
• Ulster The Rusty Mackerel, Carrick, Co Donegal
• Munster The Glenbeigh Hotel, Glenbeigh, Co Kerry
• Connaught Coyne’s Gastropub, Kilkieran, Connemara, Co Galway
• Dublin Davy Byrnes, Dublin 2

Best chef

• Leinster Lady Helen Restaurant Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, John Kelly
• Ulster The Olde Glen Bar Carrickart, Co Donegal, Ciaran Sweeny
• Munster Dede, Baltimore, Co Cork, Ahmet Dede
• Connaught Loam, Galway City, Enda McEvoy
• Dublin Dax Restaurant, Dublin 2, Graham Neville

Best restaurant

• Leinster Aimsir, Celbridge, Co Kildare
• Ulster Deanes Eipic, Belfast City
• Munster Restaurant Chestnut, Ballydehob, Co Cork
• Connaught Lignum, Bullaun, Co Galway
• Dublin Chapter One, Dublin 1