2023 Award Winners BAR OF THE YEAR 2023

The Grapevine Lounge Wineport Lodge Glasson Co Westmeath

Ray Byrne and Jane English never stand still at the wonderful Wineport Lodge. What started out as a rustic little shoreside restaurant 30 years ago has been reinvented and upgraded time and again, keeping it fresh and – especially since the addition of the beautiful Cedarwood Spa and outdoor seaweed baths - increasingly luxurious. And recent reconfiguration of space and refurbishment has changed the flow at Wineport, creating a whole new dynamic to the property, with The Grapevine Lounge a particular hit. Another of those places that seem impossible to capture in photos, it has to be experienced for the lough view, the relaxed ambience, the super staff, tasty food and terrific range of drinks to come together and make sense. The sheer quality and the thoughtfulness of the many subtle references to the beautiful setting are impressive too, and first-time guests soon want to return. As they say on their own website “Very often, a quick pitstop at the Grapevine bar morphs into something much more lingering and relaxed.” So true. You may well end up staying the night.