2022 Award Winners CASUAL DINING AWARDS 2022


CASUAL DINING AWARDS 2022


Margadh

CAFÉ-RESTAURANT: Margadh RHA Dublin

Floor-to-ceiling windows offer up bright, traffic-free views of Ely Place in the small and light-flooded Margadh RHA. Café by day and very special wine bar by night, this delightful spot is a very welcome addition to the Mamó stable, of Howth. Chef Glen Sutton serves delicious pared-back seasonally-led plates alongside exciting, good value wines. Kate Ruddy is the quintessential host, a welcoming industry veteran whose easy charm makes dining here so much fun. And, with a great location, exciting wines and a brilliant 8-course tasting menu, this may be the best value in town.

HOTEL: Dunmore House Hotel Clonakilty Co Cork

Home to the O’Donovan and Barrett families since 1934 and welcoming guests since 1948, this beautifully located and immaculately maintained hotel on Clonakilty Bay enjoys wonderful sea views from most rooms and is a real home away from home. Local touches abound and hands-on family hospitality is the trump card, twinned with the food experience - especially in the lovely Adrift Restaurant, but also casual dining in the bar and lounge or, in summer, on the beautifully located Sea Terrace, which are all perfect for an informal bite. Fish landed nearby in Union Hall and seasonal supplies from local producers feature – along with fresh produce from their own Organic Ocean Gardens, just steps from the kitchen in which it is prepared... A great destination when in West Cork.

NEIGHBOURHOOD RESTAURANT: The House Howth Co Dublin                                                                                                                                                               

Neighbourhood restaurants have long been the quiet heroes of quality-led and good value dining and, with the current focus on the cost of living and the environmental advantages of staying close to base, they’re now being valued like never before. Karl Dillon's chilled out bistro in one of Howth village’s most attractive old buildings is a good example, committed to local, organic and artisan produce. Quietly stylish, with local artwork always a talking point, creative cooking of moderately priced bistro-style dishes is served with flair, including a class brunch menu. This consistent neighbourhood favourite is a go-to spot for locals, so some favourites are kept on the menu, but innovative seasonal specials often include unusual, and effective, combinations of ingredients - and caring service and long opening hours also add to the appeal of a meal here. Well worth the short foray up from the harbour.

CAFÉ-DELI: Savoir Fare Westport Co Mayo

For such a small spot, Savoir Fare packs a big punch – café, bistro, deli, purveyors and makers of very fine food indeed. From the understated shop frontage through to the chic wine-themed interior, Alain Morice has created a little piece of paradise here, with more than a nod to his French father. The
café, with just a handful of tables, bustles with activity and lively chatter.
Seasonal, local and organic are the drivers: soup, Alain’s signature paté
croûte, a hot dish of the day - organic chicken with dauphinoise
potatoes and sublime gravy perhaps. The small deli has superb cheeses,
French style in-house baking and a seriously appetising selection of charcuterie, terrines and home-cured meats. An interesting and slightly eclectic choice of wines is offered, also platters and picnics, all well priced – and, on those special evenings, the Savoir Fare Supper Club too. Superbe!

BAKERY-PIZZERIA: Scarpello & Co Derry Co Londonderry

Having found a new niche during the pandemic, nourishing, well-priced and very tasty sourdough bread and authentic pizza are just the thing for a cost of living crisis too. A special place to seek them out is Scarpello & Co’s bakehouse and pizzeria on the west side of Derry - a proud development from the original sourdough bakery near Burt in Co Donegal, it’s become a favourite in a city known for its excellent food. An ardent supporter of Slow Food and the Real Bread movement, Kemal Scarpello was way ahead of the current rush to sourdough and he has always taken pride in using as few bread-making ingredients as possible - but of the very best quality, so Scarpello’s Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza is produced on an additive-free sourdough base. With highly regarded chef Derek Creagh also on hand to create the perfect combinations, the gorgeous range of toppings showcases local produce - and there’s a short but tempting list of appetisers, sides and dips, plus more-ish desserts and great coffee too.

TEA ROOM: Burren Perfumery Tea Room Carron Co Clare

When touring Clare any discerning visitor would be pleased to find this charming spot. Although small and simple, the rose-bedecked tea rooms at
Sadie Chowen-Doyle’s famous perfumery are pretty, with floral
oilcloths, fresh flowers and mismatched crockery creating a happy riot of pastels. And blackboard menus proclaim the food philosophy: local and organic produce stars - and everything they do is simply delicious and made freshly on the premises.


100%
4 votes

Burren Perfumery and Tea Rooms

Carron, Co. Clare
Café / Producers Shop
'Best Budget' denotes moderately priced establishment (max. less than €50pps for accommodation or €35 for 3-course meal without drinks) Previous Georgina Campbell Guides Award Winner The "Best of the Best" - Only the very best establishments across various categories have been chosen for this accolade
When touring Clare you will be pleased to find this charming spot - the perfumery is beautifully laid out, with a herb garden (where many native plants are grown - and later used in the organic herbal teas), pleasing old buildings and lovely biodynamic ...
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95%
28 votes

Dunmore House Hotel

Clonakilty, Co. Cork
Hotel / Restaurant
Highly Recommended as a Special Place to Stay Outstanding Location, building or atmosphere Previous Georgina Campbell Guides Award Winner The "Best of the Best" - Only the very best establishments across various categories have been chosen for this accolade
Set in one of West Cork's most desirable locations, the O'Donovan and Barrett familes' immaculately maintained hotel is magnificently situated overlooking the Atlantic Ocean just outside the quaint town of Clonakilty. Now in third generation ow ...
100%
6 votes

The House

Howth, Co. Dublin
Café / Restaurant
Denotes genuine Irish food culture, ie special Irish food products/companies/producers, and highlights the best places to shop for regional and artisan foods; the selection excludes obvious 'non-Irish' elements regardless of quality, eg ethnic restaurants and specialists in coffee, wine and other drinks, unless relevant to local production or history. Eat & Stay establishments are chosen for their commitment to showcasing local produce and Irish hospitality. Previous Georgina Campbell Guides Award Winner
Located above the busy harbour area in one of the most attractive old buildings in Howth village, just before the church, The House is run by proprietor Karl Dillon, formerly of the late-lamented Gruel in Dublin city - and, true to form, the menu state ...
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100%
6 votes

Scarpello Bakehouse & Pizzeria

Londonderry, Co. Londonderry
Baking/Bakery / Restaurant
Denotes genuine Irish food culture, ie special Irish food products/companies/producers, and highlights the best places to shop for regional and artisan foods; the selection excludes obvious 'non-Irish' elements regardless of quality, eg ethnic restaurants and specialists in coffee, wine and other drinks, unless relevant to local production or history. Eat & Stay establishments are chosen for their commitment to showcasing local produce and Irish hospitality. Previous Georgina Campbell Guides Award Winner
This smart modern premises west of the Foyle in Derry city is now Kemal Scarpello's main business location - a proud development from the original sourdough bakery near Burt in Co Donegal, where it all started for this legendary baker. The small ...
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100%
3 votes

Savoir Fare

Westport, Co. Mayo
Baking/Bakery / Café
Denotes genuine Irish food culture, ie special Irish food products/companies/producers, and highlights the best places to shop for regional and artisan foods; the selection excludes obvious 'non-Irish' elements regardless of quality, eg ethnic restaurants and specialists in coffee, wine and other drinks, unless relevant to local production or history. Eat & Stay establishments are chosen for their commitment to showcasing local produce and Irish hospitality. Previous Georgina Campbell Guides Award Winner The "Best of the Best" - Only the very best establishments across various categories have been chosen for this accolade
Two places in Westport feel like walking into a Parisian establishment – one of those is Cornrue Bakery, of award-winning sourdough fame, and the other is Savoir Fare on Bridge Street. Savoir Fare is not easy to buttonhole - for a small shop, it ...
88%
5 votes

Margadh RHA

Dublin 2, Dublin City
Café / Wine Bar
For Cooking & Service Well Above Average Previous Georgina Campbell Guides Award Winner The "Best of the Best" - Only the very best establishments across various categories have been chosen for this accolade
Small, stylish and light-flooded, Margadh RHA is a café by day and wine bar by night. No ordinary wine bar, it punches well above its weight with the kind of menu that wouldn’t be out of place at a top restaurant. Tapping into the zeitgeis ...


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