Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen, in Dublin 1, has retained the best restaurant title for a second consecutive year at the Irish Restaurant Awards 2023. Paul McNamara, who heads the kitchen at Uno Mas, also in Dublin, was named best chef. The winners in the 14th staging of the nationwide competition were announced at a gala dinner attended by more than 1,200 restaurant and hospitality industry representatives in Dublin on Monday night.
Chapter One, which has two Michelin stars, is co-owned by Viljanen and restaurateur and chef Ross Lewis. It was awarded a perfect score of 10/10 by Irish Times restaurant critic Corinna Hardgrave, and has also been positively reviewed by influential UK restaurant writers Andy Hayler and Marina O’Loughlin. There was speculation that the restaurant, which is located in a basement below the Dublin Writers Museum on Parnell Square, could be upgraded to three stars in the current Michelin Guide, but that did not transpire when the guide was published in March.
Uno Mas on Aungier Street in Dublin 2, serves “superbly executed, unfussy Spanish mains which come with many layers of flavour and texture”, according to the guide. As well as being head chef, Paul McNamara is a business partner in the restaurant along with Liz Matthews and Simon Barrett, who also own Etto on Merrion Row. McNamara was previously in the kitchen at Locks in Portobello.
Dublin restaurants were also successful in several additional categories, including best emerging Irish cuisine for Library Street in Dublin 2; best world cuisine for Pickle, also in Dublin 2; best casual dining for Crudo in Dublin 4; best restaurant manager, won by Denise McBrien of The Old Spot gastropub, again in Dublin 4, and best customer service, awarded to The Guinea Pig in Dalkey.
Newcomer of the year honours went to the popular Blackrock Cottage in Galway, while The Bishop’s Buttery at the Cashel Palace hotel in Co Tipperary took the hotel and guesthouse restaurant award. The local food hero for 2023 is Con Traas of The Apple Farm in Cahir, Co Tipperary.
The awards are organised by the Restaurants Association of Ireland and the judging process involves public nominations, of which a record number in excess of 130,000 were made this year, followed by regional judging rounds, and a national final presided over by RAI chief executive Adrian Cummins, with the organisation’s national judging academy, comprised of industry experts, food writers, culinary and hospitality experts.
Irish Restaurant Awards 2023: The winners
Best restaurant
Best chef
Uno Mas, Paul McNamara
Best gastropub
The Dirty Duck
Best customer service
Best hotel and guesthouse restaurant
The Bishop’s Buttery at Cashel Palace Hotel
Best casual dining
Pub of the year
Best newcomer
Best world cuisine
Best cafe
The Vanilla Pod, Blackrock
Best wine experience
Best restaurant manager
Denise McBrien, The Old Spot
Best emerging Irish cuisine
Best free from
Innovator of the year
Best sustainable practices
Grain Store Restaurant at Killruddery House and Gardens
Local food hero
Best cocktail experience
Best learning and development
Best cookery school
Fiona Egan, Cloughan Farm and Cookery School
Best private dining and club restaurant
RDS Members Club
Regional winners
Best restaurant
- Leinster Thyme Restaurant
- Ulster MacNean House and Restaurant
- Munster Kingdom 1795
- Connacht Eala Bhán
- Dublin Chapter One
Best chef
- Leinster Restaurant Lady Anne, Keith Boyle
- Ulster Browns Bonds Hill, Ian Orr
- Munster Takashi Miyazaki, Ichigo Ichie
- Connacht House of Plates, Barry Ralph
- Dublin Uno Mas, Paul McNamara
Best gastropub
- Leinster Hartes of Kildare
- Ulster The Dirty Duck
- Munster O’Mahony’s of Watergrasshill
- Connacht Oarsman
- Dublin FX Buckley, Monkstown
Best customer service
- Leinster Clashganny House Restaurant
- Ulster Rathmullan House
- Munster 1826 Adare
- Connacht Park House Hotel
- Dublin Guinea Pig Restaurant
Best hotel and guesthouse restaurant
- Leinster Carton House
- Ulster Snaffles Restaurant at Castle Leslie Estate
- Munster The Bishop’s Buttery at Cashel Palace Hotel
- Connacht Renvyle House
- Dublin Haddington House
Best casual dining
- Leinster One Hundred Degrees
- Ulster Edo
- Munster Momo
- Connacht Fish & Bean
- Dublin Crudo
Pub of the year
- Leinster T Morris Bar
- Ulster Maghera Inn
- Munster Friel’s Pub
- Connacht Thomas Connolly
- Dublin Walsh’s Stoneybatter
Best newcomer
- Leinster Gourmet Food Parlour
- Ulster Roam
- Munster Terre Restaurant
- Connacht Blackrock Cottage
- Dublin D’Olier Street
Best world cuisine
- Leinster Aroi Asian Fusion Restaurant
- Ulster Chili Lounge
- Munster Da Mirco Bridge St
- Connacht My Kitchen by Sham
- Dublin Pickle
Best cafe
- Leinster Café La Coco
- Ulster The Pickled Duck Cafe
- Munster WunderKaffe
- Connacht Pota
- Dublin The Vanilla Pod, Blackrock
Best wine experience
- Leinster Ristorante Rinuccini
- Ulster Wine and Brine
- Munster Union Wine Bar
- Connacht Sheridans
- Dublin Green Man Wines
Best restaurant manager
- Leinster Aga Kubinska, Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juilet Estate
- Ulster Saul McConnell, Noble
- Munster Neil Hynes, Number 35
- Connacht Gill Carroll, 56 Central
- Dublin Denise McBrien, The Old Spot
Best emerging Irish cuisine
- Leinster Thyme Restaurant
- Ulster The Banks Restaurant
- Munster Restaurant Chestnut
- Connacht The Cottage Restaurant
- Dublin Library Street
Best free from
- Leinster The Cutting Vedge
- Ulster Chandpur Restaurant
- Munster Avo Café
- Connacht Shell’s Cafe
- Dublin Glas
Innovator of the year
- Leinster Lock 13 Gastropub & Brewpub
- Ulster FRAE
- Munster The Fish Basket
- Connacht Nook
- Dublin Bites by Kwanghi
Best sustainable practices
- Leinster Grain Store Restaurant at Killruddery House and Gardens
- Ulster Kileavy Castle Estate
- Munster Fitzgeralds Woodlands Hotel
- Connacht Clare Island Oven
- Dublin Bujo Sandymount
Local food hero
- Leinster Mag Kirwan, Goatsbridge Trout Farm
- Ulster Chris Molloy, The Lemon Tree
- Munster Con Traas, The Apple Farm
- Connacht Prannie Rhatigan, Irish Seaweed Kitchen
- Dublin Ian Ussher, Cluck Chicke
