Thyme Restaurant in Athlone (photo by Corin Bishop from Michelin Guide)

Three accolades for Thyme at Leinster Restaurant Awards

Geraldine Grennan

Published: Wed 15 Mar 2023, 1:13 PM

Last updated: Thu 16 Mar 2023, 2:04 PM

Athlone's Thyme Restaurant has once again swept the boards with three prestigious awards at the Leinster Regional Finals of the Irish Restaurant Awards 2023.

Thyme won the 'Best Restaurant' award for Westmeath, while its chef John Coffey won the title of the county's 'Best Chef'. The Custume Place restaurant also took the Westmeath honours for 'Best Emerging Irish Cuisine'.

As well as the three accolades for Thyme in the Leinster Regional Finals, a number of other food and drink establishments in Westmeath were listed among the winners, the majority of which are located in Athlone, including The Shack, which took the county award for ‘Best Gastro Pub’ while Kafe U won the ‘Best Customer Service’ award.

Fine Café in Athlone took two awards, one for ‘Best Café’ and one for ‘Best Wine Experience.’

In the ‘Best Casual Dining’ category, another Athlone eatery, Cornerhouse Bistro took the Westmeath award, while the Shamrock Lodge Hotel won the county award for ‘Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant.’

Egan’s Pub in Mount Temple was named as Westmeath’s ‘Pub of the Year’ while the Stairwell in Athlone was voted as ‘Best Newcomer.’

Another Athlone restaurant, Bacchus, won the ‘Best World Cuisine’ award while the ‘Best Restaurant Manager’ award for Westmeath went to Garry Hughes from The Fatted Calf.

Bastion Kitchen in Athlone took the Westmeath award for’ Best Sustainable Practices,’ while the ‘Local Food Hero’ award for Westmeath went to local entrepreneurs, Georgia Quealy and Daniel Linehan from Bon Chocolatiers.

The ‘Free From’ award went to Spice India, and the ‘Innovator of the Year’ award went to 1810 Steakhouse., both of which are also based in Athlone.

The Leinster Regional Final of Irish Restaurant Awards 2023 took place in the Killashee Hotel in Kildare this week, where over 1,000 restaurant and hospitality business owners and staff celebrated their hard work and achievements.

All the Regional winners will now go forward to the All-Ireland Restaurant Awards on May 15 next.