Popular Left Bank Bistro marks 30 years in business in Athlone

By Rebekah O'Reilly

Left Bank Bistro owners Annie McNamara and Mary McCullagh have been serving up their unique style of food that both looks great on a plate and offers flavours that speak for themselves for 30 years today, Wednesday, February 5.

The restaurant first started as a small business in the westside of Athlone in February, 1995, and has since gone on to become a staple of Athlone's Left Bank Quarter.

“It was myself and Mary, my partner. Mary ran the front of house, and I've always been in the kitchen. It started small. Within a year or so, we were on the 100 best restaurants list in Ireland, known as the Bridgestone Guide, now the McKenna Guide. We were on that guide for 13 years.”

The couple moved the business to its current location in Fry Place in the year 2000, and the Left Bank Bistro has made the place its own.

“The building was a shell. We designed the flow of the restaurant, and used all salvaged wood. The floors are made of slates from an old roof, and the wooden floor came from the old Bower primary school. The feature window came from a barn house.

“I'm Australian, and there's a river I love in Australia called the Left Bank, so that's what we decided to call the restaurant. And the name Left Bank really stuck – it's the reason why this area is called the Left Bank Quarter.”

Annie, Mary, and the team at Left Bank Bistro have developed a very special relationship with their loyal customers that spans generations.

“We have a lot of loyal regular customers, and they love the Left Bank. When we opened, we would have mums coming in with their children, and now those children are grown up and have started to bring their own kids in for lunch – it's great.”

The secret to their success is in the pudding (or rather their fan favourite Tandoori Chicken), and the staff.

“We attribute our success to consistency in our produce, and our other secret is our great staff. I think we were ahead of the times with our mix of food. We did quite a bit of Asian Fusion, and we still do have a bit of Asian influence.

“We run a lunch service and a dinner service, and we stay open all day for coffee and cakes.

“The recipes for the baked goods have come from mine and Mary's grandmothers – and they're always fresh.

“We've got five chefs, and then our wonderful front of house team. You know, their children and grandchildren have started working here too. It's really a family business.”

Annie highlighted her desire to support local businesses in recent years, and encourages local people to show their support to other businesses as they have done with the Left Bank Bistro.

The owners both extend their sincere thanks to all their loyal customers, who they have shared so many special memories with over the past 30 years, as well as their longtime staff members Denise, John, and Kim.

“Thank you to the customers for continuing to support us,” Annie said. “Thank you, thank you, thank you – that's all I can say. We're so lucky that we have this great local following."