A unique West Cork restaurant was named joint Restaurant of the Year
‘Culinary haven’ in East Cork, Ballymaloe House Hotel
A luxury hotel in East Cork was hailed a ‘haven’ for food and drink as it won one of the most coveted titles at the Good Food Ireland Awards 2025.
The award-winning Ballymaloe House Hotel in Shanagarry was named Culinary Haven of the Year at a glittering awards ceremony at The K Club in Kildare on Monday. The award-winning East Cork country house hotel was championed for upholding food excellence, local produce and sustainable cooking, and brought home one of the biggest wins of the evening.
The history of Ballymaloe House Hotel dates back to 1948, when Myrtle and Ivan Allen bought the Ballymaloe estate in East Cork. Over the next 16 years, they raised their children there while working the farm to produce milk, butter, cream, eggs, home-raised pork and veal, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. The family built a sparkling national reputation for their commitment to good food. In 1964, Myrtle opened the restaurant, cooking on her Aga stove with the help of two friends while shepherd Joe Cronin ran the bar – and the rest is history. Today, the Ballymaloe brand is recognised across Ireland, and the country house is one of the most famous hotels in Co Cork.
Ballymaloe House Hotel, winners of Culinary Haven of the Year, sponsored by Waterford Crystal. (L–R) Noel Grealish, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine; Laura Behan and Sean Balog, Ballymaloe House Hotel; and Chris Bend, Waterford Crystal.
Meanwhile, a West Cork restaurant was named joint Restaurant of the Year. The prestigious title was awarded to The Church Restaurant in Skibbereen alongside The Lemon Tree in Letterkenny.
In Skibereen, The Church is a former Methodist place of worship which has been transformed into a fine dining destination in West Cork. The unique property was converted from a church to a restaurant in 2003, and survived an arson attack which nearly burned it to the ground in 2006. Its reputation prevailed, and it is regarded as one of the best restaurants in Skibbereen.
The Good Food Ireland Awards 2025, in association with FBD Insurance, are judged by an independent panel of Irish and international experts who undertake mystery inspections and detailed assessments. Winners are chosen for their commitment to local Irish food and sustainable practices.
The Church Restaurant, Skibbereen
The Good Food Ireland Awards will celebrate their 20th year in 2026. Every year, they have to choose between hundreds of entries from businesses across the country, with thousands of votes cast for the Food Lovers’ Choice Awards. Businesses from across Co Cork have long been recognised as some of the best in the country, cementing the Rebel county as one of the country’s leading food and drink destinations.
Awards founder Margaret Jeffares said: “Good Food Ireland was born from a desire to celebrate Ireland’s world-class food and drink. Our awards shine a spotlight on the businesses that play a vital role in our entire food ecosystem, from farm to fork.
Noel Grealish, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine; Finbarr McCarthy, Christine Murphy, Regina Daly and Mark Hegarty, The Church Restaurant; and Barra Sweetnam, Allfresh(Image: Paul Sherwood )
“Cork has been at the forefront of Ireland’s food and tourism landscape for decades, and this year’s theme – Rooted in Taste, Backed by Trust – feels especially fitting. Many of the original businesses that joined the Good Food Ireland Collection at our founding in 2006 came from Cork, and it is a testament to their commitment to quality that they remain part of the collection nearly 20 years later. To see two award winners hail from Cork is an incredible achievement and further reinforces Cork’s position as one of the country’s leading food tourism destinations.”
The Supreme Award went to Fish City in Belfast, while other big winners included Ashford Castle (5 Star Hotel of the Year), Linnalla Farm Pure Irish Ice Cream (Overall Producer of the Year) and Veronica Molloy from Tipperary’s Crossogue Preserves (Lifetime Achievement Award.)
The full winners were:
- Sweet & Savoury Producer of the Year, Irish Black Butter (Antrim)
- Tourism Sustainability Award, Fish City (Belfast)
- Supreme Award of the Year, Fish City (Belfast)
- Meat Producer of the Year, Murphy’s Butchers (Carlow)
- Fruit & Vegetable Producer of the Year, Malone Fruit Farm (Carlow)
- Food Lovers Choice Award – Ireland’s Ancient East, Ballykealey House (Carlow)
- Cafe of the Year, Sweet N Green (Clare)
- Dairy Producer of the Year, Linnalla Farm Pure Irish Ice Cream (Clare)
- Food Lovers Choice Award – Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, Wilde Irish Chocolates (Clare)
- Overall Producer of the Year, Linnalla Farm Pure Irish Ice Cream (Clare)
- Culinary Haven of the Year, Ballymaloe House Hotel (Cork)
- Restaurant of the Year, The Church Restaurant (Cork)
- Shop of the Year, The Blue Goat Ramelton (Donegal)
- Bakery & Chocolate Producer of the Year, The Bakery Shack (Donegal)
- Restaurant of the Year, The Lemon Tree (Donegal)
- Food Lovers Choice Award – Northern Ireland, Underground Dining (Down)
- Food Tourism Experience Award, Vintage Tea Trips (Dublin)
- Food Lovers Choice Award – Dublin, Hugo’s Restaurant (Dublin)
- Fish & Seafood Producer of the Year, Connemara Smokehouse (Galway)
- Pub Restaurant of the Year, The Bianconi Inn (Kerry)
- 4 Star Hotel of the Year, Great Southern Killarney (Kerry)
- Food Lovers Choice Award – Wild Atlantic Way, Ard na Sidhe Country House (Kerry)
- Hotel Restaurant of the Year, The Barton Rooms Barberstown Castle (Kildare)
- Drinks Producer of the Year, The Dew Drop Brewhouse (Kildare)
- Host of the Year, Louis Murphy, The Dunraven Adare (Limerick)
- 5 Star Hotel of the Year, Ashford Castle (Mayo)
- Wine List of the Year, Cashel Palace Hotel (Tipperary)
- Lifetime Achievement Award, Veronica Molloy, Crossogue Preserves (Tipperary)
