Leading athlone eateries honoured at prestigious restaurant awards

THREE of Athlone’s top restaurants were awarded for their excellence at Tuesday night’s Leinster Regional Final of the 2015 Irish Restaurant Awards.

Kin Khao Thai, Thyme Restaurant and The Restaurant at Wineport Lodge were all among the winners at last night’s prestigious award ceremony in the Clyde Court Hotel, Ballsbridge, Dublin.

Over 500 restaurant owners and staff celebrated their hard work and achievements at the Awards, which saw many well-known restaurateurs of Leinster turn out to see if they had won one of the awards.

Food outlets were nominated under the categories of Best Customer Service, Best Gastro Pub, Best Casual Dining, Best Hotel Restaurant, Best Chef, Best Restaurant, Best Wine Experience, Best Restaurant Manager, Best Kids Size Me Menu, Local Food Hero, Best Emerging Irish Cuisine and Best Newcomer.

All county winners now compete for the Regional and All-Ireland titles, which will be announced at the Irish Restaurant Awards in the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel, Dublin on Monday, May 25.

The Westmeath winners are as follows;

Best Restaurant – Sponsored by Dalcassian Wines & Spirits and Wakefield Wines
Thyme Restaurant

Best Chef – Sponsored by La Rousse Foods
John Coffey of Thyme Restaurant

Best Gastro Pub – Sponsored by Bunzl McLaughlin
Weir’s Bar & Restaurant (Multyfarnham)

Best Casual Dining – Sponsored by Total Produce
Kin Khao Thai

Best Hotel Restaurant
The Restaurant at Wineport Lodge

Best Customer Service- Sponsored by TheTaste.ie
The Restaurant at Wineport Lodge

Best Wine Experience - Sponsored by Classic Drinks & Massottina
Thyme Restaurant

Best Newcomer – Sponsored by Elavon
Miller & Cook (Mullingar).