Ireland’s finest honoured at Good Food Ireland Awards 2025
Ireland’s leading food and drink businesses were celebrated at the Good Food Ireland Award s 2025,the only cross-sector awards that champion those who uphold Ireland’s culinary excellence, celebrate local provenance and honour sustainable practices.
Announced at the awards ceremony at The K Club, Co. Kildare, on Monday, November 10th, 2025, the event brought together guests from every corner of the country to recognise and reward the very best in Irish food, drink, and hospitality.
This year’s Supreme Award went to Fish City, Belfast, recognising its outstanding commitment to sustainable sourcing, quality, and innovation. Among other major winners were Ashford Castle (5-Star Hotel of the Year), Ballymaloe House Hotel (Culinary Haven of the Year), and Linnalla Farm Pure Irish Ice Cream (Overall Producer of the Year).
A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Veronica Molloy of Crossogue Preserves, Tipperary, honouring her decades-long dedication to Irish food craft.
Ahead of its 20th anniversary in 2026, the Good Food Ireland Awards received hundreds of entries from across the island of Ireland, with thousands of votes cast by the public for the Food Lovers’ Choice Awards. Winners were selected by an independent panel of Irish and international experts following mystery inspections and detailed assessments, based on strict judging criteria that included local sourcing, provenance, and sustainability.
Minister Noel Grealish was the guest of honour at the event, acknowledging everyone’s contribution to Irish food, drink and hospitality.
Commenting on the event, Minister Noel Grealish, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine, said, “I was delighted to attend the Good Food Ireland Awards which brings together two of Ireland’s most successful indigenous sectors – food and tourism. At their heart, the Good Food Ireland Awards honour excellence, and reflect the values and vision embedded in Food Vision 2030, our national strategy for sustainable agri-food development, that have made Irish food a global benchmark for quality and sustainability.”
Reflecting on the event, Margaret Jeffares, Founder of Good Food Ireland, adds, “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 form the heart of our food ecosystem, from farm to fork, land to sea.
“This year’s theme – ‘Rooted in Taste, Backed by Trust’ is a powerful reflection of the values that unite our members. Each of our winners represents the very best of Ireland’s culinary heritage and the trust our consumers place in locally sourced, quality food.”
John Cahalan, Chief Commercial Officer of FBD Insurance, commented: “The theme of this year’s awards perfectly aligns with our philosophy at FBD Insurance. For over 50 years, we’ve supported Ireland’s farming, food and hospitality sectors – industries built on trust and resilience. This year’s winners are proof of the excellence that exists across our island, and they should be immensely proud of their recognition.”
Other key sponsors include AIB, Wine Consultants Ireland, Tourism Ireland, Guinness Storehouse, Waterford, and All Fresh, whose continued support helps celebrate excellence across Ireland’s vibrant food and tourism sectors.
For more information, visit www.goodfoodireland.ie
Good Food Ireland Awards 2025 in association with FBD Insurance Winners:
Cafe of the Year, Sweet N Green (Clare)
Pub Restaurant of the Year, The Bianconi Inn (Kerry)
Hotel Restaurant of the Year, The Barton Rooms Barberstown Castle (Kildare)
Tourism Sustainability Award, Fish City (Belfast)
Producer Sustainability Award, Oriel Sea Salt (Louth)
Wine List of the Year, Cashel Palace Hotel (Tipperary)
Food Tourism Experience Award, Vintage Tea Trips (Dublin)
Shop of the Year, The Blue Goat Ramelton (Donegal)
Sweet & Savoury Producer of the Year, Irish Black Butter (Antrim)
Meat Producer of the Year, Murphy’s Butchers (Carlow)
Fruit & Vegetable Producer of the Year, Malone Fruit Farm (Carlow)
Dairy Producer of the Year, Linnalla Farm Pure Irish Ice Cream (Clare)
Fish & Seafood Producer of the Year, Connemara Smokehouse (Galway)
Bakery & Chocolate Producer of the Year, The Bakery Shack (Donegal)
Drinks Producer of the Year, The Dew Drop Brewhouse (Kildare)
5 Star Hotel of the Year, Ashford Castle (Mayo)
Culinary Haven of the Year, Ballymaloe House Hotel (Cork)
4 Star Hotel of the Year, Great Southern Killarney (Kerry)
Restaurant of the Year, The Lemon Tree (Donegal) and The Church Restaurant (Cork)
Food Lovers Choice Award – Wild Atlantic Way, Ard na Sidhe Country House (Kerry)
Food Lovers Choice Award – Ireland’s Ancient East, Ballykealy House (Carlow)
Food Lovers Choice Award – Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, Wilde Irish Chocolates (Clare)
Food Lovers Choice Award – Dublin, Hugo’s Restaurant (Dublin)
Food Lovers Choice Award – Northern Ireland, Underground Dining (Down)
Overall Producer of the Year, Linnalla Farm Pure Irish Ice Cream (Clare)
Lifetime Achievement Award, Veronica Molloy, Crossogue Preserves (Tipperary)
Supreme Award of the Year, Fish City (Belfast)
Host of the Year, Louis Murphy, The Dunraven Adare (Limerick)
Pictured at the Good Food Ireland Awards, where Fish City, Belfast, was named Supreme Award Winner of the Year, sponsored by FBD Insurance, are (L–R): Margaret Jeffares, Founder of Good Food Ireland; John Cahalan, FBD Insurance; Gráinne Lavery and John Lavery, Fish City; Michael Berkery, Chairman of FBD Trust; and Noel Grealish, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine.
Photo: Paul Sherwood