Laois restaurant takes home top accolade at glitzy ceremony

CULINARY circles across Laois rang in a celebratory 18 May last week when the county stormed to stunning success in the All-Island Food and Restaurant Awards 2026, taking home four gongs, including some of the most prestigious.

First out of the traps with, arguably, the biggest honour of the night was Abbeyleix's much-beloved jewel Bramley. The Michelin Star restaurant took home best restaurant at this year’s glitzy ceremony, hosted in Dublin City's Clayton Hotel on Burlington Road, where funds were raised throughout the evening in support of the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation.

For personal plaudits, Carmel Boye, restaurant manager at the historic Ballyfin Demesne Manor, took home best restaurant manager for her successful stewardship of the iconic location’s main restaurant, an award which she secured on the double, winning best in Leinster and best in Ireland.

The final Laois award, innovator of year in Leinster, went to the Solas Eco Garden Centre in Portarlington; Ireland's first and only entirely eco-friendly garden centre.

Now in its 17th year, the Irish Restaurant Awards received over 150,000 public nominations in 2026, with nominations submitted by the public through the Irish Times website.