Wicklow’s status as gourmet county of the Ancient East recognised, with success in restaurant awards – Doyle

Fine Gael TD for Wicklow, Andrew Doyle, says the success this week for Wicklow in The Irish Restaurants Association awards proves that the county has a lot to offer food lovers and is a great gourmet destination.

“The Lighthouse Seafood Restaurant Wicklow, The Pigeon House in Delgany and Chakra by Jaipur in Greystones are all receiving awards from The Irish Restaurants Association this week.

“This is great news for County Wicklow and means it is getting the recognition it deserves as the gourmet county of the Ancient East.

“The Lighthouse Seafood Restaurant in Wicklow won best new-comer in Leinster, while Chakra won the Best World Cuisine in Ireland and the best customer service in Leinster and The Pigeon House won the best restaurant in Leinster.

“These are fantastic restaurants and I’m delighted to see that they’re being recognised for serving top quality food, that is often sourced in Wicklow and for providing excellent service, a combination that is so vital to the tourism industry here in Wicklow.”

This year was the eighth year for the Irish Restaurant Association awards and most successful year yet, with over 70,000 online nominations received.

Alan Hegarty from The Lighthouse Seafood Restaurant said that this award is down to the staff and great teamwork. He also pointed to the fact that all his fish is fresh from the sea and all the food is cooked to order.

Paul Foley from the Pigeon House described his establishment as a local restaurant supported by locals, while Lilid Kumar, the head chef in Chakra, said that everyone is delighted with the award and they would like to thank their patrons for their support over the years.