Nenagh café chosen for award

Nenagh's Country Choice has been named 'Café of the Year' in the prestigious Food & Wine awards.

Announced at a gala luncheon in the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, Dublin recently, the event was attended by Ireland’s top chefs and restaurateurs from across the country. The awards ceremony was hosted by broadcaster and publisher Norah Casey, and comedian Colm O’Regan.

Country Choice proprietors Peter and Mary Ward, who have run the Kenyon St café for the last 35 years, were delighted to receive the award amid such strong competition, and from such a large and informed judging panel.

“It was nice to beat off all the young smart competition with a solid message of good natural and truly honest home made food that stands the test of time,” said Peter.
“It's welcome for us after the battering the town centre has taken and the long-term damage the road works have done,” he added, referring to the gas, water and wastewater works that have been underway in Nenagh since 2015.

“From a tourism point, for us and the town, it will definitely bring in more people,” he said of the Food & Wine accolade. “I suppose for ourselves, the principle message is hold tight in recessionary times and just do what you know well as best as you can, and hope it pays a dividend while respecting your staff, customers and suppliers.”

Four hundred guests attended the 17th annual Food & Wine awards. Held in association with Nespresso, the awards are considered the most prestigious and authoritative culinary awards in the Irish calendar.