Graiguenamanagh restaurant scoop coveted hospitality award

Barrows Keep of Graiguenamanagh were yesterday crowned winners in the Georgina Campbell awards, bagging the prestigious ‘A Taste of the Waterways 2019’ award.

The Georgina Campbell awards are an annual celebration of excellence associated with the trusted Georgina Campbell’s Ireland independent hospitality guides. These are Ireland’s longest-running independent food and hospitality awards, and are highly respected by the industry.

Georgina and her team of experienced reviewers have been carrying out anonymous assessments across Ireland since the early 1990s, which are the foundation of these awards.

Georgina described Barrows Keep as being “serenely atmospheric” and a “treasure” of Kilkenny. The Graiguenamanagh restaurant is owned by Stephen McArdle and Morgan VanderKamer. The pair’s previous business, Stanley's Restaurant and Wine Bar in Dublin, was the winner of the Georgina Campbell Wine Award in 2016.

The owners explained “Our goal at Barrows Keep has been to source as locally as possible and, where possible, organically. We consistently focus on small producers who are making a stamp on the local area. We strive to work seasonally and feature produce on our menus that reflects the season’s offerings.”

Georgina praised this as “A wonderful philosophy and one that explains the exceptional flavour of [their] beautifully cooked food - not fussy or showy, just thoughtfully created, very seasonal and enticingly presented”.

The warmly professional service and the wine offering were also highlighted as reasons for the Barrow Keep’s win. Morgan’s list is carefully selected to encourage guests to try less familiar wines, and she still hosts her Wine Club as often as possible too. Georgina Campbell concluded by describing the winning restaurant as “A must-visit for any food (or wine) lover coming to this hauntingly beautiful area.”