We Won. Ireland's Best Hotel Restaurant 2026.

We have some news that means the world to us, and we could not be more proud to share it.

Stathams Bar & Restaurant at the Pembroke Kilkenny has been named Ireland's Best Hotel Restaurant at the YesChef Awards 2026.

The YesChef Awards celebrate and honour excellence across Ireland's hospitality industry, shining a spotlight on the chefs, restaurants and hospitality venues that define the standard of Irish food culture. To be named the best hotel restaurant in the country among such a strong and passionate industry is an honour we do not take lightly.

What This Award Means to Us

This recognition belongs to everyone who has walked through our doors - as a guest, as a team member, or as a supplier who has helped us put the very best on the plate.

It belongs to Chef Ken Harker and our kitchen team, who approach every service with the same commitment to bold, seasonal cooking and genuine craft. It belongs to our front of house team, who bring warmth, knowledge and care to every table, every day. And it belongs to the local producers and growers whose ingredients make what we do possible.

At Stathams, we have always believed that a great meal is about more than the food on the plate. It is about the welcome you receive, the atmosphere you sit in, and the feeling you leave with. This award tells us that what we set out to create is genuinely being felt by the people who dine with us, and that means everything.

A Restaurant Rooted in Story

Stathams is not just a name. It honours the legacy of Stathams Garage, which once stood on this very site, the birthplace of the legendary Statham-Ford Special racing car, built here by George Statham in the 1930s and celebrated across Ireland's greatest circuits and beaches. That pioneering spirit, that refusal to settle for ordinary, runs through everything we do at Stathams today.

From our celebrated breakfast to our Supper Club evenings, our weekend brunch to our dinner menu, every moment at Stathams is crafted with the same attention and pride that George Statham brought to that famous car.

Come and Taste It for Yourself

We are also proud to hold the title of No. 1 rated restaurant in Kilkenny on TripAdvisor, recognition that comes directly from the guests who have sat at our tables and taken the time to share their experience.

If you have been thinking about visiting, now is the perfect time. Whether it is breakfast, lunch, dinner or a special occasion, we would love to welcome you to Ireland's Best Hotel Restaurant.

📍 Stathams Bar & Restaurant, Pembroke Kilkenny Hotel, 11 Patrick Street, Kilkenny
📞 056 778 3500
✉️ info@pembrokekilkenny.com

👉 Book a Table

To our guests, our team and everyone who has been part of the Stathams story - thank you!