2016 Award Winners ATMOSPHERIC RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2016

Bodega Restaurant & Winebar, Waterford

Irish diners place a high premium on atmosphere – often rating it even above the quality of food when choosing where to eat out – but this restaurant, although certainly atmospheric, has much more to it than that. As everyone familiar with past winners of our Atmospheric category will know, we seek out establishments that offer very high standards all round, with great atmosphere as the icing on the cake.

Good food is only half the battle in running a successful restaurant, especially in Ireland where atmosphere has always been at least as important.

When I was training with the late great Egon Ronay there was great emphasis on sticking to ‘the food on the plate’ without allowing distractions like a fantastic location or a fun ambience to influence decisions - admirably pure, but it didn’t wash here.

What does work brilliantly here though, is a combination of great food - in the case of Cormac Cronin’s hugely popular Waterford restaurant, Bodega, including a seriously impressive amount of terrific local produce, especially fish - enthusiastic service, and a good buzz.

The cooking style is eclectic and it’s all great fun - warm bright colours and a buzz of conversation that reaches Spanish levels make this hugely atmospheric restaurant feel like a corner of the Mediterranean.

At lunchtime the place fills up with young people, some with children - who are made especially welcome - and there are lots of regulars.

Plenty of local craft beers too - no wonder it’s so popular.