2022 Award Winners SEAFOOD RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2022

Native Seafood & Scran

You won’t find a seafood restaurant nearer to the sea than Stevie and Rebekah McCarry’s Native Seafood in Portstewart, yet it came about almost by accident. Opening first in the old Coleraine yacht club in 2019, their idea was to source sustainable wild fish direct from fishing boats, cook it and also operate as a fishmongers. With Stevie’s creative and fun cooking and Rebekah front of house it was a great hit, but the pandemic delayed building work so they opened in Portstewart as well. The next setback was storm damage, but they soon bounced back from that and carried on delighting locals and tourists alike with their unique and fun take on seafood. Their ling and lang dog - a homemade ling and langoustine sausage served in a bun with fermented chillis, their own mustard sauce, gherkins and salad - is a typical trademark dish, and there are many other original variations of favourites not normally associated with seafood on the ever-changing menu. It's a real one-off in so many ways and they've been undaunted by the many twists and turns along the way. Well deserved recognition has come their way too -  including, especially appropriately, a Slow Food Award - and there's always something new in the plan. Currently, as their pandemic story comes full circle, there's mounting excitement about the next phase of their development - which will come soon, with the opening of their beautiful new restaurant Lir, when the long-delayed work on the old yacht club in Coleraine is completed.  "Possibly the longest building project ever...", as they say themselves. Yes, but what a treat to look forward to in 2023!