Farmgate Lismore among five Irish restaurants awarded Bib Gourmands
Sally O'Brien at the Farmgate Lismore, Main Street, Lismore, Co Waterford. Picture: Dan Linehan
Five Irish restaurants have been awarded Michelin Bib Gourmands ahead of next week’s Michelin Guide ceremony in Dublin, where restaurants will be awarded coveted Michelin stars.
In Co Waterford, Farmgate Lismore gained a Bib in recognition of the “fuss-free, produce-led cooking” it offers.
“Farmgate Lismore is a converted former pub where the warm, friendly team and comforting dishes will make you wish you lived up the road. The lamb’s liver and bacon perfectly encapsulates the kitchen’s talent for showing off quality produce,” they said.
It was also a favourite of food review Joe McNamee last year, who reviewed the restaurant favourably. “It is now one of our new most favourite Irish restaurants, an old school classic reborn anew in wonderful west Waterford,” he wrote.
Dublin, meanwhile, sees three restaurants earning Bibs: Asian eatery Bigfan, Italian restaurant Borgo, and French bistro Forêt.
“At Bigfan, you order by ticking dishes on a sheet of paper, and as they’re all so enticing, you’ll have a hard time not ticking every single one,” the Guide noted, a sentiment echoed by reviewer Leslie Williams in 2021. “Big Fan is serving creative, brilliantly thought out dishes and most of all a huge amount of fun to visit,” Williams wrote after his visit.
Michelin enjoyed Borgo’s informal vibe.
“One of multiple new Italian Bib Gourmands for 2026, Borgo aims to replicate the traditional osteria, where the focus is on an informal vibe and accessible pricing. It has succeeded in its mission with aplomb, providing all the simple, ingredient-led joys of Italian cooking in dishes like hake with confit datterini tomatoes, borlotti beans and aqua pazza. It’s popular with locals, so expect an electric atmosphere.”
Food reviewer Williams also had high praise for the Italian spot last year: “Thought has also gone into the menu, yes most dishes are familiar but these are creative takes on the classics with fine quality ingredients,” he wrote.
Of Forêt, Michelin said: “Despite its quintessentially Dublin location, it wouldn’t feel out of place on the streets of Montmartre. Expect authentic, comforting dishes like pâté de campagne and coq au vin, all ably executed by a skilled kitchen team. Don’t miss the saucisson sec snack to start.”
Again, our reviewer Leslie Williams had good things to say about this choice when reviewing last year: “Forêt’s head chef, Paul Brogan, worked in Forest Avenue for three years and is to be praised, not only for packing his menu with classics, but how he seems to have doubled down on their Frenchness to delicious effect.”
Belfast also has a new Bib, thanks to Beau’s modern cuisine, where “Inspectors enjoyed the simplicity and pure natural flavours of dishes like the langoustine scampi with sauce gribiche and the courgette with ricotta and basil, which really showed off the quality of the vegetable itself.”
The Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland Awards take place in Dublin on Monday, February 9, and Ireland’s hospitality industry is rolling out the green carpet with The Chef Sessions, a lively programme of pop-ups and collaborations across the Michelin weekend.
This series of one-off events, collaborations and late-night gatherings across the city centre will see foodie delights from chicken in a basket and hot dogs to breakfast muffins, toasties, spice bags and discoed Chinese.
