Online travel giant honours Carrickfergus restaurant

Castello Italia received a Travellers’ Choice Award, which is chosen by customers who share their experiences on the travel platform.

The Italian restaurant, which opened in 2017, was praised for its consistent delivery of great service.

Commending the Scotch Quarter business, Tripadvisor said: “This has been a time of unprecedented challenges for hospitality businesses around the globe. Against this backdrop, standing out to your guests and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction is a massive accomplishment.

"Earning a Travellers’ Choice Award means you have consistently delivered positive experiences over the past year, promoting guests to leave you great reviews on Tripadvisor.”

It puts winners in the top 10% of Tripadvisor’s global business listings for 2022.

Artur Cufaj, owner of Castello Italia said: “It is always wonderful to win an award and we have been very fortunate over our lifetime to win many prestigious titles but to win a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award really speaks from the heart of our customers.

“It tells us that we’re delivering what we set out to do which is to pair fine Italian food using local produce, with the best of Northern Irish hospitality.

“Online reviews are completely unbiased and tell a story from the experience of our customers. We want to thank them for not only supporting us by coming to the restaurant but to share their experience, and positively, online, to beckon this award.”

The award-winning restaurant was at the heart of a community effort to supply thousands of meals to the vulnerable during the Covid pandemic.