Must-see restaurants in County Donegal

  • Kealy's Seafood Bar

    Inishowen Peninsula

    Family-run for over 25 years, this bistro offers locally caught seafood so fresh you almost have to fight the harbourside seals for it. Its unpretentious…

  • Rusty Oven

    County Donegal

    Arrive early to avoid a long wait at this popular place serving artisan sourdough pizzas, cooked in a wood-fired oven, with toppings like goat's cheese…

  • Quay West

    County Donegal

    A light-filled, contemporary dining room is an inviting setting to sample local seafood (Donegal bay mussels, Burtonport crab, Killybegs smoked haddock)…

  • Wild Strands Caife

    Inishowen Peninsula

    At the Malin Head Community Centre on the road to Malin Head, Wild Strands Caife is a worthwhile stop for delicious, home-cooked organic food. The menu…

  • Danny Minnie's Restaurant

    County Donegal

    A beacon of family-run fine dining since 1962, this very popular village restaurant is known for food that's inventive and seasonal. The chef is Brian O…

  • Cove

    County Donegal

    Owners Siobhan Sweeney and Peter Byrne are perfectionists who tend to every detail in Cove's art-filled dining room, and on your plate. The cuisine is…

  • Tank & Skinny's

    Inishowen Peninsula

    With picture windows overlooking the lough, this cafe-bistro can easily be your destination for the day. Breakfast, including fluffy pancakes and freshly…

  • Bridge Bar

    County Donegal

    The Bridge Bar is one of those lovely old country pubs you specifically came to Ireland to seek out. Its excellent restaurant (open weekend evenings only)…

  • Belle's Kitchen

    County Donegal

    This nautically themed, family-friendly restaurant serves breakfast until noon, then an extensive menu of sandwiches, salads, burgers, fish and chips,…

  • Lemon Tree

    County Donegal

    This family-run restaurant is widely considered one of the best places in the county to sample contemporary Donegal cooking. The innovative menu offers an…

  • Olde Castle Bar

    County Donegal

    This ever-busy pub off the Diamond serves some of the area's best food. Look for classics such as Donegal Bay oysters or mussels, Irish stew and seafood…

  • Olde Glen Bar & Restaurant

    County Donegal

    Authentic down to its original 1700s stone floor, this traditional pub serves a fine pint, while its farmhouse-style restaurant serves outstanding…

  • Nancy's Bar

    Southwestern Donegal

    This old-fashioned pub-restaurant, in the same family for seven generations, is one of the best local spots for trad-music sessions. It serves superb…

  • Seafood Shack

    Southwestern Donegal

    Superfresh seafood cooked to order is available at this roadside fish and chips stand. Find it next to the harbour on Shore Rd, opposite the very fishing…

  • Kitty Kelly's

    Southwestern Donegal

    Dining at this restaurant in a 200-year-old farmhouse feels more like attending an intimate dinner party. The menu is a modern take on Irish favourites…

  • Aroma

    County Donegal

    In the far corner of Donegal's craft village, this small cafe has a big, big reputation for fine food. Along with the excellent coffee and luscious cakes,…

  • West End Cafe

    Southwestern Donegal

    Long known as 'Whyte's' and stuffed with locals, this curtained cafe run by ever-diligent Philomena is beloved for its superfresh fish and chips, but it…

  • Lobster Pot

    County Donegal

    You can't miss the giant fibreglass lobster clinging to the wall of the Lobster Pot, which looks onto the working fishing port. Serving up a great…

  • Maddens Bridge Bar

    County Donegal

    This surfers' hang-out manages a bit of minimalist style and packs a decent menu of classic pub grub with mighty fine burgers and fish and chips. There's…

  • Foam

    County Donegal

    With a minimalist, Scandinavian-inspired interior, this speciality coffee shop stands out among the bucket-and-spade shops of Bundoran's main street. The…

  • Mill Restaurant & Guesthouse

    County Donegal

    An exquisite country setting and locally sourced, seasonally changing meals make dining here a treat. Set in an old flax mill that was for many years the…

  • Yellow Pepper

    County Donegal

    Set in a 19th-century former shirt factory with stone walls and polished wooden floors, this atmospheric restaurant is a favourite among locals. The menu,…

  • Lighthouse Tavern

    County Donegal

    Just before you reach Fanad Lighthouse, this welcoming and excellently located tavern is at hand for decent pub fare: lunchtime sandwiches and soups, plus…

  • Ionad Bhalor

    County Donegal

    Immediately west of the ferry pier, Ionad Bhalor makes an appealing stop for a cup of tea or coffee and a slice of homemade pie or cake. There is also a…

  • Muck 'n' Muffins

    County Donegal

    A 19th-century stone grain store houses this 1st-floor cafe, pottery studio and crafts shop. Even on rainy winter days, it's packed with locals sipping…

  • Starfish Cafe & Bistro

    County Donegal

    Pretty in blue, this fresh and cheery bistro excels from breakfast through lunch. At any time the baked goods beguile and there's all sorts on the menu,…

  • Brewery

    County Donegal

    Just off Main St, this multilevel pub is a good choice for a casual meal. A carvery buffet lunch is served from 11am to 2.30pm, then a menu of burgers,…

  • Rusty Nail

    Inishowen Peninsula

    While you might be tempted to sun yourself at the picnic table out the front, you should step inside this atmospheric pub for an excellent meal – it has…

  • Ahoy Cafe

    Southwestern Donegal

    This inviting cafe slightly out of the centre of things along Shore Rd does, among other things, a fine seafood chowder, sandwiches, salads, blueberry…

  • Caffe Banba

    Inishowen Peninsula

    This welcoming, wood-panelled cafe makes a good stop for breakfasts, lunchtime sandwiches, quiche and sausage rolls, and home-baked cakes, or just a cup…

  • Blueberry Tearoom

    County Donegal

    A perennial and cosy local favourite, this cafe serves simple, honest food in hearty portions as well as fine coffee. Expect soup, toasties, quiche,…

  • Gaslight Inn

    County Donegal

    Set on the clifftop, the Gaslight Inn offers an extensive menu of well-cooked comfort food and spectacular views over the bay. Upstairs, the B&B has five…

  • Thyme Out Tearoom

    County Donegal

    At Glenveagh Castle, this cosy tearoom serves freshly baked scones, tray bakes and cakes as well as savoury items like quiche, sandwiches, soup and…

  • Sheila's Coffee & Cream

    Southwestern Donegal

    Attached to the heritage centre, this little cafe and bakery serves a good selection of hot dishes such as homemade quiche and lasagne, as well as an…

  • Caffe Banba

    Inishowen Peninsula

    From Easter to September, this little three-wheeler climbs the hill to Banba's Crown, providing coffee, hot chocolate and baked goodies to travellers at…

  • An Chistin

    Southwestern Donegal

    This welcoming cafe is pretty much the cooking hub of the village. The menu spans seafood chowder (€8) and scampi to pizzas, which can also be ordered to…

  • Glenveagh Visitor Centre Cafe

    County Donegal

    This restaurant and cafe within the visitor centre has home-baked goodies, hot plates, paninis, salads and snacks.

  • Ti Linn Cafe

    Southwestern Donegal

    This artisan cafe and crafts gallery has excellent coffee, baked goods, sandwiches and hot lunches. There's also a craft shop here.

  • Harbour Restaurant

    County Donegal

    Seafood gets the royal treatment at this nautically themed restaurant, with bare stone walls and wooden booths. But the menu spans every Irish dinner…

  • Mrs B's Coffee House

    Southwestern Donegal

    Mrs B's is a bright and welcoming cafe with comfy sofas, local art on the walls, and a menu of homemade and locally sourced food, extending from hearty…