Must-see restaurants in Ireland

  • Pullman Restaurant

    Galway City

    One of the two original 1927 Orient Express train carriages at Glenlo Abbey Hotel was used in the filming of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient…

  • Loam

    Galway City

    Enda McEvoy is one of the most groundbreaking chefs in Ireland today (with a Michelin star to prove it), producing inspired flavour combinations from home…

  • MacNean House & Restaurant

    Counties Meath, Louth, Cavan & Monaghan

    Award-winning TV chef Neven Maguire grew up in this gorgeous village house and has turned it into one of Ireland's finest restaurants and cookery schools…

  • The street entrance to Chapter One

    Chapter One

    North of the Liffey

    Flawless haute cuisine and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere make this Michelin-starred restaurant in the basement of the Dublin Writers Museum our choice…

  • Exterior of Etto, Merrion Row

    Etto

    Dublin

    Award-winning restaurant and wine bar that does contemporary versions of classic Italian cuisine. All the ingredients are fresh, the presentation is…

  • Exterior of Banyi restaurant, Temple Bar

    Banyi Japanese Dining

    Temple Bar

    This compact restaurant in the heart of Temple Bar has arguably the best Japanese cuisine in Dublin. The rolls are divine, and the sushi as good as any…

  • Exterior of Greenhouse restaurant, Dawson St

    Greenhouse

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    Chef Mickael Viljanen might just be one of the most exciting chefs working in Ireland today thanks to his Scandi-influenced tasting menus, which have made…

  • Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud

    Dublin

    This Michelin two-star is understandably considered the best in the country by its devotees, who proclaim Guillaume Lebrun's French haute cuisine the most…

  • Riverbank County Pub

    Counties Meath, Louth, Cavan & Monaghan

    On the banks of the River Glyde (the source of salmon served here), this gem is 7.5km southeast of Carrickmacross off the L4700 on the County Louth border…

  • Keenans Hotel

    The Midlands

    On the River Shannon's western bank, this mid-19th-century country pub draws on produce from the surrounding area: Roscommon lamb shanks with sweet potato…

  • Firehouse Bakery

    County Wicklow

    Pastries are piled high on the counters at this bakery/cafe 3km southwest of Greystones. Breakfast (eg sautéed wild Wicklow Mountains mushrooms and…

  • Hartes of Kildare

    Counties Wicklow & Kildare

    Kildare hotspot Hartes has exposed brick walls, gleaming timber furniture and brilliant gastropub fare. Lunch dishes including corned beef and Knockanore…

  • Browne's Bar

    County Meath

    Even if you're not touring Slane Castle, don't miss a meal at its bar. Decorated with framed photos of rock stars who've performed at the castle's…

  • Hargadons

    County Sligo

    You'll have a hard time leaving this superb 1868 inn with its winning blend of old-world fittings and gastropub style. The uneven floors, peat fire,…

  • La Côte

    Wexford Town

    'The Coast' has raked in awards – notably Irish Seafood Restaurant of the Year – for its innovative takes on the finest of local seafood, such as turbot…

  • Mickey Finns Pub

    Vale of Avoca

    Many dishes at this cosy, low-ceilinged pub incorporate beers brewed at the adjacent Wicklow Brewery and come with pairing suggestions, such as Wicklow…

  • Mustard Seed at Echo Lodge

    County Limerick

    Attractive village Ballingarry is home to one of County Limerick's hidden dining gems. Produce is picked fresh from this 19th-century former convent's…

  • Smuggler's Inn

    Ring of Kerry

    At this diamond find near Waterville Golf Links, owner and chef Henry Hunt's gourmet creations incorporate fresh seafood and locally farmed poultry and…

  • Karoo Farmshop & Cafe

    County Wexford

    Behind shelves filled with local breads, cheeses, cured meats, eggs, seafood, fruit, veggies and preserves, Karoo's cafe is a fabulous spot for all-day…

  • Aniar

    Galway City

    Terroir specialist Aniar is passionate about the flavours and food producers of Galway and west Ireland. Owner and chef JP McMahon's multicourse tasting…

  • The Wilds

    County Wexford

    Using only organic, free-range and local produce from small-scale farms, the Wilds serves brilliant dishes such as pork-and fennel sausage rolls with…

  • Boathouse Bistro

    Kenmare

    At the water's edge, this blue-and-white 1870s boathouse 4.5km west of Kenmare has been stunningly converted to a beach-house-style bistro specialising in…

  • Gallagher's of Bunratty

    County Clare

    Stone walls, exposed beams, timber panelling and a wood stove make this thatched cottage as enchanting inside as it is out. But the real reason to book is…

  • Foodworks

    Kilkenny City

    The owners of this cool and casual bistro keep their own pigs and grow their own salad leaves, so it would be churlish not to try their pork loin stuffed…

  • Blackberry Cafe

    Counties Wexford, Waterford, Carlow & Kilkenny

    Warming soups come with pumpkin-seed-speckled soda bread at this bright cafe, whose menu highlights also include breakfast baps with dry-cured bacon and…

  • The House Restaurant

    County Waterford

    Exquisitely presented set-menu dishes (no à la carte) have earned chef Martijn Kajuiter a Michelin star. Offerings include organic Irish smoked salmon…

  • Tannery

    County Waterford

    At this old tannery building, lauded chef Paul Flynn creates seasonally changing dishes that focus on just a few flavours, such as charred trout with…

  • La Bohème

    County Waterford

    In the kitchen basement of a Georgian townhouse, La Bohème's intimate dining rooms have barrel-vault roofs and arches. The kitchen combines French flair…

  • Strawberry Tree

    County Wicklow

    There's organic, and then there's certified organic – and this elegant country-style restaurant at Brook Lodge was Ireland's first to be classified as…

  • Wooden Spoon

    County Clare

    Strewn with old cookbooks, the Wooden Spoon is so popular queues regularly stretch out the door. Savoury dishes include towering jacket potatoes stuffed…

  • Barrtrá Seafood Restaurant

    County Clare

    The kitchen gardens surrounding this whitewashed country cottage provide ingredients for exquisite dishes such as fennel-stuffed plaice with shellfish…

  • Mitchell's

    Clifden

    Seafood from the surrounding waters takes centre stage at this elegant spot, from velvety chowder and open crab sandwiches at lunchtime to intricate…

  • 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…

  • Tom Crean Fish & Wine

    Kenmare

    Named for Kerry's pioneering Antarctic explorer, and run by his granddaughter, this venerable restaurant uses only the best of local organic produce,…

  • Olde Post Inn

    Counties Meath, Louth, Cavan & Monaghan

    The lovely little village of Cloverhill, 4km north of Butlersbridge, is best known for its award-winning gastronomic restaurant housed in an 1884 former…

  • Step House Hotel

    Counties Wexford, Waterford, Carlow & Kilkenny

    The Step House Hotel's handsome 1808 Brasserie & Bar, all polished mahogany, red-leather benches and green-glass lampshades, is an elegant yet relaxed…

  • Heather

    Gap of Dunloe

    In a glorious setting, this light-filled cafe adjoins a farm that provides produce from its fields and polytunnels, while seafood and meat are locally and…

  • Wilde's at the Lodge

    County Mayo

    Chef Jonathan Keane and his team forage the mussels, wild herbs and flowers that adorn the dishes at this exquisite restaurant within the vast grounds of…

  • Farmgate Restaurant

    County Cork

    The original, sister establishment to Cork city's Farmgate Cafe, the Midleton restaurant offers the same superb blend of traditional and modern Irish…

  • Pantry & Corkscrew

    County Mayo

    The heart of Mayo's slow-food movement is found at this narrow storefront with a turquoise exterior and interior walls crammed with pictures. The kitchen…

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