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Because the West provinces have a brief high season—from mid-June to early September—and a quiet off-season, it doesn't have as broad a choice of small, owner-operated restaurants as do other parts of Ireland. Often the best place to eat is a local hotel. But some places landmark the region, including Moran's Oyster Cottage in Kilcolgan near Galway City, where the fare is simple, served in traditional pub surroundings, but sea-leaping fresh. At the other extreme are more dazzling experiences, like when you splurge to dine in style like the superb formal restaurant at Dromoland Castle. For truly adventurous contemporary Irish cooking, head to happening Galway; the town center is so compact you can meander around and read the menus on display outside before making your choice.
For soup lovers, this modest, brightly painted café on a square in the heart of Ennis will hit all the right notes. With daily changing specials and a range of paninis and sandwiches, it's the perfect pit stop for a quality snack or budget lunch.
This surprising find in a cottage on the northern ridge of the Burren is not only a refreshing place for a soup-and-sandwich break, it's also home to the boutique Hazel Mountain Chocolate Factory, which produces chocolate using the same techniques employed by the monks who once occupied nearby Corcomroe Abbey. Vegetables are grown on-site and the cakes baked star in their own cookbook.
Located in a courtyard outside of Bunratty Mills and spread out over a number of food trucks and kiosks, Jilly and Joe's was created to satisfy the demand for alfresco dining and has since become a local staple in the dining scene. Outside, guests huddle close to flames of heaters on a chilly day---beneath an awning or canopy---and order pizza, sandwiches, daily special, or a burger. Inside, the sprawling loft of Blarney Woollen Mills is the best place for good value lunchtime dishes like breaded fish, stews, and pasta along with custom-made sandwiches---the humble French fries are delicious. A fine selection of confectionery and ice-cream booth keep the sweet tooth brigade satisfied. If the car park is filled with tour buses, move along, or expect a long wait.
