33 Best Restaurants in Ireland

Bringing his classical training to County Limerick, critically acclaimed chef Wade Murphy opened 1826 Adare with his wife, Elaine, in 2013. Since then, his elegant comfort food has been in high demand, served in a pretty thatched cottage with whitewashed walls and cozy decor. Menus change with the seasons and are filled with the best ingredients from Ireland’s top farmers and producers. Wade’s 12-hour treacle braised beef short rib with Roscoff onions and Boulangere potatoes is one of his most popular dishes, though you’ll find delicious and creative seafood and vegetable dishes too, all accompanied by a great drinks offering.

When Michelin-starred chef Mickael Viljanen partnered up with this venerable Dublin dining institution, great things were expected. We weren't disappointed. This wonderful, culture-vulture favorite gets its name from its location, downstairs in the vaulted, stone-wall basement of the Dublin Writers Museum; the natural stone-and-wood setting makes it cozily cavelike. The daringly modern French, four-course, set dinner menu is the talk of the town and W. B. Yeats himself would have loved the roast pigeon, brussels sprouts, pear, offal tart all with sauce perigourdine. The only downside is the place is so popular you have to book well in advance.

Proud of its modern Irishness, Cistín Eile takes the produce of local farmers and applies a simple but stunning brand of culinary magic. The menu changes depending on what's good in the local market. Favorites include black-and-white pudding with cabbage salad, apple, and mustard, or the creamed white rabbit and herb spaghetti. "Hunger makes a great sauce," reads the Irish-language motto on the wall, so arrive with your appetite fully intact. Little time is wasted on the decor, though the space has a homey, warm feel. How they offer dishes of this quality at such affordable prices is a Wexford miracle. And the name? It's pronounced "kishteen ella" and means "another kitchen" in Irish.

This bustling eatery—deservedly one of Sligo's most popular and established since 1994—divides itself into two culinary halves: a relaxed downstairs bar (from 2 pm daily) with red-checkered tablecloths, serving fish pie and steaming bowls of beef-and-Guinness stew; and a more formal (and expensive) upstairs dining room (5:30–9 pm), where lamb, salmon, and steak, including fillet, strip loin, and tomahawk (all the restaurant's beef is air-dried for 45 days), share space on the menu with pasta, trout, scallops, seafood platters, or fine herb gnocchi with wild earth mushrooms. Reservations are required for both bar food and the dining room.

Located in an atmospheric, vaulted 15th-century house at the heart of the city, this new, award-winning bistro has a young local chef who trained with some of the best in Ireland. Start with seared Wexford scallops with broccoli, smoked bacon, and hazelnut. Modern Irish hearty mains include the fillet and braised feather blade of dexter beef with roast onion purée, kale, and confit turnip. It's a popular pre-theater spot. 

Opened by a group of friends, the Fumbally started out with a market stall but quickly became the vanguard of true slow food in Dublin, finding its roots in a spacious, light-filled space smack in the middle of the Liberties area, the heart of the old city. Menus are simple but clever, with the Fumbally eggs, lightly scrambled with Gubeen cheese and sautéed kale, a classic. The pulled porchetta sandwich with overnight fennel and caper mayo is another favorite. A focus on local produce and a warm, unpretentious vibe make it a great place to while away an afternoon.

Look out the floor-to-ceiling windows and see the veggies that you're about to eat growing in front of you at this family-run, organic restaurant in a revamped barn on the rolling grounds of gorgeous Burtown House. Seasonal and homegrown are the buzzwords on the small, ever-changing menu, where Irish beef ribs with sauteed Savoy cabbage and herb mash is melt-in-the-mouth perfect. The chocolate ganache with sea salt and vanilla ice cream is the pick of the desserts. Burtown House is a small trip out of town on the way to Athy.

If the sight of a red double-decker bus parked outside a cottage in the desolately beautiful small island of Inisbofin comes as a surprise, then the delicious offerings at Austin and Kartika's gourmet outpost will floor you completely, in a good way. The bus has retired and functions as the couple's kitchen, dining area, and food counter, serving up pollock, crab, and mackerel sourced from local islander fishermen. Mutton and lamb come straight from the farm, along with root vegetables, while everything else is island grown.

Located upstairs at the wonderful French Paradox wine shop, this cozy new restaurant sees celebrated local chef Grainne O'Keefe work her magic on the best of Irish produce. The fixed-price tasting menu changes with the seasons, moving from starters like aubergine tart with goat cheese and pickled walnut to meat courses like Iberico pork, with anchovy, dates, and confit potato. 

This fourth-generation establishment sits in the heart of Roundstone overlooking the harbor. It attracts year-round guests with its fresh-from-the-boats lobster, mussels, prawns, and crab, or other local produce such as Connemara lamb, and homey, open-fire setting. Vegans can order seafood crops like dillisk rice, served with locally sourced vegetables from Galway's farmlands. Take a seat outside the pub on a fine day to enjoy the bay views and local flavors.

Chef-owner Eamonn O'Reilly cuts quite a dash, but it's his sophisticated, daring, contemporary cuisine that tends to seduce visitors to his little restaurant tucked away in a quiet lane only a few minutes from Stephen's Green. As is usual with Dublin's luxe eateries, the fixed-price lunch and pre-theater menus offer great value. Try the incredible scallop ceviche to start. Dishes such as pigeon with chicory, salsify, and baked celeriac puree demonstrate the mix of traditional and cutting-edge cuisine. 

Stationed on the grounds of Glenlo Abbey Hotel, overlooking Lough Corrib in the outskirts of Galway, is Ireland's most unique restaurant: two intricately restored train carriages that starred in Sidney Lumet's 1974 film, Murder on the Orient Express, starring Ingrid Bergman. Fully equipped with brass luggage racks and mahogany paneling, the carriages are as impressive as the menu, which highlights wild game, fish, and beef. The origins of all ingredients, from the goat cheese starter to venison, are fully traceable. Diners opt for a two or three-course set menu, priced at €63 or €72.

Award-winning young chef Conor Halpenny returned to his hometown to open this impressive little eatery right on the Market Square. The setting is simple and cozy, with a small room dominated by the big window looking out onto the bustling square. But the food is a bit special, with a genuine focus on local produce. Thrilling starters include the smoked trout with buttermilk dressing, fennel, kohlrabi and dill and the venison with celeriac, brussels sprouts, and green peppercorn is a standout main. Try the wickedly seductive beef fat chips as a side if you dare. 

Owner-chef Aidan McGrath and Kate Sweeney's modest Victorian premises on the outskirts of Lisdoonvarna have become something of a culinary landmark by being Ireland's first pub to be awarded a Michelin star in 2017. A brief, well-thought-out menu showcases the best of local produce, which includes hake, lamb, rib-eye steak, and pork. Food is served in the bar, which is warm and welcoming, with an upright piano, original painted-wood cladding, assorted wooden tables and bentwood chairs, cheerful cotton-check blinds, and a random selection of bric-a-brac. Guest rooms (doubles from €120) are spacious and stylishly decorated in neutral tones with nice Victorian touches such as brass bedside lamps, and peaceful views of the countryside.

A casual, modern Irish eatery, Bodega Restaurant is known as the fun place to eat in town. Everything is prepared with locally sourced ingredients, with the Kilmore Quay haddock bake a hearty favorite, along with celeriac and baby carrot risotto with sherry vinegar caramel, crispy potato rosti, mascarpone, and Parmesan. Bright colors and comfortable couches give it a festive feel, while the extensive wine menu gets everyone warmed up. Bodega also hosts intimate gigs by some of Ireland's top folk singers.

This friendly, boho-chic café with its traditional red shop front (rua is Irish for red) is a showcase for fresh, locally produced foods, simply served. There's an imaginative children's menu, and at lunch there are three daily specials—roast meat, fish, and vegetarian—while many opt for the homemade soup and sandwich (served in a traditional soft roll known as a blaa), or a salad. Choose a platter of local farmhouse cheeses, perhaps, or a salad of Achill Island smokehouse salmon with local greens, the house cucumber relish, and a selection of fresh breads.

With a stunning location right on the Grand Canal Dock, this elegant new eatery has a great view over the water to the impressive Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on the other side. The pre-theater menu is a great option, with heirloom beetroot with Wicklow blue cheese and candied walnuts as a gorgeous, light starter. The hake with celeriac, pomme mousseline, samphire, and sorrel is a favorite main. 

Overlooking Clew Bay on the outskirts of Westport, this whitewashed, thatched cottage--pub is the stuff of dreams, and so is the food offered by the father-and-son team who own it. The fresh salmon, hake, turbot, or mussels from nearby Rossaveal or the Corrib give the menu a sea-hopping freshness, providing balance to the bolder, more colorful choices, like prawn Laksa. A carefully crafted beer menu is also available.

A modern intimate dining room with rustic brickwork makes a fitting setting for chef Kevin Stirzaker’s seasonal menu that offers the best of local produce, simply prepared to let the quality produce speak for itself. Menu highlights include Killary Fjord mussels and duck breast with beetroot and red onion jam.

This little foodie gem at the center of Newbridge takes casual lunch to a whole new level. Try the outrageously good kimchi fried chicken sandwich with phat boy mayo, coriander, carrot, pickled red onion, and baby gem lettuce all on toasted Irish batch bread. The small dinner menu is nearly as good, with the roast duck a l’orange with caramelized chicory a standout. The bar out back is one of the cooler spots in town.

Preening swans (the name means "White Swan") are visible from the dining room window of this modern, comfortable restaurant, serving Irish food starring local produce. Steak and seafood are prominent on the evening dinner menu, as well as vegetarian dishes. Highlights include Tobercurry lamb or beef and trio of fish made up of scallops, hake, and sea trout. The early-bird menu (5–6:20) is a good value with three courses, including, for mains, "posh" fish-and-chips (cooked in tempura and with pea puree), beef burgers, or a vegetarian option. Afternoon tea (€24.95) is served Thursday through Sunday from noon to 3 (and to 4:30 on Sunday) and includes gourmet sandwiches, pastries, and macaroons.

Located in the impressive vaulted cellar of Bellinter House, Eden sticks strictly to a seasonal ethos with menus based on locally sourced produce. Oenophiles rave about the value-for-money wine list. A popular starter is the house-made duck liver parfait, with blood orange jelly and toasted brioche, and the Andarl Farm free-range pork belly with smoked Irish black pudding croquette, celeriac purée, and pickled apples is a standout main.

In front of a fast-flowing, urban stretch of the River Lee, the neon-clad exterior of a snazzy Art Deco building announces a casual city-center venue that combines a sense of dining as theater with a friendly staff that puts everyone at ease. The ground floor has a square bar with booths and dining niches around the perimeter, while upstairs is a more conventional dining room.

Former Michelin-star celebrity chef Dylan McGrath has another hit on his hands with Fade Street Social, a cavernous tapas bar, restaurant, and pub all rolled into one. At 8,000 square feet, the place can seem a bit overwhelming, but if you want a busy, fun, all-in-one dining-and-drinking experience, this place is ideal. Try a seat at the bar, where you can watch the kitchen staff work their magic as they turn out exquisite tapas and hearty but inventive meat dishes, all with a modern Irish twist. The whole poached pigeon is an original tapas offering, while the braised rabbit leg is already a favorite main.

In the center of town, Flynn's is worth visiting to appreciate its light and spacious Victorian-style design. The lunch menu includes sandwiches, salad platters, and dishes such as red Thai curry, chicken Milanese, or Irish lamb stew. It's worth saving space for the renowned apple pie.

A chilled-out café in the middle of town, Gallery Cafe has heaps of character with local artist exhibitions and the occasional live performance providing an ever-changing setting. The seasonal menu often features local catch, stews, and braised venison as well as pizza and sandwiches.

Think tapas, without the micro portions, where guests can order a number of plates each to share. And you'll want to order multiple plates with options like pig cheek, black pudding, scallops, goat's cheese, haddock fish fingers, and sliders. The interior is industrial-country style with recycled pallets serving as furniture and wine storage units.

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.

All that remains of this building's former identity as a pub is the long mahogany bar; today, it is a bustling bistro-style restaurant serving robust, freshly prepared food from an open kitchen. Art Deco touches and a predominantly black-and-white theme set a Parisian mood, and light floods in from two walls of large windows on summer evenings. Most ingredients come from the renowned English Market, for a menu (on no-frills paper table mats) that is mainly contemporary Irish, centered on comfort food.

A three-course dinner menu is available for €39.50 for large groups.

This landmark dining pub a stone's throw from Ballyvaughan Pier has changed hands and fortunes over the past few years, but all you need to know is that it is back on its game with a freshly renovated interior and menu. The welcoming fire and friendly service remain, as does the signature seafood chowder that lures locals and visitors from miles around. Galway oysters feature prominently on the menu along with Hereford steak and salmon. The addition of new luxury bedrooms (from €115) means that you can now stay overnight.