11 Irish restaurants you need to try

Great restaurants are never just about the building, but the cosy interior at the Homestead Cottage creates a unique atmosphere that makes it a great place to linger over a slow lunch or well-paced dinner. It helps that the food is stellar, too. Located just a short distance from the attractive village of Doolin, Michelin-starred Homestead Cottage is a must-visit County Clare food destination. Menus change frequently to reflect the best local, seasonal ingredients, with dishes in autumn and winter heavier on game and meat, and a summer focus on fish and shellfish.

The rustic old-world beauty of 1826 Adare, in a traditional thatched cottage in the picture-perfect village of Adare, makes it an ideal location for a seasonal bite. Striking a delicate balance between solid Irish cooking and modern innovation, husband and wife team Wade and Elaine Murphy are hitting the spot with fresh, comforting dishes.

A lovely, bright dining room beside the water in Belfast makes Ox a delightful place to be, especially at lunchtime. Then comes the food... Local, seasonal produce is a driving force behind the culinary ethos here, and menus are developed around the best ingredients available. With a Michelin star behind them, Ox is now stalwart of the Belfast culinary scene, with excellent service, private dining options and an offshoot wine bar, called Ox Cave, serving fine wines and small plates.

Mixing Turkish flavours and Irish seasonal ingredients, Dede in the gorgeous seaside village of Baltimore in County Cork has become a fast favourite among locals and visitors and boasts two Michelin stars. There are three menu options for their tasting menus – mixed, vegetarian and pescatarian and both are available for lunch and dinner. For something more casual, try their sister restaurant Baba’de serving Turkish dishes in a beautiful old stone news building.

Walking into Solas Tapas in Dingle is like engaging in a culinary embrace – it’s friendly, relaxed and effortlessly enjoyable. They grow their own organic vegetables here, as well as using eggs from their organic hens and honey from their own hives – and the quality of the ingredients shows. The menu features small, medium and larger plates with an emphasis on sharing. Expect a variety of dishes from land and sea, including rock oysters with smoked trout caviar, yuzu and soy; Dingle lobster ravioli with lobster and kimchi bisque; and fig tempura with Dingle goats cheese and peppered honey.

With St Tola cheese, fish from the Connemara Smokehouse, and pheasant from Dromoland Game, Kai’s focus is firmly on the quality of its suppliers for its food and drink. Jam jars hanging from the ceiling, chunky wooden benches and open stone walls make it the perfect hideaway on a blustery afternoon in Galway city. Well, that and the daily-changing menu of fresh, light dishes such as West Coast crab and trout caviar.

Situated right in the heart of the town of Holywood, County Down, not far from Belfast, Noble has gained critical acclaim for its contemporary food and sleek modern interior. Dishes are European-influenced, with plates such as pork belly and confit cheek with celeriac and chard. It’s been open since 2016 and is still going strong, with a loyal clientele that keeps coming back for more.

The ethos of the Mourne Seafood Bar in County Down: serve the best local seafood in the most delicious way possible. And it works! Chalked-up blackboards, a laid-back atmosphere and extra-fresh produce hauled in from local ports draw the crowds night after night for everything from “oysters au naturel” and smoked salmon to aromatic pots of fresh Mourne mussels. Simple and delicious.

Kinsale is awash with amazing places to eat, but this lovely little Michelin Bib Gourmand spot in the heart of the town is something special. Super-fresh ingredients, genuinely warm and friendly staff and a small but buzzing room make it the kind of place you’ll want to come back to again and again. It’s popular, too, so make sure you book ahead, especially during the summer months.

Athlone is increasingly becoming a popular food destination in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, helped in no small part by being surrounded by rich pastureland, as well as the River Shannon. One of the best places to eat in town is Thyme Restaurant, which specialises in locally sourced ingredients from suppliers including Slieve Bloom Organic Farm, Gubbeen Farmhouse Cheese and Wild Irish Seaweed. After dinner, walk up to Sean’s Bar for a drink – it’s been there since 900AD.

11. Lir, County Londonderry

At Lir, it’s all about the freshest of seafood brought in daily on local boats. Menus change based on what’s available, some ingredients are foraged, and a variety of processes are used – including fermenting, smoking and curing – to ensure sustainability and a minimum of waste. There is a brunch and an à la carte option available, but to appreciate Lir to the full, go for the tasting menu. A great location in Coleraine, County Londonderry, with a view of the River Bann is the icing on the cake.