Corinna Hardgrave and Joanne Cronin have searched the country to find the best of restaurants to try around Ireland this winter
Corinna Hardgrave and Joanne Cronin have searched the country to find the best of restaurants to try around Ireland this winterIt has been a challenging year for restaurants, but despite the odds, the industry remains bold, and a new wave of restaurants made their debut – 18 of which make this list.
These new openings are not just in Dublin; places like New Ross and Lismore are seeing exciting new spots, bringing fresh energy to local communities. You will find here also some beautiful places to plan a special night out with pals or family, just in time for the festive season. If you’re after something more low-key, our cosy and casual categories are ideal for laid-back meals with friends, while you can see where exceptional value is to be had in the smart money section. There are lots of options too for those who want to push the boat out for a date night, destination dining, or a glam evening. As always, it is a list of just 100, with a focus on new restaurants, so sadly we couldn’t include everyone. Be sure to support all your local favourites too.The most exciting east-Asian-inspired food in town at the moment comes from this Aston Quay restaurant, where a Santa Maria barbecue that has been custom-made by Smokin’ Soul is at the heart of the menu. Start with the by now legendary chargrilled mussels and work through the menu with some very fine cocktails.With the opening of casual Baba’de, Chef Ahmet Dede returns to the building where he earned the first of his two Michelin stars with Dede restaurant, partnering once again with Maria Archer. It’s charmingly named for Ahmet’s daughter Aleyna. During the morning, the menu is all about Turkish-style breakfast, while the evening offers an eclectic mixture of beguiling small plates. With the winter months closing in, look out for wine club evenings with guest sommeliers.Cork people are known to have deep feelings about the best chipper in the city, with KC & Sons from the Crawford family frequently a top contender. Now Josh Crawford, along with Arkansas-born wife Kate, is moving in a very different direction with the opening of Bayou, a New Orleans-inspired restaurant. For anyone who has ever been to the Big Easy, the menu of fried chicken and biscuits, beignets and muffulettas will feel immediately authentic.Jumoke Akintola and Peter Hogan have opened this luxe fish and chip shop in the beautiful first floor of their premises in Tramore. It is open year round – eat in , or takeaway – and offers an interesting wine list. A handful of smaller plates includes local seafood from Tramore Bay, such as crab or lobster salad, local prawns, or Duncannon smoked salmon and chowder, all served with their home-made soda bread. Beer battered fish and chips are €19.95; and plaice, John Dory, and turbot are available as daily specials at market prices. The Seafood Restaurant is closed for winter and will reopen in March 2025.Bearú chef and owner Dave Rowley with a roast heirloom beetroot, baby potatoes, kale and hazelnut salad. Photograph: Nick BradshawIf you’re starting to wonder whether the restaurant business is all gimmicks and Instagram filters these days, just head straight to Bearú in New Ross. By day, it’s a smart cafe, by night, a proper restaurant – no fuss, no frills – run by chef Dave Rowley and his wife, local woman Siobhán Ward. The menu’s tight, just three choices per course, and that’s because they cook what’s fresh – fish practically flapping in off the boats and seasonal produce.Affordable dumplings are the star in this stripped-back, budget-friendly joint, where the glowing neon CN Dumpling sign above your head is just about the fanciest thing in the room. You’ve got options: steamed, grilled, boiled, or drowned in a fierce Sichuan chilli broth, or snowflake style. There are sides too, such as a cucumber and jellyfish salad that’s as refreshing as it is unexpected. It’s the kind of place for popping into for a quick, tasty bite.There was a collective cheer when Coppinger swung open its freshly revamped doors back in August, and with chef Daniel Hannigan at the helm, the food has taken a serious step up. It’s a sharing plates affair, with no shortage of tasty options, and – thankfully – no minimum spend to box you in. The cocktails are a triumph. Start with the celery gimlet and work your way through the list.Fresh from a morning swim, Elaine Slattery used to drive to Lahinch for a hot chocolate. Wanting something closer to home, she transformed a 200-year-old cottage in Liscannor into Dolly’s coffee shop. Open since August, it’s now the spot for a post-dip hot chocolate, chai latte after a coastal walk, or a yoga-recovery matcha. Pastel de nata, Viennoisserie and sourdough are supplied from Hugo’s, there’s Happy Tummy bread, and organic vegetables and eggs from Moy Hill Farm. Upstairs is a community space for yoga, Pilates and poetry readings. Dogs are very welcome .Stools hug the counters by the wall and window at chef Derek Kelly and Nicole Keegan’s Mount Merrion restaurant, while the snug delivers a proper sit-down vibe for those who like a bit more intimacy. The menu calls it “small and large plates”, but it easily adapts to starters and mains. Tasty, shareable dishes include free-range, spicy fried chicken and charred baby leeks smothered in ajo blanco, and it’s worth checking out the red prawn fregola.David Doran, James Ryder, Sally O’Brien and Molly O’Rourke of Farmgate, which has newly opened in Lismore. Photograph: Nick BradshawStorm Babet’s rampage through Midleton in east Cork in 2023 had a devastating impact on Farmgate Café, which Maróg O’Brien had opened in 1983. Now newly opened in Lismore in a heritage building that once played host to O’Brien’s Pub, there is a long counter area for walk-ins and diningroom at the back. The menu is based on local, seasonal produce which is cooked simply, preserving the original ethos of Farmgate.Floritz surely can lay claim to being the most glamorous diningroom in Ireland, bursting with bright colours and a luxe style that can only be described as Georgian tropical. Chef Matt Fuller oversees an extensive menu of small and large plates with a strong Asian influence. Groups can share plates of charcoal grilled yakitori, sushi, bao or dishes such as miso roast black cod.Forest Avenue feels like a neighbourhood spot until you taste what John Wyer does with suckling pig and vegetables from the McNally family farm and then you realise it’s quietly exceptional. The three-course lunch is a reasonable €49, while the evening tasting menu will set you back €89, a bargain for what they’re offering. And if that wasn’t enough, owners John and Sandy Wyer are doubling down with plans to open a French bistro next door, charmingly named Forêt.Owner Will Monaghan hit the headlines recently when he was candid about the struggle faced by city centre restaurants. Hidden is his latest venture, smack in the heart of Smithfield. The vibe here is similar to sister restaurant One Society, with tasty all-day brunch, switching to tapas, wine and pizza in the evenings, made using a wide range of produce from Irish suppliers.It’s a brave move to change a much-loved restaurant but that’s exactly what Andrea and Stephen McAllister did when they transformed The Pig’s Ear into Lotus Eaters. They describe it as serving the type of flavours that they love to cook at home. Pick and mix from dishes such as barbecue pork belly skewers, poached chicken salad with cucumber and rayu, or their signature Wagyu beef burger.Nádúr is the little sister to Cork’s much loved Good Day Deli. Owners Clare Condon and New Zealander Kristin Makirere have taken a unique little 18th century building and fitted it out with Irish oak, bespoke ceramics and Irish linen, while maintaining the style of fresh, seasonal food they have long championed. Visit for breakfast, coffee and lunch.It’s all about tequila and grilling at Jules Mak’s new Mexican restaurant. The margarita made with Casamigos tequila and avocado syrup is already a signature serve but there are nine others from which to choose. Chef Hector Gutierrez Ochoa turns out bites, hand-pressed tacos and meaty main courses grilled over open fire, including strip loin steak with chimichurri. The atmosphere is buzzy and booking is essential.Not everyone loves a communal table, but if you’re heading to Blackrock’s latest by-day cafe, by-night wine bar, you’ll find more intimate options if you book wisely. Delicious, small plates such as line-caught mackerel in ajo blanco are on the evening menu, and the well-chosen wine list means this is the sort of spot where you could easily find yourself lingering.Chef Alex Greene became famous due to the Great British Menu, becoming the first chef from Northern Ireland to secure a course at the banquet. Along with close friend and business partner Bronagh McCormick, he has recently reopened The Buck’s Head in Dundrum. The focus is on traditional pub food, done excellently, so expect lobster Thermidor with salad and fries or the de Terra shorthorn burger topped with pulled beef shin.With stone walls, timber beams and a coastal vibe, this Greystones spot has Sheerin Wilde managing and Jaco Pretorius running the kitchen. The fish-led menu also offers steak, chicken and vegetarian dishes, keeping things flexible. Starters are under €15.50, while mains range from €19.50 for moules marinières to €42 for a 16oz Irish Angus T-bone. It’s as good for a quick bite as it is for something special.This may be one of Dublin’s smallest restaurants, but the flavours and dishes far exceed its mere physical dimensions. Named in August as Michelin’s Bib of the Month, its buzzy atmosphere fits in perfectly with the recent adoption of Drury Street by the young and fun. Kick-start the evening with “Amy’s Cherry Sgropino”, a mix of sparkling wine, Campari and saffron., marked five years in business by giving their sleek Kilkenny daytime spot a complete refurb. Their famous sourdough stars across the a la carte and brunch menus, showing up in sandwiches such as the kimchi chicken grilled cheese. For something heartier, try the not-so-Turkish eggs with Ballon Farm’s perfectly runny fried eggs, served with roasted Mooncoin beetroot and wilted organic greens.This Mediterranean seafood joint, with its Italian-heavy focus, has a menu split into spuntini, smalls, larges and desserts, with specials chalked up daily. Fresh morcilla is flambéed tableside in sambuca, and padella di mare, packed with Kilkeel crab claws and Killary Fjord mussels sautéed in a vermouth, comes sizzling in cast iron. Don’t skip the home-made gelato.Fish Shop’s charm lies in its confident simplicity. Start with sherry and a gilda, then move on to impeccably cooked fish, perhaps paired with a Jura white from their 200-bottle wine list. With just 15 counter stools, booking ahead is essential. The menu features cockles with chorizo, anchovies on toast, and the best crispy fish and chips in town. Grower Champagne by the glass is an added bonus.Owners Gilles Gaillot and Emma Gray have transformed this former bookies into a neighbourhood treasure. The wood-fired oven is in constant service, turning out pastries and breads in the morning, before switching to French-style pizzas in the evening. Loyal customers stop to fill up on lunchtime soup and hearty sandwiches, while young couples linger over pizzas topped with Bayonne ham, merguez sausage and Emmental cheese.The bright neon “Saigon” sign mounted on the rear wall gives a good clue as to what’s on offer. Through the open pass, chef Phillip Hughes oversees delivery of the east-Asia-inspired menu, with options such as Crying Tiger marinated Irish beef, classic Pad Thai or red curry with Skeaghanore duck leg, served with elegant cocktails. There’s a well priced lunch menu and a private room upstairs for groups.A fixture on the Cork food scene which has recently doubled in size, at Izz Cafe, Izz and Eman Alkarajeh serve up a mixture of mezze-style Palestinian foods and manaeesh-topped flatbreads, with breakfast, lunch and dinner options. Ingredients are sourced from Palestine, or closer to home from the English Market and the Cork Rooftop Garden. Watch out for their Coffee for Palestine fundraiser in conjunction with more than 90 Cork cafes.The interiors at Kai are always as seasonal as the food. With windows currently full of beautiful, orange pumpkins and autumnal foliage, dishes such as John Dory with burnt butter cauliflower and fried cob nuts reflect the time of year. Holding the only Michelin Green Star in Ireland, chef and owner Jess Murphy is a firm advocate of farm to fork, and desserts are made by sister business Hapi Bakery.Earlier this year, Sham Hanifa released his first cookbook, Agak Agak, a tribute to his heritage which spans China, Thailand, Malaysia and India. Readers will be drawn into his world of deep aromatics and rich flavours, just as if they were sitting in his restaurant, open every day from breakfast to evening. Try classics such as the chicken satay or beef rending.Alain Morice’s 20-seater deli, daytime bistro and wine bar blends French charm with Irish produce. The small menu features a weekly pâté en croute, a labour of love, which could be pork, figs and herbs wrapped in crisp, golden pastry. Galway snails swim in garlicky butter and the roast chicken Dauphinoise is pure comfort. Desserts by Morice’s sister finish things off perfectly.After five years in business, chef Conor Halpenny briefly closed Square earlier this year to allow time for a recharge and reset, before reopening with a fresh new menu. This restaurant’s joy and love is evident in every dish, from home-made crisps snowed under by cheese, the Square “KFC”, and trofie pasta with courgette and Boyne Valley Bán cheese. Look out for wine glasses with a little dog motif, a tribute to Alfie, the restaurant dog.With three cafes dotted around Dublin city, Stephen O’Dwyer’s Tang is a popular choice for a healthy, nutritious and joyous lunch. But it’s gone up another level with the arrival of the casual evening menu at Cumberland Place. Home-grown chef Aoibheann’s menu is heavily influenced by flavours of the Middle East, with pillowy focaccia, smoky aubergine dip and halloumi in bright, vibrant harissa yoghurt, all enjoyed with glasses from the short wine list.With an open wood grill burning in the heart of the kitchen, and home-brewed beers to accompany their fine steaks, Elbow Lane is a Cork treasure.Whether you’re dining in the elaborate main room or on the beautiful terrace, Fire remains one of Dublin’s most popular spots for steak.Given that the Buckley family started as butchers, it’s no surprise that this award-winning group of restaurants serve some of Ireland’s finest steaks.Whether it’s the good value rump steak at lunch, or a hearty porterhouse for dinner, enjoy them all in Dublin’s most stunning diningroom.This luxe gastropub in the heart of Cashel serves fine, hearty steaks, best enjoyed with triple-cooked chips and their shallot and Bourguignon sauce.Julius Havranek of Cork’s Cornstore says the Midnight Espresso, made using Baileys, is a big hit with customers. Photograph: Clare KeoghKilian Walsh, formerly of L’Enclume, heads the kitchen at this Michelin-starred restaurant. The €105 tasting menu features inventive dishes such as mushroom custard with ox tongue and sweetcorn, and grilled pork with artichoke barigoule. With a strong focus on seasonal Irish produce from Castleruddery Organic Farm, the restaurant caters particularly well to vegetarians and vegans. A recent mini refurb has added new flooring and banquet seating, keeping the space casual but fresh.Located a short distance from Belfast, Frae is to be found in the food Mecca that is Holywood. The constantly changing menu from chef Shaun Tinman is always fun and creative, with specials featuring veal scallopine with Gorgonzola butter and sherry sauce, or chargrilled chicken Marbella, drawing flavours from right across the island. Choose from the excellent natural wine list and let the relaxed service set you at ease.Grano is one of those Dublin restaurants where reservations are rarer than hen’s teeth. Since it opened in 2018, Roberto Mungo’s handmade pasta has had diners coming back for more. To understand his attitude to quality, consider the fact that he only uses flour made from an ancient grain called Senatore Cappelli that is grown near his Calabrian hometown using low-intervention methods.Operating from a small but buzzy space, Niall McDermott and Chloe Kearney have built up a loyal customer base with their short and sharp menus of small plates, fresh pasta and large sharing meats. Plates such as pumpkin cappellacci with sage and walnuts or the pork chop from Pigs on the Green have become signature items. When closed, the duo often make the space available for pop-up and charity events.With more than 100 wines from which to choose, the wine list at Note is an homage to biodynamic, natural and low-intervention winemaking. In the kitchen, Essa Fakhry has established a unique style of modern Irish cooking that sometimes dances on the edge of austerity but never disappoints in flavour. Try crab crumpet with sea urchin espuma or roast quail with coco beans and girolles to experience for yourself.After two years of quietly shaping the menu, head chef Miguel Frutos is now making Paradiso unmistakably his. The vegetable-led dishes, sourced from Gortnanain Farm, are nothing short of remarkable, and the €68 six-course tasting menu feels like a steal. The wine list, too, stands out for its accessibility. Meanwhile, long-time manager Dave O’Mahony is stepping into ownership alongside Miguel, marking a new chapter for this Cork institution.Sometimes it’s easy to overlook the classics in favour of the new, but the Saddle Room at Dublin’s own grande dame hotel remains an excellent choice for relaxed smart dining, whether for lunch or a special occasion. Stop at the seafood bar for some oysters and champagne, or indulge in a magnificent chateaubriand carved table side, all in a cosy cocoon right in the city centre.Paul McNamara, Simon Barrett, and Liz Matthews run a Spanish-influenced restaurant where the menu includes dishes such as Cantabrian anchovies, Ibérico pork presa, Coolea agnolotti and brill à la plancha. For two, the salt-aged Delmonico with Béarnaise, beef dripping potatoes, and Bordelaise sauce is a regular favourite. The 300-bottle wine list covers sherries, Spanish small producers and a strong line-up of grower champagnes.The €90, six-course tasting menu at Michelin-starred Variety Jones ranks among the best meals I’ve had this year – no fuss, just superb cooking in a relaxed setting. Chef-patron Keelan Higgs has an obsession with local, organic and seasonal produce, all seared by the intense heat of the open fire. Highlights include oysters dressed in a punchy Vietnamese sauce, duck liver parfait with waffles, a gloriously rich spaghetti Alfredo, and barbecued monkfish. The food manages to be both precise and bold, yet never loses its playful edge.This small premises on Kevin Street is from the people behind the Fish Shop in Stoneybatter and the Beach House restaurant in Tramore, Co Waterford, so it should be no surprise that both the food and the wines are superb.Nelly’s Café in Drumcondra transforms into Brut Wine Bar on Friday and Saturday evenings, offering small bites and interesting wines.From Enda McEvoy of the late, lamented Loam in Galway, Éan is a bakery and casual lunch place that at night becomes a creative restaurant and friendly wine bar, with a great selection of natural and organic wines.A long-established food shop and restaurant upstairs, their wine cellar offers 300 different bottles as well as beers and cocktails, and a great selection of food from the Italian-focused menu.With charming sommelier Nick Fajours behind this venture, an interesting wine list is no surprise. There’s also plenty of emphasis on cocktails, with old classics and more inventive creations.A great addition to the neighbourhood scene in Kimmage, with a menu focused on small snacks and a great selection of wines by the glass.A spin-off from Elaine Murphy’s Washerwoman restaurant next door, Little Washer offers pizzas, pasta and small plates, as well as an extensive wine list.A coffee shop by day, just opposite the RDS, Mr Magpie turns into a wine bar with small plates on Friday and Saturday nights.Here’s a change from all the cafes that turn into wine bars – a bookshop that turns into a wine bar. Thursday through Sunday from 5pm the bar is open, with an interesting variety of sherries and good selection of wines.More than 100 wines by the glass plus a broad food menu with an emphasis on local seafood.On Montague Street in Dublin, this tiny, oh-so-cool space offers coffee, breakfast and lunch, then 40 different wines and sharing plates of food later in the evening.The wine list in this Waterford city spot is exceptional – which is hardly surprising, as Morgan VanderKamer, president of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers, co-owns it. Her partner, Stephen McArdle, ensures the food is equally impressive.For those craving a Michelin-starred experience without remortgaging the house, Garrett Byrne and Bríd Hannon’s restaurant offers a lunch and early bird menu at an astonishing €48 for three courses. Dinner, naturally, pushes things a little higher at €78, but what you get in return are dishes rooted in the classics, such as foie gras “crème caramel”, saddle of lamb and roast almond ice cream.Mirco Fondrini’s osteria offers a slice of Lombardy right in the heart of town, with pasta and sauces crafted in-house. The menu is pure comfort, with dishes such as home-made tagliatelle with porcini, oven-baked cannelloni stuffed with ragú bianco, and Skeaghanore duck breast paired with braised shallots in agrodolce. Bruno Pangia from Naples now heads the kitchen, and with prices at €39 for starter and main, or €32 for main and dessert, it’s great value for what’s on offer.The historic heart of Waterford City is beating strongly once more, and Peter Everett’s modern Irish restaurant is bang in the middle. It occupies the remains of a 15th-century building, a claim few others can match. Everett’s consistently offers excellent value for money, while Waterford and local producers are represented on the menu by the likes of Tuskar crab, Comeragh lamb and Clashganny apples.It’s rare for a chef to relinquish a Michelin star but that is exactly what Takashi Miyazaki did when he decided to transform his fine-dining kaiseki restaurant into a more relaxed bistro and natural wine bar serving handmade buckwheat noodles, donburi bowls and tasty snacks. Cork folk rewarded him with even more business, and customer demand has resulted in the launch of dedicated sushi nights.With a newly minted Michelin Bib Gourmand, Lottie’s is a solid choice for dinner with pals. If you’re after something quick and casual, the two/three course, €29/€35 early evening menu is great value. For a longer evening, the ground-floor terrace is open for outdoor dining or pre-dinner drinks. Menu highlights include Castledermot lamb with flatbread, Andarl Farm pork chop, and free-range chicken, all cooked over the live fire grill.With its €30/€35 early bird menu, Thursday steak nights and solid Sunday roasts, you’d be forgiven for thinking this place is just about neighbourhood comfort food. But behind the scenes, Gareth Naughton is quietly taking things up a level. And things are about to get more interesting with the launch of his intimate 12-seater upstairs, where he’ll be serving a chef’s tasting menu.A review of One Pico’s Instagram account will reveal beautiful dishes, plated with elegance and flair. It’s all due to head chef Zhan Sergejev, who combines a background in art and photography with his style of flavourful, modern French cooking. The diningroom remains ever elegant, a lovely spot for lunch or dinner, with a wine list heavily influenced by terroir and organic or biodynamic winemaking.Though many places have dropped the early bird menu, this bustling neighbourhood favourite still offers two/three courses for €40/€46 each evening. The menu is anything but ordinary. Starters such as roast beetroot with ricotta, courgette and black olive, or cured mackerel with tomato and smoked eel cream bring a fresh twist. Mains include pan-seared halibut with squid marinière or the indulgent suckling pig loin paired with ham hock, sausage and an Iberico ham doughnut.John and Tara Coffey are celebrating 18 years in business, just in time for game season, their favourite time of the year. Over the next few months the menu will feature partridge, venison, mallard, wood pigeon and pheasant, all supplied by Eamon Giblin of Gourmet Game. Their cosy restaurant is truly one of Ireland’s low-key treasures, and well worth a stop when travelling across the country.David Devereaux may jokingly say that he is the “worst home cook on the planet” but his food at this lovely Cork city restaurant continues to go from strength to strength. Along with partner Anne Zagar, they now focus on evening service, which is proving hugely popular with Corkonians. Stand-out dishes include confit pork belly with rhubarb and mustard cream, and ricotta and hen’s yolk raviolo in onion broth.Daróg, run by Zsolt Lukács and his wife Edel McMahon, is a wine bar at heart but also a serious restaurant. Attila Galambos seems to really have hit his stride here, with dishes like softshell crab tempura with wasabi emulsion, kingfish crudo with yuzu, and king scallops with Connemara surf clams. There is now an option of a five-course tasting menu , and the wine list is as sharp as the food.It’s hard to believe that Dax is celebrating 20 years in business. There’s no shouting from the rooftops or splashy renovations – just Graham Neville serving up some of the best classic French food in Dublin, long before “quiet luxury” was a thing. Olivier Meisonnave’s very fine wine list and impeccable service adds to the sheer joy of dining here. The two/three course lunch menu , is one of the most wonderful escapes on a dreary Friday afternoon, and the three-course dinner is equally lovely.Killian Durkin and Jess D’Arcy have their eyes set on the flavours of autumn at Mamó. Dishes such as rabbit strozzapretti or sika venison with parfait, Roscoff onion and braised leeks are sure to warm the heart and stomach, but rest assured, their signature “cod chip” remains. Set lunch is available on weekdays with a la carte in the evenings.There’s a true joy and warmth to be found in Barbara Nealon’s popular restaurant where chef Rebeca Recarey Sanchez continues to tempt with specials such as chard with pine nuts, raisins and ajo blanco, or mackerel escabeche with leeks and a jammy egg. The popular “Somewich Sunday”, combining sandwiches and wine, returns soon, as does Provisions, the take-home service of tasty bits and cook-at-home meals.Celebrating 10 years in business, The Old Spot has just published a magnificent cookbook which beautifully captures the warmth and friendliness of this cosy gastropub. It’s all about comfort food here, including free-range scotch egg made with Andarl pork and Sneem black pudding, roast chicken supreme with dumplings, and perfect panna cottas. With a great selection of cocktails and drinks, you’ll find it hard to leave.This 1820s coach house is exactly where you want to land after a brisk walk in the Wicklow Hills. The kitchen works with suppliers including Ballincarey Organic Farm, An Tairseach Organic and Higgins Family Butchers, and the menu has hearty options such as Dundrum Bay crab fazzoletti with heirloom tomatoes, cod and chips, and a rich Wagyu cheeseburger. For something more casual, pop into their next-door sister spot, Roundwood Stores bakery.Vaughan’s Pub in Liscannor has been a go-to for more than 40 years, serving up lobster bisque, foie gras, steaks and freshly caught fish alongside a 200-bottle wine list. James Vaughan leads the kitchen here, while his father Denis runs the more laid-back Vaughan’s on the Pier in Lahinch. Seafood is landed daily and the seafood chowder, classic fish and chips, and fresh catches are the stars.Chapter One remains the one to beat, not just for its two Michelin stars or the three-course €85 lunch menu, but because it is resolutely one of the best restaurants in the world. Exquisite use of produce and meticulous and detailed cooking mean every morsel, from the first amuse bouche to the petits fours, is likely to be among the best you will ever taste.Having joined the ranks of Ireland’s Michelin-starred restaurants this year, D’Olier Street is one of the hottest tickets in town. Book one of the prime seats at the low kitchen counter to watch James Moore and team move smoothly through service, or relax at a table in the sleekly aesthetic diningroom. For the non-drinkers, there’s a creative non-alcoholic cocktail pairing to go with the tasting menu.This Cork stalwart has recently undergone a dramatic glow up, shedding its formerly muted tones for a plush floral and green inspired decor that reflects the small courtyard garden. With the English Market nearby, the new menu is firmly anchored by comforting favourites such as seafood chowder made with catch from Ballycotton, beef and Beamish stew and Quigley’s lamb shank.The sleek styling, large glass windows and Scandi vibes at Lignum are in strong contrast to Danny Africano’s preferred cooking style over primal fire. The end result, though, is modern and elegant, with dishes retaining just a lingering imprint of the flames. Current specials include Killary Fjord mussel and sea urchin flan and a glorious mixed seafood pasta with red mullet and gambero rosso di Mazara.Open for more than 20 years, this fine-dining venue with impeccable hospitality remains one of the top choices for special occasions and chic lunches. The classic French-style cooking is elegant and subtle, with occasional lively touches. Whatever you order, be sure to indulge in the luxurious pomme purée and the wonderful cheese trolley that is wheeled table side.The arched vaults of the Bishop’s Buttery, which boasts one of Ireland’s newest Michelin stars, are on the basement level of the beautifully restored Cashel Palace Hotel. The cooking style is classically French, while making extensive use of Tipperary and Irish producers. Look out for an upcoming series of dinners in conjunction with luxury beverage producers including Deutz champagne and Macallan whisky. Read our reviewExecutive head chef Mark Treacy brings a wealth of experience to Kenmare, having previously worked in Dromoland Castle, Thornton’s and L’Ecrivain. Since taking over in 2022 he has steered this large, elegant diningroom towards modern classics, prepared using seasonal Irish ingredients. Dishes such as ravioli filled with Coolea cheese in onion broth, or cod with mussels, peas and girolles in Vin Jaune sauce are sure to please all comers.at Mount Juliet Estate, now beautifully refurbished to highlight its elegant stuccowork, is a Michelin-starred diningroom led by John Kelly. His French-influenced, eight-course tasting menu showcases top Irish ingredients with dishes such as Mullaghmore lobster with violet artichoke and bouillabaisse, and Tipperary organic veal with black truffle and aged Comté. Kelly’s cooking is precise and ingredient-driven, perfectly complementing the grandeur of the room.Set against stunning views of the Burren, every dish here is crafted with meticulous technique. The €95 menu starts with canapés, including warm miso velouté with smoked eel. Atlantic scallops are sliced, cured and paired with rhubarb, while roast halibut is served with peas and broad beans fresh from the kitchen garden, bathed in butter. Jonathan Farrell, ex-sous chef at Bastible, leads the kitchen with confidence and skill – one of my top predictions for a Michelin star in 2025.The Morrisson Room oozes old-world grandeur, complete with Lafranchini stuccowork and a menu that matches the surroundings. Chef Adam Nevin returned to his native Maynooth in 2023 and has been turning out refined, thoughtful dishes ever since. The dinner tasting menu runs at €110, with a signature menu at €140. Expect plenty of luxury ingredients and tableside theatre. Sunday lunch is a more laid-back affair, with two courses for €55, or three for €65. Closed for the month of January.is truly dedicated to Irish food. Following 13 years in business, Aniar recently underwent a refit in conjunction with Marmar Architects, and the result is an interior that guides the diner through the 24-course tasting menu experience, all the time subtly mirroring the landscape of the west of Ireland.There’s a lot of talk about Ballyfin this year, the ultra-expensive hotel where Amal and George Clooney once stayed and Kanye and Kim honeymooned. The Michelin guide awarded the hotel three keys and posted glowing pictures of the food, promptly adding to the speculation that it is primed to land a star. UK chef Richard Picard-Edwards has made no secret of his ambition, and with dishes like pea cream and broad beans with Belgian caviar, Mossfield ravioli in onion consommé and squab pigeon with foie gras and leg ravioli, it may just be the time to pop an email to see if one of those non-resident tables for the €145 tasting menu is available.Sam and Emily Moody’s fine-dining spot in Abbeyleix focuses on local, seasonal ingredients and precise cooking, drawing on Sam’s pedigree . The lunch menu and midweek “Supper at Six” offer great value but dinner is where the kitchen shines, with a la carte and tasting menus using vegetables from their walled garden. Highlights include honey-glazed quail with leek emulsion and organic slow roast duck.Change is in the air at Ashford Castle. The stately, dark wood panelling of the George V diningroom is now home to executive head chef Liam Finnegan, who works closely with the estate’s newly planted kitchen garden and local suppliers to bring a modern touch to the classics-inspired menu. The wine cellar is famously richly stocked, and has an extensive list of wines by the glass.In a restored 200-year-old cottage, Michelin-starred chef Robbie McCauley crafts precise, seasonal dishes, using produce from his own organic garden and ducks he raises himself. With his wife Sophie running the front of house, the experience is both personal and polished. Dishes such as fallow deer with fermented red cabbage or Liscannor Bay crab with garden kohlrabi show the kitchen’s sensitivity to seasonality on the eight-course tasting menu . From November a seven-course afternoon menu , running from 2pm-6pm, adds another option.Owner Damien Grey recently announced on Instagram that Liath is looking for a new home. But fear not – for the time being the Blackrock Market continues to host this tiny fine-dining powerhouse. Liath has a philosophy that espouses exploration of the senses, so the diner is drawn inward over the course of the meal into the imagination of Grey and head chef, Jozef Radacovsky.Despite being possibly the busiest man in Irish cooking, with television shows, demonstrations and cookware ranges, Neven Maguire’s MacNean House and Restaurant remains one of the most popular destinations in Ireland for a special meal. Often booked out months in advance, the generous hospitality and even more generous cooking from head chef Carmel McGirr feels very special indeed.Rob Krawczyk’s Michelin-starred tasting menu is all about restraint, showcasing local ingredients with skill. His home-made charcuterie and organic produce from Lisheen Greens flow through the courses. The four-course menu offers a taste of his craft, while the Signature Tasting includes wild halibut with Roaring Water Bay mussels. Upstairs, it’s more laid-back with “Small Plates, Nibbles & Snacks.” Closes through January.Dining at Terre is a spectacle from the moment you set foot inside, and it’s not just the open kitchen where French chef Vincent Crepel overseas the dramatically lit pass. It’s the quality of produce and the precision of cooking that makes this two-Michelin-starred restaurant so special. Age-old French cooking methods are coupled with a strong Asian influence on the €250, 11-course tasting menu, with dishes such as hamachi with home-made kosho and Ballycotton lobster with whey sauce.The lavish Oak Room delivers all the grandeur that one would expect at one of Ireland’s finest hotels. Service is impeccable, allowing the spotlight to shine on chef Mike Tweedie’s elegant and polished cooking. Since taking over in 2017, Tweedie has truly settled in, finding his way unerringly to the best Irish produce including Doonbeg lobster, Dooncastle oysters and meat from Higgin’s butchers.Chef Danni Barry works magic with the freshest seasonal ingredients, crafting visually stunning plates with a light, refined touch. The four-course table d’hote menu highlights this simplicity: cured scallops with cucumber and nasturtiums, perfectly cooked halibut with morels, and wild venison with garden beets. The Library, which was recently redecorated, now has a conservatory and terrace, and is perfect for a pre-dinner cocktail.Restaurant review: Michelin quality, flawless food in one of the best hotels in the worldHow can you tell if a wine is off when offered a drop to taste in a restaurant?We’re meant to bask in Saoirse Ronan’s feminist triumph, but I find it all a bit nauseating‘Brat’ chosen as Collins Dictionary word of the yearDavid Davin-Power, former RTÉ correspondent, dies aged 72
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