Where to eat upscale Irish food—they’re all over Ireland! You can find restaurants in Dublin, which is Ireland’s most expensive city, in Cork as well, which is the food capital, and all across the country, really!
We’ll talk about those fine-dining restaurants in this article. We’ll also review the food, the service, and even the location so you’ll have an idea of which are the best ones to check out.
With those on our agenda, let’s get on with it!
The Cost of Upscale Irish Food
According to various sources which include restaurants, forums, and blogs, you should expect to spend at least €40.00–€50.00 per meal. This doesn’t include dessert or drinks, so you’d need to pay for those separately.
The total bill can go higher if you want to taste more than just one dish. This can be really expensive for most, but still a great value for money due to the overall service and quality of food.
Top Restaurants to Eat Upscale Irish Food
Reviewing the best posh restaurants in Ireland using the following:
1. Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud
| Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Range | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Value for money | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Location and atmosphere | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Customer testimonials | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Staff service | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Attentiveness and speed | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Professionalism | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
What we love about Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud is that it has enough reviews to convince you to try it. Its reputation is as good as a restaurant can get, but what more do you expect from a Michelin-star restaurant?
Now we all know it’s not going to be cheap, but we assure you, as well as those regular customers we’re able to talk to, that your money’s worth it. The restaurant has amazing Irish food and an extensive wine selection–the perfect reason to dine in, if you ask us!
We love that it also has vegan and gluten-free options for those who are watching their diets. And it’s also vegetarian-friendly, with lots of choices on the menu.
Another thing we love about it is the effort put into food preparation. Each Irish dish is tasty and flavourful, and the presentation is artistic and innovative—definitely worth trying!
It’s also the type of place to dress up, but you can get away with a super formal get-up. The set-up is elegant and the atmosphere is luxurious, so you’d at least want to feel like you belong.
The staff are amazing—very attentive and quick in their service. You can immediately see that they’re well-trained in communicating with customers.
The only downsides we see are the cancellation fee and the availability. For one, it’s only open a couple of hours in the afternoon and at night, which isn’t ideal if you’re looking for a place to get a late lunch or late dinner.
Second, make sure you’ll be able to make it to your scheduled booking. Cancellations fee’s expensive, and totally not worth it!
Pros
- Michelin-star restaurant
- Vegetarian friendly
- Has vegan and gluten-free options
- Nice wine menu
- Food is flavourful and prepared well
- Warm atmosphere
- Elegant set-up
- Professional but friendly waiters
- Excellent value for money
- Innovative dishes
Cons
- Only open a few hours a day
- Expensive cancellation fee
Customer Reviews
Great value for money
Worth its weight in gold!! We took our mother out for her 70th birthday and it was an experience we won’t forget in a hurry. The food was sublime and the service was superb. We were well fed and not a morsel was left on any plate, the staff, atmosphere and the entire evening was absolutely brilliant!!— Aoife, Trip Advisor
Innovative dishes
An absolutely amazing experience from start to finish. From the excellent bar staff at the start and their good fun, to the fantastic staff in the dining room. Everyone was so friendly, helpful, professional and nice. We had an amazing view of the full restaurant and it was like being on a movie set. The food was exquisite. So tasty and innovative. There were too many names to mention. Everyone we met was absolutely top class and we can’t wait to visit again.—Mom 2109, Trip Advisor
2. One Pico Restaurant
| Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Range | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Value for money | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Location and atmosphere | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Customer testimonials | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Staff service | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Attentiveness and speed | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Professionalism | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
One Pico Restaurant is one of those places you need to go to if you want an intimate set-up. If you ask us, this is one of the best upscale restaurants serving Irish and French cuisine in the country to go on a romantic date.
It’s quite hidden from everyone’s view because it’s located far from the centre, where everyone flocks towards. But it’s not that hard to find, so you can still easily get to it.
In fact, we think you’ll love that there’s not a lot of crowd around. You can easily get a parking space as well, which is a bonus!
The restaurant serves Irish and French cuisines. We’re telling you to expect lovely food presentation and really flavourful dishes.
The staff are attentive and friendly. If you need assistance or recommendations about what to order, they’ll gladly help you without hesitation!
We also think you’ll love the fact that the chefs can accommodate dietary restrictions. So if you want your flavours adjusted or an ingredient to be excluded, just let the staff know and they’ll inform the chefs.
The restaurant has an amazing wine selection as well! Like the food, it could get really expensive, but still oh-so worth it!
Just make sure to bring a dinner jacket or a coat. It can get really cold inside the restaurant, and you’ll want to make sure you’ll enjoy the full gastronomic experience without freezing to death!
Pros
- French and Irish cuisines
- Vegetarian-friendly
- Offers gluten-free options
- Decent serving portions
- Attentive and friendly staff
- Great selection of wines
- Accommodates dietary requirements
- Easy parking
Cons
- A little difficult to find
- Temperature inside the restaurant can get too cold
Customer Reviews
Accommodates dietary requirements
Absolutely wonderful experience. The food was flawless, particularly the sauces and reductions. Incredibly talented team. Excellent Maitre D, who introduced us to Mount Gay rum from Barbados. One of us has a dietary requirement and there was no issue at all. First time I’ve enjoyed every bite from start to finish. Amazing.—Alana L, Trip Advisor
Intimate and refined atmosphere
Excellent restaurant. Intimate and refined environment. The owners and manager were extremely kind and gentle. The quality of the dishes and the variety of choice are a plus. Excellent wine list with helpfulness and expertise of the sommelier in matching the wine to the chosen dishes. The presentation of the dishes truly remarkable! Price absolutely adequate. I will very happily return on my next trip to Dublin! Thank you!—Alessandro, Trip Advisor
3. Chapter One Restaurant
| Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Range | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Value for money | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Location and atmosphere | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Customer testimonials | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Staff service | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Attentiveness and speed | ★★★★☆ (5/5) |
| Professionalism | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Michelin-star Chapter One Restaurant serves three types of cuisines: Irish, European, and Contemporary. We love that it has broader options than most, giving you more choices if you’re a picky eater.
It has a limited choice for kids though. If your kids are on the picky side, they might not have a lot of options to choose from.
On the other hand, the restaurant has a wide range of drinks to pair with your food. Speaking of the food, most of the customers we talked to said that the food was always bursting with flavours, and they were always freshly cooked, which they loved!
The moment you enter the restaurant, you’ll also immediately feel the cosy and elegant atmosphere. The interior is tasteful and artsy, so you’ll appreciate the quirky decorations if you’re the type to appreciate aesthetics.
Another thing we love is the staff who are very polite and friendly. They’ll assist you without hesitation and are always eager to make recommendations if you need them.
We also love that the restaurant is easily accessible to everyone. Just make sure you reserve in advance so that you’re sure to have a slot.
Speaking of bookings, the good news is that the restaurant will always try to accommodate you regardless of how full it is. However, most patrons said it’s really difficult to book since Chapter One seems to be every local’s favourite.
Pros
- Serves Irish, European, Contemporary
- Amazing set-up
- Really good food
- Polite and friendly staff
- Tasteful interior
- Always tries to accommodate last-minute booking
- Michelin-star
- Accessible
- Random kitchen tours
Cons
- Limited menu for kids
- Difficult to book reservations for two
Customer Reviews
Artsy decorations, artsy food presentation
Mere words fail me when it comes to Chapter One. Everything is stunning. The food is unreal, making you question what you’re eating and how good it tastes and makes you feel. The service is unbelievable, sincere, and comes from a friendliness that isn’t forced. It is kind and attentive, and they really want you to have a great time. The art within, whether hanging from the walls or ceilings, is also representative on the plates, where it is most important. The pace of service delivery is conducive to great digestion and enjoyment. If we could eat here every week, we would.—Shane Fitzpatricki, Google Reviews
Excellent location
Booked a last minute reservation here not knowing what to expect. Turned out to be one of our favorite restaurants ever. The service was amazing. All the dishes were excellent and full of flavor. I don’t remember a dish I didn’t like. The manager also gave us a kitchen tour without us even asking. This restaurant is a 2 star Michelin but really deserves to be 3 stars. It’s on par with other restaurants like per se, eleven Madison Park, French Laundry etc. Reservations for two people are hard to get, but if you check the day before, they usually open up spots..—Donald Nguyen, Google Reviews
4. Aniar
| Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Range | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Value for money | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Location and atmosphere | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Customer testimonials | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Staff service | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Attentiveness and speed | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Professionalism | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Aniar at Galway is a different type of high-end restaurant in terms of vibe. While most posh dining has this elegant, formal set-up, Aniar has more of a casual, homey ambience which some of us prefer.
It’s very clean—meticulously so, and is brightly lit. The set-up is stylish, but laid-back, as if you’re entering a well-maintained Irish home.
According to some regular customers, it’s actually what they loved about the place. Some restaurants require them to dress up, but eating at Aniar just requires you to be yourself—wear whatever you’re comfortable with!
Aniar also has the most creative menu. It serves Irish food, but with a twist–adding more flavours to the food themselves and really getting more creative in food presentation!
We love that when you taste the food, you’ll instantly know that the restaurant uses fresh ingredients. There’s something different with fresh food even if you’re not an expert, you can instantly tell the difference.
We also want to commend the staff for knowing their food. You can ask them anything, and they’ll tell you every bit of information they know about the food—this is very useful when you have dietary requirements and aren’t familiar with the ingredients!
Just a warning that the place strictly needs reservations though. If you want to make sure you can dine in, book in advance.
Pros
- Contemporary Irish food
- Creative Irish menu
- Homey atmosphere
- Brightly lit and clean
- Has vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options
- Friendly staff
- Stylish but laid-back decors
- Amazing champagne
- Uses quality and fresh ingredients
Cons
- Strictly needs reservations
- Small place
Customer Reviews
Homey atmosphere
A really excellent restaurant. This is a true Michelin experience in a relaxed setting. Staff make you feel at ease and although high end pricing it actually nearly feels value for money for the experience. Wine accompaniment could have been more generous.—Jobrien, Trip Advisor
Creative menu
This was one of our favorite meals on our trip to Ireland. Aniar is a small, casual space with spectacular food. The menu was creative and adventurous while very much highlighting the high-quality ingredients and without being gimmicky or ostentatious in presentation. The staff was very friendly and made us feel very comfortable and welcome while they explained the various dishes on the menu. We loved everything, including the wonderful champagne. Definitely recommend!—Jamie P, Trip Advisor
5. Campagne
| Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Range | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Value for money | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Location and atmosphere | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Customer testimonials | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Staff service | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Attentiveness and speed | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Professionalism | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
For someone who appreciate food aesthetics, we recommend trying Campagne. With every food served, you’ll see the effort put into it, so even before you taste the dish, you already love it!
This is actually one of the things its regular customers love about the restaurant. They liked that the food tasted as good as it looked, which, for them, was great value for money!
The restaurant serves Irish, French, and European cuisines, which makes its menu more extensive than some restaurants in the area. So whether you’re a fan of local food or international food, you’ll get the best of both worlds here.
Another thing we love about the restaurant is that it also has options for those with dietary requirements. In fact, if you have requests, just let the staff know and they’ll instantly tell the chefs to modify your dishes.
Speaking of staff, the restaurant has arguably the best customer service. The staff are very welcoming and attentive, and they know so much about the food they serve!
There are only a couple of complaints about the restaurant, one of which is that it has limited wine options. The perfect food needs the perfect drinks, and this can be a bit disappointing.
Also, we recommend dressing warmly or at least bringing a dinner jacket with you. It can get quite cold inside the restaurant.
Pros
- Irish, French, European cuisines
- Vegetarian-friendly
- Michelin-star
- Great customer service
- Excellent value for money
- Beautiful food presentation
Cons
- Limited wine menu
- Very cold temperature
Customer Reviews
Reasonable pricing for a high-end restaurant
This is a super restaurant. You would not get Michelin-starred food in Dublin at this price. Super food, great service, good value. €250 (including tip) for a 3-course meal for 2 with a couple of glasses of wine, 2 beers, and a port. We will be back.—Yvonne, Trip Advisor
Satisfying meal
Meal last night in campagne . We started with lobster and duck terrine followed by monkfish and lamb and dessert was blackberry soufflé and the cherry shortbread. Food as always was to die for absolutely delicious and service was excellent. The only tiny complaint we had was that it was quite cold in tbe restaurant. Love campagne would highly recommend—Liz, Trip Advisor