Top 5 Restaurants for Foodies to Try in Kilkenny
Known as the home of beautiful and mysterious mediaeval buildings and castles, Kilkenny is called the Marble City. It’s a beautiful city rich in culture and history—perfect for any tourist buff to visit.
And of course—to get to know the city, you need to taste its food. The restaurants in Kilkenny offer variety and quality—two things anyone would ask for in a menu!
How Much Does a Meal Cost in a Kilkenny Restaurant
We’re giving you an idea how much you’ll spend for a meal in Kilkenny through the rate comparison of five restaurants:
Best Restaurants in Kilkenny
We’re reviewing the top restaurants you can try in Kilkenny based on the following:
1. Rive Gauche Kilkenny

Location and ambience | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Accessibility | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Atmosphere | ★★★★☆ (5/5) |
Variety | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Value for money | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Taste | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Serving and presentation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Customer reviews | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Food and drinks | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Customer service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Rive Gauche Kilkenny is a nice restaurant located on a main street, making it easy to see while you’re walking around. We love that it’s near other tourist spots so you can have a proper meal after a tiring tour!
First thing we love about the restaurant which its regular customers agree with, is the lovely setting and ambience. It’s quite homey, with dim lights and an inviting atmosphere—to us it’s the perfect place to enjoy a heavy good meal!
Second, we love how knowledgeable the staff are regarding the menu and the wine bar. So just in case you find yourself unable to decide which food to order and which wine shall go with it, ask the staff—they give amazing recommendations!
Third, we think you’ll love that Rive Gauche has such an extensive menu including vega and gluten-free options! Even the pickiest eater can have something from their Irish, French, and European menu.
And don’t forget the desserts—Rive Gauche is known for its amazing desserts. We all love something sweet after a heavy, savoury meal, and the restaurant has a lot of those!
There’s also a wine bar for those who love pairing their food with alcoholic drinks. Just ask the staff and they’ll willingly attend to you regarding your choice of drinks.
If you’re looking for a place to host a romantic dinner, this might not be it though. The ambience is cosy and the interior is beautiful, but it’s not for dates.
Also, the service might be a little slow. We still think it’s worth visiting though because the quality of the food is unmatched!
Pros
- Lovely setting and ambience
- Knowledgeable staff
- Top-notch food quality
- Offers vegan and gluten-free options
- Wine bar
- Extensive menu
- Amazing dessert list
- Prime location
- Large serving
- Near other tourist spots
Cons
- Not suited for a romantic meal
- Slow service
- Overpriced
Customer Reviews
Lovely interior with a relaxing atmosphere
It was a night for some delicious steaks and this seemed like a place that could deliver. Beautiful interior that felt luxurious in a very relaxed way. The steaks were from local Irish beef and absolutely delicious. 3 of 4 in our party ordered a steak and all were impressed. The service was exemplary. Prices were very fair. A couple in the party indulged in dessert which was a true hit. A definite highlight of our dining experiences over our time in Ireland. — David M, Yelp
Exceptional food and attentive service
Our dinner at Rive Gauche was excellent! We are picky about the quality of food and Rive Gauche was perfect. The food was exceptional in style and quality! Our waitress was great, a Canadian girl that had come to Ireland. It was obvious she enjoyed what she does. She was personable, helpful with great suggestions and efficient. We also had contact with a female bartender, she was very nice and made an excellent Cosmopolitan!! — Georgia Martinez, Trip Advisor
2. Butcher Restaurant

Location and ambience | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Accessibility | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Atmosphere | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Variety | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Value for money | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Taste | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Serving and presentation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Customer reviews | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Food and drinks | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Customer service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
What we love about Butcher Restaurant is the consistency in both its food and service. Most customers agree with us when we say that when it comes to efficiency of the staff and the quality of the food, the restaurant is at the top of its game!
The food is always cooked fresh, but also served quickly without compromising the taste—that’s what Butcher is known for. We love that customers can enjoy good food without needing to wait for a long time—that’s top-notch service to us!
Another thing is—despite being known as a steakhouse, Butcher Restaurant serves other European cuisines. This makes the restaurant a perfect place for even the pickiest eaters—there’s always something they can order from the extensive menu!
In addition to this, we think you’ll be happy to know that the restaurant has vegetarian options. Anyone on a strict diet will still find something they can order.
We’re not going to lie though—it’s quite expensive and might not be ideal for those whose budget is very tight. However, we think the food and the service are worth the try at least once if it’s too pricey for you.
We think it’s also worth noting that Butcher Restaurant strictly needs reservations. It’s a small place that gets very busy because of its reputation, and if you don’t have a reservation, you probably won’t be able to get a table.
Pros
- Has vegetarian options
- Arguably the best steak in the city
- Food’s always served hot and fresh
- Excellent customer service
- Quick service
- Big food portions
Cons
- Strictly need reservations
- Small place
- Always busy
Customer Reviews
Quick and friendly customer service
One of the best dining experiences I had in Ireland. Fast, friendly service with top quality food. Me and my partner ordered calamari and ribeye. One of the best steaks I ever had, cooked perfectly with delicious sides. Atmosphere was also both energetic and romantic. The overall experience was wonderful! — Orna J, Trip Advisor
Food is always cooked fresh but served fast
Lovely restaurant. Small but busy. Very attentive staff no long waits for food despite everything cooked fresh. Really nice menu and really good steaks so fresh and tasty .
Yes it’s expensive but the service and quality of the food and the drinks is great ,had the butcher sour cocktail was so nice you could say drinking them . — MiknMar, Trip Advisor
3. Petronella

Location and ambience | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Accessibility | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Atmosphere | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Variety | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Value for money | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Taste | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Serving and presentation | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Customer reviews | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Food and drinks | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Customer service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
If you ask us what makes Petronella stand out among Kilkenny restaurants, we’ll tell you it’s because of two things. One, the food is all homemade—from starters to dessert; and two, the interesting history of the place.
Petronella isn’t easy to find—you have to walk a few minutes and traverse smaller streets. However, we think you’ll enjoy the walk because you’ll pass by a lot of lovely structures along the way.
According to some customers we talked to, Petronella’s history explains the unique mediaeval interior inside as well as the atmosphere. But we don’t want the story to come from us—we recommend visiting to hear it firsthand!
In addition to this, said customers raved about the food because everything was cooked and served fresh. They had that cosy homemade taste which makes it more special and more delicious!
We love that the price is reasonable as well despite the quality of the food and the servicel. We honestly think Petronella is a restaurant for everyone in terms of food prices and atmosphere.
We also want to commend the staff for being helpful and accommodating. Just let them know your dietary restrictions and they’ll make sure to inform the kitchen about them.
The only thing that might turn off customers is the long walk to get there—Petronella isn’t in a prime location, so you have to use Google maps to find it. Sometimes it also closes without prior notice—so it’s better to check before going there.
Pros
- Unique interior
- Interesting history of the place
- Amazing food served fresh
- Extensive vegetarian menu
- Homey atmosphere
- Friendly staff
- Welcoming owner
- Homemade food
Cons
- Closes without prior notice
- Needs a long walk
Customer Reviews
Homemade food at its finest
Wonderful fresh homemade food. Welcome atmosphere. The owner is very friendly and makes sure that everyone is comfortable and well looked after. The Polish waitress couldn’t do more for us. We felt like visiting a friend’s house even though we were there for the first time. Vegetarian options: My friend doesn’t eat meat and gluten. She was able to get nice meals and dessert suitable for her needs. — Magda King, Google Reviews
Reasonable pricing
Visited this restaurant recently and it was magnificent. The food was delicious, the service – one waitress was superb and we even got the opportunity to chat with the owner who was a very affable guy. We had the three course early bird and it was superb – we had mussels and cheese balls for our starters and chicken and fish dishes for mains with cheesecake and sticky toffee pudding for desserts , all beautifully presented and absolutely delicious bordering on fine dining and the prices superb. We also had a bottle of Italian white wine at a reasonable € 23 euro and also two lovely Flat whites. – overall superb not to be missed — Sammy Benjie, Trip Advisor
4. Aroi Asian Fusion

Location and ambience | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Accessibility | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Atmosphere | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Variety | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Value for money | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Taste | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Serving and presentation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Customer reviews | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Food and drinks | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Customer service | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
What we love the most about Aroi Asian Fusion is that it stays true to its name—it has such a long list of Asian fusion menu you won’t run out of choices. To add to this, the restaurant also has gluten-free and vegan options for those with a strict diet!
We think it’s the perfect restaurant in Kilkenny to visit for anyone with a budget but wants to have choices for food. Aroi serves a fusion of Thai, Japanese, and other Asian food, and we love that despite the twists, the distinguishing Asian flavours are retained!
We also love that the restaurant has such a lovely interior and a cosy layout that add to the comfortable and relaxing feeling. Just don’t expect the place to be quiet because it’s one of those restaurants that are always busy!
Speaking of busy, there are times when the staff mix up orders due to the crowd. While understandable most especially if it’s peak hours, customers will appreciate it more if they’re a little careful with the orders so there’ll be no inconvenience.
We appreciate the fast service though! We love that even with a large crowd, food is still served fast so you’ll get to enjoy your food fresh and hot.
And the best thing about Aroi Asian Fusion—the food price! This unique restaurant offers a very affordable menu so you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy the food.
Pros
- Cosy layout
- Lovely interior and relaxing atmosphere
- Generous portions
- Flavourful food
- Fantastic customer service
- Reasonable pricing
- Fast service
- Has gluten-free options
- Diverse Asian fusion menu
Cons
- Can get really busy
- Mixes up orders
Customer Reviews
Good value for money
Fantastic food and fantastic value for money. This is a gem of a restaurant. Very welcoming staff. Beautiful restaurant layout and decor. The food is incredibly tasty with very generous portions. Can’t recommend it enough. You’ll not be disappointed by paying it a visit. We had the lunch menu today and will certainly be back to sample the dinner menu.— Kilkenny Boat Trips, Google Reviews
Mouth-watering and diverse Asian fusion menu
… The menu is diverse, reflecting many Asian cuisines. I chose the Chicken Cashew Nut stir fry (16.25 €) with Jasmine rice (3 €, not charged) and my husband had Pad Thai with prawns (17.25 €). Both meals were generous portions of tasty, well prepared foods that would be familiar to an American palate. With three beers, the tab was 49 € before tip…— Peter G, Trip Advisor
5. Statham’s by Pembroke Kilkenny

Location and ambience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Accessibility | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Atmosphere | ★★★★☆ (5/5) |
Variety | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Value for money | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Taste | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Serving and presentation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Customer reviews | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Food and drinks | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Customer service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Statham’s by Pembroke Kilkenny is one of those restaurants you pass by after a long walk from tours. We love that it’s easy to locate and doesn’t need any reservations so you can just walk-in and request a table for you and your companions!
We love that you’re immediately welcomed by the friendly staff, and led to a vacant table. Ordering is easy because the staff explain the menu so well you’ll have a hard time deciding which dish is for you.
We also like the fact that while waiting, you can just bask in the atmosphere. Statham’s has a lovely interior that reminds you of a cosy home, which makes you relax while waiting for your food.
Speaking of food—the varied menu will definitely be to your liking! There are so many choices including diet-friendly ones—but don’t forget to order the focaccia if you really want to tell everyone you’ve eaten at Statham’s!
And oh—Statham’s has some of the best dessert menus! We recommend trying the pudding, but you can’t go wrong with the other desserts either!
Just a little warning—since the restaurant tends to get busy, expect delays in the delivery of your food during peak hours. Also, expect not being attended to easily when it’s busy since there are times the restaurant is understaffed.
Pros
- Space is perfect for events
- Staff knowledgeable about menu
- Lovely interior
- Cosy ambience
- Good food and drinks
- Varied menu
- Amazing desserts
- Best focaccia in town
- Good location
Cons
- Food is delayed during peak hours
- Understaffed at times
Customer Reviews
Best focaccia and pudding
We decided at the last minute to have dinner at Stathams. We were welcomed by Darren who showed us to a lovely table in the restaurant. Lucas looked after us and talked us through the new menu. We had the focaccia to start, the sirloin for mains and shared the sticky toffee pudding for dessert. The meal was amazing and we really have to mention the crispy potato hash browns & truffle Mayo. They were incredible!! Thank you to the wonderful chef and his team, and to Darren and Lucas for making our night so wonderful. We will be back!— Laura, Trip Advisor
Variety of meat and seafood dishes
We tried Statham’s on a whim after walking around Kilkenny looking for a place to have dinner. We were very happy we picked Statham’s as our dinner was very good and topped off a great day in Kilkenny. The menu had a variety of meat and seafood dishes, we chose the sirloin steak and the ribeye pork chop, both were excellent. For dessert we had a figgy pudding which was really good. Statham’s is the place to have a great meal if you are in Kilkenny.— Bytor, Trip Advisor
FAQs About Restaurants in Kilkenny
Kilkenny is more than just a mediaeval town, it’s also a great place for a food trip with its top class restaurants. And if you’re looking for a place to have a nightcap with friends, try Top Pubs in Kilkenny.