For me, eating my way across Ireland already feels like its own kind of tasting menu. But with a family of hardcore foodies, picking a dining spot that can still wow my parents and siblings? That’s getting harder and harder to achieve by the day.
But every time I get hit with a ‘meh’ face or a casual ‘Oh, we’ve already tried that’, it just makes me more determined to find something next-level—the kind of eatery that can make them drop their forks in pleasant delight.
Good for me, food-hunting is literally part of my job as a travel writer. And lately? I’ve been on fire! And since I have no plans of gatekeeping my amazing finds, here are the best restaurants in Ireland that made even my picky crew shut up and dig in.
What are the top Irish dining spots in Ireland?
There are plenty of top Irish dining spots to see in Ireland! Discover delightful spots both locals and tourists love, like Chapter One Restaurant, Aniar, One Mill Restaurant, Restaurant Chestnut, and Terre.
Chapter One Restaurant
Media credit: chapteronebymickaelviljanen
Website: http://www.chapteronerestaurant.com/
Address: 18-19 Parnell Square N, Rotunda, Dublin 1
Contact Details: +353 1 873 2266, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Friday – 12 PM to 2 PM, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
- Saturday – 12 PM to 2 PM, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
- Sunday to Monday – Closed
Pricing: €100+ per person
Want Irish food (with a twist) for a romantic date? Chapter One Restaurant is a Michelin-starred dining spot with a refined Irish cuisine mixed with French techniques.
Here, you can enjoy an intimate and elegant setting with warm lighting and modern art. As for the food, we recommend getting the Wagyu beef with buttermilk for a fantastic start. We believe the chocolate crémeux is quite dreamy for later too!
Pro tips:
If you want to try a bit of everything at Chapter One Restaurant, we suggest getting its inventive tasting menus at least once!
Aniar
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Website: http://aniarrestaurant.ie/
Address: 53 Dominick St Lower, Galway
Contact Details: +353 91 535 947, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Thursday – 5 PM to 9 PM
- Friday to Saturday – 4:30 PM to 9 PM
- Sunday to Monday – Closed
Pricing: €100+ per person
Should you want something in between fresh and fancy, why not try Aniar? It’s a Michelin-starred eatery that offers hyper-local and seasonal ingredients for its tasting menu—from farm to fork! We also dig its relaxed and minimalist vibe with a Nordic style.
The highlights for us are the seafood—seaweed-cured mackerel and the lobster. We also love the creative use of Irish wild ingredients, like kelp and tarragon, as they add unique flavours too.
Friendly reminder:
We recommend arriving hungry at Aniar—it’s a multi-course journey, so you’ll want to savour everything by not getting full early.
Old Mill Restaurant
Media credit: old_mill_restaurant
Website: http://www.oldmillrestaurant.ie/
Address: 14, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Contact Details: +353 1 671 9266, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 9 AM to 10:30 PM
Pricing: €20 to €30 per person
Need comfort food ASAP? We think Old Mill Restaurant has some of the classics you might like. In our eyes, it’s very tourist-friendly too, with its rustic and cosy vibe set in an 18th-century building.
Some of our favourites are the beef and Guinness pie (perfect for beer lovers), Irish stew, and lamb shank. If you wish to end on a sweet note, we say don’t miss out on the sticky toffee pudding—it’s a classic!
Nifty trick:
Want a quieter spot? Why not ask for upstairs seating at Old Mill Restaurant? For us, it’s more peaceful here. Plus, the interiors have more character—a tad better for photos.
Restaurant Chestnut
Media credit: thechestnutwestcork
Website: http://www.restaurantchestnutwestcork.ie/
Address: The Chestnut Tree, Staball Hill, Ballydehob, Co. Cork
Contact Details: +353 28 25766, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Wednesday to Saturday – 6 PM to 11:30 PM
- Sunday to Tuesday – Closed
Pricing: €100+ per person
Hate it when you get served something mild? For us, Restaurant Chestnut has some of the most inventive Irish tasting menus. These are seasonal and offered in small plates, but packed with lots of flavour. This spot is super intimate too—it’s got only 18 seats!
There are a bunch of notable dishes here, mostly with seafood like grilled langoustine (large prawn) and aged duck. Don’t forget to try the sourdough too! On top of that, we love the hay custard with rhubarb for dessert.
Insider scoop:
Plan your trip around your Restaurant Chestnut experience! In our opinion, the charming Ballydehob village, around 300 meters away by car, is remote but totally worth your detour before or after dining.
Terre
Media credit: terre_restaurant_
Website: http://terre.ie/
Address: Castlemartyr Resort, Castlemartyr, Cork
Contact Details: +353 21 421 9053, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Wednesday to Friday – 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
- Friday & Saturday – 1 PM to 2 PM
- Saturday – 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
- Sunday to Tuesday – Closed
Pricing: €100+ per person
Something that could surprise your tastebuds is Terre, a French-Asian dining spot with Michelin-starred tasting menus. We adore the vibe too—it’s inside the Castlemartyr Resort with warm lighting and sophisticated interiors giving off an understated luxury.
The best thing on the menu for us is the A5 Wagyu, but we like the caviar and potato with Australian truffle too. As for dessert, we like the chestnut honey Madelines—great for those who prefer smaller sweet bites!
Expert advice:
Since Terre is exclusive with limited dining slots, we recommend booking well in advance! If you want to explore the Castlemartyr Resort, it’s best to do it hours before or right after, so you won’t be late.
D’Olier Street Restaurant
Media credit: dolierstreetrestaurant
Website: https://www.dolierstreetrestaurant.com/
Address: D’Olier Chambers, D’Olier Street, Dublin
Contact Details: +353 1 902 0720, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Thursday – 5 PM to 11:30 PM
- Friday – 12 PM to 4 PM, 5 PM to 11:30 PM
- Saturday – 5 PM to 11:30 PM
- Sunday & Monday – Closed
Pricing: €100+ per person
Let’s say you don’t just want a single meal—you want an experience. D’Olier Street Restaurant only offers tasting menus, so you can enjoy progressive Irish cuisine with international twists. Moreover, it’s set in a neo-classical building with trendy decor.
The way we see it, you shouldn’t miss out on the scallop, Irish shellfish, and fermented potato bread. We also recommend getting some of the artsy cocktails, like Blood Orange and Lemon Balm, to refresh your palate.
Hot idea:
Want some fun foodie entertainment in D’Olier Street Restaurant? It’s best to sit near the kitchen so you can see all the action!
SOLE Seafood & Grill
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Website: https://www.sole.ie/
Address: 18-19 William St S, Dublin
Contact Details: +353 1 544 2300, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 5 PM to 9:30 PM
- Saturday – 1 PM to 10 PM
- Sunday – 1 PM to 9 PM
Pricing: €50+ per person
Can’t decide between seafood and steak? We think SOLE Seafood & Grill has the best of both worlds! Though it’s an upscale restaurant, we like that its interiors make it warm and approachable with navy and brass accents.
Besides the surf and turf, we recommend the Irish lobster and oysters, which pair well with the white wine. We also like the chocolate and praline pot for a rich dessert.
But should you prefer something more tart, we suggest ordering a passion fruit cup. It’s got bitter chocolate sauce and mango sorbet in there to balance everything.
Savvy suggestion:
Want to save more at SOLE Seafood & Grill? We recommend going for the midweek lunch for better value and availability!
Library Street
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Website: http://www.librarystreet.ie/
Address: 101 Setanta Pl, Dublin 2
Contact Details: +353 1 617 0999, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Thursday – 5 PM to 11:30 PM
- Friday & Saturday – 2:30 PM to 11:30 PM
- Sunday & Monday – Closed
Pricing: €35 per person
Do you and your friends have different tastes when it comes to food? Library Street can provide you with a modern shared plate with global flavours. Plus, its chic and colourful setting makes us believe this is fantastic for a chill hangout.
We say get your hands on the dishes with seasonal Irish produce, such as chargrilled January King cabbage and pickled baby violet artichokes. We also find the combo of sheep’s milk and blood orange unique and delightful for dessert.
Must-know move:
If you want to get a whole fish like turbot at Library Street, we advise letting the staff know to have the sauce on the side. You might need an extra plate for the bones too! This way, you can control exactly how you want to enjoy it.
Rustic Roots
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Website: http://www.rusticrootsrestaurant.com/
Address: Custume Pl, Athlone, Co. Westmeath
Contact Details: +353 85 104 6964, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Saturday – 11 AM to 9:30 PM
- Sunday – 11 AM to 8 PM
Pricing: €10 to €20 per person
Rustic Roots is one of the best restaurants in Ireland if you only want to eat something casual yet comforting. It’s got elevated Irish comfort food that should taste familiar but better. This spot has a bright and cheerful vibe too, which could lift the diners’ mood.
Our top picks include the buttermilk chicken burger and confit duck. For dessert, we want to keep it simple with the Guinness chocolate cake paired with Irish coffee. Otherwise, you can always go for one of the cocktails, like a strawberry samosa!
Cool idea:
Why not put Rustic Roots as one of your foodie stops during a Galway day trip? It could also be part of your itinerary after a Galway tour!
Trocadero
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Website: http://www.trocadero.ie/
Address: No. 4, St Andrew’s St, Dublin 2
Contact Details: +353 1 677 5545, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Friday – 5 PM to 10:30 PM
- Saturday – 4:30 PM to 10:30 PM
- Sunday – 3 PM to 8 PM
- Monday – Closed
Pricing: €50 to €125 per person
If you or your date is feeling a bit dramatic, we say try Trocadero sometime! It’s got this old Hollywood glam that looks theatrical with the cosy red velvet booths. Great for taking Instagram photos too, in our opinion.
In our view, some of the best things on the menu are made with the orange fruit, like duck à l’orange (orange duck). The almond and orange tart looks pretty indulgent for us as well. Why not change it up a bit today and try something citrusy?
Hot idea:
Trocadero is wonderful for a pre-theatre dinner. Why not see a show at the Gaiety Theatre to make your trip more interesting? You could go to a concert, musical, or comedy show!
1810
Media credit: 1810steakhouse_seafood
Website: https://www.1810steakhouse.ie/
Address: N37N446, Barrack St, Athlone, Co. Westmeath
Contact Details: +353 90 645 5584, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Thursday – 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM
- Friday & Saturday – 5:30 PM to 10 PM
- Sunday – 5:30 PM to 9 PM
- Monday to Wednesday – Closed
Pricing: €100+ per person
Craving European food today? 1810 offers modern European but with a strong seafood focus if you’re into that. We’re also in awe of its ocean-side charm that looks cosy yet still sophisticated. For us, this spot is good for both dates and hangouts.
The dishes that stood out to us are the prime Irish beef, crab claws, and monkfish. We also like the chargrilled options, such as the free-range organic chicken and Hampshire pork bone-in steak. You can get cold sides like the signature 1810 salad for balance too.
Useful hint:
Want to make Sundays more indulgent? We recommend trying 1810’s Sunday roast-style. Don’t forget to book in advance as well!
Bastible
Media credit: bastible_restaurant
Website: https://www.bastible.com/
Address: Leonard’s Corner Bar, 111 S Circular Rd, Portobello, Dublin
Contact Details: +353 1 473 7409, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Wednesday to Friday – 5:30 PM to 11:30 PM
- Saturday – 1 PM to 11:30 PM
- Sunday to Tuesday – Closed
Pricing: €100+ per person
Bastible is one of the best Michelin-starred restaurants in Ireland, offering a minimalist vibe with its seasonal Irish food. We feel the interiors look effortlessly cool too! It’s got an open kitchen with wood tones that we find charming and homey.
We say start your meal with aged beef, wild mushroom dishes, and wild halibut. We also adore the Wexford strawberries with sheep’s yoghurt as a sweet ending. Alternatively, you can get a tasty plate of Irish farmhouse cheese instead.
Something to remember:
Note that Bastible books multiple groups at the same table for different time slots in one evening. In this case, guests have a set time limit. Be sure to know yours so you can pace yourself well.
Dede at the Customs House
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Website: http://www.customshousebaltimore.com/
Address: Customs House, Baltimore, Co. Cork
Contact Details: +353 28 48248, [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Thursday & Friday – 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM
- Saturday – 12:30 PM to 8:30 PM
- Sunday – 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM
- Monday to Wednesday – Closed
Pricing: €100+ per person
Should you be looking for something different, Dede at the Customs House offers a Turkish-Irish fusion that could either surprise or delight your tastebuds! The atmosphere here is also refined with a splash of coastal elegance that we find very warm.
If you want a kickstart to all things flavourful, we suggest grabbing the spiced lamb first! There’s also barbecued cabbage and bean casserole for a bit of texture. For dessert, we nudge you to try the red mulberry and sea salt fudge for a sweet and salty mix.
For sightseers:
We recommend asking for outdoor seating at Dede at the Customs House if the weather looks fine—we think the sights here are unreal!
And if you want a more productive trip, why not make a weekend of it in Baltimore? You can explore Baltimore Beacon (white-painted stone beacon) or Dún na Séad Castle (17th-century fortified house) while you’re at it.
Thyme Restaurant
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Website: https://thymerestaurant.ie/
Address: Custume Pl, Athlone, Co. Westmeath
Contact Details: +353 90 647 8850
Operating Hours:
- Wednesday to Saturday – 5 PM to 9 PM
- Sunday – 1 PM to 7 PM
- Monday & Tuesday – Closed
Pricing: €45 to €58 per person
Thyme Restaurant is among the best dining spots in Ireland to consider if you want Irish food but with a twist—this time, a focus on Midlands produce. In our opinion, its warm, local charm is a great attractor for tourists as well.
Notable items for us include the pork belly, confit duck leg, and cod with cider butter sauce. One of our top desserts is the rhubarb tart too—a classic done right. Or, you can also try the spiced custard tart if you want a kick with your sweets.
Something to consider:
Are you on a tight budget? We recommend going for the Thyme Restaurant’s early-bird menu to spend less!
Lignum
Media credit: lignumrestaurant
Website: http://lignum.ie/
Address: Slatefort House, Bullaun, Co. Galway
Contact Details: [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Thursday & Friday – 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
- Saturday – 1 PM to 4 PM, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
- Sunday – 1 PM to 6 PM
- Monday to Wednesday – Closed
Pricing: €100+ per person
Lignum is a mix of cosy and fancy with its wood-fired fine dining. It’s also got seasonal and experimental cuisine to keep things fresh. Aside from the rustic interiors, we also like the Nordic undertones. There’s a live fire cooking in view too!
You can choose from the 10-course tasting menu, Saturday lunch, and Sunday’s experience. The last two offer a 5-course tasting menu each, so we reckon first-time visitors should choose either of those first to test the waters.
From what we’ve seen, past menus have squid, venison, beef, and mackerel. If you like surprises, we think you’ll get that kind of mysterious vibe here. We also think the staff makes the best wine pairings to elevate the whole thing.
Just an idea:
Lignum is set near a quiet village, so we suggest renting a place nearby if you’re planning a serene yet swanky getaway anytime soon.