Best food town in Ireland?

Swiper the fox

Not sure if this is he right forum but I guess it is. Anyway I've just returned from a long stay in the Dingle area and I cannot get over the sheer amount of quality restaurants and good food bars in such a small town. The list is almost endless. Out of the blue, Fentons, Chart house, Fish Barr, Ashes, An Canteen, Goat Strret bistro, Smokehouse, The Skipper(Ventry but had to mention it), the Boatyard, Global Village, Reel Dingle Fish is quite possibly the best chipper in Ireland. These are only the places that we ate in, there were a number of other very nice looking places that we never got the chance to. On top of this you have a fantastic butcher selling some of the best lamb I've ever tasted and the fish shop on the Marina.
Only had one dud meal in the whole time and that was in a restaurant on the main street which was good some years ago but is now clearly resting on it's laurels and ripping off the yanks. A seafood restaurant which had only Salmon with a miserable butter sauce as it's only seafood offering (I'm not kidding).

Anyway is there anywhere in Ireland to rival Dingle in the grub stakes??

jobless

Swiper the fox wrote: »

Not sure if this is he right forum but I guess it is. Anyway I've just returned from a long stay in the Dingle area and I cannot get over the sheer amount of quality restaurants and good food bars in such a small town. The list is almost endless. Out of the blue, Fentons, Chart house, Fish Barr, Ashes, An Canteen, Goat Strret bistro, Smokehouse, The Skipper(Ventry but had to mention it), the Boatyard, Global Village, Reel Dingle Fish is quite possibly the best chipper in Ireland. These are only the places that we ate in, there were a number of other very nice looking places that we never got the chance to. On top of this you have a fantastic butcher selling some of the best lamb I've ever tasted and the fish shop on the Marina.
Only had one dud meal in the whole time and that was in a restaurant on the main street which was good some years ago but is now clearly resting on it's laurels and ripping off the yanks. A seafood restaurant which had only Salmon with a miserable butter sauce as it's only seafood offering (I'm not kidding).

Anyway is there anywhere in Ireland to rival Dingle in the grub stakes??

Greystones :-)

Tom Dunne

Maynooth.

According to the Irish Times (can't find the link, but I'm pretty sure I read it in that paper) the town has 24 places serving good food.

I've eaten in a good few of them and have not been disappointed.

The Hill Billy

I have to agree with the OP - I was blown away by the amount of real quality eateries in Dingle while we were on hols last year. Absolutely awesome!

eyescreamcone

Kinsale

Close Thread

the beer revolu

eyescreamcone wrote: »

Kinsale

Close Thread

1992 wants its Kinsale marketing stroke back!

Faith

Dingle has outstanding food. Venture further out around the peninsula for a further treat. Special mentions go to Gormans and The Old Pier, both in Ballydavid. The Old Pier has the best scampi I've ever, ever eaten.

If you can, head to Dingle for the Taste Trail in October-ish. €2 per tasting plate, every restaurant opens its doors, it's simply an unbeatable day. It puts other food festivals to shame.

CJhaughey

eyescreamcone wrote: »

Kinsale

Close Thread

Kinsale? Apart from one Bistro its very average.
The most famous Fish restaurant there is decidedly average and well overpriced in my experience. I wouldn't eat there again.

eyescreamcone

CJhaughey wrote: »

Kinsale? Apart from one Bistro its very average.
The most famous Fish restaurant there is decidedly average and well overpriced in my experience. I wouldn't eat there again.

...In your opinion 

mcko

I always thought Kinsale was more marketing than substance.
Except for Dinos chipper.

eyescreamcone

I'm not saying that the standard in other towns such as Dingle/Kenmare have not improved greatly. But the standard in Kinsale is still very much top notch.

But everybody is entitled to their own opinion!

Swiper the fox

eyescreamcone wrote: »

I'm not saying that the standard in other towns such as Dingle/Kenmare have not improved greatly. But the standard in Kinsale is still very much top notch.

But everybody is entitled to their own opinion!

You opened yourself up to a bit of a dig with your "close thread" remark, I hate those myself to be honest. I'd be familiar enough with Kinsale myself and it is indeed choc a bloc with good food options. Kenmare is the same, Greystones I'm not so familiar with, have only eaten in the (very excellent) Indian restaurant there(Jaipur???).

Still having spent these past few weeks in Dingle I would now rate it above Kinsale and Kenmare.
For those visiting Dingle soon can I especially recommend the Fish Barr, it's on the Marina where you get your Fungi tickets, doesn't look like much and it's only open for lunch but it is absolutely outstanding seafood at incredible prices.

I was in Ballydavid alright Faith but unfortunately never got to eat there, as I said the time was too short, it was hard enough not going back to places instead of trying something new but it seemed each place was better than the last.

Curry Addict

I spend a few weeks every year in dingle. The restaurants there are indeed very good. this year we ate a lot in the "chowder" restaurant, very good food and prices.
There is a great fish shop down just past the sea world place. The fish there is so good. They regularly have black sole and so cheap, less than half the price I pay in dublin :pac:

Dangel4x4

eyescreamcone wrote: »

Kinsale

Close Thread

I'll add my name to the list of dissenters.

I've eaten in most restaurants in Kinsale at one time or another; most are average, and the good ones are overpriced.

pwurple

Some of the best ones are gone alright from kinsale alas... The Vintage is gone, I was a fan of that place, But there are some great new spots there too. And for sheer density of restaurants I don't think there is anywhere like it. Some of them may not be to everyone's taste, but I don't think there are too many poor restaurants there.

The black pig is excellent, won several awards since it opened.
The bulman has one of the most fantastic settings in the country.
I like fishy fishy, although it does struggke to keep up with it's own popularity and repuation. Best to go on a weekday when it is quieter.
Finns table is ridiculously good. (Run by the people behind the former Dillons on timoleague, which had a michelin recommendation)
Max's wine bar is a very nice spot.
Jim Edwards
the Spaniard...
Vista, not my style, a modern place, but popular.
restaurant d'antibes
Man Friday, completely bonkers and like a bloody time warp, but good fun.

And that's just off the top of my head!

mozattack

CJhaughey wrote: »

Kinsale? Apart from one Bistro its very average.
The most famous Fish restaurant there is decidedly average and well overpriced in my experience. I wouldn't eat there again.

<< surely a series of typos in that sentence, otherwise drunk, cos that is a fantastic restaurant >>

CJhaughey

mozattack wrote: »

<< surely a series of typos in that sentence, otherwise drunk, cos that is a fantastic restaurant >>

Nope I stand by my assertion that it is overpriced for what it is.
In my view it's trading on its reputation.
YMMV

whomitconcerns

Malahide, Co Dublin

You name the food, there is a restaurant there exemplifying that food at its best in a lot of cases, and damn good in most others!

Seafood, Indian, Italian, French, Chinese, Pakistani, Greek, Japanese, Korean, Mexican, European, etc etc etc.

eyescreamcone

CJhaughey wrote: »

Nope I stand by my assertion that it is overpriced for what it is.
In my view it's trading on its reputation.
YMMV

Next time you're in Kinsale try Crackpots, Man Friday and Toddies at the Bulman. Very good fare guarranteed.

Fishy fishy, Jimmy Edwards, Max's are also top notch

Finn's Table is getting excellent reviews lately.

The White House and the Blue Haven are also in the mix.


I was in Kenmare last weekend at the Lime Tree and Packies - top class I must admit and will return.

It's good to see other Irish towns putting it up to Kinsale lately.

vicwatson

Faith wrote: »

Dingle has outstanding food. Venture further out around the peninsula for a further treat. Special mentions go to Gormans and The Old Pier, both in Ballydavid. The Old Pier has the best scampi I've ever, ever eaten.

If you can, head to Dingle for the Taste Trail in October-ish. €2 per tasting plate, every restaurant opens its doors, it's simply an unbeatable day. It puts other food festivals to shame.

October 3rd-5th 2014, thanks Faith, never heard of this, must stick it in the diary

http://www.dinglefood.com/news.asp?p=dingle-food-festival-2014

byhookorbycrook

Swiper the fox wrote: »

Not sure if this is he right forum but I guess it is. Anyway I've just returned from a long stay in the Dingle area and I cannot get over the sheer amount of quality restaurants and good food bars in such a small town. The list is almost endless. Out of the blue, Fentons, Chart house, Fish Barr, Ashes, An Canteen, Goat Strret bistro, Smokehouse, The Skipper(Ventry but had to mention it), the Boatyard, Global Village, Reel Dingle Fish is quite possibly the best chipper in Ireland. These are only the places that we ate in, there were a number of other very nice looking places that we never got the chance to. On top of this you have a fantastic butcher selling some of the best lamb I've ever tasted and the fish shop on the Marina.
Only had one dud meal in the whole time and that was in a restaurant on the main street which was good some years ago but is now clearly resting on it's laurels and ripping off the yanks. A seafood restaurant which had only Salmon with a miserable butter sauce as it's only seafood offering (I'm not kidding).

Anyway is there anywhere in Ireland to rival Dingle in the grub stakes??

No mention of Murphys' Icecream!!! And there's a great market on Fridays and of course "The Little Cheese Shop." Where didn't you hit that you wanted to?

byhookorbycrook

Fish Barre doesn't take cards, but their tuna burger is FAB!

thomur

Might not be at the same level as Kinsale, but Ballina Co Mayo is close to the top. The variety in Ballina is great for a town of its size. Market Kitchen and Beleek Castle being two of my favourites

Heroditas

Tom Dunne wrote: »

Maynooth.

According to the Irish Times (can't find the link, but I'm pretty sure I read it in that paper) the town has 24 places serving good food.

I've eaten in a good few of them and have not been disappointed.

Out of intetest, here have you eaten?
Avenue is alright and the new tapas place is supposed to be quite good but I'm surprised to read that there's 24 places there. I would have only said there's a handful (excluding the pubs).

Swiper the fox

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

No mention of Murphys' Icecream!!! And there's a great market on Fridays and of course "The Little Cheese Shop." Where didn't you hit that you wanted to?

There was a few places on John Street that had really nice looking menus like Ida's (I forget the names of the other places TBH) but they looked like the kind of places that wouldn't really want young kids and they weren't open for lunch.
Murphy's is grand but it's really nothing special for the price. The cheese shop is a great spot alright, you can smell it from around the corner. The market is good also, I got some lovely veggie (sort of Indian) snacks there and my old pal from the Limerick market (Olivier from on the wild side) is there also.

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Fish Barre doesn't take cards, but their tuna burger is FAB!

Fish Barre is outstanding, I had the tuna burger and 6 tempura oysters with ginger/lime/wasabi dressing. My wife had an amazing scallop and chorizo salad, And yes I tried to pay with a card, had to go to Super Valu for the cash:o

byhookorbycrook

Can't agree re Murphys. I have to say, but we'll agree to differ. Looking forward to Dingle Whiskey coming online! Some of the craft beers are going well too.

magentis

thomur wrote:

Might not be at the same level as Kinsale, but Ballina Co Mayo is close to the top. The variety in Ballina is great for a town of its size. Market Kitchen and Beleek Castle being two of my favourites

LOL ballina

Dizzyblonde

magentis wrote: »

LOL ballina

Please don't post unless you have something worthwhile to contribute to the thread.

Mrs Fox

Heroditas wrote: »

Out of intetest, here have you eaten?
Avenue is alright and the new tapas place is supposed to be quite good but I'm surprised to read that there's 24 places there. I would have only said there's a handful (excluding the pubs).

Picaderos, in my opinion, serves the BEST RIB EYE STEAK I've ever had in Ireland. Shanahan's can talk to the hand. And they do churros for dessert while Miguel plays guitar on the background.

Avenue is ok, reliable.

Stone Haven has good days bad days, pity.

Heroditas

Mrs Fox wrote: »

Picaderos, in my opinion, serves the BEST RIB EYE STEAK I've ever had in Ireland. Shanahan's can talk to the hand. And they do churros for dessert while Miguel plays guitar on the background.

Avenue is ok, reliable.

Stone Haven has good days bad days, pity.

I've heard good things about Picaderos over the last while. I must pay them a visit soon in that case.

Mantis Toboggan

Westport in mayo, ennis in clare and both malahide and dalkey in Dublin would be standouts for me.