Food in Galway

One last post for May ...

Our final overnight stop is my personal favorite, Galway!  Those staying on the mainland for free time on Day 8 will have plenty of opportunities to test out Galway’s finest pubs and restaurants, and those opting for the Aran Islands excursion will still have a half day in Galway on Day 7 plus two nights to go out and explore.

My top picks for Galway are based on both recommendations from other travelers and my own experiences.  My criteria is still traditional Irish food at reasonable prices with “bonus points” for great atmosphere.

v       ⦾ The Quay Street Kitchen offers traditional Irish food but also vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options.  As with many costal area restaurants the seafood is a big part of the menu including seafood chowder, sea bass and mussels.  But they also offer additional Irish favorites like their “fall off the bone Irish lamb shank”.

v       ⦾ The Pie Maker is good choice for a budget friendly and unique lunch.  Everything on the menu is “handmade sweet and savory pies”.  Some customer recommendations include the rhubarb-ginger pie, a beef & stout pie with gravy, mashed potato, peas and red cabbage and an Irish sausage pie with veal gravy.  They also offer vegetarian and gluten free pies.

       ⦾ O’Grady’s on the Pier specializes in seafood including sea bass, prawns, crab, oysters, mussels and seafood chowder.  However, they also a highly praised shoulder of lamb, braised short ribs and duck.

       ⦾ The King’s Head offers traditional Irish food in a 17^th century pub with live music every night.  I can personally recommend the fish & chips, but other favorites included Irish stew, seafood chowder and Moules Frites (“steamed Galway mussels with shallots, white wine & cream”).

       ⦾ Dock 1 Seafood Bar Restaurant has a nice view of the harbor and offers vegetarian and gluten free options.  Some recommendations include lamb shank, mussels, seafood chowder and fish & chips.

       ⦾ The Galleon Restaurant offers an all-day full Irish breakfast.  They also are noted for their seafood, including seafood chowder, salmon & prawns and cod & chips.

       ⦾ Tom Sheridan’s garners the ultimate Irish praise of having “great craic”, as well as, great food.  The atmosphere there is a huge plus and I definitely wouldn’t mind returning, possibly to celebrate our last night in Ireland next year.  Menu favorites include pork belly, lamb cutlets, fish & chips and seafood chowder.

       ⦾ White Gables Restaurant has a charming façade.  With both a café, gourmet food shop and restaurant there’s a wide array of “home cooked foods, breads & cakes”.  Online reviewers praised the black & white pudding, seafood chowder, roast duck, smoked salmon, crab claws, lobster and char grilled fillet steak.

       ⦾ Cooke’s Restaurant & Wine Bar, located in a “restored medieval building”, offers Irish favorites including fish cakes, seafood chowder, lamb shank, fish & chips, grilled fillet of salmon and Irish stew.  The restaurant is also recommended by travelers and locals alike. 

       ⦾ The Front Door has live music and traditional Irish pub food.  Traditional Irish fare includes shepherd’s pie, Guinness stew and fish & chips.

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Food in Limerick

We’ll only have one afternoon and night in Limerick while on tour, but there are plenty of lunch and nightlife options among the local restaurants and pubs to make it a memorable one!  

As usual, my criteria for this list of favorites is reasonably affordable, authentic Irish food, particularly in a traditional or uniquely Irish setting.  And, as I haven’t yet had the pleasure of visiting Limerick, I’m grateful to all of my online traveling friends for their informative reviews.

Bobby Byrne’s, known to the locals as “Bobby’s”, is known to have especially good fish & chips, always an Irish favorite!

The Locke offers traditional fare from fish & chips to bangers & mash.  Irish stew, seafood chowder and fish pie are also on the menu.  Plus there’s traditional Irish music & dancing every night.

The Glen Tavern, in Limerick’s Georgian Quarter, is a great place for a wide variety of Irish favorites, including Irish stew, seafood chowder, Irish soda bread sandwiches, shepherd’s pie and fish & chips.

The Curragower Bar & Restaurant has a great view of King John’s Castle and the river Shannon, plus authentic Irish dishes like seafood chowder and bangers & mash.  They boast “quality food with locally sourced ingredients”.  

The Cornstone offers great seafood options like mussels, prawns, cod and a lobster & shellfish pie.  They also have vegetarian and gluten free meals.

Dolan’s has live music every night and has earned the highest praise possible in many of its online reviews by being noted as having “great craic” (probably best described as a lively, fun atmosphere).  They offer authentic Irish “mains” including bacon & cabbage, fish & chips and Irish stew.

Freddy’s Bistro has an impressive menu including a popular mushroom risotto, steak medallions and pork belly.  Fish cakes and lamb shanks are also a great idea here when craving traditional Irish fare.  And they offer vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options.

Rene Cusack Fish Bar is clearly a place where seafood is king.  You can also get gluten free chips as part of your fish & chips there.

Luigi’s Traditional Fish & Chips may be famous for its signature dish but they also have very popular curry chips and battered sausages.

Food in Killarney

Along with being one of the most welcoming places I’ve ever visited, Killarney is also surrounded by stunning scenery with lovely countryside, lakes and a national park all on its doorstep.  For visitors it is a quintessential Irish town with pubs, cafés, bistros and restaurants offering authentic Irish food, atmosphere and music.

Killarney will be our “home base” while we explore the Ring of Kerry.  And although we’ll have less time in town for lunches, there will still be plenty of time to explore food & drink options in the evenings.  

Again my criteria for this list is authentic Irish food at affordable prices based on online reviews, tips from fellow travelers and my own experiences.  

Pubs

1.       Hannigan’s Bar & Restaurant, in Kenmare Place, offers delicious entrees including lemon sole, duck and lamb.

2.       The Danny Mann, on New Street, is known as "Killarney's famous singing pub", offering traditional Irish music and food.  The cottage pie, fish & chips and Guinness stew all get good reviews.

3.       O’Connor’s Traditional Pub, is known for its bangers & mash, Irish stew and steak sandwiches.  They have live Irish music to add to that traditional pub atmosphere.

4.       Tatler Jack, on Plunkett Street, is a sports bar that also offers Irish music every night.  Guests especially recommend the steak sandwich.

5.       Celtic Whiskey Bar & Larder, on New Street, is clearly known for its whiskey but also offers some great food from pulled pork to fish pie, along with vegetarian and gluten free options.

6.       The Porterhouse, on Plunkett Street, is a gastropub known for its steak, lamb cutlets, salmon and crab claws.  There’s also live music every night.

7.       The Jarvey’s Rest, on Muckross Drive, is a traditional Irish pub offering fish & chips, pork belly and chowder along with Irish music and dancing.

8.       Murphy’s Bar, on College Street, offers great Irish atmosphere and favorites like cottage pie, Irish stew, and fish & chips.  They also have Irish music every night and are popular with both locals and tourists. 

9.       The Laurels Pub, on Main Street, is a great place to go for traditional Irish favorites such as lamb stew, seafood chowder, bacon & cabbage or shepherd’s pie.

Restaurants, Cafés, etc

1.       Bricin Restaurant, on High Street, gets rave reviews for its boxty (an Irish potato pancake), which is filled with chicken & vegetables in a tarragon cream sauce, marinated & curried lamb & vegetables, or sauted vegetables in tomato sauce. 

2.       Gaby’s Seafood Restaurant, on High Street, is a great choice for beef, lamb and (of course) seafood.  The Lobster Gaby is a signature dish of shelled lobster in a cream & cognac sauce.

3.       Cronin’s Restaurant, on College Street, boasts shepherd’s pie, pork steak and a seafood trio.  Their rhubarb crumble is also a dessert not to be missed.

4.       Stonechat Café & Restaurant, on Fleming’s Lane, offers lamb shank, duck spring rolls and Irish stew, as well as, seafood options.  They also offer gluten free meals and desserts.

5.       Mareena’s Simply Food, on East Avenue Road, offers seafood including monkfish, shrimp, scallops, sea bass and lemon sole.  Other talked about entrees include lamb neck, rabbit and sirloin beef steak.

6.       Cellar One, in the Ross Hotel at Towne Centre, is a more modern atmosphere in which to enjoy duck, prawns, lamb or surf & turf.

7.       Jam, on Main Street, is a local favorite that offers a build your own sandwich menu, as well as, traditional meal options from baked fillet of salmon to shepherd’s pie.  They’re also known for their soups, quiches and bakery items.

8.       Laguna Bistro, on New Market Lane, is especially noted for having homemade desserts.  Some highlighted dishes from their reviews are the prawn & carrot salad, the stuffed cabbage and the smoked salmon & prawn tapas.

9.     Lord Kenmare’s Restaurant, in College Street, is highly rated for seafood, steak and lamb dishes, plus a comprehensive wine list.