Great restaurants around Ireland for a special occasion

1826 Adare

Church View, Adare, Co Limerick; 061-396004, 1826adare.ie

It’s not just about the kerb appeal of this chocolate-box cottage with its densely thatched roof; 1826, owned by chef Wade Murphy and his wife Elaine, has the sort of food people love to eat. Local lamb, deliciously fresh sole on the bone and dishes that reflect the seasons are cooked with skill and just the right amount of embellishment. The €35.95 Sunday late lunch menu runs from 3pm to 5.30pm; it’s three courses, with no choice and includes a different pie main course each week. CH

Adrift at Dunmore House Hotel

Dunmore, Clonakilty, Co Cork; 023-8833352, dunmorehousehotel.ie

Whether it’s bright or cloudy, the views from the Barrett family’s Dunmore House Hotel overlooking the sea never cease to delight. Adjacent to the hotel is the kitchen garden which supplies vegetables to Adrift, named as a seafood destination by Michelin. Whether it’s Galley Head lobster, whole John Dory or chilli-glazed west Cork tofu, Adrift delivers west Cork on a plate with freshness and consideration. JC

Aniar

53 Dominick Street, Galway; 091-535947, aniarrestaurant.ie

Dive into JP McMahon’s €145, 23-course menu for a Michelin-starred taste of the country’s terroir. Some courses are small bites, a cornet of lobster and trout roe, an oyster topped with a dillisk crumb, and a mushroom and sea truffle chawanmushi in an egg shell, with larger dishes such as venison coming later in the menu. All are presented dramatically and can be matched with an €80 wine pairing. Martin Fernard, the new sommelier, hails from Jura, which is among the finest wine credentials you could ask for. CH

Bastible

111 South Circular Road, Dublin 8, 01-4737409; www.bastible.com

Killian Walsh, who previously worked in Clanbrassil House and a number of top UK restaurants, took over as head chef in this one-Michelin-star restaurant earlier this year. It’s tasting menu only at €90 per person. Newer dishes include seaweed custard with Oscietra caviar, potato and brown butter, and, as ever, this is a particularly good spot if you’re looking for a vegetarian or vegan menu as dietary requirements are well catered for. CH

Top recipes of 2023: The dishes you savoured most from our food writers this year

---

Great places for a cocktail

---

A fuss-free traybake to help cut down on your food waste

---

Dede at the Customs House

Baltimore, Co Cork; 028-48248, customshousebaltimore.com

West Cork is a true melting pot, best personified by the exquisite Turkish fusion cooking of Ahmet Dede in the beautiful seaside village of Baltimore. With a second Michelin star secured, business partners Dede and Maria Archer continue to innovate, commissioning a stunning copper octopus plate to watch over the restaurant, while new sommelier Jacques is overseeing a range of pairings, including non-alcoholic, cocktails and fine wines to complement the sublimely spiced dishes. JC

D’Olier Street

D’Olier Chambers, D’Olier Street, Dublin 2; 01-9020720, dolierstreetrestaurant.com

There’s more than just a touch of New York sleekness in the beautiful, slightly austere diningroom on D’Olier Street where contemporary design meets historic Dublin. Head chef James Moore came here from NYC, bringing a sleek style that perfectly mirrors the space. Nab a seat at the low-set counter to watch the calm kitchen team produce Andarl Farm pork with charred cabbage or Jerusalem artichoke custard. JC

Everett’s

22 High Street, Waterford; 051-325174, everetts.ie

In the historic heart of Waterford, and boasting a diningroom in a 15th century wine cellar, Everett’s consistently offers excellent value for money. A three-course meal costs €35 at lunchtime, increasing to €49.50 at night. Peter Everett’s clean, modern Irish cuisine champions local Déise producers ranging from Comeragh mountain lamb to Liam McDonnell’s award-winning legacy cider and Knockalara cheese. JC

Ichigo Ichie

5 Sheares Street, Cork; 021-4279997, ichigoichie.ie

Owner and chef Takashi Miyazaki describes his restaurant as kappou style, meaning a high-end experience where the diners watch as the chef prepares the meal. In Ichigo Ichie the seats with the best view are at the kitchen counter, although all guests can get a view of the traditionally clad Miyazaki crafting his fusion of Japan and Ireland. Look out for family-produced Rossmore oysters with crunchy puffed rice. JC

Liath

Blackrock Market, Blackrock, Co Dublin; 01-2123676, liathrestaurant.com

Storytelling is an art and Damien Grey is a master storyteller who fully immerses his customers in the experience. It’s a case of “tell them what you’re going to do, do it, then tell them again what you did”. Of course it’s far more subtle than that, with the tasting menu starting with a showpiece branch-shaped sculpture on which various bites are artfully strewn, and finishing with stunning petits fours that recap the meal. JC

Library St

101 Setanta Place, Dublin 2; 01-6170999, librarystreet.ie

There’s nowhere quite like Kevin Burke’s buzzy restaurant, which remains one of the most difficult bookings to land. The food is gloriously good, no doubt reflecting his time spent in the Ninth in London as well as the early days of Allta. Work your way through the small plates, the legendary crispy chicken wing and marinated peppers, and move on to the larger dishes which include marinated halibut collar with miso. The downstairs private diningroom for six to 10 people can be booked in advance, with a minimum requirement of €100 spend per head. CH

Mae

53 Shelbourne Road, Dublin 4, 01-2313903; maerestaurant.ie

Everything on Grainne O’Keefe’s €70 tasting menu is driven by taste, starting with snacks, progressing to Gubbeen and beetroot ravioli, followed with a meat or fish course, and finishing with a magnificent tarte Tatin which is unlikely to ever come off the menu. Pair with something delicious from the French Paradox wine list. CH

Paradiso

16 Lancaster Quay, Cork; 021-4277939, paradiso.restaurant

When I was a student in UCC in the 1990s Paradiso was “that fancy vegetarian place”, and I’m glad to say it still is. The longevity of Denis Cotter’s cuisine is simply amazing, still blazing a trail for plant-based food after 30 years. With a beautiful new cookbook reaching the next generation, head chef Miguel Frutos leading an energetic team and an all-natural wine list, Paradiso is more relevant than ever. JC

Sash

No. 1 Pery Square, Georgian Quarter, Limerick; 061-402402, oneperysquare.com

As Limerick’s go-to restaurant for a special occasion, the evening should always start with a cocktail in the bar of this very stylish hotel, before heading upstairs for dinner in the atmospheric room which looks out on to the Georgian quarter. Crab, sole, local beef and duck all feature on a menu that is a showcase for local produce, with some cheffy flourishes on the dishes. CH

Union Wine Bar

11 The Mall, Waterford; 051-574519, unionbar.ie

When a restaurant’s co-owner is Morgan VanderKamer, president of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers, there are expectations to be met. However, the cooking of highly experienced Armagh native Stephen McArdle is not outshone by the excellence of the wine list. All fish used is wild, never farmed, and the dishes range from light Kilmore Quay crab to winter warming venison. Look out for the new small plates with matching wines every second Wednesday. JC

Uno Mas

6 Aungier Street, Dublin 2, D02 WN47; 01-4758538, unomas.ie

This much-loved restaurant has practically reached meme status as chefs, restaurateurs and food lovers around Dublin have declared it to be their favourite restaurant, along with Bambino for pizza and The Gravediggers for pints. Run by owners Paul McNamara, Simon Barrett and Liz Matthews, the Spanish-influenced menu includes Cantabrian anchovies, Ibérico pork presa, brill à la plancha and flan de queso. Prices on the 300-strong wine list range from €29.50 to €775, with 25 wines by the glass. CH

Variety Jones

78 Thomas Street, Dublin 8; 01-5517845, varietyjones.ie

There was a setback earlier this year when fire broke out in Variety Jones’s new dining space, forcing a temporary return to the old premises. Resilience, however, is the name of the game and owners Keelan and Aaron Higgs reacted by opening on occasional Sundays for a convivial, sharing-style Sunday lunch which features some of Keelan’s signatures such as potato waffles topped with Goatsbridge trout, and a perfect giant raviolo. Look out for the new diningroom once ready. JC