Irish restaurants Comet and Beau added to Michelin Guide

Comet in Dublin and Beau in Belfast among newest listings in restaurant bible

Laura Chabal and Kevin O'Donnell of Comet, which has been added to the Michelin Guide. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
Laura Chabal and Kevin O'Donnell of Comet, which has been added to the Michelin Guide. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw

Dublin restaurant Comet has been added to the Michelin Guide, with inspectors describing it as “something of a hidden gem”.

Run by chef Kevin O’Donnell and his wife Laura Chabal, Comet opened in June. The updated Michelin Guide says the wood-panelled restaurant on Joshua Lane, off Dawson Street, “has a simple, intimate appeal” with “a good buzz in the room”.

“The compact space is run with great skill by the experienced service team, while the chefs prepare dishes pulling influences from both the Mediterranean and closer to home,” inspectors said. “Dishes often shine at their simplest, like a bowl of plump baby tomatoes in their own juices, and it’s a good idea to start with sharing snacks like the robustly flavoured liver parfait with fermented blood orange.”

Also joining the listings is Beau in Belfast, where the inspectors had “a delightful all-round experience”.

Belfast restaurant, Beau. Photograph: Instagram
Belfast restaurant, Beau. Photograph: Instagram

Beau is located in a former warehouse in the Cathedral Quarter, with the guide recognising its smart conversion. Inspectors said the chefs “craft a concise menu of produce-led dishes designed for sharing, such as a tempura-like langoustine scampi with their take on a sauce gribiche”.

In total, some 110 restaurants in the Republic now feature in the Michelin listings, which

are updated every month. Some 15 are listed for “Belfast and surroundings”.

Inclusion does not equate to a star or Bib Gourmand, which are awarded at the guide’s annual ceremony in February, but it is nonetheless seen as a strong boost to an outlet’s reputation. For the first time, the Michelin Guide ceremony for 2026 will take place in Dublin.

Dublin to host Michelin star ceremony – could Ireland be about to get a three-star restaurant?Opens in new window ]

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Úna McCaffrey

Úna McCaffrey

Úna McCaffrey is Digital Features Editor at The Irish Times.