Campagne
The Arches, 5 Gas House Lane, Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny; 056-7772858, campagne.ie
For those craving a Michelin-starred experience without remortgaging the house, Garrett Byrne and Bríd Hannon’s restaurant offers a lunch and early bird menu at an astonishing €48 for three courses. Dinner, naturally, pushes things a little higher at €78, but what you get in return are dishes rooted in the classics, such as foie gras “crème caramel”, saddle of lamb and roast almond ice cream. Corinna Hardgrave
Da Mirco
4 Bridge Street, Cork; 021-2419480, damirco.ie
Mirco Fondrini’s osteria offers a slice of Lombardy right in the heart of town, with pasta and sauces crafted in-house. The menu is pure comfort, with dishes such as home-made tagliatelle with porcini, oven-baked cannelloni stuffed with ragú bianco, and Skeaghanore duck breast paired with braised shallots in agrodolce. Bruno Pangia from Naples now heads the kitchen, and with prices at €39 for starter and main, or €32 for main and dessert, it’s great value for what’s on offer. Read our review here. CH
Everett’s
22 High Street, Waterford; 051-325174, everetts.ie
The historic heart of Waterford City is beating strongly once more, and Peter Everett’s modern Irish restaurant is bang in the middle. It occupies the remains of a 15th-century building, a claim few others can match. Everett’s consistently offers excellent value for money, while Waterford and local producers are represented on the menu by the likes of Tuskar crab, Comeragh lamb and Clashganny apples. Joanne Cronin
Ichigo Ichie Bistro
5 Sheares Street, Cork; 021-4279997, ichigoichie.ie
It’s rare for a chef to relinquish a Michelin star but that is exactly what Takashi Miyazaki did when he decided to transform his fine-dining kaiseki restaurant into a more relaxed bistro and natural wine bar serving handmade buckwheat noodles, donburi bowls and tasty snacks. Cork folk rewarded him with even more business, and customer demand has resulted in the launch of dedicated sushi nights. Read our review. JC
Lottie’s
7-9 Rathgar Road, Rathmines, Dublin 6; 01-5585969, lotties.ie
With a newly minted Michelin Bib Gourmand, Lottie’s is a solid choice for dinner with pals. If you’re after something quick and casual, the two/three course, €29/€35 early evening menu (Wednesday-Friday from 5pm-6pm) is great value. For a longer evening, the ground-floor terrace (heated and covered) is open for outdoor dining or pre-dinner drinks. Menu highlights include Castledermot lamb with flatbread, Andarl Farm pork chop, and free-range chicken, all cooked over the live fire grill. Read our review. CH
Neighbourhood
1 North Main Street, Naas, Co Kildare; 045-954466, neighbourhoodnaas.com
With its €30/€35 early bird menu, Thursday steak nights and solid Sunday roasts, you’d be forgiven for thinking this place is just about neighbourhood comfort food. But behind the scenes, Gareth Naughton is quietly taking things up a level. And things are about to get more interesting with the launch of his intimate 12-seater upstairs, where he’ll be serving a chef’s tasting menu. Read our review. CH
One Pico
5 Molesworth Place, Dublin 2; 01-6760300, onepico.com
A review of One Pico’s Instagram account will reveal beautiful dishes, plated with elegance and flair. It’s all due to head chef Zhan Sergejev, who combines a background in art and photography with his style of flavourful, modern French cooking. The diningroom remains ever elegant, a lovely spot for lunch or dinner, with a wine list heavily influenced by terroir and organic or biodynamic winemaking. Read our review. JC
Richmond
43 Richmond Street South, Portobello, Dublin 2, D02 X499; 01-4788783, richmondrestaurant.ie
Though many places have dropped the early bird menu, this bustling neighbourhood favourite still offers two/three courses for €40/€46 each evening. The menu is anything but ordinary. Starters such as roast beetroot with ricotta, courgette and black olive, or cured mackerel with tomato and smoked eel cream bring a fresh twist. Mains include pan-seared halibut with squid marinière or the indulgent suckling pig loin paired with ham hock, sausage and an Iberico ham doughnut. CH
Thyme
2 Bridge Street, Athlone, Co Westmeath; 090-6478850, thymerestaurant.ie
John and Tara Coffey are celebrating 18 years in business, just in time for game season, their favourite time of the year. Over the next few months the menu will feature partridge, venison, mallard, wood pigeon and pheasant, all supplied by Eamon Giblin of Gourmet Game. Their cosy restaurant is truly one of Ireland’s low-key treasures, and well worth a stop when travelling across the country. JC
