Cork —
Great Food & Drink
Photos: (Top row) O'Connor's Seafood Restaurant, Bantry; Crackpots Restaurant, Kinsale; and Max's, Kinsale; (middle row) MacCarthy's Bar, Castletownbere; Vincent Coughlan's Music Pub, Ballydehob; and La Jolie Brise, Baltimore; and (bottom row) Fishy Fishy Cafe, Kinsale; Bushe's Bar, Baltimore; and the Little Skillet, Kinsale.
As the home of Kinsale, Ireland's gourmet haven, County Cork is synonymous with culinary achievements. Just for good measure, Cork is also home to the Ballymaloe House Country Inn and Cooking School at Shanagarry, Ireland's most esteemed learning center for aspiring chefs. As might be expected, Cork's pubs are first-rate, too. Click here for a small sampling of Cork's Restaurants or Cork's Pubs.
Cork's Restaurants - Cork City & Environs
Aherne's, 163 N. Main St., Youghal, Co. Cork (tel. 024-92424), 30 miles east of Cork, sort of mid-way between Cork and Waterford, makes a great stop along the N 25 route. With Youghal Bay just down the street, seafood is the specialty on both the restaurant and bar food menus — lobsters and oysters from the tank, crab claws, giant prawn tails, seafood chowders, and much more. Web site: www.ahernes.net/world_famous_restaurant.html
Ballymaloe House, Shanagarry, Midleton, Co. Cork (tel. 021-465-2531), is tucked into the east Cork countryside amid a 400-acre farm. The Allen family have long been known for their excellent restaurant, using the best of local meats and seafood as well as vegetables and herbs from the garden. The food is so good that it has begot an on-premises cooking school, an epicurean shop, and about a dozen cook books. Web site: www.ballymaloe.ie/restaurant
Butlers Chocolate Café, 30 Oliver Plunkett St., Cork City (tel. 021-427-8866), a branch of the famous Dublin chocolatier, serving a signature hot chocolate as well as lattes, cappuccinos, and mochas. All drinks come with a complimentary piece of handmade Butlers chocolate. Cakes and buttery croissants are also on the menu. Web site: www.butlerschocolates.com
Café, Bar, Deli, Academy St., Cork City (tel. 021-485-1865), is a branch of a successful Dublin eatery. It serves Mediterranean food in a hip and busy atmosphere. The menu includes “tasters” (small portions), pizzas, pizzettes, salads, and pastas. No reservations taken. Open daily, noon to 10 or 11 p.m. Web site: www.cafebardeli.ie/cork/index.php
Café Gusto, The Boardwalk at City Quarter, Lapps Quay, Cork City, tel. 021-425-4446 – overlooking the River Lee, this informal café strives to serve more than ace water views. It aims to pour the best cup of coffee in Cork, as well as teas, smoothies, and milkshakes. The eclectic menu also offers soups, light bites, bruschettas, vegetarian dishes, salads, tapas, antipasto, and farmhouses cheeses, all sourced from local artisan producers and traders at the landmark English Market. Also located at 3 Washington St. Web site: www.cafegusto.com
Jacob's on the Mall, 30a South Mall, Cork City (tel. 021-425-1530), is one of Cork's newest restaurants, quickly gaining fame for its cutting-edge cuisine. The menu features dishes such as onion and cider soup, grilled polenta with flat mushrooms, smoked chicken with walnut and parsley pesto, roast haddock with champ, bacon, and thyme. Web site: www.jacobsonthemall.com
Jacques, 9 Phoenix St., Cork City (tel. 021-427-7387), located just off the South Mall, this small bistro has been one of Cork's most successful restaurants for many years. It is run by two members of the Barry family, famous for Cork's signature brand of tea, but the menu is a blend of old Irish recipes, fresh local produce and creative new ideas — all at moderate prices. Web site: www.jacquesrestaurant.ie
Longueville House — President's Restaurant, Mallow, Co. Cork
(tel.
022-47156; fax 022-47459; e-mail: info@longuevillehouse.ie)
has long been a benchmark of fine food and charm-filled lodging in north Co.
Cork. A member of Ireland's prestigious Blue Book properties, Longueville
is nestled on a delightful 500-acre wooded estate and farm which also includes vineyards
and a winery that produces lovely Irish white wine. The O'Callaghan family provide a warm
welcome and outstanding cuisine, including lamb raised on the estate, fresh salmon and
trout from the river, and vegetables from the garden. Open for dinner and light snack
lunches; closed mid-Dec. to mid-Feb. Web site: www.longuevillehouse.ie/dining.html
Nash 19, 19 Prince’s St., Cork City (tel. 021-427-0880), is known for its fresh-baked pastries, breads, and scones, plus salads and soups using locally sourced ingredients. Other treats include fish chowder, honey baked ham, chicken, mushroom and bacon spaghetti; lamb and bean casserole; and Irish blue cheese, broccoli and cherry tomato tart. Open from early morning till 4 pm. except Sunday. Web site: www.nash19.com
No. 5 Fenn's Quay Restaurant, 5 Fenn's Quay, Sheares St., Cork City, tel. 021-427-9527, fax 021-427-9526. Make a short one block detour around Cork's Courthouse and step inside this small shopfront bistro. The décor is simple with bare square tables and lots of mirrors, enhanced by stunning lively and colorful modern art. But the menu is the star attraction, making full use of fresh local ingredients and creative recipes, such as roast chicken breast with confit of root vegetables and Cashel blue cheese; marinated porksteak filled with vegetable spring roll and salsa rosa; lamb noisettes with aubergines, baby potatoes and coconut sauce; or cherry tomato and shallot tart with red pepper humus and feta cheese. Open mid-morning through dinner; closed Sunday. Reservations are a must. Web site: www.fennsquay.ie
The Quay Co-op, 24 Sullivan’s Quay, Cork City (tel. 021-431-7026). If you are looking for food that is gluten-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, yeast-free, or sugar-free, this place is for you. It’s also a haven for vegetarian and organic food. Open Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Web site: www.quaycoop.com
Wildways, 21 Prince’s St., Cork City (tel. 021-427-2199), is Cork’s first organic soup and sandwich bar, offering freshly made soups and sandwiches, juices and smoothies, and organic teas, coffees and more. Web site: www.wildways.net
Cork's Restaurants - Kinsale & West Cork
Café Blue, Pearse St., Kinsale (tel. 021-477-2209). Tucked into the side of the Blue Haven Hotel, this small eatery presents gourmet soups, salads, pates, and sandwiches, served with freshly baked designer breads. With opera music playing in the background, it is also a relaxed setting to met the locals, or to linger over a cup of coffee or cappuccino, perhaps with a piping hot scone. Open daily for breakfast and lunch from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Web site: www.bluehavenkinsale.com/cafe-blue.asp
Crackpots, 3 Cork St., Kinsale (tel. 021-477-2847). For something different, head to this shopfront restaurant which is also a working pottery, producing colorful ceramic plates. The menu is international with emphasis on fresh Kinsale seafood, salads and vegetarian dishes. The wine list features labels from the Wine Geese, as depicted at the wine museum up the street. Open for lunch daily and dinner Wednesday – Saturday, with extended hours in summer. Web site: www.crackpots.ie
Fishy Fishy Café, The Pier, Kinsale (tel. 021-470-0415). As its name implies, this popular restaurant is a haven for succulent seafood, with a nearby fish market supplying the day’s catch. The menu changes daily, but often includes crab cocktail, pan-seared yellow fin tuna, pan-roasted cod, pan-fried John Dory sole and grilled hake, as well as smoked salmon, prawns, lobster, and crayfish. Open for lunch and dinner on Tuesday-Saturday and lunch only on Sunday-Monday. Reservations are needed for dinner. Web site: www.fishyfishy.ie
Fish Kitchen, New St. (above The Central Fish Market), Bantry, Co. Cork (tel. 027-56651). With a nautical décor and located above a fish market, it is not surprising that this restaurant is known for fresh seafood – oysters, mussels, monkfish, salmon, and whatever is fresh each day. Open Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner.
Floury Hands, Main St., Bantry, Co. Cork (tel. 027-52590) – a local tradition, started in 1894 by the Cotter family (D. Cotter & Sons Ltd. is still over the door). It is a combination of bakery and café, serving light meals, coffees, and snacks all day.
Good Things Café, Ahakista Rd, Durrus, Co. Cork (tel. 027-61426) – a trend-setting café-restaurant featuring “good things” with emphasis on West Cork foods such as Cork fish soup, West Cork cheese platter, grilled Ahakista lobster, or unique pizzas made of local cheese, chard, spinach and nutmeg, all topped off by porter cake or homemade chocolate truffles. Web site: www.thegoodthingscafe.com
Island Cottage, Heir Island, off the coast of Skibbereen, Co. Cork (tel. 028-38102) – a “pure West Cork” experience – a restaurant on an island accessible only by boat. The food, prepared here since 1990 by chef-team John Desmond and Ellmary Fenton, is an exceptional blend of local seafood, meats, produce and cheeses, and is served as a five-course no-choice dinner. Reservations are hard to come by, so it is not a likely find for most tourists, but at least you will have heard about it here. Web site: www.islandcottage.com
La Jolie Brise, The Square, Baltimore (tel. 028-20600), Watch the sun go down on Baltimore Harbour at this informal indoor/outdoor eatery. The menu features local seafood (Galley Head prawns, Sherkin Island oysters and Roaring Water Bay mussels,) and char-grilled steaks, but the specialty of the house is pizza, served in 15 different varieties, including Pascal Pizza, covered with a selection of local seafood, and Jolie Brise Pizza, with tomatoes, mozzarella, tuna, and garlic. There is seating indoors and outside on large patio overlooking the harbour. Kids are welcome at any time. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Web site: www.youenjacob.com/jolie_brise
Little Skillet, 47 Main St., Kinsale (tel. 021-477-4202). In spite of its unpretentious name, this small shopfront restaurant produces some of Kinsale's finest food, thanks to the tender and talented work of owners Richard and Anne Ennos. The menu features a variety of distinctive international dishes such as chicken stuffed with Cashel blue cheese, sun dried tomatoes with bacon; Kinsale pork and herb sausages; and Kinsale fish ragout, as well as vegetarian choices such as Cajun vegetable fajitas or mixed bean casserole. The early bird menu offers great value. Dinner only.
Man Friday, Scilly, Kinsale (tel. 477-2260). Set on a hill overlooking the town, this tree-shaded restaurant is one of Kinsale's longest-established eateries, with a tropical atmosphere including a garden terrace. The menu offers traditional choices such as steak, lamb and duck but emphasizes seafood, with specialties such as crab au gratin or Kinsale seafood platter. Dinner only. Closed Sunday. Web site: www.manfridaykinsale.ie
Max's, 48 Main St., Kinsale (tel. 477-2443). Nestled in a cozy shopfront setting with stone walls, this little wine bar restaurant serves classic cuisine with an Irish-French twist including local seafood and a house special of roast rack of lamb in lavender sauce. Open for lunch and dinner Wednesday – Monday in March - October.
Mews Restaurant, off Main St., Baltimore (tel. 028-20390)). A converted stone coach house is the setting for this romantic (and pricey) restaurant, with stone walls, original paintings (for sale), beamed ceiling, open fireplace, and candlelit tables with fresh flowers. There is also an enclosed outdoor conservatory sitting area. The menu features local seafood such as John Dory and hake, as well as fillet steaks, rack of lamb and vegetarian options. The fresh herb and brown bread is baked on the premises. No credit cards. Reservations essential. Open for dinner only (except Monday), May-Sept. Web site: www.mewsrestaurant.com
O’Connor’s Seafood, The Square, Bantry (tel. 027-50221), is an award-winning third generation family-run seafood restaurant overlooking the main square of Bantry. The décor is fittingly nautical – fishing baskets fashioned into lanterns, ship models, seafaring artwork, and ships wheels, but the main attraction is the fresh seafood, with at least 10 blackboard specials a night including lobster. The early bird menu offers great value. It’s so popular with the locals, that reservations are usually needed. Open for lunch and dinner. Web site: www.oconnorseafood.com
Organico, 2 Glengarriff Rd., Off Marino St., Bantry, Co. Cork (tel. 027-51391) – a vegetarian café above a bakery. It offers breads and cakes from the bakery, as well as organic salads, soups, stews, chilli and plates of farmhouse cheeses. It is also an internet café. Web site: www.organico.ie
Vista, Shearwater Pier, Pier Road, Kinsale (tel. 021-470-6866), a new café/wine bar along the marina, with a large balcony offering stunning views of the waterfront and a varied selection of light foods, from breakfast through to evening tapas.
Cork's Pubs
Cork has pubs a-plenty in the City and countryside. Here are a mere handful of "old reliables" to get you started:
An Bodhran Pub, 42 Oliver Plunkett St., Cork City (tel. 021-427-4544), has an old world feel, with a wood and stone interior and stained glass windows. Live traditional music is on tap nightly.
An Spailpin Fanach, 28 S. Main St., Cork City (tel. 021-427-7949), is a long-established (1779) pub across the street from the Beamish & Crawford Brewery. It is known for traditional music sessions almost every night.
The Bulman, Summercove, Kinsale (tel. 021-477-2131). Situated on the eastern side of the harbor en route to Charles Fort, this 200-year-old pub takes its name from the Bulman Bouy, a well known nautical landmark pointing the way for boats to safely enter the harbor. The interior has open log fires and maritime memorabilia, but the real fun of this pub is sitting outside beside the quay on a summer's day and watching the boats glide by. Web site: www.thebulman.com
Bushe’s Bar, The Square, Baltimore, Co. Cork (tel. 028-20125). Long a fixture in the town, this family-run bar is rich in maritime traditions and décor, with a collection of old lanterns, ships’ clocks, compasses, tide tables and pennants. The pub grub includes a specialty of open top crab sandwiches on brown bread. In fine weather, there is seating outside
Franciscan Well Brewery, 14 North Mall, Cork City (tel. 021-439-3434) is a micro-brewery that produces its own beer, with names such as Blarney Blonde, Rebel Red and Shandon Stout. There is a large beer garden in the back. Web site: www.franciscanwellbrewery.com
Hamlets of Kinsale, The Glen, Kinsale (tel. 477-2939). One of Kinsale's liveliest and newest pubs, associated with (and located behind) the Blue Haven Hotel. Web site: www.hamletsofkinsale.com
Jim Edwards, Market Quay, off Emmet Pl., Kinsale (tel. 021-477-2541). This pub has an authentic nautical atmosphere and an extensive bar food menu featuring seafood including lobster and oysters, as well steaks, poultry and lamb dishes. Don't miss the distinctive clock at the entrance – instead of numbers, the time is shown in letters that spell out the owner's name. Web site: www.jimedwardskinsale.com/bar.htm
Le Chateau, 93 Patrick St., Cork City (tel. 021-427-0370), long a Cork fixture, is the only bar on Cork’s main street. Dating back to 1793, it is a popular pub with shoppers during the day and locals at night.
Long Valley, Winthrop St., Cork City (tel. 021-427-2144), established in 1842. It is popular by day for its bar food, and at night for live music.
MacCarthy’s Bar, The Square, Castletownbere, Co. Cork, (tel. 027-70014). If this pub looks familiar, it’s because it was featured on the cover of the book, McCarthy’s Bar by the late Pete McCarthy. He chose it for more than the familial connection (although slightly different spelling). Dating back to the 1870’s, it is a charming combination of old world pub and grocery store, with a nautical décor. The seafood chowder alone is worth a visit.
Mutton Lane Inn, 3 Mutton Lane, Cork City (tel. 021-427-3471). Located in the heart of Cork, off Patrick St., this Old World pub dates back to 1787 — and the beamed ceilings and lantern lights prove it. It's very popular with Corkonians at lunchtime for hearty pub grub — stews, soups, sandwiches.
Reidy's Wine Vaults, Lancaster Quay, Western Rd., Cork City (tel. 021-427-5751), originally an old wine warehouse, this pub has a real "old Cork" décor of vaulted ceilings, beveled mirrors, stained glass windows and antiques. Good food is available all day, and all breads and quiches are baked on the premises.
The Spaniard, Scilly, Kinsale (tel. 021-477-2436), reflects a 17th century seafaring atmosphere reminiscent of the days when the Spanish Armada came into the port. Set on a hill high above the town, it offers indoor-outdoor seating, good bar food, and frequent sessions of traditional music. Web site: www.thespaniard.ie
Vincent Coughlan, Main St., Ballydehob, Co. Cork (tel. 028-37936). The mural on the side of this pub tells it all – a gathering place for Irish traditional music and dance.
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