Eating Out in Cork

Cork is something of a food lover’s paradise, with many of its restaurants sourcing excellent raw ingredients from the large and growing community of artisan food suppliers in the surrounding area.

Tripe and Drisheen by richardrichard

If you have a taste for the unusual, Cork has some regional specialties you might want to look out for – or to avoid!

Drisheen is a sort of sausage or pudding made from sheep’s blood, breadcrumbs and spices and traditionally served with tripe (stomach) in a thickened milk sauce. Not perhaps for everyone – I think you have to be born in Cork myself!

One of the best black puddings in Ireland is produced to a secret recipe in Clonakility and features on many local restaurant menus. This too is made from blood, but it really is one you should try – I’m absolutely certain you’ll be impressed.

In more recent times a new tradition of cheesemaking has emerged and some really world class cheeses are produced locally. Look out for Milleens, Durrus, Gubbeen, Gabriel and Desmond in particular.

Eating Out in Cork on a Budget

The English Market by charlie cravero

The first stop for anyone with an interest in food has to be the famous English Market, where food has been sold for almost 400 years. Stalls crowded into the market sell both cooked food and deli style take away food as well raw ingredients.

It is a treasure trove of both locally produced and imported food and an experience not to be missed. On a Summer day this is the perfect place to buy the makings of a picnic – take it across the road to the Bishop Lucey Park to eat.

Jackie Lennox’s Chip Shop on the Bandon Road is the place to go for a tasty take away meal of fresh fish and excellent chips – chunky and freshly cut from good potatoes. Their curry sauce is spoken of very highly, but will not be to everyone’s taste.

The Idaho Cafe ( 353 21 4276376) on Caroline St serves food that is a cut above the average all day. Breakfast, with a huge selection of home baked breads and pastries, is a real treat here and is served right up to lunch time. Very civilised. They use very good ingredients and lots of organic meat and veg. Not open for dinner.

Cafe Gusto ( 353 21 4254446) on Washington St is a coffee bar serving terrific rolls, wraps and salads in a cheerful and friendly setting. There are only about 20 seats, but everything is available to take away.

The Cafe Bar Deli on Academy St is always busy and serves good value pizzas, pastas and salads all day and into the evening. Expect to queue at busy times.

The Nutmeg Organic Restaurant (021 4276457 ) on French Church St places itself firmly outside the “knit your own shoes” feel of some such places with its sleek modern design. Although its a good place for vegetarians, who have a lot of choice, meat eaters are well catered for too.

Middle Range Restaurants in Cork

The restaurant upstairs at the English Market, the Farmgate Cafe ( 353 21 4278134), doesn’t have far to go to source its ingredients, and the menu varies daily according to what is available in the Market. There is always a buzz here, with shoppers, stallholders and office worker alike flocking to enjoy the wholesome good value food.

Amicus (021 4276455) on Paul St serves an eclectic menu of mainly pizze and pasta, but also satays, curries and Irish stew. But its all very well done, it plainly pleases it’s large regular clientèle, and at a price that almost puts it in the budget range. This place is particularly popular with families.

Jacobs on the Mall, by bandon1

Jacobs on the Mall is a long time Cork favourite, which makes very extensive use of locally produced food in a menu that reads as quite simple but it executed extremely well. It’s a good building, airy and bright, and very popular, so advance booking is recommended. Prices are at the high end of the middle range.

Probys Bistro ( 353 21 4316531) on Probys Quay is a lively spot where excellent local ingredients are given a Mediterranean twist, a style of cooking that is not always successful but which work perfectly here.

They have amazing sandwiches on a range of excellent breads at lunchtime, excellent tapas in the early evening and the set dinner menu is terrific value.

Nakon Thai ( 353 21 4369900) in Douglas Village is probably Cork’s best ethnic restaurant. The light fresh food with wonderfully vibrant flavours is served by very friendly and always smiling staff.

The Spice Route (021 4508382) on McCurtain St is a good if somewhat pricey Indian, though there are regular special offers and vouchers available which can take it almost down to the budget range. Their curries are very good, so if you are a fan of hot food, this is your spot.

High End Dining in Cork

Cafe Paradiso ( 353 21 4277939) on the Western Road is a rare thing indeed, a vegetarian restaurant which serves food of a such variety and imagination to such a high standard that even confirmed meat lovers will be completely converted. It is probably the best vegetarian restaurant in Ireland.

Les Gourmandises ( 353 21 4251959) on Cook St is exceptional, a friendly unpretentious place with food that would happily grace the table in restaurants charging twice the price or more. Many of the staff are French, and it sometimes feels as though a French neighbourhood restaurant somehow landed in Cork. It could just sneak into the mid range section because its set menu prices at both lunch and dinner are so well priced.

Isaac’s Restaurant in a converted warehouse in Mac Curtain St has a stated aim of providing good value for money and they meet this consistently with an inventive and interesting menu. The choice ranges from very simple but impeccably prepared dishes using local ingredients to unusual and inventive food with a Spanish twist.

The Manor Room at Hayfield Manor Hotel is renowned for its classic cooking, with a French chef using the best locally sources ingredients in a menu that features several classics. A five course dinner here will leave you in that state of soporific happiness which only very special food induces.