Make it at home

Yield 250Hands-on 20 minTotal 3 hrDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 2L unfiltered cloudy apple juice (Irish organic if possible)
  • 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
  • 1 strip lemon zest (optional)
  • 1 small bay leaf (optional)

Method

  1. Pour apple juice into a wide heavy pan; a wider pan reduces faster than a tall pot.
  2. Add cinnamon, lemon zest, and bay if using.
  3. Bring to a steady simmer over medium heat. Skim any foam off the surface in the first 15 minutes.
  4. Reduce on a low simmer for 2 to 2.5 hours, swirling the pan every 20 minutes; aim to reduce by 8 to 1 (from 2L down to 250ml).
  5. Test by dipping a cold spoon; the syrup should coat the back of the spoon and run off slowly, leaving a clear stripe when you draw a finger through.
  6. Strain through muslin to remove the aromatics if used.
  7. Pour while still hot into a sterilised jar with a tight lid; cool, then refrigerate.
  8. Use on porridge, drizzled over Knockdrinna goat's cheese on brown bread, in vinaigrettes with cider vinegar, or as a glaze for roast lamb.

Tip from the editors. Cloudy unfiltered juice reduces to a richer syrup than clear filtered; supermarket clear apple juice produces a thinner, lighter syrup.

Where to eat highbank orchard apple syrup

Highbank Orchard Apple Syrup in Kilkenny

Lady Helen at Mount Juliet 1 ★ ★ 4.8

IrishChef John Kelly€€€€€105-130thomastownTue-Sat 18:30-21:30, closed Sun-MonBook 3-6 weeks ahead

Lady Helen at Mount Juliet Estate has held one Michelin star since 2013, chef John Kelly serving modern Irish tasting menus 18km south of Kilkenny.

Order: Seasonal tasting menu built entirely on Irish produce from the estate and local suppliers.

Tip: Staying on the estate makes the dinner experience complete; room rates include access to the grounds and morning walks by the river.

Mount Juliet Estate, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, R95 E096 Book →

Campagne ★ 4.8

Wine bar€€€medieval-mileWed-Sat dinner, Fri-Sat lunch

Campagne's wine list matches its Michelin kitchen, a curated French and European selection chosen by sommelier Brid Hannon for each tasting-menu course.

Signature pour: Sommelier-selected pairing with the tasting menu

Wine focus: Classic French and European fine wine

Food: Full Michelin-starred tasting menu

Gashouse Lane, Kilkenny

Cakeface Patisserie ★ 4.5

Brunch€€€8-€14irishtownMon-Sat 09:00-17:00, Sun 10:00-16:00

Cakeface on Irishtown brings French pastry training to Kilkenny brunch, with daily-changing bakes by Laura and Rory Gannon and single-origin filter coffee.

16 Irishtown, Kilkenny, R95 W634

Wildflower Cafe at Butler Gallery ★ 4.0

Cocktail barMuseum garden cafe€€€medieval-mileTue-Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun 11:00-17:00

Wildflower at Butler Gallery serves plant-based bowls, vegan raw cakes, and botanical teas in a walled gallery garden with genuine dietary inclusivity.

Signature drink: Botanical teas and natural wine

Food: Plant-forward lunch and bakes

Evans Home, John's Quay, Kilkenny, R95 YX3F

Foodworks ★ 3.8

Irish€medieval-mileWed-Sat 08:30-21:30, Sun 08:30-16:00

Foodworks on Parliament Street offers farm-to-fork lunches under €14 that draw directly from the owners' family farm, consistently strong value for money.

7 Parliament Street, Kilkenny, R95 X577

The Gourmet Store ★ 4.0

Cafe€medieval-mileMon-Sat 08:00-17:00

The Gourmet Store on High Street has offered the best-value farmhouse cheese counter since 1997, with fresh-baked bread assembled on the spot.

56 High Street, Kilkenny

Kilkenny Farmers Market ★ 4.4

Street food€medieval-mileThu 09:30-14:30

Kilkenny Farmers Market every Thursday on The Parade offers soda bread, farmhouse cheese, honey, and vegetables from €3, the best budget food in the city.

The Parade, Kilkenny

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