Arán Artisan Bakery and Bistro ★ 4.7
Arán on Barrack Street won Ireland's Best Brunch at the Georgina Campbell Awards, with fresh-baked sourdough and seasonal brunch plates all day.
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 400g wholemeal flour (coarse if possible, for Irish texture)
- 100g plain flour
- 50g porridge oats
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp dark treacle or molasses
- 400ml buttermilk
- 1 tbsp mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame), for the top
- Extra flour for dusting
Method
- Heat oven to 220C. Dust a baking tray with flour.
- In a large bowl, whisk together wholemeal flour, plain flour, oats, bicarbonate, and salt.
- Warm the treacle gently with 3 tbsp of the buttermilk until it loosens, then whisk into the rest of the buttermilk.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in the buttermilk mix. Stir with a wooden spoon just until combined; do not knead.
- Tip onto the tray, shape with floured hands into a round about 18cm across and 4cm tall. Cut a deep cross into the top with a sharp knife (Irish tradition says this lets the fairies out).
- Scatter the seeds across the top.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes until deep brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the base.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing; the crumb sets as it cools. Serve with cold Irish butter and a slice of Knockdrinna goat's cheese.
Tip from the editors. Buttermilk is non-negotiable; the acid is what triggers the bicarbonate and gives the loaf its rise. If buttermilk is unavailable, sour whole milk with 2 tbsp lemon juice 10 minutes ahead.
Where to eat irish brown soda bread
Irish Brown Soda Bread in Kilkenny
The Gourmet Store ★ 4.0
The Gourmet Store on High Street has offered the best-value farmhouse cheese counter since 1997, with fresh-baked bread assembled on the spot.
Kilkenny Farmers Market ★ 4.4
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.
Wildflower Cafe at Butler Gallery ★ 4.0
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
Foodworks ★ 3.8
Foodworks on Parliament Street offers farm-to-fork lunches under €14 that draw directly from the owners' family farm, consistently strong value for money.
More cities are in research. Want irish brown soda bread covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.