Wild Atlantic seaweed harvested from Connemara shores appears on Galway menus as dulse with oysters, sea lettuce in salads and carrageen moss panna cotta at Aniar.
Where to eat it: 4 restaurants across 1 city.
Seaweed has been harvested and eaten along the Irish Atlantic coast for millennia; carrageen moss was used as a setting agent for puddings long before commercial gelatine, and dulse was gathered from the shore at low tide. The Aran Islands have the most continuous tradition of eating fresh seaweed, with islanders gathering dulse and dillisk directly from the limestone shoreline. JP McMahon at Aniar elevated Galway seaweed from subsistence food to haute cuisine ingredient, incorporating sea lettuce, dulse and carrageen into tasting menu courses.
Common allergens: Iodine (high)
Tip from the editors. Irish dulse has a stronger iodine flavour than Japanese wakame; start with a smaller amount if you are new to eating seaweed and add more according to taste.
Aniar in Galway has held one Michelin star since 2012; JP McMahon serves tasting menus on foraged herbs, cured west-coast fish and Connacht smoked meats.
Order: The tasting menu, which changes with each day's wild and local produce from Connacht
Tip: Book Tuesday to Saturday; the kitchen is closed Sunday and Monday.
Kai Restaurant on Sea Road Galway serves brunch Thursday to Sunday; the daily Moycullen farm menu makes it the most ingredient-driven Galway brunch available.
Order: Daily farm vegetable plate with poached egg and Moycullen cultured butter
Ard Bia at Nimmos on Spanish Arch Galway serves brunch in a medieval stone room; the organic egg dishes and seasonal salads make it the most scenic brunch.
Order: Wild Atlantic smoked salmon on house soda bread with creme fraiche on the river terrace
Oscars Seafood Bistro on Dominick Street Galway seats just 30 and fills nightly; the wild Atlantic fish board and ten-dish menu is the best value in Galway.
Why locals love it: A 34-cover room on Upper Dominick Street that serves Galway finest wild-caught seafood with no walk-in space.
Tip: Book two weeks ahead for Friday dinner; the lobster bisque is the standout first course.
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