Quay Co-op is a vegetarian and vegan restaurant in South Mall And Lancaster Quay, Cork.
A workers cooperative on Sullivan's Quay running one of Ireland's longest-established vegetarian restaurants alongside a wholefood store and deli.
Must order: Daily hot vegetarian plate with wholefood sides; the menu changes daily with seasonal produce.
Tip: Open Monday through Saturday only; the deli closes before the restaurant.
Address: 24 Sullivan's Quay, Cork, T12 X867
Cork city's dedicated Italian kitchen with house pasta and a seasonal board. An in-house wine expert is available for pairing guidance on the Italian list.
Order: House-made pasta of the day with Italian wine pairing from the sommelier.
Tip: Ask the sommelier for a half-glass pairing if you're ordering multiple courses.
A converted waterfall-backed Cork warehouse on MacCurtain Street with menus built on English Market sourcing, local beef and seasonal Irish produce.
Order: Steak on the Stone; prime Irish beef cooked to your preference on a heated lava stone at the table.
Tip: Waterfall tables on the ground floor are the most atmospheric; request when booking.
A live-music pub on Oliver Plunkett Street with a kitchen running traditional Irish pub food from breakfast through evening. Irish music sessions seven.
Order: Traditional Irish stew; the kitchen keeps a rotating pot of the city's most accessible version.
Tip: Table service stops at 21:00; the music kicks off immediately after and the room transforms.
Two-floor Cork institution on Oliver Plunkett Street seven days a week, with English Market menus and a house coffee blend made exclusively for the bar.
Order: Daily market fish board with soda bread; changes with each morning's English Market delivery.
Tip: The lunch blackboard is shorter and better value than the dinner menu; arrive before 13:00 to get the fish.
An Irish-sourced rotisserie kitchen on Washington Street open from breakfast through dinner, with a French spit oven as the centrepiece. Casual tables, open.
Order: Porchetta rotisserie pork belly with seasonal sides; the spit runs from opening through close.
Tip: Weekend brunch is the least busy service; evenings fill quickly without a booking.
Cork's most important daytime room on Princes Street, with breakfast and lunch menus running on a Cork rhythm since the 1990s. Freshly baked goods, seasonal.
Order: Scones with Kerry butter; baked fresh each morning and usually sold out by 14:00.
Tip: Open Wednesday to Saturday only; check hours before crossing town.
