30 irish rooms worth the trip across Ireland, editor-ranked. All cuisines in Ireland.
Aniar ★ 4.9 · Galway
westend · 53 Lower Dominick Street, Galway, H91 V4DP
Aniar in Galway has held one Michelin star since 2012; JP McMahon serves tasting menus built on foraged herbs, cured west-coast fish and smoked meats.
Tip: Book Tuesday to Saturday evenings; closed Sunday and Monday.
The Pullman at Glenlo Abbey ★ 4.8 · Galway
salthill · Glenlo Abbey Hotel and Estate, Bushypark, Galway, H91 XD8K
The Pullman at Glenlo Abbey Galway earned its first Michelin star in 2026; Angelo Vagiotis serves seven Irish courses in two Orient Express carriages.
Tip: The Wednesday-Sunday dinner service allows a long three-hour meal; Glenlo Abbey grounds are worth arriving early to walk.
Lady Helen at Mount Juliet ★ 4.8 · Kilkenny
thomastown · Mount Juliet Estate, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, R95 E096
Lady Helen has held one Michelin star since 2013, chef John Kelly cooking modern Irish tasting menus at Mount Juliet Estate, 18km south of Kilkenny.
Tip: Overnight stays on the estate complete the experience; the house grounds and river walks are reward enough the next morning.
Lady Helen at Mount Juliet ★ 4.8 · Kilkenny
thomastown · Mount Juliet Estate, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, R95 E096
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.
Tip: Staying on the estate makes the dinner experience complete; room rates include access to the grounds and morning walks by the river.
Kai Restaurant ★ 4.7 · Galway
westend · 22 Sea Road, Galway, H91 DX47
Kai Restaurant in Galway earned a Michelin Green Star in 2024; Jess Murphy posts a daily-changing menu from the Murphys Moycullen farm each morning.
Tip: Lunch is walk-in only from Tuesday to Saturday; dinner reservations are essential.
Kai Restaurant ★ 4.7 · Galway
westend · 22 Sea Road, Galway, H91 DX47
Kai Restaurant in Galway earned a Michelin Green Star in 2024; Jess Murphy posts a daily-changing menu from the Murphys Moycullen farm each morning.
Tip: Lunch is first-come-first-served; dinner reservations are essential and fill quickly, especially at weekends.
Delahunt ★ 4.6 · Dublin
portobello · 39 Camden Street Lower, Dublin 2, D02 K277
Delahunt on Camden Street in Dublin, Darren Free's modern Irish dining room with head chef Dermot Staunton inside a restored Joycean grocer.
Tip: Friday and Saturday book three weeks ahead. The upstairs bar serves the full menu and is the walk-up option.
Bastible ★ 4.6 · Dublin
portobello · 111 South Circular Road, Dublin 8, D08 RW2K
Bastible on the South Circular Road corner at Leonard's, the Barry FitzGerald-owned one-Michelin-star neighbourhood room with head chef Killian Walsh.
Tip: The bar seats book up later; if the dining room is gone, ask if the four counter seats are open for the same kitchen.
Farmgate Cafe ★ 4.5 · Cork
English Market Quarter · English Market, Princes Street, Cork
Perched above the English Market on its own gallery, the Farmgate Cafe serves Cork's most traditional dishes with produce bought from the stalls directly.
Farmgate Cafe ★ 4.5 · Cork
English Market Quarter · English Market, Princes Street, Cork
Perched above the English Market on its own gallery, with produce bought from the stalls below each morning. Tripe, drisheen and soda bread are the anchors.
Tip: Arrive before noon or after 13:30 to get a table; the gallery fills quickly at peak lunch.
Spitalfields ★ 4.5 · Dublin
the-liberties · 25 The Coombe, Dublin 8, D08 YV07
Spitalfields on The Coombe in Dublin's Liberties, a Michelin Bib Gourmand pub-set kitchen serving the city's most considered classical Irish menu.
Tip: Tuesday to Saturday dinner only, 17:00-21:00. Walk through the public bar and ask for the back dining room.
Arán Artisan Bakery and Bistro ★ 4.5 · Kilkenny
barrack-street · 8 Barrack Street, Kilkenny, R95 YF30
Arán on Barrack Street is the most-awarded brunch address in Kilkenny, winner of Ireland's Best Brunch at the Georgina Campbell Irish Breakfast Awards.
Tip: Closed Tuesday. Last brunch orders at 15:15. Private evening dining available with advance notice.
Arán Artisan Bakery and Bistro ★ 4.5 · Kilkenny
barrack-street · 8 Barrack Street, Kilkenny, R95 YF30
Arán on Barrack Street is the most-awarded brunch address in Kilkenny, winner of Ireland's Best Brunch at the Georgina Campbell Irish Breakfast Awards.
Tip: Closed Tuesday. Last brunch orders at 15:15. Private evening dining available with advance booking for groups.
The Glass Curtain ★ 4.4 · Cork
Thompson House, MacCurtain Street, Cork
Chef Brian Murray's Michelin Guide listed room inside the former Thompson's Bakery on MacCurtain Street, with a short menu of prime Irish produce cooked.
Orchids at Hayfield Manor ★ 4.4 · Cork
Hayfield Manor Hotel, Perrott Avenue, College Road, Cork, T12 HT97
Hayfield Manor's signature dining room is Cork city's most formal fine-dining option, with corniced ceilings overlooking the manor's private gardens.
The Winding Stair ★ 4.4 · Dublin
north-inner-city · 40 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1
The Winding Stair on Ormond Quay in Dublin 1, Elaine Murphy's upstairs dining room above the bookshop overlooking the Ha'penny Bridge and the Liffey.
Tip: Window seats face the Ha'penny Bridge; book three weeks ahead for the four river-view tables. Walk through the bookshop and up.
Mr Fox ★ 4.4 · Dublin
north-inner-city · 38 Parnell Square West, Dublin 1
Anthony Smith's Parnell Square basement room in Dublin 1, modern Irish bistro a short walk from Chapter One, Michelin Guide listed since 2017.
Tip: The room runs Tuesday to Saturday from 17:00; the early sitting is the calm one before the post-theatre push.
Ard Bia at Nimmos ★ 4.4 · Galway
spanish-arch · Spanish Arch, Long Walk, Galway, H91 X3CP
Ard Bia at Nimmos is Galway's most moody venue at the Spanish Arch, serving North African-influenced Irish menus in a medieval stone building.
Tip: Weekend brunch without a reservation is fine; dinner sittings fill quickly so book ahead.
Ard Bia at Nimmos ★ 4.4 · Galway
spanish-arch · Spanish Arch, Long Walk, Galway, H91 X3CP
Ard Bia at Nimmos in Galway keeps its 18th-century Custom House stone building at the Spanish Arch as the city's most evocative casual dining room.
Tip: The organic and natural wine list is shorter than the Westend wine bars but all are well-chosen.
Greenes Restaurant ★ 4.3 · Cork
MacCurtain Street (Victorian Quarter) · 48 MacCurtain Street, Cork, T23 AE52
Greenes on MacCurtain Street turns a waterfall-backed 18th-century warehouse into a farm-to-table dining room, with menus built on English Market sourcing.
Greenes Restaurant ★ 4.3 · Cork
MacCurtain Street (Victorian Quarter) · 48 MacCurtain Street, Cork, T23 AE52
A converted waterfall-backed Cork warehouse on MacCurtain Street with menus built on English Market sourcing, local beef and seasonal Irish produce.
Tip: Waterfall tables on the ground floor are the most moody; request when booking.
Greenes Restaurant ★ 4.3 · Cork
48 MacCurtain Street, Cork, T23 AE52
A converted 18th-century warehouse on MacCurtain Street with a waterfall backdrop and a kitchen that brings English Market sourcing to a more formal setting.
The Pig's Ear ★ 4.3 · Dublin
south-city-centre · 4 Nassau Street, Dublin 2
The Pig's Ear on Nassau Street in Dublin, Stephen McAllister's modern Irish room on three floors overlooking Trinity College, the city's reliable mid-tier.
Tip: First-floor window seats face Trinity's playing fields. The set lunch at €30 for three courses is the value play.
Dela ★ 4.3 · Galway
westend · 51 Lower Dominick Street, Galway, H91 E3F1
Dela on Lower Dominick Street Galway runs seven-day brunch from a Moycullen-farm kitchen, blending Modern Irish produce with Nordic and Asian notes.
Tip: The natural wine list and craft beer selection are taken as seriously as the food.
Blackrock Cottage Restaurant ★ 4.3 · Galway
salthill · Salthill Promenade, Galway, H91 KV9D
Blackrock Cottage beside Salthill's diving tower has Galway Bay views and locally sourced Atlantic seafood plates in a relaxed cafe-restaurant.
Tip: Arrive early at weekends; the combination of sea views and quality food means it fills within an hour of opening.
Dela ★ 4.3 · Galway
westend · 51 Lower Dominick Street, Galway, H91 E3F1
Dela on Lower Dominick Street Galway runs seven-day brunch from a Moycullen-farm kitchen, blending Modern Irish produce with Nordic restraint and Asian notes.
Tip: The natural wine and craft beer list is carefully considered; worth exploring beyond the house.
Blackrock Cottage ★ 4.3 · Galway
salthill · Salthill Promenade, Galway, H91 KV9D
Blackrock Cottage beside Salthill's diving tower has Galway Bay views and locally sourced Atlantic seafood plates in a relaxed cafe-restaurant.
Tip: Arrive early at weekends; the combination of sea views and quality food means it fills within an hour of opening.
Lyla's ★ 4.3 · Kilkenny
medieval-mile · 22 William Street, Kilkenny, R95 Y9TA
Lyla's on William Street pairs a 46-seat dining room with a cocktail bar, the third venue from the family behind Petronella and Mountain View Estate.
Tip: Reserve the six-seat Table Six counter for the chef-led tasting; standard dining runs Wednesday through Saturday evenings only.
Market Lane ★ 4.2 · Cork
City Centre · 5-6 Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork, T12 T959
Two-floor Cork institution on Oliver Plunkett Street, open seven days with menus pulling directly from the English Market and an in-house coffee blend.
Market Lane ★ 4.2 · Cork
City Centre · 5-6 Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork, T12 T959
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.
Tip: The lunch blackboard is shorter and better value than the dinner menu; arrive before 13:00 to get the fish.