Brown soda bread is the bread of Galway and all of Ireland; bicarbonate-leavened, made with buttermilk and wholemeal flour, it arrives warm at every table in the city.

Soda bread became the staple bread of Ireland after baking soda reached Irish kitchens in the 1840s, coinciding with the Famine when yeast was scarce and ovens were rare. The western Irish version uses wholemeal flour from locally milled grains and buttermilk from local dairy, producing a dense, nutty loaf. The Saturday Market bakers and the farmhouse kitchen tradition across Connacht sustained the Galway soda bread tradition. O Connors Traditional Bakery and the Galway Saturday Market bakers are the best places to buy authentic Galway soda bread.

Where to eat Brown Soda Bread in Galway

4 editor picks for Brown Soda Bread in Galway, ranked by editorial score. All Galway signature dishes · Brown Soda Bread across every city.

  • Galway Saturday Market

    Try Saturday market: crepes, empanadas, pulled pork and oysters at 40+ stalls

    Galway Saturday Market at St Nicholas Church runs 130 stalls including hot food from Connacht farmhouse producers, the finest weekly food event in the west.

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  • McCambridge's

    McCambridges on Shop Street Galway is the city deli with the widest Irish artisan range; the cheese counter, smoked fish and baked goods are best-in-class.

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  • Ard Bia at Nimmos

    Order The mezze plate at lunch; at dinner, whatever the chalkboard shows from the Gairdín Bia garden

    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.

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  • Dela

    Order Brunch is the headline; the seed-to-feed seasonal plates at dinner reward a Thursday evening visit

    Dela on Lower Dominick Street Galway runs seven-day brunch from a Moycullen-farm kitchen, blending Modern Irish produce with Nordic and Asian notes.

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Make it at home

Serves 155 minEasy

Ingredients

  • 350g wholemeal flour
  • 150g plain white flour
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 400ml buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon treacle or dark honey (optional, for colour and depth)

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200C. Flour a baking tray.
  2. Mix both flours, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Make a well in the centre. Add the buttermilk and treacle if using.
  4. Mix quickly with a fork until it comes together in a shaggy dough. Do not over-work; the soda starts to activate the moment it meets buttermilk.
  5. Turn onto a floured surface. Shape briefly into a round about 5cm high.
  6. Place on the tray. Cut a deep cross into the top with a floured knife.
  7. Bake 40 minutes until the base sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before cutting.

Editor tip. Fresh buttermilk is key; if unavailable, add 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar to 400ml whole milk, stand 5 minutes. The acid activates the soda.

Common allergens: Gluten, Milk.