Wine bar with small plates€€westend
Darog in Galway holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand; owner Zsolt Lukacs won the 2025 UK and Ireland Sommelier Award for this natural wine bar on Dominick Street.
Signature: Kingfish crudo, Seasonal small plates
Order: Let Zsolt guide the wine pairing; the kingfish crudo is a reliable anchor plate
Tip: Get there early on weekends; the small room fills quickly after 19:00.
Chinese, Xi'an regional€latin-quarter
Xi'an Street Food on Quay Street Galway serves hand-pulled noodles from China's Shaanxi province, made in full view in an open kitchen in the Latin Quarter.
Signature: Hand-pulled noodles, Spicy dumplings, Rou jia mo
Order: Hand-pulled noodles in a spicy broth; the dumplings are the other anchor
Tip: One of Galway's best-value sit-down meals; expect a queue at peak lunch and dinner hours.
Irish seafood, cafe€€salthill
Blackrock Cottage beside Salthill's diving tower has Galway Bay views and locally sourced Atlantic seafood plates in a relaxed cafe-restaurant.
Signature: Chowder, Galway Bay seafood plates
Order: The chowder with soda bread and whatever the daily seafood special shows
Tip: Arrive early at weekends; the combination of sea views and quality food means it fills within an hour of opening.
Irish, cafe and brasserie€€salthill
Gourmet Food Parlour in Salthill Galway is a busy all-day venue on the promenade running breakfast through dinner with consistently sourced Irish produce.
Signature: Full Irish breakfast, Weekend brunch plates
Order: The weekend brunch menu is the strongest offering; the full Irish breakfast is reliable year-round
Tip: Park behind the building on weekdays; weekend street parking near the prom fills early.
Irish gastropub€€westend
John Keogh's on Dominick Street Lower is Galway's award-winning gastropub with a carefully kept Guinness and honest Irish dishes from local suppliers.
Signature: Irish stew, Seafood chowder
Order: The seafood chowder and a properly pulled pint; the Irish stew on cold evenings
Tip: A reliable fallback when Westend restaurants are full; the kitchen keeps longer hours than most.
Japanese, ramen and bao€€latin-quarter
Kombu on Druid Lane Galway is JP McMahon's Japanese ramen and bao bar, opened July 2025 next to the Druid Theatre as the city's first dedicated ramen kitchen.
Signature: Ramen, Steamed bao buns
Order: A ramen bowl with the steamed bao buns to share; the chocolate ganache bao with wasabi sea salt is the kitchen's dessert calling card
Tip: Closed Mondays; opens at 15:00 Friday and Saturday for the early pre-theatre run, and walk-ins fill quickly.