33 irish places in Kilkenny we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Kilkenny | Irish across every city.
Irish cooking is the backbone of Kilkenny's tables, served everywhere from formal dining rooms to old stone pubs. Lady Helen at Mount Juliet sits at the fine-dining end, while Zuni, Petronella, Foodworks and Stathams by Pembroke handle modern bistro cooking. The town's pub kitchens run deep, with Langton's Bar and Restaurant, Matt The Millers, Kyteler's Inn, Billy Byrnes Gastro Bar, Cleere's Bar and Theatre and Sullivan's Taproom alongside Lyla's, Rive Gauche, Arán Artisan Bakery and Bistro and The Fig Tree Restaurant.
Lady Helen at Mount Juliet ★ 4.8
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.
Zuni ★ 4.2
medieval-mile · 26 Patrick Street, Kilkenny
Zuni on Patrick Street is Kilkenny's most consistent hotel restaurant since 2000, chef Michael Thomas working seasonal Irish produce into modern menus.
Petronella ★ 4.1
butterslip · Butter Slip Lane, Kilkenny, R95 A030
Petronella on Kilkenny's medieval Butterslip Lane serves simple, seasonal Irish cooking with global influences, sourcing from Mountain View's own farm.
Langton's Bar and Restaurant ★ 4.1
john-street · 67-69 John Street Lower, Kilkenny, R95 XN44
Langton's on John Street is a Kilkenny institution, winner of Best Gastro Pub Kilkenny 2025, serving hearty Irish food and an extensive Irish whiskey list.
Foodworks ★ 4.0
medieval-mile · 7 Parliament Street, Kilkenny, R95 X577
Foodworks on Parliament Street is the most direct farm-to-fork address in Kilkenny, the pork sourced from pigs the owners raise on a family farm nearby.
Matt The Millers ★ 4.0
john-street · 1 John Street, Kilkenny
Matt The Millers on John Street combines live music every night with good pub food, the Kilkenny Red Ale beef pie a fitting local signature for the city.
Lyla's ★ 4.3
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.
Kyteler's Inn ★ 3.8
medieval-mile · St Kieran's Street, Kilkenny
Kyteler's Inn on St Kieran's Street connects to Kilkenny's 1324 distillation records. Food served noon to 21:00 daily alongside 90 built Irish whiskeys.
Stathams by Pembroke ★ 3.9
medieval-mile · Patrick Street, Kilkenny
Stathams at the Pembroke Hotel serves seasonal modern Irish sharing plates in a smart room with a heated outdoor courtyard off Patrick Street.
Arán Artisan Bakery and Bistro ★ 4.5
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.
Billy Byrnes Gastro Bar ★ 3.9
john-street · 39 John Street Upper, Kilkenny, R95 K091
Billy Byrnes on John Street Upper is a Kilkenny social institution serving locals since the 1980s, a gastro bar with food, pints, live music, plus sport.
The Fig Tree Restaurant ★ 3.8
medieval-mile · 20 High Street, Kilkenny, R95 XW22
The Fig Tree on High Street serves a full Irish breakfast and handmade local beef burgers in a casual space with an outdoor terrace, open seven days.
Matt The Millers ★ 4.0
john-street · 1 John Street, Kilkenny
Matt The Millers on John Street blends reliable Irish pub cooking with live music every night, the Kilkenny Red Ale beef pie a natural city signature.
Langton's Bar and Restaurant ★ 4.1
john-street · 67-69 John Street Lower, Kilkenny, R95 XN44
Langton's on John Street is a Kilkenny institution, winner of Best Gastro Pub Kilkenny 2025, serving hearty Irish food and an extensive Irish whiskey list.
Kyteler's Inn ★ 3.8
medieval-mile · St Kieran's Street, Kilkenny
Kyteler's Inn on St Kieran's Street traces brewing roots to 1324 and serves traditional Irish food from noon to 21:00 alongside 90 selected Irish whiskeys.
Billy Byrnes Gastro Bar ★ 3.9
john-street · 39 John Street Upper, Kilkenny, R95 K091
Billy Byrnes on John Street Upper is a Kilkenny social institution serving locals since the 1980s, a gastro bar with food, pints, live music, plus sport.
Foodworks ★ 4.0
medieval-mile · 7 Parliament Street, Kilkenny, R95 X577
Foodworks on Parliament Street is the most direct farm-to-fork address in Kilkenny, the pork sourced from pigs the owners raise on a family farm nearby.
Petronella ★ 4.1
butterslip · Butter Slip Lane, Kilkenny, R95 A030
Petronella on Kilkenny's medieval Butterslip Lane serves simple, seasonal Irish cooking with global influences, sourcing from Mountain View's own farm.
Arán Artisan Bakery and Bistro ★ 4.5
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.
The Fig Tree Restaurant ★ 3.8
medieval-mile · 20 High Street, Kilkenny, R95 XW22
The Fig Tree on High Street serves a full Irish breakfast and handmade local beef burgers in a casual space with an outdoor terrace, open seven days.
Zuni ★ 4.2
medieval-mile · 26 Patrick Street, Kilkenny
Zuni on Patrick Street is Kilkenny's most consistent hotel restaurant since 2000, chef Michael Thomas working seasonal Irish produce into modern menus.
Stathams by Pembroke ★ 3.9
medieval-mile · Patrick Street, Kilkenny
Stathams at the Pembroke Hotel serves seasonal modern Irish sharing plates in a smart room with a heated outdoor courtyard off Patrick Street.
Lady Helen at Mount Juliet ★ 4.8
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.
Zuni ★ 4.2
medieval-mile · 26 Patrick Street, Kilkenny
Zuni on Patrick Street is Kilkenny's most consistent hotel dining room since 2000, chef Michael Thomas building modern Irish menus on local produce.
Rive Gauche ★ 4.0
medieval-mile · 2 The Parade, Kilkenny
Rive Gauche on The Parade delivers French-inflected seasonal Irish cooking in a room of exposed brick, with natural wines and hearty sharing plates.
Petronella ★ 4.1
butterslip · Butter Slip Lane, Kilkenny, R95 A030
Petronella sits in a 1602 building on Kilkenny's medieval Butterslip Lane, serving seasonal Irish cuisine sourced from Mountain View's own farm.
Foodworks ★ 4.0
medieval-mile · 7 Parliament Street, Kilkenny, R95 X577
Foodworks on Parliament Street runs a farm-to-fork bistro in a restored bank building, the pork from pigs the owners raise on their own family farm.
Stathams by Pembroke ★ 3.9
medieval-mile · Patrick Street, Kilkenny
Stathams Supper Club at the Pembroke Hotel serves built modern Irish sharing plates and hosts a heated outdoor courtyard in the heart of Kilkenny.
Kyteler's Inn ★ 4.0
medieval-mile · St Kieran's Street, Kilkenny
Kyteler's Inn on St Kieran's Street serves over 90 Irish whiskeys with live trad music in a medieval building that stays open until 00:30 most nights.
Matt The Millers ★ 4.0
john-street · 1 John Street, Kilkenny
Matt The Millers on John Street is a popular late-night pub for trad music and live acts in a converted mill, with food until 20:30 and late bar trading.
Sullivan's Taproom ★ 4.2
john-street · 16 John Street Lower, Kilkenny
Sullivan's Taproom at The Glasshouse is Kilkenny's best craft beer late-night option, with rotational taps and heated outdoor pods open on cooler evenings.
Cleere's Bar and Theatre ★ 4.3
medieval-mile · 28 Parliament Street, Kilkenny
Cleere's on Parliament Street has run the city's Monday trad session since 1989, with a Wednesday session plus a 100-seat rear theatre for live shows.
Foodworks ★ 3.8
medieval-mile · 7 Parliament Street, Kilkenny, R95 X577
Foodworks on Parliament Street offers farm-to-fork lunches under €14 that draw directly from the owners' family farm, consistently strong value for money.