Zuni is a fine-dining restaurant in Medieval Mile, 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.
Must order: Seasonal fish or lamb; the earlybird menu until 19:30 delivers the full kitchen at a lower price.
Tip: Hotel rooms upstairs are a practical overnight; the restaurant closes at 20:45 Monday to Thursday, 21:15 at weekends.
Address: 26 Patrick Street, 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.
Order: Seasonal sharing plates; the wine list leans natural and European with careful by-the-glass selection.
Tip: Open Monday through Friday from 17:00, Saturday and Sunday from noon; the covered terrace faces the castle gates.
Lyla's on William Street is the third venue from siblings Michael O'Neill and Bee O'Grady, sister restaurant to Petronella, with a 46-seat room and Table Six chef-led tasting counter.
Order: Crispy duck salad to start, miso black cod or risotto with crabmeat and grilled king crab for mains, Sicilian lemon tart to finish.
Tip: Book the six-seat Table Six counter for the chef-led tasting menu with paired drinks; standard service runs Wednesday to Saturday evenings only.
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.
Order: Pulled pork benedict at brunch or the spit-roast free-range pork at lunch from the farm.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday; open Wednesday through Sunday with evening service from Wednesday to Saturday.
Aroi on Friary Street has been Kilkenny's most-awarded Asian kitchen since 2015, chef Fadilah named Best Asian Fusion Chef in Ireland in 2019 and 2020.
Order: Red duck curry and the spicy kimchi chicken ramen; the vegan options are as strong as the meat dishes.
Tip: Tuesday Movie Night: a main, gelato and a cinema ticket for €24 per person. Great value for the quality.
Stathams Supper Club at the Pembroke Hotel serves curated modern Irish sharing plates and hosts a heated outdoor courtyard in the heart of Kilkenny.
Order: Seasonal sharing plates on local Co. Kilkenny produce; the wine list favours Irish and European.
Tip: The heated outdoor courtyard is one of the better al fresco dining options in the city on a clear evening.
Rive Gauche on The Parade delivers French-inflected seasonal Irish cooking in a room of exposed brick, with natural wines and hearty sharing plates.
Order: Seasonal sharing plates; the wine list leans natural and European with careful by-the-glass selection.
Tip: Open Monday through Friday from 17:00, Saturday and Sunday from noon; the covered terrace faces the castle gates.
Petronella sits in a 1602 building on Kilkenny's medieval Butterslip Lane, serving seasonal Irish cuisine sourced from Mountain View's own farm.
Order: Seasonal menu from Mountain View farm supply; the kitchen prioritises local artisan suppliers.
Tip: Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner; Sunday lunch only. Book dinner at weekends, walk-in at lunch most weekdays.
Lyla's on William Street is the third venue from siblings Michael O'Neill and Bee O'Grady, sister restaurant to Petronella, with a 46-seat room and Table Six chef-led tasting counter.
Order: Crispy duck salad to start, miso black cod or risotto with crabmeat and grilled king crab for mains, Sicilian lemon tart to finish.
Tip: Book the six-seat Table Six counter for the chef-led tasting menu with paired drinks; standard service runs Wednesday to Saturday evenings only.
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.
Order: Pulled pork benedict at brunch or the spit-roast free-range pork at lunch from the farm.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday; open Wednesday through Sunday with evening service from Wednesday to Saturday.
Aroi on Friary Street has been Kilkenny's most-awarded Asian kitchen since 2015, chef Fadilah named Best Asian Fusion Chef in Ireland in 2019 and 2020.
Order: Red duck curry and the spicy kimchi chicken ramen; the vegan options are as strong as the meat dishes.
Tip: Tuesday Movie Night: a main, gelato and a cinema ticket for €24 per person. Great value for the quality.
Stathams Supper Club at the Pembroke Hotel serves curated modern Irish sharing plates and hosts a heated outdoor courtyard in the heart of Kilkenny.
Order: Seasonal sharing plates on local Co. Kilkenny produce; the wine list favours Irish and European.
Tip: The heated outdoor courtyard is one of the better al fresco dining options in the city on a clear evening.
