Zuni is a modern irish restaurant in Medieval Mile, Kilkenny.
Editorially verified May 29, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Signature dishes: Seasonal Irish lamb, Local seafood
Must order: Seasonal lamb or fish; the earlybird runs until 19:30 and delivers the full kitchen at a lower price.
Tip: Breakfast from 08:00, lunch from 12:30, dinner from 17:00. The cocktail programme at the bar is better than expected.
Address: 26 Patrick Street, Kilkenny
Aroi on Friary Street has been Kilkenny's Asian restaurant of choice since 2015, chef Fadilah named Best Asian Fusion Chef in Ireland in 2019.
Signature: Red duck curry, Kimchi chicken ramen
Order: Red duck curry or spicy kimchi chicken ramen; vegan options are genuinely well-constructed.
Tip: Tuesday Movie Night includes a main, gelato and cinema ticket for €24. TripAdvisor Travellers Choice for four consecutive years.
Rive Gauche on The Parade pairs French-inflected cooking with seasonal Irish produce in an exposed-brick room facing the castle gates on The Parade.
Signature: Seasonal sharing plates
Order: Seasonal sharing plates; the wine list leans natural and European with strong by-the-glass options.
Tip: Open from 17:00 weekdays and noon at weekends. The covered terrace is the best outdoor seat in the city centre.
Paris Texas on High Street is Kilkenny's BBQ specialist, a family-run pub since 1996 with a wood-smoking oven and New Orleans-inspired smokehouse plates.
Signature: Smoked brisket, Pulled pork, Jambalaya
Order: Smoked brisket or the mixed grill with ribs and pulled pork; the jambalaya is a cut above pub-food norms.
Tip: National Irish Pub of the Year and Whiskey Specialist. Walk-in only on bank holidays and festival weekends.
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.
Signature: Pulled pork benedict, Spit-roast pork
Order: Pulled pork benedict at brunch; spit-roast free-range pork at lunch is the weekly farm highlight.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Brunch from 08:30 Wednesday through Sunday; evening service Wednesday through Saturday.
Aroi on Friary Street has been Kilkenny's Asian restaurant of choice since 2015, chef Fadilah named Best Asian Fusion Chef in Ireland in 2019.
Signature: Red duck curry, Kimchi chicken ramen
Order: Red duck curry or spicy kimchi chicken ramen; vegan options are genuinely well-constructed.
Tip: Tuesday Movie Night includes a main, gelato and cinema ticket for €24. TripAdvisor Travellers Choice for four consecutive years.
Petronella on Kilkenny's medieval Butterslip Lane serves simple, seasonal Irish cooking with global influences, sourcing from Mountain View's own farm.
Signature: Seasonal Irish plates
Order: Seasonal menu changes with farm supply; the kitchen sources from Mountain View's own land and local producers.
Tip: Tue-Sat for lunch and dinner, Sunday lunch only. Butterslip Lane is easy to miss: look for the medieval archway off High Street.
Rive Gauche on The Parade pairs French-inflected cooking with seasonal Irish produce in an exposed-brick room facing the castle gates on The Parade.
Signature: Seasonal sharing plates
Order: Seasonal sharing plates; the wine list leans natural and European with strong by-the-glass options.
Tip: Open from 17:00 weekdays and noon at weekends. The covered terrace is the best outdoor seat in the city centre.
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.
Signature: Seafood chowder, Baileys brown bread gateau
Order: The hearty seafood chowder or the Baileys and brown bread gateau dessert. The Guinness pour is precise.
Tip: Live music starts at 21:00 every night. Food runs until 21:00; arrive before 20:30 to eat without rushing.
Paris Texas on High Street is Kilkenny's BBQ specialist, a family-run pub since 1996 with a wood-smoking oven and New Orleans-inspired smokehouse plates.
Signature: Smoked brisket, Pulled pork, Jambalaya
Order: Smoked brisket or the mixed grill with ribs and pulled pork; the jambalaya is a cut above pub-food norms.
Tip: National Irish Pub of the Year and Whiskey Specialist. Walk-in only on bank holidays and festival weekends.
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.
Signature: Pulled pork benedict, Spit-roast pork
Order: Pulled pork benedict at brunch; spit-roast free-range pork at lunch is the weekly farm highlight.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Brunch from 08:30 Wednesday through Sunday; evening service Wednesday through Saturday.
