Upscale in Kilkenny

Campagne ★ 4.8

medieval-mile · Gashouse Lane, Kilkenny

Campagne's wine list matches its Michelin kitchen, a curated French and European selection chosen by sommelier Brid Hannon for each tasting-menu course.

Ristorante Rinuccini ★ 4.4

medieval-mile · 1 The Parade, Kilkenny, R95 XKR7

Rinuccini at The Parade maintains one of Ireland's most serious Italian wine collections, a cellar of 12,000 bottles sourced directly from Italian vineyards.

Ristorante Rinuccini ★ 4.3

medieval-mile · 1 The Parade, Kilkenny, R95 XKR7

The Cavaliere family has run Rinuccini opposite Kilkenny Castle since 1989, importing Italian produce and building a cellar of over 12,000 bottles.

Tip: Open seven days, lunch and dinner. Sunday lunch runs until 17:00 making it a good late-afternoon option.

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.

Tip: Reserve the six-seat Table Six counter for the chef-led tasting; standard dining runs Wednesday through Saturday evenings only.

Ristorante Rinuccini ★ 4.3

medieval-mile · 1 The Parade, Kilkenny, R95 XKR7

The Cavaliere family has run Rinuccini opposite Kilkenny Castle since 1989, importing Italian produce and building a cellar of over 12,000 bottles.

Tip: Sunday lunch runs to 17:00 and is the best-value sitting of the week. Book for dinner Friday and Saturday.

Smithwick's Experience Bar ★ 4.3

medieval-mile · 44 Parliament Street, Kilkenny, R95 VK54

The bar at the Smithwick's Experience pours a complimentary Smithwick's Red Ale at the end of every tour on the city's 13th-century brewing site.

Arán Artisan Bakery and Bistro ★ 4.3

barrack-street · 8 Barrack Street, Kilkenny, R95 YF30

Arán on Barrack Street keeps a short but considered natural wine list to pair with its award-winning brunch and lunch menu in a genuine farm-bistro setting.

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.

Tip: Breakfast from 08:00, lunch from 12:30, dinner from 17:00. The cocktail programme at the bar is better than expected.

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.

Tip: Breakfast from 08:00. Lunch from 12:30. Dinner Monday to Saturday from 17:00, Sunday from 17:00-20:15.

Kyteler's Inn ★ 4.2

medieval-mile · St Kieran's Street, Kilkenny

Kyteler's Inn on St Kieran's Street traces brewing roots to 1324 and curates over 90 Irish whiskey expressions, traditional music nightly in high season.

Louie's Cafe and Wine Bar ★ 4.2

medieval-mile · 3 Patrick Street, Kilkenny

Louie's on Patrick Street is a Parisian-inspired cafe bar with natural wines, small plates from Thursday to Saturday, and leather banquettes from noon.

Rive Gauche ★ 4.2

medieval-mile · 2 The Parade, Kilkenny

Rive Gauche at 2 The Parade is Kilkenny's closest thing to a wine bar, with seasonal Irish plates and a well-chosen European list in a handsome brick room.

Louie's Cafe and Wine Bar ★ 4.2

medieval-mile · 3 Patrick Street, Kilkenny

Louie's on Patrick Street is a Parisian-inspired cafe bar with natural wines and small plates in a leather-banquette room near Kilkenny Castle.

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.

Tip: Tue-Sat for lunch and dinner, Sunday lunch only. Butterslip Lane is easy to miss: look for the medieval archway off High Street.

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.

Tip: Find the entrance through the medieval arch off High Street. Butterslip Lane is Kilkenny's most overlooked dining lane.

Langton's Bar ★ 4.1

john-street · 67-69 John Street Lower, Kilkenny, R95 XN44

Langton's Bar on John Street is a Kilkenny institution, winner of Best Gastro Pub Kilkenny 2025, with a large whiskey list and live music every night.

Rive Gauche ★ 4.1

medieval-mile · 2 The Parade, Kilkenny

Rive Gauche on The Parade is Kilkenny's closest dedicated wine bar, a handsome room of exposed brick with seasonal Irish plates and a natural wine list.

Ristorante Rinuccini Bar ★ 4.1

medieval-mile · 1 The Parade, Kilkenny, R95 XKR7

Rinuccini's bar at 1 The Parade draws on the family's 12,000-bottle Italian wine cellar, the best Italian wine by the glass in Kilkenny since 1989.

Zuni ★ 4.1

medieval-mile · 26 Patrick Street, Kilkenny

Zuni on Patrick Street keeps a well-chosen wine list with genuine sommelier attention, matching the modern Irish kitchen's seasonal produce course by course.

The Grapevine Wine and Tapas Bar ★ 4.1

medieval-mile · 6 Rose Inn Street, Kilkenny, R95 DH59

The Grapevine on Rose Inn Street is a long narrow tapas room near Kilkenny Castle, the wine list shortlisted with Le Caveau and weighted toward small Spanish.

Rive Gauche ★ 4.0

medieval-mile · 2 The Parade, Kilkenny

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.

Tip: Open from 17:00 weekdays and noon at weekends. The covered terrace is the best outdoor seat in the city centre.

Matt The Millers ★ 4.0

john-street · 1 John Street, Kilkenny

Matt The Millers on John Street is a live music pub with good food, the Kilkenny Red Ale beef pie a fitting local signature in a converted mill building.

Paris Texas Bar and Restaurant ★ 4.0

medieval-mile · 92 High Street, Kilkenny, R95 V6TE

Paris Texas on High Street is Kilkenny's BBQ and whiskey specialist, a family-run pub since 1996 with National Irish Pub of the Year recognition.

Zuni Hotel Bar ★ 4.0

medieval-mile · 26 Patrick Street, Kilkenny

Zuni Bar on Patrick Street runs a better cocktail programme than its hotel-bar status suggests, a solid choice for a pre-dinner drink in the city centre.

Petronella ★ 4.0

butterslip · Butter Slip Lane, Kilkenny, R95 A030

Petronella Bar on Butterslip Lane is a medieval building with seasonal cocktails and natural wines, the most evocative bar in Kilkenny's hidden alleyways.

Paris Texas Cocktail Bar ★ 4.0

medieval-mile · 92 High Street, Kilkenny, R95 V6TE

Paris Texas at 92 High Street pairs American whiskey and local spirits with a smokehouse food menu in one of Kilkenny's most awarded pub bars.

Wildflower Cafe at Butler Gallery ★ 4.0

medieval-mile · Evans Home, John's Quay, Kilkenny, R95 YX3F

Wildflower at Butler Gallery serves plant-based bowls, vegan raw cakes, and botanical teas in a walled gallery garden with genuine dietary inclusivity.

Kyteler's Inn Whiskey Bar ★ 4.0

medieval-mile · St Kieran's Street, Kilkenny

Kyteler's Inn on St Kieran's Street is a whiskey bar with over 90 Irish expressions selected by JD Flynn, no Scotch or Bourbon, in a medieval setting.

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.

Tip: The heated outdoor courtyard is the place to be on a clear evening in the city. Book ahead for weekend dinner.

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.

Tip: The heated courtyard is the key selling point. Book ahead for weekend dinner when the room fills.

Billy Byrnes ★ 3.9

john-street · 39 John Street Upper, Kilkenny, R95 K091

Billy Byrnes on John Street Upper is a Kilkenny social institution, a no-frills gastro bar with Smithwick's on tap that feels more local than tourist.

Cleere's Bar and Theatre ★ 3.9

medieval-mile · 28 Parliament Street, Kilkenny

Cleere's on Parliament Street has hosted Kilkenny's longest-running trad session every Monday since 1989 alongside a 100-seat theatre for national acts.

The Yard Cafe ★ 3.7

st-kierans-street · 27 Saint Kieran's Street, Kilkenny

The Yard Cafe on St Kieran's Street serves organic coffee with plant milks, vegan lunch plates, and homemade cakes in a relaxed community-minded setting.