Galway's most creative food quarter: Michelin kitchens, natural wine bars, specialty coffee, and the city's most ambitious neighbourhood restaurants spread across Lower and Upper Dominick Street.
Order The full tasting menu; courses change daily with what is foraged and landed
Aniar in Galway has held one Michelin star since 2012; JP McMahon serves tasting menus built on foraged herbs, cured west-coast fish and smoked meats.
Order Whatever the farm delivered that morning; the fish plate and the greens are always the point
Kai Restaurant in Galway earned a Michelin Green Star in 2024; Jess Murphy posts a daily-changing menu from the Murphys Moycullen farm each morning.
Order Ask for the day's lesser-known catch; the kitchen works with what local boats landed that morning
Oscar's Seafood Bistro in Galway champions under-used Atlantic species; chef Michael O'Meara sources sustainably from local West of Ireland trawlers.
Order Brunch is the headline; the seed-to-feed seasonal plates at dinner reward a Thursday evening visit
Dela on Lower Dominick Street Galway runs seven-day brunch from a Moycullen-farm kitchen, blending Modern Irish produce with Nordic and Asian notes.
Darog on Lower Dominick Street Galway holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand; Zsolt Lukacs won the 2025 Michelin Sommelier Award for this natural wine bar.
Order The seafood chowder and a properly pulled pint; the Irish stew on cold evenings
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.
Order Ask for the bacalhau preparation of the day; the dessert section is worth leaving room for
Alma is Galway's only Portuguese restaurant; the Wednesday to Saturday dinner menu features bacalhau and Atlantic seafood inspired by Portugal's coast.
On this list, shown aboveAniarKai Restaurant
Order The Massimo burger; the cocktail list is worth exploring before or after the kitchen closes
Massimo on William Street West has been a Galway Westend fixture since 2001; burgers and pizza from noon pair with cocktails keeping the bar open until 2am.
Also on this listDelaJohn Keogh'sOscar's Seafood Bistro
Order Specialty espresso
Urban Grind on William Street West is a Galway locals-favourite cafe with a small patio, vegan and vegetarian options and good coffee at student prices.
Order Geometry Coffee house blend
Plamas on Upper Dominick Street Galway is a compact Westend cafe serving Geometry Coffee Roasters house blend alongside simple breakfast and lunch plates.
Order Coffee, fresh juices
An Tobar Nua on Lower Dominick Street is a busy Westend Galway cafe serving soups, salads, bagels and homemade desserts at prices that suit locals.
Order Specialty coffee
Kai Restaurant Cafe's walk-in lunch in Galway from Tuesday to Saturday is the most accessible way to experience Jess Murphy's Michelin Green Star kitchen.
Also on this listDela
On this list, shown aboveDelaKai Restaurant
On this list, shown abovePlamasUrban Grind
Also on this listJohn Keogh's
Drink Guinness served before and after trad sessions
The Crane Bar on Sea Road Galway is the hub of traditional music; nightly trad sessions on a stage that launched music careers since the 1980s.
Drink Pint of Galway Hooker stout at the bar before the band starts
Monroes Tavern on Upper Dominick Street Galway stages live music every night from trad to folk and rock in a corner pub that defines the West End.
Drink Pint served at the long bar before heading upstairs to the gig room
Roisin Dubh on Upper Dominick Street is Galway's principal live-music and comedy venue; Gugai's 2006 rebuild added a rooftop beer garden and a room upstairs.
Drink Jameson and Black Bush alongside a pint of Murphy's stout
Taylors Bar on Dominick Street Galway draws late-night crowds with DJ sets and live gigs in a no-frills room where Galway music has gathered since 1985.
Also on this listJohn Keogh's
Try Italian-style chipper: battered fish, chips, garlic bread
Giovannis on Dominick Street Galway is the late-night chipper open until 3am; single cod and curry sauce have fed Galway nights for three generations.
Try New York-style slices sold by the slice until 3am
Pizza Time on Upper Dominick Street Galway is the late-night slice window open until 3am on weekends; New York-style folds feed the Westend post-pub crowd.
On this list, shown aboveGiovanni'sAn Tobar NuaDela
On this list, shown aboveDelaKai Restaurant
On this list, shown aboveGiovanni'sPizza TimeCrane BarMonroe's TavernRoisin Dubh
On this list, shown aboveRoisin DubhCrane BarMonroe's Tavern
