MILK MARKET
Located around Mungret Street, Limerick’s Milk Market is one of the oldest food markets in Ireland. Friday it has a buoyant café culture vibe with live music, while Saturday is the big farmers’ market, drawing the finest producers from all over Munster, and Sunday is more low-key and family-friendly.
COUNTRY CHOICE
At the heart of the market is Peter Ward’s internationally renowned Country Choice stall, where people queue around the corner to stock up on his wide range of fine food – from organic honey, home-baked ham, raw milk and cheeses of all varieties to pesto, fruit, homemade breads,
and organic vegetables.
HAPPY FOOD AT HOME
You’ll find vegan chef Ciara Brennan upstairs in the market, where her freshly made stock of dairy-free salads, tarts, baked treats and curries sell out fast. She’s a busy lady with bookings for vegan weddings coming in fast.
THE GREEN APRON
Botanist Theresa Storey’s eclectic stall offers a fabulous range of jams, chutneys, mustards and pickles, all made using secret family recipes. Look out for her Irish grown tea in early summer.
BALLYHOURA MOUNTAIN MUSHROOMS
This award-winning company run by Dr Lucy Deegan and Mark Cribbin grows and supplies an extraordinary
array of speciality mushrooms to restaurants all over the country. Catch them here to stock up on their divine mushroom vinegar.
THE IRISH CHANDLER
Lisa Barnett’s soy wax and plant-based botanical candles, handmade in her workshop in the Burren, smell every bit as gorgeous as they look. Her April Showers candle with its top notes of pine and lemon and undercurrent of eucalyptus is spring in a jar.
THE BARKING BAKER
One of the market’s newer additions, The Barking Baker provides a range of fresh baked organic dog treats, along with dog training and rehousing and, of course, canine birthday cakes.
SOUL ROLLS SUSHI
You can’t miss Louise Miller’s silver bulletshaped food truck at the market serving up the best sushi in the city. She had the truck custom built with refrigeration and running hot water, essential for making the freshest sushi.
WHITE DOVE NURSERIES
Tara Maloney, former plant buyer for Kew Gardens, sells flowers grown on her own farm, plus a really interesting range of plants and unique botanicals such as her handmade hanging Kokodama plants.
NOLANS OF CORBALLY
You don’t get a nickname like Pigtown without boasting some pretty exceptional artisan butchers, and Alan Nolan is one of Limerick’s finest. His double smoked baby back ribs are to die for.
“Limerick is an edgy, maverick city. As an American blow-in, I’ve lived in New York and Los Angeles, but this city still surprises me. It’s a brilliant place full of passionate, expressive and proud people.”
IMEN McDONNELL, FOOD WRITER