20 TOP TERRACES
FOR EATING AND DRINKING OUTDOORS
From the iconic Grace Kelly movie High Society to Nicole Kidman’s current TV hit Big Little Lies, nothing spells glamour like dining on a terrace. So don’t waste your time scrubbing your barbecue this summer. Instead, think terrific terraces and elegant al fresco eating. From coast to coast and everywhere in between, the outdoor eating available in Ireland is top-notch, if you know the right places to look. The sun may be out now, but our summer can be fleeting, says Lucinda O’Sullivan, who has cherry-picked her Top 20 Terraces from around the country for the best food, drink and atmosphere around, not to mention some perfect outdoor perches for people-watching RADISSON ST HELEN’S They’re big into terraces here on Dublin’s Stillorgan Road. Chill with a drink on the lower terrace before slipping into their Italian Talavera restaurant, or dine in the Orangerie conservatory bar with its splendid main terrace overlooking the gardens, where barbecue lunch is served on weekdays during the summer months. radissonblu.com OSTERIA LUCIO Osteria Lucio is located underneath the arches of the old Malting Tower in D2, with the Dart rolling overhead. Pierce Brosnan loved Michelin-starred Ross Lewis’s city-slick restaurant. Not only has it a great atmospheric buzz, but excellent cocktails and cicchetti, salumi and secondi, plus woodfired pizzas, too. osterialucio.com SUESEY STREET Shielded by a retractable awning, in the heart of Georgian Dublin, on Fitzwilliam Place, is one of the smartest terraces in town. With lunchtime posh sandwiches and salads, or more indulgent mains, they also do a great early-bird menu and a tempting a la carte. Witty five-star service from TV’s John Healy. sueseystreet.ie MARCO PIERRE WHITE COURTYARD BAR AND GRILL Tucked away under an arch in leafy D4, MPW’s lush, plush Courtyard Bar & Grill has a secluded courtyard for chilling with a cocktail, followed by a Francophile classic hors d’oeuvre, grill or a roast. marcopierrewhite.ie RESIDENCE Having been a private members’ club for 10 years, the uber hip Residence on St Stephen’s Green is now open to the public. With new executive chef Peter Byrne at the helm, the cool terrace here offers cocktails and casual food, plus the superb fine-dining Restaurant Forty One. residence.ie GOURMET FOOD PARLOUR SANTRY The new GFP in Northwood, Santry, is not only bright, airy and colourful, but its two outdoor terraces are designed to create a relaxed garden-party oasis in North Dublin. Menu choices range from daytime sambos and salads to a burger in a bowl to evening small and large plates. gourmetfoodparlour.com TANKARDSTOWN More than a little bit of Provence in Co Meath, Tankardstown embodies three great dining options set in beautiful gardens — the casual Cellar, the chic Brabazon and The Tea Garden, which is perfect for a good old-fashioned afternoon tea. tankardstown.ie FALLON & BYRNE The extraordinarily pretty Victorian tea rooms in the People’s Park in Dun Laoghaire were modernised a couple of years ago, and provide a unique setting for al fresco dining. Overlooking the happenings in the manicured gardens, with nibbles and sharing boards, starters, light bites and mains, there’s something for everyone here. fallonandbyrne.com AVOCA TERRACE CAFE POWERSCOURT An oldie, but a goodie. It’s hard to beat the view from the terrace out over the Versailles-style formal gardens of the Powerscourt Estate in Co Wicklow. Self-service salads, sambos, terrines, quiches, crumbles and pies are the order of the day. powerscourt.com VILLAGE BAR & GRILL With soft, industrial-style decor, this splendiferous addition to Wexford’s Seafield Hotel rivals anything you might see in Milan or New York. With a terrace area to the side, the all-day menu sports chowder, pizzas, rotisserie chooks, burgers and steaks. seafieldhotel.com THE STRAND INN The suntrap terrace here overlooks the fabulous Dunmore East beach in Co Waterford where the EastEnders spin-off
Redwater was recently filmed. You won’t meet the Moons, but you will encounter bar and restaurant menus with great Black Knob crab claws, pasta dishes, salads, burgers, and live music every day in summer. thestrandinn.com WHITE HORSES Meticulously run by three sisters in the pretty seaside village of Ardmore, Co Waterford, White Horses combines a mix of the Hamptons and Cannes. Its casually chic garden to the side features Lloyd Loom chairs, rugs, twinkling lights and a pretty summerhouse. The food, with lots of shellfish, is superb, and the desserts will have even the big boys speechless. Tel: (024) 94040 CASK Snuggled between the hip new Cask Bar and Greene’s restaurant at Hotel Isaac’s Cork, is a stunning courtyard with an amazing feature waterfall. Cask does small plates and great cocktails, while Greene’s is the fine-dining end of the operation. Music covers old-school hip-hop to New Orleans jazz. caskcork.com FISHY FISHY Every US tourist visiting Kinsale has celebrity chef Martin Shanahan’s Fishy Fishy restaurant on their itinerary for chowing down on lobster thermidor, warm chilli seafood salad or local oysters from Haven Shellfish. It was extended a while back to give more ground-floor space, but bag a table on the terrace to the front. fishyfishy.ie VISTA With spectacular views of the yachts on Kinsale’s marina, this popular cafe bistro has you covered for al fresco dining from breakfast through brunch and lunch, pizzas and evening tapas. Pianist Billy Crosbie rocks out upstairs on Thursday and Friday nights. vistabistrokinsale.ie PARK HOTEL Take yourself on a grand tour of your own to Kerry’s fabulous Park Hotel Kenmare and check out The Terrace looking out over Kenmare Bay, while Francis Brennan’s team caters to your every whim. The evening bistro menu has a multitude of goodies, from steak tartare and veal Milanese to crab claws and pan-fried halibut. parkkenmare.com HOTEL EUROPE The Brasserie Restaurant at the luxury five-star Europe Hotel & Resort has a great terrace with views out over the spectacular Lakes of Killarney. Open from 11am to 11pm, it has a wonderful selection of dishes to cover every aspect of the day, from light snacks to flame-grilled steaks cooked right in front of you. theeurope.com HOUSE Having proved a hit on Dublin’s Leeson Street, House Limerick, with its plush decor and garden dining area, has been settling in on Howley’s Quay. Menu choices range from breakfast/brunch favourites to lunchtime wings, posh sambos, scampi and burgers, followed by evening boards and small plates. Check out their Friday garden parties. houselimerick.ie DUNRAVEN ARMS The latest addition to the Dunraven Arms in Adare, Co Limerick, is the glorious new Conservatory, overlooking their award-winning gardens. With its glass roof-lantern flooding the room with light, it’s the perfect place to chill and enjoy excellent casual bar food including their fresh Doolin crab linquini. dunravenhotel.com THE BOAT INN En route to Connemara and feeling frazzled? Don’t be. Have a bite on the front terrace of The Boat Inn on Main St, Oughterard in Galway, and watch the world pass by. Or unwind in their lovely walled garden to the rear. From breakfast through lunch and dinner, there’s good food at good prices. Live music at night. theboatinn.ie HARVEY’S BAR Luxury, style, great cocktails, great food, a backdrop of the Blue Stack Mountains and views over Donegal’s Lough Eske, the terrace at Harvey’s Bar at Harvey’s Point Hotel is a sure-fire winner for summer days. Menu choices range from prawn cocktail to a Wild Atlantic Way fish gratin. harveyspoint.com