GREAT EATING OUTDOORS
Lucinda O’Sullivan’s seaside spots
‘Are we there yet?’ will ring out in cars across the country this bank holiday weekend, as the hordes head for the coast in search of summertime fun. Everyone will have to be fed, and, luckily, Ireland has some of the best coastal cuisine around, plus some amazing settings in which to enjoy it. From the Wild Atlantic Way to the Ancient East, and with settings ranging from converted shipping containers to renovated baths and majestic castles, you’ll find the perfect place, says Lucinda O’Sullivan, who has compiled her definitive list of the 20 Best Coastal Hotspots
DUBLIN HAPPY OUT
You won’t get more retro than rattling over the boards of the Bull Wall down to Dollymount Strand, a favourite haunt of Dubliners down the generations. Join the endless stream of guys and gals to Bull Island for coffees and toasties on the deck at Happy Out, a raised-up, converted shipping container, which looks like a military outpost in a desert. Open from sun-up to sundown. happyout.ie
THE BATHS AT CLONTARF
With a bar at one end, an open kitchen, and views out over Dublin Bay, not to mention a big floating rubber duck, the iconic old Clontarf Baths has now transformed into a stunning cross between Deauville and Dublin at its best. Think cocktails, seafood, and a lot of fun. Try the Poitina Colada and a Knickerbocker Glory. thebaths.ie
COUNTRYWIDE THE WATERFRONT BISTRO
Near the old Dun Laoghaire Baths, and beside Teddy’s Ice Cream, this friendly, casual, all-day cafe does great food at good prices, including smashed avocado on toast with a chilli fried egg; crispy calamari; and Dublin Bay prawns in garlic butter. waterfrontbistro.ie
BUTLER & BARRY
You can almost see as far as Holyhead in this cool gastrobar located on Bray’s Victorian promenade, above the National Sea Life Centre. Butler & Barry has an extensive menu, ranging from sambos to seafood to steaks. Walk the prom, watch the fish swim, have a shrimp and avocado sambo, and finish with an ice-cream across the road at the fabulous Gelateria. butlerandbarry.com
VILLAGE BAR & GRILL
Sip a margarita from a salt-encrusted glass on a heated deck, and follow up with a stonking pizza, a veggie burger or a Wexford crab linguini, in a setting that is hard to beat — within a whisper of the waves, yet with an urban vibe that’s a cross between New York and Milan, and all in Ballymoney’s Seafield Hotel. seafieldhotel.com
THE HOLLOW
On the long, narrow stretch of road from Wexford to Ballyhack, where the ferry runs across to Passage East, you’ll find The Hollow at Ramsgrange. A jolly good seafood and steakhouse eatery, it also has a great value fish ’n’ chips takeaway, with outdoor seating. Think monkfish scampi, lamb burgers, wings, and steak sandwiches. thehollow.ie
INTERLUDE
On Davitt’s Quay in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, overlooking the harbour, Susan Denn’s newly revamped cafe restaurant does fantastic food for all tastes and ages, at great prices. Her ethos is to serve locally produced food, with a minimum of fuss. An absolute delight. interlude.ie
SKINNY’S DINER
With water views that have you feeling you’re in Portofino, and a private garden with a marquee that welcomes both kids and dogs, Skinny’s Diner in Ballycotton, Co Cork, is a gem. The menu includes everything from a battered Mars bar, to a fish burger with gluten-free buns, falafels, and maybe a special of Khobez bread wrap with sweet-potato chips. facebook.com/SkinnysDiner
LEMON LEAF CAFE
The Lemon Leaf Cafe serves great casual grub in a laid-back, stylish setting, plus it has an outdoor space for an al fresco chow-down in the gourmet capital, Kinsale. The menu includes a veggie breakfast with grilled halloumi and spiced potatoes; lunchtime open crabmeat sambos; coronation chicken, and great chowder. lemonleafcafe.ie
BUDD’S
Set in the former Annie’s of Ballydehob, opposite the famous ‘Misses’ Levis pub, Jamie and Emma Budd serve delicious casual food, from sambos or cured meat boards, to Wagyu beef burgers and Indian
platters. There’s lots here for the veggie, gluten-free and vegan. There’s a Cool Cats kids’ menu, too. budds.ie
THE ROSE GARDEN CAFE
A tucked-away gem in a bungalow on the Sneem Road out of Kenmare, Co Kerry. Run by a French chef and his wife, they do all-day breakfast, fab French pastries, baguettes, gateaux, salads and hot dishes. Lovely gardens, parking, and a B&B, too. Watch for their monthly specials, such as Indonesian buffet evenings. rosegardenkenmare.com
THE BOARDWALK CAFE
Set in the Clifden Boat Club, The Boardwalk Cafe in Clifden, Co Galway offers an idyllic setting that’s just bursting with atmosphere. Chef Simon Trezise serves up fabulous seasonal home-made cuisine, plus pizzas, falafel and kung-po chicken, with the perfect backdrop by way of panoramic views out over Clifden Bay. Great value. facebook.com/ TheBoardwalkCafeatClifdenBoatClub
RANDADDY’S
Randy Lewis’s long-standing cafe restaurant on the seafront in Lahinch, Co Clare, is a surfer’s paradise. The decor is cool, the atmosphere light and breezy, and the food — which ranges from an excellent Caesar salad to pasta and pizza dishes — is really good. randaddys.ie
HYLAND’S BURREN
Part of the Burren Food Trail, this charming 18th-Century inn in Ballyvaughan, Co Clare, has been fantastically restored, maintained and run by the Quinn family, and when it comes to good seafood, they really push the boat out. Grab an oyster shot and a pesto-crusted halibut steak — and maybe even stay the night. hylandsburren.com
CONNEMARA GREENWAY CAFE
This cool cafe restaurant is on the Main Street in Oughterard. It specialises in fresh, home-made meals, cakes and breads, as well as craft beers and wines from carefully selected small suppliers. It’s a buzzy community hub, doing fabulous food from breakfast through to dinner. facebook.com/connemaragreenway
THE TAVERN
Under the shadow of Croagh Patrick, and overlooking Clew Bay, the village of Murrisk in Co Mayo is home to the Tavern Bar & Restaurant. With a well-deserved reputation for top fishy fare, both at the bar and the upstairs restaurant which opens during the summer, it’s a perfect spot to relax and unwind. tavernmurrisk.com
JACK FENN COURTYARD CAFE
Belleek Castle in Co Mayo is a wonderful place to escape the modern world and let loose your ‘knights of the round table’ fantasies. Besides the awe-inspiring aesthetic, the food at its Jack Fenn Cafe is really good. Set in the castle’s old stable buildings, it’s perfect for a casual repast while taking in the medieval mood. belleekcastle.com
HOOKED
As a boy, Anthony Gray worked in his father’s butcher’s shop on Rockwood Parade, where he opened Hooked last year. You’ll find great local and artisan produce, ranging from retro prawn cocktails to a chicken snack box to home-made profiteroles. There’s a Little Nippers menu, too. hookedsligo.ie
QUAY WEST
Perfectly situated just opposite Donegal Pier is the excellent Quay West. Set over two levels, downstairs offers intimacy, while the airy, atmospheric upper level features fantastic views over Donegal Bay. It’s all about local produce here, where the aim is to provide delicious, nutritious, affordable food, sourced from Donegal’s best local suppliers and producers. quaywestdonegal.ie
BELLE’S KITCHEN
On Pier Road in the pretty village of Rathmullan, Co Donegal, Ronnie Blake’s little ‘kitchen’ is an absolute gem. The choices range from tasty breads and cakes to chowder that makes your heart sing, and that’s before you get to the Donegal crab linguini or Hawaiian steak burger. By the way, he also has the excellent Salt & Batter takeaway next door. facebook.com/Belleskitchen12 lucindaosullivan.com