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Ireland’s culinary landscape is filled with dishes that take advantage of the ingredients that flourish in its lush green pastures and from the surrounding seas. On menus across Ireland, you’ll find meaty stews, seafood chowders, fresh fish and shellfish, and potatoes of all sorts. And of course, we can’t forget about high-quality Irish dairy from cows that get to graze on that famous green grass nearly all year long. The butter and milk in Ireland is top notch!
When traveling, I view all destinations from a culinary or “foodie” perspective. Each country has their specialties, whether original or adapted from other cultures. Ireland is no exception. You can visit Ireland for its stunning natural beauty and pair your visit with food experiences that connect you with the Irish people.
This Irish food guide lists out some must-try Irish dishes, drinks, and snacks that you can find all across The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. I’ve also included some great recommendations on where you can try these wonderful foods!
Must-Try Irish Seafood Dishes
As an island, Ireland has an abundance of fresh seafood sourced from the surrounding waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea. From Dublin City to coastal fishing villages, you’ll find all types of whitefish, salmon, shellfish and a variety of mollusks. Ireland is indeed a very worthy seafood destination!
Seafood Chowder
Seafood chowder is the perfect way to combine different Irish seafoods into one dish and is a must-try when visiting Ireland. A good chowder is thick, creamy, and loaded with chunks of potato and a variety of seafood. Chowders can include a combo of whitefish (sometimes smoked) like cod, haddock or hake; Atlantic salmon; or shellfish and mollusks such as shrimp and mussels.
My husband and I have tried several different seafood chowders in Ireland but our favorite comes from Baily Bites at Kish in the fishing village of Howth, located just outside of Dublin. Their rich and perfectly-seasoned chowder is served in a bread bowl, which I prefer slightly more over a side of Irish brown bread.
A close second for us is the chowder at Quay Street Kitchen in Galway – extra chunky and with big bites of seafood! If you come here after a day exploring the Cliffs of Moher (like we did on our day tour), this cup of chowder will feel like a much-needed warm hug.
Oysters
Ireland’s coastal waters are prime for oyster growing, especially on the west coast of the island near Galway! In fact, Galway holds an annual oyster festival at the start of oyster season (which runs from September through April) to celebrate the harvest.
Once upon a time, you couldn’t catch me slurping up these bivalves. I now thoroughly enjoy savoring the flavors of the sea in which they’re from!
We’ve had the fresh oysters from both The Fish Shop in Dublin (which serves Kelly’s Gigas Oysters) and from Baily Bites at Kish in Howth. Both offer oysters that are are fresh, clean and served with lemon and a simple mignonette, which is my favorite way to eat them.
Cockles & Mussels
Cockles and mussels are famously documented in the song about sweet Molly Malone – a fictional (maybe) fishmonger who sold her shellfish on the streets of Dublin. It’s only natural to pay homage to the tale by trying some when in Ireland.
For our first foray into the world of cockles, we tried them cooked in a broth of sherry and chorizo at The Fish Shop in Dublin. I was a fan! Cockles are a mild mollusk with a slightly sweet flavor profile and are less chewy than clams. They are also small in size and while not very substantial in terms of food volume, are an interesting and versatile ingredient.
Another worthy mollusk to seek out in Ireland are mussels. I can point you to Ireland’s west coast for the best! Visit the Quay Street Kitchen in Galway for their delicious mussels, which are steamed with onions, garlic, white wine and cream. Heavenly.
Fish & Chips
Fish and chips is a British Isles staple and that includes Ireland too! It’s easy to order this dish at nearly every pub or restaurant in Ireland with whitefish readily available from the surrounding seas. We did, in fact, eat fish and chips three times in just one week on our first trip to Ireland. We didn’t even make it to popular spots like Leo Burdock or Beshoffs!
Our favorite rendition of fish and chips in Ireland (and probably of all time) is the smoked hake from Baily Bites at Kish in Howth, followed by the haddock at The Fish Shop in Dublin. Both have light, flaky and well-seasoned batters, nice thick-cut chips, and tangy tartar sauces.
Irish Brown Crab Claws
Caught in the Irish Sea, Irish brown crabs are delicate and rich. They are especially tasty when served in a pool of garlic butter with a slab of brown bread to mop it all up! I saw this as a menu item at King Sitric in Howth and I knew there was no way we were passing that up. Pricey but worth it. Be sure to pair your crab claws with a crisp glass of white wine to round out the dining experience.
If you’re visiting the seaside village of Howth and see crab claws on the menu of any restaurant, don’t hesitate to order them!
Fun fact: Anthony Bourdain dined at King Sitric and now I feel like a proper foodie.
Must-Try Hearty Irish Dishes
If there’s one word to describe Irish cuisine on the whole, it’s hearty. Aside from fresh seafood, Ireland’s cuisine is heavily influenced by its local farming agriculture. Thanks to its verdant lands that are lush and green nearly year-round, livestock (namely beef and sheep) and dairy farming thrive.
In Irish cuisine, you can expect to see hearty meals like beef or lamb stews on every pub menu. And we can’t forget the Irish love affair with potatoes, which make their way to restaurant menus in many forms!
Irish Breakfast aka The Ulster Fry
An Irish breakfast is hearty (there’s that word again) and protein-packed, making it the perfect fuel for when you have a full day of sightseeing lined up.
Typically, a full Irish breakfast can include toast or brown bread, eggs, bacon, baked beans, sausages, hash browns or potato cakes, grilled tomato and the most adventurous components of all – black and white pudding. Black pudding is, in fact, a type of blood sausage but don’t let that scare you away!
Irish breakfast is also commonly referred to as an Ulster fry, originating from the Ulster region in Northern Ireland. It also is very similar to an English breakfast, which makes perfect sense as Northern Ireland is a part of the U.K.
Major differences between the two are the inclusion of black and white puddings and some form of potato for the Irish. Baked beans are also optional for Irish breakfasts, but most of the Irish breakfast spots I found do include the baked beans.
I chose The Cheeky Piglet in Dublin City for my very first Irish breakfast. I think they nailed it on each component! Even the black and white puddings (sourced from FX Buckley) were delicious.
Belfast Bap
Originating in Northern Ireland (again with influence from the English) is a Belfast Bap. A Belfast Bap is a large bread roll that can serve as the vessel for a giant, hearty sandwich. For instance, you could take all the elements of an Ulster Fry (aka Irish Breakfast) and put them into sandwich form with a bap! It’s a great hand-held meal option if you’re on the go.
The closest thing we’ve tried to a Belfast Bap is the Brekkie Bap at The Cheeky Piglet in Dublin. This bap consists of a house-made roll, house-made sausage, cheese, egg, and bacon (hash browns optional). I can’t actually imagine adding all the elements of a full Irish in one sandwich, but this was was pretty darn good.
Irish Stew
Irish stew, the national dish of Ireland, comes in many forms – from rich lamb or beef stew with chunky root vegetables, to coddle (the “leftovers stew”) that features sausage and bacon.
The lamb stew at The Nook in Northern Ireland (near the Giant’s Causeway) is an excellent rendition of an Irish stew. Bits of tender lamb swim with chunks of potatoes and carrots, and Irish brown bread is there to soak up the last bits of all the stew. This is absolutely the meal you want to have to warm you up on any Irish adventure!
There’s also Beef & Guinness stew, which adds Ireland’s famous brew to the mix – Guinness (duh). This stew is typically richer and darker in color (and also happens to be my favorite type of Irish stew). At The Landmark Pub in Dublin, the Beef & Guinness Stew is one of the stars of the menu, served steaming hot in a bread bowl. This stew was so flavorful, it had us devouring that bread bowl to savor every last bit!
While Beef & Guinness stew can be served on its own, it can also be made into pie form. This is another dish adopted from the British and can be either fully encased in a pie crust or topped with a baked puff pastry.
Don’t sleep on the The Steak & Guinness Pie at The Nook in Northern Ireland (near Giant’s Causeway). Their rich stew is topped with a flaky puff pastry crust and served with a side of peas and mashed potatoes. I wish this came in a larger size (and without the peas)!
Irish Brown Bread & Butter
In Ireland, you’ll find brown bread on nearly every pub menu as it makes a great companion to a seafood chowder or Irish stew. But what about “soda bread?” Well, Irish brown bread is a version of soda bread but is more dense and nutty, and baked with many more ingredients like whole wheat flour, molasses and even Guinness at times.
Soda bread is traditionally only made with four ingredients and is not as common to eat when traveling through Ireland. This stems from the fact that white flour used to be more expensive. While that is no longer the case, the brown bread still prevails. I’m more of a sourdough bread type of girl, but when in Ireland, eat as the Irish do!
Brown bread is also the perfect vessel for that famous rich and creamy Irish butter. Irish butter has a higher butterfat content as the Irish cows are able to graze on grass almost year-round. You’ll want to indulge in Irish butter any chance you get!
Spice Bag
As a fusion of Irish and Asian cuisines, a spice bag consists of fried chicken, onions and peppers, and chips (fries) accompanied by curry sauce. A traditional spice bag is typically found at Chinese takeaway spots, including Sunflower Chinese Takeaway in Dublin, who claim to be the creators of this popular dish! It’s also a popular hangover cure so if you’ve had a few too many pints of Guinness, plan for a spice bag to bring you back to life.
Boxty
Boxty pays homage to the Irish people’s favorite vegetable – the potato. Also known as the poor man’s bread, boxty is a potato pancake that can be served in various ways, and is primarily made with a mix of finely shredded raw potatoes and mashed potatoes.
At Gallagher’s Boxty House in Dublin, their boxty are served crepe-style with all sorts of hearty toppings. If you’re a steak lover, you’ll love the Gaelic Boxy topped with Irish beef fillet, roasted cherry tomatoes, fried onions and a creamy pepper mushroom gravy. I also highly recommend the Spice Boxty, which is a take on the Irish Spice Bag with crispy fried chicken, peppers, and onions packed with flavors of curry sauce.
Boiled Bacon & Cabbage
One dish that I have admittedly yet to try is boiled bacon and cabbage – the more traditional version of what you might know as corned beef and cabbage! Boiled bacon might sound a bit off-putting but I did hear some guests on one of our tours raving about it when they tried it at their hotel restaurant. I’ll definitely try it at least once!
Colcannon & Champ
Furthering the Irish love of potatoes are the side dishes of colcannon and champ. Colcannon is made with mashed potatoes, leafy greens (or cabbage) and lots of butter. Similarly, champ consists of mashed potatoes with green onion and butter. I’ve made colcannon at home before, but I surprisingly have not seen it on a lot of menus in Ireland. If you know of a place that makes some good colcannon or champ, send the recommendations my way.
Must-Try Irish Snacks
Ireland doesn’t have as extensive of a list of snacks as other countries (and my list is actually pretty short since I haven’t gotten to try many of them), but here are a few Irish snacks I think are must-try’s when visiting Ireland.
Tayto Crisps
Americans love their potato chips and the Irish love their crisps. I have to say Ireland’s Tayto crisps are way better than American chips! They are lighter, more airy and feel less oily. We tried the cheese & onion flavor and the smokey bacon and enjoyed both. If you’re heading out for a long day on the road, I highly recommend picking up a couple of bags at a local convenience store.
Murphy’s Ice Cream
Showcasing more of that famous Irish dairy is Murphy’s ice cream – an ice cream company founded in Dingle, Co. Kerry. The milk used in their ice cream comes exclusively from the rare and indigenous breed of Kerry cow!
Thankfully, you can try their ice cream at several locations around Ireland, including in Dublin. Going for the ultimate Irish flavor combo, you’ve got to try the Irish brown bread with caramelized bits of brown bread throughout. And while the brown bread is a unique flavor, their butterscotch flavor is the ultimate indulgence.
Brunch Bar
Americans might find this one familiar – the Brunch Bar is just like the Strawberry Shortcake Bar I ate religiously in my teenage years. It was always one of my favorites! You can imagine my surprise coming across an Irish version of this ice cream treat and I, of course, had to sample it.
I think the American version is a bit better, but the Brunch Bar is still an acceptable treat if you need a late night ice cream snack. You can find these at convenience stores like Spar throughout Dublin City.
Must-Try Irish Drinks
The most popular drinks of Ireland hardly need an introduction. Guinness and Irish whiskeys like Jameson are famous world-wide, and flow freely at the pubs and restaurants of Ireland. You can even take multiple brewery and distillery tours to learn about their origins and sample drinks straight from the source.
Whiskey
As one of the oldest distilled spirits in Europe, Irish whiskey can be found in distilleries all across Ireland. Some of the most famous brands recognized worldwide include Jameson and Bushmills, the oldest whiskey distillery in Ireland.
If whiskey is your jam, you’ll want to hop around to as many distilleries as you can to taste some of that lovely Irish nectar. I highly recommend the tour at the Dublin Jameson facility and working your way through tasting flights at Roe & Coe and Teeling Whiskey, both of which you can visit in Dublin without a guided tour.
Irish Coffee
Coffee and whiskey fans can combine their love of both by sipping on a hot Irish coffee when visiting Ireland! Irish coffee typically consists of four ingredients: hot coffee, whiskey, sugar, and whipped cream. If you want a Baileys coffee, sub the sugar and cream for Baileys Irish Cream.
We had a delicious Irish coffee at the Jameson Distillery in Dublin, which even came with shaved chocolate as a topping!
Guinness
Celebrated as Ireland’s national drink, you can expect to find Guinness on tap at most Irish pubs and restaurants. If you’re a beer drinker, it’s a must! I lost count of how many pints we had in Ireland.
There’s just nothing like sipping on a freshly-poured pint of Guinness while kicking back in a pub with some hearty Irish eats.
When in Dublin, be sure to visit the Guinness Storehouse for an informative self-guided tour. Here, you can learn about the brewing process, history of Guinness, and get a chance to sample a few pints of this famous beer.
There’s also the Guinness Open Gate Brewery, which is separate from the main Storehouse. This is where you’ll find their experimental beers and a pub-style food menu (must-try: the Guinness caramel panna cotta).
Book a standard Guinness Storehouse tour with Viator or direct if you’re interested in the Stoutie or Guinness Academy add-ons.
As you can see, Ireland is certainly a land that is not lacking options when it comes to must-try dishes, drinks and snacks. I’m forever dreaming of a bowl of hot seafood chowder or Irish stew with a freshly-poured pint of Guinness and a glass of whiskey to sip on (yes both, at the same time)!
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