Planning a culinary trip in the Emerald Isle? In this travel guide, we’re featuring some of the must-try foodie experiences in Ireland.
From its lush green pastures to its bountiful seas, Ireland offers more than breathtaking landscapes.
The Emerald Isle’s fertile valleys have been celebrated for exceptional food and produce.
Ireland’s food & drink scene is a testament to its natural bounty and the creativity of its chefs, from Michelin-starred restaurants and fresh seafood to local cheeses, Irish whiskeys and stouts.
Plus, perhaps the best butter you’ll ever taste!
I spent 7 days in Ireland, tasting my way in Dublin, Belfast, Portadown (Armagh), Enniskillen and Galway.
For a week long road trip with incredible dining, Ireland has plenty of culinary experiences for travelling foodies.
Indulge your senses and savor delicious, fresh flavors as I share some of the best food and drinks tours, food festivals, restaurants and things to do in Ireland.
I also included a map with all the foodie experiences covered and a full video of my 7 day road trip to help plan your next Ireland vacation.
Welcome to the Emerald Isle!
What Makes Foodie Experiences So Special in Ireland
Called the Emerald Isle for a reason, Ireland’s agriculture is the backbone of its culinary excellence with its fertile land producing fresh, high-quality produce and grass-fed animals for its cuisine.
Ireland is surrounded by water: the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Celtic Sea to the south, and the Irish Sea to the east provide an abundance of fresh seafood, from succulent oysters to tender salmon.
And in talking with chefs and local food tour guides about Ireland’s evolving culinary scene, many chefs have honed their skills abroad, bringing back innovative techniques and a global perspective to their kitchens and food.
The increased immigration in Ireland also brought authentic and diverse cuisines, introducing new flavours, dishes and palate to Emerald Isle.
This combination of fresh, local ingredients, world-class culinary skills and diverse cuisines makes Ireland’s foodie experiences what it is today.
Best Things To Do in Ireland for Foodie Experiences
Here are some of Ireland’s best culinary experiences in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (UK).
Irish Whiskey Distilleries
Irish whiskey is renowned for its smoothness and rich history.
Distillery tours offer a glimpse and tasting into the craftsmanship behind this beloved spirit.
As huge part of Ireland’s drinking culture, these unique foodie experiences are not to be missed.
Pearse Lyons Distillery in Dublin
Located in Dublin’s historic Liberties, Pearse Lyons Distillery combines history with modern distilling techniques.
This is the first distillery I’ve visited that’s inside a church, housed in the historic St. James’s Church complete with stained glass windows depicting the whiskey process.
Their Whiskey Tour & Tasting Experience provides insights into their craft, starting with a video of founder Pearse Lyons (who also owns Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co in Kentucky producing Bourbon) to a walk through the beautifully restored church and then learning about the distillation process and tasting a selection of their award-winning premium whiskeys.
Titanic Distillers in Belfast
Located in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, Titanic Distillers is the first Belfast whiskey distillery since prohibition.
This iconic distillery offers a unique experience as being in the historic Thompson Dock and Pumphouse, where the Titanic last rested before its voyage.
The Signature Tour takes you through the distillery overlooking the original pumping engines, showcasing the fascinating history and the intricate process of whiskey-making.
You’ll learn about the traditional methods used and get to taste their award winning Irish whiskey and vodka, plus a choice of vodka or whiskey cocktail after.
Food & Drink Tours
Local food and drink tours (or culinary walking tours) are go-to foodie experiences in Ireland because they’re a fantastic way to immerse yourself in the culinary scene, enjoying multiple dishes in a city’s best spots with fellow food lovers.
Galway Food Tours in Galway
I did the Daytime Galway Food Tour with local guide Danny McGill. This culinary walking tour starts at the Latin Quarter and gives a full spectrum of food and drinks in 6 spots within 2.5 hours.
At each stop, Danny would explain the stops significance to Galway’s food scene or Irish cuisine.
- Little Lane Coffee Company: This specialty coffee shop sources its beans from sustainable farms. Here we tried Calendar Coffee’s Kiangoi washed Kenya, which was a lighter roast with notes of berries.
- Truffle: Truffle is known for its fresh pastries and handmade chocolates. Here we had a raspberry croissant (wait until you reach the part with filling!) and two different truffle chocolates.
- McCambridge’s: This previously family-owned deli, restaurant and fine foods shop has been a staple in Galway since 1925. Here we did a spirits tasting (including Irish moonshine) paired with local Irish cheese and charcuterie, plus turnip maki and smoked mackerel maki from Wa Sushi.
- Tigh Neachtain: This historic and traditional Irish pub offers a cozy atmosphere and a great selection of local beers with live music. Here we had beer, Galway mussels, lamb kofta, Flaggy Shore dainty oyster and wheaten bread. A hearty and delicious meal!
- Éan: Michelin Bib Gourmand bakery, restaurant & wine bar celebrated for its innovative small plates and use of local ingredients. Here we had two tapas dishes: shrimp toast and olives with anchovies and pickled pepper. Michelin-approved for a reason!
- Murphy’s Ice Cream: Murphy’s is famous for its unique ice cream flavors made with local ingredients. Here we got to sample different flavors and then select a cup or cone of our favourite. I highly recommend the Dingle Gin Ice Cream. So unique and not juniper-heavy for ice cream.
We also received a gift bag with Galway Seaweed & Gin Mustard by The Lodge Mustards, a map of recommended spots, and stickers for discounts at Truffle or free donuts at Boychick Donuts.
Long Meadow Cider Tour in Portadown
With over 4,000 acres dedicated to apple growing, Armagh County is Ireland’s Orchard County where Bramley apple trees flourish.
Located in a 28-acre farm in Portadown, Long Meadow Cider is a generational family-run business that prides itself on producing high-quality ciders from their own orchards.
I did the 2-hour Orchard/Cider Tour Experience and Cooking Demo with owner Catherine McKeever. You’ll learn and taste so much in this tour!
This fully immersive culinary tour has a great combination of traditional Irish food (soda bread) and Ireland’s agriculture showcased through drinks (cider and apple juice).
We toured the facility including the fermentation tank for apple cider vinegar, the cooling garage, a walk on the orchards with apple picking, a tasting of all the apple cider (oak-aged cider and blossom burst cider were my favorites!) and apple juices, a cooking demonstration of Irish soda bread using Granny’s traditional griddle.
Taste & Tour in Belfast
I did a condensed version of the 4-hour award-winning Belfast Food Tour with Phil Ervine of Taste & Tour, exploring not just the best food & drink spots in Belfast but also its neighborhoods including its landmarks and beautiful street art scene.
What I loved about the tour aside from the delicious food & drinks is the tour felt like I was just hanging out with Phil to his favourite spots, and I also got to meet the owners behind some of them too.
Here I tried hand rolled butter (Irish butter is truly the best!), Irish wheaten bread, smoked salmon (it just melts) from a local smoker 6 miles away, local cheese (including Guinness cheese), and some things I’ve never tried before like rapeseed oil (reminds me of chili oil at dim sum) and black butter (it’s actually not butter).
Here, owner and cheesemaker Mike had me sample some Irish cheese and charcuterie: Broughgammon Rose Veal Sujuk Salami, Ballylisk Triple Cream Brie, Young Buck Blue Cheese. The Young Buck is a very approachable blue cheese – not too strong nor pungent.
Here, Jack had us sample a variety of delicious baked goods including sourdough bread (the ultimate must!), croissants, and Kouign-amann (not common to find Brittany’s famous pastry).
Michelin Restaurants
Ireland’s food scene offers much more than simple, hearty traditional Irish cuisine.
The Michelin Guide in Ireland is a testament to that, with 104 restaurants across Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland showcasing Irish produce in unique ways and recognizing Irish fare in a global scale.
Michelin dining have become foodie experiences in its own category with people travelling the world to do them, and they can do the same in Ireland.
As someone who loves dining at Michelin restaurants around the world, one thing that impressed upon me is that Irish cuisine is well-represented in Michelin Guide Ireland, a cuisine that’s rarely represented in Michelin outside its country similar to Turkish cuisine in Michelin Guide Istanbul.
Fun Fact: the only Michelin-starred Turkish restaurant outside Turkey is actually in Ireland, dede at the Customs House Baltimore, which has two stars like Turk Fatih Tutak in Istanbul.
There are 7 Michelin Guide restaurants in Galway County, and I visited all 4 in Galway City.
Aniar
Located in Galway’s Westend is the only one Michelin star restaurant in Galway County.
Led by chef owner JP McMahon, Aniar focuses on using local, seasonal ingredients to create innovative dishes based on Irish cuisine.
I met chef JP in Toronto multiple times at Tourism Ireland events, and I was excited to finally be in Galway to try his restaurant.
The daily-changing tasting menu at Aniar emphasizes traditional cooking and preservation methods with micro-seasonal ingredients from the West of Ireland.
And it’s not only the food that’s “from the west” (which is what “Aniar” means) – the decor and tableware in this small and intimate restaurant are as well.
A culinary journey of 24 unique courses, including a mind-blowing oyster ice cream, Aniar is one of the best one star restaurants I’ve tried and a great way to try Irish cuisine at this level of fine dining.
Each course was playful and inventive with flavor combinations, textures and contrasts. I also love that the chefs themselves engage and serve many of the courses, some of which are accompanied by poems.
Daróg Wine Bar
Located in the Westend is the newest recommended Galway restaurant in Ireland’s Michelin Guide 2024.
Opened by sommelier Zsolt Lukács, Daróg is a small and cozy wine bar offering a curated a wine list of small artisan producers paired with small plates from seasonal produce.
It’s impressive to see such creative and sophisticated dishes like the king scallops with Connemara surf clams as well as Limoncello Baba coming out from a tiny kitchen led by head chef Attila Galambos.
The kingfish crudo is a must, and one of the best kingfish dishes I’ve had.
I highly recommend deciding your food and leaving the wine pairing to the knowledgeable and friendly sommeliers.
Éan
Located beside Galway’s prestigious Druid Theatre is the only Michelin Bib Gourmand in Galway County.
Éan is an artisan bakery-café by day and wine bar-restaurant by night featuring creative small plates and tapas with locally sourced ingredients.
Opened by Enda McEvoy and Sinead Meacle with experience running the now-closed Michelin Star restaurant Loam, expect the same thought and care on the food at Éan.
Kai
Located in Galway’s Westend is Ireland’s only Michelin Green Star restaurant set in a cozy, rustic atmosphere like being in a friend’s cottage.
Kai is recognized for its commitment to sustainability, recycling 75% of its waste and uses the remaining 25% to produce energy, and its use of organic, locally sourced produce.
Founded in 2010 by chef Jess Murphy and her husband David, Kai’s menu is influenced by chef Jess’ experiences coming from New Zealand and working in the UK, Australia, and Ireland.
This daily changing menu is based on the freshest ingredients from local suppliers like fresh Connemara crab caught the same day.
Notable dishes include Kelly Native Oysters with blackberry mignonette and the most tender Andarl Pork Chop with apple crema grilled on live fire.
Iconic Culinary Experiences
Ireland is home to some of the world’s most iconic brands, which lends to some memorable foodie experiences.
Guinness Storehouse in Dublin
Nothing says you’ve been to Ireland than the Guinness Storehouse, home of the world’s most famous stout and Ireland’s most popular attraction.
This is not your typical brewery tour!
I didn’t expect a massive 7-story immersive experience, taking you through the history of Guinness, the brewing process, interactive stations, and ends on the top floor with a panoramic view of Dublin from the Gravity Bar.
Though a pint at the Gravity Bar is included with the ticket, you can enhance your Guinness experience with the Stoutie Bar, where you can drink your face on a pint, or the Guinness Academy, where you’ll learn and get to pour the perfect pint.
While in Dublin, I recommend doing The Book of Kells Experience in Trinity College Dublin as well.
Aside from viewing the 1,200-year-old manuscript, inside The Long Room in the Old Library, you’ll find the Brian Boru harp, which is oldest surviving Irish harp of its kind in Ireland and serves as the Guinness emblem.
Titanic Hotel Belfast
Did you know? The world’s most iconic ship was built in Belfast.
A must-visit in Belfast is Titanic Hotel Belfast, once the Harland and Wolff Shipyard that built the Titanic.
I highly recommend doing the free historic tour of this beautifully restored building which retains many original features and history, including drawing rooms, the presentation room, and the message room where they received the distress call that the Titanic hit an iceberg.
The best part about Titanic Hotel Belfast is you can dine in history at the transformed original Harland & Wolff offices.
I had lunch at the Drawing Office Two, and it was fantastic especially the Fish & Chips.
Don’t miss the Titanic Belfast attraction beside it to get the world’s most authentic retelling of Titanic’s story through 6 floors of immersive technology, including a ride inside the museum.
Food Festivals
Ireland has a variety of food festivals to fit different foodie experiences, celebrating its rich culinary heritage and local food and drink.
You can find food festivals of different duration from short festivals like the Armagh Food and Cider Weekend in Ireland’s Orchard County to a long 10-day foodie extravaganza at the Waterford Harvest Festival.
As a seafood lover, I love seafood festivals. I’ve done the BC Seafood Festival and Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl Festival so I was excited to attend the Galway Oyster Festival, the world’s longest running oyster festival!
Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival
Held annually in late September, Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival is a three-day festival celebrating Galway’s rich seafood tradition and offers a variety of activities, including oyster tastings, cooking demonstrations, and live music.
Plus a seafood trail in the city!
This festival is a must for oyster and seafood lovers. The first two days are for ticketed events like the Opening Night, World Oyster Opening Championship, and Party of Champions.
The third day’s Féile Bia Na Mara is a free event meant as a family day of fun.
While both Opening Night and Party of Champions are parties, the Opening Night is an important precursor since it also has the Ireland oyster shucking competition that decides which Irish champion will compete on next day’s main event, World Oyster Opening Championship, in which champions from all around the world compete.
It was my first time attending an oyster shucking competition, and it was fun to watch and way more intense than I thought.
The air of excitement is palpable, and the festival definitely gives a deeper appreciation to oyster farmers and shuckers.
Where I Stayed in Ireland
Here are the 4 different hotels during my time in Ireland:
Dublin
In Dublin, I stayed at Trinity City Hotel which was conveniently located right by Trinity College.
This 4-star hotel is very beautiful with classic and cozy interior, but surprisingly very modern rooms.
If you prefer something else, check out these other Dublin hotels.
Belfast
In Belfast, I stayed at Ten Square Hotel which was conveniently located right by Belfast City Hall and a 5-minute drive to Titanic Quarter. This 4-star hotel is quite modern.
If you prefer something else, check out these other Belfast hotels.
Enniskillen
In Enniskillen, I stayed at Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel & Lodges which feels like a beautiful resort with scenic views of Lough Erne.
This 4-star hotel is luxurious and great retreat with amenities like Killyhevlin Health Club, Pool, Sauna, Jacuzzi, Steam Room, Lakeview Outdoor Hot Tub (which I definitely enjoyed) and Gym.
If you prefer something else, check out these other Enniskillen hotels.
Galway
In Galway, I stayed at Park House Hotel which was conveniently located right by Eyre Square and the Bus Terminal, which was perfect since I took the bus.
This 4-star hotel is charming and gives very classic Victorian vibes, and that includes the more rustic elevators.
If you prefer something else, check out these other Galway hotels.
Video: Epic 7 Days in Ireland Road Trip
Watch the full video of my first time in Emerald Isle, spending an epic 7 day road trip in Ireland and exploring some of the best things to do and foodie experiences in Dublin, Belfast, Portadown (in Armagh), Enniskillen and Galway.
Plus, there was no rental car involved. I only took public and hired transportation. I show all that in the video.
Watch the full 1hr45m Ireland travel video on YouTube here, or embedded below:
Map: Foodie Experiences in the Emerald Isle
Here’s a map of the Ireland culinary experiences featured in this travel guide.
Ireland’s culinary scene is a delicious journey through its rich history, fertile land, vibrant culture and innovative spirit.
Whether you’re sipping whiskey in a historic distillery, savoring fresh seafood at a food festival, or dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant, Ireland offers unforgettable foodie experiences.
I hope this travel guide gave you an idea on how to plan the perfect culinary trip in Ireland. As always, happy travels and eat well!
Raymond Cua travelled as a guest of Tourism Ireland, which did not review, approve or require this article.
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