An Port Mór, Homestead Cottage, Liath, Ox and St Francis Provisions celebrate Irish ingredients and tradition
OX, BELFAST
THE ROOTS Ox occupies a stylish but understated space overlooking the River Lagan, and its calm, composed dining room sets the tone for the food. The kitchen embodies modern Irish cooking through precise technique and a confident focus on Irish ingredients.
ON THE PLATE Seasonal seafood, aged meats, and fresh vegetables are treated with restraint, reflecting a contemporary sensibility while remaining firmly rooted in local produce. Sauces are precise, textures carefully judged, and flavours clean rather than overly embellished. There’s a sense of continuity to the cooking, with menus formed from seasonal shifts and the best available produce, which solidifies Ox’s reputation for consistency. Above all, the dishes feel familiar and comforting. The Coolattin cheddar gougère is a thing of beauty, and the Irish coffee macaron is a stroke of enlightened genius. Ox, 1 Oxford Street, Belfast; 028 9031 4121; www.oxbelfast.com @oxbelfast
ST FRANCIS PROVISIONS, KINSALE, CO CORK
THE ROOTS Located in what was once considered Ireland’s gourmet capital, St Francis Provisions in Kinsale feels casual, yet ultimately serious at the same time. The 15-seater dining room is simple and welcoming, and the philosophy is unmistakable: Irish ingredients, treated with care, curiosity and restraint.
ON THE PLATE This is produce-first cooking. Mediterranean touches feature throughout, enhancing rather than overwhelming the Irish produce that takes centre stage. Menus shift with the seasons, guided by what’s at its best rather than what’s fashionable, from Kerry coppa with pickled quail egg and cornichons to wild Irish venison tartare with pickled blackberry, parsnip, and butter. The result is Irish food that feels lively and confident yet grounded in place – exciting without ever verging on performative. St Francis Provisions, Short Quay, Kinsale, Cork; 083 016 8652; www.stfrancisprovisions.squarespace.com. @stfranciskinsale
HOMESTEAD COTTAGE, DOOLIN, CO CLARE
THE ROOTS Few restaurants are as closely tied to their surroundings as Homestead Cottage, which opened in 2023. Located in a 200-year-old cottage overlooking the Atlantic, it is animated by chef Robbie McCauley’s confident cooking, rooted in West Clare’s landscape and larder, and recognised by the Michelin Guide which awarded Homestead Cottage one star shortly after it opened.
ON THE PLATE The focus here is on excellent local seafood, carefully sourced meat and vegetables at their seasonal best. Changing weekly, the menu showcases local produce such as Liscannor crab, Fanore lamb, Kinvara Bay mussels and local dairy. Cooking is modern and clean rather than showy, allowing ingredients to shine without unnecessary embellishment. This is very much a restaurant led by terroir rather than trends. Homestead Cottage, Lough North, Doolin, Co Clare; 065 679 4133; www.homesteadcottage.com @homesteadcottage_doolin
LIATH, DUBLIN
THE ROOTS Liath’s pared-back dining room creates expectations straight away: the interior is calm, focused, and deliberately uncluttered. The modern Irish approach shows in the way ingredients are sourced, handled, and presented, with contemporary techniques bringing out flavour rather than stealing the spotlight. Fermentation, ageing, and careful seasoning are all secret weapons, but the emphasis always stays on the quality of the Irish produce.
ON THE PLATE The tasting menu unfolds with clarity and purpose, like a good movie, each course building naturally on the last. Irish ingredients are treated with great care and precision. There is a reason the Michelin guide inspectors chose the dish of lobster, bay, and caviar as one of their standout dishes for 2025. Liath, Blackrock Market, 19a Main Street, Blackrock, Co Dublin; 01 212 3676; www.liathrestaurant.com @liathrestaurant
AN PORT MÓR, WESTPORT, CO MAYO
THE ROOTS On a small side street in Westport, An Port Mór is just one more reason to love the bustling town. The dining room is cosy and inviting, and feels firmly anchored in its coastal setting.
ON THE PLATE At An Port Mór, chef Frankie Mallon embraces classical dishes and techniques, rather than bowing to current fads. Seafood features strongly, as you’d expect, but never lazily. Fish is impeccably fresh and simply handled, vegetables are seasonal and thoughtfully prepared, and sauces are restrained rather than dominant. This is Irish cooking that understands when to step back and let the produce tell the tale. An Port Mór, 1, Brewery Place, Westport, Co Mayo; 098 26730; www.anportmor.com. @anportmor