Forget the taxi – grab your partner, sister, best friend or brother and hit the road to one of these restaurants worth paying a toll to travel too. Sleepovers are optional but encouraged …
Ghan House, Carlingford
Built in 1727, Ghan House is a beautifully restored, family-run Georgian house, and one of the oldest private houses of its type in Ireland. Located in beautiful Carlingford, just one hour from both Dublin and Belfast, the property is surrounded by three acres of mature walled gardens and eight acres of stables and horse paddocks. What’s more, the 2 AA Rosette restaurant boasts stunning views over the gardens and the Mourne mountains and the menu features a host of local producers including Carlingford oysters and mussels, lamb and beef from the Cooley or Mourne mountains and herbs from the on-site kitchen garden. Ghan House boasts eleven bedrooms and dinner B&B for two is priced from €295. www.ghanhouse.com.
King Sitric, Howth
A cosy and intimate seafood bar with the faintest whiff of a maritime theme, which comes as no great surprise given the waterside location. Suffice to say, if you are seafood averse, this may not be the best choice for an overnight escape but if gorging on spanking fresh Dublin Bay prawns, lobster and crab is your idea of true love, then you have hit the jackpot. King Sitric has eight guestrooms with breath taking views over Balscadden Bay making it the perfect choice for an overnight dinner date. Double rooms from €170 plus dinner. www.kingsitric.ie.
Lagom Restaurant & Townhouse, Kenmare
Located smack bang in the centre of Kenmare, a sleepover in Lagom offers the best of both worlds. With the vibrant town on your doorstep, you are never more than a short walk back to your room should you run out of steam, and dinner in Lagom is reason in itself to visit Kenmare. The Swedish word lagom translates to ‘not too much, not too little, just right’ which inspires a menu that is both seasonal and terroir based, reflecting all that is great about the local produce. Add to that the meat, fish and some vegetables are cooked over charcoal and oak wood and I think this could be quite the overnight escape. Rooms from €150, plus dinner. www.lagomkenmare.com.
McNean House, Blacklion, Co Cavan
Since 2001, Nevin and Amelda Maguire have been winning awards, plying guests with fine wine, even finer food and generally making McNean House and its culinary offering a household name. Today, the empire has expanded and now consists of a cookery school, a fine dining restaurant and bar with chic guestrooms for the out of towners, of which there are many. The eight-course prestige menu is slightly unusual in that there are choices for many of the courses (leading to some tough decisions, I imagine), but regardless, you will need a comfy bed to sleep this one off and happily, McNean House obliges. Rooms from €150, dinner from €110pp. www.nevenmaguire.com.
Aherne’s, Youghal
A family run business since 1923, Aherne’s in Youghal originally began life as a traditional pub and shop selling everything from a pint of Guinness to a pound of butter before pivoting to a seafood restaurant with boutique accommodation. Today, there are a variety of rooms to choose from along with dining options in the bar or restaurant. Should the sun deign to shine, there is even an al fresco terrace to soak up the sun. Dinner B&B packages from €280. www.ahernes.net.
