Upcoming events worth clearing the calendar for …
There’s something deeply optimistic about a food event. A room full of strangers willingly gathering to discuss (or just eat) cheese pairings, regional Mexican cooking or beef fat fries as though these are matters of national importance.
I’ll Have What Rick’s Having At The Purty Kitchen
The Purty Kitchen in Dún Laoghaire is teaming up with fourth-generation master butcher Rick Higgins for a week-long collaboration from May 13-17. The changing menu includes braised Iberico pork ribs, Wagyu beef burgers with black garlic mayo, eye fillet tartare, and côte de boeuf for two with truffle and pepper sauce. Sunday shifts outdoors with a pig on the spit in The Courtyard, served with smoked potatoes and organic salads. Altogether, exactly the sort of event that requires both restraint and elasticated trousers.
Ballymaloe Festival of Food
From May 15-17, Ballymaloe does what it does best, bringing together big names and genuinely interesting food in a setting that still feels relaxed. The Woodshed dinners are always the hottest tickets, with London duo The Fat Badger and Homestead Cottage chef Robbie McCauley leading the charge this year. Ed Wilson of Brawn brings a slice of London, while dim sum brunches and more long table feasts keep things varied. Highlights include a Friday night dinner from James Henry of Le Doyenné and a lively Sunday lunch hosted by Thomasina Miers. Add in workshops – on everything from fermentation to chocolate – and you have a weekend that’s equal parts indulgent and informative.
An Evening With Ryan O’Sullivan At The River Lee
Hell’s Kitchen winner Ryan O’Sullivan returns to The River Lee Hotel in Cork on May 18 for another intimate dinner takeover at The Grill Room. Working alongside executive head chef Paul Lane, the menu includes West Cork Wagyu tartare, Ballycotton Bay lobster tartlets, wild garlic ravioli and spring lamb with za’atar carrot purée, before finishing with rhubarb and custard. Tickets are €70 including four courses, tea, coffee and petit fours. A surprisingly civilised way to spend a Monday evening.
El Milagro x Brother Hubbard Mexican Supper Club
On May 30, the team behind El Milagro takes over Brother Hubbard for a one-night-only supper club inspired by the flavours of Oaxaca, Michoacán, Yucatán and the State of Mexico. Guests can choose between a four-course tasting menu or a taco-focused feast, all paired with Mexican cocktails and plenty of storytelling. Expect vibrant flavours, lively energy and the kind of dinner where people suddenly become very passionate about mole.
Dash Burger x Alvin Cailan
Cult smash burger outfit Dash Burger teams up with LA burger heavyweight Alvin Cailan at The Devlin in Dublin 6 on May 31 for a collaboration likely to attract serious burger pilgrims. The headline act is Alvin’s onion burger featuring double smashed patties, caramelised onions and special sauce, alongside beef fat fries, cocktails and DJs. Tickets are €25 including the burger, which feels reasonable considering people now queue three hours for significantly worse sandwiches.
Beyond The Pale, Glendalough
From June 12-14, this Wicklow festival blends music, arts and a surprisingly strong food programme. This year’s Beyond the Plate series leans into global influences on Irish food, with a fun theme dubbed The Spice Bag Edition. The key bookings are the restaurant style residencies with Host, Reggie’s and Ibíle all offering dining experiences that go well beyond typical festival fare. Add in tastings, demos and a setting that practically insists you slow down, and it becomes a weekend where the food is every bit as compelling as the music.
Blackwater Valley Opera Festival
For something more refined, this late May into early June festival pairs opera with seriously thoughtful dining. Eunice Power leads the formal Opera Dining at Lismore Castle, with a four course Don Giovanni menu served around the performance itself. There are also gourmet table picnics in the castle grounds, more relaxed options at Dromore Yard and a clever Opera and Dining package at Fuller’s Bistro paired with a performance of Acis and Galatea for €80 per person. It’s polished, romantic and designed to be savoured slowly. @b_v_o_f
Taste of Dublin
Taste of Dublin returns to Merrion Square from June 12-15 for four gloriously food-obsessed days packed with restaurants, chef demos, drinks, music and general merriment. This year’s line-up includes Ibile, Bigfan, Parrilla, The Salt Project, Daata and Achara, alongside more than 50 chefs and over 60 exhibitions across the weekend. Essentially, it’s Dublin’s annual excuse to spend an entire afternoon saying, “we’ll just share one more thing”.
The Bernard Shaw Wine & Cheese Festival
Dublin 9’s famous pub with iconic beer garden hosts its annual festival from August 7-9, bringing together more than 100 wines and cheeses for three days of cheerful indulgence. There’ll be tastings, masterclasses, summer cocktails, blind wine and cheese pairings, alongside enough grazing boards to test even the strongest self-restraint. A ticket includes a welcome glass of wine and access to all events, which feels dangerously enabling.