Hit these hotspots while you can …
Goats Gruff, Dublin
Just far enough out of the city to feel like a proper escape, this is Strawberry Beds at its most charming. By day, it’s all about good coffee, wood-fired sandwiches and stretching things out in the fresh air. By evening, it pivots into pizza and antipasti, best paired with that golden hour glow.
The Green Barn at Burtown House, Kildare
For a countryside detour that feels genuinely restorative, this is hard to beat. Set within the gardens at Burtown House, The Green Barn leans heavily into garden to plate cooking, with produce often picked just metres from your table. Enjoy generous seasonal dishes, plenty of greenery and the kind of setting that makes you want to linger long after the plates are cleared.
Cliff House Hotel, Waterford
If you need an excuse for a coastal spin, this is it. During Waterford Festival of Food, the seafood lunch here will feel like a full blown occasion. Expect pristine fish, panoramic sea views and the kind of setting that encourages you to stay put.
The Sea Rooms Smokehouse, Wexford
A very good reason to head southeast. Newly launched at Kelly’s Resort, expect fire-led cooking with dishes like mussel toast, ember baked leeks and whole fish kissed by smoke. Add a beach walk and your weekend is sorted.
Linnane’s Lobster Bar, Clare
West coast magic in its purest form. Right on the water, all about lobster, crab claws and pints within easy reach. On a fine day, there are few better places to be.
Helen’s Bar, Kerry
A cult favourite for good reason. Tucked along the Ring of Beara, this is relaxed, scenic and quietly brilliant. The menu is simple, the setting does the talking and everything tastes better after the drive.
Moran’s Oyster Cottage, Galway
When the sun appears, this is exactly where you want to be. A whitewashed cottage by the water, oysters on ice and that low hum of a long, lazy meal stretching ahead. Old school in all the right ways.