Baba’de
The Mews, Baltimore, Co Cork; 028-48112, babade.ie
In a 30-seat cottage once home to Mews restaurant, Baba’de delivers both kebabs and two-star flourishes. Ahmet Dede and Maria Archer’s offshoot swings from crisp bulgur dumplings over yoghurt foam to lamb ragout to squid erişte under whipped red pepper sauce. The Adana kebab is the standout. Some plates look like tasting-menu showpieces, others like late-night favourites – and that mix is the point. Read our review here. CH
Bearú
52 South Street, New Ross, Co Wexford; 051-420735, bearu.ie
Dinner here isn’t about choice – it’s about what the boats and farms bring in. Dave Rowley and Siobhán Ward’s three-course menu, served on Friday and Saturday, offers just three dishes per course, changing weekly with produce from Tom Cleary, Tinnock Farm and Riversfield Farm. Expect solid bistro cooking – pork belly with scallop, prosciutto-wrapped monkfish and yoghurt panna cotta with blackberries. By day it’s a cafe, starting with breakfast and moving into lunch. CH
Cush
The Courtyard, Main Street, Midleton, Co Cork; 021-2455777, cush.ie
Ballycotton’s loss is Midleton’s gain following Cush’s recent move inland. But even so, the lure of the sea remains strong in this kitchen with a continued focus on seafood cooking. Ballycotton mackerel is paired with ado blanco, west Cork roast scallop with crown prince pumpkin and wild roast halibut teams up with seaweed butter. Meat lovers can look forward to Skeaghanore duck or a dry-aged beef chop for two from Murphy’s butchers. JC
Everett’s
22 High Street, Waterford, Co Waterford; 051-325174, everetts.ie
Chef Peter Everett does not offer a tasting menu in his eponymous restaurant but he does offer keenly priced lunch, pre-theatre and lunch menus. When not supporting his favourite Waterford FC, this chef produces elegant modern Irish dishes using local produce such as Wexford scallops, Tuskar crabmeat and Comeragh mountain lamb. It is located in a 15th-century historic building, and the downstairs wine vault room is perfect for parties and large groups. JC
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Farmgate
17 Main Street, Lismore, Co Waterford; farmgate.ie
Seafood chowder, halibut with leek and mussel sauce, and duck leg confit with spring onion champ tell you what Farmgate is about – local produce cooked without fuss. Owner Sally O’Brien has made a handsome diningroom of this heritage building, with a long counter for walk-ins and a smaller room at the back. Meat comes from McGrath’s butchers in Lismore, fish from Atlantis in Wexford, vegetables from The County Store in Dungarvan and bread from Dún Bakery and Harrington’s. Read our review here. CH
Forêt
8-9 Sussex Terrace, Leeson Street Upper, Dublin 4; foret.ie
At Forêt, the French onion soup is dark as stout and the free-range chicken au vin jaune is succulent, cloaked in bronzed, crackling skin. It is delicious bistro food, which is no surprise, considering the team behind it are John and Sandy Wyer of Forest Avenue. Paul Brogan, who previously worked in Forest Avenue and as head chef in Variety Jones, now heads up the kitchen, using top-quality produce from McNally family farm, Winetavern farm, and Glenmar seafood. Read our review here. CH
Goldie
128 Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork; 021-2398720, goldie.ie
Chef Aishling Moore’s marvellous seafood-focused restaurant sets a new standard for “catch of the day”. The menu shifts daily and sometimes mid-service, depending on what sustainable fish lands in the kitchen. Paired with local Cork ingredients, it could be served as irresistible Taiwanese fried fish nuggets, silky pâté or perfectly pan-fried whole with melting cafe de Paris butter. This clever, creative cooking makes it tempting to lick your plate clean. Wines served by the glass, pichet or bottle give plenty of options. AD
Kai
22 Sea Road, Galway, Co Galway; 091-526003, kairestaurant.ie
Chef Jess Murphy has long been a high-profile advocate for Irish produce and sustainable cooking. This autumn sees the publication of her latest cookbook, which showcases 100 of Kai’s best-loved recipes. Always creative, dishes such as Cloud Picker pork chop, John Dory with mussels and Madras crazy water, or the perennially popular lunchtime Kai fish fingers with savage cabbage slaw, keep customers coming back for more. JC
Kicky’s
Unit 9 Castle House, South Great George’s Street, Dublin 2; 01-9061008, kickys.ie
Eating out should be buzzy and fun, and Kicky’s delivers in spades, from neon interiors to the charming front-of-house team, and then chef Eric Matthews’s flavourful Mediterranean-inspired menu matches the pace. Not-to-be-missed potato focaccia with whipped carbonara butter, well-sourced fish and meats cooked over fire, luscious pastas and playful desserts are all lapped up along with imaginative cocktails and a versatile wine list. Lunch or dinner, it’s a rollicking good time. AD
O’Mahony’s
Main Street, Watergrasshill, Co Cork; 086-8316879, omahonysofwatergrasshill.com
There’s a lot of history baked into the walls of O’Mahony’s. In operation for more than 200 years, this former traditional village pub has been reimagined as a modern Irish restaurant by Máire O’Mahony and Victor Murphy. Enjoy good value comfort dishes at lunchtime, or share small plates a la carte, paired with a low-intervention, small producer wine list, craft beers and creative cocktails. Look out for upcoming pop-ups and Sunday Neapolitan pizzas. JC
Saint Francis Provisions
Short Quay, Kinsale, Co Cork; saintfrancisprovisions.squarespace.com
This place is a joy. Chef Rebeca Recarey Sanchez, originally from Spain, brings an authentic Mediterranean influence and combines it with superb ingredients from the rich Cork pantry that surrounds her. There’s excellent fish, of course (you’re in Kinsale), but don’t skip on the vegetables. She does magic things including smoked potatoes, XO tempura broccoli and kohlrabi carpaccio with Bottarga. A dynamic, naturally focused wine list suits this relaxed restaurant. AD
Vada
30 Brunswick Street North, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7; hellovada.com
Fermentation jars, blueberry hot sauce, chicken karaage, Andarl pork with mole verde – Vada doesn’t waste a scrap, and it shows in the cooking. Sarah Boland and head chef Hannah O’Donnell run the kitchen with a Ballymaloe-meets-Kai ethos: stocks made from trims, oils and vinegars from vegetable scraps, apple cores turned into kombucha. Small plates lead – turbot crudo, stracciatella, with halibut pilaf and Andarl pork for mains, and plum tarte Tatin for dessert. CH Read our review here.
