Restaurants in Kinsale
Kinsale Food Festival
Food lovers from all over Ireland—and even farther afield—descend on Kinsale for a weekend each October when the Kinsale Gourmet Festival takes over town.
The event’s calendar changes every year, but always includes plenty of cooking demonstrations and other lively activities. Restaurants join in the fun by hosting parties, special tastings, “meet the chef” events, and other culinary happenings. Many of them are free, although some of the bigger events and banquets charge €20 to €100 per ticket. It’s magnificent, Bacchanalian fun. Learn more and book tickets at www.kinsalerestaurants.com.
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11 Results
- Irish
Bastion
This funky, creative restaurant opened in 2014 and fast became a hit with local diners. The menu is divided between a full a la carte selection and small plates, served tapas style (try the amazing homemade hummus if it’s on the menu). Irish flavors are brought to the fore and…$$$Around Town - Bistro/tapas
Black Pig Winebar
“In the company of best friends, there is never enough wine” says the inscription in the sunny courtyard of this seductive cafe-bar. It has won hearts as much for the atmosphere as for the excellent food and wine. Gently flickering candlelight and bookcases filled with well-thumbed…$$Around Town - Seafood/Modern Irish
Crackpots
A happy marriage of designer pottery shop and outstandingly good restaurant, Crackpots specializes in fresh, delicious seafood. The ingredients are all locally sourced, so exactly what appears on the menu depends on what’s freshest. In recent past, grilled langoustine with spinach…$$Around Town - Modern Irish
Finns' Table
The menu here is ambitious without being overly complicated and with plenty of space to let the ingredients breathe. As you’d expect from Kinsale, the seafood on the menu comes directly from the harbor, so you never know exactly what will end up in the kitchen. However, on a typical…$$$Around Town - Seafood
Fishy Fishy
Widely respected, hugely popular, and yet brilliantly simple, the Fishy Fishy is one of the best restaurants in Kinsale. The owners also have a gourmet store and fish-and-chips shop on Guardwell Street, but this is their flagship. The skillfully prepared, fresh seafood comes from a…$$Around Town - Modern Irish/Seafood
Man Friday
The dining room at Man Friday overlooks the bay in Scilly, a perfect setting for the reliably excellent food served here. We couldn’t resist the seafood—smoked salmon rolls stuffed with shrimp, plaice with crab and lemon butter, and delightfully retro-style sole Colbert—although the…$$Around Town - Modern Irish
Max's
A husband-and-wife team has run Max’s since the ‘90s, and they’re still effortlessly adept at making diners feel welcome. The menu changes seasonally, but the main flavors are all local—meat from Kilbrittan, a little village down the coast, and shellfish tcaught close enough that…$$Around Town - Cafe
Poet's Corner
Drop in to this charming little cafe for a freshly baked scone, a cup of herbal tea (the choice is huge), or coffee and a toasted sandwich. As the name suggests, this place styles itself as a “reading cafe”; not only can you buy books here, but bring them two books in good condition…$Around Town - Seafood/International
The Fishmarket
Another excellent seafood restaurant packed with the grand choices Kinsale is known for, the Fishmarket is the in-house restaurant at the Blue Haven Hotel. The short menu has a nice balance of traditional seafood dishes—classic fish and chips or hake filet with lemon and chive…$$Around Town - Bistro
The Spaniard
The portrait on the sign of this atmospheric old inn shows Don Juan de Aguila, the Spanish commander who led a force of 4,000 men, assisted by local Irish revolutionaries, against the English at the Battle of Kinsale in 1601. The English won, but Don Juan became a hero in local…$$Around Town - Grill
The Steakhouse
In a town full of wonderful restaurants noted mostly for their seafood, this superb grill will delight devoted carnivores. The restaurant sources its beef from the southwest region—particularly the Cork native Dexter breed, which lends itself particularly well to ribeye—and serves it…$$Around Town
