Michelin Experiences in Ireland: World Class Gourmet

Michelin Experiences in Ireland: World Class Gourmet is written by The editorial staff in cooperation with tourism Ireland.

Michelin stars galore

Ireland is an excellent travel country with a fantastic and often dramatic nature, historical monuments and lots of cráic; the Irish version of coziness.

But one of the biggest – and more overlooked – reasons to travel to Ireland is the many delicacies gastronomic experiences, you can get at the many Michelin-awarded restaurants around the country and the island. No less than 26 Michelin stars were awarded to Ireland in 2023, and they are distributed among 21 different restaurants.

Then the French Michelin in the year 1900 began to review restaurants and award the highly sought-after stars, it was to promote excursions by car for exciting culinary experiences. And Ireland is exactly perfect for a 'gastronomic road trip'.

It's easy to get around the country by car - and it actually is easy enough without a car.

Start the trip in Dublin and set course south towards Cork, west towards Galway and north to Northern Ireland and Belfast. We have collected the Michelin-starred restaurants below so that they fit one road trip in Ireland.

Dublin: Nine Michelin stars for an overlooked city of gastronomy

Of the five Irish restaurants that have been awarded two Michelin stars, three are located in Dublin. It is therefore quite obvious to see Dublin as an attractive destination for gourmet travellers.

In Dublin itself is Chapter One and Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, and in the eastern suburb of Blackrock you will also find the two-star Liath.

While Patrick Guibaud's focus is on French cuisine, and Chapter One has a modern touch, Liath is the place where you get a more experimental dining experience that should stimulate all the senses.

In addition to the three two-star restaurants, Dublin also offers three one-star restaurants in the form of Bastible, Glover's Alley and Variety Jones. There is plenty to get involved in, and the capital is the perfect starting point the gourmet journey.

If you want to try something different from the restaurants recommended by the Michelin guide, have Dublin luckily also a lot to offer.

Head south-west – more Michelin experiences await

Just west of Dublin in the town of Celbridge you can enjoy another two-star Michelin restaurant. This is where the Aimsir restaurant is located, which has had two stars since its opening year in 2019.

Aimsir is housed in a beautiful classical manor house, so if you really want to live as counts and barons have for ages, stop here. Classic luxury in historic surroundings.

Completely inside Ireland's green heart lies the cozy city of Kilkenny. The name may seem familiar, as the city's name adorns a well-known beer, but Kilkenny is not just something to drink. Here you will also find two Michelin-starred restaurants, both of which pay tribute to modern cuisine: Campagne is right in the center of town, while Lady Helen, like Aimsir, is housed in an old manor house.

The Manor Mount Juliet Estate is located in Thomastown just outside the city of Kilkenny. You can suitably combine great gastronomy with a little exercise; Mount Juliet has its own golf course, just as you can spend the night in luxurious surroundings.

Cork and surroundings - culinary experiences on the south coast

One of the absolute most beautiful things you can experience in Ireland are the dramatic ones coastal and rocky landscapes. On the south coast, you can combine a wild view with an equally wild food experience. In the coastal town of Ardmore, the hotel Cliff House is right on the edge of the cliffs. And here is also the House restaurant.

A world-class dinner with a world-class view; it is then something worth driving for, as the Michelin guide also acknowledges.

Head towards Ireland's second largest city Cork a little further west, and on the way you will pass through the small town of Castlemartyr with the restaurant Terre. It is also awarded with a star. The cuisine is modern with a twist of Asia – so put a cross on the map and make a stop here.

If your heart and mouth yearn for a genuine Asian Michelin experience, then the solution is just around the corner: in Cork is the highly rated Japanese restaurant Ichigo Ichie.

The combination of Ireland and Japan may sound like a bit of effort, but the fresh ingredients – not least from Atlantic Sea right outside – together with traditional Japanese cooking makes the restaurant a hit.

A little further south in the town of Kinsale there is also a focus on seafood, but of the more Irish kind. At restaurant Bastion in the middle of the city, you will be spoiled with local delicacies with both classic and modern elements.

The trip around the south coast by no means ends here: there is a great deal of driving to do in the south-west corner of the island, where the next neighbor to the west is the huge Atlantic Ocean with Canada on the other hand.

In the coastal city of Baltimore – not to be confused with the namesake i USA – you find something as unexpected as an absolutely top-class Turkish restaurant. The restaurant is called 'dede' and is located in the old customs building. Ireland and Turkey meet here in a very special alliance – was it, for example, something with a lobster kebab?

Half an hour's drive along the coast to the north, you reach the town with the somewhat silly name of Ballydehob. The culinary highlight here is undoubtedly the Chestnut restaurant, which is actually a cozy pub with room for only 18 diners at a time. Completely intimate and Irish in the very best way.

Head west – Michelin on the Wild Atlantic Way

The Irish west coast is known for wild landscapes, wild coasts and tea Wild Atlantic Way. This is Ireland in Irish – this is where they speak and think in Gaelic – and the nature experiences are waiting in line. Wind and rain are part of the package out here, and nature sets the agenda for life on the west coast.

Nature and not least havet also sets the agenda when it's time to put food on the table. Fish, seafood and agricultural products are absolutely top class here, and you can taste it. Not least at the three Michelin-starred restaurants in the west.

First stop is in the small town of Adare south of Limerick. Adare Manor is located here, where you can visit The Oak Room. If you book a table here, you get modern cuisine in classic surroundings, and golf and other activities right outside the door. Pure enjoyment.

If you continue the journey north-west, you will pass through the town of Lisdoonvarna, which is known for spa and wellness. Well-being naturally includes delicious food, and luckily they also have plenty of that in the spa town. Not least at the Wild Honey Inn restaurant, which is a French-inspired classic Michelin experience.

Indulgence for body, soul and taste buds - it doesn't get much better.

The old Gaelic part of Ireland has its center in the city Galway, where Ireland really feels Irish. The music, culture and atmosphere exude Gaelic pride, and the local Michelin-starred restaurant Aniar is also very much driven by pride.

The focus is to that extent on local ingredients from both land and water, and the inspiration for the both innovative and traditional cuisine comes largely from Scandinavian cuisine with Noma in København like a lighthouse. Aniar, which means "from the west" in Gaelic - is authentically Irish and not easy to shake off.

Top class in the north – Belfast is the new hotspot

In addition to the many excellent food experiences in the Republic of Ireland, there are also great experiences to be found Northern Ireland; specifically in the capital Belfast.

In many ways, Belfast has lived somewhat in the shadows for decades. Both in the shadow of the other big cities in Great Britain and Ireland, but also in the shadow of a violent recent history of bombs, gunpowder and bullets in the streets.

Now Belfast is getting back on its feet and is ready to welcome visitors with an appetite for adventure. Not least culinary experiences.

As many as three restaurants in Belfast have been awarded a Michelin star in 2023. Eipic is a modern restaurant right in the center of the city. Together with its sister restaurants in the same building, Eipic has become a magnet for both local gourmands and guests from near and far. An obvious first stop in Belfast.

Also in the center a little closer to the river Lagan they find the more industrial looking restaurant The Muddlers Club. The focus is on classic dishes with a modern touch and not least Irish ingredients.

Almost just around the corner on the edge of the river is OX. A special draw here are the accompanying aperitifs and wines, and the cuisine is modern with strong British elements. A memorable meal overlooking the harbour, where Titanic was built, and above the city with its heavy history and bright future is the perfect way to round off a culinary tour.

Ireland is an excellent travel country - also when you travel with your taste buds. Have a great trip to Ireland and get well.

Ireland's restaurants in the Michelin Guide 2023

• Weather, Celbridge
• Aniar, Galway
• Bastable, Dublin
• Bastion, Kinsale
• Campaign, Kilkenny
• Chestnut, Ballydehob
• dede, Baltimore
• Eipic, Belfast
• Glover's Alley, Dublin
• House, Ardmore
• Ichigo Ichie, Cork
• Lady Helen, Thomastown
• Liath, Blackrock
• OX, Belfast
• Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Dublin
• Terre, Castlemartyr
• The Muddlers Club, Belfast
• The Oak Room, Adare
• Variety Jones, Dublin
• Wild Honey Inn, Lisdoonvarna