Eating & Drinking in Ireland: A Fresh Take on a Tasty Tradition

Let’s talk about Irish food.

For years, it suffered from a reputation it didn’t deserve—overboiled vegetables, bland stews, the dreaded “meat and two veg.” But travelers who come to Ireland still holding onto those outdated clichés are in for a surprise. A delicious one.

Because the truth is: Ireland is a food lover’s paradise.

It’s not flashy, and it doesn’t have to be. What makes Irish cuisine so compelling today is its quiet confidence—born of wild, seasonal ingredients, deep-rooted traditions, and a new generation of chefs and producers who are reimagining what Irish food can be.

At Ireland Awaits, we believe food and drink are more than just part of the travel experience. They’re the lens through which you can truly taste a place—its land, its history, its people. And when it comes to Ireland tours, we think your plate should be just as personalized as your itinerary.

What makes Irish food so special? It starts with the ingredients.

Think seafood fresh off the boat—mussels, oysters, hake, and crab that were still in the water this morning. Beef and lamb raised on salt-dusted pastures. Dairy so rich and golden it’s almost sweet. And yes, potatoes—but also chard, wild mushrooms, heirloom carrots, and apples from ancient orchards.

Across the island, restaurants and cafes are working directly with small farms, fishing families, and artisan producers. Menus shift with the seasons and the tides, making every meal a reflection of its place and moment.

With Ireland Awaits, you can build your itinerary around these food moments. Want a table at a tucked-away tasting room on the coast? A picnic of local cheese and cider in a sun-dappled meadow? A visit to an oyster farm where you’ll meet the shucker and the fisherman? We can make it all happen.

Yes, traditional Irish comfort food still has its place—and when it’s made with care, there’s nothing better than a proper roast or a golden, buttered bowl of colcannon. But Irish cooking today is bold, diverse, and endlessly creative.

In Dublin, Cork, and Galway, you’ll find Michelin-starred chefs creating refined dishes that still feel deeply local. In tiny village cafés, the bread is slow-fermented, the scones flecked with seaweed, and the hummus made with beetroot grown just down the road.

Global flavors are showing up everywhere—Korean-Irish pub bites, Moroccan stews with local lamb, Vietnamese street food reimagined with Irish produce. But through it all, the food remains distinctly Irish in spirit: grounded, generous, and fiercely fresh.

Looking for a foraging walk followed by a fireside meal? A cookery class in a country kitchen? A private dinner with a celebrated chef? Just say the word.

And let’s not forget the pubs.

Sure, the beer still flows, and there’s still music in the corner—but these days, the food is a star in its own right. Gone are the soggy chips and frozen burgers. In their place: hand-cut fries, chowder made with freshly caught fish, lamb stew simmered all day, pulled pork sandwiches, spicy black pudding, and more.

If Ireland’s food tells one story, its drink tells another.

Guinness really does taste better here. But the island’s drink culture goes far beyond the black stuff. You’ll find a renaissance of small-batch whiskey, botanical gin, farmhouse ales, crisp ciders, and even poitín—a once-outlawed spirit that’s making a proud comeback.

And for the wine lovers? Irish sommeliers are curating world-class natural wine lists in the unlikeliest corners of the country.

Want a whiskey trail designed just for you? A visit to a remote gin distillery? Or the perfect drink with the perfect view? We’ll handle it all.

Taste the Real Ireland

Food in Ireland is more than sustenance—it’s storytelling. It’s sitting at a kitchen table on the west coast, sampling chocolate flecked with sea salt. It’s watching a chef prepare lamb beside a windswept cliff. It’s raising a glass in a hidden-away pub, where someone starts singing and no one wants the night to end.

So come hungry. Come curious. And come ready to fall in love—with the flavors, the people, and the stories that make Irish food so unforgettable.

Let Ireland Awaits plan your perfect culinary escape. The table’s set—are you ready to taste it?