The Best Ways To Indulge Your Palate On A Foodie Country Break

Take some world-class chefs, throw in some locally sourced produce, and serve with a smile in some of the most beautiful surroundings imaginable – you've got yourself a recipe for an unforgettable culinary experience.

Given Ireland boasts all of these ingredients, it should come as no surprise that the country is fast becoming an international destination for those who enjoy a finely cooked meal and a good night out. The two go together like floury potatoes and melting fresh farm butter!

Foraged fare

If the secret of a good meal is good quality fresh ingredients cooked simply and well, the restaurant team at BrookLodge & Macreddin Village, Co Wicklow have cracked it.

Here you have two very different but equally excellent eating houses.

The Strawberry Tree is festooned with awards and famous for its organic menus composed with artistic flair to include foraged fare such as wild mushrooms and herbs while La Taverna Armento is like as if a bistro from the Mezzogiorno region in southern Italy was transformed to the Wicklow hills.

Add to that Actons Pub and Orchard Cafe, an organic bakery smokehouse, and your appetite is whetted for a gourmet feast. Little wonder Brook Lodge and Macreddin Village has been named as Ireland's best culinary hotel in the past few years.

The establishment is more than a hotel and a number of fine restaurants - you also have the Macreddin Golf Course, designed by Ryder Cup winning captain, Paul McGinley.

Tricks and shots

The town of Kells in County Meath is where the Book of Kells derives its name and a place which gave the world that ancient artistic masterpiece has a few more tricks up its sleeve. Here in the Headfort Arms Hotel is a spiritual home for fine dining and not far from the World Heritage site of the Boyne Valley, the site of the Battle of the Boyne, two highly rated golf courses and, if all of that wasn't enough, the family fun destination, Tayto Park, famous for its rollicking roller coaster and longest zip line in Europe.

If you're looking for something more sedentary and at a less frenetic pace, there's a world class literature festival here every November - but we hear that can be fairly lively too!

The hotel itself was once the townhouse of the Marquis of Headfort and has been in the hospitable hands of the Duff family for almost half a century. In that time the establishment's reputation for a warm welcome has grown

Gourmet class perfection

Wherever you go in Ireland your discerning tastebuds will lead you to a destination for fine dining.

In the wilds of Mayo on the outskirts of Kiltimagh which is not too far from Knock, you're in for a treat at the Kiltimagh Park Hotel. From here you can tour the spectacular west of Ireland from Yeats Country to the land where the Quiet Man was filmed near Cong but when you get back to the hotel that evening, the freshest of locally sourced produce will be prepared to gourmet class perfection by the culinary team at the Park.

The quality of the food, the friendliness of the service and the overall warm hearted ambience of the restaurant ensure an enjoyable eating experience.

A jewel in the crown

One of the jewels in the crown of the Kingdom of Kerry is the Killeen House Hotel and Rozzers Restaurant in Killarney.

Awarded the accolade of Ireland's best fine-dining experience by Trip Advisor in 2019, this family run establishment has set a bench mark for the quality of Rozzers Restaurants, the name deriving from Michael and Geraldine Rosney, the proprietors and very hands on management team at the hotel.

Given that Kerry boasts innumerable high quality restaurants throughout the county, the fact that Rozzers is recognised as one of the best is a testament to its quality. As you would guess from its name, it's located close to the world famous Killeen Golf Course at Killarney, Irish Open venue on an number of occasions,

The challenge for a food lover on an Irish holiday is the sheer range and breadth of variety of different dining experiences, all high quality, can be savoured. We hope you've enjoyed the carefully selected tasting menu we've presented!

About Original Irish Hotels

Original Irish Hotels are a collection of unique, owner-run hotels, located in Ireland’s most outstanding destinations. Open the door to the magic of unmissable moments with Ireland’s leading collection of independent hotels.

Our 60 hotels are dotted around the entire island of Ireland in must-see locations, from the Wild Atlantic Way, to Ireland’s Ancient East, the Causeway Coast, Dublin and the treasured heartland of Ireland’s midlands and lakelands.

Irrespective of where our hotels are, Original Irish Hotels pride themselves in hosting a unique and truly memorable experience for our guests, and soon to be friends. The collection is made up of a range of traditional and boutique hotels, castles, manor and country houses, all run by locals, ensuring a unique experience every time.