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24 Hours in West Cork – The Best Places to Eat, Drink and Sleep

West Cork is undoubtedly the best place in Ireland to have one epic foodie experience: the region is home to two of the world’s newest Michelin starred restaurants (Mews, Baltimore and The Chestnut, Ballydehob); was voted Ireland’s No.1 Foodie Destination for 2017 by the Restaurant Association of Ireland and is home to Ireland’s largest food festival, A Taste of West Cork.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! West Cork is home to more artisan food producers than the rest of Ireland put together and more stunning views that you can shake a stick up – river deep, mountain high; ocean views, island living and rugged pastoral beauty. Add to this some genuine one-of-a-kind experiences of the non-foodie kind, (Mizen Head, Fastnet Rock or Dursey Island Cable Car), and pretty soon you realise that is going to be a real treat!

24 hours isn’t enough time to visit West Cork; there is simply so much on offer that creating a shortlist is a really hard task – but not an unpleasant one! Here is my very best effort at taking you by the hand on a whirlwind tour of the (some) of the best eats and drinks in Wonderful West Cork.

Breakfast & Coffee
Glebe Garden’s Café, Skibbereen

The Glebe at Skibbereen opened earlier this year as an extension of the well-beloved Glebe in Baltimore. At the helm is Bob Cairns, a chef who revels in the great local and seasonal produce on his doorstep. Dishes may look simple, but delivers deliciousness and excitements for the palate with crisp, clean flavours and textures. Open for breakfast and lunch all year round. Check the website for seasonal opening hours.

O’Neill’s Coffee Shop, Skibbereen

West Cork is lucky to be home to a number of small independent artisan coffee roasters. At O’Neill’s you get to sample them all, prepared by expert barista’s who really love their coffee served without a single note of pretentiousness. Stock up on great coffee and healthy handmade chocolates by The Hungry Crow.

The Coffee Shop, Union Hall

A true hidden gem located in picturesque Union Hall, this modest looking coffee shop has a loyal and dedicated local following for their excellent breakfast, brunch and lunch options including vegetarian and vegan too. Everything scratch made, fresh daily and with the warmest of service.

The Stuffed Olive, Bantry

Patricia Messom’s recipes for her outrageously delicious cakes have been passed down through her family for generations. Not that we need an excuse to have cake for breakfast, but this is where you’d go to indulge it! A bakery and confectioners, their handmade sourdough bread are inventively flavoured and delicious. Baked breakfast goods are available to suit all kinds of diets without compromising on taste, texture or flavour. A wonderful salad bar awaits and takeaway house-made ready meals are perfect for the on-the-go traveller too!

Lunch
The Food Depot, Courtmacsherry

Gourmet food from a food truck on the beach? It must be The Food Depot, the brainchild of power foodie duo Diana Dodog (Masterchef Ireland champion and author) and her husband Michael O’Donovan who is an exceptional barista. Literally, everything, right down to the dressings and sauces, are made from scratch daily with ingredients that often come from their organic veg patch. Mixing up great West Cork ingredients with a flair for Hungarian soul food, and you have some of the most exceptional food being prepared in West Cork served in a takeaway carton under the hatch.

EAT @ The Castle, Castletownshend, Skibbereen

Casual lunchtime fayre served in the very formal grounds of the majestic Castle Townshend. The view out over the bay is stunning, and chef Andy Illsley’s posh café food hits many nails on the head for quality, flavour, volume and price. On a sunny winter’s afternoon when it’s just still warm enough to sit outside, this is a must go place for Sunday lunch, or choose a cosy seat beside the fire inside. The perfect place to while away a few hours.

Toons Bridge Café, Toons Bridge

Winter opening hours are short here, but should your visit around West Cork bring you inland away from the coastline, you would do well to make a stop at Toons Bridge Dairy near Macroom. Fresh handmade Neopolitan Pizza’s, topped with goodies directly from their deli and handmade cheeses made onsite and finished in a wood fired oven – just the thing paired with an exceptional glass of wine. Shop the deli afterward and be sure to bring home some of their amazing cheeses.

Jacob’s Bar, Baltimore

If you have an obsession with seafood, then you cannot visit West Cork without first of all sampling the legendary seafood platter served up at Jacob’s Bar. Lobster, crab claws, oysters, clams, mussels, prawns – you name it, it’s all there along with a vat of house-made mayonnaise for dunking. Grab a pint of locally made West Cork Brewing Company beer and take in the famous view over Baltimore Bay and out towards some of West Cork’s most famous islands.

Dinner
Deasy’s, Clonakilty

I have huge grá for the food that Caitlin Ruth puts out on her ever changing seasonal menus at Deasy’s. A perennial favourite of the locals, Caitlin’s food is soulful and unashamedly luxurious. Dishes look deceptively simple, but a complex array of harmonious flavours bring utter joy, deep and rich and over delivering. Fish is a forte, naturally, given its position adjacent to Ring Harbour, and you absolutely must order the seasonal cocktail.

Pilgrim’s, Rosscarbery

Mark Jennings has a gift. A tendency to shy away from the limelight means that his astounding culinary talents get his full and undivided attention. Dishes are understated and clearly show a love of nature and the seasons with foraged elements appearing on most courses and used without superfluity. Always an exceptional dining experience at Pilgrim’s.

Mews, Baltimore

Mews was recently gilded with its first Michelin Star in October, and not without surprise. Ahmet Dede and his team are more like adventurers than chefs: the outdoors is their larder and they are influenced heavily by it as well as working with processes to deliver flavours and textures that mess with your mind and then make you fall in love with its beauty. The food here is joyful, a pure reflection of head chef Ahmet Dede and his hard-working team who do what they love and love what they do.

Restaurant Chestnut, Ballydehob

West Cork’s second recipient of a Michelin Star, and only months after opening is chef-proprietor’s Rob Krawczyk’s Restaurant Chestnut in sleepy Ballydehob. Rob’s food is all about great Irish produce, doing little to them to show them off to their best potential. Of course, that simplicity comes from a lifetime of experience cooking at the highest level. At the 18 seater restaurant on the site of a former pub, Rob serves up simply great attractive plates of food that are power packed with flavour. Signatures of fermented foods alongside charcuterie, of which his family’s name is synonymous with; fresh off the boat fish, grass-fed meats and locally grown vegetables delivered to his front door. I once described the interior of the restaurant as “puritanical glamour” by which I meant a tastefully stark simplicity. So follows the cuisine – it is a gem of a place.

Pubs & Bars
DeBarra’s, Clonakilty

Probably the most famous folk music bar in Ireland, and a firm local favourite. The cosy front bar can get pretty snug on a Saturday night, but push through to the back bar where things open up into a galleried stage that has seen everyone from Jimi Hendrix to Sharon Shannon to Des Bishop and the late Howard Marks tred its boards.

Levis’, Ballydehob

Levis’ Bar has experienced something of a renaissance since it was taken over by former Fred front man Joe O’Leary. It has become one of the most loved music venues in West Cork hosting intimate gigs with musicians acclaimed both internationally and nationally performing behind the original bar in front of a bewildering array of grocery items. Yes, you did read me right. It’s the kinda place where they ask you to “use the back door” when gigs are on, and all manner of musical whimsy takes place. It’s mad, Fred.

The Jolly Roger, Sherkin Island


With the effort it takes to get out here, may as well spend the night. From Baltimore, take the ferry crossing to Sherkin Island and head to the Jolly Roger. If you are looking for a legendary Irish Seísun, this is the place to get it: the drink flows and there is mighty craic. There is also one amazing view and one short walk to Silver Strand where you can dive in the crystal clear waters to refresh the head from the night before.
The Tin Pub, Ahakista

Graham Norton’s local bar in Ahakista is not a bad spot to find yourself in! A tin shack on a back road with a beer garden that slopes down toward the gently lapping waters of Ahakista Bay. Let us say this about The Tin Pub: it is rustic. It is also where the most random of things can happen; where a sedate darts match with locals can turn into the most audacious hen party in a mere moment and no-one even blinks an eye.

Hotels
Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa, Clonakilty

Treat yourself with a luxurious stay at Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa. Situated over the gorgeous blue flag Inchydoney Beach with endless sea views warrants the extra splurge on a sea facing balcony room. The Thalasso Spa and onsite Gulf Stream restaurant are all highly recommended, and the breakfast buffet is one of the best to be had in Ireland. Work it all off with a stroll on the beach or enrol in a surfing lesson perhaps.

Liss Ard Estate, Skibbereen

Situated less than five minutes from the bustling market town of Skibbereen, yet nestled away at the end of a private road that winds through a forest of trees is the romantic Liss Ard Estate. A traditional mansion house that has been given a modern twist whilst holding on to its old world charm. Boasting an array of walks through woods and gardens; a lake for fishing and boating, and the impressive Sky Garden – a man-made grassy crater from where you can lie and watch the ever changing sky landscape. The hotel is also home to a wonderful chef in Danny Barter whose food follows the house: classic with a tasteful modern twist. Opt for a grand room in the house, or one of their dog-friendly mews cottages.

Eccles Hotel, Glengarriff

Ireland’s oldest resort hotel, the 200 year old Eccles Hotel sits overlooking the sheltered Glengarrif Bay exuding buckets of old world charm. Currently undergoing a huge renaissance, the hotel is also home to Northern Irish chef Eddie Attwell who is busy reimaging the hotel’s restaurant with outstanding results. Book into a sea facing room to appreciate the majesty of the hotel’s position, or take up one of the hotels’ kayaks and paddle out into the clear waters of the bay where you may encounter seals and otters along the way.

Beara Coast Hotel, Castletownbere

Should your adventures find you much further west, then the Beara Coast Hotel is the perfect spot for exploring the Ring of Beara with its breathtaking views of a landscape shaped by waves and winds and peppered with unique histories. Gorgeous sea facing rooms, and a restaurant serving outstanding food by Mark Johnston (formerly of Kenmare Park Hotel) and his team are cherries on an already fabulous cake.

FEATURE BY KATE RYAN

Kate Ryan is an established food writer, blogger and founder of Flavour.ie, a website that is dedicated to promoting West Cork Food through writing, events and tours. Kate writes regularly for the Evening Echo and The Southern Star newspapers, The Opinion Magazine, TheTaste.ie, Headstuff.org and has been featured in the Irish Examiner and Irish Times. Kate was commissioned by A Taste of West Cork Food Festival to author an “Artisan Food Guide” published in June 2017.

Her blog, The Flavour Files, is recipe driven showcasing the best of West Cork produce and encouraging everyday cooking with it at home, as well as the best places to eat in the region.

Keep up with Kate’s food adventures on flavour.ie, and via her Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. Sign up to the Newsletter for previews of upcoming events, exclusive offers and news round-up.

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