Irish Pub Food

Lots of Irish pub dishes revolve around the concept of simple, hearty, traditional and family favourites, but that doesn’t mean we can’t put a chef-special spin on it when we want to.

Whether you’re staying put or travelling around Ireland there’s one thing you can count on, and that’s good, wholesome food wherever you go.

Here are some tasty treats to look out for:

Delicious Sandwiches

The universal staple of any pub worth its salt, the humble sandwich is often taken to new heights of gourmet wonder in Irish pubs.

Soda and sourdough bread often feature as they’re so popular throughout Ireland.

Whether you fancy chargrilled chicken and crispy bacon or some tender slow roasted beef with all the trimmings, Irish pub sandwiches will certainly fill any hungry belly. 

You can nip in for a quick snack or make a meal of it. Just because it’s a sandwich doesn’t mean it can’t be something special. Take a look at our own sandwich menu and see if it doesn’t make your mouth water.

Amazing Roasts

For a sit-down dinner, you can’t beat a good old-fashioned roast, whether your tastes run to red meats or poultry. Lot of pubs throughout Ireland offer traditional roast dinners, with more than a few featuring home grown meats and accompanying veggies. 

Ireland has the ideal climate for lush, pasture-raised beef, lamb, and pork so you’ll find some of the meat served in Irish pubs amongst the best in the world. Eaten hot or cold, it will satisfy the biggest appetite.

Warming Stews and Traditional Dishes

What could be more welcome than a delicious bowl of hot Irish stew on a chilly day? Or a hearty plate of creamy, comforting colcannon (a mix of potatoes and cabbage or kale) that’s often served with either pork or smoked sausage.

Other favourite potato dishes include the popular shepherd’s pie, which can be made with either lamb or beef (traditionally shepherd’s pie is lamb and cottage pie is beef, but it all tastes good), maybe some added herbs, carrots and peas, all in a rich gravy and topped with creamy soft mashed potato.

Try a ‘full Irish’ breakfast, sometimes just called a fry. You’ll get a couple of eggs, Irish sausage, black and white puddings, bacon, tomato, and mushrooms. You might also get some baked beans. Lots of foodie pubs start the day serving this hearty breakfast, and you can get it all on a bap if you prefer.

Seafood and Oysters

Galway oysters are an Irish delicacy you won’t want to miss, but you can also sample salmon, blue lobster, clams, cockles and mussels as well as prawns, in pubs across the land, including ourselves. Did you know Dublin Bay prawns have a festival of their own in Howth?

You could try a cod and prawn bake, a creamy casserole, or delicious poached or grilled salmon from the west coast.

For a delicious mix of textures and flavours, go for a seafood chowder with a slice of soda bread and Irish butter to mop up the sauce.

You probably won’t find everything considered traditional Irish food or pub food in every pub, but if there’s something special you fancy you won’t have to look far. It’ll certainly be worth the hunt. 

Whether you’re after a serving of humble fish and chips by the sea accompanied by the cry of gulls, a comforting dish of good homestyle cooking or something more on the gourmet side, Irish pub food is a scrumptious treat at any time of the day or night.