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If you're heading on your holidays to the west coast of Ireland, Galway is a great place to base yourself. Here's where to eat when you're in (and around) the city.
Aniar
53 Lower Dominick Street, Galway, Ireland
Galway’s first restaurant to get a Michelin star, this is chef JP McMahon's flagship restaurant - it serves a daily-changing menu with dishes inspired by and using produce from the local area. Only open for dinner, they serve an 18 dish tasting menu, with a special four-course children's tasting menu too.
Ard Bia
Spanish Arch, Long Walk, Galway, H91 E9XA
A longstanding Galway restaurant that's been highly rated for years - this is an all-day spot that serves up super breakfasts and brunches, before switching to a seasonally focused a la carte for lunch and dinner.
Blackrock Cottage
Blackrock House, Salthill, Co. Galway, Ireland
Chef Martin O'Donnell comes here after a 15-year tenure at The Twelve in Barna. It's a stunning setting, right on the seafront at Salthill offering everything from takeaway coffees for walkers and swimmers, to amazing pastries and bigger lunches and dinners in the tardis-like interior.
Coffeewerk + Press
4 Quay St, Galway
This coffee house in the heart of Galway roasts its own, chosen from suppliers who "exemplify ethical business practice". Part cafe, shop and gallery - even its coffee cups are works of art.
The Dean
80 Prospect Hill, Centre, Galway, H91 T9C4
The opening this summer of the Galway branch of Irish boutique hotel group The Dean created quite the stir, particularly when locals got a look at the rooftop bar and restaurant, Sophie's. With panoramic views over Galway this is quite the dining spot (and hard to get into - so book ahead at busy times). It's an all-day spot with a massive, heated terrace. Food-wise it's all about wood-fired pizzas and steaks along with a strong cocktail list.
Dela
51 Dominick Street Lower, Galway, H91 E3F1
Having their own farm just outside Galway means there's a real farm-to-table sense to the menu at Dela. They're also big into craft beer. Their brunch is very popular with the pork burger from local pork-only butcher Herterich's a must-try.
The Dough Bros
Cathedral Buildings, 1 Middle St, Galway
Unbelievably good pizza from what's billed as an authentic Irish pizzeria. The mozzarella is from Toonsbridge in Cork, they have pepperoni made especially for them in Meath and the result is fantastic. They're also still offering their pizza kits which they deliver all over Ireland.
Éan
Druid Ln, Galway, H91 WD26
Part bakery, restaurant and wine bar, this newish Galway spot is from the folks behind Michelin-starred Loam. So it's not perhaps too surprising that it also got a nod from the Michelin team with a Bib Gourmand. During the day it's a lovely spot to enjoy a pastry and coffee. But the menu really comes into its own in the evening with dishes like scallop crudo with carrot and blood organge or Ballymakenny potatoes and koji butter to try.
Handsome Burger
49 Dominick Street Lower, Galway, H91 P08F
Handsome burger started out as street food, then a residency in a pub before settling down in their own place. Not only are they easily the best burgers in town, they've also been voted best burgers in Ireland. The burgers are excellent, and we also have a soft spot for their fries - particularly the Parmesan and maple bacon fries with garlic aioli. We don't have to explain why.
Hooked
65 Henry St, Galway
The tourist spot for fish and chips in Galway is McDonaghs on Quay Street but head a bit further out and this newer, better spot is the best place for seafood dishes. There are all kinds, from crab and chorizo croquettes to Killary bay mussels. They also have a second outpost in Barna.
Kai
22 Sea Rd, Galway, H91 DX47
Kai has been a mainstay of the modern Galway dining scene since opening in 2011. Run by New Zealander chef Jess Murphy and her Irish husband, it focuses on wild and organic produce and there's plenty to thrill vegetarians in particular. Sunday brunches see a queue down the street.
Kappa Ya
4 Middle St, Galway
Highly rated by JP McMahon, this Galway spot serves up the usual sushi and bento, but also veers off in a different direction with a Tsumami or Japanese tapas section where you can try kushikatsu kebabs, chicken gizzard yakitori and more.
Truffle
15 Abbeygate Street Upper, Galway, H91 PC60
This chocolaterie on the corner of Abbeygate and Market Street sells a variety of handmade chocolates and cakes along with beautiful patisserie - the pistachio and vanilla cake is particularly lovely. They do a nice line in vegan options too and prepared to be mesmerised by the chocolate waterfall
Wa Sushi
13 New Dock St, Galway
This teeny dockside cafe is run by Japanese-Galwegian owner Yoshimi Hayakawa and was the first place to sell sushi in Galway. It's available for takeaway and delivery too.
Birdhouse at Carrolls
39 Dominick Street Lower, Galway, H91 RX83
This is definitely a Jekyll and Hyde pub. The front section is all trad music sessions and pints of Guinness, but if you head on out to the back at the weekends you'll find a massive pub garden complete with a double-decker bus where Birdhouse chicken is served up.
The Front Door
8 Cross Street Upper, Galway, H91 YY06
This cavernous Galway pub is so big it actually has two doors on both the High Street and Cross Street. There are five bars set over two floors, including a space for live music and a slightly more sedate Gin Bar. It's crazy busy every night, but particularly at the weekends and at Arts Festival time or during Race Week.
Garavan’s
46 William St, Galway, H91 RX54
Looking for Irish whiskey? Then you've come to the right place. This multi award-winning pub situated in a late medieval building offers Whiskey Platters where you can try three whiskeys along with tasting notes. As you might expect they do a cracking Irish Coffee here too.
Kasbah Wine Bar
3 Quay St, Galway, H91 TC95
Upstairs from Tigh Neachtain, you'll find this cosy wine bar where the wine list changes pretty regularly and the small plates menu features such delights as parmesan and polenta chips served with a Barna Buckfast aioli.
The King's Head
15 High St, Galway, H91 AY6P
There's been a pub on this site since 1649 and unlike many similarly-named establishments, this one actually gets its name from the fact that it was once the home of the man who executed King Charles I. They have a separate whiskey bar and do a particularly fine bowl of chowder.
O’Connor’s
Salthill House, Upper Salthill Road, Galway
OK, so it's not in Galway City, but this Salthill pub's only a short taxi trip or bus ride from the centre and 100% worth the trip. You may recognise it from Ed Sheeran's Galway Girl video or seen pictures of its crazily-Instagrammable interior, and it's the kind of place where Hollywood actors end up doing this.
O’Connell’s
8 Eyre Square, Galway
This pub on Galway's central Eyre Square may not look all that from the outside, but what you can't see from the street is the humungous beer garden. Or should that be beer street - after all they've built a Victorian street in their huge courtyard complete with a Dough Bros pizzeria and the whole thing has a retractable roof to cope with the Irish weather.
The Salt House
Raven Terrace, Galway
Owned by Galway Bay Brewery - if you can't get a beer you like here, then the fault is yours. They feature over 120 bottled craft beers, 21 taps (6 rotating) and there's even an open fire for colder nights.
Sheridan’s
14 Churchyard St, Galway, H91 X2R
Situated upstairs from one of the best cheese shops in Ireland, this lively wine bar has views out over St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church (which has the distinction of being visited by Christopher Columbus en route to America).
Tigh Neachtain
17 Cross Street, Galway
There's been a pub on this site since 1894 (before that it was the home of 'Humanity Dick' Martin who co-founded the RSPCA). You'll always find a decent session going on - squeeze yourself in and enjoy the atmosphere.
The Universal
9 William St W, Galway H91 H5R9
This bar and restaurant in Galway's West End is probably the best place in the city right now for cocktails. They made us an exemplary martini recently and the food menu, which includes a 10-mile scotch egg with all the ingredients coming from a 10-mile radius, is also good too.
Time to make a trip outside the city? Here’s where to head to in the surrounding area.
O'Grady's on the Pier, Barna
Seapoint, Barna, Co. Galway
This super fish restaurant was the first place chef Aidan McGee (previously Head Chef at Corrigan's Mayfair) worked. The biggest selling point is its glorious views over Galway Bay - but the seafood-heavy menu is also full of delights.
More about O’Gradys on the Pier
The Twelve, Barna
Barna Rd, Freeport, Barna, Co. Galway, H91 Y3KA
This is our local whenever we're back in Ireland. The hotel/gastropub is situated in Barna Village - a 10-minute drive from Galway. On the top floor, you'll find the fine dining restaurant with a wine list that has won multiple international awards. Our favourite spot is downstairs in The Pins Gastro Bar - the pizzas, stacked with local ingredients, are super. the menu changes regularly and we're addicted to their garlic bread.
Misunderstood Heron, Leenane
Derrynacleigh, Leenaun, Co. Galway
The only street food spot to make it into Lonely Planet's Around the World in 80 Food Trucks, this idyllic shack is perched overlooking Killary Harbour in north Connemara (one of Ireland's three fjords). Get the mussels where the food miles are more like metres - they come from the waters just behind. It's over an hour's drive from Galway, but worth the trip if the weather's behaving.
More about Misunderstood Heron
Lignum, Loughrea
1, Kanargad, Co. Galway, H62 H798
This new opening - about a 30-minute drive from Galway City - has Irish foodies all in a flutter of excitement. Their pitch is to use "ancient methods focusing on using wood to prepare, cook and serve our cuisine". So expect inventive, modern cooking with a strong emphasis on excellent produce.
How to get there
Galway's equidistant between two west of Ireland airports, Shannon to the south and Knock to the North. If you're not hiring a car, Shannon's got better coach connections to Galway - with one going roughly every hour. And if you're heading here from Dublin there are numerous coach services as well as a regular train connection between Dublin and Galway.
The best of Galway city, mapped
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