I’m not a “foodie”, nor am I posh when it comes to food. I only care that it tastes good, and that it’s not going to make me sick. So I figured I’d start posting some lists of awesome food and drinks I’ve encountered in the cities/countries I’ve been to.

This is of course a biased list, because I’m the one writing it! It’s what I think you should try when you visit Ireland.

I’m sure there are other delicious foods and drinks to try in Ireland, but these are the ones that I’ve tried and would absolutely go for again. They’re also ones I feel represent Ireland, at least to a degree. Would you agree? 😏

– My Must Try in Ireland List –

• Sweets
  • Murphy’s Ice Cream
  • Bubble Waffle Factory
  • Kerrygold Butter Cookies
• Savoury
  • Steak
  • Shepherd’s Pie
  • Beef & Guinness Stew
  • Indian Curry
  • Burgers
• Drinks
  • Guinness
  • Murphy’s
  • Apple cider

🧁 Sweets 🍦

I’ve got a serious sweet tooth. Loooooove sweet things. So, might as well start with the sweet stuff yeah? 😋

Ireland is pretty well known for a few things, one of them being their fantastic grass-fed cows. And what do cows make? Milk! And what do you make with milk? Ice cream of course! 🍦

Murphy’s Ice Cream

And if you’re in Ireland and looking for ice cream, 'tis no better place to go than Murphy’s Ice Cream.

Murphy’s is pretty much synonymous with ice cream in Ireland, and for good reason… Their ice cream is super creamy and delicious!

They’ve got locations around Ireland, so you won’t have to look too far to find one. They’ve also got some pretty unique flavours too, like Irish Brown Bread, Dingle Sea Salt, and Dingle Gin.

Oh, and did I mention? They’re all made from Irish milk and cream! Right from County Kerry!

Bubble Waffle Factory

Now if you’re looking for something a little more unique, albeit perhaps not authentically Irish, then you should definitely check out the Bubble Waffle Factory in Dublin.

We’re talking lip-smacking, smooth & creamy soft-serve ice cream in an egg-bubble waffle cone, topped with your choice of toppings. And they’ve got a lot of toppings to choose from!

If you’ve never tried an egg-bubble waffle cone before, you’re in for a treat. They’re light and crispy, and go perfectly with creamy soft-serve ice cream.

Kerrygold Butter Cookies

Kerrygold butter is another one of those things that screams Ireland, and pairing it with cookies is just a match made in heaven.

Of course we have access to delicious butter cookies here in Canada as well, albeit generally of the Danish variety. But when I tried the Kerrygold butter cookies, I was on cloud 9. 😍

They were so buttery and delicious! I’d honestly fly straight back to Ireland right now if I had the cash and time to do so, just to get some more of those cookies. Yes, they’re that damn good!

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Savoury 🥓🥓

Alright, enough sugar for now. How about something you can make an actual meal out of?

Steak

I think steak is probably one of the most obvious choices here, thanks to Ireland’s fantastic cows. Their dairy cows make some great milk products, and their non-dairy ones make for some amazing steaks! 😎

Now I can’t claim to know how every steak restaurant in Ireland does their steaks, and whether or not they cook them well, but I can tell you that the one I had at FX Buckley was absolutely unreal! Certainly the best steaks my buddy and I had ever had.

And as I write this, in 2023, FX Buckley has actually been ranked #6 best steak in the world by World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants!

So you definitely won’t go wrong if you end up at FX Buckley for a steak. Just be sure to make a reservation, as they’re pretty popular!

Shepherd’s Pie

Ok but hold on, what about all the sheep I’ve seen grazing around Ireland? Surely they’ve got to be good for something other than wool right? Damn right they are!

And while lamb stew is probably the 1st thing that comes to mind, Shepherd’s Pie gets my vote for the best use of lamb in Ireland. I love it that much!

Juicy meat mixed with veggies and topped with creamy mashed potatoes, then baked to perfection… It’s too good to pass up.

And paired with a nice hearty stout like Guinness or Murphys, it’s just the perfect meal! 😋

Beef & Guinness Stew

Speaking of Guinness, how about a nice hearty stew made with it? I’m talking about Beef & Guinness Stew of course!

This is another one of those meals that just screams Ireland. I mean, it’s made with Guinness for crying out loud!

I’ll admit that I don’t know where the best place in Ireland to get beef and Guinness stew is though. I stopped off at Cleeres while I was in Kilkenny, and they had a pretty good one, but I’m positive there’s better out there.

Have a recommendation? Please let me know in the comment section below!

Indian Curry

And now for something that surprised me a bit … Indian food? In Ireland?

I’d expect to see Indian food in the UK, but Ireland? Well, I guess it makes sense, given the history between the two countries.

I happened to stop at Shimla while I was in Kilkenny, after searching online for recommended places to eat.

I think I must have decided to eat early though, cause the place was absolutely deserted when I got there. Not usually a good sign! 😳
But man, I’m so glad I decided to stay, because the food was absolutely fantastic, and why I’ve included it in this list.

Burgers

Getting back to Ireland’s glorious beef for a second, I’ve got to mention burgers. I mean, who doesn’t love a good burger right?

Now while you may not be able to get your burger cooked at a lower doneness than well-done in Ireland, depending on where you go, you can still get some pretty damn good burgers none the less.

And I’m not talking about McDonald’s or Burger King here. I’m talking about Real. Fresh. Juicy. Irish beef burgers. Yummm!

I had a fantastic burger at The Counter in Dublin, where you have the option to build your own burger! But if you’re looking to get the absolute best burger in Ireland, The Irish Times has an updated list of places worth checking out.

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🥂 Drinks 🍺

Not in the mood for food? Maybe you just fancy a pint?
No problem! Ireland has plenty on tap.

Guinness

Again, this is probably one of the most obvious choices here, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention it.

I mean, it’s Guinness! It’s Ireland’s most famous beer, and for good reason. For me personally though, I feel stout has it’s place, and pairs best with heartier foods, like burgers, or shepherd’s pie.

That said, there’s an interesting thing about the Guinness in the UK, and possibly Europe … it tastes better than what we have here in Canada, or at least Montreal. Our Guinness, sadly, is brewed with our local water. In Ireland, it’s brewed with Irish water. And that makes a big difference. Despite the obvious sharpness of a stout, the Ireland-brewed Guinness is smoother, and has less of a bitter aftertaste.

So if you’re from Montreal, or Canada, or perhaps even other parts of the world, and you’ve never tried Guinness in Ireland, I recommend giving it a try. You might be surprised at the difference in taste.

Murphy’s

Now while Murphy’s isn’t exactly unknown, it’s not as well known as Guinness, and was a beer I wasn’t personally familiar with. That is until a friend I met while in Killarney recommended it to me over Guinness, and I have to say, I really enjoyed it!

It tastes just a hint sweeter than Guinness, and is a bit smoother as well. I’d even say it pairs better with a lot of foods than Guinness does, but of course that’s just my opinion.

So if you’re not a fan of Guinness, or just want to try something different, then I recommend giving Murphy’s Irish Stout a try. It might just change your mind about stout!

Apple Cider

But what if you don’t like beer in general? Ain’t nothing wrong with that!

While I was in Killarney, on the amazing Gap of Dunloe hiking tour I booked, the very Irish driver of our return boat ride back to Killarney town mentioned he actually didn’t like beer! He preferred cider instead.

I was a bit surprised to hear that, and hadn’t considered apple cider before, but after he mentioned it, I was really starting to crave some!

So that night, after our hiking tour, my Swedish friend and I headed out to eat, and I had an amazing Bulmer’s cider with my dinner. I’ve actually tried to find another cider that matched it here in Montreal, but to no avail. I guess I’ll just have to go back to Ireland to get some more! 😋

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Well, that’s it for my list of must try foods and drinks in Ireland. I hope you enjoyed it, and if you have any recommendations of your own, please let me know in the comment section below!