During my two years there, I really grew to love the city of Cork (and the surrounding county as well!) so its important to me to share the character, beauty, fun, and delicious food options in Cork! So Cork will be my focus for the first couple posts.. here is the first one!
During my last year of living in Cork, I was lucky enough to live in the city centre, and therefore got very familiar with the pubs, bars, and restaurants in centre. Granted I left Cork in September 2018 so my list will not include any of the very new places, but I have done my best to make sure that every place I mention here is still open and running! :)
I’ll start by first just listing my favorite places that I frequented the most and that I recommend from personal experience. Then I’ll list some more that I know are very popular with locals and tourists, and that I might have also recommended to you when I worked at Paddywagon tours, which also served as a tourist office in town.
My Favorite Pubs:
Sin é - 8 Coburg Street- Sin e is one of the best places to find trad music (traditional Irish music) any night of the week- and it's a great mix of locals and tourists alike. This is definitely a must stop on any trip to Cork.
Costigans - 11 Washington Street. Costigans is one of my favorite Pubs in the city! Great pub feel and friendly bartenders.
Mutton Lane Inn - 3 Mutton Lane (off St. Patricks Street) Mutton Lane A TINY TINY very old and historic pub with a great atmosphere and it’s one of the oldest pubs in Cork. Just be ready for tight spaces and crowds!
The Oval - on the corner of South Main Street and Tuckey Street. The Oval is my second favorite pub in Cork. :) Very old (for Cork), and lots of character. It was built to serve those who worked at the Beamish brewery that used to be right across the street (you can see the old Brewery before it was demolished in one of my photos of Iggy's bar which is right next to the Oval.)
My Favorite Beer Gardens on a Nice Day:
Deep South - 51 Grand Parade- The Deep South is a really great beer garden right in the middle of the city centre (off of Grand parade near the River Lee)- You won’t see the beer garden as it’s hidden out back.
The Courtyard Sober Lane - at Sober lane and Sullivans Quay. The Courtyard at Sober Lane is just a really cool space. Massive amounts of outdoor space, tons of tables, and a great place to watch sports or just gather outside on a nice day. Not too far from the city centre (and even from Deep South.) Just cross over Nano Nagle Bridge (from Grand Parade/South Mall over the south channel of the River lee) turn right on Sullivan’s quay and then left on Sober Lane. The entrance to the courtyard is right there off of Sober Lane. (Sober Lane itself is also right there and is a fun bar too with good Pizza!)
Franciscan Well Brewery - 14 N Mall, Sunday's Well. Franciscan Well is a great place on the north side. It’s a fun place inside, with a great beer garden out back. Also- really great beers here and the pizza is also pretty delicious! Try getting parma ham and rocket (arugula) on your pizza to try something delicious and (maybe) new!
My Favorite Late night Bars:
The Oliver Plunkett - 116 Oliver Plunkett Street. The Oliver Plunkett has music 7 days a week and is always a fun atmosphere, no matter when you go really. They have food also so it's a great place to get a meal if you want to hear some music or be around a buzzy atmosphere. Overall it's a really fun place to go and a definite must do on any visit to Cork. Always a decent mix of locals and tourists here. Also- if you are in Cork at a quiet time, this is a good place to go find some liveliness! And if you go on Sunday nights at 6pm, you can see my favorite band when I was there- the Big Swinging Mikies!
This is the Big Swinging Mikies who I watched on many Sunday evenings...
And here is a great band on the second floor, the Frisky Whiskey
Reardens -26 Washington Street. Reardens is a complete crazy mess on the weekend evenings (perfect if you like that!), but otherwise, it's always a good lively atmosphere that plays sports games and often has live music. It's a good bet for most nights of the week and weekend days. If you are in Cork at a quiet time (or day of the week), this is another good place to go find some liveliness! Keep in mind there are 2-3 dance clubs upstairs that you can also enjoy (for a cover) when they are open.
Crane Lane - (Go down Pembroke Street from Oliver Plunkett Street, and turn left on Phoenix street.) Crane Lane - This place has three different bars, and you’ll hear different music in each of them, so you’re bound to find something that suits you! They have a DJ 7 days a week, and live music also. This is another great place to head on a week night, but beware of Friday and Saturday nights if you're not looking for crowds!
Chambers Bar- Washington Street. There might be more than one bar in Cork geared torwards an LGBTQ crowd, but Chambers is definitely the one I know best and can recommend. Always had a fun time dancing here- and I believe it to be a safe space.
My Favorite restaurants:
il Padrino - 19-21 Cook Street. Il padrino’s is off of Cook street between Oliver Plunkett Street and the South Mall. Really, really delicious Italian food and I ALWAYS had great service there. One of my absolute favorite places to go. The Carbonara and the Chicken lasagna are both AMAZING. If you are on a bit of a budget, try them during lunch! Either way- Really, please go try them!
The Carbonara was AMAZING. Even after my trip to Italy, it was still number 2 or 3 in my rankings!
Rising Sons brewery - Cornmarket Street. Rising Sons has a really great pizza and pint for €12 special Sunday- Thursday that I was a big fan of. It’s a pretty large pizza (bigger than a typical personal size) and their beer is pretty delicious! I myself am a fan of lighter beers so I always loved their Sunbeam lager. It's also a great place to sit outside if you can grab a seat.
The Cornstore - 41-43 Cornmarket Street. The Cornstore is a really delicious upscale restaurant in a beautiful historic building. Definitely a great place if you are looking to treat yourself! This is next to the Bodega (another nice place) on Cornmarket Street. Try one of their steaks- and add some garlic butter! YUM.
I also had a side of asparagus and rocket with parmesan that was AMAZING!
Coqbull - 5 French Church Street. This place has pretty great burgers- if you find yourself looking for something a little more traditional. It’s also in a great area for restaurants.. with many good places nearby.
Uncle Pete’s - 40 Paul Street. Uncle Pete’s is also near Coqbull and was a go to place for me. It’s a great mix of locally sourced food and some irish classics like Guinness stew. Always a good bet here.
Liberty Grill - Washington House, Washington Street. Liberty Grill is good all around and has a great brunch! Get there early though as the line gets long. (This and The SpitJack next to it are great places to walk into from the bed and breakfasts out on Western Road.)
My Favorite Miscellaneous Recommendations:
Ó Conaill Chocolate Shop - 16B French Church St. YOU MUST STOP IN HERE! Man oh man is this place GOOD!! Some of the best hot chocolate you will ever have- and their chocolate bars and brownies are TO DIE FOR. Seriously. Forget about Butlers chocolate. THIS IS THE BEST CHOCOLATE in Cork, and maybe in Ireland!! (Their coffee is probably delicious too, I just don't drink coffee!) ;) They also make chocolate bars with special Cork wrappers so they make EXCELLENT gifts and souvenirs to bring back home!
99 Flake Ice Cream Cone - Get yourself a 99 flake (soft serve vanilla ice cream on a cone with a Cadbury flake) no matter the time of year. They are cheap and delicious and one of my favorite go to snacks/sweets when in Ireland as a whole! You’ll see signs for them all around- make sure to stop in and grab one! It doesn't have to be from a sweet shop- my favorites were often from Centra’s around town.
Here's one with a friend in the beautiful Cobh
If you see a chip shop around Cork, or anywhere you visit in Ireland, definitely make sure to stop in one night, maybe after being out at a pub for a little while- and make sure to try Cheese, chips, and garlic (or cheesy chips with garlic.) Hands down one of my favorite guilty pleasures from my time in Ireland… you’ll find garlic mayo all over Ireland (and the UK too I think) - and their addition to cheesy chips (fries) is amazing! The Fish Wife is a really good fish and chip shop in the Cork city centre, but sadly not my favorite for garlic cheesy chips. Unfortunately though some of the best chip shops (or chippers) are not in the city center. Some local favorites if you feel like driving out to them- are KC and Son’s (KC’s) and Jackie Lennox (Lennox’s) chip shops. Also, Dino’s is a very solid Cork chain of chip shops.
Quick food to go in convenience shops or supermarkets: For those of you from the US- you would likely try to avoid buying prepared cold or hot food at a gas station/convenient store as a meal substitute- but in Ireland (and really much of Europe in general) you absolutely will be missing out on good, affordable on the go meals if you skip them here! Be sure to try a sausage roll in any of the convenience shops (Centra, Daybreak, Costcutter, Spar) and also my favorite, a ham and cheese jambon! Also for a sweet pastry- try a chocolate torsade. Supermarkets are a great place to grab something hot or cold also- Tesco, Marks and Spencer’s, the Food Hall downstairs in Dunne’s store in the city centre, Lidl, and Aldi, are all good places to stop also.
Honorable Mentions Pubs:
Vicarstown Inn and right next to it, BDSM on North Main Street.
An Spailpín Fánach, off South Main Street. (Right near the Oval and Ziggys, this spot is another good bet for traditional irish music (trad music.)
Tom Barry’s - 113 Barrack St. This one is on the south side of the centre, a little past Elizabeth Fort, up off of Barrack Street. It’s a good pub and has a nice beer garden in the back. Definitely a favorite for Cork locals.
Honorable Mentions Late Bars:
Brick Lane: This was always one of my favorite places to start at on a Friday or Saturday night as they have DJ’s that played fun 90s music and had a little dance floor. It starts to get pretty crazy around 11 and usually gets packed until it closes- but is always good fun without the craziness if you go before then. They have good food also!
The outside of Brick Lane, and North Main Street
Often Recommended Restaurants to Splurge on:
Market Lane (a little past the Oliver Plunkett Bar on Oliver Plunkett Street)
Cafe Paradiso (vegetarian restaurant that is supposed to be delicious!)
Greene’s Restaurant
Issac’s Restaurant/Cask bar (Issac's and Greene’s are neighbors and are on MacCurtain street in the Victorian quarter)
Electric (Seafood, on South Mall right near the River Lee)
Elbow Lane
Quinlans Seafood and Bar
Often Recommended Restaurants for your Average Evening:
Gallaghers Gastro Pub (near Sin é, off of MacCurtain Street)
Son of a Bun (Good Burger place also off of MacCurtain Street)
Gourmet Burger Bistro
Amicus
Luigi Malones
Aroma
Often Recommended Restaurants When You're on a Budget:
Boojum (very similar to Chipotle in the states. Good portions for €7-8)
Umi Falafel
Ramen
Luigi Malones (at lunch they have pizza for €8!)
Wow. There is still so many places I left out that I could have mentioned, but I had to stop somewhere!! Cork really is a great place for food options in Ireland- so I hope you make sure to spend a few days there, and that you enjoy yourself! Have fun eating, and please let me know in the comments if you have any places you love in Cork!
