Ireland's Michelin star restaurants

With our unrivalled homegrown produce, grass-fed beef, fresh fish and natural creativity, it should come as no surprise that this island is teeming with Michelin stars! We’ve rounded up the top restaurants in Ireland for you to enjoy.

1. Terre, Castlemartyr Resort, County Cork

Dining is an experience at Terre in the 5-star Castlemartyr Resort, nestled in the County Cork countryside. Described as “a culinary journey celebrating the brilliance of nature”, you can expect a tasting menu that combines the best of French cuisine with dynamic Asian flavours, all created using the best of local, seasonal produce. The restaurant gained a Michelin star just six months after opening, and now is onto its second, an amazing achievement in just two years.  

2. Chapter One, Dublin city

Cementing his reputation at Chapter One is acclaimed Finnish chef, Mickael Viljanen, who joined forces with Ross Lewis to create a dream team of Dublin's restaurant scene. Viljanen's use of luxury ingredients presented with striking creativity has wowed critics and diners alike. And Chapter One itself has long been renowned for its friendly staff, unbeatable atmosphere and dining room adorned with Irish art.

3. Liath, County Dublin

After first opening as Heron and Grey in 2015 and blowing its patrons away, Liath quickly became the hottest ticket in town. Based in the much-loved Blackrock Market in south County Dublin, Liath offers a very personal dining experience, with chef Damien Grey and his team explaining the dishes to their guests. The full tasting menu is a real treat – packed with bold, original Irish cuisine and complemented by great wine pairings.

4. Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Dublin city

Inspired and supplied by the best of Irish growers, farmers and fishermen, Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud marries French influence with local produce to create exceptional menus. At the peak of Dublin’s food scene for 40 years, this is one of the city’s more established top-tier restaurants—and with their sights set on a third star, they’re not going anywhere soon.

5. Dede, County Cork

In Baltimore, a town that feels like it could be at the edge of the world, you’ll find some of the best food on the planet. Chef Dede’s self-named restaurant Dede expertly combines his Turkish heritage with his love of top-quality, local food. Prioritising a minimal-waste approach and drawing on a local network of experienced foragers and producers, Dede’s dishes are not to be missed.

One star

1. Aniar, Galway city

Like Aimsir, Aniar is listed as up-and-coming on the Michelin Green Star list. A boutique cookery school as well as a champion of contemporary Irish food, Aniar distils Galway and puts it on the plate for the diner. Chef JP McMahon reinvigorates old Irish culinary practices, like curing and pickling, to breathe new life into much-loved traditional Irish dishes and reimagine Irish food through the ages.

2. Bastible, Dublin

Inspired by the cast iron pot which once sat on the hearth of every Irish home, the name may sound traditional, but Bastible is in fact a modern, vibrant and lively eatery. Owner Barry Fitzgerald expertly takes the lead in the open kitchen, creating superb contemporary cuisine using the best Irish ingredients.

3. Bastion, County Cork

It may come as a surprise to learn that Kinsale, the town known as the culinary capital of Ireland, only welcomed its first Michelin star in 2020. Run by husband-and-wife team Paul and Helen McDonald, Bastion pays homage to its seaside roots by giving seafood a starring role on its 8-course tasting menu—though its vegetarian menu is just as expertly designed.

4. Campagne, Kilkenny city

Inspired by French cuisine and elevated by local Irish ingredients, Campagne’s menu is pure indulgence: think foie gras crème caramel followed by wild venison and hazelnut bavarois. Chef Garrett Byrne worked previously at Dublin’s Chapter One, so the Michelin pedigree here runs deep – and at just an hour and a half from the capital, it’s well worth the trip!

5. Chestnut, County Cork

In a cosy village of Ballydehob in the heart of West Cork, a Michelin-starred restaurant has set up camp in the shell of a once run-down old pub on the main street. Chestnut seats just 18 lucky diners at each sitting, treating them to the glorious spoils of the West Cork wilderness. From turf-smoked butter to freshly gathered cockles, every mouthful is a masterpiece.

Set within a high-ceilinged, late-19th century building in the centre of Dublin close to Trinity College, D’Olier Street has become one of the city's hottest restaurant openings. If you like to watch the masters at work the chef’s table seating is the perfect choice for a menu that unfurls over 12 magnificent courses. Executive chef and co-owner James Moore honed his craft in some of the world’s top kitchens and brings his experience to bear on dishes that mix homegrown ingredients such as Smoked Gubbeen cheese with exotic global flavours.

7. Glovers Alley, Dublin

Set in a prime spot on the second floor of the Fitzwilliam Hotel overlooking St Stephen’s Green, Glovers Alley is a chic, elegant restaurant named after Dublin’s glove-makers, who once occupied the neighbouring alleyway. The room has an opulent and contemporary feel, brilliantly juxtaposed with Andy McFadden’s bold cooking.

8. House, County Waterford

Perched on the cliffs above the Irish Sea, House is a treat for the eyes and the soul, as well as the taste buds. The team behind this beautifully located eatery focuses on sustainable practises and sourcing produce with a low footprint – meaning the seafood you eat was likely caught by fishermen on the waves outside the restaurant window. So take a big breath – and take a big bite!

Set in the basement of the beautiful Cashel Palace Hotel in County Tipperary, the Bishop’s Buttery is a warm, relaxed and elegant space perfectly tailored to slow lunches and dinners. Service is friendly and engaging, the wine list is interesting and the food sings thanks to dishes such as Atlantic scallop with butternut squash, trompette, lardo and citrus, and wild Sika deer with Jerusalem artichoke, Roscoff onion, chanterelle and quince. The restaurant is open to both residents and non-residents of the hotel.

10. Lady Helen, County Kilkenny

There’s no escaping it: Mount Juliet is the epitome of opulence. So, it makes sense that its star culinary attraction, the Lady Helen restaurant, is equally lush. Using ingredients from the surrounding estate, as well as local farmers and artisan producers, the team knows the quality of every single item that enters and leaves the kitchen – and they only accept the best.

11. OX, Belfast

With a proud tradition of showcasing Northern Ireland's seasonal produce in all its glory, OX is an art gallery for nature’s bounty. The team’s larder changes each month, and is updated online for those looking to whet their appetite before making a reservation. Expect the usual luxuries – duck, wild salmon, venison – alongside little sparks of whimsy, like dandelion and salsify.

Flagstone floors, stone walls and a fireplace decorated with jars of herbs – there’s something special about the inside of Homestead Cottage in Doolin. Dating back over 200 years, the building retains much of its original character while adding bursts of warmth and interest – shelves lined with cookery books, and walls decorated with contemporary photography. But it’s the food here that shines thanks to a mix of exceptional cooking and produce that comes from local farmers, growers and artisan food producers, all within a stone’s throw of the Atlantic Ocean.

13. The Muddlers Club, Belfast

Named after the secret society that met in this spot over 200 years ago, The Muddlers Club is an absolute delight. The interior design is industrial, yet warm, just like Belfast itself; while the staff are famously friendly. Known for its deceptively simple menu, the food here needs no frills or fancies to convey its excellence – and the secret fine wine menu is top notch… Shhh!

14. The Oak Room, County Limerick

The Oak Room, otherwise known as the dining room of the 1830s Adare Manor, nabbed Limerick’s first Michelin star back in 2019. Even before the mouth-watering food arrives, a seat here is worth it for the luxurious surroundings alone. As well as the locally sourced food, the delicious menu is lifted by plants foraged from the estate and honey from its beehives.

15. Variety Jones, Dublin city

One of the few higher-end restaurants to reside in the older, more rugged part of Dublin city, Variety Jones has an open, relaxed air and fun, funky design. And the food! Most dishes are cooked over an open flame in the open kitchen, in full sight of the dining room; and each one is an adventure. Try the pig’s head terrine, and thank us later.

16. Wild Honey Inn, County Clare

Another up-and-comer on the Michelin Green Star list, the Wild Honey Inn benefits hugely from its unique location at the heart of the Burren. A truly seasonal spot, the menu changes weekly – sometimes daily – depending on what locally available produce is best at the time. And as Ireland’s only Michelin-starred pub, there’s nowhere else like it.