Osteria Da Mirco, one of the best and most authentic. Fronted by Cork’s favourite Italian!

Osteria Da Mirco, one of the best and most authentic.

Fronted by Cork’s favourite Italian.

Tagliere Da Mirco

Mirco Fondrini is a beloved Italian figure in Cork. He has a strong affinity for the city, including its football club, and maintains close ties with his home region of Valtellina in Northeast Italy. Along with his team of Italian chefs, he showcases this passion at Osteria Da Mirco, widely regarded as one of the finest and most authentic Italian restaurants in Ireland.

He established Da Mirco in 2018. An Osteria is a traditional Italian tavern that serves good wine, simple dishes, and a warm welcome. Da Mirco’s is genuine and genial, meeting all those criteria and more.

Many Italian menus are extensive and most include a wide variety of pizza options. However, this is not the case here. The menu is concise and does not offer pizza. It may be short, but the quality is exceptional. Additionally, there is a great sense of humour. You can catch Mirco’s entertaining videos on his Instagram to experience his amiable character.

Monkfish

To get a sense of the restaurant's ambiance, you should head to Bridge Street and give it a try. It's a delightful combination of Italian expertise and Irish ingredients••, complemented by produce and wine from Valtellina, where the owner—he's also a sommelier — gained experience in the food industry.

When we visited last week, we couldn't resist starting with the Tagliere Da Mirco. This flavorful platter is loaded with Italian cured meats and cheeses, pickled giardiniera, and tomato jam. They also provided a basket of their delicious house-made focaccia bread. It's truly a delightful experience, a Mamma Mia one, just as Mirco would say himself!

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It's has been a busy year, eating out around Ireland (Munster Mainly). Check our current list here.

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For my main course, I chose the Maccheroni Ragu Di Salsiccia, a fantastic dish of homemade macaroni served in an Italian sausage and rosemary ragu, topped with a mix of bread crumbs and grated parmesan. It was another fantastic moment, cue more Mamma Mia! The ribbed macaroni tubes perfectly captured the ragu and were generously coated inside and out. The bowl was left spotless, and the remaining focaccia came in handy for savouring the last of the exceptional ragu!

Maccheroni Ragu Di Salsicca

Just to inform you, the cosy, atmospheric restaurant offers two menus: the Monthly Menu and the Tasting Experience Menu. Additional details, including menu options and prices, can be found here. 

In addition, there are usually two specials, one of which is pasta-based. During our visit, we were offered the pasta dish Mezze Maniche, also known as "half sleeves." This tubular ridged pasta variety is incredibly versatile. In this dish, it was combined with mussels and guanciale.

However, our choice was the Rana Pescatrice, also known as Monkfish. In Italy, it is often prepared with tomatoes and olives, but here, it was combined with a rustic mix of aubergine and carrot. Overall, it is a winning combination, with the perfectly cooked fish looking pristine.

We had wine, Italian, of course. The list has many options, including some available by the glass (125 ml or 175). I enjoyed my velvety and spicy Primitivo Bocca Della Verita’ Salento, while CL was enthusiastic about the zingy Pecorino Cu Ciu Marlettaie Officio.

Pere Nel Marsala Nocciole

"Of course, Mirco makes a great Tiramisu, but this time we chose the Pere Nel Marsala Nocciole. This delightful dessert is soaked in sweet Sicilian fortified wine (Marsala), paired with hazelnut cake sponge, and served with vanilla cream. It was the perfect conclusion to our meal."

* By the way, if you are coming from the west or northeast of the city, remember the Number 208 bus stops just outside Mirco’s door. The 207 also stops here. Go on, go public and allow yourself a glass of wine!

** Irish producers that are supported here include:

O'Mahony's The Market Butcher, English Market - Cork O'Sullivan's Poultry & Eggs, English Market - Cork Ballycotton Seafood, English Market - Cork Glenmar Shellfish, Union Hall - Co. Cork Terre Ignis, English Market - Cork Kilbrack Farm, Donerail - Co. Cork.

Food for Humans Farm, Ballinhassig - Co. Cork Bushby Strawberries, Rosscarberry - Co. Cork Real Olive Company, English Market - Cork Pana Artisan Bread, Midleton - Co. Cork .