Dine by the Water. Superb food and superb views

Dine by the Water

Superb food and superb views

Bunnyconnellan's

I’ve been very lucky this past few years to have dined in some well placed restaurants and cafes, places from Cork to Donegal that have a dining room with a view over water. Sometimes over a river, maybe over an estuary, over a lake perhaps, and then sometimes over the ocean. I was lucky too to have brilliant weather in most of the places.

Carrig Country House

Caragh Lake is in Kerry, not too far from Killorglin, and you have great views over its waters when you dine in the splendid Carrig Country House. 

Screebe House - their photo

There are some similarities between Carrig House and the lovely Screebe House  in Connemara; great food and great views. 

Blairscove

And in West Cork, near Durrus, there is Blairscove House. Here you can enjoy a splendid dinner and views over Dunmanus Bay. And another waterside gem in West Cork is Heron's Cove, perched nicely at Goleen.

Heron's Cove

Breakfast view (just a small section of it!) from the Trident's Pier One

There are no shortages of harbour views in Kinsale. One of my most recent visits was to Man Friday on the hills above the bay . And another recent visit was to the Trident Hotel, right in the town and so close to the waters that you think a boat is going to come through the dining room windows.

Sunrise at Garryvoe

The Samphire at the Garryvoe Hotel has expansive views of Ballycotton Bay and the lighthouse, excellent food too. 

Bayview, Ballycotton

And across the bay, its sister hotel, the Bayview has an even more spectacular cliff-top situation and amazing fish dishes.

Hake at Celtic Ross

The views at Rosscarberry’s Celtic Ross, where French chef Alex Petit maintains a high standard, are quieter but no less pleasant.

No shortage of views from the Inchydoney Hotel (above) which is situated on the spectacular beach of the same name.

Window view from the Eccles

Further west, go and stay at the Eccles Hotel, once home of the rich and famous.

Also in West Cork, be sure and visit beautiful Courtmacsherry and the small Courtmacsherry Hotel with its gorgeous views.

Enjoying a local beer on the terrace of the Lifeboat Inn

Also in Courtmac, you'll find terrific food at the Lifeboat Inn. 

Lunch-time view at the Cliff House

Ardmore’s Cliff House is renowned for the food, the views over the bay!

Blaa Eggs Benedict at The Granville

View from Strand Inn
overlooking Cahore in Wexford

Prawns Pil Pil
at The Strand

Waterford's excellent  Granville Hotel overlooks the harbour, right in the city centre. 

Next door in Wexford, check out the views from the Strand Inn in Cahore, in the north-east of the county, and also from the dining room at Hook Head Lighthouse in the south-west. 

Pier 26

Back again to Ballycotton and to Pier 26. This restaurant overlooks the harbour and the lighthouse island and the fish is highly recommended, of course! And down in Schull, L'Escale is right in the harbour area; the lobster here is a must try.

And if you really want a 360 degree ocean view while dining then take a trip from Ringaskiddy in Cork to Roscoff in Brittany on board the Pont Aven.  Splendid food and views!

Dingle

For harbour views, you'll find it hard to beat the sights as you come and go to Dingle’s Out of the Blue. And close by is the Boatyard. Fish will be on the menus of both for sure. Then again, there's a splendid view of Cork Harbour from the tea rooms at Camden Fort Meagher (below).

View over Cork Harbour from Camden Fort Meagher

Rosapenna

No shortage of seaside restaurants in Donegal. One of the best is the Seaview Tavern in Malin Head village even if the view to the sea is somewhat interrupted by the cars park across the road. No such problems at the Rosapenna Golf Hotel, whose dining room overlooks Sheephaven Bay and the beach at Downies. Further west, the bar at the Cove at Portnablagh, another top restaurant, overlooks a different part of the same bay.

The Bayview, Ballycotton

Perhaps the best ocean view is that enjoyed from your table in Bunnyconnellan’s, a very pleasant view and very enjoyable food here at this renowned Crosshaven (Cork) venue.

Islander's Rest on Sherkin

Back to West Cork and to Baltimore and Le Jolie Brise where I’ve sometimes enjoyed a dish of mussels as the day drew to a close with the island of Sherkin out in front. Speaking of Sherkin, the Islander's Rest sure has great water views!

Ostan Gweedore

Hard to top that. One view that comes close, maybe level, maybe even better, is from the Donegal restaurant of Ostan Gweedore where there is the most fantastic view over the beaches and the waters of the Atlantic.

Turbot at Electric Fish Bar

Perhaps you prefer river views. One of the best in Cork is from Electric, especially from the Fish Bar. From the first floor of the South Mall building, you have fine views of the southern channel of Lee to the west and to the east.

River Lee Hotel, top left

Also in the city, you can almost dip your fingers in the Lee as you wine and dine at the River Club  of the lovely River Lee Hotel.  

View from the restaurant in Dripsey Garden Centre

The Garden Restaurant, above the same River Lee, is at the very popular Griffin’s Garden Centre in rural Dripsey. Here you can enjoy some of Granny Griffin’s delights as you watch the water-skiers speed by down below.

Never know what you might see passing as you dine in Cobh

You have no shortage of harbour views in Cobh where you’ll find The Quays and The Titanic Bar & Grill.  And you’ll also find pleasant estuary views not too far away at Murph’s  in East Ferry. 

Kenmare Bay

The Boathouse at Dromquinna, near Kenmare, is also well situated, right on the northern flank of the bay. And, in Limerick, the place to be is Locke Bar. 

Locke Bar's water-side tables

The Fish Basket on Long Strand, Castlefreke, Co. Cork, has recently opened here
in what was previously the Puffin Cafe

Have you a personal favourite view over water while dining? If you'd like to share, please use the Comment facility below.

Heron's Cove. Goleen. Splendidly Situated. Excellent Food.

Heron's Cove. Goleen. 
Splendidly Situated. Excellent Food.

Can be messy!

Easy crab

Many of us drive through Goleen on the way to Crookhaven, Barley Cove, Three Castle Head and, of course, Mizen Head. It is worth a stop you. Take a left turn on the main street and a surprise awaits.Fish and shellfish feature very strongly on the menu here and we indulge. I pick the aforesaid Mizen Head claws (10.50) and find the hammering and the messy fingers well worthwhile as the flavour is intense, the crabs as fresh as can be.

Beer and a view

Not such a surprise to the customers of Heron’s Cove though. The restaurant - they also do B&B - overlooks the little harbour here and diners can enjoy the views. The cove has a narrow neck and here the resident heron waits, and waits. It is all peace and calm on the water as we arrive on a late August evening.

Not as quite inside. There is a guy hammering at one table, a lady doing the same at another. But don’t worry. The crab claws they serve here are in their shells so you get a hammer and base to do the necessary. It is beyond some of us, bits and pieces flying across the table, so a little help is called for and rescue is close at hand.

Sole

CL meanwhile has taken the easier route, ordering the Devilled Crab, spicy brown crab meat, crackers, mixed salad (7.95), another delicious dish with no hard labour required.

They have a full restaurant licence here so no shortage of drinks. There is a wine rack as well. I didn’t quite have the patience for that but was thinking of a beer or a cider in any case. Both of us enjoyed the Dungarvan Helvick Gold Blonde Ale.

Monkfish

The mains soon arrived, service is friendly and efficient here. I had a lovely plateful of Pan Fried Lemon Sole (22.75). It was also available with a wine and cream sauce but I thought that might have been too much for the delicate and delicious fish. 

The batter on CL’s Monkfish Tempura (26.75) wasn’t quite as light and crisp as the menu promised but the fish itself was cooked perfectly. We got some of the best potatoes of the year so far in the accompanying side dishes.

They do have a signature dessert here, a baked chocolate and vanilla cheesecake called the Russian Cheesecake (7.25). We shared that, though not equally!

Aside from the A la Carte menu, they also do a three course offering here for €32.50 and that includes quite a few of the A La Carte dishes.

Heron’s Cove 

Harbour Road

Goleen

Co. Cork

Email: info@heronscove.com 

Tel: 028 35225

Also on this trip:
A Walk in Gougane Barra
The Amazing Ewe Experience