Dine by the Water

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.

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

There are no shortages of views in Kinsale. One of my most recent visits was to Man Friday on the hills above the bay Man Friday. 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. And across the bay, its sister hotel, the Bayview has an even more spectacular cliff-top situation.

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.

Cliff House View

Ardmore’s Cliff House is renowned for the food, the views over the bay and their 3-word tweets!

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 parking 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 hand almost dip your fingers in the Lee as you wine and dine at the Weir Rooms of the lovely River Lee Hotel.  

View from the Spinning Wheel in Dripsey Garden Centre

The Spinning Wheel, 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 Puffin Cafe on Long Strand, Castlefreke, Co.. Cork, is my latest addition (09.07.17). It overlooks that long beach and the ocean.

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

Supreme of Food at the Cove and superb Kinnegar Ales

John Dory at The Cove

We enjoyed the best of food this evening in the Cove at Port na Blagh. And the beer, all ales by the local Kinnegar Brewery, weren’t half bad either!

Peter and Siobhan’s Cove is a well respected restaurant in these parts and we were shown why this evening. Made our choices in the very comfortable upstairs bar. 

And here I was delighted to see the Kinnegar selection on the menu. During the evening, worked my way through the ales, the Limeburner Pale Ale, the Scraggy Bay India Pale Ale and the Devil’s Backbone Amber Ale. Thought all three were excellent.  My number one went to the IPA while CL picked the Limeburner.

The food was something else. CL enjoyed, without reservation,  her Donegal Crab and Smoked Salmon Paupiettes while my Roasted Fresh Figs, filled with Cashel Blue cheese and Parma ham, was an exquisite dish.

Good food policy!

My lips just lick themselves once I think of my mains: Classic Cassoulet, a rich casserole of confit duck, Toulouse sausage, smoked bacon and Cannellini beans, slow cooked in red wine. C’est super! And CL’s was delicate and gorgeous. It was one of the Fish of the Day specials: John Dory with lightly curried leeks. Both came with a choice of side dishes. 

Not too much room for desert but we did share the Chocolate Pot with Raspberries with which I sipped a Macchiato. There is a long summer ahead. So do get to the Cove if you can at all. Highly recommended!

With a decision made to return to Donegal and check out the southern half, there was no need to go long distance today. But we did head over the Mulroy Bay Bridge for a second time to drive a small stretch of the Fanad peninsula that we had missed. Main town on the way was Kerrykeel (also spelt Carrowkeel). Amazing how much fish-farming is going on in the waters of the bay.

Headed back to Carrigart and had a lovely coffee break at Caife na Sráide, run by the McClaffertys. There is a welcoming warm atmosphere and a menu to suit all ages and outdoor seating if the weather is kind. The village also boasts a smashing little public park down by the water.

So an easy going day ahead of check out tomorrow morning. But which bed to sleep in? The box bed by the Aga or the 4 Poster upstairs?

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