A pair of horses are getting restless as they queue at for fish and chips. Seeing riders out and about is common in Ireland, although they can still be an unexpected sight waiting in line for supper. Now, the sun is setting over the harbour, the bobbing masts of yachts are glinting, and the salty aroma of vinegary chips mingles with sea breezes.
It鈥檚 hard to picture a more perfect spot. Petting the beautiful animals and picking up supper, we walk down the hill to eat the golden battered fish with glasses of chilled white wine on the sea wall of bar.
Shirley Walsh, the proprietor of 厂丑颈谤濒别测鈥檚, gets her fish direct from the family boat, and her food truck is just one of the reasons Kinsale is famous among foodies. This small town on the southern coast of County Cork has been known since the 1970s as the gourmet capital of Ireland.
Market Street in Kinsale is lined with colourful buildings.
David Creedon / AnzenbergerIt鈥檚 a label that Ciar谩n Fitzgerald, managing director of , downplays. 鈥淭here鈥檚 good food all over the country these days,鈥 he says over a drink in the hotel bar, although he does admit that, back then, Kinsale led the way 鈥 and it still has an edge.
What is it about a small coastal town of fewer than 6,000 people that can boast a Michelin-starred restaurant, a further three places with Michelin mentions, and more great spots to eat and drink than you could shake a well-licked spoon at?
Provenance helps, says Fitzgerald. Thanks to the rich grass and mild winters, dairy produced in this part of Ireland is particularly special 鈥 back in the 1800s, the was the largest butter market in the world.
According to Francis and Emily Keane, the father-and-daughter team at the shop, the milk and butter add a lushness to their handmade chocolates. That and a dab of local seaweed. 鈥淕o on, it makes it healthy,鈥 says Francis with a mischievous grin.
Seeing locals on horseback is common here. Emily Keane, of the Koko Kinsale artisanal chocolate shop, is out riding.
Gemma TiptonThe produce in Kinsale is also exceptional, with small owner-growers across County Cork focusing on high-quality organics.
Chef Meeran Manzoor of , the Michelin-recommended restaurant at the Blue Haven Hotel, says it adds a vital element: 鈥淵ou get to chat (with farmers). There鈥檚 no product list, no middleman 鈥 the one who is delivering is the one growing 鈥 so we can show that whole food journey.鈥 Hailing from Chennai, India, Manzoor mingles Irish ingredients with Tamil Nadu spices to rave reviews. The cocktails aren鈥檛 bad either.
Kinsale is also notable for its friendliness. Outside , I find Simon Prim catching a morning coffee before opening up his nearby store, , which doubles as a wine bar after dark. Occasional pop-up gigs at his tiny, atmospheric spot are legendary.
Sit at OHK鈥檚 front bench on a sunny morning, and you鈥檒l probably meet most of Kinsale. The same would have been true back in the days when it was a bar. 鈥淚t has been in the family for six generations,鈥 says co-owner Sarah O鈥橞rien, who runs the caf茅 with her siblings.
Local spots such as the family-run OHK Cafe reflect Kinsale鈥檚 friendly character.
OHK CafeShe points out pockmarks on the floor as we eat delicious, local smoked salmon on sourdough. 鈥淭hey used to play darts just here. It was very old-fashioned as a bar 鈥 they鈥檇 barter fish for pints,鈥 she says with a smile.
Kinsale鈥檚 long-running food and drink institutions include , and (a bar whose license dates back to 1690). All are still thriving. Other landmarks are Martin Shanahan鈥檚 , and . I get the impression that if Jim Edwards ever changed a thing, people would be up in arms.
Newer to town are restaurants such as the acclaimed Bastion, the tiny but astonishing , and the Black Pig, a local-favourite wine bar 鈥 all owned and run by hugely talented, passionate people.
Kinsale鈥檚 culinary gems include the tiny but astonishing Saint Francis Provisions.
John AllenMany, like chef/owner Paul McDonald, were passing through and found they couldn鈥檛 tear themselves away. His tasting menus have earned the spot a Michelin star, but you can still drop in for a lobster roll at the bar, McDonald is quick to note.
Others, like 鈥檚 restaurateurs, Siobhan Waldron and Gavin Ryan, came for Kinsale鈥檚 surf and scenery. 鈥淲e had visited for years,鈥 says Waldron. 鈥淲e always had this sad feeling (when) leaving.鈥
鈥淭he night we opened,鈥 she continues, 鈥淢artin from Fishy Fishy called in. He was lovely. He said there鈥檚 always room for more restaurants in Kinsale, so long as what you鈥檙e doing is good.鈥
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