20 Best Places to Eat in Cork City: The Food Capital of Ireland

Updated On: November 08, 2023 by   Ciaran Connolly

We have complied a list of the best places to eat in Cork City so you never go hungry when walking alongside the banks of the River Lee.

Otherwise known as the Foodie Capital of Ireland, Cork is renowned for its great variety of delicious cuisine. You will find a restaurant for every type of taste, dietary needs and budget.

25 Places to Eat in Cork City

There are endless restaurants, markets and cafés for you to enjoy in Cork city. Whether you are looking for a quick bite to eat in cork or a sit down Michelin star meal, you are sure to find exactly what you need to satisfy your taste buds in the Rebel county.

1. Joe’s & Bro’s

Joe’s & Bros is so popular it has not one but two locations in Cork city. If you are looking for coffee, tea, sandwiches or sweet treats this is just the spot for you. Not many sandwiches come close to the ones that Joe’s & Bro’s make, you have to have one to know exactly what we mean. You will never want to eat another plain toastie every again. Joes & Bro’s does a variety of different sandwiches and you can choose to have your filings in toasted ciabatta bread or sourdough.

A personal favourite of mine has to be the Sourdough Cluck Cluck sandwich. This includes grilled chicken, caramelised onions, siracha mayo and Monterey jack cheese, it has the perfect balance of sweetness with a hint of spice. Don’t forget to ask for a side of tater tots to really add to your scrumptious lunch. Other food options are sausage rolls, acai smoothie bowls and smoothies, croissants, cookies and brownies. The store in Gillabbey offers more brunch options. You can order in store and sit down or order online through their website for click and collect.

Location: 22 Gillabbey Street and Winthrop Arcade

Opening Hours: Monday- Sunday: 10am- 3pm

2. The Spitjack

The Spitjack is an award winning restaurant that serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, making it the perfect place to eat no matter what time of the day. The beautiful interiors of the Spitjack create a lovely cosy atmosphere that you won’t want to leave. The breakfast menu is very varied and you can get anything from breakfast baps, a selection of eggs benedict, homemade buttermilk pancakes with a choice of toppings or just your plain and simple breakfast fry.

If your too late for breakfast and too early for lunch, why not have something from their amazing brunch menu which includes salads, gourmet sandwiches, rotisserie chicken and cocktails. The dinner menu is also exquisite and if you aren’t full after that feed, the dessert is also something to write home about.

Location: 34 Washington Street

Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday: 9am-9pm (Closes from 3:30pm-5pm)

3. Dwyers of Cork

Dwyers of Cork really is an all rounder restaurant, all in the one place you can get bottomless brunch, dinner and delicious cocktails served with amazing live music. Bottomless brunch is a very fun and great way to spend an afternoon with friends but Dwyers make it that bit extra special by doing themed brunches such as Father Ted Brunch, Grease Brunch and Music Bingo Brunch.

They also do “crunch” which gives you two for three offers on cocktails. Who could say no to an offer like that? Not only do Dwyers of Cork serve excellent food and drink but the gastropub has an eccentric and charming vintage style which reflects on its rich history. Dwyers of Cork is a must visit on a trip to Cork.

Location: 27-28 Washington Street

Opening Hours: Mon-Thurs: 12pm-11:30pm, Fri & Sat 12pm-2:30am, Sunday 12pm-1:30am

4. Liberty Grill

Liberty Grill is located next door to the Spitjack on Washington Street. Liberty Grill is a great spot for a bite to eat in Cork with a varied menu for breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner. They cater for all types of dietary needs such as vegan, gluten free and vegetarian. Their fish is locally sourced from the English Market and is a must-try when you visit. The brunch/lunch menu at Liberty Grill is delicious with option like eggs benedict, French toast, fritters, Cesar salad, toasties and chicken sandwiches.

Just a reminder that Liberty Grill works on a walk-in only service on Saturdays therefore you cannot book in advance, although they do have a virtual queuing system on their website. If you are looking to sit down for a meal that will fill you up dine in luxury at Liberty Grill with their divine dinner menu. Here you will find rare breed pork, lamb burger, fish of the day and crab burger to name a few.

Location: 32 Washington Street

Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday: 9am-3:30pm (Thurs-Sat: Extended hours of 5pm-9pm)

5. Sophie’s Rooftop

Located on the top of the Dean Hotel, Sophie’s Rooftop is a glasshouse restaurant that offers fabulous 360 degree views and even better food. The interiors of Sophies Rooftop are very elegant and picturesque with gold and copper accents and swings that are very Instagram worthy. Whether you want to enjoy a relaxed lunch, sit down dinner or just causal drinks, Sophie’s Rooftop will cater for all.

The food here is delicious with wood-fire pizza, steaks, mouth-watering burgers, crispy duck leg, risotto, seabass and much more to choose from. If you are looking for a sweet treat to accompany your drinks you can decide between sticky toffee pudding, salted caramel cheesecake and orange blossom panna cotta.

Location: Horgan’s Quay, Railway St, Northern Quarter

Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday: 8am-9:30pm

6. Luigi Malones

If your looking for comfort food Luigi Malones offers delicious and tasty Italian cuisine. The low lighting and large colourful leather seats create a very cosy atmosphere. Luigi Malones is located right across from the Cork Opera House and adjacent to Opera Lane making it a great spot to grab a bite to eat if watching a show or shopping.

The staff at Luigi Malones are very attentive and friendly. The food is delicious and affordable. From 12pm-4pm, Monday to Friday, Luigi Malones offers a €15 lunch menu which gives you the option to have a taster, main and soft drink of choice. Some dishes that Luigi Malones serve are burgers, steaks, fajitas, tasty pizzas and a variety of specialities such as lamb and chorizo espetadas and BB1 Baby Back Ribs.

Location: 1-2 Emmett Pl, Centre

Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday: 12pm-9pm (Sunday 1pm start)

7. Scoozis

Scoozis is a fabulous family restaurant. This place is always very busy so be willing to que or try and get in early to get a table. Trust us though it is well worth the wait. Here you can breakfast, lunch, dinner and desert and each meal is as good as the other. I have never had a bad meal at Scoozis. For breakfast you can choose from porridge to warm you up, fluffy pancakes, a full hearty breakfast, eggs benny, breakfast bap or waffles. The only negative about Scoozis is how difficult it can be to decide on just one thing from the menu.

Scoozis delivers fabulous tasting food at a very reasonable price. These low prices do not reflect the standard of the food. The Bistro menu has a huge variety of dishes such as burgers, fresh pizzas, salads, pasta dishes, wings, goujons and sirloin steaks. As a family run and owned restaurant they have family in mind with their cooking and they also provide a lovely kids menus. It is the perfect spot to bring the family for high quality delicious food.

Location: 2-5 Winthrop Lane

Opening Hours: Tue-Thurs: 10am-8pm, Fri-Sat: 10am-9pm, Sun: 1pm-8pm

8. Coqbull

Just like the name suggests this restaurant is well known for its delicious coq (chicken) dishes and bull (burger) dishes. If you like succulent chicken and gourmet beef than look no further, Coqbull is just the place to eat in cork for you. The lunch menu has delicious options to fill you up while your shopping or simply strolling around the city. With delicious platters of chicken with your choice of sauce, salads, chicken wraps and rolls and pizza to choose from you are sure to find something you like.

The dinner menu at Coqbull is delicious. Choose from their signature wings, bull and coq burgers or rotisserie chicken, which you can get in a quarter, half or full portion. You can also get enchiladas, steak frites and a tasty Coqbull spice bag which is sure to have your taste buds watering. You must try their delicious signature Coqtails such as “It is What It Is” and “Little Red Rooster”.

Location: 5 French Church Street

Opening Hours: Wednesday- Friday: 1pm -9:30pm(9pm finish Wed), Saturday-Sunday: 12pm-9:30pm

9. Amicus

If you drive to Cork and park in Paul Street’s car park you will enter onto Paul St. when you exit the car park. Directly across from the carpark is Amicus so if hunger strikes when you arrive in Cork this is the perfect spot to satisfy your taste buds. This two storey restaurant has beautiful wood and brick interiors which really create a cosy atmosphere. Whether you want to eat inside or outside this family run restaurant will deliver you delicious and flavoursome food.

After over 20 years in the restaurant business, Amicus serves breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner to all who enter their doors. All meals are scrumptious. You can choose from breakfast pots, eggs, butties, full Irish breakfasts and pancakes for your first meal of the day. For lunch they serve gourmet open sandwiches such as BBQ pulled pork and Cajun spicy. You will not be disappointed with the variety of food Amicus has on offer.

Location: Paul Street, Centre

Opening Hours: Sun-Wed:10am-9pm(Sun:11am),Thurs:10am-10pm, Fri&Sat:10am-10:30pm(Sat: 9am)

10. The Glass Curtain

A short walk from Kent Station, the Glass curtain is a glamourous place to eat in Cork city. This beautiful restaurant is located in the Old Thompson Bakery, which has been transformed into a chic and elegant restaurant. The Glass Curtain prides itself on its mouth-watering flavours which it creates from local produce. The dishes at the Glass Curtain are exquisite.

The food here tastes even better than how it looks and that says a lot considering the presentation of the food is second to none. You might not want to be one of those people who takes pictures of their food but in the Glass Curtain you will find it hard to resist. You can choose from their “á la carte” menu, sharing menu or tasting menu. Eating at the Glass Curtain is truly an experience.

Location: Thompson House, MacCurtain Street, Victorian Quarter

Opening Hours: Tue-Thurs: 5:30pm-9:30pm, Fri & Sat: 5-10pm

11. Paradiso

Paradiso is a restaurant that is paving the way for plant-based eating. This vegetation restaurant will blow you away with flavour and taste. This is a restaurant for all dietary needs and food tastes, Paradsico really breaks down the stigma around vegetarian and vegan food. Many people still have this mindset of “if there isn’t meat in it its not a meal”. Whether you are vegan, vegetarian or a meat eater, you are guaranteed to enjoy the incredible food Paradiso has to offer.

The menu at Paradiso is €65 per person for a 6 course meal. If you give notice in advance of any dietary needs such as gluten allergies, the menu can be adapted for you. This is just one simple way Paradiso shows their care and respect to all who enter through their door. The staff here are also very attentive and friendly making the experience a very enjoyable one. This is certainly a must try when you eat in Cork.

Location: 16 Lancaster Quay, Mardyke

Opening Hours: Tuesday- Saturday: 5:00-10:pm

12. Goldie

If you are looking for delish fish dishes to eat in Cork then you have come to the right place. Goldie is a restaurant that serves high quality food that tastes just as good as it looks. The friendly and inviting atmosphere created by the staff that work here really adds to the whole restaurant experience. The combination of flavours will leave your mouth watering for more.

This Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant located in the heart of Cork city has a variety of dishes on the menu so you are sure to find one you enjoy. Whether you want to have a small snack to get you through the day or a main course, Goldie will sort your hunger needs. Here you can enjoy Buttermilk fried fish, Cromane oysters, Sauer­kraut & potato Boxty, steamed white sole and East ferry roast chicken just to name a few.

Location: 128 Oliver Plunkett Street

Opening Hours: Wednesday- Saturday: 5pm-10pm

13. Dashi Deli

Keeping with the theme of fish, Dashi Deli is a well known and loved sushi bar in Cork. This Sushi and noodle bar offers sit down eat in options or takeaway options. So if you are rushing home after work and want to grab a bite to eat or sit down and enjoy the atmosphere inside, Dashi Deli is there for you. Dashi Deli pride themselves in the freshness of quality of their fish which creates delicious tasting sushi.

At Dashi deli you can get a variety of different types of sushi. Here you can eat platters of sushi, noodle soup and curries. Examples of the some of the dishes you can expect to find at dashi deli include, Futomaki Platter, Chumaki Platter, Spring rolls, dumplings, Japanese curry and Char Siu chicken.

Location: 11 Cook Street, Centre

Opening Hours: Tue: 1pm-7pm, Wed & Thurs: 1pm-9pm, Fri & Sat: 1pm-10pm

14. Farmgate café

Located in the oldest covered food market in Ireland, the Farmgate Café creates a relaxing and unique atmosphere in the centre of cork city. This café is beautifully decorated with black and white chequered flooring and wooden furniture. The menu at the Farmgate Café is focused on the seasons and sourced straight from the English Market itself.

The Farmgate café serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here you can get soup, sandwiches, seafood chowder, succulent roast chicken, Irish lam stew, full breakfast, granola and yogurt and sausage rolls. Not only do the dishes taste amazing but they are also very pleasing to the eye.

Location: The English Market, Princes Street

Opening Hours: Tuesday-Thursday: 8:00am-4:00pm, Friday-Saturday: 8:30am-4:00pm

15. Jacob’s on the Mall

The interiors at Jacobs on the Mall create a very glamourous atmosphere with navy and dark green suede furniture and gold accents. The menus on offer at Jacobs on the Mall are “Early Bird”, “A La Carte”, “Group €49”, and “Vegan & Vegetarian”. Dishes you can expect to see on these menus include roast duck confit leg, venison fillet, monkfish and crab claws pancetta, pan fired salmon and chickpea burger.

The dessert is also delicious here with options such as baileys and Malteser cheesecake, date and butterscotch pudding and lemon posset to choose from. You will not be disappointed with your time at Jacobs on the Mall.

Location: 30 South Mall, Centre

Opening Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 5:00pm-10:00pm

16. Cornstore Restaurant

If your looking for a good steak to eat in Cork city then look no further, the Cornstore is the place for you. Here you can choose from their Set menu or A La Carte menu. The Appetisers that the Cornstore offer include goats cheese crostini, crispy seared seabass, crab brûlée and prawns pil pil.

If you think the appetisers are special the main course here will blow you away. With dishes such as slow cooked crispy pork belly, aubergine moussaka, dry aged fillet steak and confit duck leg, the Cornstore is sure to not disappoint.

Location: 41-43 Cornmarket Street, Centre

Opening Hours: Tue-Thurs: 5:00pm-8:30pm, Fri: 4-9:30pm, Sat: 12:00pm-9:30pm & Sun: 12:00pm-8:30pm

17. Ichigo Ichie 

Eating at Ichigo Ichie is an experience to remember. This Japanese restaurant is in high demand so if you want to eat here you will have to book in advance. Every single bite of the food here is a burst of unique and exciting flavours. The food here isn’t just packed with flavour but it also conveys pure artistry.

The atmosphere matched with spectacular food really makes eating at Ichigo Ichie and unforgettable experience. You will eat unique and different dishes at this Michelin star restaurant. There is nothing plain and simple about this place!

Location:  No.5 Fenns Quay, Sheares Street,

Opening Hours: Tuesday-Saturday from 6pm

18. Da Micro Osteria

If you love authentic Italian food then Da Micro Osteria is just the right place for you to eat in Cork city. Although the menu may not be extensive you can tell it has been done with care and thought behind every dish. There is a monthly menu and you can also opt for a tasting experience menu if you like choosing either starter and main, main and dessert or all three courses. Dishes can also be gluten free or vegetarian on request.

Da Micro is on the more expensive side but you are certainly paying for what you get. As they say you will never mind paying for good food, and that is exactly what you will get at da Micro. Both the food and the service are spectacular you will not be disappointed with your visit here!

Location: 4 Bridge Street, Montenotte

Opening Hours: Tues-Thurs: 5:30pm-9:00pm, Fri: 5:00pm-9:30pm, Sat: 4:30pm-9:30pm

19. Isaacs Restaurant

When you enter Issacs Restaurant you are greeted by a warm and cosy ambience and friendly staff. Located on MacCurtain Street, Isaacs is a short walk from the train station making it a great spot to enjoy dinner and a drink. The food at this restaurant is truly delicious.

Some dishes you can get at Isaacs restaurant are prawn pil pil, crispy fired brie, mild madras lamb curry, crispy Skeaghanore duck confit and beef fillet to name but a few. The desserts are just as tasty with options of sticky toffee pudding, apple and rhubarb crumble and good old bread and butter pudding.

Location: 48 MacCurtain Street, Victorian Quarter

Opening Hours: Sun-Tue: 5pm-9pm, Wed&Thurs: 12:30pm-9pm, Fri&Sat: 12:30pm-9:30pm (Closes Wed-Sat: 2:30pm-5:30pm)

20. Market Lane

This award winning restaurant is the perfect place to eat in Cork city. Using local produce Market Lane create scrumptious Irish dishes which will have your taste buds tingling. Both lunch and dinner menu are filled with delicious options for you to choose from. Lunch and dinner options are dishes such as buddha bowls, steak sandwiches, crispy shredded duck, fish curry and slow cooked Crowe’s bacon collar.

Market Lane is also a fabulous bar and I would really recommend the cocktails, especially their specials. It is the perfect spot to have a few drinks while enjoying the bustling energy of Oliver Plunkett Street. Market Lane should be high on your list of places to visit in Cork City.

Location:  5-6 Oliver Plunkett Street, Centre

Opening Hours: Sun-Wed: 12pm-9:30pm, Thurs: 12pm-10pm, Fri&Sat: 12pm-10:30pm

We hope you found this article helpful. Let us know in the comments if you have been to any of these restaurants before or if you have any other restaurant suggestions in Cork city. If you enjoyed this article you may also like: 5 Great Ways to Spend a Day in Cork City