Tucked-away wine bars, charming cottages and unique spots can make for an intimate meal without the fanfare. 

1| Thyme Restaurant, Westmeath

Lucky Athlone to have Michelin Bib-standard cooking on its doorstep – and at approachable prices. Chef-proprietor John Coffey spotlights regional seasonal produce at Thyme Restaurant at the riverside location, which makes for a lovely spot to enjoy an intimate dinner. 

2| The Ivy Clifden, Galway 

Behind the deceptively small wine store frontage of The Ivy Clifden in Connemara is an inviting restaurant and wine bar with secluded courtyard and snug interiors. Choose from organic wine on tap and daily specials by the glass. Sommelier Ivan Preboc is on hand to make recommendations as you nibble on snacks, boards and small plates featuring the best of Irish and European ingredients. 

3| The Green Barn at Burtown House and Gardens, Kildare

Take time to explore the parklands and gardens before dining in your choice of The Green Barn’s airy Scandi-style barn, sunny terrace or one of several intimate courtyards at The Green Barn at Burtown House and Gardens near Athy. Seasonal menus make creative use of the daily supply of organic produce from the walled kitchen garden.

4| The Cottage Restaurant, Leitrim

Malaysian-born, Irish-bred Shamzuri ‘Sham’ Hanifa is a well-known face of modern Irish food, and the Leitrim produce showcased at his pretty riverside Cottage Restaurant near Carrick-on-Shannon proves how much of a local he has become. A unique spot worth a special detour.

Nothing says romance quite like a meal with a sweeping view of the country’s most lush landscapes.

5| Linnane’s Lobster Bar, Clare

Linnane’s Lobster Bar is the stuff of Irish pub dreams: a whitewashed cottage serving creamy stout and craft beers and a purveyor of the freshest seafood, with tables indoors and out overlooking a small pier and tidal bay. Walk the nearby Flaggy Shore to work up an appetite for their lobster, oysters and whatever else you’re having.  

6| Ballynahinch Castle, Galway

Is there a dreamier view than the salmon-rich river from a window table in Ballynahinch Castle’s fine dining Owenmore Restaurant? With talented executive chef Danni Barry overseeing food here and in the hotel’s Fisherman’s Pub with its flag floors and open fire, this is pure Connemara magic.

Photo credit: @ballynahinchcastle

7| Man Friday, Cork 

Kinsale is one of Ireland’s original gastro-destinations, and Man Friday is the town's oldest restaurant with some of its finest views. Perched up in Scilly village, the short stroll from the town centre offers views of Kinsale's marina and pier, while the restaurant’s conservatory overlooks its inner harbour: the perfect setting for its seafood-heavy menu.

Photo credit: @man_friday_restaurant_kinsale

For life’s biggest moments, celebrate with white tablecloth meals and tasting menus to remember.

8| MacNean House and Restaurant, Cavan

Chef Neven Maguire is a household name in Ireland for his best-selling cookery books and TV series. With his loyal team at MacNean House, he has made the lakeside village of Blacklion on the Cavan-Fermanagh border a hub of incredible food and warm welcomes. 

9| Campagne, Kilkenny

Campagne by chef-owner Garret Byrne is one of Ireland’s most quietly brilliant restaurants, with pristine Michelin-starred cooking bringing a distinctive local flavour to classic dishes and techniques. Lunch is exceptional value – and with a short stroll to train connections to various cities, this makes a wonderful day trip option in Kilkenny.

Photo credit: @fooddrinkdest

Lobster dinners, oyster lunches and quick bites by the shore make for the perfect date with a seafood lover.

10| Beach House, Waterford

Dublin’s loss was Tramore’s gain when owners Peter Hogan and Jumoke Akintola Hogan moved the more formal of their two restaurants to his childhood hometown. While their Dublin-based Fish Shop is a favourite for seafood-lovers in the capital, Beach House tends to those in Waterford, serving a daily changing seafood lunch menu in a handsome Victorian seaside townhouse.

11| Goldie, Cork

Dive in at one of the most unique fish restaurants in the country, where Goldie’s dynamic young head chef Aishling Moore combines eclectic international flavours with a gill-to-fin approach to an ever-changing catch, delivered daily from local day boats. Pair with a craft beer from the Elbow Lane group’s own micro-brewery to get a true taste of Cork.

Photo credit: @goldierestaurant

12| Vaughan’s Anchor Inn, Clare

A landmark family-run gastropub, Vaughan’s Anchor Inn put the fishing village of Liscannor on Ireland’s gastro-map in the 1970s. Today, a third generation of the family cooks here and at the casual Vaughan’s on the Prom. They also run Spooney’s ice cream parlour for an after-dinner treat.

Photo credit: @sikalodgekillarney

These romantic restaurants have accommodations to match for a weekend getaway for two. 

13| The Mustard Seed, Limerick

Start your stay at The Mustard Seed off on the right note with a welcome drink, featuring fruit from their own kitchen garden, before dining at the on-site restaurant. Their menu includes impressive creations which all showcase their homegrown ingredients. Complete your romantic evening with a relaxing night in one of the country house's authentic period bedrooms.  

14| Olde Glen Bar, Donegal

Head on an extraordinary drive hugging the dramatic coastline of Glen Lough in Donegal to reach the Olde Glen Bar near Carrickart. Cosy up in the 17th-century pub for a pre-meal tipple of Olde Glen craft gin or a perfect pint. Then head into the warm welcome of their adjacent restaurant for chef Ciaran Sweeney’s acclaimed modern Irish cooking, with a bed awaiting you next door in Clara’s Cots. 

Photo credit: @oldeglenbar