4 Best Restaurants in Dublin Environs, Ireland

Award-winning young chef Conor Halpenny returned to his hometown to open this impressive little eatery right on the Market Square. The setting is simple and cozy, with a small room dominated by the big window looking out onto the bustling square. But the food is a bit special, with a genuine focus on local produce. Thrilling starters include the smoked trout with buttermilk dressing, fennel, kohlrabi and dill and the venison with celeriac, brussels sprouts, and green peppercorn is a standout main. Try the wickedly seductive beef fat chips as a side if you dare. 

Look out the floor-to-ceiling windows and see the veggies that you're about to eat growing in front of you at this family-run, organic restaurant in a revamped barn on the rolling grounds of gorgeous Burtown House. Seasonal and homegrown are the buzzwords on the small, ever-changing menu, where Irish beef ribs with sauteed Savoy cabbage and herb mash is melt-in-the-mouth perfect. The chocolate ganache with sea salt and vanilla ice cream is the pick of the desserts. Burtown House is a small trip out of town on the way to Athy.

This little foodie gem at the center of Newbridge takes casual lunch to a whole new level. Try the outrageously good kimchi fried chicken sandwich with phat boy mayo, coriander, carrot, pickled red onion, and baby gem lettuce all on toasted Irish batch bread. The small dinner menu is nearly as good, with the roast duck a l’orange with caramelized chicory a standout. The bar out back is one of the cooler spots in town.

Located in the impressive vaulted cellar of Bellinter House, Eden sticks strictly to a seasonal ethos with menus based on locally sourced produce. Oenophiles rave about the value-for-money wine list. A popular starter is the house-made duck liver parfait, with blood orange jelly and toasted brioche, and the Andarl Farm free-range pork belly with smoked Irish black pudding croquette, celeriac purée, and pickled apples is a standout main.