Budget Eating

Budget Eating

Want to find the best budget food on the island? Just follow the locals. After all, they’re the ones that know all the tips and tricks to hunting down a wallet-friendly dinner, from excellent farm-to-fork feasts in traditional pubs, to upscale burger joints. The cities of Belfast, Derry, Cork, Galway and Dublin, in particular, are buzzing with really innovative budget places to eat that don’t compromise on quality. And don’t forget about city farmer’s markets, as well as being brilliant places to wander and discover more about Ireland’s food culture, they also offer up a really broad and varied selection of things to eat. We’re talking lip-smacking mini beef and Guinness pies, oysters and white wine, and excellent handmade Irish fudge.

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Great lunch deals at Deanes @ Queen’s

The early bird and lunch deals

The early bird is an institution. Pretty much every restaurant worth its salt offers an early bird menu, where you can eat at a fraction of the a la carte price, midweek between certain hours (usually between 6pm and 7pm). What’s more, over the last couple of years most savvy eateries have started to put on an “early-bird”-style menu all night from Monday to Thursday, and in some places up until 7pm on Thursday. While great spots, such as Deanes at Queen’s in Belfast offer some really great lunchtime deals. You won’t believe the prices.

L’Ecrivain, Dublin

Michelin-starred faves

Okay, so Michelin restaurants are never going to be “budget” as such, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be good value! As well as being substantially more affordable than Michelin restaurants in continental Europe, the island’s starry favourites offer up some really great lunch deals, as well as early bird or ‘pre-theatre’ menus. As well as having some of the island’s most elegant dining rooms, you’ll find dishes at these restaurants that you’ll never forget. Make sure to book ahead and make a reservation for a Michelin spot – the value offered at lunchtime means that these places can book up quite far in advance, especially on Thursdays and Fridays.

Ard Bia, Galway

Budget is cool

One of the latest trends around the island is the cheap eatery… Forget brightly lit fast food joints, some of the hippest new places to eat have made affordable eating a cornerstone of their philosophy. Crackbird in Dublin has gone from being a quirky pop-up concept to being a mainstay on the urban eating scene. It’s chicken all the way, with a no reservations policy and quirky décor. Rocket and Relish in Belfast is fast food with an gourmet slant thanks to chargrilled Northern Irish beef burgers for under £5. Contemporary, laid-back and tasty… it’s a winner. Lunch at Ard Bia (pictured top of page) in Galway’s historic Spanish Arch, meanwhile, is not to be missed, not least because of the super-cool modern-traditional décor. The restaurant is a little pricer than the café, but you can still score a sumptuous seafood chowder and soda bread for under €10.

Picnic favourites

Grab some top-class artisan cheeses and salamis, fresh bread and homemade apple juice from a local deli or farmers’ market and head for one of the island’s fabulous scenic spots. And it’s not hard to find some stunning scenic places to chill out, from harbourside piers, to beautiful urban parks and sun-dappled canal banks. Set yourself down amidst the wilds of scenic beauty spots such as Glencar Waterfall in County Leitrim and the shores of Upper Lough Erne in County Fermanagh and make it a lunch to remember. Tranquillity, affordability and beauty – what’s not to love?

Hargadon’s Sligo

Don’t forget the pub

Back in 1950s Ireland, a pub lunch consisted of a packet of Tayto crisps and a bag of salted peanuts thrown in for desert. But over the last decade, the island’s pubs have transformed themselves into dens of gourmet delights. These days, you can sip an Irish craft beer or stout while tucking into great local gastropub favourites such as fish and chips, Irish stew, crab claws, cockles and mussels, bacon and cabbage, Dublin Bay prawns, oysters, and beef and Guinness pie. Among those making waves for their creative pub dishes right now are Hardagon’s, Sligo; The Exchequer, Dublin; The Munster Bar, Waterford; The John Hewitt and McHugh’s Belfast; Harry’s Bar and Restaurant, Inisowen, County Donegal,and The Parson’s Nose, Hillsborough, County Down.

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