What Are the Best Traditional Dishes to Try on a Vacation in Ireland?

Irish cooking depended for centuries on what the land produced: Potatoes (known as spuds), root veg, meat, dairy and whatever could be caught from the sea. It's defined by hearty, simple ingredients, with recipes designed to fill you up after a long day outdoors.

Quick Priority Guide for Your Ireland Vacation

If you have limited time, prioritize these authentic experiences:

• Must-Try #1: Irish Stew (available in most traditional pubs)
• Must-Try #2: Seafood Chowder (best in coastal towns like Kinsale, Dingle, or Galway)
• Must-Try #3: Fish & Chips (ask the locals)
• Breakfast Essential: Brown bread with Kerrygold butter
• Drink Pairing: Barry's Tea or local stout (try Beamish in Cork!)

These five will give you an authentic taste of Ireland's food culture

Traditional Irish Food Categories:

• 1. Slow Cooked Dishes
• 2. Spuds, Spuds, and More Spuds!
• 3. From the Sea
• 4. Brown Bread and Baked Traditions
• 5. Pies in Pubs
• 6. Dairy Products
• 7. Drinks to Pair with Every Bite

1. Slow Cooked Dishes

The Soul of the Irish Table

If you try only one dish in Ireland, it has to be Irish stew. Known in Irish as Stobhach, this dish has nourished generations. It's a simple, slow-simmered meal of lamb, potatoes, carrots, onions, and herbs, although beef or mutton can also be used. It's wholesome, rich, and deeply comforting. This was a mainstay on Irish family dinner tables throughout the 19th and 20th centuries! It's a snapshot of Ireland's food history in a single spoonful.

You'll also find Beef and Guinness Stew — a dark, hearty mix of chuck beef, root vegetables, and Guinness stout. Long simmering brings out a deep, malty flavour and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

If you're in Dublin, look out for Coddle — a local stew of sausages, bacon, potatoes, and onions. And don't forget Bacon and Cabbage, where a bacon joint is simmered slowly for hours, often served with carrots, onions, and cabbage added toward the end. It's typically served with parsley sauce — a real Irish classic.

Ireland's Favourite Slow Cooked Dishes:

• Irish Stew
• Beef and Guinness Stew
• Bacon and Cabbage

2. Spuds, spuds, and more spuds!

For all things mashed, stewed or fried

The potato has shaped Ireland's history more than any other food. Introduced in the 16th century, it quickly became a cornerstone of the Irish diet. You'll find it in many comforting variations — you might even be offered a crisp sandwich made with Tayto Cheese & Onion crisps!

Boxty is a traditional grated potato pancake, sometimes served with ham, smoked salmon or fresh herbs like dill. Champ is mashed potato with chopped scallions and butter, while Colcannon blends mash with cabbage or kale for an earthy flavour.

In Northern Ireland, Potato Farls — a flat griddled potato bread, are a staple. And, of course, you'll find chips (thick-cut fries) everywhere! Served either with fish, pies or steak — or eaten solo with sea salt & vinegar. Potatoes aren't just a side dish in Ireland, they're an identity.

Ireland's Favourite Potato Dishes:

• Boxty
• Colcannon
• The ever-present chips

3. From the Sea

Ireland's Coastal Bounty

With over 3,000 miles of coastline, it's little wonder that Ireland's seafood is exceptional. Along the Wild Atlantic Way (in towns like Kinsale, Dingle and Galway), you'll find fresh shellfish, whitefish, and smoked offerings that are as good as you'll find anywhere in the world. The seafood of Ireland is a culinary treasure trove, and you'll find it in many varieties. If you're looking for seafood at its finest, you're in the right place.

Oysters are a specialty on the west coast, especially during the Galway Oyster Festival every September. Cockles and mussels, made famous by the song "Molly Malone", are often served steamed in garlic and butter. And, if the opportunity presents itself, don't miss out on clams from Connemara, prawns from Dublin Bay, or Atlantic salmon.

One must-try dish is seafood chowder, a creamy, warming soup made with a medley of cod, haddock, salmon, shellfish and herbs. And for something special, look out for smoked salmon or trout, cured using oak, beechwood or traditional turf-smoking methods for rich, layered flavour.

While Fish & Chips may have British origins, some say the Irish perfected it — serving up flaky Atlantic catches in golden batter with proper chunky chips.

Ireland's Favourite dishes from the sea:

• Seafood chowder
• Fish & Chips
• Smoked Salmon

4. Brown Bread and Baked Traditions

Hearty and Delicious

Irish brown bread is rustic and dense — perfect for mopping up stew, slathering with butter, or both. It's an everyday favourite, made with wholemeal flour, buttermilk, and baking soda instead of yeast. It has a rich, nutty flavour and a thick texture. Many recipes include a dash of Guinness for extra flavour. Delicious warm with soup, cold with cheese, or toasted for breakfast.

In Waterford, you'll find the Blaa. It's a soft, floury white roll with 'Protected Geographical Indication' status — meaning only bread rolls made in County Waterford can legally be called Blaa. And, of course, scones are everywhere, served with jam and thick Irish butter (often as part of a morning tea or coffee stop along your travels).

Ireland's Favourite Baked Goods:

• Brown bread
• Scones
• Waterford Blaa

5. Pies in Pubs

Where Irish cooking shines

Most Irish pubs that serve food will usually only do the basics like toasted sandwiches, pizzas and hamburgers — but for a real Irish treat, find one that still makes proper homemade pies. You'll often come across shepherd's pie (made with lamb), cottage pie (made with beef), and fisherman's pie (a selection of fish). These are hearty casseroles topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked to golden perfection. Bangers and mash (sausages with mash and gravy) is another pub classic and is well worth the search.

These dishes reflect the Irish tradition of making do with what's at hand, often using leftovers, root veg and pantry staples to create something deeply satisfying and uniquely tasty!

Ireland's Favourite Traditional Pies:

• Shepherd's pie
• Cottage pie
• Bangers and mash

6. Dairy Products

Ireland's Creamy Goodness

The famous green fields of Ireland mean good grazing, and the dairy often shows up in its cuisine — Irish cheese, milk and butter are an absolute must-try during your stay.

Cheeses like Cashel Blue and Ardsallagh Goat's Cheese showcase Ireland's farmhouse traditions. Look out for cheese plates in pubs and restaurants, especially in regions like Cork, which has a strong dairy heritage dating back centuries.

Many recipes include a dash of Guinness for extra flavour; it's delicious warm with soup, cold with cheese, or toasted for breakfast.

Ireland's Favourite Dairy Products:

• Kerrygold Irish Butter
• Cashel Blue Cheese
• Ardsallagh Goat's Cheese

7. Drinks to Pair with Every Bite

What's in the glass

No guide to Irish food would be complete without mentioning its liquid counterparts. Whiskey (uisce beatha in Irish, meaning 'the water of life') has been distilled here for centuries, and you'll find whiskey tastings and tours across Ireland. Beer lovers will find the classics like Budweiser, Heineken and Guinness in every pub, but don't look down on Murphy's and Beamish stouts, especially if you're touring Cork! Ireland also has a growing craft beer scene and you'll find that cider is very popular too. On a sunny day, try Bulmers (known as Magners outside of Ireland), an Irish cider made in Clonmel, County Tipperary, from 17 varieties of Irish apples.

And then, of course, there's tea. This is an institution in Ireland, and you'll understand why as soon as you have a hot cuppa alongside brown bread or scones, with jam. The kettle is always on in Irish households, and many swear by Barry's Tea! And for those needing something stronger, no tour of Ireland would be thorough without trying Irish coffee. Simply put together, whiskey, black coffee, sugar and a layer of cream... Yum!

The list below would normally include Guinness rather than Beamish, but we're biased...

Our Favourite Irish aperitifs:

• Beamish Stout
• Bulmers Irish Cider
• Barry's Tea

Planning Your Irish Food Journey

Make Every Meal Count

Meal Planning for Your Vacation

Breakfast (Hotel or B&B):

• Irish brown bread with Kerrygold butter
• Barry's Tea or Irish coffee
• If available: black pudding or potato farls

Lunch (Coastal towns or pubs):

• Seafood chowder in coastal areas
• Fish & chips with proper chunky chips
• Irish stew if available as lunch special

Dinner (Traditional pubs):

• Irish stew or beef and Guinness stew
• Shepherd's or cottage pie
• Pair with local stout or Irish whiskey

Pro tip: Irish portions are generous — consider sharing dishes to try more variety, especially if you're doing a food-focused trip!

Final Thoughts

Follow the locals...

Food in Ireland tends to be straightforward and generous. You'll find the highlights off the beaten track: a small pub serving bowls of Irish stew, a bakery with just-made brown bread, or a market stall selling freshly caught oysters. If in doubt during your stay, ask locals where they eat — it's a safe bet for a memorable, delicious meal!

See also: Pub Culture in Ireland — how to order, tipping, music nights, and pub etiquette.