Ireland, the Emerald Isle, captivates visitors with its dramatic coastlines, ancient castles, vibrant cities, and legendary hospitality. From the rugged Cliffs of Moher to the lively pubs of Dublin, Ireland offers a perfect blend of natural beauty, rich history, and Celtic culture that enchants travelers year-round.
Top food tours
Guided experiences that show you Ireland through its food.
Dublin Food Trail
A guided walk through Dublin's food scene visiting the English Market's Dublin equivalent — Moore Street, artisan producers, and hidden foodie spots. Includes tastings at 6-8 stops covering traditional Irish food, craft beer, and modern Irish bites.
Taste Killarney Food Tour
A leisurely stroll through Killarney town stopping at local producers, butchers, bakers, and restaurants. Focuses on the Kerry food story from black pudding to Kerry lamb to locally distilled spirits.
English Market Cork Guided Experience
A guided introduction to Cork's magnificent 1788 covered food market, meeting the traders, tasting Cork specialties including tripe and drisheen, farmhouse cheeses, and smoked fish. The guide explains the market's fascinating 200-year history.
Whiskey and Food Pairing Tour, Dublin
A premium tour combining Irish whiskey education with artisan food pairings at specialist venues including the Celtic Whiskey Shop and a whiskey-focused restaurant. Learn to pair single pot still Irish whiskey with cheese, charcuterie, and chocolate.
Galway Seafood Trail
Galway's extraordinary seafood heritage explored through guided tastings at fishmongers, oyster bars, and seafood restaurants around the city. Includes Galway Bay native oysters, smoked salmon, and traditional seafood chowder.
Belfast Titanic Quarter Food Tour
A food and history tour through Belfast's Titanic Quarter and Cathedral Quarter visiting artisan producers, chefs, and restaurants. Northern Irish specialties including Yellowman toffee, Fifteens, soda bread, and craft beer explored.
Tour formats
Different ways to experience Ireland's food scene.
Street food tours
Dublin's Liberties area and Temple Bar have occasional street food events; Cow's Lane Designer Market on weekends; regular food markets at IMMA and Merrion Square also feature hot food vendors
Market tours
Guided tours of the English Market in Cork are gold standard; Temple Bar Food Market on Saturdays draws top artisan producers; Galway Saturday Market has excellent guided options
Restaurant tours
Multi-restaurant progressive dinner tours available in Dublin's Merrion Row, Baggot Street, and Portobello neighborhoods; ask local tourism offices for current operators
Specialty tours
Whiskey tours from Celtic Whiskey Shop and Jameson Distillery; Guinness pairing experiences at Guinness Storehouse; oyster tours in Galway around the September Oyster Festival; farmhouse cheese trails in Cork
Cooking classes
Take a piece of Ireland home with you.
Ballymaloe Cookery School, Shanagarry
A half-day or full-day class at Ireland's most famous cookery school on the Ballymaloe estate in East Cork. Learn traditional soda bread, Irish stew, and seasonal dishes from Darina Allen's team using produce from the 100-acre farm.
Dublin Cookery School, Blackrock
Evening and weekend cooking classes in a modern south Dublin school focusing on Irish ingredients with contemporary techniques. Seafood and foraging classes using Wild Atlantic Way produce are particularly popular.
The Real Bread Project, Dublin
Half-day artisan bread baking class making traditional Irish soda bread, brown bread, and sourdough using heritage grain flour. Take home everything you bake plus the recipes and starter culture.
Wildwood Foraging Galway
A foraging walk along the Galway coastline or Connemara landscape collecting wild foods followed by a cooking demonstration preparing foraged dishes. Learn to identify sea purslane, samphire, wild garlic, and mushrooms.
DIY self-guided food tour
Self-guided Dublin food tour hitting the best independent spots for a morning of Irish food culture
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1
Stop 1 (9AM): Bretzel Bakery, Portobello — Dublin's oldest independent bakery (1870) for fresh sourdough and pastries
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Stop 2 (10AM): Dublin Food Co-op, Newmarket — organic and local produce market open Thursdays and Saturdays
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Stop 3 (11AM): Sheridans Cheesemongers, South Anne Street — Ireland's finest farmhouse cheese selection with free samples
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Stop 4 (12PM): Temple Bar Food Market (Saturdays) — artisan food producers from across Ireland in Meeting House Square
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Stop 5 (1PM): The Winding Stair restaurant, Bachelor's Walk — traditional Irish lunch with river Liffey views; excellent Irish stew
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Stop 6 (3PM): Celtic Whiskey Shop, Dawson Street — browse 1000+ Irish whiskeys with optional paid tasting
Foodie tips
Get more out of every meal.
Book Ballymaloe Cookery School classes months in advance — they sell out quickly especially for Darina Allen's own sessions
The English Market in Cork is best on a weekday morning when traders are busy and happy to talk about their produce
The Galway Oyster Festival in September offers the best access to oyster producers and special menus throughout the city
Ask for 'the special' at any Irish fish and chip shop — often fresh daily catch not on the menu board
Farmhouse cheese is Ireland's great underappreciated food product; Sheridan's Cheesemongers has the best national selection
Irish butter (Kerrygold) is genuinely among the world's finest; buy blocks directly from local creameries if travelling in Kerry or Cork
Craft beer in Ireland has exploded; try Rascals (Dublin), Trouble Brewing (Kildare), or Galway Bay Brewery beers fresh at source
Temple Bar Food Market on Saturday is not the tourist trap many assume — the producers are genuine artisans with excellent products