When you think about Irish foods to try, you probably think of potatoes, hearty stews, butter, dairy and probably Guinness.

And you wouldn’t be entirely wrong.

But Ireland’s food scene is more than its famous comfort foods. With lush green pastures and a long Atlantic coastline, you’ll find excellent dairy, beef and lamb alongside really fresh seafood.

During our trip to Ireland, I tried several traditional Irish foods and dishes, from boxty pancakes and Irish stew to seafood soup and fresh mussels.

Here’s what I think is actually worth trying on a trip to Ireland.

Planning an Ireland trip? 🍀🇮🇪

I spent 11 days traveling through Ireland and Scotland. See the route we took, where we stayed, what we did, and what I’d change in my 11-day Ireland and Scotland itinerary →

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Irish Stew

Irish stew is one of the best-known traditional Irish dishes to try. Historically made with lamb or mutton, potatoes and root vegetables, you’ll also find versions made with beef throughout Ireland.

On our first night in Dublin, we chose a touristy location in the Temple Bar district, but it was a place that served all of the Irish classics.

The stew was warm, heavy and hearty.

The flavors were good, albeit a little bland. The texture and thickness was almost perfect. I personally would have preferred it a little less thick and the beef a little more tender rather than tough.

Where I ate Irish Stew
Gallagher’s Boxty House in Dublin/Temple Bar

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐Glad I tried it

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Boxty

While I ordered the Irish stew, my husband opted for the corned beef boxty.

A boxty is a classic Irish dish, which is a pancake made by mixing raw grated potatoes with cooked mash potatoes, flour, baking powder and milk or buttermilk.

This version was a little different but still carried the authentic potato flavor. There were potato dumplings along with cabbage, kale and pieces of corned beef with a parsley sauce on top.

I really liked the flavors with the corned beef addition. I would definitely order a boxty again. I mean, what’s not to love about a potato pancake?

Where I ate Irish Boxty
Gallagher’s Boxty House in Dublin/Temple Bar

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Would order again

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Irish Seafood Chowder

Due to Ireland’s proximity to water, seafood is absolutely a staple of Irish food to try.

A warm, rich seafood soup on a cold or rainy day in the Irish countryside is something you must experience.

We tried a few different iterations of this soup. Usually it’s made with fresh or smoked white fish like haddock or cod, plus shellfish like mussels or clams or even prawns.

It was warm, buttery and not fishy at all, signaling the true freshness and quality of the seafood.

Where I ate seafood chowder:
Octopussy’s in Howth, Ireland
Fishy Fishy in Kinsale, Ireland
Mizen Cafe at Mizen Head on the Wild Atlantic Way

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Would order again

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Irish Soda Bread and Brown Bread

As its name suggests, Irish soda bread is a yeast-free bread that uses baking soda to rise, resulting in a denser and hearty texture.

Brown bread is a type of Irish soda bread with a crispy and crunchy exterior sometimes covered in oats. Its inside is dark, dense and rich in deep molasses flavor.

The Irish serve it in many different ways, particularly with the seafood soup or with the hearty traditional Irish stew.

My personal favorite is the brown bread coming as an appetizer with some fresh Kerrygold butter.

Where I ate Irish brown bread:
Everywhere!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Eat as much of this as you can

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Irish Breakfast

A hearty way to start the day, a traditional Irish breakfast usually includes eggs, beans, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms, pork sausage, bacon and black pudding.

Since I don’t eat pork, I tried a vegetarian version instead, so my tasting wasn’t quite the traditional Irish breakfast experience.

Honestly, the vegetarian version I tried fell pretty short. The plant-based sausage was dry, and the non-meat components were honestly very watery and bland.

Where I ate an Irish breakfast:
Lemon Jelly Cafe in Dublin, Ireland

⭐⭐Skip next time

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Fish and Chips

A British Isles staple, fish and chips is a non-negotiable Irish food you must try.

Honestly, we eventually lost count of how many orders of fish and chips we’d eaten by the end of our full trip.

Especially during our time on the Irish coast, we sampled some killer fish and chips, particularly in the coastal towns of Howth and Kinsale.

In Howth, we were told the fish was caught that morning and sold at the market next door.

The batter was light and flaky without weighing the fish down or getting soggy.

Where I ate fish and chips:
Octopussy’s in Howth, Ireland
Fishy Fishy in Kinsale, Ireland

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Eat as much of this as you can

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Mussels

Before going on this trip, I had never touched a mussel in my life.

If you’re looking for Irish seafood to try, don’t overlook mussels. Ireland’s long coastline makes seafood a major part of the country’s food culture.

I sampled my very first mussel in Howth. I then turned to my husband and declared myself as a “mussel girl”.

Spoiler: I tried some mussels in Scotland and I walked that title back very quickly.

The Irish mussels we sampled were small, not fishy and cooked perfectly in a garlic and parsley sauce.

Where I ate Irish mussels:
Octopussy’s in Howth, Ireland
The Bank on College Green in Dublin, Ireland

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Irish Fish to Try

Fish, particularly white fish, is certainly on the list of what to eat in Ireland.

I’m not a fan of “fishy” fish, so I was glad when the majority of the fish I tried passed my test.

One fish I recommend trying is monkfish, which I had never tried until our trip to Ireland.

Monkfish is famously caught in Irish waters, and sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lobster”, due to its dense, meaty and lightly sweet flavor.

Since it’s dense and firm, it holds up well in broth, which is exactly how we tried it in Dublin for the first time.

This was my favorite way it was cooked: in a rich saffron broth, which also came with samphire (the little green looking things in the first photo below).

We couldn’t figure out what they were (green beans, green onions?) until the end of the meal.
They are salty succulent plants that commonly grow in mudflats, marshes, and rocky sea cliffs. They complemented the rich saffron broth and dense fish perfectly!

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Would order again

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Bonus: Murphy’s Ice Cream

This is not an authentic Irish dish, but absolutely worth a stop on any visit to Ireland.

Murphy’s Ice Cream was founded in Dingle, Ireland and uses milk from the rare Kerry county cow. They don’t have an expansive menu, but they do the unique flavors perfectly.

We went a few different times during our visit to Ireland, with the Irish brown bread flavor being my favorite.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Eat as much of this as you can

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What Irish Foods Would I Try Again?

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Eat again

• Irish brown bread + butter
• Bonus: Murphy’s Ice Cream
• Fish and chips

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Would order again

• Boxty Pancake
• Irish mussels
• Various white fish (particularly monkfish since it’s pretty rare in the United States)

⭐⭐⭐ Glad I tried it

• Irish stew
• Seafood chowder

⭐⭐ I’d skip next time

• Vegetarian Irish breakfast

What to Eat in Ireland: My Top Picks

If you only have room for a few Irish foods on your trip, I’d prioritize Irish brown bread with butter, fish and chips, and fresh seafood.

If you have time, I’d also consider taking a traditional soda bread-making class.

I put an emphasis on seafood partly because I live in Kansas, where I’m literally about as far from the coast as you can get in the United States (aside from South Dakota).

On the other hand, I’m also glad I tried traditional Irish foods like a boxty and Irish stew, and I wouldn’t go out of my way for an Irish breakfast based on my experience.

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