Cradog Farmhouse B&B

The 1,500-acre Mount Juliet Estate, now housing an impressive country house hotel, is one of the best examples of Georgian architecture in Ireland; it still boasts its original stuccowork and hand-carved marble fireplaces, and its luxurious, high-ceilinged restaurant comes with all the comfort and elegance one would expect. John Kelly’s boldly flavoured, visually impressive dishes are skilfully prepared, underpinned by ingredients from the estate, the county and the coast. The excellent desserts – such as a beautiful hazelnut and chocolate confection – provide a memorable finish.

A vaulted ceiling and flagstone floors combine with sumptuous, colourful furnishings at this striking restaurant packed with both character and luxury. It helps, of course, that it’s located in the cellars of Cashel Palace, a magnificent Palladian manor house which was once home to the Archbishops of Cashel. The various sitting rooms are ideal for a pre-dinner drink, but it's hard to look past a pint of the black stuff in the intimate Guinness Bar. The cooking puts local suppliers to the fore, extracting superb natural flavours from the likes of beef fillet from the town butcher.

It takes some doing for a restaurant to stand out when it’s in a hotel as beautiful as this. Ballyfin Demesne is a spectacular, lovingly restored Regency-era manor house that screams luxury at every turn. The opulence continues into the dining room, where the chefs serve fittingly impressive dishes. Broths, purées and sauces are a real highlight and underline the technical skill of the kitchen team, be it a rich, glossy reduction or a roasted onion consommé with bags of flavour. Charming and attentive service completes the rather special picture.

There’s an endearing quality to this characterful restaurant run by a young, friendly team and set inside a former garage and shop. The cooking champions the County Laois larder and other Irish produce, in satisfying dishes with tried-and-tested flavour combinations. At dinner, choose from the concise à la carte or sample the kitchen’s full range of talents with the 7 course tasting menu. Lunchtime is a slightly simpler affair and features daily specials.

Having first opened in 1968, there’s an impressive longevity to this restaurant situated in the shadow of the famous Rock of Cashel. Housed inside an imposing 19th-century Synod Hall, it’s a family-owned place run with genuine Irish hospitality by the friendly team, many of whom have been here for years. The menu is a roll-call of classical cooking and renowned Irish ingredients, such as sole meunière with Portmagee lobster; for dessert, you can’t beat old-school treats like the tapioca and vanilla pudding.