Delphi Lodge & Estate

Friendly Chef-Owner Frankie named this permanently popular restaurant after his home village, and there is certainly a welcoming homeliness to the place. It’s tucked away down a narrow town centre alleyway and its cosy interior has a simple, shabby-chic style. Choose between two fixed-price menus named after nearby mountain ranges: the good value Néifinn Bheag and the more adventurous Cruach Phádraig. Both include dishes informed by local produce – such as excellent sea trout – that have a classical base and plenty of flavour.

Wood-panelling and Waterford Crystal chandeliers set the tone at this sophisticated dining room within the Ashford Castle hotel. It was built in 1905 to honour the visit of the Prince of Wales, who later became King George V, and retains an impressively grand feel. Classic French flavours are to the fore, but are delivered with a modern flourishes, and warm Irish hospitality completes the picture.