Irish Food & Drink

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If your only experience with Irish food is a corned beef sandwich once a year, you are in for a massive surprise. Modern Irish cuisine is all about high-quality, farm-to-table ingredients. Think of it as “Northern Comfort Food” — hearty, soulful, and designed to keep you warm.

Beyond the Shepherd’s Pie

While we love a good pie, there is so much more to explore. For our Miami family: if you love a slow-cooked Ropa Vieja, you’re going to find a lot to love here.

Must-Try Dishes

  • The Full Irish Breakfast: This is the “heavy hitter.” It’s a plate of eggs, sausages, rashers (thick-cut Irish bacon), black and white pudding, and grilled tomatoes. It’s the ultimate fuel for a day of sightseeing.
  • Seafood Chowder: Ireland is an island! The chowder is thick, creamy, and loaded with fresh Atlantic fish, mussels, and prawns. It’s almost always served with a slice of heavy, buttery Brown Soda Bread.
  • Dublin Coddle: A true local favorite. It’s a slow-simmered stew of sausages, bacon, and potatoes. It’s “Dublin in a bowl.”
  • Boxty: This is a traditional Irish potato pancake. It’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside—imagine a potato-based empanada wrap without the filling.

The Dairy Capital

Ireland has some of the best grass-fed dairy in the world.

  • The Butter: You might know Kerrygold in the US, but it tastes even better here. Don’t be shy with it on your bread.
  • The Cheese: Look for a “Farmhouse Cheese Board” on pub menus. Try the Cashel Blue or Gubbeen.

Coffee & Snacks

Miami has the cafecito, and Ireland has the Afternoon Tea.

  • Tea & Scones: Around 3:00 or 4:00 PM, grab a scone with clotted cream and jam.
  • Tayto Crisps: You cannot leave Ireland without trying a “Tayto Sandwich” (cheese and onion potato chips between two slices of buttered white bread). It sounds crazy, but it’s a national treasure.

What’s in the Glass?

  • Guinness: Yes, it really does taste better here. It’s creamier and fresher because it doesn’t have to travel across the ocean.
  • Bulmers Cider: If you aren’t a beer drinker, try a Bulmers (known as Magners outside Ireland) over ice. It’s crisp, sweet, and refreshing.
  • Irish Whiskey: Forget the mixers. Try a Redbreast or Teeling neat or with a splash of water to taste the history.