Restaurants and pubs in Waterford

Irish food isn’t just about stew and potatoes. The country has a wide range of traditional tastes to suit every palate, whether you’re a vegetarian or eat a gluten free diet, and restaurants from practically every country can be found around Ireland. Unsurprisingly, the Irish capital Dublin has the most varied selection of restaurants around, but with the Michelin guide for 2016 just having been released, we wanted to try out something a little less predictable. We headed down to the Travelodge Waterford Hotel to explore one of Ireland’s lesser known culinary hotspots.

The longest inhabited city in all of Ireland, Waterford has had more than a millennium to develop some delicious tastes. County Waterford has more Michelin starred restaurants than practically any other area in Ireland (tying with Dublin), demonstrating just how incredible the area’s cuisine is. We’ve put together a guide to the best restaurants around Waterford along with a bit of information about what to see in this often overlooked Irish city.

In the 2016 Michelin Guide, two restaurants in County Waterford achieved the prestigious star award. While the Cliff House Restaurant is around an hour and a half from Waterford itself, the Copper Hen is just a 20 minute drive, or around 10 minutes from relaxing Tramore Beach. The Copper Hen’s menu excels when it comes to traditional Irish cuisine, with dishes like Irish beef and salmon along with a daily vegetarian option. The restaurant offers a set menu at a surprisingly low price, making it ideal for anyone wanting to try world-class cuisine on a budget.

Around the city of Waterford, you’ll find a range of great flavours, and we’ve recommended a few favourites here:

The Olive Tree: Perfect for quick eats, this authentic tapas bar serves up a selection of authentic Spanish dishes from paella to potato omelette tortillas. We definitely recommend checking out the chorizo frito con patatas y huevo (Fried potatoes and chorizo topped with a fried egg) for a real taste of Asturian cuisine, or try some vegetarian and fish-based options.

Momo: Definitely healthier than the average restaurant, Momo offers a range of delicious meals, with particular focus on fresh vegetable dishes. Try out some vegetable tempura, some local Irish lamb or put together a special sharing board to try a few different tastes!

Bodega: An innovative range of dishes focuses on local Irish produce, from Ireland’s famous seafood, lamb and beef to vegetarian dishes and a great wine menu. Celiac friendly options and delicious vegetarian choices like pumpkin burgers and goat cheese tarts make sure that Bodega stands out from the crowd.
We don’t have room to mention all the great Waterford restaurants you can find around the city, but rest assured that there’s something that totally suits your tastes.

Waterford’s Best Attractions

If you visit Waterford, you’ll find an impressive range of attractions, whether you’re interested in exploring over a thousand years of history or seeing something more modern. We’d definitely recommend starting off with a trip over to the three Waterford Museums, particularly the Medieval Museum.

Waterford’s arts scene is far more modern than you might expect from a city founded back in the 10th century. Theatres, galleries and festivals make for an ever changing experience, backed up with a genuinely unique atmosphere around the city. Waterford is absolutely ideal for a weekend break away from work: try some great food, take in a local play and relax in some beautiful natural areas like the Mount Congreve Gardens.

Our hotel was located just a few minutes from the city centre, making sure that we could get around the restaurants and attractions that Waterford had to offer. A lot of Waterford’s best dining can be done on a budget, so the low cost of the Travelodge hotel felt like a particularly good choice for our stay.