Woodford Dolmen Blog

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Ireland’s Ancient East – Foodie Escape in County Carlow

Ireland’s Ancient East is home to many excellent restaurants, cafés and delicatessens filled with scrumptious local produce and incorporated into wonderful dishes. Carlow alone boasts many of these. From our very own Plum Tree Bistro, offering daily lunch and evening specials to 5-star cuisine at Clashganny House and from specialty coffee to thee regions fare at the local farmers’ market. Carlow town and county has something to satisfy the many foodies among us.

The Plum Tree Bistro at Woodford Dolmen Hotel

The Plum Tree Bistro and Dolmen Bar at the Woodford Dolmen Hotel has a longstanding reputation of serving daily our guests and local clientele. The Plum Tree lunch menus are updated daily with Chef’s specials sure to impress all tastes. Chef’s evening menu provides the opportunity to luxuriate in a three-course meal with the freshest local ingredients and some surprise daily specials also appear! Our bistro is ideal for a romantic meal for two or a catch up with friends. The experienced staff of our Dolmen Bar are on hand to serve up delicious creations straight to your table using wonderful local produce including Carlow’s own Silver Spear Gin and O’Hara’s beers from Carlow Brewing Company.

Carlow Farmers’ Market

Carlow Farmers’ Market is chock-full of organic produce from local suppliers selling everything from vegetables to bread and cheese. You can also enjoy a delicious crepe or afternoon tea from some of the market-regular stalls. It takes place every Saturday from 9am to 2pm rain or shine. Located at Potato Market in the heart of Carlow town. Spend a morning here exploring what’s on offer. For more information visit http://carlowfarmersmarket.com/

Coolanowle Food Hall

Coolanowle Foodhall is a family owned and managed foodie haven situated on Dublin Street in Carlow town. It’s ethos centres on local and sustainable food production with a farm to fork approach. Not only can you enjoy a homemade breakfast and lunch options, but customers can also bring a slice of Coolanowle home with them from their trip with a variety of Irish produce from cold meats to cheeses and dried goods on sale. There is even a hamper service which makes an excellent gift! For more information visit https://coolanowlefoodhall.ie/

Neighbourhood Coffee

Carlow’s first specialty single origin coffee roasters, located on Barrack’s Street, sources quality and seasonal coffee varieties. Neighbourhood Expresso has become a beloved spot among locals as the café is all about looking after our neighbourhood for the good of the wider community. It has certainly made an impact on the heart’s of Carlovians and visitors seen from it’s social media following.  You can find Neighbourhood on Instagram

Clashganny House Restaurant

Owned and run by Robert and Karen White, Clashganny House Restaurant is located in the picturesque village of Borris in county Carlow. Robert is a former head chef at the five-star Monart Spa in county Wexford. This family run, boutique dining experience in the beautiful locality of Borris is wonderful for all occasions. From a romantic dinner to a group celebration. Visit http://clashgannyhouse.com/ for more information.

Lennons

Lennons is an award winning restaurant and cafe located on the lower ground floor of the VISUAL Arts Centre in the fabulous surroundings of St. Patrick’s College, Carlow town. Providing great food produced with passion and attention to detail while using only the finest Irish meat and poultry, sustainably caught fish and locally sourced ingredients. Lennon’s has a casual atmosphere that will suit all preferences. For more information, visit lennons.ie/

Mimosa Bar de Tapas

A gem overlooking the beautiful Carlow Cathedral and Libray is Mimosa Bar de Tapas. A popular haunt among locals, you will enjoy Mimosa’s range of tapas and wines. For more information visit https://www.mimosawinebar.com/

Caffé 500 

Located on Kennedy Street in Carlow town, Caffé 500 is a great spot to sit and have a delicious Italian meal. Handmade pastas and pizzas abound in a taverna in this snug spot in the centre of Carlow. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/caffe500carlow/ To book a foodie staycation with us, visit our site for the current special offers.

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