European Capital of Culture 2020

Galway is a bustling town with fantastic nightlife and the charming pedestrianised streets and numerous pubs, cafes and restaurants are sure to keep you occupied. The range of restaurants extends from traditional, to ethnic to the usual fast food outlets.

Image: Eating & drinking in Galway

Eating in Galway

Below you will find a handful of places to eat that have been recommended to us by the locals. You won't go wrong if you eat in any of these.

Aniar - Lower Dominick Street - Aniar is a terroir based restaurant located in Galway’s West End. The word terroir is usually associated with wine-making: the combination of factors, including soil, climate, and environment, that gives a wine its distinctive character. In the case of this restaurant, they use the word in order to describe the way in which their food comes from the specific place that is Galway and the west of Ireland - Visit website

Ard Bia at Nimmo’s - Spanish Arch - The restaurant is directly behind the Spanish Arch. Delicious food based on local sourcing. Wonderful atmosphere. If you're not looking to splurge at this restaurant, head to the cafe for the lunch specials which are more reasonably priced - Visit website

Cava Bodega - Situated on Middle Street in Galway city, the award-winning Cava Bodega showcases the very best of Spanish food and wine, in particular the global phenomena of tapas - Visit website

Kai Cafe + Restaurant - Sea Road - The philosophy at Kai Café and Restaurant is very simple, head chef Jessica sources fresh, organic produce from local suppliers to create daily menus bursting with flavor, texture and colour. If you’re lucky you might even get an edible flower on your plate - Visit website

Kappa-Ya - Middle Street - Japanese Restaurant specialising in Don dishes, a traditional Japanese casual dish consisting of bowls of rice topped with a variety of foods - Visit website

Loam - Geatta Na Cathrach, Fairgreen - Loam is a Michelin-starred restaurant and wine bar located just off Eyre Square in Galway city. It first opened its doors in November 2014 and is owned and run by Head Chef Enda McEvoy – voted ‘Best Chef in Ireland‘ at the 2016 Irish Restaurant Awards. Commended and presented with the prize for best restaurant during the annual National Hospitality Awards 2017 - Visit website

Upstairs @ West - Barna - West is a modern take on a classic - a contemporary riff on a San Fran-style club restaurant. Beautifully lit, flattering and gleaming, with a sweet champagne bar, cosy booths and smooth dark wood, West is a proper restaurant, a grown-up room and a reminder of why some things in life are too good to change - Visit website

Drinking in Galway

More than 23,000 full-time students help the city’s bars to maintain a thriving trade through the wet and windy winter months, but it’s in summer time that Ireland’s western capital really comes into its own.

Recently the annual National Hospitality Awards awarded the best pub in Ireland award runners-up to Doheny & Nesbitt and Lowry’s Irish Music and Whiskey Bar in Galway.

Tigh Neachtains - Cross Street. Traditional pub with good live music and a great beer selection. Bit of a tourist trap but a nice place to spend the evening if you can get a seat.

Busker Brownes and Kirbys Restaurant - Cross Street. 4 Bars, 1 Venue and over 400 years of history! Live bands Sunday - Thursday & late night DJ at the weekends! Adjacent to Buskers is Kirby's Restaurant serving the best of modern food with a contemporary twist.

Cookes Thatch Pub - is one of only two remaining Thatch Pubs in Galway. Dating back to the 1600's, the trad music sessions on Wednesday and Sunday night are unmissable.

The King's Head Pub has decent prices and a nightly cover band. Popular with students and tourists alike, this place is always lively.

For the more traditional minded, Monroe's Tavern, just south of the Corrib and visible from the Spanish Arch, has traditional music every night and set dancing on Tuesdays. Highly Recommended if you're in town on Tuesday night.

Roisin Dubh, on Dominick Street, near Monroe's, is perfect for those of you who like alternative and rock music, and on Wednesdays hosts a popular comedy night showcasing local and international acts.

The Quays is warm and offers good live folk music and as well as cover bands.

Bierhaus - Serves local and international beer with regular electronic guest acts and DJs

The Crane Bar - Sea Road. You'll find live Irish music nightly at the Crane. Take your pick from the locals playing traditional music downstairs or the musicians playing various types of music upstairs.

Taaffes Pub - 19 Shop Street, Galway. Great authentic Irish experience. You can find traditional music there almost any night and there's a friendly, welcoming atmosphere.

Salt House - Ravens Terrace (Just across the river from Spanish Arch along the canal). With over 120 bottled craft beers from right around the world. Whether it's IPA or Rauchbier they have it covered. 21 Taps of which at least 6 rotate, (sometimes they get carried away), and a cask engine which pours a new real ale every week. All this in a typical Irish setting; small, cosy pub, perched on Ravens Terrace over looking The Claddagh. The bar is owned by the Galway Bay Brewery company and serves at least 5 beers made by the brewery, the Double IPA "Of Foam and Fury" is regarded as the best beer to emerge from Ireland's rapidly growing craft beer scene.