4 foodie spots turning their areas into food destinations
Have you ever driven an hour to try a restaurant you've seen on social media? Believe it or not, this is how many of our nation's foodies spend their free time. Éadaoin Fitzmaurice writes about how innovative food spots are turning lesser known parts of the country into foodie destinations.
Across Ireland, a quiet travel revolution is reshaping how people explore the country. Food isn’t just an accompaniment to sightseeing anymore - it’s a central motivator in how people choose destinations.
According to national research, food and drink now account for roughly a third of total tourism spend, and 70% of potential overseas visitors say food affects where they want to go in Ireland. This shift reflects a broader trend where authentic culinary experiences - from artisan producers in rural counties to acclaimed seasonal menus in village restaurants - are becoming as important as historic castles or scenic coastlines.
My fiancé and I decided to lean into the trend ourselves this week, driving an hour south to Grangecon - a village I’ll admit I’d never heard of - and likely wouldn’t have found myself in were it not for the promise of an exceptional café.
As we pulled into the tiny village on the Wicklow–Kildare border, a local smiled and asked, "Are you here for the café?" It seems we weren’t the only ones making the pilgrimage. In a place this small, a steady stream of cars with out-of-county plates tells its own story.
Founded in 2019 as a passion project by Stephanie Myerscough and Laura McEvoy, Grangecon Kitchen has grown into one of Ireland’s most beloved rural food destinations. What began as a simple idea has evolved into a bakery, café and deli known for scratch-made cooking and bold, seasonal flavours rooted in local produce and artisan suppliers.
Sitting down to plates of silky Turkish eggs and a juicy Reuben sandwich, we could hear accents from across the country around us - proof that this little café has become a draw far beyond its postcode.
Another rural restaurant drawing diners from near and far is La Cocina Cuevas in the Naul. Hidden down a quiet country road, this is not somewhere you stumble upon accidentally; people come with intent. Here, chef-owner Jeremy Cuevas brings together his Californian-Mexican heritage and fresh Irish ingredients to create vibrant, flavour-packed tacos, burritos, loaded potato dishes and weekend brunch favourites.
Cuevas remarked, "At least half of our weekly guests are coming from all around Dublin including inner-city, Citywest and Southside. We have one family who comes from Rathgar weekly. The rest come from around the country, many from Meath, Louth, Kildare and beyond. We are also only five minutes off the M1 exit 5, so we get many people traveling from the North of Ireland."
When asked how diners discover the restaurant, he explained:
"Social media has absolutely changed rural dining in Ireland. However, word of mouth is probably the most effective and valuable resource. We believe that people trust their friends and peers more than social media still and if they have tried our place and we have delivered a good experience then they are excited to tell others about it."
When I asked Jeremy why he thinks there has been a rise in food tourism, he explained that "people love an experience".
"Driving out to a farm or small village, getting lost down an old country road and stumbling upon a quaint farm shop or coffee shop or Cali-Mex restaurant that champions local produce. These little places in the countryside have their own unique character and provide the chance for the guest to converse with the people who run these places directly. Places in the countryside also offer guests a chance to be more connected to where their food comes from, or where it is grown, raised or caught."
Together, location and loyalty have turned this off-the-beaten-track spot into a deliberate destination, a clear example of how rural food businesses are reshaping Ireland’s travel patterns, one recommendation at a time.
One of the most compelling developments in Ireland’s food tourism story is how rural businesses are quietly redefining destination travel, drawing people off motorways and into villages they may never have discovered otherwise. Tiny villages like Borris in Carlow have seen a rise in footfall after a bakery called Plúr started selling freshly baked loaves and perfectly folded pastries out of a traditional pub on weekends.
Curious about how Plúr managed to cut through the noise and capture the attention of food-motivated travellers, I asked owner Séamus for his perspective.
"Our success has come from doing something very specific and being fully connected to it. Our grain is grown here, milled here, and baked here, so there’s a direct relationship between the land and the bread. People respond to that honesty. It’s also about place and community. Plúr isn’t separate from the village, it’s part of it. People don’t just come for the bakery, they experience Borris as a whole. Over time, that has built something people are willing to travel for."
When asked whether that interest has translated into a tangible impact beyond his own business, he explained, "People regularly travel to Borris specifically to visit Plúr, and many of them stay locally. John and Mary own Joyce's pub and B&B in the village and have had guests who came primarily because of the bakery, which is incredibly special to see.
"People spend time here, walk around the village, and become part of the place, even briefly. It shows how food can contribute to the wider local economy and community, not just one business."
In villages like Borris, the bakery is not simply a place to buy bread. It has become an anchor — proof that when food is rooted in landscape and community, it has the power to transform a postcode into a destination.
It’s not only casual bites like pastries and tacos that inspire people to travel. Michelin-starred restaurants are feeling the impact too. The Homestead in Co Clare is a clear example of how destination dining is shaping rural Ireland’s tourism landscape.
Chef-owner Robbie McCauley believes the momentum extends far beyond domestic interest.
"I think food tourism is really on the rise in Ireland, we are starting to be noticed for the food and produce all over the world. We have been incredibly lucky to have people build their weekend or even holiday around coming to visit our restaurant. They often email asking for recommendations on what to do around or where to stay."
During a recent trip to Clare, one theme came up repeatedly in conversations I had with local business owners: the steady rise of off-season travel. With fewer crowds, better value, and less competition for sought-after reservations, more Irish visitors are choosing to explore their own island outside the traditional summer peak.
Robbie confirms this shift. "What we have seen is that we are getting more tourists during the quieter months. Last year we saw a huge number coming to us in February and March and had local accommodation providers tell us they had seen a noticeable increase."
So what is drawing people to these rural corners now more than ever? For Robbie, the answer lies in experience as much as excellence.
"I think what we can offer that's different from in the city is genuine experience.You can see the beautiful scenery and meet locals, listen to them tell stories and great music at pubs that are still full of local people. We have never hidden the fact that our restaurant is in an old traditional north Clare cottage, the floor is locally quarries stone that are a little wonky but these are the things that make the place unique and authentic."
From farmyard taco trucks to pub bakeries and Michelin-starred cottages, Ireland’s food scene is no longer confined to its cities - it’s scattered deliberately across villages, valleys and coastlines, waiting to be sought out. What unites these places is not just quality, but intention. Travellers are no longer stumbling upon great meals by accident; they are planning journeys around them, booking weekends for a table, mapping routes for a loaf of bread, and driving an hour for a dish they saw online the night before.
Food tourism in Ireland has evolved into something deeper than trend-led dining. It’s about connection - to land, to producers, to story, to community. Social media may spark curiosity, but authenticity sustains it. In rural cafés, bakeries and restaurants, visitors are not only fed; they are welcomed into the fabric of a place, however briefly.
Food in Ireland has always been more than sustenance; it’s a sacred ritual. It’s how we gather, how we mark occasions, how we linger at tables long after the plates are cleared. Travelling to these places, recommending them to friends, recounting the meal over pints or morning coffees - this is how community is formed and reformed. There is something powerful in that shared experience, in the way a loaf of bread, a perfectly poached egg or a thoughtfully prepared tasting menu can draw strangers into conversation and bring friends closer together.
As more Irish people choose to explore their own island - particularly in the quieter months - food has become both compass and catalyst. It’s pulling us off the motorway and into villages we might once have passed by, reminding us that the true richness of Ireland is not only in its landscapes, but in the tables set within them, and in the way those tables continue to connect us all.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ.
