Eating Vegetarian In Ireland: Yes, You Can!

Chef Akanksha Dean, traveller and foodie, details seven vegetarian delights you must try in Ireland

Ireland’s natural produce has made the island one of the most talked-about food destinations in Europe, with an emphasis on artisanal cheese, and fresh-off-the-coast seafood. From decadent potato dishes to the creamiest butter imaginable, Ireland’s food boasts impeccable provenance.

Here are seven vegetarian dishes that will enhance your Irish experience
Beetroot Hummus At The Woollen Mills Eating House, Dublin
Crispy Korean Style Cauliflower At Home, Belfast
Sea Spinach Tempura In Rossaveal
Malai Kulfi At Pickle, Dublin
Crispy Courgette Fritters At Finn Lough
Bright Light Dolmas At Kai, Galway
Artisanal Sourdough Bread, Enniskillen

Here are seven vegetarian dishes that will enhance your Irish experience

Beetroot Hummus At The Woollen Mills Eating House, Dublin

This delightful restaurant is situated alongside the iconic Ha’Penny bridge and serves delectable modern Irish classics. The menu here is all about comfort, and you will find a good mix of local regulars as well as visitors. The ingredients – especially the cheese and the vegetables – are locally sourced, and every item on the menu is made to order.

A must-try is Home’s version of beetroot hummus. Creamy and earthy, it pairs superbly with the in-house Lebanese flatbreads that accompany it. A dollop of minty Irish yoghurt – with pomegranate molasses and cumin – perfectly balances this dish out.

Crispy Korean Style Cauliflower At Home, Belfast

Home, a six-time winner of the Michelin Bib Gourmand, is highly rated by the locals. This eatery boasts contemporary yet chic interiors, and warm lighting and elevated ceilings give it quite the edge. The menu here is quite wide in general, but does keep the dietary requirements of all sorts of diners in mind, and includes a vegan selection. Head chef Ben Arnold is the brain behind this restaurant and aims at serving the best of local produce. The menu is quite flexible and can be adapted to your preferences.

The crispy Korean cauliflower is quite the hot-selling starter. It couples well with the decadent fermented chili dipping sauce. The best way to eat this dish would be to spread some chili sauce on the leaves of the baby gem lettuce served beside it, place the crunchy cauliflower inside, wrap, and munch away.

Sea Spinach Tempura In Rossaveal

A great way to get an introduction to edible seaweed is by going on a foraging tour with Mungo Murphy’s Seaweed Co in the coastal village of Rossaveal, County Galway. The walk includes the opportunity to stroll along the coastline with a guide and learn about the variety of edible seaweed that grows here. You will seek out plants such as sea radish and sea spinach, and then learn interesting recipes made with them.

The Sea Spinach Tempura that you get to taste with a hot cup of tea is fresh, crisp and decadent to the core.

Malai Kulfi At Pickle, Dublin

The food here is inspired by chef-owner Sunil Ghai’s mama’s cooking and the flavours he grew up eating as well as his explorations in various parts of the world, resulting in skilfully-created offerings. There is no compromise on good food there - the dishes are carefully engineered and the service is impeccable.

The dessert menu is a whirlwind of flavours, and, after a delicious meal, the Malai Kulfi with rose-scented falooda is an excellent end to the experience.

Crispy Courgette Fritters At Finn Lough

Fritters can turn the banalest vegetables into something magic. Crispy Courgette Fritters make for a combination of health and taste at the stunning Finn Lough, a tranquil nature retreat located just a mile from the Donegal border.

The fritters are perfectly crisp on the outside and soft and delicate inside and served with dill mayonnaise and parsley-compressed apple.

Bright Light Dolmas At Kai, Galway

One of the finest restaurants in Ireland, Kai – run by New Zealand-born Chef Jess Murphy and her husband David Murphy – is an ode to honest and home-grown ingredients. The menu here is quite simple, and the comfy and charming interiors make you feel right at home. Because the restaurant believes in using only fresh and seasonal ingredients, the menu changes constantly.

The Bright Light Dolmas, if in season, are definitely worth a try. These are Chef Jess’s take on dolmas, accompanied by scamorza cheese and Greek cucumber.

Artisanal Sourdough Bread, Enniskillen

Together with excellent whiskeys, there’s something else that the Irish have refined over the centuries – bread. With recipes and traditions handed down through generations, bread is synonymous with the island of Ireland and one of its major culinary riches. Joe Kelly, a community-supported baker, makes organic sourdough bread and European-style pastries in the island town of Enniskillen, in County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. He bakes in the attic of a transformed stone-built grain store, which has a cafe on the ground floor, with a quirky alleyway beside it. Do check it out!

Disclaimer: All views author’s own. Healthntrends will not be held liable for any mishap arising thereof.

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