What to Eat in Ireland :: 6 Must Eat Irish Dishes

Ireland is not one of the places making food lovers’ top travel lists. And honestly, it’s more notorious for having bland food than good! But I think people who say Irish food is bad aren’t eating the right Irish food because I didn’t have a single bad meal on in Dublin or Galway. So to make sure you can do the same, here’s what to eat in Ireland.

Generally Irish food is all about fresh ingredients easily made into comforting dishes. Lamb and root vegetables are common, slow cooked in dishes perfect for a dreary Irish day. After all, Ireland is often rainy and nothing pairs better with dreary weather than hearty dishes and a beer!

So here’s what to eat in Ireland, including the must eat Irish dishes you can’t leave the country without trying.

What to Eat in Ireland :: 6 Must Eat Irish Dishes

1. Irish Stew

The first dish might sound too simple to make a list of what to eat in Ireland, but trust me on this one. Irish Stew was one of my favorite dishes so I ordered it several times throughout Ireland. It can vary in style from thick and hearty to light and brothy, with ingredients ranging from lamb to beef, root vegetables, pearl barley, and more. Like many dishes on this list, it changes depending on the region.

But for purists, traditional Irish Stew is a hearty, thick stew made with slow-cooked lamb, potatoes, and onions. Arthurs Pub in Dublin is famous for their traditional Irish Stew, and it pairs perfectly with a red ale.

2. Full Irish Breakfast

The Full Breakfast is a common morning staple all over the British Isles, with each area putting their own spin on the plate. Bacon, sausages, and eggs (fried or scrambled) are always there, but the sides change depending on the region. In Ireland, the Full Irish Breakfast usually consists of bacon, pork sausages, eggs, black pudding (more on that below), soda bread (another traditional Irish food), and a fried tomato. Baked beans, fried mushrooms, and hash browns are other options.

Even though the Full Irish Breakfast isn’t far off from a typical American bacon and eggs, it’s still one of the dishes you have to eat in Ireland. It’s classic, it’s delicious, and it will keep you full all day. The best place for a Full Irish Breakfast is the nearest neighborhood pub, most of which will serve the dish (sometimes even all day).

3. Beef and Guinness Pie

In Ireland, you’re never far away from Guinness. And even when the “pint o’ plain” (as it’s called) isn’t in beer form, it’s often found in others. Like Beef and Guinness Pie, a variation of steak pot pie only made with — you guessed it — Guinness stout. Beef slow-cooked until tender next to carrots, celery, mushrooms, and more are tucked into a puff pastry for a savory, hearty dish. The alcohol is cooked away but the flavor of Guinness remains, creating a rich, slightly sweet gravy.

This Irish staple is served everywhere from pubs to nicer restaurants, with each spot tweaking their recipe just slightly. So it doesn’t matter where you have it, as long as Beef and Guinness pie makes your what to eat in Ireland list! (Oh, and it pairs perfect with Guinness, if you’re curious!)

4. Oysters

Ireland is well known for beer and whiskey, but did you know Ireland is famous for oysters? The oyster aficionados of the world flock to Ireland for their tasty bivalves and dozens of oyster festivals are held throughout the country. One of the biggest is held in Galway every year, attracting 22,000 visitors to the Western city.

So needless to say, oysters are a dish you can’t leave Ireland without eating. Several different types are available but the Galway native oysters are the best (and only available in months that end in R). Ireland.com has suggestion where to eat them all over the country but the oysters I ate at Quays in Galway were mind-blowing. Juicy, briny and almost the size of my hand, they were easily the best oysters I’ve ever had.

5. Shepherd’s Pie

Another Irish staple in pie form is Shepherd’s Pie. Made with minced lamb and vegetables in a savory gravy on a crust of mashed potatoes, it’s also topped with a heavy dose of mashed potatoes and baked. (Cottage Pie is similar but made with beef.)

Supposedly Shepherd’s Pie was originally invented as a creative way to use leftovers from other meals back in the 1700s. Now it’s an Irish comfort food perfect for weathering long, cold nights!

6. Irish Black Pudding

Black pudding is one of those dishes you’re better off tasting before you know what it is. (Sort of like Scottish haggis.) So just trust me that black pudding is something you should definitely eat in Ireland, if not elsewhere, and that it’s one of my favorite foods (if it’s done right). But it’s worth mentioning when I first learned about black pudding on an old Anthony Bourdain episode about Dublin (RIP to a travel and food icon and amazing writer), I swore I’d never eat it. Then I accidentally ordered it in Madrid, instantly fell in love, and have been eating it ever since.

So what is it? Black pudding, otherwise known as blood sausage, is sausage made from blood (usually from pigs) mixed with fat, spices, and oatmeal or barley. Developed in the UK and Ireland as a way to use every bit of the animal and preserve some through the winter, it’s one of the world’s oldest forms of sausage. It’s served alone (like in a Full Irish breakfast) or as part of other dishes. (In Scotland I had black pudding eggs benedict!)

If you just can’t get over the blood aspect, opt for white pudding, which is the same thing except without the blood.

And don’t forget Irish Whiskey!

There’s more to Irish whiskey than just Jameson and there’s no better place to discover it than in Ireland. After a turbulent history, Irish whiskey is making a comeback and winning over fans with some seriously excellent whiskey. Teeling Single Malt is the whiskey that made me re-think Irish whiskey and you can tour the distillery right in Dublin. Redbreast, Powers, and Midleton are classics, but don’t miss Green Spot, Tullamore D.E.W., Knappogue, and Writer’s Tears. And my fellow peat lovers should definitely try Connemara, one of the few peated Irish whiskeys.

And don’t just try one. There are four types of Irish whiskey (single grain, single malt, pot still, and blend) and each one drastically changes the taste and texture, so make sure to explore them all to find your favorite.

Related :: Here’s how to plan a whiskey trip to Ireland.

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What other Irish dishes would you consider can’t miss Irish dishes? I’d love to know in the comments!

Related :: How to Plan a Whiskey Trip to Ireland, How to Take a Day Trip to the Cliffs of Moher, and Irish Whiskey Distilleries.

Plus :: What to Eat in London, What to Eat in Frankfurt, and What to Eat in Switzerland.