West Cork a food lovers haven
The recent success of the Taste of West Cork Festival treated locals and visitors alike to honest homegrowen food over the 10 day event. With record attendance the festival honoured the unique food culture and heritage of west cork. With so much to offer the intrepid visitor the festival helped to shine a light on the region as a gastro-tourism destination of note. A place where holidaymakers can come to relax whilst indulging in some great local food and drink in laidback scenic settings.
It is due to the continued success of the food festival, along with the many noted artisan food producers in the region whose award winning produce can be seen in the farmers markets, on the supermarket shelves and specialist stores and in the eclectic menus of the regions many noted restaurants, including our own Kennedy restaurant in Skibbereen in our hotel in West Cork, that have helped to confirm West Corks and indeed Corks status as the gourmet capital of Ireland. Our Cork hotel also boasts one of the finest pubs in Skibbereen, the Ilen Bar complete with relaxed ambiance, friendly staff and snug.
Our locales emergence as a gourmet centre of excellence and destination of choice for food lovers and gourmands over the years is down to many things not least of all our rich farming and fishing heritage and our remote location by the coast. Factors which make us here a key food producer in Ireland particularly with regards to seafood and all manner of farm produce. Our local farmers, fishermen and skilled artisan food producers provide locally sourced ingredients that are all brought to life through the skill and imagination of the top chefs, who melding old local food traditions together with modern and cosmopolitan influences, create all manner of delicious meals in many of the best restaurants, cafes and local pubs serving hearty pub lunches and of course good drink, in the area. All of these factors shown to the full at the recent festival combined with our unique laidback culture and landscape, help to cement West Corks growing reputation as key destination in gastro-tourism in Ireland.
West Cork is a place where one is guaranteed a variety of dining options and meals out, ranging from wholesome and filling local pub lunches and sunday dinners (not just limited to sundays) served with some local brew in good traditonal Irish pubs and hotel bars, to a delicious dessert or baked pastry over tea and coffee in any of the regions quirky and individual cafes to the wide selection of evening menus found in any of the diverse range of restaurants. Not only that but with all manner of food related holiday attractions including open farms, cookery classes and farmers markets (checkout the main one in Skibbereen held every saturday morning) nestled alongside stunning outdoor scenery food lovers are spoilt for choice with a holiday or short break to west cork. And with plenty West Cork accommodation on offer at our hotel, it is sure to be a holiday to remember.