Today sees the release of our annual guides to the 100 best restaurants in Ireland, and the 100 best places to stay in Ireland, EAT2016 and STAY2016.
The guides first appeared way, way back in 1992, when they were part of a trilogy that included the 100 best places to eat in Dublin.
So, what has changed since 1992? In our restaurant culture, everything today is different. Back in ’92, French gastronomy ruled the roost, and aspiring chefs all copied the French rules. Today, that has changed utterly, and copying the French way is seen as a self-imposed prison of conformity. Plus, do you know anyone who wants to indulge in that narcissistic parade of the multi-course tasting menu that goes on for hours and hours until you collapse into submission and dyspeptic defeat? We don’t.
To put it in simple terms, eating in Irish restaurants in 2016 is all about content, not form. The guide this year includes Miyazaki, probably the most critically lauded restaurant to open in 2015. But remember this: Miyazaki is a take-away. If you want to eat in, you can choose one of their five – five! – stools. Does anyone care about this? Not a bit, because everyone just wants to taste Takashi Miyazaki’s dashi with noodles, and swoon. Content, and creativity, is all.
The Wild Atlantic Way continues to deliver for the west coast – one hospitality provider we spoke to late last year said her business was up 30% – and it is working because restaurants and places to stay on the west coast have embraced this brilliant initiative, and have focused their offering on its unique attributes.
To be honest, the restaurant and hospitality businesses have never been in such good health and, whilst Dublin prices are unavoidably creeping up, there is still marvellous value for money elsewhere. We hope that Eat2016 and Stay2016 will introduce you to dozens of brilliant experiences.
100 Best Apps now published for 2016
Archive - all the best places to eat, shop and stay in Ireland. A local guide to local places.
