Wonderful bakery that we stumbled upon for our visit to Donegal. The baker suggested we try one of…read moretheir crème filled pasteries, to which we happily obliged. The apple pastries we got were divine!! Light, soft and full of flavor with the proper balance of sweetness. Check this place out for a dessert if you are in town for sure!!!

Great place for fresh baked bread, apple tarts, and their lovely Orange Cake with fresh whipped…read morecream. Their coffee is really good too, and they do nice lunches including salads! I love their food, cakes, deserts, coffee. However, the mother doesn't like the food as they don't have turkey/ham and spuds. So if you looking for a traditional Donegal dinner go to Dom's or the Central. If you want some good fresh, made on the premises, not-traditional grub, then head here. I should warn you that the cafe is small, and at lunchtime does get busy and you may not get a seat. If you visiting town, stop here before noontime and after 1pm as the lunch-rush will have subsided. Aroma recently opened a 2nd location closer to the center of town. It's across the street from Magee's factory on New Row. I haven't tried it, so I'll let someone else review it. It is a bigger location.

In a craft village. So accommodating! Made me stuff that wasn't on the menu to take out!!!!read more

Kate's Kitchen just keeps getting better - they've expanded the seating area so you can have a…read moreleisurely browse through their collection of cookbooks and hip foodie magazines. The place rebranded a couple of years ago, and looks very cool and contemporary - wouldn't look out of place in Dublin city, but retains the charm of Sligo - facilitated by the Sisters O'Hara, the three sisters who are the creative energy behind the place. As well as a deli selling a wide range of speciality foods, teas, a 'free from' section, fresh cheeses, teas/coffees, sweet treats and lunches/dinners to go - there's also a dedicated skincare section, with some high end and reasonably priced beauty products. The window display changes with the seasons, as well as the stock. They're always ahead of the crowd, and this is a great spot to pick up a special gift. They're very active on social media and their instagram @kateskitchensligo is a feast for the eyes if you can't get instore. There's usually a veggie option at lunch, and try one of my personal faves - the coconut macaroons!

Kate's Kitchen/Hopper & Pettit is a tantalising "twinshop" consisting of a Delicatessen and…read moreToiletry Unit. The deli has a whole host of delights not all Irish sourced but of very good pedigree none the less. I bought a fantastic carmelised chutney that I would like some more of. There are an abundance of fresh produce available here . The cosmetics and toiletries are in a separate little store within the main store and you can treat yourself to a selection of delights here also. The staff are charming.

Absolutely gorgeous little spot recently opened in Bundoran. As far as I can see, this town was…read morejust crying out for something like this, and they haven't been let down. Hardy's has delivered, and then some. It's located in the same centre as Lidl and the cinema - behind it in fact. Don't be put off by the commercial location - once you're inside, you could just as easily be smack bang on the sea front such is the decor - light, bright and airy. The food though. Just divine. I had avocado smashed on sourdough bread, with two perfectly cooked poached eggs on top and this bacon marmalade that had the most incredible tangy sweetness. Then there's the cakes. Just stunningly gorgeo to look at and soooooooo light, fluffy, perfect. I can't fault a thing. Put it on your list!

This is a very pleasant surprise in Bundoran…read more It's probably the only decent coffee shop in the whole town. It's a bit more urban than other places and to be honest once you step inside you could easily be in dublin. Coffee is positively spectacular compared to other spots and the food, naturally pricier than most other cafes in bundoran is also considerably better. Best cafe in town for now!

This is, by far, one of the best places to eat in town. Also recognised as one of the top spots in…read morethe country, presumably for their use of locally sourced meat and ingredients. They believe in supporting the community that supports them, which is great. On our first day in Ballina, we asked reception where a good place for lunch or dinner would be and this place, along with their fine dining upstairs, Heifer and Hen, got glowing reviews. We checked it out and saw a list of pastas and sandwiches, so kept going in search of 'traditional Irish fare'. Upon closer inspection, the full sit down menu offered things like Cumberland sausages, bangers and mash and more. So breakfast it was. You can't go wrong with freshly baked goods, a local butcher for tasty sausages and bacon and locally sourced ingredients. The toast was almost like a cake, very tasty, a little sweet and quite dense. Service was fast, friendly and accommodating and the coffee was good too. Only complaint is that the glasses and cutlery could be a little cleaner. All in all, if you're in Ballina, avoid disappointment and come here first. We're heading back for lunch!

This is a cute deli with a full restaurant upstairs. The staff (Audrey and Vladimir, especially)…read moreare amazing and the food delicious. In particular, the bolognese is one of the best I've ever had. Probably had it about 6-7 times. Then I tried the lasagna at the suggestion of Vladimir since they use the bolognese in it and it was a great choice! Hope to make it back one day!

Well. Did I go to Sligo expecting to find The World's Best Salad?! No I did not. Did I like it so…read moremuch that I returned three times in TWO DAYS to get THE SAME SALAD?! Yes. Yes I did. Roll call for The World's Best Salad: It was their seasonal salad that's written up on the board. Goats cheese, candied walnuts, greenery, I got some chicken on top (gotta have that protein!), and the kicker, fresh strawberries with their homemade balsamic. The combination of flavours and textures are exquisite. I dare you to try it and say that it's not The World's Best Salad. Dare ya. Besides the food (which genuinely might be the best cafe food I've eaten in Ireland), the staff are incredibly friendly. Honestly it felt like eating in a friend's house. So hospitable, and chatty, and even though you will nearly always have to wait for a table, they are so damn nice, you really don't care. Plus, you can wait in their shop area next door - a cunning plan of theirs, as it's stocked with so much cool stuff, you'll likely spend your money there before you even sit down for food. But the kicker is, the stuff is SO cool, you won't care! (Pro tip; I got a bottle of their balsamic vinegar which is insanely good (and insanely addictive - you've been warned!)

So: WE LOVE THIS PLACE! It's been the first café we visited…read morewhen we moved to Ireland from Italy, on our first trip to the seaside. And everytime friends or family come to visit us we bring them here and never come back home disappointed (well, actually just one last Sunday. I'll write that too). I like the atmosphere, I like the colors, I like the shop full of fancy items. The goat cheese sandwich is really good. Fish 'n chips is crunchy and well fried. The seafood chowder is one of the best I've eaten here in Ireland. The hand cut chips and the fried potatoes with parmesan and rocket are good. The eggs arnold and the egg and soldier are so good looking and so tasty. However, last Sunday we came here again for lunch and we had a chowder and the "Fish Finger Sambo". Honestly, I thought would have been a completely different dish and I didn't really get the chips in the sandwich that were too many respect the fish itself. Which was a good one. Anyway, it doesn't change my mind on the Shells!

If you are looking for an amazing coffee shop. I highly recommend Shiela's Coffee & Cream located…read moreon the Main Street in the Beautiful Village of Ardra, County Donegal, Ireland. It is located in the heritage center.Upon entering I was made feel very Welcome. I was handed a menu and my drinks order was taken. I ordered the Irish Breakfast. It was absolutely delicious and was just perfect! Definitely no complaints from me. The toast was made perfectly. The staff always make sure you are taken care of. I ended up going to Sheila's Coffee & Cream at least four times during my stay in Ardara. I also tried their desserts, scones and toasties . Everything tasted amazing! The staff are all professional, kind and genuinely care about their customers. Sheila's Coffee & Cream rates Five Stars and more! It should be noted I am originally from Dublin, Ireland, lived in the United States for over thirty years and served in the United States Marines all over the world. I definitely know a great Coffee Shop from all my travels and life experiences. I definitely will return to Sheila's Coffee & Cream in the near future. This establishment rates five stars and more! A must visit when in Ardara!

Sheila's has delicious wheaten bread -- eat in or buy it to take home -- and good coffee. Also…read morewireless internet (new this month), if it's working. Can't say I sampled many of their offerings, but I would go back for more of what I tried! Open only during the day (approximately 10 a.m. to 6 p.m).

Every town in Ireland should have a French style patisserie just like this one; it should be…read morelegislated for and state funded. So how come Sligo gets lucky then, eh? Beautiful places like this are usually only found in larger cities. I'd passed this place a few times on earlier holidays but this was the first opportunity I had to buy to try - so I got a white sourdough loaf. I could have picked brown sourdough and I'm sure I also had a 3rd choice. For €2.50 I got exquisite, classic tasting and smelling, slow fermented sourdough with a crisp crackly outer crust - all it needed was the finest Irish butter. Having a sweet tooth I also opted for a selection of individual sweet pies, cake and macaroons to try. The cake I picked was a raspberry chocolate ganache with a whole raspberry on top (I think about €4 and worth every cent). The Wu flu means that the patisserie isn't open for customers to go inside. It was window shopping through a hatch only. I now have Apple Pay on my phone and I found that €21 can vanish in a nanosecond. I hope when we next return it'll be fully open. It's perfect to pick up picnic goodies too. Worth supporting.

Wonderful little Fresh patisserie in the heart of Sligo. My husband and I got breakfast there on a…read morecouple of occasions during a recent visit. They are very conscientious with COVID protocols, and have a convenient walk-up system to place your order. We had sausage rolls, pain au chocolate, hot chocolate, cappuccino, bleu cheese sourdough, and a baguette. The woman at the counter told me that the owner gets up at 2am to start making everything from scratch. It all looked so beautiful and delicious! I can't wait to go back to Sligo so that I can try all of their treats. Please give them your business!

Sarah Jane does a great line in cakes for weddings, birthdays and all those other special…read moreoccasions. A delivery service is available to quite a range of destinations, I suppose if you are prepared to pay for it it will be delivered anywhere. Sadly Sarah Jane's Diner formerly in Kesh is no longer in business, we all miss her home baked stuff and a nice cup of coffee. Come back Sarah Jane.