Ireland is not known for its food like other countries in Europe, but just a little bit of exploring led me to enjoy some delicious one of a kind meals. I admit, that other places still come out on top as far as European cuisine goes, but Ireland did not leave me hungry.
The star of the show is unrivaled and delicious: the chicken fillet roll. I prefer the ones from Centra, but any quick supermarket or convenience store with a meal counter sells these sandwiches. I’ll let you know my (the best) order if you’re ever in a Centra or a Spar—a roll with butter, lettuce, red onion, and the southern fried chicken (maybe add some cheese if you’re willing to spend the extra 0.50€). My favorite part of these sandwiches are the fresh rolls; no matter what time of day I got one, the rolls were always soft. For only 5.50€ or a sandwich and a coke for 6€, this always made the perfect lunch or last-minute dinner.
On the other side of the spectrum, I went for a few nicer Irish meals to treat myself. I highly recommend adding a couple big meals to your study abroad budget because it was truly worth it. It gave me an entirely different experience compared to the basic meals I cooked for myself. The first place I went was Delahunt in the Portobello neighborhood. It does a modern spin on traditional Irish dishes, and is where I ate the best lamb I’ve ever had. I stepped out of my food comfort zone here from starters to dessert, but it was all worth trying (drinks too!).
While it holds true that Irish food is a lot of meat and potatoes, the quality of the meat is unrivaled. I swear everything I ate tasted better there. The epitome of the Irish meat and potatoes meal is the Sunday roast. I got mine at Hawksmoor in Dublin, which is an old bank-turned-restaurant. Not only is the architecture inside beautiful, but the food was incredible too. I recommend the Sunday roast (when in Rome Dublin), but the Mac and cheese and the sausage stuffing sides were probably the best I’ve ever had respectively. Also, a pint of Guinness just tastes better with a heavy meal.
One Irish-Chinese food that I unfortunately did not get to try due to allergies was the infamous spice bag from Xian Street Food. This is a combination of french fries, fried chicken or tofu, hot peppers, and Chinese spices. With a side of curry, it’s the perfect meal for late night. I had a friend visit me in Dublin for 3 days, and she said it was so good they went two days in a row. Every country seems to have their own version of Chinese food, and spice bags are a staple in Ireland.
Finally, I have to mention the consistent and delicious pub food. I traveled to many different cities while I stayed in Ireland, but from Dublin to Cork to Doolin, I can say that the pubs can all serve food as well as they can pour a pint. My favorite pub classics include fish and chips, shepard’s pie, and my #1: beef and Guinness stew. The best stew I had was after a stormy day at the Cliffs of Moher at Gus O’Connor’s Pub. It was perfect in every way and I’m still thinking about it. It’s worth flying back.
Katherine Barry
Spring 2026
GW Exchange - University College Dublin
School of Engineering & Applied Sciences
Mechanical Engineering Major