Anthony Bourdain in Ireland:
The Complete Country Guide

Fields of verdant green and dramatic cliffs. Pints of deepest ruby red. Fiddle and guitar music, spilling out from a warmly lit pub. Ireland is a beautiful, comfortable country that welcomes visitors with warm smiles, a familiar language, and a host of delicious dishes borne from a culture that is distinct despite its similarity to neighbors like England and the rest of the United Kingdom.

For many North American travelers, Ireland is a great first European destination – or a stepping stone to the rest of the continent. They speak the same language we do, enjoy many of the same activities, and live in a stunningly beautiful place that’s easy to travel around… even if it does take a minute to get used to driving on the “wrong” side of the road.

Anthony Bourdain visited Ireland twice, first while filming an episode of No Reservations (Season 3, Episode 1) in 2006, and again while filming an episode of The Layover (Season 2, Episode 6). While his exploration beyond Dublin was less focused on food and more on culture, sport, and history, Tony’s trademark blend of wit and wisdom shows off the Emerald Isle to make any traveler want to visit – whether it’s your first international trip or you’re world-weary at this point.

If you’re planning a trip, you might be curious about the places visited by Anthony Bourdain in Ireland. Below you’ll find a list of everywhere he ate and drank that is still open today. I’ve organized them first by city, so you can get a sense of where he went in the country (/on the island), and then give more detail about the specific places he visited. As you’ll see, Ireland is a perfect country to set out and explore by car to visit several of these places and follow in the footsteps and forkfuls of Anthony Bourdain.

Dublin: The Capital City

As you might expect, the capital city of Dublin is the epicenter of places visited by Anthony Bourdain in Ireland. It’s the only city he visited twice on-screen: first in No Reservations, and again for a dedicated episode of The Layover. Best of all, most of the places he visited are still open today!

Here are those spots you can still visit today:

• Celtic Whiskey Shop (27-28 Dawson St, Dublin 2)
• Hogan’s (South Great George’s Street, Dublin 2)
• John Kavanagh The Gravediggers (1 Prospect Square, Glasnevin, Dublin 9)
• Lolly and Cook’s (Herbert Park, Dublin 4)
• Matt The Thresher (31-32 Pembroke Street Lower, Dublin 2)
• O’Donovan Cafe (44 Pearse St, Dublin 2)
• Sheridans Cheesemongers (11 Anne St S, Dublin 2)
• Slattery’s Bar (129 Capel St, North City, Dublin 1)
• The Chophouse (2 Shelbourne Rd, Dublin 4)
• The Long Hall Pub (51 South Great George’s Street, Dublin 2)
• The Palace Bar (21 Fleet St, Temple Bar, Dublin 2)

To note, the number after “Dublin” in each address is the area of the city. Dublin 1 and 2 are the city center north (1) of the River Leith and south (2). Any numbers higher than that are further out from the city center and will take a bit more effort to reach.

Read my full recap of the places Bourdain visited in Dublin to learn about each one and what he ate and drank.

Howth: A Coastal Bounty

Howth is a small community about one hour from Dublin, and is often recommended to visitors as a great day trip option (like, I’ve been recommended it three times during my various Dublin trips!).

Anthony Bourdain makes a trip to Howth to meet up with a friend and sample the bounty of the sea. While – at the time – Tony comments that Irish food generally doesn’t include great seafood, he wants to show off how great the seafood and shellfish in Ireland can be, so they visit King Sitric, which is still open and serving great food today.

Likely as a result of Bourdain’s visit, you can now find lots of great seafood options at restaurants across the Dublin area if you visit Ireland today.

Schull: Off the Beaten Track

The tiny town of Schull in western County Cork is picturesque – and I’ve actually been there, as a Dubliner friend recommended it to me during my first Ireland trip. Apparently, that advice isn’t unique, as Anthony Bourdain also visited Schull as part of his trip to County Cork.

Now I’m not sure if you can have the same experience, but Bourdain visits the Gubbeen House in Schull for a family meal highlighting the meat, dairy, and veggies produced right on the farm. You might reach out if you’re planning to do a road trip through this part of the state to see if dining is an option; you can also find Gubbeen cheeses at cheesemongers across Ireland, including Sheridans which I mentioned in the Dublin section, and has several locations in the city.

Bonus: Belfast (Northern Ireland)

While it isn’t part of the country of Ireland, Belfast and Northern Ireland are part of the island of Ireland, and many people who plan trips around the island end up visiting both Ireland and Northern Ireland. As a result, I’m including Belfast in this country guide as well as my United Kingdom guide.

Anthony Bourdain only visited a few places in Belfast, but two of them are still open to visit today:

• The Rock Bar (491 Falls Rd, Belfast)
• The Crown Liquor Saloon (46 Great Victoria St, Belfast)

Read my complete guide to the places visited by Anthony Bourdain in Belfast, and what he ate at each spot.

Additionally, Bourdain enjoys a full (Northern) Irish breakfast on the train from Belfast to Dublin during his Ireland trip. It includes all the basics (bacon rashers, sausage, black and white pudding, eggs, hashbrowns, and toast) as well as Ulster-fried potato bread, which is the Northern Irish take. I didn’t even know there was a train to Belfast, but it looks like a great train ride!

Have any questions about where Anthony Bourdain went in Ireland, or how to visit yourself? Let me know in the comments.

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