Dingle Peninsula - Ireland 2014 - page 370

Inexpensive Dingle Dinners
(See “Dingle Restaurants & Pubs” map, here .)
While the top-end restaurants charge on average €20-30, you can eat well for €12-16 in
Dingle's pubs and ethnic eateries. Fancy restaurants serve early-bird specials from 17:30
to 19:00. Many cheap and cheery lunch places close at 18:00. Most pubs stop serving food
at about 21:00 (to make room for their beer drinkers). Anyone will serve tap water for
free. Here are some ideas:
John Benny Moriarty's is a waterfront pub dishing up traditional Irish fare with a re-
latively cozy interior. John, the proprietor, hopes people will come here for dinner, and
stay for a drink and to enjoy his nightly live music (€12-16 hearty dinner plates, food daily
12:30-21:30, music after 21:30, The Pier).
An Canteen hides out up the street, across from the cinema, offering genuine home
cooking made with fresh seasonal produce, served up in an unpretentious atmosphere, for
great prices (€15-22 meals, Thu-Tue 12:00-21:00, closed Wed, Dykegate Street, mobile
086-660-3778).
Whole Food Vegetarian Café is a peaceful little place serving healthy soups, salads,
pancakes, fruit smoothies, and home-baked cakes. Its serene back garden is perfect for en-
joying a light lunch (Wed-Sat 12:00-17:00, closed Sun-Tue except July-Aug, Lower Main
Street, mobile [phone]).
Goat Street Café is a good-natured, lunch-only cubbyhole away from the action,
with dependable pasta and fish plates (€11-16 lunches, Mon-Sat 10:00-16:00, closed
Sun, at top of town where Main Street becomes Goat Street, tel. [phone], mobile
086-826-4118).
The Wren's Nest is a mellow coffeehouse, reflecting musician-owner John Ryan's
philosophical demeanor. This lunch-only refuge, with an ultra-appealing back garden,
serves wholesome omelets, sandwiches, cakes, and tea. A small corner stage hosts occa-
sional open-mic acoustic music gigs; you can also check out the schedule of dance and
music lessons (daily 11:00-17:00, Dykegate Street, mobile [phone]).
Tir Na Ri Chinese Restaurant serves what you'd expect in a relatively plush am-
bience (€12-19 plates, Mon-Fri 12:30-14:30 & 17:00-23:00, Sat-Sun 17:00-23:00, also
takeaway, Green Street, tel. [phone]).
An Café Liteartha, alikeable andsimplerefugehiddenbehindawonderfullycluttered
bookstore, serves soup and sandwiches to a good-natured crowd of Gaelic speakers (June-
Aug daily 10:00-18:00; Sept-May Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00, closed Sun; Dykegate Street, tel.
066/915-2204).