Our Local Guide to Kinsale: Eat, Drink, Shop & Explore

Thanks a million for popping into Croí Kinsale Jewellery in the heart of beautiful Kinsale, County Cork!

Our little town is packed with brilliant restaurants, cosy pubs, independent shops, stunning sea views and great coffee. Whether you're spending a weekend in West Cork or exploring the Wild Atlantic Way, here's our personal guide to some of our favourite places to eat, drink, shop and explore while you're here.

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Our Favourite Restaurants in Kinsale

• The Black Pig Winebar: Our absolute favourite restaurant in Kinsale! The mushrooms on toast are legendary, the prawns are unreal, and if chicken liver pâté is your thing, happy days. Small plates, great wine and a wonderfully cosy atmosphere. Hard to beat.
• All Apologies: A fantastic spot for cocktails, interesting wines and delicious small plates. Grab a drink overlooking Kinsale Marina and settle in for a lovely evening.
• Man Friday: Fresh local seafood, lovely service and a welcoming atmosphere. If you can grab a table in the conservatory, even better.
• Bia: Local, unfussy and consistently delicious. The kind of place where everything just feels easy.
• The Bulman: A proper Kinsale institution near Charles Fort. Seafood chowder, lobster, creamy pints, outdoor seating and plenty of sea air. What more could you want?
• The White House: Traditional Irish food and a welcoming atmosphere, right in the heart of Kinsale.
• Jim Edwards: Traditional Irish food done right. Great atmosphere and a reliable favourite for seafood and a hearty feed.
• Dino's: Fish and chips by the harbour? Go on so! Their burgers are class too.
• No. 19: Modern Irish food with a relaxed but polished feel. Perfect for a date night, celebration dinner or when you simply fancy treating yourself.

For Wine Lovers: The Wine Buff

One of our favourite places for a glass of wine and a cheese board before dinner. An excellent selection of wines at very reasonable prices, a relaxed atmosphere and a warm welcome from Kate and the team. They're legends!

Our Favourite Coffee Shops in Kinsale

• Wild + Tame: Fantastic coffee, sweet treats and warm smiles. A lovely little stop near Kitty Ó Sé's.
• Dána Coffee Bar: A lovely independent coffee spot where they really know their craft. They're passionate about coffee, and it shows!
• Seeds Bakery & Coffee Shop: Beautiful bread, delicious pastries, sandwiches and excellent coffee. Emilio is dangerously addicted to their almond croissants. Consider yourself warned!
• The Post House Café: Excellent sausage rolls, lovely coffee and a hidden sunny courtyard. Ask about their evening wine bar too!

Our Favourite Breakfast & Lunch Spots in Kinsale

• Salvi's Café: Right next door to us on Pearse Street! Great coffee, lovely breakfasts and Salvador's beef burger may genuinely be the best burger in Kinsale.
• Cosy Café: A local favourite for bagels, light lunches and coffee. Closed Sundays, so don't be arriving fierce disappointed!
• Leona's: Another lovely local spot to stop for a bite to eat.
• I'monsu Market Stall: Wednesdays only. Unreal sandwiches and tiramisu that'll make you consider moving to Kinsale permanently!

Our Favourite Pubs in Kinsale

• The Greyhound Bar: Emilio's favourite spot for a pint of Beamish. A proper old-school Irish pub with no fuss, plenty of character and great craic.
• Sam's Bar: Just around the corner from our jewellery shop. Friendly, relaxed and proudly old-school. Bring some cash!
• Tap Tavern: A cosy pub with a lovely beer garden. Keep an eye out for live music on Wednesdays.
• Dalton's Bar: A traditional Irish pub full of character, with brilliant trad music on Mondays.

Things to Do in Kinsale & West Cork

There's plenty to discover beyond Kinsale's colourful streets. Here are some of our favourite ways to explore the town and its beautiful coastline.

• Charles Fort: One of Cork's most fascinating historic attractions, with spectacular harbour views. Combine your visit with a walk to The Bulman for lunch.
• Old Head Signal Tower & Lusitania Museum: Spectacular sea cliffs and Wild Atlantic Way views that'll make your camera work overtime! Explore the historic signal tower and discover the fascinating, tragic story of the RMS Lusitania, which sank off the Old Head of Kinsale in 1915.
• Kinsale Food Tours: Suzanne's food tours are brilliant craic and a fantastic way to discover Kinsale's wonderful food scene.
• Historic Strolls with Barry Moloney: History mixed with humour. Barry really knows how to bring Kinsale's stories to life.
• Kinsale Ghost Tours: A little spooky, a little hilarious and surprisingly educational.
• Atlantic Offshore Adventures: Kayaking, paddleboarding, coasteering and plenty of adventures around our beautiful coastline.
• Kinsale Harbour Cruises: Relaxing boat trips with gorgeous views of the harbour and surrounding coastline.

Our Favourite Independent Shops in Kinsale

Besides ourselves, of course... sure, we'd better not get too carried away now!

One of the loveliest things about Kinsale is its collection of independent shops. Here are a few local favourites worth exploring:

• Granny's Bottom Drawer: Beautiful Irish textiles, homewares and unique gifts.
• The Boathouse Gallery: Beautiful artwork by local artists.
• Daisy Chain Flowers: Gorgeous fresh flowers and floral arrangements.
• Boland's: Irish gifts, crafts and souvenirs.
• Mylie Murphy's: A long-established local bike shop. Perfect for cycling enthusiasts.
• Cronin's: A long-established Kinsale gift shop.
• CHAAC: Colourful sports fashion and clothing.
• Footloose: A lovely independent shoe shop.
• Rain: Beautiful skincare and home fragrances.

Support Small Irish Businesses 💚

We hope you've enjoyed our little guide to Kinsale! Our town wouldn't be the same without its independent shops, cafés, restaurants and pubs. Every purchase, recommendation and kind review makes a real difference to the local businesses that give Kinsale its character.

If you enjoyed your visit to Croí Kinsale Jewellery, we'd be delighted if you could leave us a quick review on Google or Tripadvisor, or follow us on Instagram. It genuinely helps more people discover our little jewellery shop.

Go raibh míle maith agat! 💚
Thank you so much for supporting our little jewellery shop!

Enjoy beautiful Kinsale, and we hope to welcome you back soon!

Emilio, Jim & the Croí Kinsale Jewellery team

These are our personal recommendations. Opening hours, menus, music sessions and activity schedules may change, so please check directly with each business before visiting.