Having earned a following at his previous restaurant (the former "Wisteria" in nearby Cloyne), talented local chef Colm Falvey took over the restaurant above the pier in Ballycotton in 2011. He re-named it The Herring Gull and, once word of his arrival got out, the world wasted no time in beating a path to his door.
The restaurant takes up two or three rooms in Lynches pub and, while simple, is a very pleasant venue, with sea views on two sides which adds to the experience in fine weather.
Seafood is of course the speciality and, although the offering is weather dependent (the selection will inevitably be more restricted if Ballycotton is storm bound), there is normally a wide selection of very fresh shellfish - shrimps, prawns, scallops, lobster and crab - on the menu, as well as freshly caught hake and other fish off the boats based in the harbour below.
The food is simply and carefully cooked by Colm, as is usual with this excellent chef, and his pleasing restaurant is well worth a visit.
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