Starfish Cafe & Bistro

This far-flung corner of Ireland is blessed with some great produce, and restaurants that take pride in showcasing it. Victoria Massey's charming little restaurant right in the centre of Dunfanaghy village is one of them and, with its fresh blue frontage and relaxed seaside feel, it would be hard to resist having a peep inside when passing by.

Small but appealing, it has simple charm and a changing display of local artwork keeps the ambience fresh for regulars – important, as Starfish has earned a reputation for giving freshness and quality at a fair price, and is very popular with locals-in-the-know.

And visitors will be delighted to find local foods such as organic salad leaves from Creeslough and Horn Head honey featuring on the menu, along with homemade treats (jam, chutneys, pestos and flavoured oils) and speciality items produced in other parts of Ireland and renowned for their quality, like Green Bean coffee and Suki loose leaf teas.

Baking is a big strength in the daytime café and all the bread, cakes, scones, muffins and pastries are freshly made each morning, along with the homemade desserts.

You can drop in for breakfast before going off walking or horseriding - try the organic porridge or spiced pancakes with locally made yogurt from Marble Hill and Horn Head honey , perhaps, or the ‘secret recipe’ French Toast with bacon, banana, maple syrup & cinnamon sugar...

Lunchtime choices might include a tasty tart of goats cheese, hazelnut, locally grown spinach & sun blaze tomatoes, with Creeslough salad leaves, and then the big guns come out for the weekend bistro, when a sensibly limited and frequently changed menu of four starters and four mains will be chalked up on a blackboard.

Typically there will be fresh fish from Killybegs, a free range chicken dish, aged Donegal beef fillet from local butchers Stephen Kerr, and something like a risotto for vegetarians - and cockles and mussels gathered nearby in Ards Bay, or Horn Head crab when available.

Everything is really tasty but it’s not all about the food here - the friendly staff and the buzz are also part of the charm at Starfish, along with the good value offered.