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The Waterfront, Baltimore

When Youen Jacob acquired the pub next door to his long-established restaurant Chez Youen in 2004, this new venture turned out to be the beginning of something much bigger that would transform the centre of Baltimore.

Youen and his sons, Youen Jacob Jnr. (manager) and Pascal Jacob (chef), have now linked their Baltimore Bay Guesthouse at the top of the square and The Waterfront pub – and, although registered as a 3* guesthouse at the time of going to press, this impressive development is well on the way to becoming an hotel.

The Waterfront complex now includes a pub (Jacob’s Bar), two restaurants (The Look Out and La Jolie Brise Pizza & Grill, on the square) and some fine new rooms, plus the existing ones in the previous Baltimore Guest House.

The cheerful continental-style café La Jolie Brise Pizza & Grill (pizza made in authentic Italian way & fresh fish and shellfish – no pasta) still spills out on to the pavement and is also accessible from The Waterfront. Although still very new at the time of the Guide’s visit, this is a stylish development marked by Youen Jacob’s commitment to quality: the new building doesn’t merely fit into the square, it completes it.

And – like the rooms at the Baltimore Bay Guesthouse (under refurbishment at the time of going to press) which set a standard in space and comfort when they first opened, the stylish new rooms are extremely spacious and have lovely bathrooms – and even the rooms at the back have some very special features that will make them at least as desirable as those with a view.

Small conferences/Banqueting (50/70); free broadband wi/fi. Children welcome (under 4s free in parents room, cot available free of charge; half price up to 12 yrs if bed required; baby sitting arranged); Rooms 13 (all en-suite, 1 junior suite, 3 shower only, 3 family, 1 for disabled); lift; pets permitted by prior arrangement (stay in bedroom, no charge). B&B €60 pps, ss €20. Sea angling, walking & scuba diving all nearby. Accommodation open all year. MasterCard, Visa, Laser.

Two doors along from The Waterfront, Chez Youen is still doing what it does best: simple but dramatic presentation of seafood in the shell; this is a pricey affair (a shellfish platter costs about €60) but different from other places, and Youen’s wine list is also exceptional - he imports a wide range of wines directly from France (see his website for full details).

This may seem very like a Jacob takeover of Baltimore but it seems to have been well received locally and, for the visitor, the town is the better for it.

Bar: Open from 10.30 am. Bar meals from 12.30-9pm daily. Open all year. La Jolie Brise Pizza & Grill; seats 50 (outdoors 60); children welcome (high chair, baby changing facilities); no reservations accepted; open Wed-Sun, May-Sept, 6-10pm (will open for private functions off season); house wine from €20.50. Closed Mon, Tue, bank hols, Oct-Apr.

Directions:

On the waterfront, overlooking the harbour.