Opened in December 2024, in the premises once occupied by Carole Norman's famous pottery/restaurant, Crackpots, Emily Furey and Regis Herviaux's restaurant is proving a lovely addition to Kinsale's great range of daytime dining options. It's a charming place, with a delightful garden providing a very pleasant outdoor dining space in fine weather - and a respite from the bustle of Kinsale, which can be a very busy town.
Already well established in Co Galway, where they have earned a great reputation for Kelly’s Coffee House in Mountbellew (see separate entry), they're following a similar format here and offering breakfast and lunch menus, with coffee, tea and cakes available at any time.
As they say in their mission statement, Regis (the chef) and Emily (front of house) take pride in "cooking and serving the best quality locally sourced Irish produce whenever it’s honestly and genuinely possible. In order to provide the best experience, the kitchen team guarantee that all dishes are fresh and cooked to order. We serve food without fuss but with plenty of flavour." And this is the secret of their success - good honest cooking of quality ingredients, served with friendly charm in a lovely setting.
It's an early start to the day here, with breakfast beginning at 8am (9 o'clock on Sunday), which is perfect for locals heading to work as well as lucky visitors starting a day of exploration or the many activities available in this beautiful area.
As well as excellent renditions of the breakfast classics - among them The Full Irish, of course, and a range of popular egg dishes including a super 3-egg omelette - specialities include their delicious and very popular homemade sausage rolls (premium Irish sausage meat, seasoned by Regis, and baked in puff pastry). And, although breakfast is traditionally focused on meat specialities and eggs, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are offered too.
The lunch menu kicks in at noon and there's something for everyone, whether you're popping in for a quick bite or enjoying a leisurely meal. Soups are predictably good and, as well as being offered as a standalone dish, a cup of soup can be included with any of the flavoursome sandwiches, such as Rustic Goat's Cheese Ciabatta, Pork Belly ciabatta, BLT and Tuna Melt. Other popular choices include a Rustic chargrilled chicken wrap and the Le Bistro Beef sandwich, as well as a vegan option. Specials include a Quiche of the Day (Black pudding and caramelised onion, perhaps, with salad and fries) and other hot dishes are likely to include a Stir Fry, Potato Gnocchi, and tasty Penne Pasta with cajun chicken and bacon in a parmesan and tarragon cream sauce.
There's a short but well curated wine list too, covering most bases. Many are available by the glass, and there's a summery rosé and a Prosecco Frizzante for a treat.
It would be hard to resist finishing with one of the tempting cakes and sweet treats that are displayed so beguilingly on the counter - and, of course, they're perfect with a cuppa for those for those in between times too.
A great little place to know about when visiting Kinsale.
