Just a few minutes walk from Grand Parade and alongside its charming and much-loved big sister, the eponymous pub and beer garden established by the late Tom Barry, the recent transformation of a bar on Cork’s ancient cobbled Barrack Street has created one of the most exciting restaurants in the city - and is especially welcome in an area that's well supplied with daytime venues but, until now, has lacked an outstanding evening dining destination.
The 2019 arrival of Chef Mark Ahern heralded major changes at the former cocktail bar, creating an atmospheric, comfortable and kindly-lit restaurant with serious credentials - not only for the cosy welcome of the restaurant itself, or even Chef Ahern's outstanding kitchen skills but, above all, for his constantly evolving menus led by the best of seasonal, natural and locally supplied produce.
Suppliers include organic and chemical-free Co Cork growers such as Patrick Frankel's Kilbrack Farm and Caroline Robinson of Templemartin; O'Mahony's Butchers (supplied by the family's Ballea Farm at Carrigaline) and many other familiar names like west Cork legends Gubbeen (cheese and charcuterie) and some from nearby counties like Ballyhoura Mushrooms (Co Limerick) and St Tola Cheese from Co Clare.
You’ll find a full list on the website and see some of them proudly credited on the menu too, conveying a genuine sense of place in delicious dishes such as starters of gorgeous St Tola Ash goats cheese with baby beets and candied almonds, or Caroline’s tomatoes with Macroom mozzarella and olive crumb. And the interesting mains are not all about prime cuts - a well-priced dish of Ballea lamb neck, with pea fritters and cavolo nero is typically unusual and there will always be good fish dishes to tempt, alongside more-ish vegetarian options, such as Ballyhoura wild mushroom miso with pickled ginger and wild rice cake.
And, as well as a mainly European wine list, the local element is also strong in the drinks selection, with an impressive line-up of craft beers on tap, a long list of gins, and cocktails too - everything from classics (Old Fashioned, Daiquiri) to Bartender’s Choice (The Wink, Sidecar) to dessert drinks (Flat White Russian, The Monk).
Excellent food with a sense of place, a lovely ambience and good music, a great variety of drinks, and friendly and pro-active service are all reasons for visiting Pigalle - and very good reasons to return.
