This beautifully located Italian restaurant hit the ground running when it opened in December 2020, quickly earning a following locally and from visitors to the magnificent Kells Priory, which is nearby.
Serenely set beside the Kings River at Kellsborough, the historic Mullins Mill dates back to 1782 and the exterior - including the working watermill - has been preserved, which gives an immediate feeling of authenticity. Inside, the old corn mill machinery has been retained, creating a rustic and highly atmospheric setting for this lovely restaurant.
The restaurant is located at the top of the mill and it is accessible by steps from the riverside car park, and also from the upper road which is ideal for wheelchair users. Ample outdoor seating is available too, both outside the restaurant and beside the Kings River. During the morning, delicious coffees and irresistible cakes and pastries on display are very popular with walkers and cyclists - and dogs are welcome in the outdoor areas, which is a boon for locals out walking and for visitors travelling with their dogs.
Indoors, the lovely old beams and mill machinery make great talking points and a large commercial pizza oven is a focal point in the restaurant - their crisp-crusted sourdough pizzas are excellent and it's very busy with takeaways and restaurant service throughout the afternoon and evening , so there's always a buzz about the place.
The style of cooking is Mediterranean, mainly modern and classic Italian. A pizza menu offers about eleven options, also includes a good range of other popular casual dining dishes, especially pasta and risotto. Evening menus bring a change of tempo and - while the pizza menu is still available - a short and kindly priced fine dining menu is offered, making this a very attractive destination for a night out.
Chef Luckasz Glab is well known in Kilkenny for excellent Italian cooking and uses his own confident style to create such delicious dishes as Ballotine of Chicken Saltimbocca, Beef Tagliata and Pollo ai Funghi - and a lovely light house version of Tiramisu features amongst an outstanding range of must-try desserts. The friendly serving staff are lovely and, even though the menu changes often, they're very up to speed with the dishes offered and happy to chat about the provenance of ingredients and recommend favourites - including a gorgeous starter made with Dizzy Goats Farm Cheese, which is produced nearby.
A gem of a restaurant in an amazing setting.
