Galway City Museum is one of Galway’s most popular cultural hotspots, welcoming over 200,000 visitors per year. It has three floors of exhibitions engaging visitors in the archaeology, history and sea science of the city - and, best of all, when your thirst for knowledge has been sated, there is The Kitchen Café and Restaurant.
Bright and airy, with high ceilings and glass walls filling it with natural light, this friendly, well established café is quirky, homey and comfortable with a mixture of seating and lounging areas, pulled together by an enormous patterned rug. Breads and bakes are displayed on the counter among a colourful array of bric-a-brac and cookbooks - perfect for a quiet afternoon coffee and cake treat.
With its views of the landmark Spanish Arch and the river, the outside seating is very popular when the sun shines and its selection of healthy salad plates, imaginative and good value food ensure a regular lunchtime clientèle - and it is popular with Galwegian parents, as there is ample room to stow a buggy.
The day starts well, with a very good breakfast - great coffee and freshly squeezed juices to order (apple & celery; orange, carrot & ginger; or watermelon & orange, for example) and a menu offering fresh and exciting options, including cacao nib & cranberry granola with Greek yogurt & berry compote and Mexicana brekkie - smoky chorizo, fried eggs, fried potato, smashed kidney beans, jalapenos, tomato salsa, house relish and warm tortilla. Blackberry & orange zest mini scones are made with Cuinneog natural buttermilk from Mayo, Gannet fishmongers supplies the smoked salmon (served with horseradish sour cream on their own treacle bread), and sausage rolls flavoured with apple and mustard are made with pork from Brady's Butchers.
Their long-established all-day weekend brunch has a following for favourites like punchy Mezze and Ploughman’s and stacks of fluffy buttermilk pancakes for the kids - and there's always a warm 'Kitchen' welcome for the vegans of the city too, with menu items like 'hummus, quinoa and roasted flatcap mushroom wrap'.
Head chef and proprietor Michelle Kavanagh’s extensive travels bring an eclectic mix of flavours to the table. Asian, Indian, Mexican and Japanese influences all rub shoulders and the lunch menus changes according to what looks good from their local suppliers. Expect dishes like Vietnamese-style pho chicken/tofu in a soy-ginger broth with rice noodles, shredded cabbage, kale, grated carrot, pickled beetroot, served with fresh coriander & peanuts The Kitchen Sink - turmeric rice salad with grated carrot, tomato, mixed leaves, slaw, pickled onion & pickled courgette, served with hummus, beetroot hummus & brown bread. There is bound to be something that catches your imagination.
Gluten free and diabetic options are well covered at The Kitchen, and vegetarians and vegans can expect to do particularly well here. The creative menus have a clear commitment to provenance and the quality of their ingredients, which are sourced from local suppliers whenever possible.
The Kitchen is a great spot with a lively, mixed crowd and the bright cafe is busy all day and especially at lunchtime, with tables turning over as soon as they are vacated. This is delicious 'good for you' food where there is a respect for ingredients and pride in the product.
