A wide main street lined with impressive Victorian buildings hints at the significant history of this handsome town on the shores of Lough Foyle. Once a port used by transatlantic travellers, it now plays a more relaxed role as a northern stop-off on the 1,700 mile Wild Atlantic Way driving route - and the Foyle Hotel by Chef Brian Mc Dermott will be first port of call for many.
Well known throughout Ireland as a TV chef and teacher with a great commitment to promoting the superb produce of his native Donegal and the North-West of Ireland, Brian McDermott and his wife Brenda - who also has a background in hospitality - have restored the historic Foyle Hotel to create a boutique hotel, wine bar and informal dining destination that is now a highlight for food-loving visitors to this beautiful area.
Restoring an old building to meet the demands of today's traveller is never easy, but the McDermotts - whose daughters, Niamh and Aoife, also help in the summer holidays - have tailored it carefully to please both visitors and a local clientèle, who all enjoy the comfort, relaxed ambience and the promise of good food with a distinct sense of local heritage.
As well as the main bar and dining area at the front, which is modern in layout while also respectful to the age of the building, there's an attractive function room with its own bar which is especially appealing for weddings. The smartly decorated bedrooms are on the first and second floors - some at the back have views over Lough Foyle, all have well appointed en-suite showers and the two spacious family suites also have a bath.
Good food is, of course, the main attraction and seafood from nearby Greencastle features strongly. The set up is very customer friendly and, as well as more sophisticated evening dishes, menus include plenty of crowd pleasers like Caesar salad, burgers, steaks and fish & chips - the difference is in the quality and local provenance of ingredients which, as Brian's followers (and anyone who has his cookery books) will know, are cooked simply and carefully to allow the true 'Taste of Inishowen' to be enjoyed with their specially selected wines and local beers (including Brian's own craft beer).
Locally landed seafood (from several supplier and, especially, from nearby Greencastle harbour) features strongly, of course. And, as well as a generous sprinkling of name checked suppliers of all produce on menus and the website, Brian lists the local fishing boats that he buys from, and their skippers, on a prominently placed Pier to Plate blackboard, ‘Our Fishing Community’ - what a great idea.
This sense of place is also the driving philosophy of the cookery weekends that are hosted by Brian - and there is yet another culinary USP in the kitchen, where the well known and like-minded chef, Derek Creagh, has since joined the hotel as Head Chef, and Monto Mansour as Head Pastry Chef - making this one of the most exciting kitchen teams in the region.
All this, plus a keen focus on customer service, make The Foyle Hotel yet another very good reason to head for Donegal.
