Jennifer's Guidebook
Food/pub/music scene
For such a small coastal town Dingle buzzes with great pubs and tasty eateries.
Famous for meat and fish dishes. Local sourced Dexter beef, lamb and same day fish - straight from sea to plate. Gorgeous puddings, well worth breaking a diet for. And a delight for us veggies, they do delicious, out of the ordinary, vegetarian food.
‘The best lamb I’ve ever had,’ said tourist, John Morse.
‘I don’t care how full I am I have to finish with the meringue or sticky toffee,’ said Sadie, a returning tourist.
10 locals recommend
Fenton's of Dingle
Green StreetFamous for meat and fish dishes. Local sourced Dexter beef, lamb and same day fish - straight from sea to plate. Gorgeous puddings, well worth breaking a diet for. And a delight for us veggies, they do delicious, out of the ordinary, vegetarian food.
‘The best lamb I’ve ever had,’ said tourist, John Morse.
‘I don’t care how full I am I have to finish with the meringue or sticky toffee,’ said Sadie, a returning tourist.
Spanish tapas. Small and intimate. I haven’t been yet but it comes highly recommended.
15 locals recommend
Solas Tapas & Wine
Unit 1 Strand StSpanish tapas. Small and intimate. I haven’t been yet but it comes highly recommended.
Great atmosphere, good music, tasty, interesting pizzas and generous portions.
10 locals recommend
The Blue Zone/Jazz & Pizza/Wine Bar
Green StreetGreat atmosphere, good music, tasty, interesting pizzas and generous portions.
Comfortable and cosy, decorated with original Irish artefacts. A wonderful collection of black and white photos of 1920s - 40s townsfolk in the corridor leading to the ladies and gents.
A great venue any time of the day for a drink and bite to eat. The food is good: meat dishes satisfy my friends but I’m invariably underwhelmed by the vegetarian options. However, delicious puds.
8 locals recommend
Dingle Benners Hotel
Main StreetComfortable and cosy, decorated with original Irish artefacts. A wonderful collection of black and white photos of 1920s - 40s townsfolk in the corridor leading to the ladies and gents.
A great venue any time of the day for a drink and bite to eat. The food is good: meat dishes satisfy my friends but I’m invariably underwhelmed by the vegetarian options. However, delicious puds.
Little Italy Pizzeria Cafe Gelateria
2 Main StFriendly place, reasonable pizzas.
Scrumptious vegetarian and vegan for late breakfast and lunch. A gem of a place hidden down Dykegate Lane. We try to sit in the pretty back garden, weather permitting. However they can run out of food quickly, so earlier the better.
7 locals recommend
Thyme Out Café & Delicatessen
1 Dykegate StScrumptious vegetarian and vegan for late breakfast and lunch. A gem of a place hidden down Dykegate Lane. We try to sit in the pretty back garden, weather permitting. However they can run out of food quickly, so earlier the better.
James Long Gastro Pub
44 Strand StWarm atmosphere, tasty pub grub.
World renown pub, famous for the craic and quirky combination of pub and leather work. Often live music. It has been named by Lonely Planets travel guide (2022) as one of Ireland’s best pubs.
In the summer, ‘We are Cais’ food truck in the yard sells grilled cheese toasties. Nominated best food truck in Ireland 2021. ‘Amazing cheese and kimchi toasties,’ said Fionnuala, regular visitor.
44 locals recommend
Dick Mack's
47 Green StWorld renown pub, famous for the craic and quirky combination of pub and leather work. Often live music. It has been named by Lonely Planets travel guide (2022) as one of Ireland’s best pubs.
In the summer, ‘We are Cais’ food truck in the yard sells grilled cheese toasties. Nominated best food truck in Ireland 2021. ‘Amazing cheese and kimchi toasties,’ said Fionnuala, regular visitor.
This is a local favourite. As a vegetarian I’ve never been but there are always queues outside - it must be good.
25 locals recommend
The Fish Box / Flannery's Seafood Bar
Green StreetThis is a local favourite. As a vegetarian I’ve never been but there are always queues outside - it must be good.
Curran’s pub is characterful and gloriously Dingle. Where else can you get a pint and seed potatoes at the same time?
15 locals recommend
Currans
Main StreetCurran’s pub is characterful and gloriously Dingle. Where else can you get a pint and seed potatoes at the same time?
Opposite the pier, serves food all day, good fish dishes. Live traditional Irish music Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Also, Thursday evenings after Easter.
10 locals recommend
John Benny's Pub Dingle
Strand StreetOpposite the pier, serves food all day, good fish dishes. Live traditional Irish music Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Also, Thursday evenings after Easter.
Neligan’s Bar
Main StreetTraditional Irish music most nights. A good craic.
Sightseeing
A must-see, historical sites, outstanding views, unique
The Slea Head Drive is breathtaking and beautiful, 'one of Ireland's most scenic routes', (@dingle peninsulatourism) If you've only a few days in Dingle and are driving or cycling, this is a must-visit route. It's part of the Wild Atlantic Way and begins and ends in Dingle. It takes you through historic sites, famous film locations, close up views of Blasket Islands and distant views of the Skellig islands.
17 locals recommend
Slea Head
The Slea Head Drive is breathtaking and beautiful, 'one of Ireland's most scenic routes', (@dingle peninsulatourism) If you've only a few days in Dingle and are driving or cycling, this is a must-visit route. It's part of the Wild Atlantic Way and begins and ends in Dingle. It takes you through historic sites, famous film locations, close up views of Blasket Islands and distant views of the Skellig islands.
Inch Strand is an amazing sweep of sand, sea and light, whatever the weather. We love it. It’s a blue flag beach. Famous for wind, wave and land surfing. Also, swimming, angling, gliding and sandcastle building. Life guards patrol in the summer season and surf schools and water sports equipment are for hire. Sammy’s pub/restaurant is perfectly placed to serve food and drink to sustain a day on this beach.
118 locals recommend
Inch Beach
Inch Strand is an amazing sweep of sand, sea and light, whatever the weather. We love it. It’s a blue flag beach. Famous for wind, wave and land surfing. Also, swimming, angling, gliding and sandcastle building. Life guards patrol in the summer season and surf schools and water sports equipment are for hire. Sammy’s pub/restaurant is perfectly placed to serve food and drink to sustain a day on this beach.
Experience the magnificent sea and wildlife of the Dingle peninsula. From the Dingle Bay to the Blaskets. We saw seals, dolphins, ganets, hump back and fin whales. You can see puffins and Blue fish tuna. The qualified guide provided information on history, geology, traditions and folklore as well as invaluable info on birds and sea life. An exciting day out.
18 locals recommend
Dingle Sea Safari
Strand StreetExperience the magnificent sea and wildlife of the Dingle peninsula. From the Dingle Bay to the Blaskets. We saw seals, dolphins, ganets, hump back and fin whales. You can see puffins and Blue fish tuna. The qualified guide provided information on history, geology, traditions and folklore as well as invaluable info on birds and sea life. An exciting day out.
You can’t come to Dingle without visiting the Conor Pass. It’s one of the highest mountain passes in Ireland and a dramatic, ear popping, scenic way of crossing the peninsula, from Dingle in the south to Brandon and Castlegregory in the north. You take in fantastic views of the Wild Atlantic Way and the stunning glaciated landscape of mountains, lakes and valleys below. However, drive with care as there are some narrow sections where two cars cannot pass. Probably best if the driver doesn’t look at the scenery. (The pictures above do not do it justice.)
38 locals recommend
Conor Pass
You can’t come to Dingle without visiting the Conor Pass. It’s one of the highest mountain passes in Ireland and a dramatic, ear popping, scenic way of crossing the peninsula, from Dingle in the south to Brandon and Castlegregory in the north. You take in fantastic views of the Wild Atlantic Way and the stunning glaciated landscape of mountains, lakes and valleys below. However, drive with care as there are some narrow sections where two cars cannot pass. Probably best if the driver doesn’t look at the scenery. (The pictures above do not do it justice.)
Coffee shop
My Boy Blue
HolygroundWell reputed for breakfast, brunch and lunch
Bean in Dingle
Green StreetGood coffee and tasty sweet treats
Coffee/patisserie/lunch.
It was an award winning restaurant before covid. Now, run by the same family, it’s a mighty fine patisserie/coffee shop. It also has a light lunch menu. So, the pictures above are pre covid.
12 locals recommend
Global Village Restaurant
Main StreetCoffee/patisserie/lunch.
It was an award winning restaurant before covid. Now, run by the same family, it’s a mighty fine patisserie/coffee shop. It also has a light lunch menu. So, the pictures above are pre covid.
An Cupan Tae
Cabra WestGood tea, coffee and cakes. Opposite the quay.
Food scene
Fenton's of Dingle
Green StreetTraveler advice
Don't miss
St Patrick’s Day, Dingle - March 17
It's the first St Patrick’s Day parade in Ireland. The Dingle Fife and Drum band starts the procession round Dingle at 6 am. Local people join the parade from street corners and follow it to the church for mass. Later at 12.45, a lovely local parade winds it’s way around the town. School children in home made costumes, decorated floats from community groups and businesses, and more bands. The craic goes on: fun, music and dance through evening into the night.
Don't miss
The Dingle Food Festival - September 30 - October 2
This year it’s back on the weekend beginning Friday 30 September and one not to miss. A grand finish to summer and a glorious weekend of grazing. It is ‘a culinary extravaganza’ that fills the town with locals and tourists. It received national recognition in Ireland’s Pride of Place awards in 2020. Highlights are cookery demonstrations, an amazing food trail, over 50 market stalls, street entertainment, wine tasting and children’s events.
Don't miss
Feile na Beataine (May Festival) April 29 - May 2, 2022
Celebrate the arrival of summer (probably in the rain) at Dingle’s largest arts festival. Before covid this festival was the most uplifting, it signalled the end of winter and coincided with the arrival of wild flowers in the hedges and swallows from Africa. It was jam packed with the ‘traditional arts of storytelling, song, music, dance, visual arts and literature.’ You were spoilt for choice. I’m looking forward to this first one since lockdown. See feilenabeataine.ie for this year’s line up of music and arts.
Don't miss
The Dingle Literary Festival, 17 - 19 November
My favourite festival. It’s bilingual and brings the best of contemporary writers to Dingle. Fiction, non fiction, poetry, children’s. A combination of workshops, readings and interviews celebrating the rich cultural heritage of Ireland. It all takes place over the weekend in Dingle. You can get a weekend pass and hop from one venue to the next. My idea of heaven!
Don't miss
Other Voices music festival, 1 - 3 December
Other Voices brings some of the world’s best voices to Dingle’s winter festival on the most westerly tip of Europe. It showcases emerging talent as well as big names. Past voices include: Paolo Nutini, Amy Winehouse, Little Simz, Sam Fender, Hozier, elbow, Sigrid etc etc. A very special buzzing weekend.