When the wine list is just as important to you as the menu, these 14 spots across Ireland should provide a winning experience.
Daróg
56 Lower Dominick Street, Galway, Co Galway; 091-565813, darogwinebar.com
Zsolt and Edel Lukács have created something special in Galway with their intimate wine bar and menu built around small plates. Typically, dishes include tuna tartlet, scallop crudo, Dexter beef tartare, and monkfish with Killary Fjord mussels. Zolt was named Michelin Sommelier of the Year in 2025 and the low-intervention wine list reflects it, with more than 40 wines by the glass, starting at €7.50. CH
Fawn
Main Street, Oranmore, Co Galway; 083-1526600, fawn.ie
Three Galway oysters and a glass of grower Champagne for €25 is reason enough to regularly return to this restaurant. The wine list is notably good and the margins are among the lowest in the country. Meat and dry-aged steaks sear over olive wood on a Santa Maria grill built by Smokin’ Soul, while fish cooks over apple wood. Produce is from an impressive list of suppliers including The Happy Lobster, Oranmore Organic and the Friendly Farmer. CH
Green Man Wines
3 Terenure Road North, Terenure, Dublin 6W; 01-5594234, greenmanwines.ie
This is as atmospheric as wine bars get, with 12 high stools around a communal table as you walk in, surrounded by shelves of organic wines, and a dining area at the back which seats 30. Chef Dan Smith (formerly of Overends at Airfield Estate in Dundrum), joined the team in 2023, bringing a philosophy of sourcing the finest produce and keeping the cooking simple in a Spanish/Mediterranean style, with dishes such as aubergine caponata, yellowfin tuna tartare, and breaded pork chop. There are 25 wines by the glass ranging from €7 to €16, and all 900-plus wines in store are available to drink on-site at shelf price plus €15 for corkage. This includes Champagne, magnums and larger-format bottles. CH
RM Block
Grano
Unit 5, Norseman Court, Manor Street, Dublin 7; 01-5382003, grano.ie
Can’t make it to Italy this summer? Bring your buon appetito to Stoneybatter in Dublin instead, where chef-owner Roberto Mungo’s restaurant is a love letter to his home country, rooted in regional dishes, pastas that tell a story and a top-tier Italian wine list. You could pop next door to A Fianco for a glass before or after too. AD
L’Atitude 51
1 Union Quay, Cork, Co Cork; 021-2390219, latitude51.ie
As if a seat in this friendly wine bar were not prize enough, in summer, owner Beverley Matthews sets up a 35-seater terrace on the opposite side of the street, overlooking the river Lee. The menu includes Cromane oysters, Glenbeigh mussels with nduja, spiced beef tongue and Glenbrook sausage with lentils. The natural wine list is phenomenal, with 20 by-the-glass options, starting at €6.30. This list changes every six to eight weeks. Check the chalkboard for special and unicorn wines opened daily. CH
Piglet
5 Cow’s Lane, Dublin 2; 089-6174657, pigletwinebar.ie
A long-standing favourite, Piglet has a new chef in the kitchen and a refreshed menu that ranges along the Mediterranean coast from France to Italy. It still boasts more than 300 bottles of wine on its list, with 23 available by the glass. On a summer’s day, it’s hard to beat sitting outside, with a glass of something cold and some small plates from Paul Behan’s kitchen. JC
Margadh RHA
RHA Gallery, 15 Ely Place, Dublin 2; 01-5475419, margadh-rha.ie
Small but sleek are some of the words that come to mind when thinking of this gallery restaurant. During the weekdays, the focus is on lunch with fresh, seasonal light bites. In the evening and weekends, chef Cathal Leonard, formerly of award-winning Potager in Skerries, steers the ship with an excellent value a la carte menu of modern Irish cooking. The wine list is well worth a read with some unique and excellent value wines by the glass. JC
Note
26 Fenian Street, Dublin 2; 01-2447344, notedublin.com
There has been a change of chef here, and Sam Kindillon brings serious experience from his time in Manfreds in Copenhagen and at Mrs Robinson’s and Ora in Berlin, where he worked as head chef. There is a vegetable and fish focus to his dishes, but you’ll also find meat mains with classical sauces and straightforward, punchy desserts. It maintains its relaxed wine-bar vibe with a list that will have you digging deep into your wallet. Open Tuesday to Saturday for dinner, and Friday and Saturday for lunch. CH
Notions at Two Pups
74 Francis Street, Dublin 8; 089-9559852, notionsdublin.com
New head chef James Walsh brings a wealth of fine-dining experience to this little spot devoted to sharing plates and natural, low-intervention wines. The vibe may appear relaxed but the details are very carefully minded. The menu features molten Gubbeen arancini with red pepper ketchup, grilled Iberico presa with chipotle and slaw, and cacio e pepe gnocchi. There’s plenty of seating outside for wine and nibbles in the summer sunshine. JC
O’Mahony’s of Watergrasshill
Main Street, Watergrasshill, Co Cork; 086-8316879, omahonysofwatergrasshill.com
There is proper hospitality at this pub-turned-restaurant where a warm welcome awaits locals, tourists and night-out crews alike. Elevated sharing plates showcase Cork produce. With oozing Irish croquettes, vegetable dishes layered with flavour and texture, this is food made for savouring and discussing. Clever and interesting wine pairings and sharp cocktails complete the deal. AD
Row Wines
1 Coppinger Row, Dublin 2; 01-4444928, bereenbrothers.com/row
A very fun summer spot for easy drinking wines and cute cocktails with some brilliant plates of food such as the much-loved Kilkee crab rösti and seasonal bites with Mexican twists. Nab outdoor seats for prime people-watching or settle inside for aesthetic interiors and a superior sound system. Bonus points for bargain midweek specials and lunchtime deals. AD
Saint Francis Provisions
Short Quay, Kinsale, Co Cork; 083-0168652, saintfrancisprovisions.squarespace.com
There were collective cheers in January when owner Barbara Nealon and chef Rebeca Recarey Sanchez walked on stage to accept their Michelin award for outstanding customer service. As Nealon said quite simply, “It’s about liking your customers.” And diners do indeed always feel intensely welcome at this small, side-street spot, where the fusion of Irish and Spanish cuisine is utterly and deliciously unique. JC
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September
3 Bath Place, Blackrock, Co Dublin; 086-0507591, instagram.com/september.dublin
Take in the sea views from one of the outdoor deck seats at William Browne’s Blackrock spot, where chef Joe Dempsey (ex-Hera and Uno Mas) serves small plates and sandwiches by day, and a short a la carte menu at night. There is a strong fish focus, with bluefin tuna tartare, Dublin Bay prawns, Dinish Island crab, wild black bream and tagliatelle, and a wine list worth exploring. The large convent table is a particularly convivial place to sit. CH
The Black Pig
66 Lower O’Connell Street, Kinsale, Co Cork; 021-4774101, theblackpigwinebar.com
Kinsale is a town that drinks well, and The Black Pig has been at the heart of that for over a decade. Home to one of Ireland’s best wine lists, there are more than 100 available by the glass, and the food more than keeps up. A seasonal sharing‑plate menu celebrates Irish producers – Toonsbridge mozzarella, Roaringwater Bay shellfish and Garryhinch mushrooms usually feature. On sunny days, grab an outdoor seat and make it a long lunch. AD
