The great outdoors beckons this summer, with outdoor dining returning from today. Our guide to Ireland's best food trucks focuses on those special places where food is made with a bit of thought and carefully sourced ingredients, coffee is worth stopping for, and there's something memorable about the conviviality of people who put hospitality at the centre of their business. Bear in mind that opening times change regularly, so check details online before you head out. Corinna Hardgrave
This selection comes from our new guide to 100 great places to eat outside in Ireland, which you can read here
Our guide to Ireland's best food trucks is arranged by county:
Jump to Co Dublin
Jump to Co Antrim
Jump to Co Clare
Jump to Co Cork
Jump to Co Galway
Jump to Co Kerry
Jump to Co Limerick
Jump to Co Meath
Jump to Co Sligo
Jump to Co Wexford
Jump to Co Wicklow
DUBLIN CITY
777
Unit 7 Castle House, South Great George's Street, Dublin 2, 777.ie
Takeaway empanadas, tacos, and tostadas from 777's hatch are just some of the things that kept us going during lockdown and on June 7th, they will be reopening for outdoor dining with a dramatic new Afuera area. They are also doing a €44 margarita picnic pack, which comes in a sturdy tote that multi-tasks as a cooler bag and has cups, straws and all the fixings for four margaritas. CH
Dosa Dosa
Albert Court, East Car Park, Grand Canal Street Lower, Dublin 2, dosadosa.ie
Word was quick to spread about the crisp, light dosas being made at this south Indian food truck. Made from a fermented batter, the dosa fillings range from a potato masala to Chettinad chicken, paneer and mixed vegetable. Parottas and homemade masala chai tea are also on the menu. There are plans to set up a shipping container and add outdoor seating. Open Saturday and Sunday. CH
Eatyard
Crossguns Bridge, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, the-eatyard.com
Eatyard's proximity to the Royal Canal and its range of options make this a top street food market. You'll get gyoza, char siu pork bao, and rice bowls from Janet's; tacos from Orale, cheese toasties from Griolladh, an impressive selection of tasty vegan options from The Saucy Cow, as well as burgers, pizzas, 3fe coffee and cocktails from The Bernard Shaw bar. Open Thursday to Sunday. CH
Goats Gruff
Strawberry Beds, Dublin 20, facebook.com
Drive-through coffee, wood-fired sandwiches and pizza in the scenic Strawberry Beds. Queues can be long at peak times (a marker of the quality), but smiling staff manage orders efficiently and keep things moving. Their riverside garden reopens on June 7th for outdoor dining, with heated tents to follow, or take your food to the Phoenix Park, which is a couple of minutes up the road. Lisa Cope
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CO DUBLIN
Aventura Cafe
Portmarnock train station and Paddy's Hill, Portmarnock, Co Dublin, aventuracafe.ie
Aventura owners Mercedes Olivares and Orlando Contreras emit sunshine, and it must be contagious because no matter who is making the coffee, handing over choripan rolls with chimichurri or bagging up dulce de leche choux buns, customers seem to always leave smiling. Find hot food at the train station with coffee, pastries and cakes on Paddy's Hill, and in June they're opening a drive-through in the car park of Portmarnock leisure centre, serving ice-pops, tropical bowls and fresh juices. LC
La Cocina Cuevas
Rath Great, Naul, Co Dublin, facebook.com
Jeremy Cuevas started out working in his grandmother's Mexican restaurant in Lodi California, and now with his partner Laura Duffy, sells a drive through sizzling line-up of tacos, carnitas and burritos from their food truck, parked in their garden at Naul. Formerly also open in Rathgar, but for now, only this Co Dublin location. Open Fridays from 4pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 1pm. CH
Whelehan's Wines
Loughlinstown, Co Dublin, whelehanswines.ie
A French-style farmers market brings real charm to the car park outside Whelehan's Wines on Fridays, and is host to the brilliant China Sichuan pop-up on Saturdays. Good-quality burgers are available from the Feed food truck, there's bread from the Sugarloaf Bakery, sugar-free treats from Pure, and coffee from Treo Coffee Co. CH
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CO ANTRIM
Made in Antrim
72 Lough Road, Antrim Loughshore Park, Co Antrim, instagram.com
You'll find this fun street food van parked at Antrim Lough Shore Park, right by Lough Neagh. Choose from a menu of breakfast baps, stuffed bao buns, tacos and their signature loaded fries. Enjoy them waterside on the picnic benches or in sheltered pods if the weather is being a big Irish. Ali Dunworth
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CO CLARE
Julia's Lobster Truck
Bellharbour and Ballyvaughan, Co Clare, instagram.com
Like the sound of beachside lobster rolls? Then seek out Julia Hemingway's delightful food truck this summer. Find her on Fridays and Saturdays at Bellharbour and on Sundays in Ballyvaughan. Local sourcing is paramount, with lobster, mussels and clams coming from Burren Seafoods in New Quay and Flaggy Shore oysters from down the road. AD
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CO CORK
Caitlin Ruth's Food Truck
Various locations, Co Cork, instagram.com
After a successful pop-up last summer at Levis' in Ballydehob, chef Caitlin Ruth has decided to take her show on the road and will be popping up all around Co Cork this summer, announcing her locations on Instagram. Expect delicious ingredient-driven dishes showcasing local food and beachside settings. Not to be missed. AD
Craft (Celtic Ross Artisanal Food Truck)
The Celtic Ross Hotel, Rosscarbery, Co Cork, celticrosshotel.com
The Celtic Ross Hotel has always been a worthy stop-off thanks to its picturesque setting on the shore of Rosscarbery Bay. The addition of CRAFT, its new food truck serving coffee, cakes, sandwiches and salads, gives even more reason to visit. On weekends they turn it up a notch with dinners and a busy brunch service. Think family-friendly food, featuring lots of local suppliers. AD
Levis' Corner House
Main Street, Ballydehob, Co Cork, leviscornerhouse.com
Levis' is a small local pub with a mighty reputation thanks to its traditional vibe, enviable live music programme and more recently its food offering. Last summer Levis' opened its backyard to food trucks and will do the same this year, including having the brilliant Belfast-based Bia Rebel Ramen join them from mid-July to the end of August. It also runs a lovely fruit and vegetable stall from the pub on Wednesdays. AD
Orbit
Ballycotton Cliffs, Co Cork, instagram.com
Perched on the cliffs in Ballycotton, Sinéad Doran's Orbit food truck will be operating from Friday to Sunday, with plans to trade in Cork city during the week. Grilled cheese toasties, Turkish flatbreads and Sunday brunch will all feature on the menu. Bread is from Arbutus, meats and cheese are from Gubbeen, and coffee is from The Golden Bean Coffee Roasters. CH
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CO GALWAY
Dooncastle Seafood Trailer
Kylemore House, Kylemore, Co Galway, instagram.com
Oyster farmer John Ward is in a particularly stunning location on the shore of Kylemore Lake, where he's serving seafood from his trailer every Friday to Sunday. He has access to his own excellent Dooncastle oysters, of course, along with razor clams from Bernard Whelan, local mussels and fish and chips. AD
Misunderstood Heron
Derrynacleigh, Leenane, Co Galway, misunderstoodheron.com
Misunderstood Heron describes itself as a "wild outdoor eatery", and it doesn't get much wilder than eating a Korean pork belly rice bowl followed by a salted Renvyle honey cheesecake on the edge of Killary Fjord. The menu is hyper-local, the setting is breathtaking, and there's a 2km coastal walk that starts and ends there if you need to work up an appetite. LC
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CO KERRY
The Hungry Donkey
Ross Road, Killarney, Co Kerry, instagram.com
The Hungry Donkey, a crowdfunded pandemic project from chef Chad Byrne, has been a welcome addition to the Killarney food scene. The "small menu with big flavours" features weekly tacos, a generous homemade spice box and scrumptious-sounding specials along with vegan and vegetarian options. All picnic perfect. AD
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CO LIMERICK
The Treehouse
Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel, Adare, Co Limerick, woodlands-hotel.ie
If you've been to Adare, chances are you've been stuck in traffic so next time do yourself a favour and take a detour by the Woodlands House Hotel and visit its new outdoor food and coffee cabin, The Treehouse. Much of the ingredients used here are grown in its own organic gardens that you can also explore when you visit. There is also a half-covered outdoor seating area, a fairy trail and mini pet farm. A perfect pit stop. AD
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CO MEATH
Roots at Slane Castle Estate
Slane, Co Meath, slanecastle.ie
Chef Keith Coleman's Roots food truck offers a crowd-pleasing menu of baked goods, sandwiches and seasonally rotating hot dishes with much of the ingredients coming from the estate and the rest from brilliant Boyne Valley producers. Eat at the picnic area or on Slane Castle's Lawn Field with views of the castle and the Boyne River. On Thursdays they host a farmers' markets with lots more food to choose from. AD
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CO SLIGO
Koha Street Kitchen
Doorly Park, Riverside, Sligo, facebook.com
New Zealand native Sascha Viertel has parked his new food trailer on the premises of the Blue Lagoon Bar, along the Garavogue River, so there's plenty of room to sit down in the beer garden. Brunch dishes feature during the day and, in the evening, the menu changes to beer-battered Killybegs haddock and chips, fish tacos and beef burgers. Open Wednesday to Sunday. CH
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CO WEXFORD
The Cheeky Cod
28 Paul Quay, Ferrybank South, Wexford, twitter.com
Fish cakes, cod spring rolls and fish burgers are just some of the dishes you can pick up from Edwina and Paul Hynes' new food truck, which is parked across from their La Côte restaurant on Custom House Quay. Given the go-ahead, they will also be opening an outdoor area outside their restaurant. Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am-8pm. CH
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CO WICKLOW
Pok! Ramen
The Horse and Hound Car Park, Delgany, Co Wicklow, facebook.com
A horsebox serving homemade ramen from the car park of a pub (called the Horse and Hound ironically) in Wicklow. Chef Sean Farrell has kept it simple with two options – the vegetarian with pok choi and tofu, and the meat with chicken soup and pork chashu. Bowls are excellent value and locals are loving it. LC
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