Travel Eats: A weekend in Galway

Travel Eats documents my food adventures while traveling.

I recently took the train to Galway for the weekend, excited to see what Ireland’s western coast was like. The standout meal for me was a late brunch at Ard Bia, housed in a cozy stone building just past the Spanish Arch. The salad combined loads of local smoked salmon, hearty quinoa, a soft-boiled egg (which kept it in the brunch zone), seeds, greens, and a nutty dressing into what was by far the best salad I’ve eaten this year. The locally sourced ingredients, eclectic flavor combinations, and laidback-yet-stylish vibe reminded me a lot of Lula Café in Chicago, which made me feel even more at home.

I kept with the same theme during dinner at Kirwan’s, a tucked-away seafood bar that had come highly recommended. The cold seafood platter packed major variety: smoked mackerel, head-on prawns, shrimp in Marie Rose sauce, and a salty oyster, all atop a thick blanket of smoked salmon. It was straightforward enough that I could truly appreciate the freshness and character of each component.

I was able to enjoy a sampler plate of five fine cheeses at Sheridans Cheesemongers, whose products I’d seen throughout Ireland. I also got into the holiday spirit at two locations of the Galway Christmas Market, one near the Spanish Arch and the other on Eyre Square. At one decked-out tent, I sipped my first mulled wine of the season; at the other, I went for a warm blend of Jägermeister, mulling spices, honey, and lemon. And of course, I tucked into a pint of Guinness, the only appropriate beverage for listening to some Irish trad music at Latin Quarter pub Tig Coili.

Because I was staying in Salthill, a coastal area just outside Galway City, I kept to that area for breakfast. One morning, that meant walking down the Salthill Promenade for the Fisherman’s mini version of an Irish fry-up breakfast, which included especially good black pudding and sunny views of Galway Bay. Another morning, I grabbed takeaway pastries from Gourmet Tart Co, who especially excelled at chocolate croissants and fruit-almond tarts.

The details: Gourmet Tart Co., Salthill Upper; Galway Christmas Market, Spanish Arch; Ard Bia at Nimmos, Spanish Arch, Long Walk; Tig Cóilí, Mainguard Street; Sheridans Cheesemongers, Church Yard Street; The Seafood Bar @ Kirwan’s, Kirwan’s Lane; Fisherman, Salthill; all Galway, Ireland.