October Favourites: Limerick Bars and Restaurants

Aleksandra Lepowska is an Erasmus student from Belgium at the University of Limerick. Check out this latest edition of her series of favourites around Limerick and UL – this time the focus is on bars and restaurants!

Hello Guys!

It’s time for my October Favourites!

Last month was about some of my favourite food products, which I admit were mostly from the Milk Market. This month is about some nice places, where you can go any time for being a courageous Erasmus student. We actually really are, we are so many km away from home and still, we’re alive and doing well! Bravo to us!

The Locke

It is becoming a slight cliché, because I suppose everybody has been there at least once. It is so Irish! When you enter it looks like a casual pub. However, you can also eat and it is not the kind of cheap reheated food. That’s what pops up in my head when I think about food at pubs, maybe that’s a myth? Anyway! The food is tasty! The menu is quite simple, but you have enough to choose from. Even if you’re a vegetarian. There are the famous Fish & Chips, but also a Fish Pie, which won an award if I’m not mistaken. There are burgers, which you can eat easily. The desserts are always my favourite part! Besides, there is Irish music every evening from 5-7 pm and afterwards from 9-11 pm. It creates a nice atmosphere and from time to time a dancer jumps in to perform!

The Locke Bar

#Fact: I have no idea if it’s an Irish thing, but I haven’t noticed it anywhere else. Chips with vinegar. I find it quite strange, but I tried it and it’s actually quite tasty. ‘Travel and learn’, they said. Well, here I am!

The Cornstone*

This restaurant is more on the fancy side. The meals aren’t too big, but at least you have enough space for the dessert, which was actually quite big! I love the concept Cornstone, really!
The food is also good. I ordered something randomly, because my knowledge about fish is not excellent. I enjoyed it a lot, though!

The Cornstore

#Fact: I noticed that in Ireland they give you a carafe with water while you’re waiting. I find it quite funny, because in Belgium they give you bread rolls or some bread. That causes that I don’t order any other drink, because I already have water. I hope I’m not being rude, but I don’t really get it. Sorry, Ireland!

Stables

This one is on campus. However, they never disappoint me. True, they should have a larger range of vegetarian dishes, but in general the food is good. When you’re really hungry, go to Stables. When you’re cold, go to Stables. When you’re bored, go to Stables, because they sell delicious muffins!

Hook & Ladder *

My absolute favourite! A 10 for food and another 10 for coziness. I love this place! We received a table in a corner, and the whole wall behind us was decorated with twigs and white Christmas lights. We went for breakfast, but when we left it was already lunch time and that looked pretty amazing too. It is a lovely place and they care about details, which I appreciate!

Castletroy Park Hotel

This place is very close to the UL. I really like it, because it is both fancy and not expensive. It is simply a nice place where you can go to any time and you’ll leave satisfied. You can go for dinner, 4 o’clock tea and breakfast too, which was my favourite! I really enjoy breakfast.
The picture below is a Caesar salad. Another fun fact, if you want chicken, you need to pay more. The Caesar salad they offer is with bacon. Bacon is life in Ireland!

The Milk Market

While going food shopping on Saturday, you can always find something fresh and tasty at the Milk Market. My favourite is the falafel wrap made by a Turkish man who is so friendly! There are also crêpes – sweet and salty ones. Hot dogs, but like REAL hot dogs! Will I ever get tired of the Milk Market? Haha, probably not!

Pizza

Let’s end this blog post the best way possible. Let’s write about pizza. After a trip, it’s great to have an easy option. Let’s just grab some pizza in Dromroe Village! I enjoyed it a lot and again, it wasn’t expensive! Or at least it was less expensive than the one I get in Brussels. Lovely Irish life!

#Fact: What I find surprising in Ireland, they eat chips with EVERYTHING! I’ve seen plates with both potatoes and chips. Panini and fries, yes! Pizza, a wrap and chips, but of course! Makes no sense to me, but I’m definitely not complaining.

There are some other places, that I would like to go to, but I haven’t yet.

I will share them with you and if you can recommend me something, please do!

TO DO/TO EAT/TO LOVE

– Bean A Ti

It is a bakery, which is apparently lovely.

I’ve seen their page on Facebook and their cakes are impressive!

– Funky Donut & Co.

– The Stormy Teacup

I’m definitely looking forward to this one!

– Café Rosé

* You should make a reservation

Aleksandra is an Erasmus student at the University of Limerick for the Autumn semester of 2016. Check out her September Favourites for some Limerick city food & drink.