9 Best Restaurants in County Clare, Galway, and the Aran Islands, Ireland

JP McMahon has caused quite a stir in the Galway dining scene with his tapas at Cava Bodega and the recently opened casual spot Tartare, but award-winning Aniar (meaning "from the west") is his flagship restaurant. A minimalist Nordic decor provides an unfussy backdrop for the chef's equally unfussy approach to food. Each course in the daily menu, ranging from 6 to 10 dishes, is designed to either complement or contrast with the local produce. For those brave enough, try a dillisk starter with its overwhelmingly briny flavor, while awaiting monkfish in a bed of lush foraged salad.

It doesn't get much better than this 300-year-old, slated, whitewashed cottage with a turf fire and full-length windows that open out onto a terrace overlooking Galway Bay. The specialty is seafood; clams, scallops, salmon, crab claws, and lobster—the restaurant's cornerstone dish. Chicken and beef make the occasional guest appearance. Seat yourself in the conservatory to keep one eye on your crab cakes and Guinness, and another on the crystal clear waters of the bay. 

The industrial facade and simply furnished interior of this Michelin-starred restaurant and wine bar just off Eyre Square betray nothing of head chef Enda McEvoy's daily creations; he scours, forages, and travels the coast for the finest and most offbeat indigenous ingredients like reindeer moss or trout caviar. Plates are imaginatively presented, and the tasting menu has a cult following across the country (but is fairly priced at from €85 for seven courses). 

Slate flooring, rich timber fixtures, a large bay window, and whitewashed walls hark back to an earlier time of midmorning scones and cakes with afternoon tea---both of which are available at this gorgeous former town hall, a local landmark right on the southern corner of O'Connell Street. Lunch and evening meals are special too, making use of the rich County Clare produce like artisanal cheese or sea catch. Try grilled halibut with crab meat or a ravioli made from mushroom, courgette, spinach, and basil. 

For anyone seeking an authentic tea-drinking experience, à la the Irish grandma who serves tea as an art form, the Cupán Tae ("the cup of tea" in Irish) serves it up with fussy crockery and much nostalgia. Breakfast is top-notch, and the popular afternoon tea comes complete with fresh-baked pastries served on a tiered china stand (of course). Add prosecco if you're feeling celebratory.

One of the most famous landmarks in town, complete with thatched roof, turf fire, and stone flooring, this classic Irish pub is a cozy retreat from the lake in winter and a popular spot for alfresco dining in summer. Goosers is directly across the lake from St. Flannan's Cathedral and close to the town bridge that links County Tipperary to County Clare (Goosers is technically on the Tipperary side, but just barely), and serves traditional fare like Irish stew, seafood chowder, and bacon and cabbage.

Set on a bend in the river a short drive north of Loop Head Peninsula, this unpretentious town house has gained a national reputation. The key to its success is simplicity, with a menu that keeps in season whether it's a heartwarming casserole in winter or fruit crumbles in late summer. The interior is smart and bright, with decking that leads out by the river.

Michael and Alissa Donoghue do not have to travel far to get the ingredients for their little cottage café that overlooks the pier. Their flock of chickens provide eggs, and the vegetable and herb garden—nurtured with seaweed throughout the year—furnishes their salads. Alissa met Michael while visiting the island from America. She uses her home recipes along with generations-old Donoghue recipes on her eclectic, made-from-scratch menu.

Once the village pub, the Pier Head is still a bar, but it sells more food than pints these days. The location is idyllic, at the top (head) of the village's pier. Lunch is served in the bustling, wood-floor mahogany bar (restaurant lunch Sunday only), with outdoor seating and modest sea views. At dinner, you can choose between the bar and the more formal upstairs restaurant with unforgettable views across Kinvara Bay to Dunguaire Castle. Both have roaring open fires and friendly staff. Fresh local seafood and locally reared meat (beef, lamb, pork, and duck) feature on the simple, unfussy menu. Don't forget that in summer there will be enough daylight until around 10 pm to enjoy the view.