2 Best Restaurants in Waterford City, The Southeast

Inside the Waterford Castle Hotel, the Munster Room's luxe decor—with oak paneling darkened with age and ancestral portraits in gilt frames—hints at one of the most sophisticated menus around. Options include a fixed-price, three-course menu featuring adventurous starters such as ballotine of quail with celeriac foam, winter slaw, and cinnamon and apple jelly. The dress code is smart (jackets for the men) and the surroundings suggest a big night out. Main-course winners include the best of Irish steaks or the roasted goose breast with potato-and-orange stuffing and burnt-orange sauce.

A casual, modern Irish eatery, Bodega Restaurant is known as the fun place to eat in town. Everything is prepared with locally sourced ingredients, with the Kilmore Quay haddock bake a hearty favorite, along with celeriac and baby carrot risotto with sherry vinegar caramel, crispy potato rosti, mascarpone, and Parmesan. Bright colors and comfortable couches give it a festive feel, while the extensive wine menu gets everyone warmed up. Bodega also hosts intimate gigs by some of Ireland's top folk singers.