Graffiti Wall: Delicious Britain & Ireland

Home > Plan Your Trip > Graffiti Wall > Delicious Britain & Ireland

Delicious Britain & Ireland: 2006

When you take your tongue out sightseeing in Britain or Ireland, what are its favorite taste treats? (Or does it just want to go back home?)

Chinese in London
On our most recent trip to the UK we found a great Chinese resturant in London. Top of the Town has a good selection and the food is awesome. The decor is beautiful and the service good (this is the one area where a little improvement would go a long way). The Cantonese crispy chicken with bean curd sauce was tender and tasty. My husband loves very, very, very hot Kung Po and they were able to please him!!!!
Toni
Charlotte, NC USA Mon 12/25/2006

Pheasant Inn-Keswick
I had a great mid day meal of Duck in a fruit sauce w/ all the sides included. Excellent pub w/ friendly wait staff about $18.00.
Js
USA Sat 12/09/2006

restaurant recommendations, Christmas Day, London
Anyone have any suggestions for restaurants for Christmas Day and Boxing Day (the 26th) in London? The only restaurants we've found open want two arms and a leg for dinner (e.g., $600 USD for 3 people - OUCH). We understand (correctly?) that public transportation is closed that day. We're staying at Club Quarters near St. Paul's Cathedral.
Becky
San Jose, CA USA Fri 12/08/2006

Good Food in Temple Bar?
Temple Bar, Dublin is the place to go for drinks, but beside some Irish stew or bangers and mash, is there any good food there? I had been told that the food was rotten but we found a wonderful place called Bruno's. One of the best meals we had while in Europe. The wine left much to be desired (but when your in the land of great beer why drink wine). If you are ever in Temple Bar check this place out.
Steve
Sonoma County, USA Wed 12/06/2006

Costa Coffee
If you are a Pacific Northwest Coffee Freak, as I am, check out Costa Coffee! Fantastic coffee drinks (they'll use Fairtrade coffee beans if you ask), lovely serving people, and much better value and taste than Starbucks. They also have reasonably priced sandwhiches and baked goods, should you need a quick meal.
Pamela
Uxbridge, UK Mon 11/27/2006

Half price sandwichs??
Checked with several stores on tottemcourt road NO cut price deals M &S, Tesco but did see a Benji (sandwhich shop had a happy hour all sandwhichs 1£ and some were sandwhich and half so keep your eyes open for the price cut places .Benji was on theStrand
JB
USA Thu 11/23/2006

Step up a bit get out of school cafe
There are many lunch specials from 5 to 10 £ tried the Bistro on south hampton street between covent garden and Strand Great food and value highly reccomend . in my experience the 5£ lunch is mostly school caferteria fare I think stepping up to the 7-10 £ lunch is more interesting and better value if in your budget.
John Brangwin
Bellevue, Wa USA Wed 11/22/2006

London-eat at Pubs
Your best value in UK and best serving size in general is to eat at Pubs (usually delicious). Roasts and specials of the day average $16-$18 a plate. Skip the beverage and desserts to keep costs down. Get a sandwich from grocery store/ or pastie for second meal with a sweet.English Cookies and cakes are great. That would keep your daily London food costs to about $20 per day assuming you get brfast at your hotel.
JS
USA Wed 11/15/2006

The Crypt-St. Martin-in-the-Fields
First of all, I found the setting to be pretty cool.But, I wonder a little bit why some people feel it's a great bargain to eat there. No doubt, the food is very good. We had one hot plate lunch & one cold salad plate, plus a bttled water & a bottled tea. Over $34! We did not eat a large meal, nor did we purchase the most expensive items on the menu. I guess I could have only have soup for about $8, but even a piece of bread to go with the soup was 1.6 GBP($3). It just semms like when people are on vacation, they don't mind paying to much for things.
Mike
Tampa, FL USA Wed 11/15/2006

Expensive!
More of a gneral thought, than a specific tip: LONDON IS EXPENSIVE! I knew going in that London was expensive, but I would say the extent of it was surprising. Now, if you are taking a once in a life time trip, over paying that much for food/transportation/lodging may not be such a big deal. But, I travel to Europe once a year and found it to be the most expensive city I've been to. Plus, once you leave London for cities like Bath & York, you'll see a real difference in price though still a little high. My wife and I were going to go see the new movie "Borat" in Leicester Square in London(I know it's a pricey area to see a movie) and it was going to cost almost $50 just to get in. In Bath, the same movie cost us $24. Overall, I found the food in England to be good, but not worth the cost. Even a Coke in a machine can cost you over $2.50. Best Bet, eat as many Cornish Pasties as you can. Best skip, the Beans on Toast option for breakfast.
Mike
Tampa, FL USA Wed 11/15/2006

Dining Near the Sumner Hotel, London
Elsewhere on the "Graffiti Wall" you'll find rave reviews for The Sumner Hotel (not in Rick's London guidebook yet; it is the new incarnation of 5 Sumner Place which he had recommended) in the Marble Arch area near the northeast corner of Hyde Park. Since Rick's 2006 guidebook has no recommended restaurants in the area, here ate two within a block of the hotel: 1) Maroush III (Lebanese food, very tasty, excellent service), 62 Seymour Street, Tel. 020 7724 4052, www.maroush.com; 2) La Dolcezza (decent Italian food, nothing fancy, convenient to hotel, small and quiet), 13 Seymour Place, Tel. 020 7724 3446.

For great Thai food, walk about 15 minutes east from the Sumner Hotel to Chaopraya Eat-Thai, 22 St. Christopher's Place, Tel. 020 7486 0777, www.eat-thai.net.

We ate in each of these three restaurants twice during our stay in London in Sept. '06.
Dick Jordan
San Anselmo, CA USA Mon 11/13/2006

Dublin Restaurant
On our last night in Dublin this past September, my husband and I ate at the newly reopened Winding Stair, 40 Lower Ormond Quay, overlooking the Ha'Penny Bridge.

The food was amazing! The Irish take their food very seriously these days and it shows! The menu features artisanal Irish ingredients in dishes such as smoked haddock poached in milk, battered ray with chips, bacon and cabbage, etc.

The view of the Liffey at night was incredible and Elaine and her staff took great care of us.

It wasn't cheap but still very reasonable by Dublin standards. And life's too short to eat bad food!
Donna Hecker
Frankfort, KY USA Mon 11/13/2006

Eating in London
Just returned from a week in London, eating on a budget. Our favorite was the buffet at The Crypt in the basement of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church. Many selections - as well as afternoon tea - very reasonable, lots of atmosphere. For a great afternoon, attend one of their free 1 p.m. concerts (check for the days and performers). The Trafalgar Square location is convenient to many other attractions. Also, it was easy to find markets (we liked Waitrose and Tesco)and convenience stores that have good prepared foods to go.
Dori
Camarillo, CA USA Sat 10/28/2006

London Eats
I had lunch today at the almost-new Salvation Army cafe located at the north end of the Millenium Bridge in London. It was delicious (shepherd's pie) and reasonably priced. They are open all day.
Swan
USA Thu 10/19/2006

st. martins and other churches
in london we ALWAYS stop at st. martins-in-the-fields crypt (next to trafalger square) for a meal. good price, good food, great atmosphere (how often do you eat over tombstones?)! our favorite, the soup and dessert combo, great for a damp brittish day (lunch or dinner).

also, keep an eye out for meals at other churches. many large city churches have lunch cafes to pay for the cost of upkeep with shrinking congregations. the cafes are always affordable (even less than M&S or tesco), but vary on quality (anything from a basic egg salad to the fantastic soups, sandwiches, and mains at st. martins).
jen peters
morrice, MI USA Tue 10/17/2006

Good food, London and Ireland
Two places in London; both in the Paddington area. An Italian Restaurant on Spring Street, 1 block west and 1 block south of the Paddington Underground. It's called "Ask" Great food and reasonable. We stayed in the Edwards Hotel accross the street, and noticed the place was fairly busy for several hours...a positive sign, so we tried it and it was reasonably priced and good. The night before we had great fish and chips on the corner of Spring street about 1 block west of Paddington underground. It was called "Pride of Paddington Pub" They had inside and outside seating, and likewise were quite busy.

As for Ireland, we opted for Pub Grub as we felt that the restaurant prices were too expensive in relation to what you got at the pubs for much less money. Never had a bad meal at a Pub...All quite good. The best was the smoked haddock Fish and Chips at a place called "Swell" in Kinsale. I believe it was a pub, but can't remember for sure. My wife ate several meals of fish and chips (she's hooked!) and this was by far the best she tried. We found the "Full Irish Breakfast" for 11 mornings in a row at the B&B's got a little boring, but that was part of the Ireland experience! After that kind of a meal, we were able to survive every day on a piece of fruit, crackers and cheese, and a package of cookies from either small or large grocery stores, readily avialable everywhere we went. We would have a picnic, or tail gate, or in the case of rain, an in-car lunch every day between 1 and 2. Then we were ready for pub grub by about 7-8 pm. This pub was often times chosen because of the upcoming traditional Irish music that evening in that particular pub. What a way to travel!
Dan
WA USA Fri 10/13/2006

Great Champ!
Recently while visiting Northern Ireland, I ate at a nice pup in Banger (a very nice seaside town). I was served the best Champ I have ever had and Ireland is the place to find great potatos. They also have a Chicken Burger that melts in your mouth. Made with a fresh chicken breast and dipped in homemade breading. If you're in Banger, try The Wolsey Bar at 24/26 High Street.
Kathi
Minneapolis, MN USA Fri 10/13/2006

Eating in Edinburgh
Everytime we go to Edinburgh we eat at Shakespeare's on Lothian Road. Wonderful comfort food and plenty of it at a good price !!
Marion
Basking Ridge, NJ USA Fri 10/13/2006

London places to eat.
Finding a decent restaurant in London is often trial and error. After a number of errors, we want to pass on a couple of good choices. Prezzo's in Bloomsbury 161 Euston Rd. has great Italian food and attentive service at reasonable (for London) prices. They have other locations as well which can be found through www.prezzoplc.co.uk. We also found that Harrod's is a wonderful place to visit and has a myriad of restaurants. Our favorite for lunch was the Georgian on the 2nd floor. Cheers
Norm & Julie Gleadow
Roberts Creek BC, Canada Wed 10/11/2006

5***** eats in the Western Isles
Among the many greats meals we had on the Isle of Lewis in Stornaway, was the Digby Chick, in the town center. 5***** french food at moderate US prices. Every place we ate in this 100% non tourist, amazing beautiful seaside town, was great.
Bob Barnett
Huntington Beach, CA USA Wed 10/11/2006

Eating VERY cheaply in England
The cheapest food I found in England and Ireland comes from the little corner grocery stores- you'll find them just walking around the city. Tesco is the most popular, but there are others. They sell pre-made snadwiches, burritos, pasta, ect. in take-away packages. AND, after about seven or eight o'clock in the evening, the prices get cut by half. So, you can get a sandwich or pasta cup for less than two dollars. Super cheap, fast for theatre nights, and it was a nice break after having eaten a WHOLE LOT of fish and chips.
Melanie
SB, CA USA Wed 10/11/2006

Food in Birmingham, UK
Birmingham offers an array of cuisines. Check out Brindley Place, Broad Street, and the Mailbox. I enjoyed Thai Edge and Bank, both in Brindley Place. San Carlo a couple of blocks from Birmingham New Street Station has delicious Italian food.
Denise
San Jose, CA USA Sun 10/08/2006

quick and easy take-away in London
Dear Rick, We are currently in London, mid-way through our trip to Europe. We've relied on several of your guidebooks and finally we've discovered something worth passing on to our fellow travellers! If you're in London and exhausted from all the walking about and just dying for a good, fast and easy meal...and you have internet access you can log onto: www.deliverance.co.uk and order food right to your hotel, wherever you are in London. They offer all sorts of cuisine, including Japanese, European, Italian, Indian, etc, plus salads, drinks and desserts. A fellow traveller passed this onto us and we felt we should pass it onto you!
Becca & Ed
Vancouver, BC CANADA Tue 10/03/2006

Grub in Birmingham
Will be traveling to Birmingham, U.K., on business and was wondering what was in store for me as far as food is concerned. Any advice will be truly appreciated.
Steve
Denver, CO USA Thu 09/28/2006

Yummy ethnic in Ireland
My husband and I had excellent Chineese food in Dingle. It's on the same street as the church with the famous windows, almost across the street from there. We had superb Indian food in Westport in the Indian restaurant in an old stone church. Neither was expensive and both were a nice change from the more traditional Irish fare we ate most of the trip.
Amy
NJ USA Sat 09/23/2006

dinning in Glascow
My daughter and I had the best Indian food in Glascow. Mother India's. It's located near Glascow University, either on Sauchiehall or Argyle st. You get many choices on small plates like appetizers (forget what they call that).
Patti Fiorito
Seattle, WA USA Fri 09/22/2006

Eating inexpensive lunches
Visiting London or other large UK cities?

The cheapest prepared eats (as opposed to bulk grocery items that you turn into a picnic) are Tesco Express and Marks & Spencer's. For 4 or 5 pounds you'll eat a great lunch, while the cheapest pub lunches are 8 pounds, and many easily break the 10 pound barrier. That really adds up for a family.

The trick is to know where these places are before you're starving. Sometimes you're just around the corner from one, but you don't know it's there. Wish I'd had a map of London with all these places marked on them ... anyone know if such a map exists?

editor's note: all questions must be posted to Travel helpline
Neil
Toronto, Canada Wed 09/20/2006

Great Lebenese Food at Randa
We ate at a wonderful Lebenese restaurant called "Randa" on Kensington Church St. It is actually one in a family-owned chain. They have other restaurants that are more casual, such as Ranoush Juice on Kensington Hight Stree (almost directly across the street from Kensington High Tube Stop).

Here is the web site: http://www.maroush.com/

To get to Randa take the Kensington High Street Tube stop, cross the street and take a right down to Kensington Church street. Go up about 2 blocks. It is on a corner.

Randa had about 50-60 items on the menu. We had fun ordering several "appetizers" some cold (cucumber & yogurt salad with pita, pickles); and some hot (spicy sausages).

Then we had main courses (we probably could have skipped them, but they were delicious!). I had roasted lamb - fork tender, carved off the bone and served on rice. My husband had amazing veal that was seasoned so gently & cooked to perfection.

We were stuffed so we told the waiter we were too full for dessert. So he brought us a beautiful fruit plate & then a small dish of baklava. The we were REALLY full!

Dinner for two with a glass of wine and a liter of water came to 55GBP. There was a 2 Pound "cover charge" per person. We hadn't seen that before, but we were treated like royalty the whole 2+ hours we were there & so we didn't mind.

We ate at Ranoush Juice on Kensington High street too. It's more casual with many of the same menu items as Randa. We had pita sandwiches at Ranoush Juice - quick & inexpensive.
Susan
Port Orchard, WA USA Thu 09/14/2006

Non-smoking Pub in London
Try "The Coal Hole" in London for a great non-smoking pub. It is located next to The Savoy Hotel and as the name suggests..it was the original location the heating coal was stored to heat The Savoy. Up stair is another pub that allows smoking. The food is typical good pub food and the atmosphere is unique. Highly recommended!
Mark Woodruff
Sammamish, Wa USA Tue 09/12/2006

The Orangery Kensington Palace
We have tea and scones in the Orangery at Kensington Palace every trip to London. The Orangery is so pretty inside, it is well worth the time to go
USA Sun 09/10/2006

Teenagers in Pubs
To USA~~your teenagers will be able to go into pubs, and they might even be able to get a pint if you allow. We took our two teenagers along with two of their friends to the UK. The one friend's parent's gave him permission to taste the different kinds of beer and ale that he wanted. The legal age is 18, at the time he was only 17 but he was only asked once for ID. We had two 18 years and two 17 years with us. We had a lot of fun.
USA Sun 09/10/2006

Orangery at Kensington Palace
We decided to splurge & have tea at the Orangery at Kensington Palace. Rick mentioned that this is the place that ladies with hats take tea. Not true. Peopel were dressed in shorts & jeans, the tea was minimal, the bathrooms outside & the cost high. Very diappointing. We did go to the "Stockpot" & saw 2 tables of traveler's with Rick's book. It was good plain food & very reasonable prices.
Daisy Hodges
Greensboro, NC USA Sat 09/09/2006

Pubs and older teens
Your boys can go into MOST pubs for lunch. Some have an area that is just resturant that you can go to for dinner. The 15 year old may be turned away from some at night.
USA Fri 09/08/2006

Pubs and Teenagers
My husband, myself and our two teenage sons (ages 15 and 17) are making our first trip to England this spring. I keep reading that pubs are a great place for a decent fairly inexpensive british meal, but I dont know if my boys will be allowed in.....anyone know?
USA Fri 09/08/2006

Scotch eggs
Also, Scotch eggs are great picnic food. It is a hard boiled egg with sausage around it deep fried and breaded. I had the ones bought at ASDA (kind of a Wal-Mart) and they made a good picnic supplement.
Hyden Ettevroc
Rockwall, TX USA Tue 08/29/2006

Curry Ketchup
Try curry ketchup on fish and chips. I was leary at first, but it is wonderful!!!
Hyden Ettevroc
Rockwall, TX USA Tue 08/29/2006

A tip on FIsh and Chips
A tip to visitors from someone who lives in England....

"Fish and Chips" is traditional, and "Pubs" are traditional, but a "Traditional English Pub serving Traditional English Fish and Chips" is probably a tourist trap! Proper fish and chips comes from a "chip shop", and best of all, some "chippies" are "sit-down" places where you can eat in. And don't forget the malt vinegar.

I live in Yorkshire, and come from Manchester. I do lots of country walking in the North of England. Anyone who wants tips about the North - just ask...
Chris Jones
Sheffield, Yorks England Fri 08/18/2006

London restaurant
I found a wonderful, inexpensive place to eat near Euston Station (a place with a paucity of good eateries.) It is called Great Nepalese Restaurant. Delightful food, atmosphere and service, open late and on Sunday. Somewhat similiar to Indian food, but I liked it better.
Sue
Willits, CA USA Tue 08/15/2006

Dinner at the Desmond Inn
In June, we enjoyed an incredible meal at the Desmond Inn, not far from Newcastle West, south of Limerick. We were there early and having drinks in the bar when the Chef, Jeff, came out, told us what fish had just been delivered and made some suggestions. He suggested we have dinner in the bar because it was the same food, but less expensive. Dinner for 3 including appetizers, salads, entrees and a bottle of sparkling wine was $115 Euros -- and for the quality and presentation of the meal, it was a bargain. Don't be put off by the motel-like atmosphere and the less-than-polished wait staff. The food is exceptional.
Linna Vannette
Longwood , FL USA Sat 08/05/2006

London and Dublin eats
We had some great food on our trip, and yes many places are expensive. We would go off the beaten track sometimes to find the more reasonable prices.

LONDON-We loved O'Neils Irish Pub which are everywhere (great lamb stew and colcannon), and Lion's Head in Covent Garden (great meat pie and fish and chips, and WONDERFUL sausages and mash). Maoz is also great..it is a street vendor that sells only falafel. Very reasonable and filling. Homemade pita and hummus which were FABULOUS.

DUBLIN-We loved the Bad Ass Cafe in Temple Bar (great pizza and chicken wings...go for their lunch menu and get a free soda, beer, or glass of wine). We also loved this Persian restaurant in Temple Bar but I can't remember the name. Fresh, homemade pita bread the size of a big plate with choice of meat...great hummus. Yummy.
Rebecca
Santa Cruz, CA USA Wed 08/02/2006

London food costs
Just returned from London and, my,how prices have risen! Expect to pay a lot for food. We rent a flat/apt. and cook our own bkfst/dinner. We found a great place near the Globe that has a 5 pound lunch, beer/wine/beverage included. It's called Zakudia. See www.zakudia.com for more.
Geoff Underwood
Pinole, CA USA Wed 08/02/2006

Eating on a Budget
I know tips have been covered before by Rick and by site posters, but seeing the below postings I thought I'd post this. Here's some cost/time saving tips for eating on a budget: 1. Always book rooms which include a full breakfast. Its usually less expensive and time saving than eating at a restaurant. Tanking up on food first thing will carry most people over until lunch. 2. Buy sandwiches, water, and other lunch items at the local grocery on the way out to the day's sight seeing. This is not only a less expensive way to eat but also the food is there when the hungeries hit. 4. Eat from street stands busy with locals. Usually a good indicator of yummy cheap eats. 5. Keep a selection of food items and water in the room from the grocery. Great for the late night munchies and spur of the moment changes in plans. 6. Only Adults traveling? - Try eating at a Pub - usually good, resonably priced food with many times live entertainment. 7. Don't be afraid to ask your B&B or Hotel hosts where is a place they would eat that has reasonable prices and not touristy. Many times they will show where it is on a map and give directions via public transport how to get there.
Dfloyd
USA Tue 08/01/2006

Advice on London food costs
You can expect to pay anywhere from 8-15 pounds ($15-$28 US) on lunch and dinner if you stay with the pub grub and small cafes, that also includes a pint, for those with a taste for the finner things, make sure you bring your check book. You'll find out that eating is will be one of your larger expenses while visiting the UK. I recommend finding a hotel that includes a big breakfast in the tarriff, you'll be able to skip lunch and have an early dinner. Even if your on a tight budget, make sure you can try something new, after all, your on holiday.
Daniel
Atlanta, Ga USA Tue 08/01/2006

Advice on London food costs.
My younger sister and I will be traveling to England (about 9 days--mostly in London). Any estimates on how much we should expect to spend each day on meals? We want to be comfortable, but don't need anything too extravagant (maybe one or two nicer places). All your feedback will be very helpful! I haven't been to London since I as 12 or so, so I have no idea what to expect in terms of cost.
Giselle Ty
Cambridge, MA USA Wed 07/26/2006

sandwiches
Don't ignore sandwiches in parts of the UK. Both Marks and Spencer's typically have some excellent ones. (If you go in after about 3PM, a lot will be marked down, incidentally.) My favorite, however, are the baguettes at the "Upper Crust.' You can find these at a lot of train stations. My favorite is the BLT. Also, don't ignore the fruit salads available in Sainsbury's.
ERT
Denver, CO USA Mon 07/24/2006

Belgo, Wagamama and pancakes--how English?!
Of course, I must say that Rick's choices for London, Belgo Centraal and Wagamama Noodle Bar, were both excellent, fun food experiences, and resonably priced, especially for London. Belgo Centraal even had a kids eat free special where with one adult order a kid eats for free and our girls (ages 7 & 9), both picky eaters from time to time, finished off their kid's meals and declared them "yummy". But the best surprise we had was for dessert a couple of evenings, right outside the Westminster tube station exit and across the street from Big Ben, a kindly elderly woman runs a small "pancake" stand,(crepes really) that has many delicious choices and cheap prices. Our favorite hands down was the banana nutella pancake. What a treat to enjoy a new food experience for the girls and take in the view of the Thames, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.
Jenny
Valley Mills, TX USA Mon 07/17/2006

Great Eating!
Our favorite eating places during our week in Ireland were our breakfasts at our B&B's (Carraig Beag B&B, Salthill; Captain's House B&B, Dingle;and Beach Cove B&B, Portmagee; Park House B&B, Bunratty) Out of the Blue restaurant, Dingle Harbour; and Packie's in Kenmare.
The Godshalk's
Gainesville, FL USA Mon 07/17/2006

Visiting Pubs With Kids
Good to know: if you are travelling with kids it isn't easy to find a pub that will let you stay to enjoy the local company and a beer, even at lunchtime. We finally found the 'Tipperary' which had classic atmosphere, a nice dining room and second bar upstairs, and great fish and chips with excellent service.
Adrienne
Esslingen, Germany Tue 07/11/2006

Pizza compromises in London
If you are travelling with kids who need a pizza fix, try Pizza Express. It's an upscale chain with locations near all the tourist areas. It's very modern, sylish decor and menu with many non-pizza offerings for parents. We hit a number of them and invariably the clientele was a mix of local business people as well as reasonably well dressed tourists; they do a big wine bar business. Definitely not Pizza Hut casual, but this is a good choice when the kids need a fix. Another good choice is Strada - a very small chain. Slightly more upscale, with a more varied menu, but the kids won't complain if you take them there. There is one near the Festival Hall complex, a 10 minute walk along the Thames from the Eye. Gallileo's on Haymarket is a good choice before a play. Really wonderful food, plus pizza. Try the Scottish salmon!
Sunnyvale, CA USA Sun 07/09/2006

Food in Edinburgh
Just returned from 1 week in Scotland. The food in general was mainly quite good. My favorite was the recommendation of our cab driver in Edinburgh- Original Kushi's on Potterrow just a short walk from the Greyfriar's Bobby pub and the Royal Mile. (They said they are moving to a place on Victoria Row in July- so this will change soon). The place is a favorite of locals, so it may pay to call for reservations, and they have no liquor liscence but they have no corking fees so you can bring your pint from the pub just up the road or a bottle of wine. The restaurant is an Indian treat! The food was great. We paid 62.00 GBP for dinner for 4, and everything we ordered was wonderful! Plus, because it was my birthday, they brought us a yummy chocolate mousse for dessert!

Travelling in Edinburgh- be sure to talk to your cab drivers! All of ours were very friendly locals with lots of information and helpful advice! We stayed near the airport because we booked late. Our hotel (Quality Inn) had a 10 GBP deal for a ride to the west end of Edinburgh- a good deal for 2-4 people. (Just for comparison- the bus from the airport was 5 GBP per person- so it is comparable, but with a cab you have more flexibility, and you don't have to go to the airport each time for a ride). It is worth asking about if you stay far from the city center.
Brittany
West Lafayette, IN USA Mon 07/03/2006

Budget eats of London
I am a college student and spent about two weeks traveling London and Paris last summer. If you're on a budget, skip the restaurants, and go straight for the delicious kebab stands on the streets. You can't miss them (with your nose or eyes) as they have large spits of lamb meat that smell absolutely DELICIOUS! For about 4 Pounds, you have a succulent, filling meal. Also, Marks & Spencers, or just about any grocery store has quick eats, and you'll always get more than enough for usually less than half of what a restaurant meal would offer. More time and $ for sightseeing and special shopping. Just grab and picnic on the steps of St. Pauls!
Greta
KS USA Sat 06/24/2006

Some good eats in Ireland...but not great!
The absolute best dining experinces for my recent trip to Irealnd were at Kilkea Castle in Kildare (Wonderful), Dromoland Castle in Newmarket-on-Fergus (lovely) and the banquet at Bunratty Castle (I'm not kidding). I also greatly enjoyed a truly delicious meal at the Lobster in Waterville. I have found that fish and chips can be eaten nearly every evening if need be. Otherwise you may starve on a long trip to the UK or Ireland. :) I will always enjoy the food on the continent more.
Jenna
Albany, NY USA Thu 06/22/2006

The Blue Zone in Dingle
Down in glorious Dingle for the second leg of our honeymoon. We couldn't resist the lure of an evening of exotic dances, a duck pizza and a bottle of Australian sparkling chardonnay at the aptly named Blue Zone. We went back the second and third night for late drinks as well as sampling a couple of really good restaurants, Lord Baker and the Global Village. Dingle is very friendly place to spend quality time.
Ned & Sarah Hopkins
Boise, Idaho USA Fri 06/16/2006

Eating in Westport, County Mayo, Ireland
There are so mnay overpriced restaurants in Ireland (one downside of the Celtic tiger) that we were especially pleased to find great food at a bargain price (under 9 Euros for lunch) at Sol Rio Restaurant on Bridge Street in Westport. We saw locals going in and took that as a good recommendation. A nice mix of imaginative and delicious semi-traditional Irish and nouveau cuisine served in large portions in a simple, pleasant decor. Nice folks running it as well.
Bill Havert
Yucaipa, CA USA Sun 06/11/2006

Good Eating in North Wales
Ruthin: Rick's recommendation for Restaurant on the hill is right on. The owner is very careful about where he gets the ingredients for the food and the results are great. Try the lamb Wow!! Service is great too and we got some travel tips.

Conwyn: The Press Room Rick should add this to the list of Conwyn restaurants Press Room has good fresh food prepared very very well. We had a garlic mushroom starter that was fabulous, wonderful lemon sole and chocolate hazelnut mousse. The food was so good we ate there for lunch and dinner. Best Bacon and lettuce sandwich we ever had.Service is great too.
Paula Oppermann
Seattle, WA USA Sun 06/11/2006

Floriat Casey Hart
Casey we are all honoured that you enjoyed Oxford so much. When I was a student in Oxford the US exchange students always contributed much to University life.

As well as The Turf and The Trout anyone who is in Oxford may also like to visit The Eagle and Child ( known to everyone as The Bird and Baby ) it's on Saint Giles. It was the favourite drinking place of both JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis, so it is full of historical interest. It also serves good food at fair prices and a superb range of the best of British beers. It also has smoking and non-smoking bars. It is one of the best pubs in the world.
Al Bishop
Nottingham, UK Thu 06/08/2006

Food in Ireland/Vegetarians
I found Ireland very veggie friendly. (Avoid the Irish breakfasts, it's mostly meat.)

If you go to Portrush in N. Ireland, be sure to go to D'Arcys. Best food we had on our trip. It's a nice place for an exteremly good meal.

Dublin - Dakota was a nice place for lunch, near Grafton Street. We also like Luigi Malone's.

USA Wed 06/07/2006

My favorite Food Spots in Britian
I spent a term studying at Oxford and traveling around Britian. I found some wonderful tastey meals. The best one I had was at the Trout. It is outside of Oxford proper on the otherside of the Port Meadow, which is a great place to walk btw and FREE! Their food is a little pricey for a college student, but I loved it. A main course was around 10 pounds and the portions are large. The Trout was the basis of Tolkien's Lord of the Ring "The Red Dragon". That is where the hobits went. There is a wonderful place to sit and view the river. A wonderful family friendly place, has a parking lot. As well as a fireplace you can sit around and enjoy a pint with friends.

In Windsor, there is a place not far from the Castle, called the Crooked Tea house. It is open for lunch, and the "British Tea" platters are expensive. But the Sticky Toffee Pudding is around 7 pounds and is a meal in itself. I have been craving it ever since I left. The Tea house is actually a crooked building, and is normally busy. It is also small, large groups will have a hard time getting a table. My friend and I found a lovely woman to enjoy tea with, who was willing to share a table. Be patient in the line, the place is worth the wait.

My favorite pub in Oxford, which does have like any college town many many pubs. Was the Turf, a wonderful pub to explore. It is a little maze to be honest but they did have a fun ale festival! The Turf is not well marked and is hidden in a "courtyard". It does have signs, but you do have to go through small little allies to get to it. But the find is worth it!

In Oxford during Market day there are lots of wonderful things to find. Wonderful inexpensive fruits vegtables, candies, and traditional market goods. There is also a man who makes a wonderful noodle bowl, it changes every week. And his sweet chilli sauce is heaven, and goes well on everything! This is not the covered market, which does have nice food, but tends to be a little pricey.

If you can find a bakery called "Reeve The Bakery" Stop in for a pastie, or a cake, or cookie. They are all wonderful, and dirty cheap! A Pastie was around a pound and made a wonderful hot meal. A friend and I also split one of their lemon cakes oo it was good! They are a small chain. The website lists their locations www.reevethebaker.co.uk

Stonehendge might be a crazy tourist site, but they do have wonderful scones. And resonably priced. I most enjoyed my hot jam and clotted cream scone! I am not sure what clotted cream is, but it was good. I am sure it wasnt all that good for me either!
Casey Hart
Naperville, IL USA Sat 06/03/2006

Dinner pre-theater in London
If you are looking for a good pub/retaurant for dinner close to the theater district I highly recommend Albannich right on Trafalgar Square. The room is beautiful and the food and service were great and you can walk to most theaters in minutes.
Wayne Schwartz
Los Angeles, CA USA Tue 05/30/2006

Dingle Food
I found Murphy's Pub In Dingle Ireland to be fantastic and cheap....A pint and a sandwhich with chips for about 6 euros...
Jon D
East Islip, NY USA Mon 05/29/2006

City Arms Pub, Wells, Somerset, England
The cobbled courtyard of the building that was once the city goal was charming, the owner, Jim, made us feel like old friends, but it was the food that made it perfect. We would have to say that we had the best meal we have ever had on either of our visits to the UK. We definitely recommend the fillet.
Bruce and Patricia Overman
Des Moines, WA USA Sat 05/27/2006

York resturant
My husband and I love to eat at Gert and Henry's in York. It is located just at the end of the Shambles near the market. The food is marvelous- great roast beef and "to die for" sauteed chicken with garlic and herbs. Good value for the money (not cheap, but not expensive either) and very good service.
Toni Yates
Charlotte , NC USA Tue 05/23/2006

Edinburgh
Ate Haggis at the Rabbie Burns on the Royal Mile and it was great. If you want to try traditional Scottish food, this was one of the few places that served Haggis (tasted like roast beef hash)
Vie
Houston, TX USA Sat 05/20/2006

Wagamama - Japanese noodle place
If you want a great Japanese noodle place, try Wagamama. (wagamama.com)

Good food, great atmosphere. My daughter and I will be in London for 24 hrs en route to Rome. Dinner at Wagamama is a must.
Katie
Baltimore, MD USA Fri 05/19/2006

Guiness Beer
Guiness Beer. Find it tough to drink in America? Try it in Ireland. Smooth and easy drinking. We quickly understood why it was institution. Try Murphy's and Smithwick's too. Very good.

And... a pint too much beer? Ask for a half-pint. It seemed the price for a half-pint was exactly half that for a full pint.
Arjun
NC USA Wed 05/17/2006

eating cheap
Hi. I just returned from London, and had some very cheap meals in the paddington are, some greek places offer a slouvaki dinner with salad, potato, bread and a glass of wine for only 9 pounds. For the same price you can have a wonderful indian buffet with a free refill for you drink too. Many good chippy places. Not all places accept credit cards though, so bring enough cash.
AUNDREA
CANADA Mon 05/15/2006

local info
Just stumbled across this site while looking for a restaurant website. So nice to see that a)you've enjoyed our food and b) at least some of you have realised how daft the mad cow scare was (burgers might be risky, steak wouldn't be - even if it were rife, which it never was). For context - I avoid beef in the US due to hormones, antibiotics, etc. Oh, and try Aberdeen Angus, Welsh Black or (even better) Dexter beef. Venison is yummy.

More tips from a local - N Wales does have great food (good to see you're finding it!). Welsh lamb is the best. Conwy mussels in the Castle (bar) are amazing. Mama Rosa's in Llandudno is a small, proper family-run Italian. The Austrian Restaurant in Dwygyfylchi ('doo-ee-guh-fuhl-cki' would be close) serves hearty meals with great Austrian beer. Sychnant Pass hotel, St Tudno Hotel (Llandudno), Le Gallois (Penmaenmawr)...

I agree - Waitrose & Marks & Spencers will always yield good food (M&S now only uses free range eggs & fair trade coffee).

Edwards of Conwy is a superb deli/butcher with a website (try the Caerphili cheese & salt marsh lamb).

Ping Pong dim sum in London. Daniel's Bagels in Temple Fortune (London).

Gelert Ices in Beddgelert, Snugbury's icecream in Cheshire (think small-scale rivals to Ben & Jerry's!)

Ask the locals which chippy is best at the moment, they do vary!

Green & Blacks chocolate.

Chain pubs will offer fairly predictable food that is likely pre-prepared - try independents. eg. Fox & Barrel (Cotebrook, Cheshire), Goshawk (Mouldsworth, Cheshire), Groes Inn (nr Conwy). Hungry Horse offers cheap, large portions of synthetic-tasting food - avoid.

Westmorland motorway service station (M6) has a farm shop. Seek out farm shops, especially if they grow asparagus!

What's all the fuss about treacle sponge? Haven't you guys found any good bread & butter pudding?

bfn!
NorthWelshLass
Conwy, UK Mon 05/15/2006

Cheap Eating in London
Just got back from a fabulous week in London. If you're looking to save $$ on meals, stop by any Marks & Spencer Simply Food shops and grab some things for a picnic. They have *delicious* prepared, picnic-friendly foods, desserts, even wines with twist-off caps, and they also supply plastic utensils and napkins. There are several locations. We visited the ones at Victoria Station and on Piccadilly at the top of Green Park. We did this for lunch and supper. The two of us ate for around 10 pounds total. MUCH better than pub grub and a lot less smoky, too! Also, as others have mentioned, Pret a Manger shops are everywhere; the food there is really superb and inexpensive. We ate very well and cheaply, enabling us to spend our money on things like theatre tickets instead.
Ellen
Atlanta, GA USA Sat 05/13/2006

The Blue color
One word for Dingle, County Kerry: BLUE! We had the best fish lunch at a place called Out of the Blue and the best pizza & wine at The Blue Zone for dinner. We're well traveled -so far- and came to the conclusion that it would be near impossible to achieve the same degree of success in one day anywhere on this planet. Power to you Dingle!
Jack & Barbara McNaman
Chicago, Ill. USA Sat 05/06/2006

Good Food
After going to school in England this year, I have a few recommendations! In London, you have to try Ben's Cookies in Covent Garden... even better than mom's cookies. It's been said before, but Betty's in York is a treasure. In Leeds, Bryan's has THE BEST fish and chips in England (actually voted #2 by The Times paper). And in general, make sure you try a Sunday roast with Yorkshire Pudding, Sticky Toffee Pudding and a Cornish Pasty... to get a few traditional foods in your belly!
Elizabeth
Leeds, UK Mon 05/01/2006

Looking for a pub?
http://www.beerintheevening.com/ has a searchable database of mostly British pubs. Pubs are rated and commented on by users.

http://www.fancyapint.com/ is similar (and better, in my opinion) for Greater London only. Pubs are rated from zero to 5 pints by their reviewers. Beautifully designed site; pubs are searchable by name, tube, location or rating. Google maps are excellent. I'm no techie, but I downloaded the entire site to my cheap PDA following their directions. It's a great way to find a London Pub.
Chip
Davenport, IA USA Tue 04/25/2006

cheap eats
For a great, cheap meal in England (particularly in the Midlands) go to a chip shop and get a pukka pie (the first syllable rhymes with truck, so you don't embarass yourself). They come in chicken and mushroom and steak and kidney, among other flavors. They're made from natural ingredients (no artificial flavors or fillers) and are really filling, even without chips! They're so good that the word "pukka" is slang for something really nice.
Sara M.
Seattle, WA USA Tue 04/18/2006

English Food
For York, Betty's Tearoom. The scones are fabulous. For London and, it seems, now almost any town of reasonable size (e.g., Bath, Edinburgh, York), the growing chain Pizza Express (mentioned previously here) produces a reliably flavorful meal at achievable (maybe not for students) prices and is not, in spite of its name, a US-style fast food chain like Pizza Hut. My wife and I are real aficionados of salad and believe Pizza Express' Salad Nicoise is by far the best we've ever eaten in any restaurant, French or otherwise.
Jim Mohundro
Seattle, WA USA Sun 04/16/2006

London food
When I was in London last summer, one of the best meals I'd ever had there was in Taz. It's an Anatolian/Turkish restaurant (there are several of them) and it was excellent! The bread was soft and fluffy inside, crispy outside... the turkish coffee sweet and thick -- the lamb dish was sublime. We waddled away :)
Green Dragon
Gainesville, FL USA Thu 04/06/2006

Great meals in Ireland & Scotland
Just returned from 5 days in Ireland and 4 in Scotland. In Galway, Ireland, we had a great meal at The Malt House on High Street (just beyond Quay St). We ate at Doyle's in Dingle on St.Patricks Day, the meal was terrific and the pubs rocked that night. We liked the Creamery, across from Bunratty Castle in Shannon. It was great fun to be there when the Irish team won the 6 nation rugby tournament. Also, we had a great pub lunch at Fanny O'Deas, on the road between Ennis and the ferry at Kilrush.

In Scotland, we had a very good pub lunch at the George & Abbotsford Hotel in Melrose (on a day tour with Heart of Scotland Tours - highly recommended). We thought our dinner at the Mussel Inn in Edinburgh (Rose St), was one of our best meals. We also enjoyed The New Bell Restaurant off of Dalkeith Road in Edinburgh. The very best fish and chips of the trip was in Anstruther(on the coast, after leaving St. Andrews). It was fantastic. And our final good meal was at our small hotel/B & B, The Ceilidh-Donia. The food was very good and the hosts and hotel are terrific. Highly recommended.

Rick, I always trust your recommendations, I'll continue to read your guidebooks and follow them. Thanks so much
Susan Williams
Granger, IN USA Sun 04/02/2006

London
I would highly suggest La Cavalleria Rusticana as a great place to get authentic and delicious reasonably priced Italian food in London. For 30 pounds we got a glass of house wine and bottle of water, bread, a large side salad, chicken in a mushroom and wine sauce with mashed potatoes and green beans and my wife had pasta with cheese in it and spinach, we split a whipped cream dessert with chochlate sauce and hot chochlate. It has great a atmosphere with a limited number of tables and a very friendly owner who speaks english and is very helpfull. It is located behind the great portland underground stop at 124 Cleveland street and there phone number is 020-7388 4032. Its the best placed we found to eat in London.
AJ
Des moines, IA USA Wed 03/29/2006

London - great Italian food
I highly recommend Il Posto near Victoria Station in London. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but the high-level of service as well as the very authentic and gloriously delicious food made it the best place we dined at. In fact, it compared to the very best food we found in Rome last year. Plus, the prices are very reasonable and the portion sizes are enough for two meals.
Tiffany
Lexington, KY USA Mon 03/20/2006

Dingle Peninsula
Back from the UK and Eire. Lovely Indian fare in London; a great meal at the Ivy but didn't care much for the pub food. Ireland was full of surprises: we headed for Dingle the moment we landed at Kerry airport (cheap flights can be had for next to nothing if you fly Raynair) and went straight into Benners Hotel for a quick shower before hitting the pub scene (over 50 pubs in a small town!) A great pint to be had at the Conair on Spa Road, also Foxy John's where all the locals seem to drink. We had a wonderful dinner at Lord Bakers, great seafood. The waiter told us about a wine bar called the Blue Zone. Fantastic wine list and a wonderful atmosphere. We went there the next day to try out their pizzas and were not disappointed. Another great pub is Ashes on Main Street. Too bad we could only spend two days, we'll be back next summer!
J & M Roth
San Jose, CA USA Tue 03/14/2006

York, Edinburgh and London
Enjoyed eating the sandwiches at Pret A Manger in York and London. The Duke of York pub near Victoria Station had the best chicken pie and a very friendly staff. We also found that the cafes in the museums and cathedrals served really good food that was relatively inexpensive, such as at the British Museum and St. Paul's Cathedral. In Edinburgh, Biblio is a restaurant right off Chambers Street that served excellent food but the staff could have been more attentive. Deacon's on the Royal Mile (up past St. Giles towards the Castle) served a great beef pie. Ate at Betty's Tea Room in York. The food was good but maybe not worth the wait to be seated.
Kim
Durham, NC USA Tue 03/14/2006

Fish & Chips by the West. Abby
We were waiting for our tour of Westminister and I wanted to see the "New Scotland Yard". While we were there I asked a guard where a good fish and chips place was. He told me to go up the street and there was a street on the left that was blocked with street vendors and to go down it and on the right was the shop, GREAT FOOD. I wish I knew the name but that is all I have, but the F&C's were really good.
BOB
WA USA Fri 03/10/2006

Marks and Sparks
Lived and worked in London near Whitleys shopping center...try Marks and Spencers (or Marks and Sparks as the locals call it) for great and cheap sandwiches - my favorite was the fresh salmon and cream cheese only 2 quid(pounds). There are loads of selections however and a few that I've never seen in the U.S.
da
tampa, fl USA Sun 03/05/2006

Eating Chinese in London
If you want to enjoy great Chinense food while in London , try E Capital! It is near the entrance to China Town and has wonderful food and great service. We have eaten there several times and not been disappointed.
T. Yates
Charlotte, NC USA Tue 02/28/2006

Budget London Eating
Go online to Sainsbury's website and type in the postcode for your area of London. They are a supermarket with outlets all over London. Cheap food, and gourmet, and veggie all in one place. Then head to a park to eat!
Kristen
PA USA Sat 02/25/2006

Great Pizza in London
We went to London two years ago and are planning to go back, but if, like me, you get tired of the 'British food,' try these two good pizza places:

Deep Dish Pizza Company - on the second floor of Victoria's station. Excellent deal and very delicious. Way better than American pizza.

Also, Pizza Express: Very, very good. They also have cool kids packs that can last an airplane flight!

If you happen to be in Salzburg, in the old town at in the square just down the road from the Hotel Weisse Taube (that's all I remember) there is a cafe in the middle of the square. Get the DIABLO PIZZA! It is very good; cooked to a crisp, teeny red and green pepper bits that are black on the ends, curled and browned pepperonies, big cooked pieces of salami, and very good cheese. I recommend all of these VERY WELL!!!! I've got lots of other tips.
Samantha
Kansas City/Olathe, Kansas USA Sat 02/18/2006

Great Dessert!!!
Bella Italia, the best restaurant in the world. It's located in Liechester Square. The Godfather for Two is the most amozing ice cream I've ever had. It should be called the Godfather for Four!
jarrod
USA Fri 02/17/2006

Warm Tasty and Comforting. That's British food.
The Rose in Oxford is the best place for tea. They are very serious about it and suggest which teas take milk and which take lemon. The scones are warm and the clotted cream divine! The Big Bang, also in Oxford, specializes in bangers and mash and the variety they have is spectacular! Different types of sausage(venison and vegetarian are just 2 varieties) and different flavored mash. We discovered a love for pasties while here. Our favorite was the Cornish Pasty Company in York but the Cornwall Pasty Company in Oxford was a close second.
Jolene
Centuria, WI USA Fri 02/17/2006

Wetherspoons Discount Pub Chain
JD Wetherspoon has pubs throughout the UK. They have a special 2 meals for 5.50 pounds. Their pubs have a no smoking area (many are smoke free), and most have a childrens' area. They have a good selection of real ales at excellent prices also. They are proud of their clean and fashionable toilets. On the downside, they are big places, can be noisy although they don't play music. My brother and I had a number of 2 for 1 dinners and a pint at the Metropolitan, just east of Baker Street tube station. This would prepare us for our pub walks to more charming pubs. Check out their site: http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/index.php

Their pub finder is awkward to use.
Chip
IA USA Mon 02/13/2006

A Great Pub
If you're looking for a really historic pub I can't recommend 'The Seven Stars' on Carey Street too highly. This pub survived the great fire of London so it is well over 300 years old. It's run by the legendary Roxy Beaujolais who is a renowned cook. Because it's old it is a very small pub but the weekend lunchtime crowd are friendly. The beer is excellent. Roxy can tell you a great deal about old London pubs and how to find them, she's a doll. This is one of my favourite watering holes anywhere.
Al Bishop
Nottingham, UK Mon 02/13/2006

LONDON SHOPS AND PUBS
I would love to hear from other travellers in regards to the best pubs for an old fashioned lamb dinner in London, as well as the best old fashioned sweets shops [penny candies] in the London area, preferably shops and pubs that are at least a century old. Thanks for the help!
AUNDREA
LADNER, B.C CANADA Sun 02/12/2006

Eating in York
One of the best dinners I have had in England was at Russell's Brasserie just down the street from the Minster in York. Also Betty's Tearoom is wonderful High tea is a wonderful meal and the custard tarts are divine.
Brenda Bradford
Chapel Hill, Tennessee USA Sun 02/12/2006

Budget London Eating
One place that seems to be on every other corner is "Pret A Manger" with the stars in the sign - www.pret.com - they are great for a quick soup/sandwich/salad to eat in or take away. Their full menu with prices is online.
Sue
Philadelphia, PA USA Wed 02/08/2006

inexpensive food
as a student, cheap food is a vital condition to all my food purchases. grocery stores are cheap and have plenty of options. i don't even feel as though i am missing out on local cusine. marks and spencer has some of the yummiest options. fresh baked goods (cookies, scones, pasteries, bagettes, whole meal buns), prepared meals, terrific sandwiches, salads, mini cheeses. european yoghurt is the best thing in the world! you can generally find a cheap restaurant meal somewhere, but often what you get at the store is of nutritionally greater value then what you get for the same price at a chip shop. almost all grocery stores have prepared meals available.
chicago (currently), USA Tue 02/07/2006

London Budget Eating
You don't mention what area you will staying in so I'll just tell you where I eat when I stay in Bloomsbury. Fryers Delight, 19 Holborn Rd, serves great traditional fish and chips in big portions. Cafe Laguana on the intersection of Charing Cross Rd, Oxford St and Tottenham Court Rd serves tasty meals and sandwichs. If you're really on a tight budget try Greggs; they serve fresh hot pasties that are spectacular, cheap and filling. Greggs are all over London. If you are looking for fruit try any street market; they have fresh fruit at the best prices. I like Berwick Market in Soho. And there is always fast food; McDonalds is McDonalds the world over.
Indiana USA Mon 02/06/2006

Budget London Eating
I'd love any suggestions folks can give as to VERY INEXPENSIVE places to eat in London for a broke student traveler. I would not be above going to a grocery store instead of a restaurant, if the savings would be worth it and I could still eat something relatively healthy and filling. I am going to be there for just two nights as part of a larger European trip, and everything in London is so expensive - so saving on food will be a big help. Thanks!
Bryan
Maryland USA Mon 02/06/2006

Ireland Fish n Chips
In Northern Ireland in the town of Ballymoney there is the best fish n chips place ever. It's called "A Flash in the Pan" on 51 Queen Street. It's just a hole in the wall "Take Away" (carry out) but the best ever. Just dont ask for tartar sauce. Go for it like they do with the salt and vinegar. It was incredible!!
Nora
Surprise, AZ USA Mon 01/23/2006

More Dublin Dining
As an American living in Dublin I had to add a few Dublin Dining Ideas. Avoca, as mentioned, is delicious, if you have a car, the one at Powerscourt is the best of the lot. On Saturdays the farmers market in temple bar has lots of yummies to try and great cheese stalls as well. In Grafton street (and Ranalagh) CafeBarDeli is good and reasonably priced. And dont knock pizza in Dublin, lots of Italians are opening very good pizza shops around here, it's inexpensive and generally very good.
Gillian
Dublin, ireland Wed 01/18/2006

Cheese!
The UK produces some great cheeses....Stilton, farmhouse Cheddar, Shropshire Blue.....etc. Be sure to emjoy them when you visit Britain.
Paul
USA Tue 01/17/2006

UK and Ireland good eats
Not a picky eater, but have recommendations: In the UK, great humus and other good, cheap vegetarian food at M&S (where the stores are big enough to have a grocery section - sometimes in a separate building, is in Cambridge). Since the major dept. stores began as grocer's markets and still carry food, there are good eats in many basements or ground floors, at rock bottom prices. Galway: Couch Potatas, 40 Upper Abbeygate Street, uses baked potatoes as the base for large, inventive, inexpensive meal creations. Tiny restaurant, great food. If you are looking for cheap, substantial local food, just watch the locals. It's like here - eat where the lorry drivers eat. The best fish and chips we ever had was in Avoca, Ireland - forget the name but there is only one chip shop in town, across the street from Fitzgerald's pub. There's a nice bakery in Betws-y-Coed that makes a "dragon" - a Cornish pasty shaped with spiky pastry spines, meat or veggie filled, that makes a good, filling take-away meal.
Diane Yaghoobian
Stowe, PA USA Fri 01/13/2006

Balti
If you are ever in Birmingham England (no it isn't dirty and industrial anymore - it's grown up and quite nice) try the Balti restaurants. The food is a mix of Pakastani and Kashmiri. It can be chicken, lamb or vegetarian cooked up quickly in a wok type bowl with other ingredients and served with a piece of nan (bread similar to a tortilla) as well as pompadoms and sauce (similar to tostitos and a mint yogurt sauce). The best place in Birmingham area is called Royal Naim in the Sparkhill area. Prices are very reasonable too. Plus you can bring your own alcoholic drinks since they can't sell them - so pick up a bottle of wine or beer before heading in and enjoy!
Debbie
Birmingham, England Sat 01/07/2006

Blue Zone sucks!
Why come to Ireland (Dingle) to have pizza when you can get it anywhere. Jeez peope come here for culture and the Irish experience.
Jukie
USA Fri 01/06/2006