When it comes to highlighting rip-offs, Pricewatch is not to be found wanting – we hope – but we believe it is also important to support local businesses and to acknowledge that there are many, many restaurants, cafes, pubs and hotels all over the country that are offering good value for money in very difficult circumstances.
These businesses are also bringing jobs and money and life into all our communities unlike, say, many of the blue chip big tech companies that concentrate their presence in and around big urban centres.
And the hospitality sector does more than that. It is also a magnet for the millions of tourists who travel to Ireland, not many of whom complain about rip-off prices, incidentally.
Bearing all that in mind, we took to the platform formerly known as Twitter last week and asked people for examples of good value across the hospitality sector. We were heartened by the volume of responses and positivity that flowed our way. Here is just a sample of what came back.
Blackrock Market: Lebanese Tapas offers delicious home-made Falafel and hummus. Really good value and the best coffee too. – Elaine Banfield
Pizzas of Heart, Youghal: A young family from Naples giving us great value for money. €10-€13 for an oven fired freshly made pizza. They work out of their own mobile kitchen which changes location from the beach to the GAA club. – Michael John Howard
Kenny’s pub on James’s Street, Dublin: Went there on a random Monday earlier this year. Pint of Guinness was only €5 and there was not one but two Elvis impersonators. – Ian Begley
Timeless Cafe in Kilcock: Lunch for four yesterday including drinks and coffee was €40. Don’t get that value around these parts often. – Meadhbh Charles
Sligo: Three tapas dishes for €12 at Osta Cafe and excellent (free) music Thursday evenings. And across the river, low price menu at Oak Moon evening cafe Thursday to Saturday. – Richard O’Beirne
Stranorlar: Our local Kees Hotel has great offers including B&B plus dinner for €56 per person sharing. – Angela Holohan
Gorey, Co Wexford: Partridges on Main Street. Had the most delicious chicken curry. Boss had butter chicken and chips. €34 for both. Lovely staff and food was really good, for a coffee shop. – Dave O’Connor
Donegal: Any of the three bars on Arranmore Island – Neilys, Phil Bans and Earlys – offer great value on the price of pint and Earlys has great value pub grub with local fish dish a speciality. Neilys offers a beer token when you want to buy someone a drink, they can redeem it whenever. – Stephen McDevitt
Bishopstown: My sister and I had a toasted sandwich each with three fillings, a decaf tea and a flat white for €13 total in Dunnes cafe in Bishopstown last Tuesday. Staff were helpful and friendly despite it being lunchtime and midterm. Kids meal for €2. Simple but very tasty. – Paula Courtney
Bray: I’m usually fickle and want to try new places, but I keep going back to Dockyard No 8 in Bray over the past few years. Excellent value food with proper portions, enticing menu, great atmosphere and friendly, efficient service. Dog-friendly downstairs. – Peter McGuire
Dalkey: You can buy an Americano in Robertos for €2.50 if you bring your own keep cup, €3 if no cup which is still great value compared with many other coffee shops. – Emma Forsyth
Drury Street, Dublin: Heartbreak Social Club for €2 coffees, no matter what you get (alt milk is extra) but it’s delicious coffee from Pine Cone Coffee Roasters. I don’t think you’ll find coffee at that quality cheaper anywhere else. – Ger Holland
Macroom: Great carvery lunch in Castle Hotel. Mains €18, best quality seasonal foods, excellently cooked. Great service also. Now that the town is bypassed, it’s worth a visit for food, traditional drapery shops, etc. (Visited on Bank Holiday Monday last.) – Margaret Kent
Dublin: The Silk Road Cafe in the Chester Beatty. Delicious, Middle Eastern food at very reasonable prices. Lovely, helpful staff too. – Gillian Monaghan
Galway: The Galleon in Salthill. It’s almost an institution. Remember being brought in there as a child for a knickerbocker glory. Brought my own kids when they were younger and it’s still going strong. Simple food and great service always. – Edel Abberton
Stoneybatter: Bismarck Store Dairy Parlour, €3.10 for a keepcup latte. Tasty coffee, chatty owner and great value. – Aideen Lawlor
Wicklow town: The Jailer’s Rest is the best value around. Four full breakfasts with tea, coffee and toast included was €53 this morning. – Anne Marie McGovern
Wexford: Kafe Konnect in Wexford town. Social enterprise with all day mega breakfast for less than a tenner, including lovely coffee, toast, etc. Main courses also less than a tenner. Plus social impact and excellent service, so phenomenal value. – Marie Laoise Ni Bhroin
Co Westmeath: Genesis cafe just outside Mullingar. Wonderful food. Good prices and the very best service. – Mary Healy
Trim: I got a great deal in Knightsbrook Hotel for December, €149 bed and breakfast plus three-course dinner for two. – Irene Cullen
Co Mayo: Johnny Moran’s pub in Westport, €5 for a pint of the black stuff. Gem of a pub in the centre of town. – Kieran O’Hara
Wicklow: We ate in the Brass Fox Pub over the midterm. Fantastic value for kids for a main course, drink and ice-cream only €10. Really good service and quality food. – Michael Fennelly.
Skerries: The Gladstone, a pub in Skerries, Co Dublin, €5.20 for a lovely pint of Guinness. Other pubs in the town are charging €6.50. – Hugh Derham
Tralee: The Daily Grind offers great service, coffee, food, atmosphere – the beating heart of Tralee for the past 10 years. – Gráinne McPollin
Gorey: Amber Springs Hotel, two main meals, two kids’ meals, two glasses of wine and squash for the children for €60, with lots of great facilities on site too. – Christine van der Kamp
Tuam: The Front Room Bar and Restaurant. Meal for three people yesterday, starters and mains, €54. Food was excellent and really good value for money. – Claire Dillon
Abbeyleix: Mueller and O’Connell Bakery, a special bakery and coffee shop adored by the community. They make amazing sourdough bread, sausage rolls and delicious pastries. – Denis O’Leary
Clifden: Station Hotel, dinner, B&B and bottle wine €240 per couple, full a la carte menu and the wine option was €30 towards your choice of wine, great pool and location, was great value. – Paula Dawson
Galway: Hotel Leenane. Great value and lovely food. Two nights B&B for a couple is €180 total. Great staff too. – Dee O’Dwyer
Ballinasloe: Bistro 18. €10 lunch menu. And the coffee is good. – Frank Hunt
Rathmines: €60 for a lovely two-course meal for two people in Bethlehem. You can bring your own wine. €5 euro corkage. Great service and atmosphere. – Alice Walsh
Bray: Nine offers high-quality brunch and lunch (sourdough bread, quality ingredients such as local organic vegetables) for very reasonable prices, in a lovely space. – Michelle Cookson
Galway: The Neighbourhood Cafe in Doughiska (opposite Lidl) has excellent food at great prices (eg mini breakfast for €10 which is as big as many “standard” breakfasts I’ve seen. – Joe Desbonney
