The Black Pig

Gavin and Siobhan’s Black Pig is one of the great success stories of Kinsale, and for a simple reason: it offers the pure vibe of a great wine bar. It has the buzz, the atmos, the groove. In short, it’s a great room, and it’s the great room where you want to be, mainlining that vibe, enjoying those outstanding wines, sating the appetite with those simple yet perfectly on point dishes.

Gavin and Siobhan could coast by on ambience, wine and food alone, but the final cherry of the Black Pig cake is the attentive, expert and warm service. If you are nervous about wine bars because you aren’t up to speed on wines, then the BP is the place to start. They will find just the right glass or bottle for you because they understand the magic of wine and want to share it with their customers.

So, make sure you have a booking before you go during the season, as they get seriously jammers – though you might be lucky and grab a seat at the bar – then settle in for Ballyhoura mushrooms, Gubbeen chorizo and pea risotto, Pata Negra ham, the benchmark fresh prawns, and one of the best curated cheeseboards in the country. And don’t be surprised if you find yourself returning to the Black Pig the following night: that’s what pretty much everyone does.