The godfather of European guidebooks says skip to Cork. But Rick Steves is wrong. Ireland’s second city, home to 200,000 residents and the world’s second-largest natural harbor, is having a second coming. It was a long time coming.
In the 1700s, it launched the world’s first yacht club. In 1848, it became the departure point for millions of migrants fleeing from the potato famine. And in 1912, it was the last port of call for the Titanic. After that, tourism never really took off in Cork like it did in Dublin.
The city’s tourism booster Pure Cork didn’t even start branding the city as a destination until 2015. But just 10 years later this maritime metropolis — Ireland’s fastest-growing city — is considered the culinary capital of the country.
The Emerald Isle’s food revolution started in Cork in the 1970s when Veronica Steele started making “farmhouse cheese” in handmade batches from her herd of Holsteins in West Cork. Prior, Ireland’s cheese was mass produced in factories with the focus on quantity, not quality and flavor. Her experiments inspired other farmers and growers to embrace their inner artisans and make and sell their own ready-to-consume goods.
Today, Cork’s fertile countryside produces a cornucopia of meat, veggies, and dairy. Combine that with the harbor’s seafood and you have a bona fide recipe for success.
It now has 13 Michelin-rated restaurants — almost twice as many per capita as Dublin. Its pair of two-star Michelin restaurants include Dede, where Turkish flavors collide with Irish fare, and Terre, whose staff includes a tea sommelier specializing in Taiwanese blends.
For casual cuisine, head to Son of a Bun, the walk-in-only joint that came out on top in Ireland’s first “best burger” contest. Toppings include black pudding made from a top-secret, centuries-old recipe that has its origins in neighboring Clonakilty.
Meanwhile, the local fishermen’s best catch of the day usually ends up at Goldie where the menu changes with the tide. Expect comfort food like pan-fried John Dory, hake tail schnitzel and Taiwanese fried fish nuggets.
Vegan? No problem. Café Paradiso’s six-course set menu features organic wines paired with plant-based delicacies like beetroot tartare, potato foam and fried celeriac. Cork native and Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy is among their loyal patrons.
You can also pick up picnic supplies — Cork is near blue flag beaches and just 15 miles south of Blarney Castle and Gardens — at the English Market. Trading since 1788, it’s one of the continent’s oldest covered markets and where you’ll find the best spiced beef according to the Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland. This Christmastime cold cut is similar to corned beef. Unlike other European markets that cater to tourists, here you can expect to be outnumbered by Corkonians getting their daily provisions from fourth-generation fishmongers.
Foodies willing to venture 23 miles east of Cork can cut their culinary chops at Ballymaloe Cookery School where Ballerina Farm, aka America’s favorite “trad wife,” Hannah Neeleman recently enrolled with her husband and eight kids.
Back in town, churn and learn about Kerrygold at the Butter Museum. It houses an impressive butter wrapper collection, tells the story of Cork’s International Butter Exchange (the world’s largest butter market), and hosts butter-making demonstrations, so you can whip up your own at home.
If you have an appetite for surprises, book a guided walking tour of Cork’s tasting trails. Tasting trail stops — which include plenty of eats (and meet-and-greets with purveyors) — are revealed as you go. If food festivals are your jam, come in August for the five-day Cork on a Fork event. Craving some comedy? Book a table at Hysterical Histories’ Dinner Theatre. Indulge in Colcannon potato cakes and Baileys Irish Cream cheesecake while a cast of zealous entertainers act out the highlight reel of Cork’s 1,500-year history.
Of course, no trip to Ireland is complete without getting pissed. Fortunately, you don’t need to worry about drinking and driving in Cork.
“We’re so fortunate to be a walkable city, just 25 minutes from one side to the other,” says Raymond Kelleher, a director at the Montenotte Hotel, Cork’s finest hotel (Woodland Suites from $660 per night). Its glass-enclosed rooftop bar is surrounded by a sunken Victorian garden providing the inspiration for its cocktails.
Prefer porter? Order a pint of Murphy’s which the Telegraph recently referred to as “the stout giving Guiness a run for its money.” Founded in Cork in 1856, Murphy’s Brewery is now owned by Heineken Ireland. But Cork does have a few local beers.
“Try the Beamish and Crawford if you like a heavy stout,” said Brendan “Coughlin” Concannon, Irish-American celebrity fashion stylist. At one point, Cork’s Beamish and Crawford plant was producing more beer than the Guinness factory in Dublin.
Best of all, Cork Airport — Ireland’s fastest growing airport — recently confirmed it’s been negotiating with several airlines about offering nonstop flights between Cork and New York.
“A substantial number of American passengers fly through Cork Airport on an annual basis,” an airport spokesperson told The Post. Meanwhile a spokesperson for Expedia says flight searches for Cork are up 10% year over year. Afraid of flying? Just remember what Rick Steves says, “Fear is for people who don’t get out very much.”
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