Best seafood restaurants in Howth, Ireland

Whether Atlantic hake, piri piri prawns or good old fish and chips is your preference, find it all in Howth
Chris Folley3 September 2018

Regular visitors to Dublin probably spend far too much time staggering around Temple Bar but how many explore the Irish capital’s outer reaches via the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit)?

Foodies should head to the end of the line, to Howth and Malahide. Here, we look at 10 great spots for getting your seafood fix.

1. King Sitric

This acclaimed seafood restaurant, on the first floor of a bright red restored harbour master’s house on Howth’s East Pier, has been run by Aidan and Joan McManus since 1971.

It has an annexe with eight rooms named after Irish lighthouses, while the more casual East café/bar on the ground floor also does a roaring trade. Don’t miss the wonderful smoked salmon and scrambled eggs for breakfast.

2. O’Connells

Try fillet of sea trout with fennel salad or Atlantic Hake with smoked bacon at this smart pub next to King Sitric, often to the sounds of live acoustic guitar.

Howth's harbour 

3. Sale e Pepe

This neighbourhood restaurant in Malahide has been going for more than 20 years. Perhaps better known for its steaks, it also offers dishes such as wild red piri piri prawns with fresh chilli, spring onion and white wine garlic butter sauce.

4. Brass Monkey

Try a bowl of Smokies at this quirky but cosy restaurant on Howth’s West Pier – smoked cod, cherry tomatoes, spring onion, crème fresh and grated cheese. It’s rich but quite delicious. Plus there’s an award-winning seafood chowder.

The cafe at Malahide Castle serves up local produce including crab
Malahide Castle

5. Avoca

Located in the visitor’s centre of Malahide Castle, the Avoca café mainly offers tea and cakes but also has a food hall with a great variety of local produce, from crab cakes to fish pies.

6. Octopussy

Octopussy is a tapas bar next to Brass Monkey, with all its fish supplied by Dorans on the Pier next door. Try a platter of oysters from Carlingford Lough, near the border with Northern Ireland, for 16 Euros.

7. Fish Shack Cafe

The Malahide branch of this small chain has a lovely front courtyard with burners. Try Scotsman’s Bay seafood chowder for 7.50 Euros or fresh Galway mussels with cream and white wine for 9.50 Euros.

Tuck into lobster and oysters at Octopussy in Howth

8. Beshoff Bros

On Howth’s West Pier you will find this smart oyster bar, fishmongers and shop, though you are as likely to see visitors strolling the waterfront with boxes of fish and chips from the Beshoff’s takeaway nearer to East Pier.

9. Wrights Findlater

Set in an iconic building on the waterfront in Howth, get oysters and Guinness for 10 Euros.

10. Wrights of Howth

If you don’t get to visit the West Pier outlet, don’t despair - pick up some of the famous fishmonger/deli’s smoked salmon, as well as Irish cheeses such as Gubeen, at its store in Terminal 1 at Dublin Airport.

Getting there

British Airways, Aer Lingus, Ryanair and easyJet all fly to Dublin. To get to Howth and Malahide from the centre of the city get the DART from Tara Street using a Leap card.

Details

King Sitric has standard doubles from 150 euros a night B&B.

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