It's time to get booking that summer staycay.

Look, Dingle may be missing a certain little dolphin (gone but not forgotten) but it's still a worthwhile staycation spot. Particularly when it comes to their food places. I had the pleasure of spending a few days in Dingle last summer, and one thing is for certain, we were well fed.

Murphy's Ice-cream

Although we have a Murphy's in Dublin, I'd never tried it until I visited where it was born and maybe that's for the best. When I was told they did a flavour called Irish Brown Bread, I was intrigued (I'll try most things once) but didn't truly expect to enjoy it. Fast forward to the end of our trip where I'd gone back on multiple occasions for another.

My Boy Blue

Dingle has a lot of gorgeous toastie spots, and I recommend you try all of them. The first on this list is My Boy Blue for thick and oozing sambos. This will fill you for hours and hours, great ahead of a daily activity (I had mine before kayaking, and it gave me all the energy I needed to speed through the sea... well not really but I didn't get hungry at least). Below is the mac n cheese melt, which isn't always available, but snap it up if it's there. You can have a look at the menu HERE.

Curran's

If you're looking for a little beer garden to enjoy a few drinks, Curran's is a great little spot. We were able to order food from Global Village, who were serving street food at the time, and this was also amazing, and very good value.

The Fish Box

I am drooling just scrolling through The Fish Box's Instagram feed. If you're looking for gourmet style fish and chips, The Fish Box is the place in Dingle for it.

Doyle's

And if you just can't get enough of seafood, Doyle's restaurant is another winner. Make sure you're going with an equally enthusiastic seafood lover, as there's little on the menu that comes without fish.

Cáis

Our second toastie spot is Cáis, and it was nominated for the Best Food Truck in Ireland in 2021. You'll find them at Dick Mack's Pub Food Yard; just double check their opening hours on their socials before heading over. Just think of how lovely a day in Dingle this summer would be with food this good.

Bean In Dingle

I'm a big fan of coffee and a pastry; I mean, I like coffee, and I like pastries, but I love the two together (groundbreaking I know). Bean in Dingle is the number one spot to go for this duo if you're heading to Kerry on a staycation. They do some gorge merch as well, and the bright interior will just add a bit of sunshine to your day (whether the actual sun is out or not).

An Cupán Tae

Now, when I inhaled one of Cupán Tae's toasties I was just after arriving in Dingle after a four hour car journey, and I was starving. The tuna melt wrap I got was nothing short of sensational, and while this could well have been due to my intense hunger, I choose to believe Cupán Tae just does a banging wrap. Highly recommend if you're visiting Dingle soon and are in need of some food.

Solas

You'll find tapas at Solas and let me tell you, they're delicious. The restaurant is relatively small, so make sure you book in advance, but you will not be disappointed with the food. While the menu has changed since I was there, I'm sure the food is still just as good as it was.

Global Village

So we didn't attend the actual Global Village restaurant (it was shut when we made our visit to Dingle) but we did sample from their street food menu which operated alongside Curran's pub, and it was very good. I ordered a very reasonably priced €10 falafel box and got a ton of food for my money. I can't wait to return to Dingle sometime soon and try the restaurant now that it's open again.

The Blue Zone

Nothing beats a bitta pizza. The Blue Zone serves artisan pizza, along with a fabulous selection of wine. They open Thursday through to Monday, perfect if you're in of a good feed.

As you can see, there's no shortage of amazing food spots in Dingle, ideal for a summer staycation. There's also loads to do and see, even if Fungie has moved on from the peninsula (still not over this TBH).

Header image via Instagram/beanindingle

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