Just Ask Restaurant of the Month for April - Farmgate Cafe Cork City

The “Just Ask!” Restaurant of the Month winner for April is Farmgate Café in Cork City

Since opening in 1994 – well before most restaurateurs in Ireland thought it might be popular or profitable to focus on local produce and traditional dishes – Kay Harte’s café above the English Market has epitomised everything that is best about simple, wholesome, fresh Irish food that has travelled as short a distance as possible to reach the plates of their happy customers. And, as virtually all ingredients are purchased from the market downstairs daily or from other trusted suppliers nearby, it doesn't come much fresher or more local than this.

And nobody explains the ethos better than Kay Harte herself so, in her own words:

“Situated in the oldest Market in Ireland, centuries old traditional, seasonal, regional, even 'forgotten' foods are at the core of the Farmgate ethos, forming a visible link between the menu and the wonderful array of produce downstairs.

This allows Farmgate Café to provide a uniquely Irish eating experience both reflecting and (we hope) playing a small role in a vibrant Irish food culture truly embracing how good indigenous ingredients and food products are.

Farmgate Café only uses beef, lamb, chicken, eggs and vegetables produced in Ireland. We work closely, therefore, with our fellow market traders, as well as an array of local and regional producers to bring simple but wonderful Irish food to the table. We use certified organic in some instances, but, likewise, we place great value on the high quality, sustainable production systems of our trusted suppliers.

So, against the backdrop of a bustling market, freshly shucked oysters are brought straight to the dining room table from the fish stall downstairs (it is worth the wait!). Cork cheese-makers deliver directly to the market and the café.

Our meat, locally reared, comes from trusted craft butchers in the market. Our honey is from West Cork, and our salad leaves come from two organic farms also in West Cork. Embracing a simple, strongly regional and uncomplicated menu, our food is locally produced, then cooked and presented simply. See details on the supplier section of our website”

It simply doesn’t get clearer or more genuine than that: Farmgate Café sums up all that Just Ask is about – and then some.


SAMPLE MENU

BIACHLÁR LÓN
FARMGATE CAFÉ


IASC

Irish Catch (see blackboard)

Farmgate Chowder €7

Old Millbank Smoked Organic Salmon €12.50
Mixed leaf salad, oven roast tomato, beetroot pickle and dill crème fraïche

Rock Oysters 3 for €5 / 6 for €10 / 12 for €17
Freshly shucked from O’Connell’s downstairs


FEOIL

Irish Lamb Stew Local jacket potatoes €13

Lamb’s Liver & Bacon Local potatoes & fresh vegetables €13.50

Tripe & Onions Drisheen (optional) & local jacket potatoes €10.50

Grilled Lemon & Thyme Free-Range Chicken Local potatoes & fresh vegetables €13.50

Market Butcher’s Sausages Champ, onion gravy & bacon €12.50

Shepherd’s Pie (beef) Vegetables €13


CÍSTE NEAMH-MHILIS & SAILÉADÍ

Savoury Tart Mixed organic green leaf salad (see blackboard) €13

Farmgate Salad Bowl (changes – please ask your server) €13

Grilled Free-range Chicken Salad €13
Cumin and coriander marinated chicken, roast tomato, toasted seeds & mixed leaves

Grilled Ardsallagh Goat’s Cheese Salad Mixed leaf salad with honey & walnuts €13

* We can provide gluten free dishes upon request

Farmgate Café uses beef, lamb, vegetables, dairy products, honey, free-range chicken and eggs produced in Ireland: we source all our ingredients from the Market downstairs, and from local, Regional producers. Our wine list is small, from Europe and chosen to compliment our food. We offer a selection of wines by the glass, carafe and bottle. We have Murphy’s Stout and Heineken on draft – both brewed in Cork.


BAIN TAITNEAMH AS DO BHÉILE AGUS GO RAIBH MAITH AGAT AS DO CHUSTAIMÉIREACHT



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VIEW ALL JUST ASK RESTAURANT OF THE MONTH WINNERS

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“Just Ask!” is a public awareness campaign that aims to encourage consumers when eating out to look for information on where the food (particularly meat) on their plate comes from, and encourages chefs to provide this information on their menus. The programme supports both large and smaller artisan suppliers, encouraging both Irish diners and visitors from abroad to support restaurants that are in turn supporting their suppliers.

Here at Georgina Campbell Guides we have always been avid supporters of the ‘eat local’ concept, and we always enjoy reading menus that have a real sense of place. The dining experience is greatly enriched by knowing that the food on your plate is inspired by the produce and traditions of the area, and sourced nearby – and we would love to see more chefs sharing that precious information with their guests. 

If you are a visitor to the area, learning a little about local food and the people who produce it adds a special extra dimension to the visit – and, for residents, it reinforces a natural pride in the good things of their locality and makes a meal all the more enjoyable.

So, we are delighted by the high standard of menus that continue to be submitted for our ' “Just Ask!” Restaurant of the Month Competition', menus that really speak of the best of Irish foods – and the dedication of both the people who make them, and the chefs who select them to create wonderful dishes with real Irish flavour for our enjoyment.