“Just Ask!” Restaurant of the Year Award 2020 - The Wilds, Wexford

Set in a landmark historic building at the top of Weafer Street, Paula and Simon Nelson’s delightful café has been wowing customers since the day it opened in 2015. This quirky daytime venue is a must-visit when in Enniscorthy - look out for the sign on the gable wall as you come up the steep street - and, if you arrive via the back entrance from the car park, you'll pass through a little deli and home/gift shop which is a lovely spot for a browse before or after a very ‘local’ bite in the café.

They’re ‘Official Supporters’ of The Wexford Food Family, a terrific local initiative that highlights and supports the exceptionally diverse and high quality produce of the area. The 35 or so producer members cover everything from meats, fish and poultry to vegetables, fruit and drinks and they’re backed up by Official Supporters in retail and hospitality, so you really can expect a true taste of Wexford when visiting places like The Wilds.

The philosophy here has always been to use local and Irish seasonal, free-range and organic ingredients where possible, and the suppliers and producers credited on every menu at The Wilds include some of the very best producers in Wexford and the neighbouring counties. All of their meat is of Irish origin - Stafford’s Butchers in Enniscorthy and Macamore Buffalo Farm supply their fresh meat, and O’Neill’s Bacon in Enniscorthy supply them with whole ham, dry-cured rashers, sausages and black and white pudding. Millstream Fishmongers in Enniscorthy and Duncannon Smokehouse supply the seafood, and they source their vegetables from The Veg Patch in Ferns and the organic Gorse Farm in Bunclody. Eggs also come from Bunclody and organic milk is supplied by The Village Dairy in Co. Carlow All round, it’s a great cross section of the very best that's available nearby.

At breakfast The Wilds Full Irish (with O’Neills dry-cure bacon, sausages and black & white pudding…) heads the bill, of course, but there are plenty of less predictable dishes - a Wexford rarebit on sourdough, for example (made with Wexford cheddar), also ricotta pancakes (savoury and sweet), while avocado with poached egg has been a staple since long before the current fashion. Likewise at lunch with items like Indian spiced chicken kebab or perhaps an open sandwich with hummus, as well as the daily salads and quiches that supplement the specials board. You can expect 3FE coffee and loose-leaf teas too - always a good sign - and children are well looked after with their own lunch and brunch menus. During the day, there are some in-between treats such as Tunisian orange cake, chocolate olive oil tart and, of course, delicious homemade scones - and in the shop, where you can purchase homeware, crafts and gifts, there’s a selection of local produce including Bean+Goose chocolates, Ballycross Juices, 3FE coffee, their own jams and chutneys. A real gem.

The Wilds Weafer Street Enniscorthy Co Wexford
Tel: 053 923 7799
www.thewilds.ie/

BREAKFAST TUESDAY-FRIDAY 9am-12 NOON
LUNCH TUESDAY-FRIDAY 12 NOON - 3PM
BRUNCH Saturday & Sunday 10am- 4pm

SAMPLE LUNCH MENU: 

STARTERS / LIGHT BITES
• Small Salad Plate of the Day €6.95 May contain allergens. Most salads are / GF
• Fresh Soup of the Day wholewheat bread or GF Oat & Nut bread €5.95
• Homemade Sausage Roll w/ tomato relish €5.95
• Free Range Chicken Liver Pate, onion marmalade, apple & celery salad focaccia toasts €9.95 95
• Humus& House Breads €6.95
MAINS
• Hot Dish of the Day - see Specials Boards
• Large Salad Plate of the Day- see Specials Boards €9.95
• Vegetarian Quiche - see Specials Board!
• with salads of the day (please allow a little time for heating) €9.85
• Fish/ Meat Quiche - see Specials Board w salads of the (please allow a little time for heating) €11.50
• Home Baked Ham with spiced tomato relish. salads of the day and slice of house broad (served cold) €11.95
• Indian Spiced Chicken Kebab w/lime yoghurt and salads of the day (served cold) €11.95
• Homemade Sausage Rolltomato relish and salads of the day (please allow a little time for heating) €11.50

SANDWICHES
(Served with SOUP or one SALAD of the day)

• Open Pan-Fried Prawn & Avocado Sandwich on toasted wholewheat bread with rocket €12.95
• Open Sandwich w Hummus roasted red onions & peppers, feta cheese, pinenuts & feta cheese on Firehouse Bakery sourdough €8.95
• Home Baked Ham & Wexford Cheddar on granary bread with house apricot chutney, carrot & date salad €9.95
• Roast Chicken & Basil Pesto Sandwich on focaccia w house mayonnaise, pickled onion €8
• Pulled Pork on Firehouse Brioche homemade bbq sauce, celeriac, carrot & apple buttermilk slaw& rocket €9.95

SIDES
• Side of House Bread a Butter 1 slice €2.00 2 slices €3 00; choose from: Wholewheat Bread, Oat & Nut Bread
• Salad /Vegetable Side Dish €3.50
• Choose one of our salads of the day
• Baked Potato with Cheese 3.50

Vegetarian & Gluten Free dishes are highlighted on menus; Allergens are listed (14)

SUPPLIERS
We aim to source the best local, Irish, seasonal, free-range and organic ingredients where possible
We use organic vegetables and salad leaves grown locally, free-range eggs and higher welfare poultry products.
All of our meat is of Irish origin.
Some of our local suppliers include:
Butler's Family Farm; O’Neills Bacon; Stafford's Butchers Enniscorthy; The Veg Patch Ferns; Gorse Farm Bunclody; Firehouse Bakery, Co Wicklow, Fairfield Farm Milk; Bunclody Eggs; Millstream Fishmongers Enniscorthy; and Ballycross Apple Farm.

“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 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.