Relocating from Dunmanway, where they will be much missed, Ann Marie Butler and Patrick Kiely re-opened the lovely Wild Garlic in the heart of bustling Bantry town early in 2025 and it's going down a treat. With Patrick front of house and Ann Marie running the busy kitchen, fans will be glad to find this welcoming, homely café and bar with their trademark focus on local food provenance ("the less food miles the better").
A lovely combination of a pub and a café, it opens straight into the bar where a tempting display of home baking is the first thing you see - and, with a vase of flowers alongside, it makes a nice welcome. Not that you'll be left long to admire the freshly-baked goodies, as new arrivals are quickly spotted and brought to a table. Full of charm, it retains the traditional pub layout with little dividers between the tables opposite the bar - and at the back, which can be dark and poky in traditional pubs, a skylight brightens up an area which is well set up with flexible seating that can accommodate both small and large groups (anything up to 20).
An all day menu includes tasty versions of all the breakfast favourites, a short lunch offering of salads, toasties, wraps etc and a wholesome little kids menu that includes a baby bowl (eg mash with gravy or soup for just €4). Then there's a good range of ‘dinners’ and more interesting items including plenty of seafood, plus a specials board. There's quite a bit of deep fried food, but the star of the show is the chowder, which is outstanding. If you only have one dish here make it this wonderful bowl stuffed full of really lovely seafood, including delicious fresh prawns, and accompanied by excellent brown soda bread - which, although a treacle bread, is properly savoury and so much better than the sweetish versions which are currently popular. You may be tempted by the classic French onion soup too...Main course fish and seafood might include mussels and calamari (available in two sizes), while the specials board may offer the likes of ‘Pan seared Castletownbere cod, citrus butter crust w/chorizo and wild mushroom velouté, and carnivores might like a hearty dish like slow braised beef brisket.
Service is very friendly and efficient, with good menu knowledge - and occupying a licensed premises means there's a full bar licence, which allows for a lively cocktail offering as well as an extensive wine list. licensed premises. The well balanced menu and enticing specials board has something at Wild Garlic for the everyone in the family as well as the discerning visitor - and it has charm.
