I recently made my first trip to Ireland and my top take-away: it is one of the drinkiest countries I have ever visited. I mean, I’ve been around the block, but no country has the trifecta of tipples like Ireland.

1. Beer – specifically stout, and famously Guinness
2. Whiskey – specifically Irish whiskey (and famously Jameson, but you can skip that here. So many other options)
3. Wine – While there is a winery 30 minutes north of Dublin (Lusca Vineyards, which I didn’t get an opportunity to visit), I did go to a lot of wine bars which were packed with interesting choices from all over Europe.

If you’re headed to Ireland, check out my recommendations below for where to drink and eat – from Dublin to Galway to Cork and back.

DUBLIN

Guinness Storehouse Guinness played an important part in Dublin’s history, employing thousands of people and supporting the community with healthcare, clean water and other services. The tour of the Guinness Storehouse is fun and interesting (or funteresting as I say).

The Storehouse is no longer operational but if you look around, you can see the operating production facilities that spread far and wide across this quadrant of Dublin. Book online ahead of time. There are a lot of options (we did the standard tour, which starts at 26 euros per person), but they all end with a pint in the Gravity Bar on the 7th floor. There is no better place to watch a trained barman pull a proper pint of Guinness – it’s mesmerizing! Plus, the views of Dublin are amazing.

Irish Whiskey Museum This place offers a fantastic peek into the history of Irish whiskey and plenty of options for tasting. It’s right across from Trinity College. This is where I learned that 40% of Irish Whiskey is consumed in the U.S. and it’s also where I learned that the main ingredient is barley (not corn, wheat or rye, like we use in America, to make bourbon and rye whiskey.) And I also learned that there’s really only one rule to make Irish whiskey: it must age for 3 years and 1 day in Ireland. Oh, and it must be at least 80 proof (40% alcohol by volume). Okay, so two rules.

We did the Blending Experience (35 euros per person) and it was awesome. You get a great overview of the history of Irish Whiskey and how it’s made and you can ask as many questions as you want. The last 15 minutes is dedicated to blending. Each person sits down to small pours of four very different styles of Irish whiskey. You taste each, and then blend them to make your own sample bottle, which you can take with you. Fun! I recommend booking online ahead of time. There are a lot of steep, winding stairs, but they do have a lift that is wheelchair accessible. You also can buy full-size bottles as well as a plethora of sample size bottles in the shop.

Cellar 22 Wine Bar – On St. Stephen’s Green, about a 10-minute walk from the Irish Whiskey Museum, this subterranean spot is a jewel box of amazing wines! With more than two dozen wines by-the-glass from all over the world, the only frustration here is choosing your wines! We loved the cheese and charcuterie board and the service was great – friendly and professional. There’s a small garden-level patio, too.

Fish Shop – After reading about this place in Food & Wine magazine, I had to go. They specialize in the freshest fish and shellfish and they’ve curated a wine list to complement their dishes. I mean: chablis and oysters? Shut up. You’ll find up to 20 wines by the glass, and the staff is fun and professional. Perfection. Make a reso – this place is matchbox-sized, with maybe a dozen seats in total.

Piglet Wine Bar – We loved this place, in the Christchurch end of Temple Bar (read: far from the Temple Bar chaos). The wine list is rock-solid, and the cheese and charcuterie board was generous and excellent, as were the steamed mussels. This place won’t win any awards for swish design, but it makes up for it with great wine and food and amazing service. Make a reso – it’s quite petite – like a piglet!

Bang Wine Bar & Restaurant – Another winner here. We sat on the patio, sort of in the street, and it was a delight. The menu has some great international accents (that York cabbage with gochujang mayo was amay-zing!) It’s not far from St. Stephen’s Green (and you should definitely stop at O’Donoghue’s a few doors down, for a Guinness – one of the oldest bars in all of Dublin, dating back to the 1700s.) It was our server’s first day, and as we were ordering all over the place (a mix of starters, sides, sharing a main, etc.), and she just rolled with it!

The Seafood Café This place is tiny and tasty! The “kitchen” is nothing but one hot plate, a small flat-top and a fryer, yet they turn out gorgeous Dover sole and delicious cold items like crab claws, oysters and more. Reservations are a must. This is where I perfectly de-boned that Dover sole and forgot to take a photo!

GALWAY

Rúibín – First, it’s pronounced Roo-bean. Secondly, this is where I fell in love with Flaggy Shore oysters. I mean! These beauties are small in size, but plump and creamy, and the briny taste of the Irish Sea just flows over the palate. I still dream of these oysters – which can be hard to find outside of Galway. Wherever you see them, just order them. Order more than you think you want. This lovely seaside restaurant is a a10-minute walk from Eyre Square in Galway and it’s great for lunch, bar snacks/wine or dinner.

Darog Wine Bar – This award-winning wine bar on a charming street in Galway (right across from a great pub where we had Beamish stout after dinner with some fantastic live music) specializes in small plates and wines by the glass. You may find more Flaggy Shore oysters like we did, but you’ll also find meat dishes, pastas and other seafood choices, plus a wine list bursting with interesting and affordalicious options, including flights. It was started by a husband–and-wife team, and the husband is an experienced sommelier (formerly of Aniar, a Michelin-starred resto).

Micil Distillery – Pronounced “mickle,” this micro-distillery is in the Salt Hill area of Galway (a 5-minute Uber ride from downtown Galway). This is Galway’s first legal distillery in more than 100 years. It’s hidden upstairs in the back of a pub, so pay attention when you get there and knock on the door of the pub if it’s closed – someone will come fetch you.

At our “Experience 2” (25 euros per person), we started with a Micil Gin & Tonic, which was deeeelicious, on the hot, sunny day we visited. We then learned about Poitin, which I can only describe as white dog’s cousin (I didn’t care for it, but the Irish really like it), and tasted through a number of Irish whiskey expressions.

Fun fact: most distilleries make gin, because it can be made and sold in a day – it’s basically “white dog” with botanicals added – including juniper, of course – and an easy money-maker while your whiskey ages.)

CORK

Market Lane We had a good, late lunch here, on pretty Oliver Plunkett Street. Nice selection of small plates and wine-by-the-glass.

Old Brennan’s Wine House – We stopped here for an “afternoon snack,” of a butter board and a glass of sparkling wine. The service is great, the place is quirky and fun. That butter board was Irish butter mashed up with fried shallots and served with warm bread and it was good! It’s literally right next door to Market Lane.

L’Atitude Wine Bar – This cute wine bar was hopping on a summer Saturday evening. I think we ordered almost everything on the small-plates menu and more glasses of wine than we probably should have. At one point, finished with food, and unsure of where to go or what to do next, our server suggested we move outside to a table on the river where we enjoyed a final drink … or drinks. What the hell – it was Summer Solstice, twilight started at 10:15 p.m. and we were on vacation!

Ballymaloe House This is an Irish classic. run by Darina Allen, daughter-in-law of Ireland’s version of Julie Child, don’t miss traditional Sunday lunch here. Without a car, we took the train from Cork to Midleton (about an hour) and arranged for a taxi to take us to Ballymaloe – worked beautifully. Ballymaloe does a wonderful Sunday lunch with excellent food. Portions are perfect and allow you to leave room for the famous dessert cart, which featured raspberry fool, strawberry compote and lots of chocolate options. Reservations are required. Pro Tip: Get there early to peruse the goods in the shop – plenty of fun items for the cook and good gifts for friends back home.

Cask In the mood for a creative craft cocktail? This is your spot! The cocktail menu itself is worth a visit, with cocktails such as “Your Mother Was a Hamster and Your Father Smelt of Elderberries.” It’s a wonderful, pub-like ambience, we loved this place before dinner (and I think, also, after dinner!)

Da Mirco Excellent Italian fare from an Italian chef who is serious about authentic Italian food. We saw plenty of locals enjoying this tiny store-front restaurant and had a great meal. Book ahead!

Farmgate Inside The English Market, this is a great place for breakfast or lunch (no dinner), featuring dishes made from Ireland’s bounty (the raspberry jam at breakfast had us swooning).

Midleton Distillery – This is the “big one” – where Jameson Irish Whiskey is made, but also where 77 other SKUs of whiskey are made. Yep – 77. Think Midleton Rare, Redbreast, Powers, Spot Whiskeys, Method & Madness, and, of course, Jameson (which offers dozens of expressions, from Black Barrel to several rare, aged expressions).

We did the Flagship Tour (26 euros per person), for 90 minutes and it was perfect. There are tons of options that go up in price for super whiskey geeks, but this was a great orientation to the history of the distillery and its brands (now owned by Pernod Ricard). There was a tasting of three whiskeys and then you end in the bar where you can choose your pour (or a cocktail). The places you see on the tour are no longer operational, with the exception of the Craft Distillery, where Method & Madness is made, but you can see the operating distillery in the distance. Great history lesson and great whiskey knowledge.

Sláinte!