2 Best Restaurants in The Burren, County Clare, Galway, and the Aran Islands

Owner-chef Aidan McGrath and Kate Sweeney's modest Victorian premises on the outskirts of Lisdoonvarna have become something of a culinary landmark by being Ireland's first pub to be awarded a Michelin star in 2017. A brief, well-thought-out menu showcases the best of local produce, which includes hake, lamb, rib-eye steak, and pork. Food is served in the bar, which is warm and welcoming, with an upright piano, original painted-wood cladding, assorted wooden tables and bentwood chairs, cheerful cotton-check blinds, and a random selection of bric-a-brac. Guest rooms (doubles from €120) are spacious and stylishly decorated in neutral tones with nice Victorian touches such as brass bedside lamps, and peaceful views of the countryside.

This surprising find in a cottage on the northern ridge of the Burren is not only a refreshing place for a soup-and-sandwich break, it's also home to the boutique Hazel Mountain Chocolate Factory, which produces chocolate using the same techniques employed by the monks who once occupied nearby Corcomroe Abbey. Vegetables are grown on-site and the cakes baked star in their own cookbook.