A local’s guide to Galway: ‘As a chef I love the food, but it was the culture that first captivated me’

Food

We are spoiled for choice in Galway: there’s great pizza at Dough Bros; burgers at Handsome Burger or Bótown; Wa Café and Kappa-ya are great for an authentic Japanese experience; Ard Bia and Kai are longtime champions of local Irish produce, as are the more recently opened Rúibín and Blackrock Cottage. Dela, on Dominick Street, is the go-to spot for brunch and if you crave a beautifully laminated pastry get to Magpie Bakery early before they sell out.

Restaurants are very mood dependent, so if I want to just relax I go to Il Vicolo (my brother’s restaurant) or The Universal, a pub with great food on William Street. For more formal occasions, I love the fish and shellfish at Kirwan’s Lane. If I’m in the mood for wine and cheese, Sheridan’s Cheesemongers or Daróg Wine Bar are fabulous. I eat in Cava Bodega, which I own, often, but rarely in my other place, Aniar, as it’s too stressful to sit in the restaurant if I’m not working.

Galway has wonderful growers, farmers, fishmongers and foragers that supply our restaurants with the best produce, and I’m particularly lucky to have the Atlantic coastline on my doorstep, as I have a passion for highlighting seaweed as an underappreciated food and include it in my cooking at every opportunity.

Culture

It was the culture of Galway that first captivated me and brought me to the city. I was sold after attending my first Film Fleadh and Galway international arts festival. Galway has a vibrant arts scene (and now a food scene to match), including plays in the Town Hall Theatre or the Druid Theatre – there is always something theatrical going on. It’s a great place for music as well, from traditional to contemporary, from headline acts to newcomers. A personal highlight was seeing Pavement performing at the arts festival big top last year. Many people, including myself, will have had the pleasure of watching the Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy perform in Enda Walsh plays over the years in Galway. The vibe in Galway lends itself to having blockbuster stars wander through the streets, enjoying a drink largely undisturbed.

Neighbourhood

I live in Knocknacarra, a suburb about three miles from the city centre. The origin of the name in Gaelic is Cnoc na Cathrach, which means hill of the city and there’s a lovely park and woodland area close to my house. It’s a great spot for foraging wild garlic, gorse and wild roses. I’m in town most days, although Galway does not have a big city feel; it’s very relaxed and I love walking around. Quay Street is a great place to sit and watch the world go by, preferably outside Tigh Neachtain’s with a pint – on a sunny day, you can’t beat it.

Outdoors

My dog Sam is named after the playwright Samuel Beckett and I walk him in some wonderful areas near my home, like Cappagh Park, Rusheen Bay, Barna Woods and Silverstrand beach, where I pick seaweed and sea herbs. They are not as famous as the prom in Salthill or the walk by the River Corrib, but they show another side of Galway and
are less busy.

Periodically we have chef swap events in Aniar where we collaborate on the menu for an evening with a chef from another part of Ireland or abroad. I really enjoy taking these visiting chefs for a spin out to Connemara, often stopping off at our oyster, sea urchin or abalone suppliers.

Bar scene

I don’t get a chance to go out much at night, but when I do it’s to a wine bar or a pub that serves good wine. My favourite pub is The Bunch of Grapes which stocks my favourite style of wine (a German pinot noir) and is dog-friendly. It also does a great toastie with soup during the day.

I also love a good double espresso and among the many good coffee shops in Galway, Fairhill Coffee + Design and Coffeewerk + Press are my favourites at the moment – at the latter, you can play records upstairs in its small art gallery.

Where to stay

I tell people to stay at The Stop B&B (from €200), run by Emer and Russ, It’s the most wonderful space, with Irish textiles and bespoke artwork, and serves a mean breakfast. We try to book our visiting chefs in there.

JP McMahon is chef patron of Aniar, a Michelin starred restaurant in Galway’s West End, and Cava Bodega