Jim Edwards

In the heart of Ireland’s gourmet capital (Kinsale) Jim, Paula and the Edwards family have been providing excellent food since 1971.

Jim Edwards is a part of the Kinsale scenery. This is one of the original bars of a town which has the sea at its heart. Located on Market Quay, off the main thoroughfare but just a short walk from the centre of town – this is the perfect spot to soak up the traditional seaside welcome of a place known for its gourmet status. Kinsale takes a lot of beating in that sense – and the food at Jim Edwards has added to that reputation for over 40 years.

Still owned and run by the Edwards family, Jim has now retired more or less, but his sons Liam and Kevin and daughter Maeve are very much at the helm. The family welcome is a big part of the charm here. Downstairs in the bar, nautical themes abide in the décor and the atmosphere is buzzy and vibrant, with live music some nights. A casual dining menu is served every day. Always there’s a homemade soup of the day and the famous Chowder with Garlic bread. Grab a bowl if you’re starving or a cup if you’re just peckish. Snacks include homemade chicken liver pâté with Cumberland sauce or a half dozen of Kinsale Oysters served either natural or steamed with a buttery Beurre Blanc sauce. More substantial fish and meat dishes too – kept simple to appreciate the ingredients. At night, the restaurant is a more grown up experience, it has its own space - a split level room with tables to the front near the windows onto the street, and a mezzanine at the rear with larger table arrangements for groups and celebration parties. This is the place to have a birthday bash – on the night we visited the cake was brought out sparkling with candles and the whole room sang Happy Birthday to the recipient in true Irish style!

The restaurant is more formal than the bar but still has a relaxed feel to the ambience.  The dinner menu boasts a list of local suppliers as long as your arm – the Edwards clan and Chef Paul O’Callaghan try to source everything from within a tight radius of Kinsale. Of course fish abounds in this setting. Martin Shanahan cooked in these kitchens in his youth, still remains a long-time family friend, and was influential in advising on menu dishes, so you know things are going to be good. Oysters appear here as a first course served with Tabasco sauce, lemon and black pepper – absolutely divine – you won’t taste better than anywhere. They come from just round the bay where the waters of the Atlantic are clean, providing the right environment for production. Mussels are also grown nearby too and served on the half shell with garlic breadcrumbs. Meat eaters will devour the lamb’s kidneys cooked with Madeira served as a first course here – unusual to find them on menus these days and well worth trying. For main, you can delve into deep water again with baked fillets of Fresh Cod cooked with a blue cheese crust. King Prawn Scampi are to die for – crunchy and golden crumb encasing the freshest large prawn tails. We really enjoyed them with a dish of creamy Potato Gratin and a perky salad of baby leaves in mustard seed dressing. Grilled Black Sole on the bone celebrates this most royal of fish with a light dressing of lemon and parsley butter. From the land, West Cork’s Skeaghanore Duck is roasted and served with a blackcurrant and cassis sauce, and the steaks are treated elegantly – grilled to preference with a choice of black peppercorn or mushroom and red wine sauce or good old garlic butter to melt over the top. There is something for the sweet toothed also – you can taste local strawberries with ice cream or something a bit more fancy – a meringue with whipped cream and fresh seasonal fruit and other delicious creations from the kitchen. Wines are complimentary to the fish and steaks here - a comprehensive list with a good balance of price and choice.

If you decide to make a night of it – rooms are upstairs from the bar area, although very quiet. Interior design is simple but it does the job – comfy beds, ensuite shower facilities, TV and tea and coffee making facilities in all rooms ensure you have a pleasurable stay. Dinner and room packages here can’t be beaten – the very reasonable price includes one night’s bed and breakfast and dinner in the restaurant.  Breakfast is served in the restaurant, and includes a buffet of cereals, fresh fruit with natural yogurt, freshly squeezed orange juice and scones from the local bakery up the road. The full Irish is filling and satisfying or for a lighter morning bite, try the Irish smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. Good Food Ireland is delighted to have Jim Edwards on board as a member – the ethos here has always been to serve local food in a warm and welcoming atmosphere and they do that very well indeed. 

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Contact Details

To Contact a Member Directly, please click on the email or website below

Market Quay
Kinsale
Co Cork
+353 (0) 21 4772541
Email: liam@jimedwardskinsale.com
Web: www.jimedwardskinsale.com

 

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