Blackrock Cottage in Salthill has established an impressive reputation among diners and food critics since it opened its doors eighteen months ago.
Situated at the end of Salthill Promenade, beside the iconic Blackrock Diving Tower, the famine-era Cottage blends breath-taking views of Galway Bay with a cosy and intimate setting, and a menu that has been specifically designed for its patrons.
The Sunday Times included Blackrock Cottage in its list of ‘Top 100 Restaurants in Ireland’ recently and the remarkable success story of the Cottage continued when the venue was named ‘Best Restaurant in Galway’ at the Restaurant of Ireland awards.
“We were absolutely delighted, it was a big shock,” explained Blackrock Cottage’s award-winning head chef, Martin O’Donnell.
“This award is for everyone in Blackrock Cottage’s team,” he added.
“There’s no secret to the success, it’s hard work, dedication, and an unbelievable team with one goal — to exceed customer expectations in terms of what they want when it comes to food and service."
“Our General Manager, Mathieu Teulier, does a terrific job with his team and, as a chef, my main focus is on the food and getting the menus right."
“We try to create something that people actually want to eat, not what we think they want to eat."
“That casual feel, that homely feel of a Cottage restaurant, with the food speaking for itself.” The breakfast, brunch and lunch offering is very popular with diners, but Martin O’Donnell, who is a regular guest on Virgin Media’s Ireland AM TV cookery slot, has also created a beautiful evening dinner menu that showcases the very best of what Galway has to offer. Martin describes his menu as ‘traditional dishes with a modern twist’.
“The first 18 months have been absolutely incredible,” admitted Martin, who also won two prestigious awards in 2023 — ‘Best Newcomer in Ireland’ at the Restaurant Association of Ireland awards and ‘Best Chef in Connacht’ at the Food and Wine Restaurant of the Year ceremony.
“But I think the greatest satisfaction is looking into the restaurant from the kitchen and seeing it full, every day of the week."
“We’ve actually built a restaurant for the community of Salthill, the surrounding areas, and Galway city, which is lovely."
“It’s an iconic location, and we’re serving the quality food that people want,” he added.
“We’re serving an amazing breakfast, that’s seasonal, using quality local produce."
“The menu is very modern and creative, with an Irish sense, and it’s quality over quantity for us. We get a lot of positive feedback from people about our menu, they love seeing local producers mentioned and used."
“And people really feel they get value for money at the Cottage.”
Blackrock Cottage also has an extensive wine list to choose from along with a range of cocktails.
The Cottage is open from 8am to 5pm (Monday to Wednesday ), and from 8am to 8pm (Thursday to Sunday ).
You can walk in during the day for breakfast, brunch or lunch and book a table for evening dinner online at www.blackrockcottage.ie or by calling (091 ) 399280.
