Discover the Captivating Bakestone: A Colourful and Culinary Delight in Cork!

Discover the Captivating Bakestone: A Culinary Delight in Cork!

Hot Nashville Chicken

Nestled in an old city centre building, now with a vibrant  mural greeting passersby, Bakestone Café is a must-visit destination on Perry Street! After twelve successful years in Carrigtwohill, Joe and Maura Carey have shared their beloved café, pantry, and bakery with the diners of the city in a building that once housed firkins for the Cork Butter Exchange and which now "hosts" that spectacular mural.

Step inside one of the largest dining rooms in Cork city, where the inviting atmosphere is steered by General Manager Neil Muscheidt. Bakestone is not just a café; it's a celebration of local produce! The menus are a tribute to the bounty of local farmers and growers, and their pantry is brimming with top-notch Irish goodies. You’ll find everything from artisanal jams to zesty sauces (and Christmas Hampers currently), all crafted with love and care.

Brunch Bliss! 🥞
Call in for breakfast which can include the famous Bakestone Brekkie! Choose from hearty porridge, award-winning granola, or a variety of egg dishes that will make your morning sparkle. Don’t miss out on the fluffy pancakes, or savoury sausage rolls. And let’s not forget  the exceptional coffee—roasted locally by Badger & Dodo in Fermoy - it's the perfect pick-me-up!

Lunchtime Delights!

Nashville Hot Chicken and decadent French Toast
When lunch rolls around, prepare to relax and enjoy! That’s just what we did a week oir two back. They had a few specials on the board but my pick came from the regular menu: Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich packed with delicious Southern style fried chicken in a Bakestone Brioche Bun, Baby gem lettuce, Bakestone Hot Sauce (not overly so!), Pickles & Mayo with Crispy Potato Bites.

Across the table, CL was enjoying her decadent French Toast: Pan-fried egg-soaked bread with a topping of Fresh Berries, Mascarpone and Berry Compote. Other topping choices were Smoked Streaky Bacon with Mable Syrup; Poached Pear, Salted Caramel and Mascarpone; and Banana, Maple Glazed Pecans and Mascarpone.

A few months back we also visited (again at lunchtime) and then CL indulged in a delicious quiche with Grilled Mediterranean Veg, served with a side of leaves and Bakestone House Dressing. She could have opted for ham and cheese instead. 

I like my bagels and Bakestone’s (loaded with Tender Grilled Chicken, Avocado, Jalapeño Mayo, Rocket, Tomato and Emmental Cheese) on the soft toasted bread is one of the best around.!

On this visit, we were so full that we gave the desserts a skip, even passing the massive display of cakes on the way out! Next time! Another lovely visit to Bakestone and the helpful friendly staff in Perry Street.

Bakestone Timeline

2013: founded by Joe and Maura Carey in Fota Retail Park (near Carrigtwohill).

2017: The pantry began with a small collection of items and has grown to feature over 150 Irish-made products, including their own jams, chutneys, and cakes, curated by general manager Neil Muscheidt.

2023: A brand-new scratch bakery was opened next door to the Carrigtwohill café, serving as a hub for pastries, breads, and occasion cakes.

2025: Bakestone opened its first city-centre location on Perry Street in May. The move created 18 new jobs and brought the the team total to 67.

Mural by David Shillinglaw, part of the Sounds from a Safe Harbour week last September, paints
donated by Pat MacDonnell. The mural won Best in Tourism & Arts at the Cork Better Buildings Awards. 

Ballymaloe Annual Craft Fair. Part Two next weekend!

Ballymaloe Craft Fair. Part Two next weekend!

After a well attended opening last weekend, the annual Ballymaloe Craft Fair has another two days of browsing and snacking coming up next Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd November.

Again, there will be over 200 exhibitors (not necessarily the same as last weekend) across the two days  made up of Irish design, craft and food, the perfect event to support local business and producers and also to get ahead of your Christmas shopping! See the pics below for a hint of what you can expect.

The Ballymaloe Craft Fair is just as much about atmosphere as it is about shopping. A stroll through the stalls is accompanied by festive music, the scent of mulled wine and mead, and the sight of families and friends enjoying time together. 

The food offering is a highlight every year, with a careful selection of delicious and warming treats — hot chocolate, baked and savoury delights, and a line-up of interesting and exciting food trucks. All the details here. 

Deidre of Jim-Jams displaying a range of beautiful organic cotton ladies pyjamas and bathrobes

Various Christmas puddings around the fair but
I always enjoy my annual favourite from Barnabrow House

High and dry. Doggie comforts!

In the sculpture room, a Tree by Glenn Gibson 

No shortage of food trucks here!

Lots of vintage to choose from, including this
Royal Albert Country Roses set.

Santa's transport department

Matthew Brownlie of the
Skibbereen Food Company
and his range of tasty snacks.

Just for Dogz!

Graham Herterich, aka The Cupcake Bloke, had a busy time of it, 

Irresistible!

For the birds (above) and, below, for the kids (small and big!)

Cork University Press presents: The Irish Pub Invention and re-invention

Cork University Press presents:

The Irish Pub
Invention and re-invention

Edited by Moonyoung Hong and Perry Share

Local craft beer at Castlebar's Bar One

Immerse yourself in the rich history and cultural significance of the Irish pub, from its humble beginnings in the 17th century, to its modern incarnation as a global phenomenon

Available now

 

When and how was the Irish pub invented? Or indeed the ‘Irish pub’ – now to be found in thousands of places across the world. How has the pub evolved to become a global symbol of Irishness and how has it come to occupy a central position in our drama, poetry, novels, art and design? Does the pub remain a crucial place in the Irish community, or has it been usurped by the coffee shop and the gym? Does this matter? Often labelled an institution ‘in crisis’, what indeed does the future hold for the Irish pub in Ireland and internationally?

This is the first book-length academic study of this celebrated institution. Academic and field experts across history, literature, sociology, psychology, music, architecture and the field of food and drink studies interrogate the many ways the Irish pub has been invented and reinvented over the centuries. It offers hidden histories, inside stories, new perspectives and perceptive analyses, such as the role of female publicans, gay social life in early 20th century, diasporic Irish pubs and interviews from pub-owners and goers. From Dublin’s Long Hall to Oliver’s Place in Lapland, it draws on the experiences of hundreds of Irish pubs, both celebrated and obscure, to provide a complex picture of this global phenomenon.

O'Dowd's Connemara. Food is now an important part of the pub offering

As ever in its history, the Irish pub is changing and evolving. This fascinating and engaging volume will inspire some concerns, and some hope, about its future trajectory and place in the world.

The Irish Pub is edited by Moonyoung Hong and Perry Share. Moonyoung Hong is Assistant Professor in the School of English at the University of Hong Kong. She obtained her MPhil in Irish Writing and PhD in English at Trinity College Dublin. She is author of Tom Murphy’s Theatre of Everyday Space (Routledge, 2025) and has published in Irish Studies Review, Comparative Drama, Études Irlandaises, and Review of Irish Studies in Europe (RISE). She is on the executive committee for the Irish Society for Theatre Research (ISTR).

Perry Share is Head of School of Business and Social Sciences at Atlantic Technological University. He is a sociologist with a broad range of interests, from technology to education to food and eating. He is co-author of A Sociology of Ireland (4th edition, 2012) and of a number of publications in the sociology of food and drink. He is an Editorial Board member of the European Journal of Food, Drink and Society and was formerly external examiner on the MA in Gastronomy and Food Studies, Technological University Dublin.

October 2025 | 9781782050667 | €59  £55  $65 | Hardback | 170 x 240mm | 400 pages | Full colour | Available now

 Press release

Isaac’s stunning Chocolate Saint Emilion. Rich, creamy and boozy

Isaac’s stunning Chocolate Saint Emilion.

 Rich, creamy and boozy. 

A boozy Chocolate Saint Emilion dessert was a highlight of a recent lunchtime visit to Isaac’s, a pioneer and consistent standard bearer in Cork’s MacCurtain Street.

And the booze wasn't wine. The dessert is named after the famous wine region near Bordeaux, not the wine!

After our excellent main dishes, we had been thinking of skipping dessert but when I saw this chocolate on the menu, I had second thoughts. I had pleasant memories of it but it was some time later before I realised I first came across it here no less than ten years ago.

That 2015 version Chocolate Saint Emilion was packed with rum soaked macaroon, with cream on the side. Enjoyed the rich and creamy taste of luxury, absolutely superb and enhanced no end by the whiff and flavour of the alcohol. Glad to report the 2025 iteration is every bit as good, every bit as decadent and a great one to share if you are feeling full-ish after earlier courses! 

Isaac's tell me the dessert has been on the menu, between Arbutus and Isaac's, for no less than 36 years! They use a dark rum to soak the macaroon, which rises to the top when the chocolate mouse is setting. Yum Rum!

Sometimes, chefs use cognac instead of rum. I’ve even seen a suggestion from English chef Jeremy Lee “thinking to make use of amontillado, a sherry that delights with chocolate. The result is most pleasing.” In any event, I find it rather puzzling that the dessert is rarely offered in Irish restaurants.

It's green for go at Isaac's.

Isaac’s has been a leader for good food in Cork since 1992. Established by Michael and Catherine Ryan and Canice Sharkey, it has developed into a very popular restaurant receiving great acclaim. If visiting, be sure and make a reservation here.

The Chocolate Emilion is not the only item to appear regulary on the Isaac’s menu. But, don’t worry, they have a good list of specials every day to ensure variety in your choices. For instance Grilled Halloumi with roast red onion, basil, Kalamata olives and harissa oil was one of four starters on offer while Spaghetti with meat balls and fresh basil was one of the mains. Tiramisu was on special but, luckily, that dessert was off the menu by the time we got to choose, otherwise I might have missed the chocolate!.

Penne

My mains were from the regular menu: Penne with wild mushroom cream sauce, house smoked chicken, scallions and parmesan. This was faultless and totally enjoyable, every ingredient playing a part in a thoroughly satisfactory ensemble.

CL choose one of the day’s specials: Pan fried medallions of Monkfish with sautéed potatoes, peas and samphire and chive sauce. Quite enjoyable even if the fish could have done with a tad more time in the pan.

Service was, as always, friendly and efficient, and all in all, we enjoyed the visit, all the more because of that decadent dessert!

For more on Isaac's, check here, more on MacCurtain Street here.

GRAHAM NORTON AND BALLYMALOE SERVE UP A CORK-ER OF A CHRISTMAS CREATION

GRAHAM NORTON AND BALLYMALOE SERVE UP

A CORK-ER OF A CHRISTMAS CREATION 

Ballymaloe Mulled Wine Cranberry Sauce with Graham Norton Shiraz launches in December

Ballymaloe Foods has teamed up with fellow Cork legend and wine aficionado Graham Norton to launch a festive treat: Mulled Wine Cranberry Sauce infused with his award-winning Graham Norton (GN) Shiraz. Landing in supermarkets across Ireland this Christmas, the limited-edition sauce combines Ballymaloe’s much loved cranberry recipe with a warming splash of GN Shiraz, creating the ultimate seasonal pairing for food lovers.

Developed over four months, the sauce features juicy cranberries, festive spices and GN Shiraz, gently mulled by the Ballymaloe team. The result is a vibrant, juicy and flavour-packed condiment with subtle notes of black cherry and chocolate from the GN Shiraz – perfect with cheese boards, roast turkey and those all important post-Christmas sandwiches.  

20,000 jars of the sauce will be distributed nationwide to Ireland’s three main supermarkets; Supervalu, Dunnes Stores and Tesco, and will be on shelves by early December, just in time for early seasonal food shopping.

Graham Norton said: “I couldn’t resist teaming up with Ballymaloe Foods - they’re Cork royalty and I’m thrilled we’ve created something so delicious and festive together. I’m very proud of my wines, especially the Shiraz, so enjoying it mulled into a cranberry sauce was a wonderful surprise… and yes, of course I’ve done the taste test! It has the full GN stamp of approval!”

Commenting on this latest collaboration, General Manager of Ballymaloe Foods Maxine Hyde said: “We love to team up with other quality brands to roll out Christmas products, so it was especially exciting this year to partner with Graham’s wine producer Invivo Wines and align Ballymaloe Foods with the delicious and multi-award-winning Graham Norton Shiraz. Given Graham’s global stardom and proud Cork roots, and our own standing as a proud Cork company, we saw this as a perfect fit. The Mulled Wine Cranberry Sauce with Graham Norton Shiraz goes particularly well with a festive cheese board and, of course, a glass of Graham Norton Shiraz.”

Ballymaloe Mulled Wine Cranberry Sauce with Graham Norton Shiraz, which launches in Irish supermarkets in December. Photo: Monika Coghlan

Founded in 1990 in County Cork, Ballymaloe Foods remains a family-run business committed to producing its range of products in Ireland and creating quality products in the most sustainable way they can. The company is no stranger to Christmas collaborations; in recent years it teamed up with i-Stil38 craft Irish vodka to create Ballymaloe Vodka Cranberry Sauce for the 2023 festive season. 

#pressrelease

LUCKY STUDENT SECURES APPRENTICESHIP AT CORK’S MARKET LANE GROUP

LUCKY STUDENT SECURES APPRENTICESHIP AT CORK’S MARKET LANE  GROUP

Market Lane nominated for 2025 Generation Apprenticeship Employer of the Year Awards

Market Lane Restaurant has announced that Misha (20), one of the very few graduates nationally to secure a place on the 2025/26 Commis Chef Apprenticeship Programme*, has joined the team at Market Lane Restaurant in Cork City Centre. 

Misha’s appointment comes hot on the heels of the restaurant’s nomination as Best Apprenticeship Employer 2025, the overall winner of which will be announced in early December.

Misha will begin his studies at the Westside Hospitality Centre at the Cork College of Further Education, Bishopstown Campus, early next year. 

“Offering this opportunity to new staff members like Misha at the time of recruitment involves a leap of faith on our part and a big financial investment”, says Conrad Howard, head of the Market Lane Group. “Many restaurants cannot afford to take on Commis Chef apprentices, but we believe that this is a great way forward to attract new blood into the industry and we are absolutely delighted that Misha has started his new career path with us.”

Misha, who lives in Cobh, Co Cork, said: “From everything I had seen and heard about Market Lane, it seemed like a great place to work. It is a very busy operation with plenty of opportunities for career development, which is exactly what I was looking for.  The frequent menu changes and scratch cooking shows that this is a restaurant that really cares about the quality of the food it serves.  I am so excited to be working here and feel very lucky to be one of the very few students to gain the backing of such a great restaurant to do a Commis Chef Apprenticeship this year.” 

The group has a dedicated Kitchen Training Co-ordinator, Lee Scahill, who oversees all aspects of the Apprenticeship programme and guides the students throughout.  This is a unique role within the restaurant industry and it has been key to the success of the programme within the group.

* Market Lane estimates the cost per year to the employer to take on a Commis Chef Apprentice is in excess of €10,000. The Market Lane Group comprises 5 award-winning restaurants including Market Lane, Goldie, Elbow Lane, ORSO and The Castle Blackrock

** Clare Keogh's pics feature Lee Scahill and Misha, at Market Lane Restaurant.

CHRISTMAS BEERS FROM EIGHT DEGREES BREWING

CHRISTMAS BEERS FROM EIGHT DEGREES BREWING

 

Christmas is a special time at the brewery. A time to look forward to a new year and new beers, a time to look back at what we’ve achieved. For 2025, we decided to release a pair of beers that sum up both parts of this equation.

 

First up is the new: Hōne's Red IPA takes an Irish red ale and adds deliciously dank hops from New Zealand for a richly aromatic take on traditional. It’s NZ meets Ireland - we’re celebrating nineteenth-century solidarity between Māori and Irish vs English colonisers - and bringing these very NZ hops to the party.

 

Building on our strengths (forgetfulness and barrel ageing), V3 of our Black Ball Metric Stout features the strong stout that was a hit when first released in 2019, then again in 2020. When we rediscovered a small batch of this beauty and brought it to the 2025 Dublin Beer Festival, it got such a welcome that we decided to put what was left into cans.

  

Hōne's Red IPA
5.2% ABV

Hōne Mohi Tāwhai was a Māori member of the New Zealand parliament in the nineteenth century. He felt a deep bond of solidarity between Māori and Irish people who, at the time, were all fighting to reclaim land rights from English colonisers. Expressing his solidarity in 1879, Hōne declared: “I am an Irishman” in the NZ Parliament. To celebrate these links, we have enhanced a traditional Irish red ale with the aromatic splendour of some New Zealand's finest dank and resinous hops, Rakau and Wakatu. The flavour reminds us of Christmas pudding, a deep toffee and caramel body overlaid with mild tropical and orchard fruit aromas. Kia ora!

 

Black Ball Metric Stout
11.4% ABV

V3: You know that feeling when you find something you thought was gone forever? In our case, it was a small batch of barrel-aged Black Ball from five years ago with a flavour that was even more intense and smooth.

Still the same modern stout that shuns imperialistic, old school vernacular, the mash for our Black Ball was rammed full of dark, complex malts before being poured into those Irish whiskey barrels. It's always been a big, bold stout, but, after five years, it has completely rounded out. This rediscovered stout is deep, dark, rich and rewarding. 

 

More information: www.eightdegrees.ie

Get social: Facebook: eightdegreesbrewing  ¦ Instagram: eightdegreesbrewing

#pressrelease

 

ORSO. Deliciously different in the heart of the City.

ORSO. Deliciously different in the heart of the City.

Aubergine

Orso may be in the city centre and part of the Market Lane group but is truly a place apart. Their roots could not be more local, see suppliers below, but their reach in the kitchen and on your plate is very much the Mediterranean region.

Just check out the menu and you’ll note spices such as harissa, Dukka, Bombay Aloo, Tzatziki, Feta , Dahl, Cous Cous, Nduja, Sumac and more. And quite a few dishes are served on, or with, their own house-baked stone-bread. 

Their beers, from sister Elbow Lane, are made just around the corner and the wines are mostly from Southwest Europe. Their cocktails are highly regarded and can contain anything from Jameson to Jalapeño tequila (though not together!).

Cod

The menus, lunch and dinner, are largely based on very local produce indeed but, with spices and seasonings from near and far, are quite distinctive, often colourful and always made for you, including their flatbread which is baked as you order it.

We absolutely enjoyed dinner here a few months back and thought it was time for a return last week. We called just after the lunchtome peak and took our time over the menu. 

I noticed a lunch version of the Slow Cooked Lamb Shank that I so enjoyed last May and was tempted again before we both decided on something from the flatbread section of the menu.

Lamb Shank (from a previous visit)

I do like my aubergines but this time it was CL who picked the Spiced Aubergine Fritters, with hummus, mixed leaves, and a tomato & cucumber salsa. Colour and flavour in abundance in an appetising dish skilfully cooked and assembled and presented. 

Actually the service here in this small place was also of a high standard, no fuss, just a smiling efficient that enhanced the visit.

My choice was Cod Fillet Pieces with creamy red harissa, corn fritters, fennel and dill salad, another colourful gem. By the way, no need to worry about the harissa. Here, it, and all their other spices (mostly from Mr Bells), are judiciously handled and used to enhance the flavours rather than add heat. 

Other dishes under the Flatbread heading were Lamb Kofta Skewers (roasted

veg, red harissa, tzatziki, pickled red onion, and Chicken Schawarma (hummus, apricot & coriander relish, red cabbage slaw, turmeric aioli). We also shared a serving of their classy fries; other sides available include Garlic Stone-bread and Sweet Pea Hummus.

The menus, both lunch and dinner, are very highly recommended. The infectious enthusiasm and friendly service draw you in. Very comfortable seating, including some at the counter, is available. The Pembroke Street restaurant is in the dead centre of the city and is so easy to get to. Also, the website is up to date, and at https://www.orso.ie/, you can check out the menus and opening times.

As I mentioned earlier, ORSO (and indeed the whole Market Lane group), are terrific supporters of local. Current producers and suppliers include: Caherbeg Meats, Chicken Inn and Tom Durcan for meats; Ballycotton Seafood and K. O’Connell for fish; Churchfield Community Gardens and Singing Frog Gardens (salad and veg), Toonsbridge (Cheese), and Mr Bells for spices and seasonings.

* Dozens of current restaurant reviews here.