Where to eat near Cork Opera House - restaurants and pubs

Emmet Place is right in Cork's compact centre, so you are spoilt for choice within ten minutes' walk. Book on a Friday or Saturday, and on any night during panto season.

Before the show: Oliver Plunkett Street and Cornmarket

• Elbow Lane Brew and Smoke House, 4 Oliver Plunkett Street. Wood-fired grill and slow-smoked meat, for serious meat eaters. Book ahead at weekends.
• Market Lane, Oliver Plunkett Street. A crowd-pleasing menu (slow-cooked short rib, Irish sirloin) and its own brewery. Our pick when the group cannot agree.
• Goldie, 128 Oliver Plunkett Street. Fish and seafood (crab, langoustines, scallops), listed in the Michelin Guide. Pricier, and at the far end of the street, so leave time to walk back.
• 51 Cornmarket, 51 Cornmarket Street. Modern Irish cooking, small plates, seafood and grills, in The Sunday Times' 100 Best Restaurants for 2025. Around 30 to 50 per person; closed Monday and Tuesday.

Pubs before and after

• Dennehy's Bar, 11 Cornmarket Street. One of the last old-style pubs in the area, run by the same family for over 60 years. Open Thursday to Sunday only.
• Sin É, 8 Coburg Street, across Christy Ring Bridge. Trad sessions every night from 7pm, and a name that means "that's it", a nod to the old funeral parlour next door. The pick for after the show, and handy if you parked at Carroll's Quay (see parking near Cork Opera House).
• Mutton Lane, 3 Mutton Lane, an alley off St Patrick's Street. A tiny 18th-century pub with low ceilings, old photos and no telly. Small, so arrive early.
• The Shelbourne Bar, 17 MacCurtain Street. Around 540 Irish whiskeys behind the bar, for a nightcap.

Inside the building

Some Dose Coffee Co. runs the café in the foyer, looking out over Emmet Place and the Lee. It serves Roasted Brown coffee and treats, but only from 8.30am to 3pm, Monday to Friday. Fine for a matinée or a box office visit, not for a pre-show bite in the evening.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I eat before a show at Cork Opera House?

Oliver Plunkett Street, a short walk away: Elbow Lane, Market Lane and Goldie are all there. 51 Cornmarket is another strong option nearby.

Is there a café at Cork Opera House?

Yes, Some Dose Coffee Co. in the foyer, but it is open only 8.30am to 3pm on weekdays.

Where can I hear trad music near Cork Opera House?

At Sin É, 8 Coburg Street, just across Christy Ring Bridge, with sessions every night from 7pm.