08 Jan Carlow Food Trail

Carlow has many beautiful sights and is bursting with historic scenes. It may be one of the smallest counties in Ireland, however, it still has a dazzling food scene. Here are some of our recommendations to make the most of your time at Avlon House.

The below List is part of the Carlow Food Trail and all easily accesible from here at Avlon House! To Make your stay even more enjoyable with us be sure to check out some of them and also for the best possible rates be sure to book with us directly.

Carlow Farmers’ Market
Carlow Farmers Market is held every week in the center of Carlow Town explore the essence of beautiful Carlow town at the Farmer’s Market (at the old Potato Market beside the main town-center Car Park)

and there are a wide variety of producers selling their fresh and local products for example; Bates of Kilmore Quay, A&K-Real Food, Afternoon Tea, Moyleabbey Organic Farm, The Soul of Crete, Speltbakers, Newtown Farm Produce, The Haggart Farm,Deirdre Crepes, Blues Creamery and more.

Clashganny House Restaurant
The magnificent Barrow Valley is the setting for the Clashganny House Restaurant. Winner of the 2014 Newcomer of the Year at the 2014 Ireland Guide Restaurant Awards. Only yards from the picturesque Clashganny Lock.

Fine dining is the style, but with a good dash of rural realism added yes, you can get a good steak here, albeit a classy version. With warmly professional service and accessible pricing it’s a great addition to the area and set to become a key destination for discerning diners.

Lennon’s at Visual
Experience your world in a new way! VISUAL is one of Ireland’s largest and most spectacular venues for contemporary art. Downstairs from the entrance lobby, the award winning Lennon’s Restaurant.

VISUAL is situated in the heart of Carlow Town, with four world class gallery spaces and a 335-seat performance space. However, Lennon’s Restaurant is the main attraction on the food trail. re committed to providing great food produced with passion and attention to detail while using only the finest Irish meat & poultry, sustainably caught fish and locally sourced ingredients. VISUAL’s aim is to provide a casual restaurant that will suit all preferences and dietary needs with a carefully chosen menu.

Malone’s Fruit Farm and Farm Shop
In 1988, the Malones purchased two acres of land to provide employment for their teenage family. Following the advice and support of the local Teagasc office, they decided to grow strawberries on the two acres which has now grown to twelve acres.

They provides a wide variety of soft fruit and other products to the general public, retail,hotel and restaurant trade.Frozen fruits are also available all year round for smoothies and desserts, jam making and jellies. they have constructed a purpose built kitchen and now produce a wide variety of jams, jellies, marmalades, chutneys, fruit tonics and cordials. Also provide a variety of hampers and gift ideas for special occasions. You can choose from pre-made hampers or simply make your own.

Rachel’s Garden Café
Arboretum Home and Garden Heaven, Retail Excellence Ireland’s Company of the Year 2016, is a complete shopping experience with a five star award winning garden centre plus interior furnishings, a kitchen store, fashion outlet, pet zone and home to the famous Rachel’s Garden Café.

A destination well worth a visit. Inside it is a vast area divided between the award winning garden centre, a home and garden décor area, a small pet and pet supplies section and the newly refurbished Rachel’s Garden Cafe.

The Cafe has recently expanded into a very large, open restaurant with several hot and cold food counters as well as a dessert table full of tempting dishes. The restaurant has colourful couches where you can relax over a coffee or afternoon tea, and wooden tables and chairs which would be more comfortable for a full lunch. The timber floors, high ceilings and large glass areas give a feeling of being outdoors but with the warmth of being inside. All the food at Rachel’s is freshly prepared at the time of serving. The ethos they have adopted is local is best, and where possible the produce is sourced from within a 15km radius, and at the very minimum everything is Irish.

Sha-Roe Bistro
Sha-Roe is quite simply a treasure of gastronomy, nestled in the picturesque village of Clonegal, Co. Carlow. The multi-award winning bistro continues to wow visitors with its simple and elegant approach to food.

A more contemporary detail is the presence of a Chef ’s Table which allows 4-6 guests dine in the kitchen and observe the spectacle of chefs at work. Henry Stone, formerly at Marlfield House, has designed a menu that has a simple, classical feel but with a number of creative twists. The quality of ingredients is paramount, highlighting the abundance of suppliers in the neighbouring area. The blend of exceptional cuisine, warm hospitality, chic yet intimate surroundings and the expertly chosen wine list ensures Sha-Roe receives consistently good reviews and numerous awards and is widely regarded as a hidden gem which should not be missed.

The Chocolate Garden of Ireland
Established in 2001 The Chocolate Garden of Ireland is an Award-winning family business making hand made chocolates, premium ice cream and a wide range of delicious treats. We began making waffles but soon diversified in to chocolate making, and in 2008, into making premium ice cream and sorbets. We also offer gift baskets to cover all occasions.

Other services provided are:

HAND MADE CHOCOLATES & BARS

CHOCOLATE NOVELTIES

WAFFLES, ALL BUTTER BISCUITS

LUXURY CHOCOLATE SPREADS

LOLLIPOPS, HOT CHOCOLATE SWIRL STICKS

PREMIUM ICE CREAM, SORBET, FROZEN YOGURT

GIFT BASKETS

CAFÉ, ICE CREAM PARLOUR & INTERACTIVE VISITOR EXPERIENCE