Editors note: Bella Supiana is working with JJ Kavanagh & Sons on a new series called ‘Tastes of Ireland’. She’ll be travelling to our destinations and scouting out the best places for hungry travellers.
Lunch can be a tricky one… Not enough time in the morning to throw something nutritious yet equally delicious together with those precious minutes ticking away as you wake to start your day, Orange Is The New Black is ready to be devoured episode by episode on NetFlix the evening before or the kids have to be dropped to hurling or picked up from after school study… Busy is the name of the game!
I have a solution for you, a pretty tasty and affordable one at that! Whether you’re looking for something healthy, lavish, on the go or have a spare few minutes to have a chat while devouring artisanal market fare, Limerick has your lunch break covered so let’s take a closer look!
Fresh Five Friday at The Milk Market:
The Milk Markets latest initiative to get the finest of artisanal food into the mouths of each person in Limerick! Fresh Five Friday is a brilliant little bargain, for just €5.00, from 10am until 4pm you can avail of pretty tasty grub at an incredible price.
The it place to be each Friday, boasting “a healthy dose of Fresh air, Fresh Food, Fresh crafts and Fresh conversation”. The atmosphere is less hectic than Saturdays at the market, with more space to wind down for your valuable lunch time or simply to take a few minutes to chat with the producers about their fantastic food.
Bon Appetite, owned and run by Sebastian Ridoux is the ultimate kiosk to devour some of the best French food Limerick has to offer! Crepes go loir, anything from ‘Le Classique’ – lemon and sugar to L’Angélique – Nutella and banana is flipped here! I tasted a crepe oozing with Nutella and juicy strawberries.
Their famed galettes, savoury buckwheat flour based crepes are gluten free and an alternative to any normal sambo! Definitely a must try, I munched into the Italian inspired Galette Tosca, with Parma ham, semi sun dried tomatoes which are soft and melt in your mouth, West Cork produced ToonsBridge Buffalo Mozzarella, rocket and green pesto. Devourable and delicious…
The Fake McCoys busked their famous cajun inspired music in the heart of the market which filled the cold air with delight. A short lunch time here will revitalise the every sense and steam you up until home time not to mention the microscopic hole it will put in your pocket!
A great deal at Fresh Five Friday is a crepe from Bon Appetite, a chocolate treat from the Wild Irish Chocolate Shop and an Americano or tea of your choice from Harpers. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Bubble Tea
Vegan, vegetarian and health inspired Bubble Tea Paradise is the latest addition to Limericks growing health food scene. Owned and run by the charismatic Seamac, he prides himself in knocking out some of Limerick’s finest health oriented food and drink. Lunchtime here is a breeze… A comfortable and vibrant cafe perfect for lunch meetings or a place to regenerate after a morning filled with hard work. They offer delicious dishes that aren’t going to cost you an arm and leg nor add pounds to your waist!
Salads so colorful, your tummy will growl for them every week! I tried the Avocado Salad mixed with red kidney beans, cherry tomatoes and sweet corn, drizzled with a homemade pesto dressing and served with wholegrain toast. Terrifically priced at just €6.95, it’s a lunch time hero dish!
Another great option is their crepe filled with generous amounts of freshly cut fruit and yogurt on the side with a coffee for as little as €4.95. Super tasty and fresh. Would be a great little snack to keep you going until home time. Ask for some honey or agave and drizzle over to your hearts content!
They also serve up smashing smoothies and fresh juices not to mention their renowned Bubble Tea, a fruit flavored Taiwanese tea based drink with bursts of pobble tapioca balls at the bottom. All beverages are under €4.50 including a great selection of good coffee and organic herbal teas, loose or by the bag.
Discount: Get 10% off your food by simply showing your JJ Kavanagh & Sons ticket when paying at Bubble Tea Paradise 🙂
Cornstore
Situated in the heart of Limerick city and managed by the charming Emmanuel, originally from Romania, this is the kind of guy you’d want to be greeting your customers – welcomed instantly, with a smile and a certain pinch of cheekiness!
The Cornstore is one of Limerick’s favorite eat outs and has been long standing for some years now. It is said that people come here for the atmosphere – the decor is well fancy, their impressive cocktail menu – shaken or stirred to perfection by mixologist, Alex and in the words of Emmanuel ‘the food is a bonus!’.
Not just a lavish spot to celebrate and splash out but also a brilliant place to get a truly delicious lunch!
A set lunch menu at just €10.00, showcasing some of their most sought after dishes is definitely a mid week treat. Lucia, the striking waitress explained how people have traveled far and wide to get their lips around the Cornstores finger licking chicken wings! So it’s with little surprise they feature as a starter on the set menu.
Mains include a Double Cheese Burger, Penne Pasta or two Thai Green Curries, one vegetarian and the other with chunks of succulent chicken. I tried the chicken curry, served with coconut rice and a folded crisp poppadom. I’ve tasted the best of green curries in Thailand, where they’re as authentic as they come and laced with overbearing amounts of chili! Honestly… The chefs behind the kitchen doors of the Cornstore clearly know how to cook and recreate oriental food that’s as close to the real deal as you could expect! Absolutely stellar…
If you’re feeling rather naughty or simply need a sweet rush, their expression of a Black Forrest Gateaux is out of this world. Think layers of rich chocolate mousse and fudge sponge with marinated dark Amarena cherries and sweetened Chantilly cream, simply finished with scatterings of flaky milk chocolate and a cherry on top, that would set you back just €5.00…
So get down to Limerick and give one of the lunch deals a go! Tweet JJ Kavanagh or Bella Supiana and let us know what you think of them?
