Nestled between beautiful golden beaches and vibrant green hills, Sligo town is a perfect place for a quiet weekend away from the business of the city.
Quaint shops and restaurants lining the cobblestone paths with colourful bunting hanging off street lamps in the town’s centre form a lovely sight.
And despite its small size, Sligo town is bursting with culinary delights.
Thanks to its proximity to the sea, fresh seafood is in abundance and available on every corner.
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The Sligo Food Trail offers a mouthwatering selection of gourmet food and drinks from the finest restaurants, pubs, and cafés in town.
The food trail was pioneered by restaurateur Anthony Grey, the former president of the Restaurant Association of Ireland.
Grey grew up working in his father’s butcher shop and has been working in the food sector all his life.
The dark days of the recession saw broken dreams and failed businesses, but the ambitious Sligo man didn’t let that hold him back.
He took the risk and opened Eala Bhan, his first restaurant right in the midst of the recession.
Grey’s love for Sligo shines through in his quality food and ingredients sourced from local businesses.
After Eala Bhan’s success, he took another leap of faith and opened Hooked, just a few doors down from the first restaurant.
Our foodie journey started off at the Eala Bhan restaurant where we were greeted by Grey, a lively and ambitious character.
Much to my delight, we were presented with glasses of prosecco as he took us through the delicious treats that were in store for us that day.
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Our meal started off with a hearty amuse bouche with wild garlic and celeriac served in tiny espresso cups.
We were then served light and crispy Kataifi prawn with saffron aioli nestled on top of real sea rocks.
This was followed up by duck breast served with duck pate and caramelised onions.
The duck breast was tender and cooked to perfection, but my favourite part of the dish was definitely the caramelised onions.
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They were just the right kind of sweet and sticky.
Anthony then whisked us off to Hooked where we enjoyed a refreshing glass of fruity IPA from a local brewery Lough Gill and delicious fish and chips.
Shabby chic is the only phrase to describe the restaurant’s whimsical and eccentric decor with assorted lamp shades hanging from the ceiling and a gorgeous tiled wall mural.
The charming Le Fournil, a French bakery, was next on the list with its award winning salted caramel chocolates and Hennessy truffles.
We also had the chance to sample fresh oysters at the WB Yeats Coffee House while learning about oyster harvesting on the Wild Atlantic Way.
And our last stop was a whiskey tasting event at Thomas Connolly with live trad music.
The culinary delights offered by the Sligo Food Trail makes it a foodie's dream.
There’s something very satisfying about eating a delicious meal made from quality and fresh ingredients while supporting local businesses.
And if you're looking to spend a weekend away in Sligo Town, the Radisson Blu is just a 10 minute drive from the centre.
You can grab a bite at the award winning Classiebawn Restaurant and unwind at the Sólás Spa or if you're the active type, the hotel offers a gym and a pool.
The luxury hotel is just a short drive away from Rosses Point.
The tour runs from Wednesday to Saturday from 12pm to 3pm.
To book a tour you can contact Hooked at hookedsligo@gmail.com or call 0719138591 priced at €55 per person for parties of 8+ (maximum 20 people).
