Lucinda O'Sullivan's Ireland

About The Restaurant

As a part time resident of Kinsale for many many years I guess I can claim to know the restaurant scene there better than most.  It is a place I have loved all my life and where my kids took their first steps.

When the Lemonleaf Café first opened its doors, so many people remarked to me on how they loved it. Perfect for breakfast, perfect for lunch, perfect for all day food, as light fresh and crisp all round  as its enticing name sounds. There are so many restaurants in Kinsale, but the Lemon Leaf Café filled a gap and was right on the nose of what people wanted.

The décor is lovely, fresh and bright as the proverbial lemon leaf. An old fashion bell tinkles as you walk through the door, and you can then decide whether to sit inside or out in their pretty courtyard.  

They do a great breakfast menu, which you can have all day if that is your fancy. You will see all the local regulars popping in every morning for their oatmeal porridge served with stewed fruit or pancakes with Canadian maple syrup. They do whopping Eggs Benedict, always my favourite anywhere, served with grilled bacon on artisan toast and topped with Hollandaise sauce. Brendan loves his traditional Full Irish, hard to break a habit, and here Tracy and her team serve up the works, with eggs, bacon, sausage, black and white pudding, tomato, beans, mushrooms, toast and tea, and all so reasonably priced you know why you don’t bother doing it at home!   I love to see an omelette on menus, a rare occasion, and here too you can have a great omelette with ham, or cheese, or mushrooms with toast. They also do delicious Bagels with local handmade sausages and smoky bacon with homemade tomato and apple chutney.

Lunchtime dishes absolutely hit the nail on the head too. Marinated chicken skewers are with pesto and roasted potatoes; whilst a jolly good beef burger comes with Durrus cheese on toasted ciabatta with red onion marmalade, baby spinach leaves and potato wedges. They do delicious lasagna, which they serve with toasted garlic bread, and baby salad leaves. I love their sweet potato fishcakes, which come with a piquant tomato salsa and mixed baby leaf salad. They also do a cracking goat’s cheese bruschetta with red pepper and basil pesto, and an equally great warm spicy chicken wrap with pickled cucumber, tomatoes, red pepper, garlic may and baby leaves. You can also have soup of the day either as a full portion or just have a cup of soup. Pair that with a great Croque Monsieur or Madame, or indeed one of their great imaginative sandwiches. They vary the menu, and also have daily specials, as well as a great range of cakes – lemon chiffon cake, carrot cake, cheesecakes, lemon drizzle slices, and a smashing chocolate gluten free molten cake.  There is also a comprehensive variety of coffees, tea, minerals, chocolate drinks to satisfy your every desire.

And, if you fancy staying past dessert, they also offer delightful accommodation at the Lemon Leaf with 10 lovely guestrooms ranging from ‘Snug’ to ‘Roomy’.

A cracking spot.
 

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