Local foodies are in for treats as businesses mix it up for summer

WEST Cork foodies will be only too delighted to hear of several new and exciting food establishments setting up in the region.

The former Pilgrim’s Restaurant building in Rosscarbery is getting a new lease of life as former Celtic Ross deputy manager, Jack Bell will open his new restaurant there at the beginning of July.

Speaking to The Southern Star, Jack said he has fallen in love with Rosscarbery since he started working there and when he heard that the building which housed the award-winning restaurant Pilgrim’s was up for lease, he jumped at the chance.

‘I’m calling it Jacks@Pilgrim’s Rest – because the building is known as Pilgrim’s Rest – and it is going to be open seven days a week and we will be doing coffees and brunches with all local produce,’ said Jack.

‘I hope to have fine dining up and running by the middle of August once I get my alcohol licence through. I’m also opening up the courtyard at the back of the restaurant which will mean I can get more covers.’

He plans to employ 15 people at the restaurant.

Meanwhile, the former owners of Pilgrim’s, Mark Jenning and Sadie Pearce, who closed their popular restaurant in April, have said there  are no plans yet to locate in Leap. They confirmed that they are looking at potential new venues and said they will definitely be coming back in some form in 2024.

Rosscarbery is also set to get a new coffee shop with the opening of ‘Drip Coffee’ at the former Doswell Gallery in the Square. Owner Shane Goggin, who also runs the Drip Coffee truck in nearby Warren Beach, said it’s going to be a new venture for him.

‘It’s a lovely building and we hope to sell local art as there is a retail space there too,’ he told The Southern Star.

‘We have our own Munster Rugby hero, John Hodnett performing the official opening and I hope to employ between seven or eight staff between the two operations.’

Skibbereen too is also welcoming new restaurants, with the recent opening of Rebel Rebel Street Kitchen on Bridge Street s with their renowned burgers and brunch. Owner Janette Valente, who runs Milis on Bridge Street, is also turning the former Fairfield Bar into a small tapas bar. She is renaming it Sam & Ollies – after their cats – and they plan to open it mid-July.

‘We will have wine on tap, craft beers,  with Guinness and Harp on tap and we changed a few things around inside the bar and we can’t wait to open. Rebel Rebel is also doing well so far and we are very happy with it,’ said Janette.

In Kinsale, plans for a new café or a mobile catering unit at the Charles Fort Heritage site in Summercove in Kinsale are moving after the Office of Public Works recently sought applications to run a café at the popular tourism site.

Mark and Sadie, formerly of Pilgrim’s, are on the move while Charles Fort in Kinsale is seeking interested parties  to apply to run the café.