The Roast of the Town: Ireland’s Best Carveries

When I was a kid, asking my mam for a carvery was like asking for a holiday to Disneyland—she’d shut it down quicker than the local health inspector Sundays meant boiled ham, Oxo gravy thicker than foundation maths, and if the sligrly odd relative was coming over, a rare slice of Viennetta. But in recent years, Ireland’s carvery scene has levelled up massively and times have changed.

The Chalk and Cheese team has travelled across nearly all 32 counties, and let’s be honest—the food you eat off-camera is often the food you appreciate most. While Dublin has some solid options, if you’re willing to venture a little further, you’ll find carveries that blow a lot of Dublin spots out of the water. Here’s our top five, in no particular order.

The Morgue – Templeogue, Dublin

Serving Hours: 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM (5:00 PM on Sundays)

Don’t let the name fool you—there’s nothing dead about this roast. But you might have a heart attack when you see it’s €18.50 for a full plate (with options like turkey, ham, beef, and the odd fish option). That said, the quality is undeniable, and the gravy alone is worth the trip.

Clonsilla Inn –Clonsilla, Dublin

Serving Hours: From 1 PM daily

Price: €16.95 approx

Phenomenal food and a serious portion size. They even serve Yorkshire puddings, which was a bit of a shock—but hey, when in Rome (or, in this case, a carvery that definitely isn’t on a Sinn Féin rep’s shopping list).

Jilly & Joe’s – Bunratty, Clare

Serving Hours: 12 PM – 5:30 PM (check ahead for exact carvery times, lunchtime is a safe bet)

A venue with all the classics—turkey, ham, beef, and seasonal specials—but the real showstopper is the dessert selection. Jilly & Joe’s also has a coffee bar, chocolate factory, pizza parlour, street food, ice cream parlour, and Fibber Beags Bar. If I lived any closer, I’d be the size of Darryl the Barrel—or the blueberry girl from Willy Wonka.

Mulcahy’s – Clonmel, Tipperary

Serving Hours: Open from 12 PM daily (prices not specified, but if memory serves, it was €15.50)

If you want a proper roast dinner, this is the spot. Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding, Roast Lamb with Mint Sauce, and Roast Turkey with Cranberry Sauce—easily some of the best I’ve ever had. No notes.

Cryan’s Hotel – Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim

Serving Hours: 12:30 PM – 4 PM daily

Price: €15.50 for mains

• Honey-Glazed Bacon & Cabbage

• Roast Stuffed Turkey

• Pepper Chicken Fillet

Served from their Regatta Bar, the portions here are bigger than a farmer’s plate of spuds at lunchtime. There’s no messing about, and the staff couldn’t be lovelier—which is always a bonus.

Ireland does a roast dinner like nowhere else, and these five spots prove it. The only thing left to decide—gravy poured all over the plate or in a separate jug on the side?