Cycling along a near-50km stretch can be hungry work. Find out the top 5 places to for lunch on the Waterford Greenway cycle route to replenish yourself.
A stop for lunch on the Waterford Greenway cycle route is an absolute must – 46km is certainly hungry work. Ireland’s longest off-road cycle route stretches from Waterford City to Dungarvan and is breath-taking to behold.
With so much to take in along the way, we recommend putting aside a full day to approach the Greenway at a leisurely pace – and to fit in as many tasty pit-stops as possible.
We took one for the team and tried every single one of the food stops available on the route (we know, we’re too kind) – and after much deliberation, it gives us great pride to present our top five picks for lunch stops along the Waterford Greenway cycle route. Good luck and happy pedalling!
5. Mount Congreve Café – for natural beauty and cake
One of the most picturesque ways to refuel during your cycle is to stop off at Mount Congreve Gardens, which is one of the romantic date spots in Waterford, and check out the goodies on offer in their café. If your legs are still fresh enough, you can get a cake or ice-cream to take away and enjoy it while strolling through the flower arrangements.
Any stop where you can be fed AND take get some highly Instagrammable shots is an instant hit in our book!
Address: Mount Congreve, Kilmeaden, Co. Waterford, X91 PX05, Ireland
4. Café Goa – Indian feast in the city
If you choose to cycle from Dungarvan towards Waterford City, chances are you’ll be pretty exhausted by the time you dismount on the quay, not to mention hankering for a feed.
Lucky for you, there are a plethora of culinary options to get your belly rumbling just metres from the main bike rental return points. Our pick of the bunch is Café Goa – an authentic Indian restaurant with curry dishes rich enough to take the pang out of even the most deep-rooted hunger pains.
What better way to replace all those calories you burned than with warm, buttery naan bread? This is a lunch on the Greenway cycle route that most definitely should happen after you’ve done the cycling part!
Address: 36, The Quay, Waterford, Ireland
3. The Moorings – for a posh Sunday lunch
If you cycle from Waterford City to Dungarvan, you’ll likely be hungry for something substantial by the time you arrive at West Waterford end. We can’t think of a better place for a slap-up plate of grub in Dungarvan than The Moorings gastropub.
If you’re cycling on a Sunday, you’re in for a particularly special treat – the traditional Sunday roasts that The Moorings offer have locals queueing out the door, and the seafood platters are worth writing home about. Be sure to wash it down with a moreish dessert – you’ve earned it!
Address: Davitts Quay, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, Ireland
2. The Coach House – a cyclist’s dream
The Coach House is an extremely popular choice for lunch on the Waterford Greenway cycle route. This is partly because of its location – Kilmeadan is virtually right in the middle of the stretch, making this a sensible distance to make a pit-stop.
The Coach House is well prepared for the crowds of cyclists that flock here – they have ample bike-parking facilities, an efficient queueing and ordering system, and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating options.
The food fare is varied and there is truly something for everyone on the menu – from light bites, to desserts, to full main courses. There are also plenty of opportunities here to try locally produced food – Flahavan’s porridge oats factory is just down the road, and The Coach House proudly stocks many of their products.
Address: Butlerstown Castle, Castle St, Waterford, Ireland
1. O’Mahony’s Bar & Shop – for the top place for lunch on the Waterford Greenway cycle route
A brilliant thing about the Greenway, aside from it being one of the nicest places to spend a day in the Southeast, is the fact that it has brought a spotlight to rural businesses that were previously known only to locals.
One such example is O’Mahony’s, an off-the-beaten-track pub based in Durrow. A short spin from the main Greenway track, this hidden gem serves up traditional Irish pub fare with a side of genuine warmth from proprietors Tom & Helen O’Mahony.
O’Mahony’s gets bonus points because it has an adjoining sweet shop where you can pick up goodies to see you through the rest of the cycle – what? Athletes need sustenance! Simply because this is a pit-stop where you can feel completely at home, O’Mahony’s is our number one choice for lunch on the Waterford Greenway cycle route.
Address: Durrow, Stradbally, Co. Waterford, Ireland
So, there you have it, our top five picks for lunch on the Waterford Greenway cycle route. With so much to choose from, you’ll simply have to make time on your cycle to call into them all. We won’t judge!
