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Arrive in Waterford City and begin your journey at Sunny South Yeast Bakery. A much-loved local bakery known for its naturally leavened breads and beautifully crafted pastries, it’s the perfect introduction to Waterford’s food scene.
Make your way to Grow HQ (approx. 15 mins drive). Plan your visit around one of their daytime workshops (typically 10 am to 4 pm).
These immersive sessions can include:
You’ll spend the day:
This is a memorable, hands-on experience, and a highlight of your trip.
Many workshops include food or a shared meal as part of the day, a natural extension of the experience, using the ingredients you’ve been working with.
If not included in your workshop, you can also enjoy lunch at the on-site Grow HQ Café & Larder, where a seasonally driven menu showcases fresh, organic produce grown just metres from your table.
After your workshop, make your way to Faithlegg Hotel (approx. 11 mins). Check in, take some time to unwind, and enjoy the peaceful surroundings before the evening.
For dinner, head into the city to Mara Restaurant (approx. 25 mins drive). This intimate, Michelin-recommended restaurant offers a beautifully curated 11-course tasting menu, showcasing seasonal Irish ingredients with refined Spanish influences.
Expect a thoughtfully paced dining experience, where each course is introduced and explained, creating a deeper connection to the ingredients, techniques, and stories behind the food.
You can also opt for a wine pairing, carefully selected to complement each course and elevate the experience.
Set within a small, atmospheric dining room, Mara offers a memorable evening and the perfect centrepiece for your Taste Seeker journey.
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at Faithlegg Hotel before checking out. Take your time before setting off west towards the Blackwater Valley, one of Waterford’s most scenic and food-rich regions.
Pause in Cappoquin at Barron’s Bakery (approx. 1 hr 15 mins drive). A long-established local favourite, it’s one of the few remaining producers of the traditional Waterford Blaa, a floury bread roll unique to the region. The Blaa received Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status in 2013, placing it among internationally recognised foods, such as Parma Ham and Camembert de Normandie.
Head to Ballyin House Afternoon Teas (approx. 10 mins drive). Set within a beautifully restored Georgian home overlooking Lismore Castle, Ballyin House offers a refined afternoon tea experience where history, hospitality, and local flavour come together.
Guests can enjoy a thoughtfully curated selection of sweet and savoury treats, made using locally sourced ingredients, many grown on-site, all served in a warm, intimate setting that reflects the home’s rich heritage.
Continue to Blackwater Distillery (approx. 10 mins). Set along the banks of the River Blackwater, this award-winning craft distillery produces small-batch gin, whisky, and vodka, combining heritage techniques with a focus on quality and innovation.
Here, you can choose how you’d like to experience the distillery:
Guided Tour & Tasting (approx. 45 min):
A behind-the-scenes look at the working distillery, including the production areas, with tastings of award-winning gins and whisky, plus a Blackwater No. 5 Gin & Tonic to take away.
Tour & Cocktails Masterclass (approx. 90 min):
Combine the guided tour with a hands-on cocktail experience, where you’ll meet an expert mixologist, enjoy a signature Blackwater cocktail, and create your own, along with tastings and a takeaway gin and tonic.
Whichever option you choose, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the craft and creativity behind Waterford’s thriving drinks scene.
Begin your return journey towards Waterford Castle Ferry (approx. 1 hr 30 min drive). Check into Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort.
Set on its own private island and accessed by a short ferry crossing, this unique property offers a true sense of escape.
Take time to:
Spend the evening at the hotel, enjoying a carefully prepared dinner in a memorable setting, the perfect way to end a day of artisan discovery.
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort. Take in the peaceful surroundings before departing the island by ferry and making your way back into Waterford City.
Join a guided experience with Tasteful Tours (approx. 20 mins drive from Waterford Castle). This curated food tour is the perfect way to round off your trip, bringing you through:
It’s a sociable and flavour-filled experience that ties together everything you’ve discovered over the past few days.
After your tour, take some time to relax and enjoy a gentle wander through the city:
A light, flexible afternoon allows you to wander the city and pick up some local treats as a delicious reminder of your trip.
For your final evening, dine at Everett’s. One of Waterford City’s most celebrated restaurants, Everett’s is known for its refined, seasonal menu and strong focus on locally sourced ingredients.
Expect thoughtfully prepared dishes, a warm atmosphere, and a special dining experience. It’s a lovely way to round off your journey and a final opportunity to savour the flavours of the region in a beautifully considered setting.
From here, begin your journey home, having experienced Waterford through its flavours, producers, and people.
You may wish to time your visit to coincide with the Vitamin Sea Festival, held in September.
Set against the backdrop of Tramore’s stunning coastline, this vibrant festival celebrates the very best of the region’s food, drink, and community spirit.
Across the weekend, you’ll find exciting collaborations with local chefs, producers, and the wider food and beverage industry, alongside guest hosts, pop-up dining experiences, and coastal-inspired events.
More than just a food festival, Vitamin Sea embraces the full Tramore lifestyle, with outdoor activities such as seaside excursions, local craft markets, and plenty of opportunities to soak up the energy of this thriving coastal town!
You may also wish to plan your visit around the Waterford Festival of Food, held annually in Dungarvan and Waterford City.
Set against the backdrop of the county’s coastline, countryside, and historic urban streets, this much-loved festival is a celebration of Waterford’s rich food culture, bringing together local chefs, artisan producers, and food lovers from near and far.
Across the weekend, you can explore a lively programme of events, from bustling markets and guided tastings to long-table feasts, cookery demonstrations, and intimate dining experiences. It’s the perfect opportunity to sample the very best of the region, with a strong focus on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and the stories behind them.
More than just a food festival, it offers a chance to slow down and truly connect with the place, the people, and the produce. With its warm, welcoming atmosphere and varied settings, the Waterford Festival of Food is a fitting celebration of everything that makes this region so special.
Three days of flavour, craft, and unforgettable food experience in Waterford.
Explore Waterford through a rich mix of artisan food, craft drinks, farm experiences, and standout dining. From field to fork and sea to table, this itinerary is designed for those who want to taste the region in a deeper, more memorable way.
Waterford City
Waterford City
Ireland’s National Horological Museum features the oldest Irish-made grandfather clocks, table clocks and watches in the world and celebrates the incredible skills of the virtuoso craftsmen who, since the seventeenth century, created timepieces of remarkable beauty and technological genius.
Villierstown
Blackwater Eco Tours is a community established river activities company based in the Blackwater River Valley in Villierstown, West Waterford. From their boathouse at Villierstown Quay, they offer a range of activities including, daily guided river tours, self-drive boats, kayaking and canoeing, and woodland walking trails. They also offer refreshments and an outdoor picnic area.
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Three days of flavour, craft, and unforgettable food experience in Waterford.
Explore Waterford through a rich mix of artisan food, craft drinks, farm experiences, and standout dining. From field to fork and sea to table, this itinerary is designed for those who want to taste the region in a deeper, more memorable way.
