Service was lovely. Loos were big and clean and the highchairs looked like something out of Star Trek, but very comfy. A very nice option.

MARC MICHEL ORGANIC LIFE
Tinna Park, Kilpedder, Co Wicklow
Telephone: 01 2011882

A large greenhouse surrounded by rolling fields and a working organic farm, Marc Michel's is well-appointed for a child-friendly afternoon . . .and a nutritious bite.

The menu caters for young tastes while providing the goodness and nutriton expected of an organic restaurant.

And the resident robin that flits through the dining room will keep them entertained.

REAL GOURMET BURGER
The Pavilion, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin
Telephone: 01 284 6568

One-hundred-percent organic burgers, chunky chips and plenty of colouring pencils keep kids occupied and happy at this burger joint in Dun Laoghaire.

The food is really good, although be prepared to wait as it is a popular destination.

A stroll along the pier beforehand will improve appetites and fill in the time if you have to wait for a table.

THE DOME RESTAURANT
St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, Dublin 2
Telephone: 01 478 1287

A friendly respite from the stress that can be shopping with kids in the city centre, the Dome has a reputation as a child-friendly restaurant.

Baby-changing facilities as well as a bottle-warming service and plenty of space for buggies give parents what they need to relax.

Live jazz and a great view of the Green add to the calm.

Food is reasonable enough.

TABLE

Brown Thomas, 18-21 Patrick Street, Cork
Telephone: 021 4275106

The Itsa crew have done it again in the shape of this chic, childfriendly cafe/restaurant in the Brown Thomas store in Cork.

Yummy Mummies (and Daddys) with their juniors are wellcatered for on a menu that screams style and flair while whispering practicality. A classic combination executed with aplomb. We particularly love the steak sandwich and the homemade burger from the junior menu is "yum!"

GASTRO PUBS

Sinead Ryan, event planner: O'DOWD'S
Roundstone, Connemara, Co Galway
Telephone: 095 35809

A bowl of delicious chowder, a glass of chilled white wine, a turf fire and stunning views over the harbour. What could be nicer? Well, maybe my own helicopter so that it doesn't take eight hours to get to O'Dowd's. But the stresses and cares of the journey quickly melt away in this magical place.

Eat in the cosy memorabiliafilled bar, or in the warren of small rooms that make up the restaurant . . . either way you're in for a treat.

The Irish stew, the bowls of mussels, the justifiably famous seafood chowder . . . simple dishes cooked beautifully, no doubt inspired by the view.

Now, where's my helicopter?

THE SOUTH WILLIAM
52 South William Street, Dublin 2.
Telephone: 01 672 5946

Fronted by brothers Conor and Marc Bereen, this funky youngster in the centre of Dublin has brought a pie renaissance to life. Their perfectly formed, savoury caskets have proven a hit with punters and the critics, from Guinness-braised beef shin to bacon and cabbage with parsley sauce, this is classic pub grub with a modern twist . . . creative and functional. Very friendly staff and great cocktails add to the charm.

JIM EDWARDS,
Market Quay, Kinsale, Co Cork.
Telephone: 021 477 2541

A warm and relaxed countenance soon creeps over the faces of visitors to this friendly bar and restaurant in Kinsale. Jim and Paula Edwards run a tight ship and their status as exemplary restaurateurs is justified. Order a half dozen Kinsale oysters and a pint, sit back and let the world spin by

SMUGGLERS CREEK INN,
Rossnowlagh, Co Donegal.
Telephone: 071 9852366

Hugely popular and rightly so, Smuggler's Creek is a nautical-inspired seafood tavern with memorable views and a fun atmosphere. The seafood platter is worth writing home about as are most of the dishes on the well-compiled menu. Winning many awards annually, this is a gastro pub others should aspire to.

JOHNNIE FOX'S,
Glencullen, Co Dublin.
Telephone: 01 295 5647

"Famed as the highest pub in Ireland", it is also famous for great food and a kitschy atmosphere.

Set in the Dublin mountains, Fox's is perfectly situated as a day-trip destination for ironic Dubliners and wideeyed tourists. The menu is seafood heavy . . . bizarre as they are nowhere near the sea . . . yet the fare is always fresh. The massive fillet of Irish rainbow trout is a favourite. Arrive hungry.

DESTINATION RESTAURANTS

John Healy, Maitre D', Four Seasons: MARLFIELD HOUSE
Gorey, Co Wexford
Telephone: 053 942 1124

For pure elegance in what I think is the most beautiful country house in he country, the luxury of Marfield House in Gorey cannot be beat. This Victorian pile exudes elegance, much like its hostess Mary Bowe and her daughters. I love the long evenings dining in the candle-lit conservatory dining rooms and the bracing daytime country walks. It's simply fabulous.

This is also a great midweek getaway for me as it's less than an hour from Dublin.

THE TANNERY RESTAURANT AND TOWNHOUSE
Dungarvan, Co Waterford
Telephone: 058 45420

Paul Flynn's Tannery celebrated its 10th birthday this year. A trailblazer in modern Irish cooking, Flynn has also lent his Midas touch to accommodation in the form of a beautifully chic townhouse minutes from the Tannery's doors. Sensuous and innovative cooking, coupled with the luxury of Flynn's fantastically serene townhouse, is a very tempting proposition.

BALLYMALOE HOUSE
Shangarry, Co Cork Telephone: 021 4652 53

The original and, for many, still the best. No list of great Irish restaurants is complete without an entry for Ballymaloe. The foodie Mecca of Ireland has reason to be celebrated as it is. Is it the legendary Friday night buffet? The impeccable accommodation? Or the legacy of fine Irish cooking and a respect for our native ingredients that rubs off on each visitor? It is all of this and more, Ballymaloe is peerless as an institution of culinary success in Ireland.

THORNTON'S
Fitzwilliam Hotel, 128 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2.
Telephone: 01 478 7008

Once regarded as the enfant terrible of Irish cooking, and one half of a highly-respected husband-and-wife team, Kevin Thornton has a lot to live up to.

With his recent media attention (for all the wrong reasons) now well and truly dissipated, Thornton has settled into his revamped first-floor chapel to culinary gymnastics nicely.

Arguably the best in the country and always worth the trip. The surrounding Fitzwilliam hotel is fab too.

CAFE PARADISO
16 Lancaster Quay, Cork.
Telephone: 021 427 7939

Since 1993, Dennis Cotter's vegetarian valhalla has deservedly been lauded as one of the greatest vegetarian restaurants in the country.

Cotter's ability to release the essence of his ingredients, letting intrinsic flavour sing rather than muddling them, has been his strength. In 2005 he opened the Paradiso Rooms, so fans can avail of the full Paradiso treatment: bed and breakfast and lunch and dinner and bed and breakfast. . .