Do you have a favourite ‘holiday pub’? A place where you may only visit a couple of times a year or maybe even once every five years? There are many pubs across the UK and Ireland where I’ve visited once or twice and thought, “I love this place, I wish I lived closer to here” – examples being The Dog and Duck Inn in Fermanagh, Clachaig Inn at Glencoe and The Crossings Inn near Carlisle. Adding to those, a place you should always try to make time to visit if you’re in the area is The Roadside Tavern in Lisdoonvarna, County Clare.
My first encounter came in 2013 while on a charity motorbike venture, riding a mammoth 1,200 miles around the entire coast of Ireland. The beast of a feed we got back then when we stopped at the Tavern is still fondly talked about within our group. I’ve been a couple of times since with the latest visit happening last August.
But what else is so special about this place? Let me explain. Walking in through the front door you’re enveloped in traditional Irish pub surroundings – wooden ceiling, brown floor tiles, early-mid 20th century beer marketing memorabilia adorning the walls with local beer taps at the bar. When I say local, it’s exactly that. The Roadside Tavern and adjoining Burren Storehouse are the only places where you’ll be able to drink draught beer from Burren Brewery, which is located above the pub.
Manager Peter Jackson kindly showed me around the tiny brewery, explaining the process of brewing its traditional Irish trinity of Burren Gold, Red and Black which have been on tap for well over a decade, with Euphoria – a hop-less herbed beer – occasionally making an appearance. You’ll see the brass Burren taps taking pride of place as soon as you’re at the bar. My favourite of the four on offer was the Red (below – second from the right), 4.2% ABV with an initial deep malty base but then throws up a tiny and surprising cherry Lucozade-style fizzy kick. I don’t think Cherry Lucozade actually exists but it should.
The food in The Roadside Tavern is of an exceptional quality – as mentioned earlier the 2013 feed of cabbage and bacon is still talked about today and I have no doubt that the calamari of 2024 will be referenced many times in the future too. I’d go as far as to say it was probably the best portion of calamari I have ever eaten – as lightly cajun spiced as you’d want and practically melts in the mouth. I’m salivating just thinking about it now.
The craic with Annmarie and Bridie at the bar was brilliant. They made us feel so welcome as soon as we walked in and they both chatted with us while pretending to appear interested about whatever drivel I was spouting at the time. Staff like this are hard to come by in this day and age – they both looked like they were enjoying their Thursday lunchtime shift and that reflected in the great service. Thank you ladies.
I’ve never stayed in Lisdoonvarna town so every time there’s been a visit to the pub it’s been in the middle of the afternoon, thus I can’t even begin to imagine the craic about the place at the weekend or during a festival. The Roadside Tavern is a magnificently wondrous wee pub that fills your heart with happiness as soon as you step inside. I defy you not to smile within the first two minutes.
