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Market Lane

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A vibrant 2-floor restaurant and cocktail bar in Cork, blending European and Modern Irish flavors with fresh, local ingredients.

Highlights

Highlights

Must-see attractions

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From TikTok & Reddit

Best Time

Wed/Fri 18-21h

Blue hour photography, calmer galleries

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outdoors

Market Lane

Highlights

Highlights

Must-see attractions

A vibrant 2-floor restaurant and cocktail bar in Cork, blending European and Modern Irish flavors with fresh, local ingredients.

"Hands down, the best meal of our trip. The service was great, but the food was incredible!"

TIP

Avoid Crowds

Utilize lunchtime and early bird menus to beat the rush, especially on weekends.

No Reservations (Small Parties)

Reservations are only accepted for parties of six or more.

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Quick Facts

Closed·Opens 12PM

Cuisine

Irish

Price

Mid-range

Phone

+353 21 427 4710

Address

5-6 Oliver Plunkett St, Centre, Cork, T12 T959, Ireland

Insta-Factor

High

Highlights

Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Modern Irish Comfort Food

Modern Irish Comfort Food

Experience traditional Irish dishes with a modern, continental twist, using fresh, local ingredients.

Where To Eat In Cork, 10 Local Restaurants And Pubs You Should TryGoogle Review
Vibrant & Stylish Atmosphere

Vibrant & Stylish Atmosphere

Enjoy a lively, stylish 2-floor dining space with a vibrant atmosphere, perfect for any occasion.

Google Review
Impressive Cocktail & Wine List

Impressive Cocktail & Wine List

Savor artful cocktails and an impressive wine selection, complemented by a range of craft beers.

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Insider Tips

from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit

Market Lane Cork ✨ #food #venison #dinner #cork
@sarah_mc_shane
861 likes • 68.2K views

Avoid Crowds

Utilize lunchtime and early bird menus to beat the rush, especially on weekends.

No Reservations (Small Parties)

Reservations are only accepted for parties of six or more.

I was a gluttonous girl yesterday 🐷 #corkcity #ireland #food #lunch #marketlane #sunday #weekend #shopping #adidas #brownthomas #cocktails #fyp #foryoupage #restaurant #foodtiktok #irishtiktok
@rebecca_ursula
52 likes • 5.6K views

Ask for Recommendations

Staff are happy to recommend local dishes and drinks for a personalized experience.

Summer Evenings

Visit during summer evenings to enjoy the natural light flooding through the large windows.

Tips

from all over the internet

Avoid Crowds

Utilize lunchtime and early bird menus to beat the rush, especially on weekends.

No Reservations (Small Parties)

Reservations are only accepted for parties of six or more.

Ask for Recommendations

Staff are happy to recommend local dishes and drinks for a personalized experience.

Summer Evenings

Visit during summer evenings to enjoy the natural light flooding through the large windows.

What Travellers Say

4.6
(491k reviews)

Reviews Summary

Market Lane is a highly-regarded restaurant in Cork, praised for its fresh, delicious dishes, friendly service, and vibrant atmosphere. While many rave about the traditional Irish cuisine with a modern twist, particularly the fish and steak, some find certain dishes slightly bland or overpriced. Despite minor critiques, the overall dining experience is consistently positive, making it a popular choice for locals and visitors alike.

"A lovely and well-kept place, right in the heart of Cork on Oliver Plunkett Street.
The staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming. The food is truly authentic Irish cuisine, with outstanding quality.

I highly recommend the onion soup, topped with a traditional cheese from County Cork – pure comfort food!
The homemade desserts are excellent, and there’s a great selection of craft beers.
As expected in Ireland, tap water is served for free.

What can I say? A great experience – highly recommended!"

Pasquale Cerone

"Really nice experience at this restaurant. The menu was really appealing and ours starters and mains delicious! My only complaint would be the desert. I ordered the brownie which looked amazing on all the pictures I had seen and had very good reviews.. but unfortunately it was served cold (very slightly heated up in a microwave), with hard crusts.. and the drizzle of “salted caramel”was completely artificial and tasted very very sweet. But other than that we had a very good evening."

Estere B

"I had the Roasted Bacon Collar and it was amazing!
It was very flavourful with the right amount of sweetness. Mashed potatoes and cabbage were great too! It was definitely a high-end take on a traditional Irish dish.

Would recommend!
Cocktails (especially Summer Derby) and service were great as well!

Whenever I have friends going to Cork, will recommend this place to them!"

Alden Salgado

What People Like

Fresh, local ingredients
Friendly and attentive service
Great atmosphere

What People Dislike

Occasional blandness
Slightly expensive for some dishes

Frequently Asked Questions

Market Lane does not take reservations unless you have a party of six or more.

Where to Eat, Sleep, and Play in Cork, Ireland

Market Lane serves a mix of European and Modern Irish flavors, focusing on fresh, local ingredients.

Where To Eat In Cork, 10 Local Restaurants And Pubs You Should TryRestaurants in County Cork

Yes, Market Lane offers innovative vegan options alongside traditional Irish comfort food.

Popular dishes include fish and chips, steak, corned beef and cabbage, mussels, and seasonal game pie.

TikTokGoogle Review+2

Yes, Market Lane is family-friendly with a dedicated kids' menu featuring homemade options.

Top 10 Child Friendly Restaurants in Cork

For a more relaxed experience, consider lunchtime or early bird menus. Summer evenings offer lovely natural light.

Where to Eat, Sleep, and Play in Cork, Ireland

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A lively corner bistro with casual and cosy atmosphere, friendly staff and excellent food, Market Lane is considered by many one of the best restaurants in Cork. Sweet potato and goats cheese tart, cod croquettes, tempura of monkfish with herb and lemon potato cake with tomato, olive and saffron ragout are some of the dishes featured on an oft-changing menu. Most ingredients are sourced from nearby English Market or local artisan producers and, along with a comprehensive wine list, make Market Lane the perfect combination of high quality and excellent value dining.

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Market Lane is casual but reliably delicious dining, and popular with locals on the weekends. Main courses range from safe (traditional fish and chips) to daring (seasonal game pie of pheasant, venison, ox cheek, and wild boar), and the dessert menu includes Linehan’s sweets, hard candies in traditional flavors like apple drops and clove rock. Take advantage of the lunchtime and dinner early bird menus before the rush to avoid disappointment; Market Lane doesn’t take reservations unless you have a party of six or more.

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All that remains of this building's former identity as a pub is the long mahogany bar; today, it is a bustling bistro-style restaurant serving robust, freshly prepared food from an open kitchen. Art Deco touches and a predominantly black-and-white theme set a Parisian mood, and light floods in from two walls of large windows on summer evenings. Most ingredients come from the renowned English Market, for a menu (on no-frills paper table mats) that is mainly contemporary Irish, centered on comfort food.

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Market Lane: Situated in the heart of Cork, Market Lane is acclaimed for its dedication to local produce, offering a diverse menu in a vibrant, stylish setting.

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The award-winning Market Lane is one of the most popular restaurants in Cork City. They source meat from the nearby English Market, make their own beer in a brewery next door, and have a greenhouse where they grow their own local produce and fresh herbs. The extensive food menu includes favourites like slow-cooked beef short rib in a sticky red wine and treacle sauce, roast turnips and creamy mash and roast marinated chicken, buttered root vegetables, braised red cabbage, and creamy mash and gravy.

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Market Lane is an award-winning restaurant and bar that sits over two floors in the city centre. The chefs use ingredients from local artisan producers, including the English Market, and meals major on meat, fish and game, though the salads and sandwiches are great too. Forever frenetic with locals, this is one of Cork's most popular eating houses and no matter how busy the staff, they'll always try to get you a space, even if it's up at the bar near the delightful white, exposed brickwork.

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A buzzing restaurant spread over two floors, Market Lane uses ingre­di­ents from The English Mar­ket and local arti­san pro­duc­ers to make up their menu, which has a wide range of fish, sal­ads, meat, game and sand­wiches. Top picks include the arancini of Toonsbridge smoked scamorza cheese, spiced beetroot and tomato purée and their seafood pie in a prawn bisque topped with a cheddar and potato bake, tarragon and lemon crumb and spring greens. View this post on Instagram

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Market Lane – On Oliver Plunkett St, minutes away from the busy shopping areas of the city, Market Lane is a great family friendly experience. Their kids menu is reasonable and all homemade, as well as having many options including kiddie cappuccinos and healthy favourites such as Shepherds Pie, Pasta Bolognese and homemade chicken goujons. For the adults, the menu is varied (their lunch menu boasts some incredible sandwich and salad options) and reasonable.

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The diverse set of meal options on offer at this award-winning restaurant appeals to a broad range of customers but the quality of its food and service is what keeps customers returning to it over and over again. The flagship restaurant of the Market Lane Group (you will come across them later in this list), Market lane opened in 2007. It is a cozy restaurant with traditional decor, something that has become a rarity in Ireland.

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For an evening take on all the English Market has to offer, head instead to Market Lane. Don’t be fooled by the name, since Market Lane is one of the top restaurants on Oliver Plunkett Street in Cork city centre. It’s popularity with locals can mean there’s a bit of a wait for tables, but this gives you the time to enjoy the warm atmosphere at the bar, where you’re sure to get talking with other patrons over an aperitif or two.

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Situated on Oliver Plunkett St in the heart of Cork city centre, Market Lane is a contemporary, quality family-friendly restaurant. The menu is widely varied and regularly-updated using seasonal and artisan products from The English Market where possible. With a full bar licence, comprehensive wine-list and great selection of non-alcoholic beverages, it is known for providing great local food and friendly service always.

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Market Lane is right in the heart of Cork city centre and is known for its use of local produce and welcoming vibe. Their seasonal menu keeps things fresh and exciting, so be sure to regularly check it out and see what’s new!. Whether it’s a hearty stew or a light salad, Market Lane delivers luscious, high-quality meals, making it a hot spot for students.

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This award-winning restaurant is the perfect place to eat in Cork City. Using local produce, Market Lane creates scrumptious Irish dishes that will have your taste buds tingling. The lunch and dinner menus are filled with delicious options, such as Buddha bowls, steak sandwiches, crispy shredded duck, fish curry, and slow-cooked Crowe’s bacon collar.

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In Oliver Plunkett Street you can find Elbow Lane and Market Lane, run by the same owners, where you can have delicious, high-quality (and also affordable!) food and the beer they brew. Talking about good beer, you could also go to the Franciscan Well, have a tour of the brewery, then enjoy one of their beers and get an authentic Italian pizza.

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Situated in the heart of Cork City, Market Lane is extremely popular with locals and visitors alike. This family-friendly restaurant regularly changes its menu to reflect the seasonability and availability of its local ingredients. Their outdoor dining area is the perfect place to watch the world go by while enjoying your meal.

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Market Lane is another great spot for vegetarians (and coeliacs) though they also serve up excellent meat dishes, often using ingredients picked up in the English Market. This is the place to go when you’re craving hearty comfort food, like gooey moussaka or a slow-cooked venison pie.

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The menu is large and hearty, changing to reflect what’s new in the English market: maybe wild garlic velouté roast hake, or beetroot, walnut and feta cakes?. For less than six diners, no reservations sip a drink at the bar until the table is free. Find lots of glass-based wines.

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Market Lane offers a continuous food service with a menu that changes from lunch to dinner at 4 pm. We sat down at 4:30 for a quick dinner before I flew out of Cork Airprt to London for work. We tried pork belly to start followed by monkfish and Toonsbridge halloumi salad mains.

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In a town full of Instagram-worthy spots, Market Lane remains a firm favourite. This brightly coloured corner of the town is filled with hanging flower baskets and is sun trap all year round!. Many flock to hang out by the lantern and take shots of the stunning streetscape.

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Main Course Price Range: Between €15.00 – €31.50 ( Sides included). Market Lane Restaurant is one of the best restaurants in Cork City . They are located on Oliver Plunkett street, next door to their sister restaurant, Elbow Lane Brew and Smokehouse.

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Market Lane is a popular restaurant known for its use of fresh, local ingredients to create a diverse and flavourful menu. The restaurant offers a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere, making it a great choice for both casual meals and special occasions.

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Market Lane was deemed my mom’s favorite meal for our whole time in Ireland, so there’s your selling point. My husband had a cocktail called the “Not So Manhattan” that he won’t stop talking about!. And I”m just here to say it was great.

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This bustling two-storey restaurant and bar near the English Market is a friendly and welcoming place with a lively atmosphere. Where possible they source locally produced foods and artisan products at a reasonable price.

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A post shared by Kei Furuichi (@keifuruch) on Jun 11, 2017 at 12:30pm PDT. Market Lane is pretty as a picture. You won’t be able to miss its sparkling exterior, complete with royal blue trim and pots of greenery.

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Regarded as one of the most popular restaurants in Cork, Market Lane is a contemporary, multi-award-winning restaurant and bar, offering an impressive menu and exceptional service.

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Lunch at Market Lane: Enjoy a leisurely lunch at Market Lane, a popular restaurant that offers locally sourced dishes with a modern twist. Try their seafood or a hearty Irish stew.

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Harrison Sharpe, head chef at Elbow; Aishling Moore, head chef at Goldie, and proprietor Conrad Howard, Market Lane on Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

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