Paradiso — Restaurant in Cork

I can't rave enough about our culinary experience at Paradiso in Cork! This restaurant not only exceeded our expectations but delivered a true masterpiece of creativity and finesse. From the moment we stepped inside, the unique atmosphere enveloped us: warm, welcoming, yet modern and stylish. The service was simply flawless – incredibly attentive, friendly, and passionate about what they do, which was evident in every detail.

The food was absolutely incredible. We had the pleasure of enjoying the vegan and gluten-free tasting menu with wine pairing – and what a discovery it was! In Ireland, it's not often you find a restaurant that delivers on these requirements with such creativity and finesse. Every dish was a true work of art – fresh ingredients, harmonious flavors, and surprising combinations that never ventured into the realm of “ordinary” or “run-of-the-mill.”

The aperitif that welcomed us was the perfect introduction to what was to come: sparkling, refreshing, and beautifully balanced. The first course of the menu was a creative interpretation of local seasonal ingredients, prepared with such attention to detail. It was a true taste experience! What really stood out was how each dish was not only vegan and gluten-free, but also didn’t compromise on flavor or texture in any way.

Another highlight was the wine pairing, which was perfectly matched to each course. The wines we were served were exceptional, and they complemented the food’s flavors in a stunning way. The sommelier truly knew his craft!

But what really made this experience special wasn’t just the fantastic food – it was the heartwarming atmosphere and the exceptional staff. You immediately feel welcomed, like you’re part of the Paradiso family. The passion and dedication of the team to great food and excellent service is truly infectious.

In Cork, it’s rare to find a restaurant that offers such high-quality vegan and gluten-free options in this level of creativity and excellence. It’s clear that Paradiso goes far beyond the typical restaurant experience – it’s a place where food becomes a true experience.

Absolutely recommended! This restaurant will definitely become one of our favorite spots in Ireland. If you dine here, you can be sure you’ll have an extraordinary time – both gastronomically and in terms of service and ambiance.

Final Thoughts: If you’re in Cork, don’t miss Paradiso – a true gem of...

We’re sure the food is great and we like to think the following review is only applicable to one member of staff and not the establishment as a whole. We still feel that higher management (here’s to hoping the FoH guy wasn’t higher management) should be made aware of how we were treated.

We were excited to check out this place because of how good the reviews are. After we enquired about a table for two the front of house man who was on shift around 5.15pm condescendingly informed us that it was a minimum of 65 euro a plate. He did this in the same way someone would break some bad news to you, it was as if he was saying were no tables available at all, heavily implying to us that the menu was out of our price range. Without going into detail this was the first day of our holiday and well within our budget so it wasn’t a problem at all. The issue here is that it was assumed by the guy that we were too poor to dine there, whether that was how we dressed or sounded, he met us with hostility and suspicion. It was pretty shocking and put us off straight away. We turned and left as we didn’t feel comfortable eating somewhere where the staff unashamedly cast assumptions about peoples’ finances. The dress scene in Pretty Women immediately came to mind. We feel lucky to have avoided eating there. I can’t imagine how this would have made someone feel if they were insecure about how they dressed or sounded. We’re not sure why the guy couldn’t have been more tactful with letting us know the cost, he really couldn’t have been more unabashed with his bigoted supposition. ...

We flew back for our anniversary dinner. The food here never disappoints, every time I think it can’t be better than last time, and miraculously it always is. Truly inventive, delicious, so well balanced and executed, there wasn’t a single bad dish in the entire menu, which is amazing. The wine was fine, but the food, oh dear gods, the food was spectacular. I’ve eaten in restaurants for three or four times this price, and as a vegetarian this is honestly the best restaurant I’ve ever been to, anywhere, consistently. The flavours are complex, nuanced, never insipid, so well thought out and so creative. The ginger broth, the deep fried carrot, the wild garlic bechamel, the smoked tomato umami bread crumbs, the crunchy nettles, this is what vegetarian cooking aspires to be but so rarely achieves. I hate aubergine, but magically I both ate it and actually liked it here. I wish we lived nearer, or I could kidnap Denis Cotter, I don’t understand how he doesn’t have a Michelin star yet, he probably told them to feck off, but as a grumpy, hard to please, fussy vegetarian this place is truly a revelation. Sell your grandma, sell a kidney, but come and eat here and regret all your previous life choices, it will be worth it. Even my carnivorous husband...