The Farmgate Cafe

Everyone liked their food, limited menu, popular so lines of people felt crowded to me. No staff pushing us to leave after eating, clean restrooms. I had mushroom soup loaded with those vegetables, The bowl was a large portion, bead and Irish butter very good, you could smell the fresh meats from the famous British Market on the street level below. Prices seemed reasonable. We would come again if the opportunity arose.

Toasted ham & cheese sandwich was heavenly 🙏🏻 seafood chowder was yummy. Everything very good very nice 😊

Nestled within Cork’s iconic English Market, the Farmgate Café has been a beloved family-run institution for 25 years. Known for its simple yet robust regional menu, it offers a delightful selection of dishes made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients each day. The café excels in classic Irish comfort food, with standout offerings like Irish Lamb Stew, Fish Pie, and the uniquely Irish Tripe, Onions & Drisheen. For those who crave more familiar flavors, their Corned Beef and Lamb’s Liver are equally satisfying. A true highlight of Farmgate Café is its freshly baked traditional soda bread and scones, prepared every morning. The café’s dedication to quality is evident in every bite, as they source all their meat and fish from the Market downstairs, ensuring top-tier ingredients. Whether you’re stopping in for a hearty breakfast or a satisfying lunch, Farmgate Café delivers an authentic taste of Irish cuisine in a lively and welcoming atmosphere. With its long-standing reputation and multi-award-winning status, it’s easy to see why locals and visitors alike flock to this charming gem within the English Market.

The Farmgate Cafe, located inside the iconic English Market, is a must-visit. The market is an obliged visit, and Farmgate perfectly complements it with its fresh, local produce dishes. For a truly authentic Irish breakfast experience, this is the spot to be. You won’t be disappointed!

Had a little trouble finding the place and went through the back door. I’ve included a picture of the entrance so you don’t make the same mistake. The staff was friendly about me going the wrong way. I started with the soup of the day, vegetable soup, and went on to have supreme chicken. Both tasted fresh and were delicious. The service was excellent and fast for a large number of people. There was not a table available.

A fabulous place for coffees, cakes or sweets or a classic full Irish breakfast. All while overlooking the English Market goings on. A great place to people watch with really good food and service. All the staffers we chatted with were super friendly and that along with the food and atmosphere, make this a must- do when in Cork City. The best part of the English Market in our opinion. Cash and cards were accepted. Restrooms were very clean also ( important! )

The food was wonderful. I had the corned beef croquettes and my partner had the seafood chowder. Pricing might be a bit high, so I would recommend checking ahead if you’re limited. I never realized that the restaurant actually overlooks the bustling market - that was really entertaining.

The food was amazing. We came here for breakfast. Got the Market English Breakfast and Field Mushrooms & Roast Tomatoes | Parmesan | Sourdough Toast, orange juice and ice latte with oat milk. The Market English was really good. Scrambled eggs were perfectly cooked and the Coughlan's Sausages were really tasty. Would be really nice if there were beans in there too (maybe instead of the black pudding). The portion size was really big. The Field Mushrooms & Roast Tomatoes | Parmesan | Sourdough Toast was lovely. A good portion. Ice latte was good (no sweeteners available) but orange juice was a really small portion. Really nice cafè and highly recommend! Service was 10/10. Had to wait about 5minutes to dine in.

What a great way to make use of small spaces. We were visiting the English Market and discovered this hidden gem. Got a great seat along the railings and got great service. The seafood chowder had huge chunks of fish and was perfect meal in a cold rainy day. If you love people watching, this is a great place.

Nice cafe on top of of the English market in Cork. Hack they have a free bathroom for customers, beats paying for the one down stairs. Service was nice but a little on the slow side. Definitely a spot to go to for lunch or a coffee

The food was good. I ordered the roasted chicken with the side of soup of the day. In general the atmosphere is really good. The servers were very helpful and friendly.

This great little restaurant is located in the English Market and open for breakfast and lunch. This nice little addition to the market has gallery seating overlooking the market providing the bonus of watching the shoppers down below. The menu is limited and changes seasonally - as it should! If you are a tourist (like me) and are unable to cook up any of the wonderful items that you have see in the market - you are in luck. Farmgate sources much of their food from the vendors downstairs. How Great is that!

Above the English Market is the Farmgate restaurant. Good reviews lead me here. First place we ate in Ireland after we got off the plane. We chose to eat at the restaurant side. The tables are very congested. It was really quiet for a Saturday morning but yet it took at least 10 minutes for a server to come and greet us. From an American to other American's... there's pulp! But the eggs are very fresh! The most solid cooked eggs I have ever had. Or should I say thick? I had 2 fried eggs with toast. Cooked perfect. Not greasy, yolk not broken. My daughter had the croissant. It was her first experience with a croissant and she gave it 3 stars. The toast they deliver to the table.. is it multigrain? Either way it was good! Marmalade was a nice offer and it tasted good but the two ladies I was with gushed over their jam which they think was raspberry! It's worth a trip to the 2nd floor to have a wholesome meal.

Great atmosphere and excellent food. It's not often you can eat somewhere that offers both good food and have it be gluten free, including a couple of desert options. Good service only adds to the appeal of this place. Would gladly eat here again!

In all of the guidebooks and the websites about Cork, Farmgate Cafe is mentioned as a must in the Old English Market. To me, at least for breakfast, I don't see it as an absolute must for the food alone - rather, it's a must because of the ambiance, the atmosphere, and the peace. We came here for breakfast with a group of three. We ordered from the beautiful array of cakes and pastries, which were obviously delicious with some of the most moist scones I've ever had in the world, while our friend ordered a salmon omelette. The best part of the breakfast was sitting in the elevated loft and noticing the locals who were eating and reading their paper. It was hearing the bustle of the locals and the tourists going through the market, yelping in glee about different fun things they saw and then making purchases. This is my favorite part of markets, and sitting at Farmgate Cafe gave me the perfect vantage point to take it all in. If I were to do it again, I would come here for lunch and try some of their more inventive dishes that I wouldn't necessarily see on the menu in places in the US. But any time of day, the ambiance of the cafe is there. For that, it's a must!

Located upstairs from the market, try and grab a table on the balcony so you can overlook the action (if it's warm enough!) We came for breakfast and I was very happy with our meal. I got the roasted mushroom and tomatoes on sourdough bread with a couple of eggs on the side. A yummy, filling breakfast!! Unlimited coffee too. What's not to like!?

Our visit was in May with a party of 11 people with a reservation we were late for because our driver got lost! We arrived just as they were about to dismantle our table and were happy we arrived in time. The atmosphere is fabulous! The cafe is divided in to two areas, a formal dinning experience and deli counter style with as available seating. We arrived for a late lunch and were offered the lunch menu and shown the specials. Some in our party were not hungry but did have beverages. Initially we were disappointed since there was nothing a majority were interested in, we had just come from a 2 hour drive to get there so something light was on many of our minds. We asked the waitress if we could order from the deli counter and at first were told that wasn't the normal thing done but would ask if we could. Thankfully we could. At first there was some confusion on which menu was valid. Some how we ended up with two similar versions but all worked out fine. The food was in a word fantastic! The flavor combinations on their cold platter were perfect, the lamb liver and onions was perfect as well. The bread was the BEST! I had the seafood chowder and it was chock full of different seafood and very tasty. No left overs for our table, excellent job!

Based in the Old English Market on Princes Street (similar to Chelsea Market in NYC), Farmgate Café is located on second floor towards the front/rear of the market (depending on which side you enter). One side of the cafe is for dine-in with full table and kitchen service, while the other side is for self-service with coffee, pastries and limited lunch selections. Lunch menu is only available during the hours of 12:00pm - 3:30pm, after which only coffee and pastries will be served. Among many unfamiliar options, smoked haddock is a must-try. It is smoky, creamy, buttery, and cheesy light. Very tasty! Local oysters are fresh and light like most fresh oysters found anywhere... and of course, the traditional and classic Irish lamb stew that will warm and satisfy any hungry bellies. A place worth checking out not only for Farmgate Café's traditional breakfast and lunch menu, but also all the local vendors inside Old English Market.

Farmgate Cafe is a "must do" lunch In the Old English Market. The Farmgate Café is in the Old English Market upstairs. The English market takes up an entire block so your Google map won't really show the specific entry point. Just ask any local though as everyone knows where it's at. Ambiance (Rating 5): When you walk upstairs there's two sides. One needs reservations, although I wouldn't call it fine dining. And the other side is a loft looking down on the market which is a little more "Café" style with wooden chairs and tables. On the café side you order before you sit. Much of their offerings are right there in front of you and it looks and tastes amazing! You know how sometimes you see something that doesn't end up tasting as good as it looked, well that doesn't happen here! We had six in our party so I tried so many dishes it was ridiculous and they were all better than great. Service (Rating 4): The service was very good and typical for a cafe. They are no-nonsense quick about everything as they are so busy it's crazy. They were helpful even though we didn't know the drill. I.e. Order first etc, and the waitress showed a great deal of patience with us as we asked questions about most of their offerings because we only had one shot at doing this right as we were visiting from the U.S. Market Plate (Rating 5): This wooden plank full of meat, greens and cheese is awesome. The taste of the meats and cheese were extremely well balanced and vibrant in flavor. Bread and Butter Pudding: (Rating 5) The best bread pudding I've ever had, hands down! A 5 doesn't do it justice. The cream and vanilla tastes are perfectly sweet but not overdone. The bread used is perfect for the sauces and it is not mushy like you typically find bread pudding. I'll be comparing all to this going forward. Spinach Ham & Cheese Tarte (Rating 5): Again, one of the best tarts I've had. This thing is thick and perfectly cooked on the bottom, sides, middle and top. Good luck finding that almost anywhere. I took a picture of as proof. It's ready for a magazine in my opinion. They cut you a slice right off the pie in front of you so you get what you see. The blend of cheeses used is outstanding. Not too sweet and the ham adds the perfect seasoning to it. The crust is flaky like a French pastry. I'm getting hungry just writing about it.

A very nice and warm place where I had lunch with my mom and it was perfect : we both ordered the Swiss cheese and spinach tart which was delicious. They were so full but we really liked it. We drank some pink lemonade which was fresh and really good. The atmosphere of the restaurant is nice, calm and not too crowded which is really appreciated

Who doesn't love the English Market, I always wish that Dublin had something like this. As a child this was were I would meet my Granny before I was taken on the epic journey to the farmhouse in Allihies so they fed me up here. Recently I popped in and thankfully not much has changed. I got the pea and mint soup with baked ham and cheese sandwich. Out of this world. Cork definitely is the culinary capital of Ireland and long may it continue!

Great little breakfast spot! The food was really tasty and after breakfast you could walk around the market. Cafe opens up at 9:30 and there wasn't a need for reservations

Curling around a the second floor of shops at the end of the English Market, the splendid Farmgate Café serves beautiful food for casual shoppers or more formal diners. Step above the first floor shoals of butchers, bakers and coffee shops and take your tea under a high-reaching and ornate barrel vaulted ceiling. There's a healthy selection of baked goods available daily... ok, a scone with butter and jam is more homely than healthy... but you get my point. For something more substantial get a table in the covered restaurant area and settle in with a good bottle of house wine and anything from their well crafted menu of entrees. Every dish features fresh, local food at prices that sit well with the great values in the market downstairs. Breakfasts are mighty (elegantly so) and their coffee is perfect any time of day - the barista who made my coffee even indulged in a bit of latte art to spruce up the milk foam.

I can't imagine a better place for breakfast in Cork. Our experience was fantastic. We dined as a family of three on a rainy Tuesday morning and were one of only three tables there. I guess we hit it at the the right time because the food and service were so good I can't imagine how it's not always packed. I had the butter beans and eggs with toast and really good coffee. My wife had mushrooms with grilled tomatoes and scrambled eggs and a mimosa and our son had the French toast. Everything was really fresh and well prepared. After breakfast we picked up some fresh fruit in the market downstairs. Really great experience not to be missed!!

Good food and great people watching. But of course both are a given being situated above the English Market. You've got tons of delicious ingredients available down below, and an endless stream of tourists to observe as you chow down on the freshest the market has to offer up. A few highlights - both the chicken baguette and latte were good, but the coffee and walnut cake was something different altogether. I've never had a cake taste so delicious and involve such tasty coffee.

Farmgate Cafe is located up the stairs in the English Market. It's fairly crowded so be prepared to wait. The staff is friendly and you're more than well taken care of. The order line goes by quickly, it's waiting for a seat that takes a while. The seating arrangement overlooks the market itself, which provides a nice view to people watch. The shepherds pie came out nice and hot. Great flavor!

A must pickup cheese's, pâté, cold cuts, pickles olives need I say more... Or if you are staying in a place with a cooker, etc get something from the butcher. They have everything from sweet to savory, coffees and you can even eat there. Loved it!

Wandering round the English Market, we were ready for a sit down and some lunch. Luckily we got here just in time, and managed to secure a table for 4 of us to sit and watch the world go by (a long queue appeared shortly after we sat down). Opted for toasted sandwiches - and wasn't disappointed. Freshly made (in front of our eyes), delicious bread and fine ingredients. Well worth a look in if you are passing through Cork

Hands down the best lemon tart I have ever eaten. We are trying to get my mum to eat more but I seriously almost snatched this out of her hand and shovelled it in my face. Ahem. BUT I didn't. And the choux bun was just heaven, light pastry and the most delicious cream. We also had lunch but I felt if you were going to only read the first line of this review, you HAD to hear about the cake. I ordered the grilled chicken salad and it was light and full of flavour. Everyone else had the fish crumble* with mash. My mum ate almost the whole thing, a testament to how good it was. Creamy with the right mix of cheese and sauce. They also serve you local bread from the market the minute you sit down and it is classic Irish soda and a lovely white bread. We definitely ate way too much of that. You have to love a traditional Irish lunch and this was top notch, in a city not known for its food. Farmgate is one of my favourite places in my hometown and even if you just visit the cafe part of this; you won't regret it. A must visit. * It was a fish pie though, crumble is for dessert, surely?

Now here's one of the top places to go to eat in Cork. The interior design is unique, the food is fresh - I looove their bread - and the service is always helpful, understanding that the place is always packed around lunch time - so my recommendation would be to book in advance! The soup they serve with the home-made bread are awesome. Their main courses are very good too, very fresh for sure! They might be lacking a bit of "risk taking". Indeed, the dishes are not out of the ordinary, however, they are really well prepared, fresh and perfectly cooked, and therefore tasty. You would go to the Farmgate Café typically for a Saturday brunch to please yourself with very nice (and I insist, fresh) food. A thumb up for the bread and butter cake with custard. DI-VINE!! Overall, one of the best places to get Irish food in Cork, also probably the best brunch you could get around.

Amazing food, amazing cake! I'm so happy I found this place - it sits above the English Market. I will warn you though, on weekends it gets CROWDED. There's a whole array of specials and sandwiches to choose from for lunch. Everything is flavorful and fresh - the waitresses keep their cool even with the rush of people fighting for spots. I highly recommend saving room for dessert - I ordered a huge slice of banoffee pie (and died).

My lunch destination of choice in Cork City. Overlooking the bustling English Market, this place serves up great sandwiches, soups, and hearty grub all day long. At first glance, the Farmgate always looks packed and frenetic, but the marvellous staff keep the lines moving fast without sacrificing courtesy or good humour! The restaurant space is phenomenal, the clientele is wonderful, and the food is simple and oh so tasty. If you are a visitor to the area, check this place out. All of the ingredients are locally sourced in the market, so you are always eating top notch local produce that is in season. And leave room for a sweet treat. The breads and cakes are out of this world. :-)

First of all...the English Market is a must if ever in Cork. San Francisco has the famous Ferry Building and Farmer's Market. This is 5 times better. We did not plan on having lunch but figured why not. The cafe is cafeteria style, order, pay get a number and be seated. Some people were rude and sat without waiting and it does through off the rhythm of the place....don't be that person. I got the Oysters and soup. Yummmmmm. Cork's seafood ranks up there her with Kilcar's. The food is amazing, the staff is lovely and the ambiance is very nice.

We ate upstairs of the food hall in the Farmgate café. I started with rock oysters, freshly shucked from the Fish Hall downstairs, plump and tasty. Next I had the charcuterie platter, a nice selection of meats and cheese. My wife had the chicken breast which she really enjoyed. The restaurant has 2 sections, one is a sit down and the other is like a cafeteria. Both overlook the food markets on the 1st floor.

Great place for a quick breakfast in the very special English Market in Cork. Great for people watching. Lattes spectacular. Will come back again and again.

Looked like most of the ingredients for their food came from the English market below. Freshly prepared food from shepherd's pie to tarts to oysters. Really liked the shepherd's pie here! Seating overlooks the English market (Princes Street entrance).

My boyfriend and I had our meal today there - its Saturday afternoon and as expected, it was very busy - we sat down in the covered part. The waitress there was really nice. Very traditional Irish food - which is really nice - reminds me a lot of my childhood and the food that is still cooked at my aunts places etc. I asked for liver, but no its gone, then I asked for chowder but no, its gone, then I asked for chilli chicken baguette but no, its gone. I was like how do that happen??? They offered me plain chicken baguette (bad sign) - and we did come at 4pm - they do promote "good food" i.e. fresh food etc. My boyf got the cream of tomato soup which is really nice - fresh real tomatoes were used - with an assortment of bread which is excellent - quite fresh. I got grilled sandwiches with cheese, onions and beetroot - it was really nice, this mixture - it freaked my fella out but its cos he hates beetroot! I asked for a jacket potato so i was given 4 small jacket potatoes with real garlic butter (with herbs) - they do old potatoes which is nice - its what I grew up - most Irish families do new potatoes these days. My fella got Irish stew (which isnt a real stew) - he said at least its not slimey - good Irish stews had to be cooked overnight but this stew - it was done in 15-20 mins but still very delicious :D The place can be busy but we got the table after waiting 5 minutes. My fella felt that the menu is pathetic - i.e. limited - I said its because of the fresh food policy - not many to choose from.

If you can only eat at one restaurant in Cork, this is probably where you should come. Farmgate has been doing farm-to-table since waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay before it was cool. The atmosphere is decidedly old school, with French jazz records playing and very professional waitstaff. The menu is small and highly dependent on what's available from the market downstairs. Oh right, I forgot to mention that its on the mezzanine level of the English Market, which is one of the best public markets in the world. Anyway, the food in the restaurant section of Farmgate is a little pricy, but you can eat a reasonable meal here. The smoked and pickled seafoods are a top pick as is the fish chowder. They also have outstanding complimentary Irish soda bread. For a less formal meal, you can eat at the counter service portion of Farmgate on the other side of the courtyard.

This restaurant does have a nice atmosphere being situated in a pleasant indoor market. It being Ireland (well... the UK basically) and traditional food served up is typically bland and overpriced. I had the tripe, onions, and dresheen (an irish blood sausage) because I was craving tripe and had never seen it available in the west before (they get the second star purely because it's on the menu) and I think they really need to learn from the Chinese about how to prepare it. blan-diddly-and. My mum and dad both had the corn beef in mustard sauce which was reasonably flavoursome. 3 specials change daily. There's an area for self service and another for table service. Our waitress was of course Polish and she was very friendly and efficient. I was very pleased with the enormous pot of tea she brought just for me. There was also a 200 year old man playing piano and chatting up my 70 year old gran (that's another star).

Made a coffee call during the week to the Farmgate Cafe in the English Market. I was meeting up with Italian food journalist Vittorio Castellani. He was delighted with the choice of sweet things available and was more than pleased with the lemon tart slice (served with a large dollop of cream). I also went for that and the friendly staff served it up with a smile. I've rarely eaten cream at that hour of the morning and didn't over-indulge here but must say, in agreement with expert Vittorio, that the lemon tart was done to perfection.

Farmgate is well worth a visit and is the focal point of one of my favourite things about Cork - The English Market. You can overlook the hustle and bustle of the market while you enjoy some delicious local produce. It's a great people-watching spot.

Good place for a late morning breakfast. The bacon, sausage, and grilled tomato was pretty good for ~6€ (see photo).

Weird menu, I'm not a picky eater, but there was nothing I really liked. Sausages, dried fish, some other weird crap. It is upstairs from the English market, and it was really really hot. Not my kind of place. I am sure the food is fresh but there are a lot of other options.

We had an excellent Irish breakfast here- it's on the top floor of the English market and the map on yelp isn't accurate just FYI. Great atmosphere and food!

Terrible service, not just one visit but multiple times. I was there with my girlfriend on Monday and the staff were extremely rude, mind-bogglingly unhelpful and made us feel completely unwelcome. We just upped and left and vowed never to return. There's no way in hell ill set foot inside the door again. There is a far better little place selling soup, sandwiches and currys near the fish stalls in the English Market or Liberty Grill on Washington St. (I have no affiliation with any of these cafes/restaurants). Native - living in Cork 4 years

I went here for lunch with my vegan friend. The food was delicious and the atmosphere relaxed. As I tucked into my Clonakilty black pudding savoury tart my friend had a vegan pastry. The food was marginally overpriced but nevertheless decent.

While this is a very small restaurant, the taste if the meal exceeds any wait time you may have for a table. Many items offered are made fresh from the products fold at the English Market downstairs. We had the chicken salad, which was fresh greens and seared chicken breast tenders. The salad also had onion, beets, tomato and cucumbers. The dressing was a delicious vinaigrette. My guest had the lemon thyme chicken with new potatoes and said it was very delicious ANC you could taste how fresh the ingredients were. Bread was served and a water pitcher was left for us to refill our own glasses. The staff were attentive and helpful.

The English Market is worthy of a visit or two. I did just that on my recent trip to Cork. Most of the food comes from producers in and around the County Cork. If you are looking for a restaurant then this is not the place to go. It is a wonderfully loud and busy Market-- almost too much for the eye to take-in. Yet it is great! You have a choice of cafe or cafeteria style, I chose the cafeteria both times and am glad for that decision.

Great stop to eat. Best breakfast we had in our trip. Irish breakfast meal and fruit scone was to die for.

It just has to get 5 stars really. There is something so endearing about this café. It's not huge, it gets incredibly packed and it seems like there is no chance of somewhere to sit, there are lines to order....however these are things to be ignored! The Farmgate has an enviable position overlooking the English Market. If you sit on the stools at the bench lining one side you have a bird's eye view for excellent people watching. The lines move quickly and the staff will not only bring your food to you, but will also help to find you a seat so navigating the throngs of happy diners is not an issue. Incidentally, I was in here on Saturday and had to wonder if there was insanely strict hiring process. ALL the waiters were really really friendly and helpful as well as rather good looking! It definitely helps the ambience. The food is good quality, fresh food cooked well. It's feelgood food for me-comfort food made with fine ingredients. On Saturday I had pea and mint soup with brown bread and shared lemon tart. Both were gorgeous. The coffee came with free top-ups and we stayed longer than we should have! The menu changes daily and seasonally but generally has full meals, sandwiches, soups, scones and the most gorgeous cakes. A more formal restaurant is across the way, connected by the landing. I do plan on visiting there sometime too. If I can manage not to be distracted by the big cake display again...

I come for coffee and stay for the people watching! Am never disappointed! If you ask when paying, they'll give you a WiFi card that'll give you 20mins free WiFi access. Also, don't be shy about asking for a coffee refill - they'll always oblige.

It's often packed out in this spot, so choose your times wisely. I adored the seafood chowder & brown bread.

This place is amazing. It has the best location in Cork, overlooking the central area of the English Market. The food is traditionally Irish, fresh and delicious. During my visit, I had a toasty made with mushroom and cheese and a potato leek soup. If you are visiting Cork, you have to go to this place!

Great spot to have lunch while checking out the market or shopping high street. Specials are the way to go. The soup, potato leak, was excellent. Steak special also very good. Top it off with an Irish coffee.

Fresh and delicious food. Small group decided to eat while at the English Market in Cork so we went upstairs to Farmgate. Enjoyed butternut squash tart, watercress soup, and spicy chicken sandwiches along with cappuccinos. The food was so fresh. Definitely try the tart. Excellent. I would love to go back! Nothing like fresh food!

If you're in Cork, you need to check this place out. My boyfriend and I came here for our first meal after landing in Cork, and we loved it! The lamb stew was superb, the best I've ever had. The seafood chowder, bread, and potatoes were delish. Wish that we had gone back to try the breakfast.

Grotesquely overrated. A tiny overpriced menu, and always crowded. This place is a tourist trap trading on its location in the English Market. Avoid.