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Shirley Walsh, the proprietor of ���󾱰������’s, gets her fish direct from the family boat, and her food truck is just one of the reasons Kinsale is famous among foodies. This small town on the southern coast of County Cork has been known since the 1970s as the gourmet capital of Ireland.

It’s a label that Ciarán Fitzgerald, managing director of , downplays. “There’s good food all over the country these days,” he says over a drink in the hotel bar, although he does admit that, back then, Kinsale led the way — and it still has an edge.

What is it about a small coastal town of fewer than 6,000 people that can boast a Michelin-starred restaurant, a further three places with Michelin mentions, and more great spots to eat and drink than you could shake a well-licked spoon at?

Provenance helps, says Fitzgerald. Thanks to the rich grass and mild winters, dairy produced in this part of Ireland is particularly special — back in the 1800s, the was the largest butter market in the world.

According to Francis and Emily Keane, the father-and-daughter team at the shop, the milk and butter add a lushness to their handmade chocolates. That and a dab of local seaweed. “Go on, it makes it healthy,” says Francis with a mischievous grin.

The produce in Kinsale is also exceptional, with small owner-growers across County Cork focusing on high-quality organics.

Chef Meeran Manzoor of , the Michelin-recommended restaurant at the Blue Haven Hotel, says it adds a vital element: “You get to chat (with farmers). There’s no product list, no middleman — the one who is delivering is the one growing — so we can show that whole food journey.” Hailing from Chennai, India, Manzoor mingles Irish ingredients with Tamil Nadu spices to rave reviews. The cocktails aren’t bad either.

Kinsale is also notable for its friendliness. Outside , I find Simon Prim catching a morning coffee before opening up his nearby store, , which doubles as a wine bar after dark. Occasional pop-up gigs at his tiny, atmospheric spot are legendary.

Sit at OHK’s front bench on a sunny morning, and you’ll probably meet most of Kinsale. The same would have been true back in the days when it was a bar. “It has been in the family for six generations,” says co-owner Sarah O’Brien, who runs the café with her siblings.

She points out pockmarks on the floor as we eat delicious, local smoked salmon on sourdough. “They used to play darts just here. It was very old-fashioned as a bar — they’d barter fish for pints,” she says with a smile.

Kinsale’s long-running food and drink institutions include , and (a bar whose license dates back to 1690). All are still thriving. Other landmarks are Martin Shanahan’s , and . I get the impression that if Jim Edwards ever changed a thing, people would be up in arms.

Newer to town are restaurants such as the acclaimed Bastion, the tiny but astonishing , and the Black Pig, a local-favourite wine bar — all owned and run by hugely talented, passionate people.

Many, like chef/owner Paul McDonald, were passing through and found they couldn’t tear themselves away. His tasting menus have earned the spot a Michelin star, but you can still drop in for a lobster roll at the bar, McDonald is quick to note.

Others, like ’s restaurateurs, Siobhan Waldron and Gavin Ryan, came for Kinsale’s surf and scenery. “We had visited for years,” says Waldron. “We always had this sad feeling (when) leaving.”

“The night we opened,” she continues, “Martin from Fishy Fishy called in. He was lovely. He said there’s always room for more restaurants in Kinsale, so long as what you’re doing is good.”