The Silver Restaurant, Newbridge
Walking into the Newbridge visitor centre is striking with all the gleaming silverware and complementary table accoutrements, but further on is the real gem in Newbridge town. Natalie Collins has created a restaurant that complements the excellence of Newbridge Silver, The Silver Restaurant. The offer is simple, fresh and local. The ambience is bright fresh and alive with photos of famous visitors on the walls. The staff are well trained and knowledgeable in all the dishes on offer. Irish Stew with Ritchie Doyle's beef from nearby Rathcoole, or beef in Guinness, mashed potato to die for (forget the calories!) chicken from Laoise Poultry - all served with fresh vegetables or a choice of salads, the sweet potato salad was my favourite.
The Silver restaurant opens at 9am daily with the whiff of freshly baked warm scones, brewing coffee and bowls of whipped cream. Java Republic coffee is served all day with various snacks and freshly made sandwiches. Lunch starts at 12 and finishes at 3.30. The menu changes daily with a selection of buffet style dishes and the homemade desserts, lemon meringue pie, banoffi pie, pavlova and a rich chocolate cake are among the delights on display. From 3pm until 5 afternoon tea is served and this is a delight, complemented by the beautiful colourful Newbridge china.
The restaurant is open 7 days, 9am until 5pm and 11 am until 5pm on Sundays. All the dishes and desserts are made in-house from locally sourced ingredients where possible. Main course lunch is around €9.95 and afternoon tea is €10 per person with a nice selection of wine or soft drinks are also available.
Natalie is ever present keeping a watchful eye on all activities. She knows her regular customers and has a word with all of them. Trained in Ballymaloe, the restaurant transcends the food ethos of Myrtle Allen, the importance of local suppliers coupled with every dish cooked daily and states Natalie with pride that she personally supervises the kitchen and adds the finishing touches to most dishes and pastries. At Christmas, Natalie makes the puddings and ices the Christmas cakes.
Natalie uses and promotes many fellow Good Food Ireland members food produce including organic pies from Morrin O’Rourke's Organic Farm, Tipperary Organic Ice Cream wonderful artisan Irish cheeses such as Ardsallgh Goats Cheese and Cashel Blue Farmhouse Cheese along with various chutneys and Mrs G’s Gourmet Jams and marmalades are on sale to take home.
Every type of palette is catered for here and snacks and dishes for celiacs' are always available.
If you are travelling from Dublin south on the M7, look out for junction 12 signposted for the Curragh and Newbridge, only about 5 minutes off the motorway - well worth the visit, especially the afternoon tea.
