Less than 1 kilometer from the majestic Altamont Gardens was located The Forge Restaurant. Between the villages of Ballon and Bunclody on the N80 Dublin-Wexford road.
It was an ideal stopover for tourists. I wrote “it was” because The Forge Restaurant closed its doors on 4th September 2018 as its owner Mary Jordan had retired after 17 years of business.
I`ve been there twice after visiting Altamont Gardens and Huntington Castle. It was a lovely place so I decided to keep memories and post about it on my blog.
The restaurant has been operating since 2001. Established on the site of a former smithy, in a beautifully restored 120-year-old granite building.
The Forge had originally been built as a steward’s house on the Keogh Estate in the 1700s.
Later it was a forge and then a country shop, while a post office was operated by the Murphy family until the 1970s. The property was heavily dilapidated when Mary Jordan and her husband purchased it in 1996. Over several years, they renovated it and transformed the property into a warm and inviting restaurant which opened in 2001.
The owner Mary Jordan served her guests simple, but very tasty, traditional dishes, mainly from Irish cuisine, the menu includes fresh, baked on site, scones, homemade jams, soups, sandwiches with vegetables, roasted meats, excellent fish dishes, cheesecakes and desserts made of seasonal fruit, but there are also hot Italian sandwiches, delicious, crispy paninis. Cuisine based on local products and traditional Irish hospitality were undoubtedly the hallmarks of this restaurant. “Forge – home cooking from local produce” was the motto of this charming restaurant.
The Forge was recommended by Georgina Campbell and McKenna, authors of the annual guide to noteworthy Irish restaurants and hotels, The Forge is included in the 2014 guide.
It was also a Tourist Information Point, as well as an exhibition of local arts and crafts combined with the sale of exhibited works.
Who knows maybe The Forge Restaurant will open again in the future on the new management.
Location of The Forge Restaurant:
