Patricia Coughlan’s No 1 Pery Square is the best thing to have happened to Limerick in years, and the hotel and restaurant have established themselves as the epicentre of Limerick’s food culture. Ms Coughlan’s boutique hotel has been one of the most completely and perfectly conceived and delivered destinations in Ireland in recent years, and from the moment they opened their doors, the place was buzzing, not least because it is, quite simply, beautiful and comfortable. The rooms are beautiful, the cocktails are great, and the food is right in step with the hip, knowing and genuine engagement that you find here, from wild boar sausage with sauerkraut, to sea bream with cauliflower, to chargrilled lamb rump. These are big dishes and bold with flavour, delivered with the confidence that this place exudes. Ms Coughlan is a maverick, a person with a very clear vision and a soul full of determination, and it all shows here in the star of Limerick city. Patricia Coughlan is a true food heroine, a hospitality maven.
