Georgina Campbell’s Ireland Guide
With homely ingredients-led cooking, value for money and good service from Sinead Byrne and her friendly, knowledgeable staff, Carlow is fortunate to have this restaurant – and it’s in a wonderful setting. Fans of the former Lennons Café Bar of Tullow Street had to wait a long time to enjoy their wholesome food again – but it was worth it. Sinead Byrne and her son Ross, together with some . . . view more
John & Sally McKennas’ Guides
Lennons has always been cool. The Byrne family understand food and service in the most elemental, instinctive way and, for almost two decades now, they and their team have given Carlow town an always-reliable, ever-invigorating experience in the gorgeous setting of the Visual Centre for contemporary art. They are the Carlow champions for a simple reason: the seamless experience of enjoying superbly sourced and cooked local foods, with a hearty . . . view more
Aoife McElwain, The Irish Times
Provenance is clearly important in this Carlow town cafe It’s not the norm to find good food in a museum or gallery, but Lennon’s Café@Visual is different Fri, Jun 30, 2017, 07:35 Aoife McElwain “Without art, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable,” reads the George Bernard Shaw quote on the door of Lennon’s Café at Visual Centre for Contemporary Art in Carlow town. One could easily apply . . . view more
Paolo Tullio, Irish Independent
It’s been a while since I visited Carlow, but it’s a town I’ve always liked. Even in an earlier life, when I travelled the country buying up store cattle to sell to Italy, Carlow town always gave me the impression of a buzzy, lively place, much more so than many other provincial towns I visited. Perhaps it was simply that having a third-level educational establishment meant that it was always . . . view more
Alan Kelly, The Sunday World
Taste sensation in the heart of Carlow makes a Visual impact Things are not looking good. In fact, I’m beginning to think I may have got the address completely wrong. “Are you sure this is where it is?” says the Boss as we anxiously scour the empty grounds around Carlow College on a windswept Thursday evening. “Oh yeah, absolutely,” I lie. “It’s just around the corner here!” But as this . . . view more
Good Food Ireland
What a great Good Food Ireland find! Lennon’s@Visual is a serious restaurant in a public gallery space – and just the type of place you want to refresh yourself after a morning or afternoon spent browsing art and culture. Ross Byrne is owner manager here. His mum owned and ran Lennon’s Café in Carlow town for some years. During the time the original restaurant was being renovated, the opportunity to move . . . view more
