There are numerous daily and occasion-based opportunities to access and experience the food produced in the area.

 

The Bandon Farmers Market stands out from many other markets in that it is primarily a locally-based producer & growers market.

 

Many of the grocery retailers and local cafes stock part-time local producers of preserves; cheeses; baking and confectionary e.g. Betty Smith’s Poitin Marmalade; Bandon Co-Op Butter; Heavens Cakes Confectionary; Katie’s Chocolates and numerous others.

 

Urru is a nationally recognised platform for showcasing Irish producers, stocking about 100 of who half are from Cork. Producers range from the well-known e.g. Arbutus Bread & Caherbeg Ham to local gems e.g. Bob Mc Cutcheon’ s Bandon Honey, Gairdin Edin Salads & Ummera Smoked Salmon to over 50 Irish farmhouse cheesemakers.

 

Bandon is also home to one of the country’s leading most innovative health food shops– An Tobairin – where they have successfully bridged the world of “health” food and “real” food and provide enthusiastic support for small producers e.g. Belgooly’s Kaffir Milk; Ballinhassig Goats Cheese.

 

Bandon’s two Master Butchers also have national standing as leaders of award winning sausages; one of the few butcher owned abattoirs; in-house baking.

 

Poachers Inn & Chapel Steps are also two highly regarded restaurants that place local sourcing and local partnerships at the core of their food offering.

 

All of the businesses above actively work together on creating additional food-experiences outside of each individually premises. E.g. Urru, Martin Carey’s Butchers and Dan Moloney Butchers together with meat based producers like Frank Krawczyk and Caherbeg Ham ran a series of “Meat Masterclasses” that took participants from carcass to plate and everything in-between.