Clonakilty will kick off 2025 with a new fine dining spot.

Award-winning Cork chef Sam Cronin has announced he will open his first restaurant, Lil’s on Connolly Street on January 30th, 2025, named in honour of his beloved grandmother.

“It’s finally official. Lil’s Restaurant is coming to Clonakilty.” the chef shared on social media.

“I am so proud to say I am now a restaurant owner! It’s time to put Clonakilty back on the map and take Lil’s to the top where it belongs! I can not describe how fired up and ready I am for this journey, and we are so excited to open the doors and welcome you all on January 30th, 2025!”

Sam, who grew up in Clonakilty, knew he wanted to be a chef from the age of ten.

“I was fortunate to start working at the age of 15.” he told Yay Cork.

“My first job was in Richy’s Bar and Bistro where I stayed for six years. I worked there the whole way through school and college and it gave me the foundation I needed to begin this journey. ”

Sam studied Culinary Arts at Waterford Institute of Technology before working in high-end kitchens including the Michelin Star Lady Helen Restaurant Kilkenny.

He’s been stacking up the awards lately too, winning Best Head Chef Nationally (Ireland) and Regionally (Munster) on the same night at the Irish Hotel Awards in 2023. He also took home the Judges Award this year at the YesChef Awards in May 2024 for his contribution to mentoring young chefs, something that spurred him on to think bigger for himself.

‘I knew this was the one’

“I chose Clonakilty because I grew up here, it just felt right. I had viewed a couple of premises, but none of them gave me goosebumps until I viewed the property at number 1 Connolly Street. Straight away, I knew this was the one.” Sam told us.

“The restaurant is named Lil’s. It’s named after my nan. Her real name was Gene, but everyone knew her as nanny Lil. She would always hear stories from my mum about how I was always at work and had an insane passion for cooking. I had made a promise not only to her and my mum but to myself, that one day I would make my dream a reality.

“My nan passed away in 2016 and deep down I knew this is what I wanted the restaurant to be called. It has so much meaning to me on a personal level and drives me every day to make this a success. It’s also to show my son that you can achieve anything in this life, no matter how tough the road may be, if you can keep pushing the boundaries and test yourself every day, you will succeed.”

So what’s on the menu?

As the restaurant is being prepped for painting, Sam is in the process of finalising the menu for the launch.

“In terms of vibes, it’s fine dining all the way for me as it’s my craft. I think it’s the strongest menu I’ve created to date!” he revealed.

The dinner menu will offer a four-course set-price meal (€75) with an amuse-bouche, starter, main, and dessert. A two-course option (€55) will also be available. Weekends will feature a more casual lunch menu and a special seven-course tasting menu will be offered on one weekend each month, showcasing seasonal ingredients and inspired by Michelin-star cuisine.

“The restaurant will have a warm and intimate feel, inviting and vibrant. I think my signature dish will be my beef fillet, with chanterelle mushroom, charred shallot, bone marrow tarragon custard and rich beef jus,” adds Sam.

“I plan to use all the local producers in Clon so it will be O Neill’s Butcher, Union Hall Fish, and Shannonvale. I’ll always be on the lookout for new local producers to add to the list.”

Ahead of the opening, Sam says he’s excited to watch his dream come to life: “I have so much pride and joy in this place and it’s such a special feeling. My main goal now is to make my future guests have the most memorable culinary experience possible.

“I know my team and I have the capability to do extraordinary things and put ourselves on the map in Clonakilty.”