Food & Drink

Críoch Café Opening Hours:

Monday - Friday: 8am - 5pm (Kitchen Open: 9am - 3pm)

Saturday: 9am - 4pm (Kitchen Open: 9am - 3pm)

With a theatre bar service on performance evenings.

Críoch Catering, founded in 2019 by Arklow chef Tadgh Byrne, is a member of Wicklow Naturally and specialises in sustainable, fresh, locally sourced food, paired with warm & friendly customer service.

The word “Críoch” originates from Middle Irish and means territory or land and reflects Tadgh’s deep connection to County Wicklow and sustainable produce. Críoch’s decisions are guided by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the EU’s Farm-to-Fork Strategy.

Speaking about the new café chef Tadgh Byrne said: “At Críoch, we’re more than just a name. We’re a team of passionate individuals committed to making a difference. Our mission is to make the world a better place through healthy, sustainable and ethical food and memorable experiences. We are thrilled to be opening at Mermaid Arts Centre and look forward to delivering a high-quality food and drinks service. Our vision is for Mermaid to become a food hub as well as an arts hub and we are looking forward to showcasing local produce."

Speaking on behalf of the Board at Mermaid, Chair Anne Ferris said “The café at Mermaid has always been a vibrant and core part of our offering and we are delighted to welcome Tadgh Byrne to deliver his vision of high quality, locally sources food and drinks. We wish him every success”.

Aoife Demel, Artistic Director and CEO at Mermaid said “welcoming Tadgh and the team at Críoch Café on board is very exciting for the team at Mermaid, our artists and our audiences. One of Mermaid’s core goals is to work sustainably and Críoch’s focus on locally sourced high-quality ingredients aligns with our vision. We look forward to working with Tadgh and his dedicated team to build a buzzing, sustainable café”

Tadgh is no stranger to the arts. In 2024 he collaborated with Dublin Filmmaker, Max Barry, on a documentary exploring how Ireland will eat in 2050 - looking at issues such as how technology will change farming, food security, robot chefs, drone deliveries and sustainability in the food supply chain.

Críoch Catering have recently been nominated as finalists in the Gold Medal Catering Awards in three categories: Menu Provenance of the Year. Public Sector Food Service of the Year – finalist. Ireland’s Event Caterer – 100 Guests or Less category.

Other restaurants in the area

There are a range of other restaurants close to Mermaid Arts Centre.

Koi Japanese Restaurant & Ling Chinese (right beside Mermaid)

Rara Restaurant (Fine Indian & Nepalese Cuisine) - (Main Street)

Pink Salt (Main Street)

Platform Pizza - (Strand Rd)

Butler & Barry - (Strand Rd)

McGettigan's - (Main Street at the Royal Hotel)

Jasmine House - (Main Street)

A selection of other restaurants in the Bray area can be viewed here