Afternoon Tea at The Red Door Country House

What to Expect

The Red Door Country House sits on the Wild Atlantic Way at the gateway to the Inishowen Peninsula, and its AA Rosette kitchen runs a weekend afternoon tea built around the same local sourcing as the rest of its menu - the restaurant states plainly that it sources “fruit, vegetables and meat all sourced locally” wherever possible. It is only served at weekends, unlike some Donegal hotels that run it daily, which keeps it tied to the kitchen’s Saturday and Sunday service rather than offered as a standing sideline.

Saturday sittings run from 12:30pm to 4pm and Sunday from 12:30pm to 2pm, both requiring 24 hours’ pre-booking, and gluten-free versions are available with the same notice. The Red Door also runs a full a la carte menu on Saturday evenings (5pm-8:30pm) and Sunday (5pm-7pm), a Sunday Lunch sitting (12:30pm-4pm, two courses €32.50 or three courses €37.50), and bar food Thursday to Sunday for anyone who wants something less formal than the full dining room. Groups of 12 or more can also book a set menu on Saturdays at 12:30pm, which is worth knowing for a family gathering built around the afternoon tea sitting.

The Red Door operates as a small country house restaurant rather than a large hotel, which keeps the afternoon tea sittings more intimate than the bigger castle and resort hotels elsewhere in the county.

Good to Know

• Saturday: 12:30pm-4pm. Sunday: 12:30pm-2pm
• 24 hours’ pre-booking required; gluten-free options available with notice
• Book by phone on (074) 936 0289
• The restaurant holds AA Rosette status for its cooking

Getting There

Fahan is on the Inishowen Peninsula on the Wild Atlantic Way, a short drive north of Letterkenny via the N13/N15 and across the Foyle Bridge approach roads, or reached from Derry via the A2/N13. The Red Door has its own car park; there is no direct bus stop at the door, so a car is the practical way to arrive.