Irish stew has been named one of the world's top food experiences by Lonely Planet.
The travel guide's Ultimate Eatlist examined and ranked 500 food experiences globally.
Each entry detailed an experience, and the culture behind it.
Irish stew is Ireland's top entry, at number 47 on the list.
The setting at Ireland’s oldest pub, The Brazen Head in Dublin, is also singled out.
The dish is described as "the definition of warming, hearty and filling."
It says: "You can season the stew with salt but the flavour is best enhanced by eating it in one of those pubs, with one of those pints of Guinness, and friends.
"Many cultures locate the romance of food in hours of preparation and myriad ingredients; for the Irish, the romance is in the eating and whatever happens around it."
Other Irish entries are black pudding (#458) and barmbrack (#496).
"Black pudding has humble origins in Ireland... Today, this rich, seasoned sausage - studded with pork fat and rich oatmeal - is worshipped by gourmets," Lonely Planet says.
"For the best, a local Irish butcher is the first place to call but some households, such as the Egan family of Inch House B&B in Tipperary, make their own."
Small Spanish snacks called 'Pinchos' (or 'Pintxos' in Basque) at a bar in San Sebastian, Spain | Image: Ana Lázaro Verde/DPA/PA Images
The entry for barmbrack suggests enjoying it with coffee at the Hansel and Gretel Bakery & Patisserie in Dublin.
"It's the tradition behind barmbrack that sets it apart. A remnant of All Hallow’s Eve (when ghosts could pass over from the spirit world), barmbrack was left outside homes to appease mischievous phantoms, while symbolic items were baked inside for the lucky people who found them."
Sampling pintxos in San Sebastián's old town has been named the top food experience in the world - followed by curry laksa in Kuala Lumpur, and sushi in Tokyo at number three.
The top 10 ranked experiences are:
- Pintxos in San Sebastián, Spain
- Curry laksa in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Sushi in Tokyo, Japan
- Beef brisket in Texas, USA
- Som tum in Bangkok, Thailand
- Smørrebrød in Copenhagen, Denmark
- Crayfish in Kaikoura, New Zealand
- Bibimbap in Seoul, South Korea
- Pizza margherita in Naples, Italy
- Dim sum in Hong Kong
