**Ósta** is an Irish word that translates to **"host".**

Congratulations to Ósta Cafe and Wine Bar on their 20th anniversary and thank you for your great service!

“Ósta - Brid Torrades is one of Sligo’s greatest food heroes, putting delicious local foods to use every day in the most imaginative and creative way, all the way from breakfast to their super tapas menus.” (Ireland - where to eat and where to stay on the Wild Atlantic Way, John & Sally McKenna 2014)

Location matters and Brid Torrades struck gold when a premise at the Garavogue river in Sligo became available and Ósta cafe opened in 2006. Brid and her husband Mark were already known for their ambition and dedication through Glebe Country House in Colloney in 1990 and they definitely brought a new vibe to the Atrium Cafe at The Model Arts centre from 2000 until 2006, when it closed due to renovations.

A Neighborhood Place

With the opening of Ósta Cafe and Wine Bar they brought all those attributes and enthusiasm into the middle of Sligo Town and very quickly established a national reputation (mirrored in the many awards from The McKennas and Olivia Campbell guides and many mentions in the food sections of The Irish Times and The Examiner.) The location besides the Garavogue river with the sheltered outside sitting area make this an all-weather meeting spot with a calming ambiente.

Brid Torrades wanted Ósta be a community-driven "neighborhood place", and that is exactly what it has become. At the core has always been simplicity and a strict commitment to local, seasonal, and organic suppliers. “I don’t like complicated, fussy food. Just a few fresh ingredients, handled as little as possible”, she once said in an interview. Beyond food, the cafe has carved out a distinct history as a local social hub. It is famous for hosting weekly informal language conversation groups (Spanish and Irish) and the weekly "Ósta Sessions," which are intimate evening acoustic music gigs featuring world-class performers.

Ósta was crowned officially as "Ireland's Favourite Local Business" in a highly competitive national public voting campaign in 2024 and recently honored by Bord Bia as a Just Ask Restaurant for its transparent dedication to local food networks.

Ósta is unique in that it is “always” open: Monday to Saturday 7.15 am to 8pm and Sundays 8am to 6pm.

Sources and Resources

“We have always looked locally for the best produce available and we are delighted that the quality and number of producers is growing year on year”, says Brid, “Ballisadare Eggs, Gerry Blain Fish, Java Republic Coffee and Clarkes Butchers have been with us from the very beginning. We also grow and forage for seasonal herbs, fruit and vegetable.”

The list of suppliers from the website reads like an A-Z of the best local and regional producers: Andarl Farm, Artessa Coffee, Dozios Cheese, Croghan Organic Farm, Ballymore Farm, Shines Seafood, Rock Vale Farm chicken, Leitrim Hill goats cheese, Blakes Organic Kefir, Killbeggan Oats, Knocknarea Honey, Solaris Tea, King of Kefir, Carrig Rua Bakery, The Breadski Brothers, Goatsbridge Trout, Velvet Cloud Labneh.

Brid Torrades and Ósta Cafe - a focal point for the Sligo food scene

Her drive to encourage new producers and build a local food scene led her along with a dedicated local committee to spearhead the founding of the So Sligo Food Festival in 2011 and it should not be forgotten that the initial concept was “to make quality, locally sourced ingredients accessible to the public”.

The SÓ Sligo Food Festival 2015 was named the "Best Food Festival" in Ireland by the acclaimed food writers John and Sally McKenna

Brid was also instrumental in the development of the Sligo Food Trail, a permanent, county-wide tourism listing for local restaurants, cafes, and artisan producers which prepared the groundwork for Sligo Food Trail.

An active member of Eurotoques for over 20 years and never one to sit still, she completed a Masters in Applied Culinary Nutrition last year; one of the first seven people in the world to do so. And if that was not enough a few years ago she embarked on another journey. Firstly studying for an organic farming degree and then putting things into practice establishing a Dexter cattle herd on her farm in Ballyjamesduff, producing her own beef for the cafe, which she says “has been raised on grass, tree forage and herbs.”

Here is Brid Torrades uncovered

What is your favourite food? No favourites! I love most food especially when it’s in season and close to its provenance.
Finish the sentence: A chef is or should be always learning!
The country you travel for food: Every country – I don’t think any country can claim to have the best food but I love places that have preserved and celebrate their culinary traditions and serve fresh local produce.
Three things you always have in your larder/fridge? At the moment I keep very little in the fridge as I am rarely at home. When I do stock up I usually buy cheese (my downfall), seasonal fruit and veg and smoked fish. I also have various ferments and many spices!
What is your most used gadget? My much loved Thermomix has died from overuse and hard to replace as the newer models are too high tech and security conscious!
Do you read cookbooks and which one do you come back to? I look at lots of pictures!! I do refer often to my professional reference books and research papers (historical and nutritional) more so than actual cookery books.
Who is your inspiration (not necessarily from the food world): Myrtle Allen was a huge inspiration for me, particularly from the time I opened a country house restaurant.
What are you currently listening to? Nothing – I like to work in silence, but I do enjoy relaxing with most types of music – especially jazz!
Something people don’t know about you? I featured on Nationwide (TV programme) in 1998 over 20 years ago cooking with seaweed.