New Year's Day, 1 January, is a public holiday in Ireland.
Most pubs are open. Some cafes are, too. But many places in Galway choose not to open on New Year's Day.
So this is a list of places which are open in Galway city-centre on New Year's Day in 2026: it is a work-in-progress, and will be live-updated on the day.
Pubs
Almost all Galway city pubs are (or will) open on New Year's Day - but many will open a little
later than they usually would!
Neachtain are opening from 5pm
Exceptions - pubs that didn't open on New Years' Day in 2026, or have announced they won't
Watch this space!
Pubs that weren't open on New Year's Day in 2024
Blue Note
Massimo
Roisin Dubh
The Universal
Cafes and restaurants
Cafes / Restaurants in Galway city which will or are open on New Year's Day 2026
Anfora
Apache Pizza, Dominick St and Terryland
BakeBox, open from 8:30am
Caprice
Charcoal Grill, Mary Street, Quay Street
Dough Bros, Middle Street and in O'Connells
Giovannis- from 4pm
Khow Thai
LanaThai - Mary Street
Little Lane from 10am
McDonalds
Magnetti, Quay St
Nana's Teahouse
Osaka Prospect Hill - normal hours
Osaka, Salthill open from 12:30pm
Osteria Simone - normal hours
Samyo Asian, Salthill
Tucos
Venice - from 1pm
Xi'an
Zambrero - Planet Entertainment centre
Cafes / Restaurants in Galway city which did open on New Year's Day 2025
Asian Teahouse, from 5pm
Beef & Lobster
BóTown burgers, from 3pm
Boojum
Capital Kebab House
Caprice, 10am-4pm
Caffe Nero
Chill Shack
Ciarlantini Woodquay
Coco to Go
Creamery, Salthill
Da Roberta
Eastern Tandoori
Galleon Salthill
GBC
Gino's Gelato
Golden Rikshaw - evening
Gourmet Food Parlour
High Cafe
Kashmir
Krispy Kreme Donuts
Kumar's
La Vina
Magnetti, Salthill
Mama Rich
Meltd - from 11am
Milano
Mocha Beans -all stores
Monroes PizzaPizza
Murphys ice-creams
O'Reillys, Salthill
Pizza Maxx Salthill
Pizza Time
Plámás, from 10am
Ré Coffee Salthill
ReNao
Renzo
Salt and Pepper, Salthill
Samyo Asian Salthill
Smashbird
Supermacs - Cross St from 2pm
Thai Garden
The Hidden - from 4pm
Tulsi
Yummy Wok
Zaiqa
Pubs that serve food
Busker Browne's
Cellar
Dáil
Front Door/Sonnys
Imperial
John Keoghs
Kings Head
M Fitzgerald's
Mary Mullens
Monroes
Murphys (toasted sandwiches!)
Seven
Taffes
The Quays from 4pm
Tig Neachtain from 5pm
Cafes / Restaurants in Galway city which will be or are closed on New Year's Day 2026
56 Central
Ayran Pizzaria - closed until 4 Jan
Bare Pantry Liosbaun, re-opens on 27th
City Pantry Cafe, re-opens on 9 January
Classico
Corrib House tearoom, reopens on 6 January
Espresso 44, Shop Street and West End
Esquires Eyre Square
Gemelles - are closed for "a while"
Gourmet Tart - re-opening 8am on January 7th
Grind Briarhill
Insomnia, Eyre Square
Java
Jungle Cafe Prospect Hill reopens on 2 January
Kai, reopens on 2 January
McDonagh's Fisk and Chips
Magpie, reopens on 8th January
Mona Lisa
Mr Waffle
Neighbourhood Cafe, Doughiska, reopens on 6 Jan
Pascal
Pasta Factory, reopens on 7 January
Pizza Pasta Napoli, closed until 22nd January
Poppyseed at Galway Crystal, reopens on the 2nd
Roots Shop Street, reopens on the 27th
Starbucks, Eyre Square
Truffle, closed 1-7 January
Supermarkets / foodstores
Open, or have announced they are opening on NYD 2026
Dunnes Stores, Terryland - open 11am to 7pm
Tesco - superstores only (Headford Rd, Oranmore) from 10am
Shops that did open on New Year's Day 2025
Asiatic Asian Foods
Carnival Supermarket
Have announced that they are not opening on New Year's Day 2026
Dunnes Stores - all stores
Lids - all stores
Aldi - all stores
M&S
Lids - all stores
Aldi - all stores
M&S
Jasmine Asian Grocery
Ernei's Fruit and Veg
Other shops
Shops which are open on New Year's Day 2026, or have announced they will open
Almost all convenience stores / Newsagents will open
Anthony Ryans from 12:30
Aran Sweater Mart
Brown Thoma, open from 11am
Centra Forster St, 7am - 11:25pm
Eason bookshop, from 12-noon
Galway Woollen Market
Galway Gifts
Holland and Barrett from 11am
Hollands Newsagents, open from 12-noon.
Londis Eyre Square, 7am to 12-midnight
Monaghan's Centra 7am - 10pm
Number 10 Newsagents, from 1pm
Spar Mainguard Street 8am to 10pm
Tommy Hilfiger
Weavers of Ireland
Shops which did open on New Year's Day 2025
Aunty's Nellie's Sweets
Boots Galway Shopping Centre, from 12-noon
Boots Shop Street, 11:30am- 6pm
Brennans Shoes
Brown Thomas
Carrolls Gifts- Williamsgate Street only
CEX Game Exchange
Evergreen Healthfoods, from 12:30pm
Fine Wines, Raven's Tce
Fonez4U
Mountain Warehouse
Mullins Pharmacy Salthill
Lifestyle Sports
Lovisa
O'Brien's Newsagents
O'Brien's Wines
Salthill Phone Repairs
Staunton's Pharmacy, Salthill
Whelans Pharmacy
Shops which have announced they are closed on New Year's Day 2026
Ah Sure Lookit, reopens on 10th January
Angel Nails
An Tobar Nua, reopens on 6th January
Art 'n Hobby
BathShack
Better Blinds, reopens on 5 January
Blacoe Jewellery, closed 1-7th January
Cash & Carry Kitchens, reopens 2 January
Cash Creators, reopens on the 29th
Castle Davitt Furniture
COPE Galway shops, reopens on 5 January
Crescent Pharmacy
Decorate Your Own, reopens 6th January
DID Electrical
Doctor Claire's Apothecary
Dubray Books
eCig Store
Edmond's Shoe Repairs, reopen on 3 January
Enable Ireland, Cross Street
Equine Warehouse
Express Frames, reopens 5 January
Finnerty Butchers
Flaherty Paints, Woodquay, reopens on 5th January
Galway Luggage Storage, reopens on 5th January
Heffernan Shoe Repairs, re-opens 6 January
Hickey Meats reopens on 3 January
Home Pharmacy, Forster St
Laura Jane
Logues Shoes
Oxfam
Pat McDonnell Paints
Petworld
Sea Rd Laundrette, reopens on January 2nd
Simon Charity Shop, reopens on 2 January
Specsavers, Eyre Square
The Card Store
Tubs & Tiles
