Dublin's best-known park is surrounded by food options on all sides. Find a table close-by or grab a takeaway and enjoy it in 22-acres of Victorian-built parkland. St Stephen's Green Our Take Dublin's best-known park is surrounded by food options on all sides. Find a table close-by or grab a takeaway and enjoy it in 22-acres of Victorian-built parkland. Where to Eat Amuri Bang Cellar 22 Cirillo's Dax Etto Floritz Glas Kaldero Little Geno's Margadh RHA Tang Dawson Street The Commons At MoLI Yibu by Janet

Parrilla The Mexican wave reaches Ranelagh, with buzzy crowds sipping top-quality cocktails Posted: 1 Oct 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Parrilla? When does a trickle become a trend? It seems long past time to declare Mexican cuisine the new flavour of the month in Dublin, as Parrilla sees the wave wash up in Ranelagh. Jules Mak – of the much-loved Chinese up the road – had the idea in mind long before Tacos Lupillo , Pickosito and Chilangos arrived on the scene, and the Friday night crowds we waded through en route to our table would suggest this market is nowhere near saturated. The name comes from the charcoal grill cooking style popular across Latin America. Mak has staffed his with a primarily Mexican crew, including several new arrivals to Ireland, and brought many of his namesake restaurant’s management staff across to avoid the opening hurdles – speedy service and prompt but unpushy turnover times make that seem like a smart move. Where should we sit? The bright, spacious and well-appointed room is built around a long central bar, with booths for groups of four to six adjoining it, and two and four-top tables along the walls ready to be pushed and pulled to accommodate whoever walks in the door – they’ll take online reservations for up to six only. None of the seats have much of a good look into the kitchen pass at the back, nor is there much in the way of intimate nooks and crannies - it’s less date night vibes than gabbling groups you’re in for here. What’s on the menu? Ten “bites” of various sizes, five tacos, four grilled mains and four sides – plenty, in a word. 777 is a closer comparison than any of those other recent arrivals, with a similar grill focus and fewer fast-casual favourites like quesadillas in sight. Chips and guac is an obvious bar-setting entry point and a generally solid start - Parrilla aren’t making their own masa on-site but they’re getting the good stuff, and these are a strong showcase of where that makes all the difference. We won’t be petitioning for a retail range of the house salsas anytime soon though, we've had more standout versions. They keep the hanger at bay, but the portion sizing also needs a rethink – that’s either too much dip or not enough chip, we know which side we land on. It's in a dish like crab tostada that the rubber really meets the road, and we sensed no skidding on this plate with perfect balance. Shallots support the delicate sweetness of the meat, while the well-calibrated tang of chipotle mayo and salsa verde cut through rich avocado chunks. The crisp fried corn tortilla is just-right in how it breaks into bites rather than a shattered sprawl – far harder than it looks. We loved them all the more in retrospect as we masticated our way through the squid - a rubbery dud of a dish. There was no trace of the menu-touted coal-cooking in sight or taste, the neat kick of nduja and a tajin-spiked batter wasted on overcooked rings that never should have made it onto the floor. With well-cooked calamari we can imagine this singing the crab’s same hymn of poise and balance, instead of a one-note wail that couldn’t have ended soon enough. Who could have guessed something as simple as pineapple would save the day – not all heroes wear capes, some just bring a salty-sour-sweet symphony to cleanse your memory as well as your palate. We’d expect a lot of diners’ eyes to gloss over "Pina Caramelizada" (it reads more as a taco topping than a plate) but don't be among the deniers. Eyes will flare wide open at the intensity of flavour here, mouth-puckeringly pickled onions and tongue-twitching tajin playing off the sharp sweet flood of pineapple juice gushing forth from caramelised edges. There are Dublin prices, and then there are Ranelagh prices, and then there are Ranelagh prices in 2024. It is not Parrilla’s fault that the world is where it is and that the balancing act of marking margins stack up in that context is a near-impossible feat, but we winced at the thought of two tacos for €10-€14, a notable step-up in price-per-piece terms than anywhere else outside the canals and plenty within them – 777 is all we can think of that can beat it, and Taco Tuesday is the night to go there when it's two tacos for €8. In the case of the fish (€13 for two) we can almost allow it, chubby fingers of battered cod so generously shrouded in salsa and guac they’re almost a challenge to pick up. For the steak (€14) it’s a far harder sell, with the grill again failing to stand out in these chunks of under-rendered beef, barely basted by a dollop of avocado-courgette cream. Parrilla potatoes play like a Mexican twist on bravas, with tajin-sprinkled halves of baby spuds ready to receive the garlic aioli and chipotle salsa alongside. They were a touch less crispy than we would have liked, but the floury insides lend themselves well to the duo of sauces, which were good alone but better together. Dessert seems to change daily if early accounts are anything to go by, and our chocolate orange tart was a bit of a box-ticker, with fine flavours but texture wide of the mark. The sand-dry crust worked as nothing but vessel, while the chocolate filling needed far more cream - its thick-set consistency took such pressure to cut through it went flying off the plate. We wished we'd stuck with a digestif. What about the drinks? They're a big part of the appeal here. Parrilla has shacked up with Casamigos, the award-winning tequila brand that Diageo bought off George Clooney and friends back in 2017, for a margarita menu that should make this a popular spot for more well-heeled pre-drinks – the Friday night crowd all looked intent on heading out after. We were most excited for the verdita margarita but they’d run out of the namesake mixer – a spiced and herbed pineapple juice. We settled on a server-recommended Spicy Fox instead, with Tequila, spicy Aperol, passion fruit, pineapple, orgeat, cherry and lemon. This is one aspect that Parrilla gets pitch-perfect. With the michelada we’d had at our recent Chilangos visit still living rent free in our heads, we couldn’t resist another one here – you know, for research purposes. We’re sorry to say it was a wet whimper to the other’s big bang, and a price point (€10, where the Sol alone is €5.70) that added insult to injury. How was the service? This is a slick operation, with the Mak team’s involvement clear to see in the way the bustling room is tightly managed – keeping that many plates spinning is no mean feat for a new arrival. We’d worried showing up to the very last seating on a Friday night (good time slots at less than two weeks’ notice are few and far between right now) might have the staff hating us, but they couldn’t have been nicer. The kitchen crew is just as well-oiled, with food before us in remarkably quick order. If you want food fast, but not fast food, you’ll find it here. And the damage? Everything here plus two cokes took us to €120. We reckon you’d want to budget a minimum €40 a head just for food if this is dinner for the night, more if you feel like venturing into the mains. Our top tip for thrift is a cocktail, the pineapple plate, and tostadas to share – that’s the makings of a very good catchup for €30 each. What’s the verdict on Parrilla? It’s clear from the thought-through cocktail menu and the more inspired dishes that Parrilla is closer to the labour of love it’s proclaimed itself than the high-turnover business opportunity it might have been in more cynical hands, but there’s a few kinks that could do with ironing out for it to reach its full potential, especially in the crowded and quality Mexican wave we’ve happily found ourselves riding of late. Against some of their competition out in the suburbs, Parrilla has a central location, well-crafted drinks and an undeniably buzzy atmosphere to boast about, but it's less destination dining for now, more a good compromise candidate for groups looking to start a night off on the right foot. Hopefully with time and menu tweaks the only way is up. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Table 45 A sweet taste of South American food and hospitality near Grand Canal Dock Posted: 10 Jun 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Table 45? What was formerly Bodytonic -run, board game-filled pub The Square Ball near Grand Canal Dock closed at the start of 2024, and die hard fans of Andy Noonan's Fowl Play chicken wept at not being able to get their Nashville Hot Chicken burgers and smoked wings in the area any more. Two more people who weren't crazy about the news were married couple Daniel Kavanagh and Daniel Rivera who lived upstairs and were looking down the barrel of losing their apartment. Rivera worked for Bodytonic and had been in the hospitality industry for years in his native Chile, the US and Ireland, while Kavanagh is an interior designer and all round handy man. The landlord agreed to give them the lease for the whole building, and suddenly they owned a bar. A classy South-American themed refurb, an inclusive (and dog-friendly) policy, and a commitment to building a home-like space for their community later, all alongside a menu of South American and Spanish tapas and drinks, and Table 45 was open. (The name comes from the nickname given to the dining table in their apartment, due to friends ordering food and drinks at the bar before joining them upstairs) Where should we sit? The main bar space is at the front with warm wooden floors, exposed stone walls, and brightly coloured furniture bringing a rustic-modern feel to the former pub. There's a mixture of low tables with comfy upholstered benches and seats, high tables, and counter seating along a wall, as well as a cute little table for three in the window. The back room feels more like a restaurant (image further up), with less natural lighting and more mood lighting, and there is the most adorable high table for two set back into an alcove which will get you major brownie points if you can secure it for your next date. What's on the menu? A pretty extensive selection of Chilean/South American inspired small plates, with bites, meat, fish and vegetarian sections. This is the kind of menu that's ideal if you're out with group with varying tastes, appetites and budgets - everyone will find something they want. Start with the sopaipillas (€8) - deep-fried, disc-shaped Chilean pastries (here with the addition of squash), served with three sauces for scooping and dipping. A traditional Chilean pebre salsa seemed to be missing the vinegar, garlic and parsley, solely consisting of diced tomato, onion and green pepper. An avocado purée was also bland, but dipping deep-fried dough into wholegrain mustard honey with a spicy Michelada on the side is peak bar pairing. Uruguayan chef Luisina Perdomo is their in-house “Empanadera”, making beef and cheese empanadas, as well as croquetas and churros. Beef empanadas (€13 for two) arrived with underbaked, doughy pastry - a shame as the richly flavoured interior dotted with hard boiled egg and olive was perfect (they should have looked like this ). Again that Pebre salsa didn't hit like a good chimichurri (or a good pebre) would have. Tacos come in fish, pork or veggie versions, and our pan-fried haddock ones (two for €10) came with flaky, unbattered fish, smoky sweetcorn and Madras aioli underneath for an unexpected flavour direction that really worked. Patatas bravas (€9) were a homerun, the potatoes crispy outside, fluffy inside, the bravas sauce with just the right amount of heat, and the aioli on the side just garlicky enough, without leaving you paranoid about who you're speaking to for the rest of the day. We're so used to patatas bravas here being so bad that it's almost a shock to find a version this good. Croquetas (€11 for three) come in Jamón and spinach versions, and we went for the latter on the owner's recommendation. Plump, crisp and oozing filling, the citrus aioli and beetroot sauce underneath was another unexpected addition, bringing more punchy flavour layers. Chickpeas with black pudding (garbanzos con prietas, €10) is overdone on tapas menus, yet rarely done well, with chickpeas that haven't turned to mush and soft, crumbly morcilla-like pudding, instead of tougher, more commercial versions. Table 45's is immaculate, with sultanas, paprika, cumin, parsley and garlic oil tying everything up in the tastiest of bows. The universally favourite dish was the Lomo Saltado (a Peruvian-inspired beef stir fry, €14) - braised diced beef marinated for two days in cumin, black pepper and soy sauce, served with fried onions and red peppers (perfectly al dente), served on "crispy" potatoes. The last part was moot as the meat's juices turned anything that was previously crisp underneath it into soggy mush (they would be much better served on the side), but the flavour here was unbeatable, showing how time is often a chef's best tool in the kitchen. Chilean dessert means churros (€9 for four with two sauces), and while ours looked the part outside, they were raw inside. They made them for us again, and the second time were slightly more cooked through, but a sliver of raw dough persisted where a fluffy interior should have been - oil too hot perhaps. Chocolate sauce was good dipping material, but the dulce de leche was a solidified blob straight from the fridge, churros bouncing off on attempt to dip. It needed a knife for spreading like butter, instead of being the luscious pool of caramel we were expecting to stir with a churros baton. Chilean Torta di Amor is similar to Spanish Miljohas or French Mille-feuille , with layers of pastry, cream, custard and fruit. Table 45 's "mini torta di amor" (€9) came on a bed of raspberry purée, with dulce de leche, custard, and a thickened cream with raspberries on top. We had all the love for this little love tart, which felt like a perfect summer dessert (despite the non-summery rain outside). What about drinks? We reccomend sticking to cocktails and beer, which is what we'd wager the owners are most interested in. All the South American favourites feature, including Pisco Sours, Caipirinhas, Mojitos and Margaritas. A Pisco Sour was excellent, and a Caipirinha very enjoyable, but don't expect sugar crystals to flow up the straw like the ones you had on the beach in Rio de Janeiro - this one's smooth as ice. If you're a fan of both beer and Bloody Mary's, you need to try their love child - the Michelada. A cocktail of beer, tomato juice, lemon, Worcester sauce and Tabasco, it's served in a chilled glass with a salty Tajin rim, and is just the thing if you're feeling delicate from the night before. or sleepy from the day that's just been. There's a full spritz menu too, and the T45 with Vermouth Rosso, Prosecco and Soda Water is an easy afternoon sipper. The wine list is all South American or Spanish, and only marginally above your average pub in terms of interest. Draught and bottled beer on the other hand is way more interesting than your average pub, with plenty of less commercial brands, and good N/A options too. How was the service? Very pleasant if not effusive. We ordered a few plates at a time which seems to be the way to go in here, and they arrived nicely paced, never overwhelming the table (a constant complaint in reviews lately). A flat spritz (last night's Prosecco) and undercooked churros were replaced without question and with plenty of apologies. What was the damage? €141 before tip for seven small plates, two desserts, four cocktails and two soft drinks - a good amount of feeding and watering for three hungry adults, or two adults and two kids. €50 a head would be plenty to budget for a good night out here, but a Michelada, a couple of tacos and a filling plate of sopapillas and you could get in and out for €25 before tip. What's the verdict on Table 45? Table 45 is a sweet little taste of South America that's clearly tugging on locals' heartstrings and becoming a happy place for many - frequent posts on their Instagram account announce they're fully booked for the night, so don't expect to walk in at peak times and find yourself a table. There's a very real and wholesome feel here, and with a bit more attention to detail in the kitchen it could easily develop from a "sweet place" to a "must eat in place", but their legion of regular customers don't seem to have any complaints with the current offering. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Spanish sister restaurant to much-loved Etto, which opened at the end of 2018 to a glut of gushing reviews. Some of the best counter-dining in the city and all the Spanish favourites like padron peppers, tortilla and morcilla with quail eggs. Extensive list of wines and sherries. Uno Mas Website unomas.ie Address 6 Aungier Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Spanish sister restaurant to much-loved Etto, which opened at the end of 2018 to a glut of gushing reviews. Some of the best counter-dining in the city and all the Spanish favourites like padron peppers, tortilla and morcilla with quail eggs. Extensive list of wines and sherries. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Pera Top-tier tombik and Turkish coffee is some of the best value around Posted: 30 Sept 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Pera? As costs keep creeping up in every restaurant ‘round town, value is a more premium currency than ever. That’s part of why we’ve seen such interest in the new, higher-end Turkish outlets popping up all over Dublin to cater to the growing diaspora – for all they’re a little pricier than the corner kebab spots spilling sauce down drunken fronts every weekend night, places like Reyna , Chiya , Sultan’s Grill and Sofra still represent absurd value for the quality of quick casual food they’re dishing up. Pera is a name we’ve heard whispered in the same breath more than once from those in the know since their opening almost exactly a year ago, so when they expanded into the larger unit beside their prior Mary Street home with a revamped new dinner menu in the past weeks, we knew the time was right to poke our noses in. Where should we sit? You’ll likely have your pick at all but the busiest times - the new unit, previously home to Casa Brasil, has space to spare, and is much cosier than the pokey few booths packed into the previous space next door. There, they’d also allowed diners head upstairs to a spillover space shared with Pickosito – more comfortable, sure, but far from the action. In the new setting, the left of the long entryway space plays host to a lengthy kitchen counter with a street-facing charcoal grill, glistening döner spits and a shiny new wood-fired oven in prime position for loving, longing stares from the two-tops opposite. If you’re a little less obsessive than us about watching food prep in action, the four-tops a bit further back offer extra space for the more sizeable spreads you might be minded to order, albeit with wood-backed seats better suited to quick stopovers (or late night visits) than long, lingering lunches. For those, turn the bend at the back for a cosy corner kitted out with leather banquettes lining the wall and high-backed two-seaters. This is a roomier space ideal for a catchup with friends or a family outing, with plenty of high chairs at the ready. What are they cooking? Don’t skim over the menu here – among the typical döner, charcoal grill and mezzes that might at first glance seem the same as similar spots, are a few standouts rarely seen about Dublin. Chief among them is tombik (€10.90), a puffy pouch of crisp-shelled bread stuffed to bursting with lamb, chicken or mixed döner shavings and the typical kebab salads. With no disrespect to the thin lavash flatbread that’s a mainstay of most kebabs around town, this made us wish for a world where tombik is the default. The blistered bread crust and airy interior are two delicious sides of the same high-heat coin, and it's a package good enough to eat alone, regardless of filling. It’s a bonus then that the meat’s great too, with heaps of generously juicy thin-sliced chicken falling out the sides as we stuffed ourselves (but no provenance to be seen). Iskender (€17.90) is a real rarity where Dublin kebab shops are concerned (not even Talbot Street’s Iskender itself, bizarrely, serves it). Diced chunks of tirnak pide, a dimpled doughy bread, are topped with mounds of fresh-cut lamb döner and doused with a reduced tomato sauce and melted butter topping, all served beside a heap of strained yoghurt. The deep sweetness of the cooked-down sauce and cool richness of the yogurt play off the lamb’s rich flavour, though our portion’s few chewier chunks left us wondering if the döner hadn’t gone too long without being carved – the tell tale toughness of added time up against the heat had us thinking how much better this would be at busier times. If you’re adding on mezzes, don’t miss the atom (€5.90), served with a fresh disc of tirnak pide alongside. This kicked our iskender into an altogether higher gear, with breath-stinkingly strong garlic stirred through strained yogurt and topped with fiery dried chilli oil – a full-on flavour feast far more assertive than regular yogurt alone. We packed it into the tombik too - it’s hard to imagine any dish this wouldn’t improve. Three things sent us hurtling headlong into the baked flatbread section: our constant quest for value; that spanking-new wood-fired grill; and one glimpse at the size of the pide and lahmacun being pulled out of it. The latter was one of our must-tries from Sultan’s Grill and it’s both better and cheaper here at €6.90 a serving to eclipse all but the biggest of heads. Pastry so crisp it practically shatters at the touch is spread with minced lamb, diced onions and peppers, oven-rendered fat giving it all the texture of spread sausage. Pile it high with the fresh salad on the side and wrap it up tight – as budget lunches go, you can’t do much better. We’d be happily filled from that alone but if you’re properly ravenous look at the “Turkish pizza” that is pide (€12.90). We can never pass up sucuk, the fermented beef sausage with layers of mild spiced flavour, scattered here among a molten excess of cheese just-about hemmed in by the singed paper-thin crust, perfectly punctuating the gooey, stretchy indulgence. This one's for sharing. Not even arch gluttons like us could stomach the thought of dessert after all of that, as tempted as we were by the glowing fridge opposite. Baklava and rice pudding look the part, while a glimpse and whiff of a bubbling kunefe en route to another table gave us every faith it's on the level we lapped up at Sofra . How was the service? Very fast. We almost told them they’d got the wrong table when our food arrived out spread across the arms of two staff what felt like ten minutes after we’d ordered it - this is a great go-to when you need a good feed quick. Friendly but unfussy check-ins followed suit – you’re in safe hands. What did it all come to? Three of us ate to the point we kinda wished we hadn’t for just short of €20 a head – that’s just silly value for a feast like this. You would find it very difficult to spend much more than that and have any hope of leaving empty plates behind. What’s the verdict on Pera? A Turkish coffee (€3.90) to finish here is obligatory – only such strong, stark caffeine could get us up out of our seats after all that. The two-pour prep over hot sand is a whole ritual we wish they’d given us more of an angle on, but the dainty delicate cup and its deeply aromatic notes is after-dinner show enough. It’s a Turkish tradition to turn the cup over after and tell your fortune from the shapes the unfiltered grounds leave running down the sides, Our seer skills might be rusty, we’re pretty sure ours predicted we wouldn’t be needing dinner that night, and that there’s a horde of people who’ll be rushing into Pera for value and quality like this. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Bun Cha Website @bunchadublin Address 11 Moore Street, North City, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

You want a Turkish escape in town, you head for Reyna. Meat is cooked on a charcoal grill, vegetables are fresh and vibrant, and breads are cooked in house. It's an industry favourite, and one lamb doner in here will make you forget any late night Abrakebras. Reyna Website reyna.ie Address 29-30 Dame Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story You want a Turkish escape in town, you head for Reyna. Meat is cooked on a charcoal grill, vegetables are fresh and vibrant, and breads are cooked in house. It's an industry favourite, and one lamb doner in here will make you forget any late night Abrakebras. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Contemporary Irish cooking in Portobello, who've had a Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2018. They do an à la carte menu and an early bird, and once a month they host a Tuesday night five-course tasting menu. Richmond Website richmondrestaurant.ie Address 43 Richmond Street South, Portobello, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Contemporary Irish cooking in Portobello, who've had a Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2018. They do an à la carte menu and an early bird, and once a month they host a Tuesday night five-course tasting menu. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Sprezzatura Handmade pasta with an Irish accent Posted: 14 Jan 2020 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? The story of a new handmade pasta place coming to Dublin in October, where no plate would cost over €10, and practically all the produce was Irish, was our second most read story of 2019 , and we can't say we were surprised. There's actually quite a bit of fresh pasta to be found in Dublin (which we proved here ), but nothing in the fast, cheap, good (and exciting) category, so there was clearly a gap for a Padella-style operation here - and every Irish person who's ever set foot in London comes home talking about Padella so we were clearly primed and ready for it - see here for why. Sprezzatura say they're making Italian food with the best Irish ingredients - their suppliers list reads like a who's who of Irish food - and with their commitment to sustainability including no paper on site, compostable packaging and renewable energy, we're not sure it's possible to be any more tuned into the zeitgeist. The man with the plan was Thom Lawson, formerly of Lucky Tortoise , who split with his business partners at the end of last year to focus on new projects. He's known as someone who like a concept and is good at executing them - and we know he has a few other ideas up his sleeve so watch this space. He joined forces with the guys at Grantham's who had the space and Sprezzatura was born. They got off to a rocky start (not that you would have know by the amount of ' influencers ' and celebrities coming through the doors), and an initial visit left us disappointed, but after a change up in the kitchen and some new chef talent (one of whom was formerly at Forest Avenue), things were looking up. Reports seem to be getting better every week, particularly when it came to value for money, so we thought a few follow up visits were in order. Where should we go for a drink first? Around here your options are endless. For a pre-dinner cocktail head to the Sitting Room above Delahunt for a Cognac and orange or a pisco lemonade, and for wine the excellent First Draft is a 5 minute walk away. For a pint head to Devitt's down the street, or if you like your pubs a bit cosier try Bourke's next to Whelan's where getting a seat at the weekend feels like winning the Euromillions. Bonus: you can get through to Whelan's at the back if you fancy a quick dance before or after dinner - there will be many carbs to burn off. Where should we sit? The large communal table at the front seats up to 20 but is reserved for walk-ins (it's worth asking if you have a group though), and is a great place to sit if you're not concerned about private conversation or personal space. You can also have a drink here before moving into the main room, which has tables for two and four, as well as some booths which would fit six at a squeeze. What's good to eat? The beauty of Sprezzatura is that it's all such good value, with no plate costing over €10, so there's a strong justification to over order - and you can take any leftovers home in a planet-friendly cardboard box. The regularly changing menu is divided into plates and pastas, with the former consisting of small plates, cured meat and fish crudo. Castelvetrano olives to start are the real deal - bright green, grassy, juicy - and the potato focaccia from Bread 41 arrives in a pool of rapeseed oil. The bread is pillowy and chewy in all the right ways, but rapeseed oil is not not olive oil and never will be - we appreciate the ethos of using Irish though. The lamb shank croquette is a must, and at €3.50 it would be rude not to. The flavours are rich and deep, the meat thready and soft, and it's all wrapped up in a crunchy coating. You can taste the time that went into making them. We stupidly never asked what was in the accompanying mayonnaise dip, but it tasted mildly of mustard. A plate of Toonsbridge stracciatella was decent moppage material for the focaccia, but if your reference point for the Italian soft cheese is the original, generously topped with olive oil, this may seem a little anaemic in comparison, with a lack of the typical stretchy, stringy consistency. Another place of 'fish nduja brandade' (fish not specified) was punchier with salt and mild heat from the nduja, and a nice touch of fine, toasted breadcrumbs on top. You will definitely want bread for both this and the cheese. There's six or seven homemade pastas on at any one time, and they change regularly, but the tomato and basil, bolognese and cacio pepe with rotating pastas look to be permanent fixtures. We tried the cacio e pepe with pappardelle and spaghetti on separate occasions and thought the spaghetti won hands down. The sauce seemed to congeal to the larger sheets of pasta quicker, whereas with the spaghetti it was still possible to twist and swish the pasta around the plate towards the end. Again this is made with Irish cheese instead of Italian Pecorino so it's not by the book, but it's very good. Another highlight was the tagliatelle with wild mushrooms, which was a perfect plate of simple ingredients coming together beautifully. The pasta was al dente, the mushrooms buttery and the thyme and cheese brought it all together. We really enjoyed the gnocchi too, which came with chorizo, ricotta and pine nuts on the night we were there. It's light and fluffy as opposed to stodgy, and there was a really nice balance between the creamy cheese, spicy chorizo and crunchy pinenuts. The only dish we weren't crazy about was the ricotta and nduja tyres, which when we had it was head-blowingly spicy, and generally unbalanced, but that was on visit two so they may have tweaked the recipe by now. The only dessert option is a 'popcorn panna cotta', and while it's a very loose interpretation of a panna cotta (the lack of any gelatinous consistency made it more similar to a crème brûlée without the crispy top) it is very good, with a salty caramel layer above set cream, and fresh salty popcorn on top. Even the initially suspicious were using their spoons to scrape the last bits from the side of the cup. It's a simple, sweet, satisfying end, and at €3.50 you may as well try it. What about the drinks? Sticking with their sustainability ethos, all cocktails, wine and beer are on tap, and their beautiful tap installation has been the subject of many, many social media posts at this stage. The Aperol Spritz is very good for an opener with some olives, but we felt the espresso martini was a bit watery - saying that it is €6 so hard to complain. When it came to wine we particularly liked the lambrusco (dry, fizzy red) and the Les Tètes red from the Loire in France, which was juicy and vibrant and a perfect pairing for anything tomato based or with a hint of spice. Drinks, like the food, are very good value, with wines by the glass ranging from €6.50 to €9. They also have two beers, gin and tonic, vermouth and kefir. And the service? Over the course of three visits the young staff were friendly and helpful, and special mention to one smiling, charming staff member who served a large group of us on his first night and was the personification of hospitality, despite being petrified he would make a mistake or forget something. A case in point for hiring for personality and the ability to make your guests feel welcome above all else. The verdict? Over three visits to Sprezzatura it was better each time, which is a good sign that the only way is up. This certainly doesn't seem like a team that's sitting still, and every time we open Instagram they seem to be trying out to recipes and flavour combinations. It's not quite Padella London levels, but if they keep pushing they could get there yet. Sprezzatura 5/6 Camden Market, Dublin 8 sprezzatura.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

North county Dublin suburbs Portmarnock, Malahide and Skerries are a bit lacking on the exciting restaurant front, but there's enough to keep visitors happy with sushi, handmade roti for 'Pop's potato curry', and a Michelin-starred experience we really rate. Portmarnock - Malahide - Skerries Our Take North county Dublin suburbs Portmarnock, Malahide and Skerries are a bit lacking on the exciting restaurant front, but there's enough to keep visitors happy with sushi, handmade roti for 'Pop's potato curry', and a Michelin-starred experience we really rate. Where to Eat A Do Daruma Malahide Harry's Honey Honey Kajal McNally Family Farm Café Noisette Old Street Póg Malahide The Rock Bakery Wasabi Portmarnock

The Park Café The all day dining restaurant that Dublin badly needed Posted: 29 Nov 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about The Park Café? The prodigal chef returns home, bringing all day dining to Ballsbridge, in the site that formerly housed Dylan McGrath's Shelbourne Social . Richard Corrigan owns and runs several restaurants and bars in London, as well as the Virginia Park Lodge estate in Cavan (one of Ireland's most sought after wedding venues) and has been proudly shipping over produce from the grounds to his London locations for years. We're hoping The Park Café will see the majority now funnelled Dublin's way instead. Corrigan won Michelin stars early in his career, but over the years has successfully turned away from fine dining to just fondly feeding people. His cooking is generous, exhuberent, fun, and this idea of an accessible, easy-going, all-day canteen had all the right people talking before any opening announcements were made. Corrigan's last Dublin opening Bentley's , in 2008, barely lasted two years, but we had a feeling that The Park Café was going to have a different ending. Where should we go for a drink first? It's straight up to The Park Bar with you, their upstairs, roomy space full of large booths, high tables and shaded corners to hide away in. The vibe is cocktail bar meets laid back pub, with some of the country's best Champagnes being served alongside pints of Guiness. We recommend starting with an 'Aperitivo', which are all fairly priced at €10. We tried the 'Park Spritz' with Irish apple brandy, Aperol, Valentini vermouth and Champagne (which reminded us of a white Port and tonic, in a good way), and from the main list a 'Ramos Fizz', with gin, citrus and condensed milk. This one's heavier and next time we'd leave it until dessert. Where should we sit? There are banquette-backed tables along one wall, some tables in the middle of the floor, and counter seating too (which was all but empty when we visited so maybe they're being saved for walk ins). We generally prefer a table up against a wall than a free-wheeler, but if there's just two of you the counter looks like a great option too. It's been substantially built out from the Shelbourne Social days. What's the food like? It's been pitched as an all-day canteen (it's currently only open for dinner but extended hours to follow), and it's only when someone says it that you realise what a massive hole we've had in Dublin dining up to now for exactly this. It's the kind of place you could pop in at any time of the day or night and hop up on a bar stool for a glass of Champagne and some oysters, settle into a banquette for a Bentley's fish pie, or spend a very long afternoon there, lunch turning into dinner. They start by bringing homemade foccacia, which had great flavour but needed the accompanying olive oil (also very good). They forgot to bring it until we asked so make sure it arrives for dipping. You've probably seen the snail omelette doing the rounds on social media, and we're here to tell you that yes it is that good, and yes you need to get over your ick about escargot and order it. Prepare however, to feel like crying that the omelettes you cook at home will (probably) never taste as good as this. If there was an Olympics for eggs, Peter's omelette would run home with gold. The red wine Bordelaise sauce that accompanies it, with pancetta and those snails from a farmer in Cavan called Peter (hence the name) is a bonkers but brilliant combo, and it's topped with Parmesan and chives. We'd already picked the Frank Hederman’s Smoked Salmon with a Ballysadare Egg, Cream Cheese Ravigote and a Crumpet on the way in, and didn't even notice that on the menu we were handed it had been seriously downgraded to salmon, egg, Virginia roots, shoots and leaves. How could they take our cheesy crumpet!? After the initial disappointment we were able to reluctantly admit that it was still a lovely dish A fresh crab salad was generous, fresh and aniseedy from celeriac with mustard seeds and mimosa leaves, and burrata and beets (one of two vegetarian starters) could have been more generous with the burrata but the beets tasted like they'd been picked earlier that day, the leaves had abundantly more flavour than anything from a plastic packet in the supermarket, and pickled walnuts are always a good time. When we visited there were eight mains, with a further two for sharing (pork and steak), and each one sounded better than the last. After a lot of back and forth and horse-trading about who was going to order what, we gave the waitress our final answers. The 'La Jammet' kebab (named after one of Dublin's most famous restaurants ) is a deep dish of pumpkin dahl, raita and halloumi, on top of which sits two sizeable 'Old Castle Hill' lamb chops (we've searched and cannot find out where Old Castle Hill is), a skewer of liver and kidneys, and kofta pickles. It's a bountiful dish, with flavours coming over, under and across every bite, but there is a lot of offal so if you're not that way inclined you may leave a chunk behind. We'd be tempted to order it anyway, the lamb is that good, and it felt like stellar value for €26 (in our current times). Then came fish. A perfect fillet of black sole (€29) came with buttermilk beurre blanc, broccolini and grenobloise sauce (usually brown butter, capers, parsley and lemon), with a perfectly piped mound of mashed potato on the side. This should be the standard of fish dishes citywide, and at under €30? Practically unheard of. A yellowfin tuna schnitzel (€24) is a clever spin on the pork version more usually seen around town, and this is one for someone with a mighty appetite (even without any sides). It was another dish executed without fault, from the crispy coating, to the pink tuna inside, to the tangy gribiche. We couldn't finish it, but enjoyed trying. The only vegetarian main is a plate of hand-rolled kale and potato gnocchi, with cavolo nero and Corleggy Creeny cheese. The gnocchi were like puffed up clouds of potato, the cavolo nero adding a crisp texture on top, and the Corleggy cheese (from Cavan) rounded out its serious savouriness. They could do with at least one more vegetarian option, but in the meantime this won't leave anyone feeling short-changed. We didn't need sides, but we had to try them (for your benefit of course), and the thin-cut fries were perfection - crisp on the outside, fluffy within, perfectly salted and with immaculate aioli to seal the deal. Roasted roots had their sweetness intensified by a drizzle of honey, and added walnuts gave a pleasing crunch amongst the denseness. You won't need dessert here. Portions are so big you'll be fit to burst, but you only live once, and as much interest and inventiveness has gone into desserts as everything else. The most 'grammed is going to be the '99 soft serve with caramelised popcorn - smooth and creamy, with popcorn that keeps its crunch right until the end. 'Jellied winter fruits' came with pear and clementine, 'tipsy cake', and yoghurt, and felt light and fruity, without being an overly sweet ending. We also love that it's a brand new dish that you can only taste here (compared to Chequer Lane where we were able to predict every dull dessert before the menus landed on the table). A final steamed pudding with custard, cream and giner crumble tasted like something the Granny of our dreams would have made us (we didn't have that Granny but now we have Richard Corrigan so it's all fine). It's unsurprisingly rich though, so if you've done a proper job up to now a few mouthfuls will probably be enough to make you drop your spoon in defeat. What about the drinks? The first thing that you need to know, is that if you like to kick off a night with a bottle of bubbles, you won't be doing that here unless you plan to drop some mega bucks. We had this plan, and our faces collectively dropped when we saw that the entry level sparking wine was Prosecco for €74. The next was Piper-Heidsieck Champagne for €116. How they could find nothing that the average person would willingly spend their money on is beyond us, and we can only presume it's a case of limited wine suppliers, who don't have the catalogue of wines they desperately need. There are some very good producers and cuvées on this list, but prices feel high, and there's shockingly little under €50 (five bottles on the entire list). We drank a Sicilian Grillo, a German Riesling and a red Burgundy, and really enjoyed all of them, but we hope they're looking at adding some better value stat, as it's the only thing we can see putting some people off visiting, and/or coming back, especially if you're with a group for whom 'house wine' is the standard order. How was the service? Very pleasant, but we were expecting a bit more of the type of Irish hospitality Chapter One has become famous for. Things felt slightly more stilted, and a few times staff forgot to bring things we had asked for (including dessert wines which never arrived but were on the bill until we asked for them to be removed). There seemed to be some people there from Corrigan's London team to get things up and running, and we hope they can find some service stars in their own right on the ground here as things move forward. The damage? €96 per person before tip, including a cocktail upstairs in the bar first. It's really, really hard to argue with the value for money here considering how brilliantly put together every dish was, even taking into account the price of the wines. The verdict? Let us rejoice. After Dublin's last couple of celebrity chef restaurant disasters, finally someone has arrived who's giving the people what they want and need (even if they didn't know it). It's probably only after dining here that you'll realise the hole that existed in your dining life before now, but afterwards you'll be hoping for a Park Café in every suburb. It's not trying to be the very best food in the city, it's not striving for stars, there's no in-built attitude, they're just serving properly delicious, feel-good food, in generous portions, at fair prices. What more could you want? The Park Café 1 Ballsbridge, Shelbourne Road, Dublin 4 parkcafe.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

We have no actual data to back this up but if memory serves us correctly, Herbstreet in Grand Canal was the first Dublin restaurant really doing the modern Dublin brunch thing. In fact, standing in the 45 minute Saturday morning queue in 2013 was the moment we realised we were finally emerging from the recession. Lots of typical brunchy fare and the pancakes are really worth waiting for, but the French toast with caramelised banana, pecans and clotted cream is one of our favourite Dublin brunch dishes of all time. Herb Street Website herbstreet.ie Address 9 Hanover Quay, Dublin Docklands, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story We have no actual data to back this up but if memory serves us correctly, Herbstreet in Grand Canal was the first Dublin restaurant really doing the modern Dublin brunch thing. In fact, standing in the 45 minute Saturday morning queue in 2013 was the moment we realised we were finally emerging from the recession. Lots of typical brunchy fare and the pancakes are really worth waiting for, but the French toast with caramelised banana, pecans and clotted cream is one of our favourite Dublin brunch dishes of all time. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Jaru started off at markets around Dublin, serving bulgogi, tteokbokki and Korean-fried chicken to an ever-growing fanbase. Their 'Jaru Mart' in Nutgrove developed from there, a Korean grocery and meal delivery service, but in 2023 they finally achieved their original aim of opening a permanent Jaru restaurant, in the Liberties in Dublin 8. All the fan favourites are there, and it's a great place to rock up with a group and order it all. Space Jaru Website jaru.ie/spacejaru Address 67-68 Meath Street, Saint Catherine's, Dublin 8, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Jaru started off at markets around Dublin, serving bulgogi, tteokbokki and Korean-fried chicken to an ever-growing fanbase. Their 'Jaru Mart' in Nutgrove developed from there, a Korean grocery and meal delivery service, but in 2023 they finally achieved their original aim of opening a permanent Jaru restaurant, in the Liberties in Dublin 8. All the fan favourites are there, and it's a great place to rock up with a group and order it all. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Ku Raudo Website @kuraudosushidublin Address 185 Townsend Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Reggie's Pizzeria Perfect pizza at a neighbourhood joint you'll want to come back to again and again Posted: 18 Feb 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Reggie’s Pizzeria? We’ve been a long time waiting to see what Reggie White would do next. The Ballymaloe-schooled and LA-seasoned Dubliner’s fingerprints are all over the city’s pizza scene – very literally in some cases. Since kicking off a new era with the opening of Pi all the way back in 2018 (he’s no longer involved), he's put in a stint at the oven of Little Forest , and run a consultancy that advised Bambino among others. Now, he’s installed himself in the Rathmines space where Sprezzatura held sway until late last year, striving to carve out a family-friendly neighbourhood niche that people can swing by time and again. Where should we sit? Chalk the refitted high-ceilinged space in this beautiful building down as one of the city’s most welcoming rooms. On walking through the corner door of the dual-frontage façade you’ll have your eye guided past the spacious layout of tables straight to the three-tier electric pizza oven at the back. We’re big fans of this setup, courtesy of the same team who brought us the interiors of A Fianco and Note among others, and have again achieved a just-right balance of buzzy and roomy, with a still-too-rare focus on acoustics - for all the fast service to come, this feels like a place to linger. We’d expected our V-Day weekend visit to be thronged with doe-eyed duos but, true to intent, the place was packed with a plethora of groups, from younger families (it’s a while since we saw so many buggies comfortably accommodated) to Galentine gatherings – it makes for a great mixed energy. Two-tops along the window-lit right wall make for a great perch to take it all in, while the two booths at the back are more fit for intimate evenings for four. Out on the floor, a host of three to five-seaters will put you in the heart of the action. A big group can expect to get the grand eight-seater inside to the left – it’s easy to imagine a multi-generational family outing having a helluva time here. But the seats we’re determined to snag on our next visit are at the counter, with an eagle-eyed view of the oven and the hands that feed it. The entirety of the adjoining space that was briefly Flaneur, and before that Spatched, has been knocked through and given over to the pizza process, with piled-high bags of flour in the window another great example of how to sell the story of a food business to passers-by, and lure in more of a crowd. What’s on the menu? A lot more than pizza. We’ll get to the main event, but the most important thing to take away here – apart from extra pizza in a box – is that the starters have been given every bit as much thought as the dough and toppings. Olives (€4.95) are the earliest evidence of a provenance-first philosophy at play - these are the good ‘uns, a briny blast of an amuse bouche with the gentlest citrus kick. We’re predicting Instagram action aplenty for the gold-crusted goodness of the mozzarella sticks (€7.50) and arancini (€8.50) – unlike too many other outlets where these oft-filler foods show up, it isn’t all show. There’s a spectacular see-how-far-it-stretches stringiness to the mozzarella, just itching to burst out from its crisp coating. The sharpness of a light parmesan dusting takes the edge off a rich mouthful, though the spicy marinara’s aim to do the same would work better with just a little more heat. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_f4b3a0758aec46aaa9cc7f673c4d516c/720p/mp4/file.mp4 Parmesan custard is a combination of words we’re always happy to hear, all the more so when it’s as lush and velvety as here. As a base for these oozing cacio e pepe-filled risotto balls it’s almost daringly OTT, the kind of out-the-gate indulgence that might see you off before you’ve even started. As a sharing plate though it’s perfect pacing, the deceptively airy texture an umami-rich accent to the faultlessly seasoned arancini. Go all in. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_b814e3a39c244689a53fcacc3f1f7397/720p/mp4/file.mp4 White has lamented the lack of a free-range chicken wing supplier at scale, and if there’s a starter we’d skip it’s probably these (€11.50), much as the sizeable portions may tempt. The house honey and nduja is a sticky, spicy-sweet sauce of the finger-licking variety (classic is also available), but we didn’t find enough flavour of the brined meat to make it worth the stomach space another pizza might have taken up instead – practical to the core we are. Outside of the inimitable polpette alla nduja at Grano and A Fianco that keep us coming back time and again, we don’t ever expect to get excited about meatballs, but between Hera and here, they may be having a mini-moment in Dublin. Good cheese is the common thread - Reggie’s in-house ricotta keeps the pork and beef balls (€9.50) gloriously juicy throughout, ideal for soft spreading across the sourdough focaccia and lapping up every last trace of lightly-spiced tomato. Alright, let’s have it - what about the pizza? Tastes are too subjective across the Neapolitan, New York, Detroit and Roman styles (now blissfully available across Dublin) for us to definitively declare any the best, but we can comfortably say Reggie’s sits at the top table. Few pizza chefs in the city have spent as much time and effort on their recipes as White, and a 48-hour proofed sourdough base made with a mix of Wildfarmed flours from the UK is the result. If your lockdown-era experiments with home pizza have you wondering why anyone would ever pay for one out, here’s where to come for some clarity. This is divine dough, complex and full-flavoured, with structure and strength that holds up through every last, leopard-spotted bite. We’ve so far made our way through five of the nine options (we''ll be back to finish the lot off), and we’ve yet to encounter a bum note. The classics are always the best place to start, a real test of true skill, and Reggie’s has got it in spades. The margherita (€14.95) drips EVOO and gloriously gooey fior di latte, complementing the sharpness and sweetness of top-tier tomato. That’s to the fore too in the pepperoni (€16.50), balancing out the heat of Ventrecina salami and pickled chillies, both of which are textbook specimens. Sausage, stracciatella, and chilli (€17.00) isn’t a mile wide of the pepperoni’s palate, but a good example of how a little variation goes a long way. The succulence of the Andarl Farm pork gives a softer, sweeter bite than the crisped-edged salami, and so stands up stronger to the added intensity of Calabrian chilli – those who like their heat should go straight for this. We’d have welcomed a little more kick in the leek and Cashel blue (€16.00) - the whey-braised greens have a superb, honey-supplemented sweetness that could have used a little added sprinkle of those chilli flakes - the hot honey dip works well here. Hen of the woods and chicken fat (€18.50) is the most eye-catching among the pizza options – it's no shock given the premium for good fungi that it’s the most expensive too. The fat-brushed crust makes for an inspired elevation of umami shrooms, though we wondered if another cheese might have worked better - for all its nuttiness, Fontina felt a little lost alongside these other ingredients. Confit garlic rides to the rescue with an assertive punch you’ll keep tasting all night. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/416aaa_3d8999d70aca422ebd53823b46393cf4/720p/mp4/file.mp4 Desserts, like starters, give a clear sense that nothing is here for the sake of it. The old-fashioned ice cream sundae (€7.00) is a creamy, crunchy glass of delight, with pecan and chocolate crumb playing off melt-in-the-mouth scoops from Boulabán Farm. White’s set his sights on making his own in time, but if it stays just like this you won't hear complaints. Milk chocolate custard (€8.00) – we make it more of a mousse – is better again, with a heavier heaping of that chocolate crumb joining forces with flaky sea salt for a textural treat atop super-soft chocolate. A good stir is recommended for those not used to olive oil with their dessert, but an unexpectedly loaded spoonful did tell us they’re using the best stuff. What are the drinks like? The wine menu has good variety and better prices, with six of eight BTG coming in on or under the €9 mark, on an organic and biodynamic-heavy list – keenly competitive with Kodiak across the way and The Dunmore down the road. Entry-level bottles rank among the mid-€30s with blowout options in the main around the €60 mark. The light-bodied acidity of the Anselmo Mendes Alvarinho came in handy for all the starters’ and pizzas’ cheese, while Sainte Croixe rosé stood up well to the meatballs. How was the service? Couldn’t have been better. Tables were turning over quick with the weekend that was in it, and despite a hard finish on our booking time we never felt rushed. Staff have clearly all eaten their way through the menu and are happy to tweak their tips to your tastes. For all the speed they sling pizzas out with, the entire vibe feels very relaxed. And the damage? Budget €40 a head for a very filling dinner and drink, or stick to just a pizza each and shared sundae with change from a twenty. Whatever the mood, Reggie’s represents about as good value for pizza as it gets in this city given the calibre of the ingredients and the care in their cooking. What’s the verdict on Reggie’s Pizzeria? Even in just the two months since our ATF Insiders got the first bites at Reggie’s December soft launch (great perk right – sign up here ) we can see a clear upward trajectory for White and co, and that’s from no low base. This is casual, come-time-and-again dining at its best. Simple food, superb flavour, served free of fuss. As it keeps finding its feet and flavours, we expect this neighbourhood joint to have no trouble bedding in as the community hub it’s aiming to be, somewhere to make all ages, wallets and tastes very happy that they left the house for pizza. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Floritz All the style, with the substance to back it up Posted: 24 Jun 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Floritz? It's the floral wallpaper-filled, velvet booth-lined, Asian influenced, all the notions new restaurant, in the building that used to be Cliff Townhouse, but is now home to newly opened boutique hotel Townhouse on the Green . The new landlords also own The Fitzwilliam Hotel across the Green, and The Bailey around the corner, and the basement level wine bar Cellar 22 opened last November, in the space where seafood wine bar Urchin used to be (read our review of that here ). The head chef at Floritz, Matt Fuller, was most recently at Suesey Street , but he's probably best known for his Spanish restaurant Boqueria , which gained a name in Stoneybatter, moved to a bigger location in Howth, then closed the year after. He also has a relationship with The Fitzwilliam Hotel owners that goes way back - in another lifetime he was head chef at Citron, the hotel's restaurant before Glover's Alley . Check out this absolute stunner of a blast from the past. Floritz's website describes it as " an invitation to travel far, far away without leaving this dramatic dining-room", and there's a whole narrative about how the man who build this house was an adventurer who travelled to India and the Far East to seek his fortune, and how you could stick him in here now with a lamb bao and he'd be right at home. They call it "a room to see, and be seen in" , so we had to go and see didn't we. Where should we sit? It's all very glam, very comfortable, and very brightly coloured. The money seats are the ones inside the windows at the front, over-looking St Stephen's Green, with all that lovely natural light streaming onto mulberry-coloured velvet banquettes. There's an argument for the more private booths in the centre across from the bar, if you're having an intimate kind of night, and want to feel like you're in your own personal space. There's a third section up some steps at the back which looks like the ideal place for bigger groups, or even a semi-private dining space. What's on the menu? They describe the food as having "global influences", but really it's Asia. The menu is very long , with sections for "crudo", "kitori grill", "sushi", "bowls", "tempura", and a full homage to Irish Wagyu steak, with sirloins and rib-eyes priced at €50 per 100g (€100-€200 per steak). While the length of the menu, with its ever more compelling-sounding dishes, might make choosing a drawn-out affair, it does mean that everyone coming in will be catered for, and there's countless reasons to come back. Enjoy your warm hand towel while you debate. There are 10 "kitori grill" skewers, priced from €6.50 for Globe Artichoke to €15.50 for compressed halibut. The Dublin Bay Prawns with a majada crumb felt like robbery when it arrived with two prawns for €13.50, but one bite into the sweet, smoky seafood with its paprika crumb, dipped in a milky, umami-filled whey dipping sauce, and we couldn't have cared less about the price tag. Another of aged beef rump with truffle tare (€9.50) comes with a "black pepper crème brûlée" that we were fully expecting to take the piss out of - instead we just keep trying to scoop up more of that creamy, peppery sauce with that sweet, tender meat. It's more of a rich aioli, and nothing like the crunchy sugar-topped dessert - but again, we don't care. On the crudo section there are six choices for raw fish dressed in various combinations of salt, fat and acid, right up to an o-toro (belly) tuna tartare with Oscietra caviar for €69. Our pockets aren't that deep so it was yellowtail with jalapeño (€18 for five pieces), and zero regrets - there was lip-smacking, spoon scooping and minute cutting to make it last a little bit longer. That balance - bang on. Then to sushi, with nigiri, hosomaki and sashimi. It's all ambitiously priced, with Nigiri €10 - €18 for two pieces, and the option of a 9-piece sashimi selection for €70. We slummed it with a couple of pieces of tuna chūtoro nigiri for €14 (a medium fatty cutty from the belly), and while we've never paid this much for nigiri in Dublin before, we've also never had tuna of this quality here before. 10/10 would hand over that cash again. We skipped the bowls and soup fearing we wouldn't be able for much else, and went to the bao for duck with leek, koji and hash brown (€18 for two). While again there's poetic licence on the loose (it's more potato straw than hash brown), this is a juicy, meat feast, enclosed in homemade bao buns - we hear the lamb is also excellent. From the chef's specials, the miso roast black cod with preserved red onion was incorrectly priced on the menu, and once we found out it was €25 and not €43, it became more appealing. Black cod (sablefish) is no relation to cod, with flesh that's fatty and velvety, as opposed to firm, lean, white and flaky. When our waiter brought the dish he advised us not to eat the skin - this is bad advice, it might be the best bit. The portion size and lack of anything resembling a side hurt for the price, but yet again, once we had that buttery flesh, miso flavoured skin, and tangy pickled onions on a one way trip into our mouths, price ceased to be an issue. From the tempura section we wanted all the food , (sweetcorn fritters, tempura oysters, turbot, courgette flowers - how much temptation can one person take!?), but settled on pickled onion rings with sumo miso mayonnaise, because - pickled onion rings. While we were expecting a chunkier version, that would probably be a bit uncouth in the setting - the slinky slivers of perfectly vinegared and impeccably drained deep-fried onions were only made better by a dunk in that miso mayo. The perfect snack with a glass of white wine. There's no ice-cream filler desserts on the menu here either. The five options have had as much time and thought put into them as everything else, and a white chocolate mille-feuille with yuzu, mandarin and ginger sorbet and calamansi vinaigrette was precise in every element - LOOK at those pastry layers. Now imagine all of those citrus flavours dancing around it. The only slight misfire of the meal was a cherry blossom baba, soaked in Haku vodka with black sesame ice-cream. There's a reason a baba is usually soaked in rum - because it has flavour - and everything here was very muted in comparison to what had come before, but we can see a certain caviar eating, vodka-drinking set enjoying it. What about drinks? Cocktails are separated by the glass they come in (short on the rocks/coupe/nick and nora/copper mug) which is a clever way of categorising, and both the Ichigo-go-go with whiskey; Campari infused with star anise; and Ume plum liqueur, and the Yuzu Do You with gin, amaro and yuzu liqueur, tasted like they'd been made by someone who was not partaking in their first rodeo. We found the wine list more lacking, with an uninspiring by the glass list and a house Champagne that should be better for €18 a glass. If you're drinking by the glass we'd recommend the Greco di Tufo for white, and the Torre Mora Etna Rosso or the Barbera from Pio Cesare for red. There's not a lot else to get excited about. How was the service? At first overwhelming, with what felt like an endless stream of visitors to our table asking questions, asking whether we had questions, if we'd looked at our menus (we hadn't), if we'd like a wet hand towel (we would). Once they chilled out a bit the service was exact, with every question we had about the many unusual ingredients on the menu answered without hesitation. Tastes of wine were brought when we couldn't decide, offers to change a clearly underwhelming glass, dishes brought at a perfect pace - there's been a weighty amount of staff training in here, and good hiring too. What was the damage? We paid €228 for two before tip. We initially thought we'd over-ordered and wouldn't be able to finish everything, but in reality some of the portions are so small that we could have ordered more. Despite the price/portion size ratio, we left bursting to return and try more. What's the verdict on Floritz? It would have been so easy to get the interior designers in, plaster flowers all over the wall, cover everything in gold and serve a menu of soulness, love-free food that the glitterati will come for anyway - it's literally happening around the corner . But that's not the story at Floritz. They've shown up with the full package, and the closest comparison we can make is to somewhere like Hakkasan in London - all the style, and all of the substance to back it up. Calling this "a room to be seen in" is doing it a disservice. This is a room to eat in. Just spend a bit of time studying that tome of a menu before you get there. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Clanbrassil House A new kitchen team, bistro vibes and people-watching in D8 Posted: 26 Oct 2021 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Clanbrassil House was opened in 2017 by Bastible owners Barry and Clare-Marie Fitzgerald, as a more laid back, neighborhood spot for small plates and wine. It rose up the Dublin restaurant charts rapidly with Gráinne O'Keefe (now head chef/owner of Mae in Ballsbridge) cooking with fire in the kitchen and earning a Michelin Bib Gourmand , and dishes like their hot smoked trout, rib-eye steaks and infamous hash brown fries were soon appearing on every social media feed you own. Covid upended most restaurants in the city (and the rest), and when O'Keefe announced in May she was going solo with her own restaurant, we weren't sure what was going to happen with Clanbrassil House - would be business as usual or time for a switch up? We started to see glimpses of the new incarnation in July, and whilst initially subtle, there was obviously a more grown up feel starting to emerge from their feeds (and all traces of the old CH have been wiped from their Instagram page ). Soon after it was announced that the new head chef was James Dobson (formerly sous chef at Potager in Skerries, a restaurant we have a whole lot of love for ), and that he'd been joined by David Bradshaw, a chef we've been watching closely since he returned from Lyle's in London during the pandemic - a restaurant we're borderline obsessed with. It sounded like the new Clanbrassil House was in very good hands, so we went to check it out. Where should we sit? The major change in the dining room has been the move from high tables to low, and with the sage walls, exposed brick, wooden floors and barely audible music, there's a neighbourhood Parisian bistro feel about it all. It brought back memories of the much worshipped Le Baratin - right down to the chalkboard menus on the wall. If there are two of you, beg, borrow and steal to get the window seats, which is some of the best people-watching real estate in town. We felt a warm glow at hearing a newborn baby cry in the back - what a great place for exhausted parents in need of a treat to hide out and get a bit of headspace. What's the food like? It's a straightforward affair of snacks, starters, mains and desserts, with two courses for €38 and three for €48. There's also a six course option for €65 which is their choice so unfortunately you can't pick what you want, but might be good if you're feeling indecisive. Of course we ordered all the snacks (always on brand), and a Connemara oyster with smoked poblano pepper, tomatillo and prawn shell oil was fresh, full of flavour and beautifully presented. In the most exciting dough-based news since Scéal started Pastry Bae Thursdays , Bastible's fermented potato bread with cultured butter is now available at its sister restaurant. Genius move, genius bread. Don't leave without having ordered it or we'll be really mad at you. You may not have come across salsify before (a delicate-tasting white root vegetable that's part of the dandelion family), so it was a welcome sight to see it here in a light, crispy tempura batter with a zippy burnt lemon and chilli dip. This was such an elegant, different opener to a meal, and it's made us wish more chefs were using it (although this example was particularly good). Our first starter was a delicate, fragrant broth with roasted onion tortellini, girolles and tarragon. Less of a flavour slap in the face, more one of those dishes that develops and gets better with every bite. Grown up, restrained but a beauty of a dish, and felt very apt for an Autumnal night looking out at hat and scarf clad pedestrians on Clanbrassil Street. Our other starter of carrots, hazelnuts, house curd and bitter leaves was another beautiful looking dish, but tasted like it was lacking something, and overall felt a bit flat on flavour. More creaminess in the curd and a smack of acid (not that kind) probably would transformed it. A main of BBQ organic pointed cabbage with black garlic, lovage and potato crisp was probably the dish of the night, and would make us sidestep meat every single time. How anyone gets this much flavour into a plate of vegetables and vegetables alone is something that evades us in our own kitchens. The cabbage was swimming in a litany of sauces and swirls, each spoon tasting better than the last, and the crisps ended every bite with a satisfying crunch. Our other main of Salter's pork belly with barley, Hokkaido pumpkin and Szechuan pepper was another slow burner. At the start we were slightly underwhelmed, but as it went on the subtle flavours seemed to open up and become more identifiable, with the barley giving a lovely chew, a deeply flavoured jus underneath, and just the merest hint of Szechuan pepper. A very grown up, sophisticated dish, but the cabbage won for memorability. We're having a bit of a love affair with potatoes recently. The once boring, stomach filler sides seem to be becoming more interesting by the week, and the herby, buttery ones that arrived here were no different. It took all of our efforts to not finish the bowl so that we'd have room for dessert. We'd seen their new dessert of baked cream with fennel and wild blackberries on Instagram and immediately thought of Lyle's in London, so no surprise to find out this was David Bradshaw's creation, and he even foraged the blackberries himself - this is the kind of commitment we reserve internal claps for. It's made with egg whites only so is airy and light, the blackberries have the flavour that you only get from the wild ones (and will probably trigger memories of Granny's jam, Mum's crumbles etc.), and it's topped with a blackberry granita and fennel pollen. We adored it, and it's hard to think of a more perfect Autumn dessert, and a more perfect way to end a meal here. What about the drinks? The wine list here is right up our street, and for the first time in a long time we would have happily drank any bottle from the list. Prices are punchy though, with the cheapest bottle €38 (the lovely but simple Cantine Rallo Ciello Rosso), and margins are generally high. We drank the Fumey Chatelain Arbois Chardonnay (€50) which worked well with all of the dishes, but didn't have as much of the Jura character as we were hoping for. And the service? Very calm and collected, almost like they were performing a ballet. It would be difficult to imagine anyone front or back of house losing their cool in here, it looked like a very well-oiled ship (plus it would echo across the relatively quiet dining room). The head chef also brought a few dishes to the table, which we love because we get to fire a million questions at them about the dish in their hand. And the damage? Around €90 a head for three snacks, two starters, two mains, one dessert, a bottle of wine and two dessert wines. You could eat and drink here for cheaper, but we had a civic duty to take it for a proper spin. The verdict? There's a new Clanbrassil House in town. The lively, fire-filled restaurant has turned into a more grown up, bistro-style affair, with evident talent in the kitchen. Things feel a tiny cautious, albeit with flashes of originality, but often it's softly-softly when it comes to changing up a well-loved concept, and we're extremely interested to see how this one develops over the next few months. They've got the team, the room and judging by the amount of weekend tables already booked up between now and the end of 2021 they've got the clientele, so if you want in here for a pre-Christmas date/friend reunion/work night out, you need to get on it soon. Consider yourself warned. Clanbrassil House 6 Clanbrassil Street Upper, Dublin 8 www.clanbrassilhouse.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Square Dish Website squaredish.com Address Squaredish, Saint Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Hand-pulled noodles and homemade dumplings draw the crowds to Lee's on Parnell Street, where dishes come from various regions in China including Sichuan & Chongqing. It's a big hospitality favourite so expect to find it packed on Sunday and Monday with chefs, restaurant managers and FOH on their days off. Lee's Charming Noodles Website @leescharmingnoodles Address 105 Parnell Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Hand-pulled noodles and homemade dumplings draw the crowds to Lee's on Parnell Street, where dishes come from various regions in China including Sichuan & Chongqing. It's a big hospitality favourite so expect to find it packed on Sunday and Monday with chefs, restaurant managers and FOH on their days off. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Walk east from the capital's famous shopping street for private dining rooms, quality steak and sensational salads. Grafton Street - Kildare Street Our Take Walk east from the capital's famous shopping street for private dining rooms, quality steak and sensational salads. Where to Eat Amai by Viktor Aperitivo Comet Dolce Sicily Dunne and Crescenzi Featherblade Gloria Osteria Library Street One Pico The Pig's Ear Tiller And Grain

Reggie White kept us a long time waiting for his eponymous restaurant Reggie's, but as predicted it's been worth waiting for. After debuting his recipes at Pi in 2019 he became the unofficial Dublin pizza King, and after manning a few other stoves and helping countless pizza restaurants with consultancy, Reggie's is the culmination of all that talent in a place that's already packed with regulars. Reggie's Pizzeria Website reggies.ie Address Reggie's Pizzeria, Rathmines Road Lower, Rathmines, Dublin 6, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Reggie White kept us a long time waiting for his eponymous restaurant Reggie's, but as predicted it's been worth waiting for. After debuting his recipes at Pi in 2019 he became the unofficial Dublin pizza King, and after manning a few other stoves and helping countless pizza restaurants with consultancy, Reggie's is the culmination of all that talent in a place that's already packed with regulars. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Sleek St Stephen’s Green wine bar with ex-Delahunt head chef, Chris Maguire, in charge of food. Their homemade charcuterie is one of the main draws, but there’s plenty of tartare, Southern-fried mushrooms and homepage pasta small plates too. A sizeable wine list ranging from commercial to natural, and the cosy basement room is ideal for hiding away from the world outside. Book the seats facing into the kitchen to watch the chefs prepare your dinner. Cellar 22 Website cellar22.ie Address Saint Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Sleek St Stephen’s Green wine bar with ex-Delahunt head chef, Chris Maguire, in charge of food. Their homemade charcuterie is one of the main draws, but there’s plenty of tartare, Southern-fried mushrooms and homepage pasta small plates too. A sizeable wine list ranging from commercial to natural, and the cosy basement room is ideal for hiding away from the world outside. Book the seats facing into the kitchen to watch the chefs prepare your dinner. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

September Seaside sharing plates show big ambition at this natural wine café in Blackrock Posted: 9 Jul 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about September? Now finally taking bookings after opening on a walk-in only basis back in April, September quickly slid into the space previously occupied for 14 years by Blackrock institution The Wooden Spoon café. A sit-down spin-off sister venture to Ballsbridge coffee truck Leroy’s – which just this week announced its closure – it’s a café-by-day, natural-wine-bar-by-night space, whose wide-reaching sea views and candlelit distressed interiors caught our eye as much as their impeccably pretty plating. Where should we sit? It's a space to savour. Arrive as the evening breaks over Dublin Bay and the fading light hitting September’s carefully-curated vintage furniture feels more Riviera than ‘rock. A large communal table anchors the room with a smaller trio set against the seafront window. We’re guessing the delay in rolling out a pre-book option was down to figuring out how to divvy up the seating. If you nab a place – you'll need to be quick – you’re almost certainly sharing a table. While the seating works well with the warm decor for casual intimacy from the go, the forced proximity and lack of soft furnishings mean that the space can get pretty loud – expect to be inching your chair forward and turning your ear towards your dinner companion when it's at its buzziest. A few stools along the bar are kept free for walk-ins, while the smaller tables on the little outside terrace are the ideal spot for a summer evening sip. What’s on the menu? There’s fierce competition on the Gilda index these days, and September comes in on par with best-in-class Row Wines and Yves at two for €5, even if the menu confusingly prices them solo at €3.50 a pop. They tick all the boxes with a mouth-puckering pop of pickled pepper, olive and anchovy - an essential intro over a first glass. The fennel salami with sour-sweet cornichons serves the same function - big flavours for appetite-whetting as the bigger plates are prepped. Corndale Farm have won a rake of prizes for this one and you won’t be left wondering why - the sharp seasoning and light, air-dried texture make for a snack you won't tired of, and some of the best Irish-made charcuterie on the market. Whether it’s the contrast with that peak pork produce that made the ham hock arancini pale a little in comparison, or just their oversaturation on the city’s menus we’re not sure - these staple Sicilian snacks are (sadly not literally) a dime a dozen in Dublin these days so it takes a lot to stand out from the increasingly packed crowd. For all the crisp crunch of the fried breadcrumb exterior and flavour kick of the smoked paprika aioli, there’s nothing here to pull ahead of the competition. This kitchen crew is well capable of leaving others in the dust though, and shows it off with a pair of small plates. The burrata and peach belongs on our list of the city’s best summer dishes , a rich symphony of creamy cheese and subdued sweet fruit flavours teased out by well-deployed dollops and drizzles of chilli jam and basil oil. Those same stronger notes tie together mackerel and pickled fennel in a sea of creamy ajo blanco. If those gildas suggest a San Sebastian influence, this dish makes it clear with a superb quality riff on a classic dish at Arzak – those without the budget for a flight to a three-star table will find a Dart ticket a steal in comparison for these bright bursts of flavour. Pasta plates are stauncher stuff, if a little less exciting. There clear craft in the home-rolled tortellini stuffed with ricotta, nestled in squash purée and bathed in sage butter, with plenty of well-balanced flavour, it does feel odd to enjoy such an autumnal combo over the smell of a summer sea breeze. Gnocchi studded through an nduja sauce pass the texture test, adding body and working with fast-dissolving dollops of stracciatella to moderate the sharp spice. Like the tortellini (indeed like almost everything that came before it), this is a showcase in confident cooking, putting quality produce to the fore without pretence or excess. We’ll blame the ease we took things in that we were too late to try any dessert, though a quick word of warning in our ear before the kitchen closed up wouldn’t have gone astray. The tiramisu looked terrific. What are the drinks like? The wine list, big on natural and organic producers has some really excellent choices, though those less thirsty might find the one-of-each-kind BTG options very lacking. Go in with a plan to share by the bottle and you’ll have your pick of producers like Claus Preisinger and Christian Tschida, with very well-invested staff on hand to help you pick. We struck a balance with the Koppitsch Rozsa rosé and found its light, versatile cherry and cranberry notes a great match for a range of flavours. How was the service? The lovely casual vibe of September is all down to the staff, wide smiles and quick check-ins putting everyone at immediate ease. In helping spec out and whittle down the menu options they are superb, offering to tee up the flow of food however you’d like. We weren’t remotely hurried as we neared the end of our allotted two hours, though it was the last seating so don’t bank on the same treatment if you’re in first thing. And the damage? All that and two small bottles of water – why they didn’t have bigger sharing sizes we can’t fathom – came to €150. If you skipped the pasta and stuck to one glass you could have a lovely light supper for a very solid €40. On a blow-out occasion you could pop a fancier bottle and not miss out on dessert for about €120 a head. What’s the verdict on September? There’s a touch of the previous tenant’s community café vibe to September, which does a good daytime business slinging coffee and Leroy’s-style sandwiches to passing commuter trade and locals alike. Its evening incarnation preserves that neighbourhood air while serving a menu worth travelling for. It has the few small hiccups and holdbacks any restaurant still finding its feet generally will, but we saw in that Arzak-esque mackerel dish a small glimpse of the future. There's huge ambition and ability in this little kitchen, and with time and more of the innovation and originality it allows for, we might come to have something very special here. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Full Moon Thai Same same? Nope. Different? Definitely. Posted: 4 Aug 2021 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Full Moon Thai appeared with very little trumpet blowing at the end of July 2020, promising "authentic Thai street food and classic Thai favourites". We tend to take promises like this with a pinch of salt, especially when they come from the vicinity of Temple Bar, but over the next few months we started to get messages talking about how "legit" it was, and how it was "the best Thai food in Dublin". Big claims. Like a lot of places in the city they've had a rocky year, and during lockdowns predominantly stuck to takeaway, but now that they're back open fully with indoor and limited outdoor dining, we thought now was a good time to see what it's all about - this picture on Instagram may also have increased the urgency of our visit. Full Moon Thai is owned by chef Ju McCarthy (from Isaan in North Eastern Thailand) and her husband Derek. She's been in Ireland for almost 20 years and previously cooked in Camile and Pink Elephant in Swords, before the couple decided it was time to walk their own path. Ju's other chefs are also from Isaan, famous for hot and soup sour, som tum thai (green papaya salad) and laab (minced pork salad) amongst others, and there's an effortless assurance about the place that seems to say "we're not diluting anything for you Westerners - buckle up". At the same time their tagline of "same, same but different" suggests they're not taking themselves too seriously either - it's just food. Where should we sit? They only have two tables outside and don't take booings for them in advance because they're not fully sheltered, but you can call on the day to reserve one if it's looking dry. Otherwise if you're fully vaccinated you can head inside for either a window seat, a high table near the bar or some of the booth seating in the back. They have wood and perspex dividers separating each table, the ceilings are high, and when we were there the front door was open so it felt decently ventilated. They also do takeaway. What's the food like? The menu is fairly extensive and choosing is going to be your biggest problem - we recommend trying to round up the maximum six bodies so you can try more. Centre stage are the papaya salads (seven different types), wok dishes, and whole sea bass dishes, but you'll also find the curries you know and love, pad thai, spring rolls, and of course tom yum soup. After reading previous diners' reviews we were enticed by the crispy curried rice balls (a Laos street food snack) with a lip-smacking tamarind dipping sauce. It's the first time we've come across them here and hopefully not the last. As a measure up against the dishes we have had, we ordered a portion of Thai fish cakes which were beautifully fragrant with lemongrass, chillies and herbs, and came with an above average sweet chilli dipping sauce topped with peanuts and cucumber. We struggled to choose one of the seven papaya salads (Sophie's Choice), but with our server's help eventually decided on the 'Tam Thai' with tamarind juice, tomato and crushed peanuts. It was sweet, sour, spicy and difficult to stop eating. If you want to up the stakes you could go for the 'Tam Plu Pla Raa' with fermented fish and softshell crab. We didn't order the 'Laab Moo', a spicy minced pork salad, and have regretted it every minute since, so maybe don't make the same mistake. Next was a plate of prawn Pad Thai, another dish we felt we could use as a yardstick to measure Full Moon against. It was smoky and nicely sour with a generous amount of prawns and a good kick of chilli, along with additional chilli flakes on the side - they like 'em hot in here. It wasn't a dish we'd necessarily be running back for, there are more interesting, unusual things to try, but judging by their online reviews we might be alone on that one. Next was the dish that unashamedly lured us to the door of 8 Parliament Street that day - deep fried sea bass with a spicy herb salad, or 'Pla Kapong Luy Suan' (fish in the garden). It came out looking like the centrepiece of a Thai banquet, and we almost didn't want to touch it and ruin the effect. This one needs a warning, as its spice levels are at 'tears running down face/stick my mouth under a cold tap' levels, but if you can take it and have plenty of water on hand, you'll be transported to a remote Thai island, sand under your feet, watching someone from a neighbouring restaurant cut a coconut from a tree for someone's curry - no? Just us? This is a dish that takes everything fizzingly delicious about Thai flavours and herbs and smacks you around the head with them - just go slowly, lots of rice, and don't forget to peel all the crispy bits of fish off the spine and head. From the wok dishes we went for the beef 'Pad Kra Pao' - a spicy Thai basil stir-fry. The spicy, liquoricey herb isn't easy for the average home cook to find in Dublin so we love seeing it when we're out, and this dish was a case of few ingredients fused to perfection. The meat was tender, the vegetables crunchy, and the flavour - there was a lot of flavour. Rice comes in a big jasmine bowl and there was plenty of it. You might be tempted to side-step dessert seeing items like 'chocolate fudge cake' and 'berry cheesecake', but there's only one you should have eyes for - the mango and sticky rice. We've had this dish before, we've never had a version this good. Sweet, warm, sticky rice; cool, achingly ripe mango slices; a creamy coconut sauce. You know when you're totally stuffed but you can't stop lifting the spoon to your mouth? That. What about the drinks? The wine list is predictably banal, but we did spot Kung Fu Girl Riesling, which is as good as it gets with this type of food. There's a couple of commercial Thai beers and a couple of Irish ones, and Thai iced teas as well as soft drinks. It would be nice to see a similar amount of effort put into the drinks as is obviously going into the food. How was the service? Lovely - very accommodating to our needs and happy to make recommendations, but obviously thought we wouldn't be able for the spice and/or fermented fish levels of some of the dishes and tried to veer us towards others. It might be worth saying up front if you want the real Thai deal - unless you're spice averse, and they'll be happy to point you away from the dishes potentially requiring a fire extinguisher for your mouth. And the damage? We had enough food for three with copious amounts of leftovers for lunch the next day, as well as one beer, and the bill came to €99. We could have ordered less - but where's the fun in that. The verdict? We always think the mark of a really good restaurant is when we want to go back immediately, and we already have meal number two mapped out here. We'll be righting the wrong of not ordering that laab moo, trying the mixed seafood salad with glass noodles (a recommendation from our server that we just couldn't squeeze in), and ordering a different whole deep-fried sea bass for comparison (probably in hot and sour soup). Full Moon Thai is one of the most interesting, credible Asian restaurants that's opened here in a long time. "Different"? - yes. "Same same"? Not in our book. Full Moon Thai 8 Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 fullmoon.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Another café-turns-evening wine bar from the team at Dublin 8's Two Pups, with a menu of spirited small plates that triumph on seasonality, colour and flavour. Irish produce is used to full affect with their treatment of vegetables a highlight, and the short but effective menu could be mostly covered between two. A colourful natural wine list, smiley staff and outdoor tables complete the perfect wine bar circle. Notions @ Two Pups Website instagram/twopupsgetsnotions Address Notions, Francis Street, The Liberties, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Another café-turns-evening wine bar from the team at Dublin 8's Two Pups, with a menu of spirited small plates that triumph on seasonality, colour and flavour. Irish produce is used to full affect with their treatment of vegetables a highlight, and the short but effective menu could be mostly covered between two. A colourful natural wine list, smiley staff and outdoor tables complete the perfect wine bar circle. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Souvlaki shop Yeeros branched out from the Northside in early 2023 with a second location in Dublin 2, serving the gyros, stuffed pittas and Greek snack food they grew their fan base on. Ordering can be done by screen or by human, and the menu is extensive, covering every possible base. Corn pittas are available for gluten-free diners, and make sure you don’t leave without an order of loukoumades - warm, freshly-fried doughnuts drizzled in honey, cinnamon and walnuts. Yeeros Wexford Street Website yeeros.ie Address 32 Wexford Street, Portobello, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Souvlaki shop Yeeros branched out from the Northside in early 2023 with a second location in Dublin 2, serving the gyros, stuffed pittas and Greek snack food they grew their fan base on. Ordering can be done by screen or by human, and the menu is extensive, covering every possible base. Corn pittas are available for gluten-free diners, and make sure you don’t leave without an order of loukoumades - warm, freshly-fried doughnuts drizzled in honey, cinnamon and walnuts. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Chef Gaz Smith's only restaurant after closing his original Michael's, and the next door wine bar Little Mike's, to focus on this bigger Blackrock site. The freshest of fish caught off the coast each day, with daily specials that keep diners coming back again and again. Worth a detour. Big Mike's Website michaels.ie/big-mikes/ Address 57 Deerpark Road, Mount Merrion, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Chef Gaz Smith's only restaurant after closing his original Michael's, and the next door wine bar Little Mike's, to focus on this bigger Blackrock site. The freshest of fish caught off the coast each day, with daily specials that keep diners coming back again and again. Worth a detour. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Mad Egg are now up to five sites across Dublin, but have sadly dropped their commitment to free-range birds. They still tea brine them for 48 hours, dredge them in spiked buttmilk and cover them in their special seasoned coating before being fried. Good beer selection too. Their DIY desserts mean you might need a nap afterwards. Mad Egg Dundrum Website madegg.ie Address Unit G5 Pembroke District, Dundrum Town Centre, Dundrum, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Mad Egg are now up to five sites across Dublin, but have sadly dropped their commitment to free-range birds. They still tea brine them for 48 hours, dredge them in spiked buttmilk and cover them in their special seasoned coating before being fried. Good beer selection too. Their DIY desserts mean you might need a nap afterwards. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Handmade egg pasta, thin and crispy pizzas, generous portions and bags of flavour at this family-run Italian on Capel Street. Despite a few allowances being made for the Irish appetite (carbonara with cream, garlic bread etc.) Romano’s is bursting with charm and seriously tasty food, and the value for money is hard to beat. Ristorante Romano Website ristoranteromano.business.site Address 12 Capel Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Handmade egg pasta, thin and crispy pizzas, generous portions and bags of flavour at this family-run Italian on Capel Street. Despite a few allowances being made for the Irish appetite (carbonara with cream, garlic bread etc.) Romano’s is bursting with charm and seriously tasty food, and the value for money is hard to beat. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Breakfast and lunch are served Monday - Friday in this modern, paired back café near Connolly Station. Homemade cakes, huge sandwiches and daily lunch specials have local office workers queuing up. Laine My Love Website @lainemylove Address 38 Talbot Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Breakfast and lunch are served Monday - Friday in this modern, paired back café near Connolly Station. Homemade cakes, huge sandwiches and daily lunch specials have local office workers queuing up. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra