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 Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

Pancake-famous café Póg opened their fourth location on Malahide's main street, bringing avo toast, breakfast brioche buns and of course their extensive protein pancake menu to the seaside village. Póg Malahide Website ifancyapog.ie Address 1 Main Street, Malahide, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Pancake-famous café Póg opened their fourth location on Malahide's main street, bringing avo toast, breakfast brioche buns and of course their extensive protein pancake menu to the seaside village. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

Opened by owner Shona McCabe after years of working in restaurants across Australia and New Zealand, Kerb draws on several different cuisines. They originally focused on Middle Eastern food a modern twist - this is definitely not the greasy late night kebab that we all know and love, but the evening menu has more of a Mexican spin with tacos, totopos and tostadas. Plenty of options for both veggies and vegans, and a great place to stop for coffee. Kerb Website kerb.ie Address 1B Brighton Road, Foxrock, Dublin 18 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Opened by owner Shona McCabe after years of working in restaurants across Australia and New Zealand, Kerb draws on several different cuisines. They originally focused on Middle Eastern food a modern twist - this is definitely not the greasy late night kebab that we all know and love, but the evening menu has more of a Mexican spin with tacos, totopos and tostadas. Plenty of options for both veggies and vegans, and a great place to stop for coffee. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

Rathmines keeps moving on up with the opening of Lottie’s, in the space that was previously Lenehan’s, from Domini Kemp (ex-Itsa Cafés, The Commons at MoLI) and Brian Montague (The Winding Stair group). Bagging Mister S’s former head chef was a move showing clear intention to be part of the A grade of Dublin restaurants, yet the original menu manages to appeal to a wide range of diners, without compromising on quality or interest. Prices are very fair and the large space has plenty of areas for groups and gatherings. Lottie's Website lotties.ie Address 7-9, Rathgar Road, Rathmines, Dublin 6 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Rathmines keeps moving on up with the opening of Lottie’s, in the space that was previously Lenehan’s, from Domini Kemp (ex-Itsa Cafés, The Commons at MoLI) and Brian Montague (The Winding Stair group). Bagging Mister S’s former head chef was a move showing clear intention to be part of the A grade of Dublin restaurants, yet the original menu manages to appeal to a wide range of diners, without compromising on quality or interest. Prices are very fair and the large space has plenty of areas for groups and gatherings. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

Xi'an Street Food Website xianstreetfood.ie Address 21 Suffolk St, Dublin, D02 WA48, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

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 >>

Named after the famous government-run canteen in Delhi, Andhra Bhavan has been struggling to keep up with demand since bringing their dosas, idli and uttapams to Marlborough Street. The restaurant focuses on Southern Indian cuisine with no shortcuts, but the extensive menu occasionally dipping into other areas too. The tables are crammed together, the noise levels are high, and the flavours are next level. The value for money here is among the best in the city too. Andhra Bhavan Website andhrabhavan.ie Address Andhra Bhavan, Marlborough Place, North City, Dublin 1, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Named after the famous government-run canteen in Delhi, Andhra Bhavan has been struggling to keep up with demand since bringing their dosas, idli and uttapams to Marlborough Street. The restaurant focuses on Southern Indian cuisine with no shortcuts, but the extensive menu occasionally dipping into other areas too. The tables are crammed together, the noise levels are high, and the flavours are next level. The value for money here is among the best in the city too. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

Formerly Pala Pizza, and before that Bistro One, Brighton Road is now run by chef Alan Wang and wife Elaine. Wang worked in this kitchen for years before taking over and making it his own, but many menu staples have remained, like the roast crispy duck with stuffing and roasties. There's plenty of his own flair dotted through a menu designed not to put off the locals who've been coming for years, and the three-course Sunday lunch is a big deal around these parts. Brighton Road Website brightonroad.ie Address Brighton Road, Foxrock, Dublin 18, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Formerly Pala Pizza, and before that Bistro One, Brighton Road is now run by chef Alan Wang and wife Elaine. Wang worked in this kitchen for years before taking over and making it his own, but many menu staples have remained, like the roast crispy duck with stuffing and roasties. There's plenty of his own flair dotted through a menu designed not to put off the locals who've been coming for years, and the three-course Sunday lunch is a big deal around these parts. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

Boco Clontarf Is this the Northside's answer to Reggie's? Posted: 7 Apr 2026 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope Tell us about Boco in Clontarf? The original Boco opened on the corner of Bolton Street and Capel Street in 2017, and has always flown somewhat under the radar when it comes to the continuous conversation about Dublin's best places to eat. Despite a loyal band of customers shouting about them every chance they get (we see your DMS), and consistently sky high scores on review sites, they've never quite managed the same column inches as places like Bambino/Reggie's/Pi. In the mid-Covid world of 2020 they opened a pizza fire truck at the back of the beautiful Harry Byrne's pub in Clontarf, serving pizza to grateful locals who soon became Boco loyalists. When word got out that they were looking for a second location with a roof and walls to call home, those people were VERY excited. They secured the former Pigeon House site at the start of 2025, but it's been the longest, slowest wait for them to open the doors and fire the ovens, so when they finally announced that the day had come a few weeks ago, celebrations were heard up and down the Clontarf Road. Where's the best place to sit? There's a few distinct seating areas in here. Towards the back you've got high tables seating up to four, with prime views of the pizza ovens working overtime. The front section has nicely spaced out tables and was full of families, high chairs and buggies when we visited early evening. If you want more privacy/peace try to get a table around the corner in the alcove-type area - this section would be great for a group/party too. Then at the front you've got an expansive indoor/outdoor space with heaters and a retractable roof. Let us lay it down in print - these will be the most in demand, spritz-filled tables in Clontarf this summer. Boco, Clontarf What's on the menu? Small plates, salads, pizzas and dips are the gist, with a nice mix of deep-fried bits and healthier veggie add-ons like padron peppers and rocket salad. You can take the small plates as starters or sides, and staff happily fired ours first with the pizzas to follow after. We've been finding a LOT of A-grade focaccia in Dublin over the past year, and Boco's crunchy on the bottom, fluffy on the inside, lardo and leek draped masterpiece (€7) is up there with the best. To get that brittle bottom you need to use more oil than we'd dare to home, and the equally melted and crisped up lardo is the focaccia hack we'll be putting to use at home. Deep-fried onion strings with buffalo garlic mayo (€7) are worth an order too - tempura-crisp without being greasy, with the buffalo garlic sauce having the perfect amount of spice and tang. Multiple diving hands meant these mysteriously disappeared within seconds of landing on the table. There are three substantial salads, all with an amount of thought well beyond 'menu filler', with ingredients like a Wildwood elderberry and star anise vinaigrette a good illustration. The most appealing to us was the prosciutto and black grape, with mixed leaves, artichoke, walnuts, Pecorino and that vinaigrette (€14), and if you ended up here with a coeliac/non pizza lover they won't feel like they've had a second rate experience. Chips were surprisingly great too (how often do you say that in a pizzeria?), fried in oil hot enough to give those burnished edges that shatter on biting. We went for Parmesan (€6.50) which came with roasted garlic mayo, and finished off the silver cup wondering if there was anything that these guys would fall down on. It didn't happen with the pizzas anyway. As Neapolitan bases go, Boco's would make you emotional. The puffed up cornicione, the blistered charring, the crusts so tender there was little work in the chewing - there's a fine art to pizza, and if they can consistently deliver this kind of base, we have no concerns about them keeping their seats full. Get the # 7 for no other reason than to taste this vodka sauce, which is like getting a mouthful of ripe tomatoes in Puglia mid-summer. Typically vodka sauce has cream in it - this is pure tomato and all the better for it. The Fior di Latte, salami soppressata, j alapeños and Parmesan are loaded on in perfect proportions, and this just needs a glass of Lambrusco on the side for optimum enjoyment. Any pizza with miso in the name is going to grab our attention, which is how the # 9 with miso butter, wild Irish mushrooms, Stracciatella and porcini crumb ended up on the table. You know when you build something up in your head and then it's just not as good IRL? This was the opposite, umami flying all over the place, the texture contrasts a home run. One of the main reasons we raced to Clontarf was the promise of an Osso Bucco pizza with gremolata, but it was short-lived (apparently it was too time-consuming and customers didn't get it - who are these people and where can we lock them up?) Begrudgingly we changed our pre-planned order to the # 10 with mascarpone, Tallegio, Italian sausage, kale, confit garlic, Parmesan, and pickled shallots. This one had a lot going for it, but was missing the oomph moment. Shallots tasted raw rather than pickled, and the sausage was under seasoned. Was it a bad pizza? Definitely not, we're very much into nit-picking territory, but we'll try others next time. Desserts follow the pizzeria standard of creamy things in cup-like vessels, and if it ain't broke don't fix it. Both the Key Lime Mess and Stout Tiramisu were valiant endings, both with enough interesting elements so as not to feel like something thrown together post the main event. If you like a boozy dessert both the affogato with Frangelico and the biscotti with PX sherry will tick the box nicely. Like your dessert in liquid form? There's three dessert cocktails too, including a frozen Irish coffee, and a salted caramel espresso martini. Is there anything these guys can't/won't do? It's a pizzeria. Are the drinks any good? The first line on the wine list says " all of our wines are organic " - another stake in the ground that shows you how much thought has gone into every part of this operation. The majority of bottles are under €50, with a nice variety of grapes, countries and styles - you'll find something you like here. There are also four house cocktails, six classics, and seven spritzes, including Aperol, Limoncello and Basil. Tick, tick tick. The beers, soft drinks and no alcohol options have plenty of interesting options too - everything is covered. If you come to a pizzeria and don't drink Lambrusco you should be shown the door (just our humble opinion), and the Quercioli here does the job nicely, at a saintly 11.5% alcohol. We also tried a pleasantly fizzy, well-balanced Sbagliato - like a Negroni with Campari, Vermouth, and prosecco instead of gin to lighten the alcohol. How was the service? Young, eager and very pleasant - they've hired for personality and it comes across. If anything was slightly delayed there were apologies, and information (plus wine tastes) were offered up graciously. We never felt stranded or in need of anything for too long, and the food was nicely paced as per our request, despite the place being packed to the rafters. What did the bill come to? €133 before tip for three small plates, a salad, three pizzas, two dips, two desserts and two drinks - easily enough for three hungry people, or four normal ones. This felt like the best value meal we'd had in ages. What's the verdict on Boco in Clontarf? Boco is somewhere that many Dubliners have taken for granted for too long. Maybe because of its unglamourous Bolton Street location, or its student associations being a one minute walk from TU Dublin, but with this second location we're wagering that's about to change. If you need a reference point, this is the Reggie's of the Northside, and we're predicting a similar demand. During our meal many, many people were turned away at the door after some sad sniffs of what was coming out of the kitchen, and longing gazes at clinking glasses filled with Aperol Spritz. Don't be like them - get planning your visit now. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

The Grayson Website thegrayson.ie Address 41 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

Allta Winter House Back in the city and soaring above the rest Posted: 23 Nov 2021 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Niall Davidson's Allta opened on South Frederick Street in November 2019 in a rush of excitement. The formerly London-based chef who'd led the kitchen in Nuala , after time spent in Chiltern Firehouse and St. John, had critics and diners almost in a frenzied state with talk of handmade pasta, home-cured charcuterie and a menu with almost everything sourced from Ireland, and it didn't let them down. It felt fresh, different, like it had been picked up in a city far cooler than Dublin and dropped in the centre, and we loved it . They blazed away for a few months, and then in early 2020 the unthinkable happened and they, like everyone else, were shut down. They never reopened the original site, even when lockdowns were lifted, saying they couldn't make enough profit with the social distancing restrictions in place, but instead focused their energies on Allta Box , which was the smash hit, at home kit of the pandemic. Most of us have memories of the brown, Allta-emblazoned box arriving on a Friday afternoon, the sourdough and shiitake miso butter, the pickled veg palate cleanser, the perfectly labelled and colour-coded pots of pasta, sauces and crunchy toppings, the cookie dough, we'll stop... We were (im)patiently awaiting news of the restaurant reopening, but instead, in June 2021, they announced they were popping up in a huge tent in the grounds of Slane Castle on the banks of the river Boyne for the summer. When the book of Irish food post the year 2000 is written, 'Allta Summer House' will probably have a chapter in itself, and we left as thunderstruck as everyone in front of and behind us. It ended in September with diners already trying to book for the following summer, but there was surprise and all round awe when the team announced that their next move would be to the top floor of Trinity Street carpark, for 'Allta Winter House'. Davidson also announced that he had split with his investors, and now he and head chef Hugh Higgins were out on their own. How do we get up there and can we have a drink first? Enter the dingy carpark entrance from Dame Lane and head for the lift - there are no signs anywhere, don't panic. Hit level 5, and when you get out all will be okay. Here you'll give your name, have your vaccination certs and ID checked, use a fancy automatic hand sanitizer, and then be brought to your table. You'll walk through Glovebox, their bar/art gallery which will be serving drinks and small plates and is due to open soon. There's going to be a DJ too - major London/New York rooftop party vibes. Once open you can have a drink here before or after, or head straight up to the main space, which is up a ramp (level 6). Where should we sit? All of the tables are the same long table set up seating four or six people, and are assigned in advance, but you might want to request being close to the kitchen if you like to see the action, or at the other end of the space if you don't want to be surrounded by other tables on all sides. Despite being in a tent it's not cold - every table has a heater above it, and we had full arms out in November. What they've done up here took real vision and we're sure a lot of painstaking toil to get it ready. It's very hard to believe you're in the same city carpark off Dame Street when sitting on a sheepskin rug under a floral installation eating off Fermoyle Pottery. What's the food like? It's a set menu for €95 which is good because you don't have to make any decisions and get to try ALL THE FOOD, but potentially bad because it's a lot of money and you might struggle to get another three or five people to go with you. We've had a lot of messages from annoyed readers wanting to go as a two, but because of the table set up it just wouldn't make sense for them financially, and they can't mix you with strangers at the moment for obvious reasons. We've been busy trying to match up some of our ATF Insiders who wanted to go but didn't have enough spenny pals to go with them, but honestly this is worth calling up old school pals, the couple who used to live upstairs, your rich uncle - anyone who might join you for what could be yours and their meal of the year. The menu is going to change often, so we're not going to spend too much time detailing every single course - also it would be a eulogising, adjective-filled overload - but you can see the menu above for the night we visited, and you can expect some dishes (or variations) to show up again and again. You'll start with a broth - our was a sweet and smoky grilled aubergine, with droplets of oil giving it a silkiness. Next you can expect the softest Cromane oysters from Kerry, which Davidson has been using since he put that mural of the fisherman on the wall at Allta. Ours came with a dressing made with sea buckthorn - a coastal berry that's in season in Ireland right now, and tastes sweet, sour and citrusey. Next came a crunchy buckwheat cracker with the freshest crab meat, tomato and sea urchin foam (leading to many questions around the table of exactly how one makes a sea urchin foam). This was followed by one of the dishes we have vivid taste memories of from Allta Summer House - the fermented flatbread with Bán goat's cheese from the Boyne Valley and black garlic. Chewy, creamy, tangy, sweet - if Carlsberg did flatbreads... And that was just the snacks. For our first larger plate we saw the resurrection of Allta's sweet and juicy scallops with gooseberry beurre blanc and hazelnuts. It was stunning then, and it's stunning now. Particularly with the added ribbon of kolhrabi for extra texture. Then came Jerusalem artichokes with Cais na Tíre (a Tipperary sheep cheese) sauce and artichoke crisps, like something fondue dreams of being when it grows up. Also, why are Jerusalem artichokes not on more menus? We're starting a petition. Also for this to be the new definition of 'comfort food'. You can keep your burgers and ribs - we're choosing cheese covered artichokes every time. Then, just as we were wondering whether we should cover each other with coats to lick the plates, they arrived with that sourdough to mop it all up, and a bowl of the shiitake miso butter. If you haven't seen someone taste it for the first time, sit back and enjoy - the ooohs, aaahs and omgs are quite entertaining. When you're feeling nicely full your sharing mains arrive. First up we tackled a striking side of ocean trout with sea herbs, mussels and goat's milk whey. You should gently peel off the crispy skin before dividing it up, scooping up the sauce and flavour bursts with a suitably large spoon. After a few bites of the fish, the attentive staff told us we shouldn't leave the Tamworth pork sitting around, and you don't have to tell us twice. We had this dish in Allta Summer House, with the pork coming from the Rock Farm pigs in the adjoining field, and we presume this has the same provenance as Tamworth pork is not easy to find here. The sweet, soft meat is topped with sweet, crispy skin, and it was sitting in a pool of tangy fermented pumpkin. If you're of the "eat better meat less" camp, it's hard to imagine it getting better than this. Unexpected sides arrived (maybe they didn't have enough space on the menu) of romanesco and cavolo nero on romesco (we wished we'd saved some sourdough), and lightly dressed potatoes with herbs, and we had to take a few leftovers home in a lunchbox because we were close to being defeated, but also can't abide food waste. A semi palate cleanser arrived as the first dessert, of apple cider jelly made with the good stuff from The Cider Mill in Slane, apple ice and apple ice-cream, before the most scandalous mini doughnuts with brittle crème brûlée toppings, like the outside of a well made toffee apple, filled with a sort of thicker c rème anglaise . We now understand why people used to queue for 90 minutes to get into the Allta Bakery . What about the drinks? The wine list is extremely well curated and has so many of the best wines on the Irish market right now, but prices are high - those high end tents and dried flowers don't pay for themselves. We love Tuffeau's champagne style sparkling wine (€50 on the list here), as well as the Spanish Ubé from Bodegas Cota 45, and the Portugese Prazo de Roriz from P + S (both €60-€65), but there was so much we would have loved to drink - especially if we had deeper pockets. Wine glasses are Riedel too - what else would you expect. And the service? So personable and friendly. Everyone seems to really enjoy being a part of this, and we can't blame them. It feels like a rocket ship on the ascent. And the damage? €168 a head for the set menu, three bottles of wine between four, four after dinner drinks and service charge. Pricey? Yes. Value for money? 100%. The verdict? What the Allta team are creating and delivering, whether in a tent on the roof of a carpark or if they move into a bigger, less edgy space next year, is undoubtedly a defining event in Irish food. Ambitious projects like this set new standards for the industry as a whole, show others up, show diners what they could be experiencing, instead of another lacklustre meal of goat's cheese salad and chicken supreme. A chef from another restaurant joked recently that restaurants and chefs lacking in creativity wouldn't bother copying Allta, because who would put that much work into each dish, and you can taste the weeks and months of curing, fermenting, aging, planning, tasting - flavours like this don't come from packets or bottles or chefs lacking in skill. There are no shortcuts here, no cost cutting measures. Their only goal is to make their ingredients taste as extraordinary as possible, and shake things up while they're doing it. There's a relatively small cohort of restaurants and chefs across the country pushing the industry to new heights, but their importance on the larger scale of defining what it means to cook and serve 'Irish food', or even just 'food cooked in Ireland', can't be underestimated, both at home and abroad. Either can their ability to turn out the next great chefs in the country. Allta Winter House is as impressive a definition of Irish food as you'll find anywhere in Ireland in 2021, served in an atmosphere crackling with talent and drive, in a space that took major vision to bring to life. If you do one nice thing for yourself in the next few months, get a booking here, and experience it for yourself. Allta Summer House Trinity Car Park, Trinity Street, Dublin 2 www.alltawinterhouse.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Just past St. Stephen's Green Shopping Centre on Chatham Street sits a flight of stairs that takes you straight to Sicily. Amuri, owned and run by brothers Luca and Andrea, is as charming as a backstreet Osteria in Palermo, and the food deserves to be shouted about. The caponata, pasta alle sarde and arancino could bring a tear to a Sicilian food lover's eye, and the atmosphere is so jovial and welcoming that you'll feel like part of the famigghia by the time you leave. Amuri Website amuri.ie Address Amuri, 4 Chatham Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Just past St. Stephen's Green Shopping Centre on Chatham Street sits a flight of stairs that takes you straight to Sicily. Amuri, owned and run by brothers Luca and Andrea, is as charming as a backstreet Osteria in Palermo, and the food deserves to be shouted about. The caponata, pasta alle sarde and arancino could bring a tear to a Sicilian food lover's eye, and the atmosphere is so jovial and welcoming that you'll feel like part of the famigghia by the time you leave. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

Dublin's docklands is mainly populated by office workers and empties out at weekends, making it a great time to explore and check out some of its better food options. Grand Canal Dock Our Take Dublin's docklands is mainly populated by office workers and empties out at weekends, making it a great time to explore and check out some of its better food options. Where to Eat Allta Charlotte Quay Dosa Dosa Grand Canal Fairmental Herb Street Il Valentino Nutbutter Osteria Lucio Table 45 The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker

Sandwich specialists on Smithfield Square with daily changing specials. Depending on the week you might find a chargrilled chicken shawarma with gordal olive tapanade and tahini, or chargrilled ribeye with béarnaise, balsamic, mushrooms and rocket on white. Their classics are on every day, like their version of a Reuben, with pastrami, sauerkraut, pickles and horseradish aioli on granary, and they have a second location just off Capel Street. Oxmantown Smithfield Website oxmantown.com Address 13 Smithfield terrace, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Sandwich specialists on Smithfield Square with daily changing specials. Depending on the week you might find a chargrilled chicken shawarma with gordal olive tapanade and tahini, or chargrilled ribeye with béarnaise, balsamic, mushrooms and rocket on white. Their classics are on every day, like their version of a Reuben, with pastrami, sauerkraut, pickles and horseradish aioli on granary, and they have a second location just off Capel Street. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

Mark Fagan grew up in Foxrock and says there was never anywhere for him to hang out - fast forward a few decades and he's made one. Grumps is a homemade gelato and coffee shop for kids (and grown up kids) to enjoy Irish ice-cream from Scúp gelato, locally roasted coffee from Pine Cone Roasters, and treats like p de nata. They're also selling Irish pantry products, and promise that despite the unhappy bunny on their logo, customers will leave with a smile on their face. Grump's Website @grumpsfoxrock Address Brighton Cottages, Unit 3, Foxrock Village, Dublin 18 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Mark Fagan grew up in Foxrock and says there was never anywhere for him to hang out - fast forward a few decades and he's made one. Grumps is a homemade gelato and coffee shop for kids (and grown up kids) to enjoy Irish ice-cream from Scúp gelato, locally roasted coffee from Pine Cone Roasters, and treats like p de nata. They're also selling Irish pantry products, and promise that despite the unhappy bunny on their logo, customers will leave with a smile on their face. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

The Legal Eagle An old favourite takes flight again with sizeable Sunday roasts and a great wine list Posted: 14 Nov 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What’s the story with The Legal Eagle? Despite a couple of stuttered mid-covid re-openings and a handful of popups, we’d started to worry The Legal Eagle might be destined to go down as one of the more high-profile pandemic casualties as its doors remained closed well into this year. But fear not, the once and future hot spot gastropub recently took flight again with a revamped menu and a return to its famed Sunday roast offering. Our Insiders are forever asking us where to get a really great feed of a Sunday lunch – could we have a new easy answer? Where should we sit? Nigh-on four years since the Eagle last opened its doors for any real length of time, stepping into its mahogany and exposed brick interior brings as much of a sense of nostalgia as the unmistakable smell of roast meat and veg in the air. If you’re looking for old reliable comforts, the heady whiff seems to say, you’ve come to the right place. The leather sofa seating lining the walls is where you want to find yourself here – there’s just not the same satisfaction of leaning back stuffed in a hard-backed wooden dining chair or, heaven forbid, a high stool. What’s on the menu? The revamped menu keeps the classic Irish gastropub vibe – all the lamb stew, coddle, and chowder you could want on the lunch menu – with a higher-end twist through its focus on meat and veg provenance and a tilt toward the western Mediterranean, especially across the smaller plates. Most of the dinner menu is available at Sunday lunchtime for those of us whose eyes are bigger than our bellies, with the large plates’ sides swapped out for all your typical trimmings. You’ll be steered to snacks and small plates, if you’re so inclined, as your server advises it’s a twenty minute or so wait for the roasts – don’t mind if we do. Homemade crisps are a reliable favourite from plenty of prior visits and are like an embrace from an old friend, with the salty-sharp slap of bacon and cheese dust. Marinated Gordal olives are glistening with oil and gloriously meaty, generous in number and giant in size – there’s plenty here to keep a full table happy. Conscious of the heaped plates of roast we’d passed en route to our table, we heroically held ourselves back from over-ordering and stuck to two of the more modest small plates. Pan con tomate pairs chewy, airy slices of house focaccia with salty, garlicky puréed tomato. The bread’s a delight, golden crust and soft, stretched crumb the perfect host for the tangy tomato, especially as alternating with olives and crisps we found the salt in it a little overbearing. The trio were each great in isolation, but all together left us a bit parched. Seared tuna tostada might not quite fit the Sunday roast brief, but trust us here: this is a detour worth taking, and a fine showcase of the Eagle’s new lease of life. The crisp tortilla and firm-fleshed tuna make for a wildly satisfying small bite, with the sweetness of avocado puree and punch of pickled carrot and togarashi pepper making every morsel a moreish treat. Hold back a little focaccia to mop up every last blob of sriracha mayo, if you can. And so to the main event, even with that hard act to follow. There are three choices for the classic roast plate, with whole-roasted fish and courgette options there to cater to pescetarian and veggie tastes – neither gets the full trimmings. The Black Angus striploin is two thin slices of rare beef just glistening with juices - it’s tender, fatty, flavourful stuff. Wafer-thin slicing gives the meat a texture we wouldn’t see lost to thicker cuts, but a third slice here wouldn’t go amiss. Wood-fired half chicken feels more substantial by contrast with its meat oozing juice, and the black, blistered skin’s crackle – classic comfort food. Root veg are the star of the show where sides are concerned, with slivers of honey-roast carrot and parsnip bringing sweet and earthy tones to the plate, and a carrot purée dissolving into the gravy for an endlessly rich sauce you’ll slather on every forkful. Stuffing and Yorkshire puds are spot-on in their simple satisfactions, but the roasties make for a disappointing damp squib with a softened crisp shell and over-dry interior that bear all the tell-tale signs of having been kept warm. There is no substitute for oven-fresh, and no sorrow like good spuds spoiled. What are the drinks like? A solid if smallish craft beer selection on draught should keep most happy, even if Guinness as the priciest pull here had us scratching our heads. We stuck with the similarly small and serviceable list of wines by the glass – the light acidity of the Azevedo Alvarino was a welcome balm from the mouth-puckering saltiness of those first few plates, while the Coquard Beaujolais 69’s red fruits and low tannins came to life with the beef. The top tip here is to bring some friends and dive into the bottles, an unusually exciting list for a pub, and one running lower margins than some of the competition around town on standouts like Preisinger's 'Puszta Libre' and Ponce's 'Reto'. How was the service? Happy and helpful – that little nudge on small plates feels more like a friendly FYI than an opportunity to upsell, and we really appreciated a little extra jug of gravy brought over to the table after the plates arrived, “so you don’t have to ask in a minute”. You’ll be well looked after here, but note they expect to be busy on Sundays so table times are kept strictly at a two-hour turnaround – no latecomers or lingering. And the damage? €115 for two each of snacks, small plates, roasts and a glass of wine with 10% tip automatically added. There is more than enough here in the main event to sate you, especially for lunch, so in and around €30 a head is more like what you can expect if not drinking. As Sunday roast prices around the city go, it's on the higher side - their beef roast is €27 in comparison to FX Buckley at €22.50, Hawksmoor at €23, and The Old Spot at €28. What’s the verdict on The Legal Eagle? Every bit a return to form, The Legal Eagle has landed again with a welcome mix of old favourites and new flutters that should satisfy fans of yore and newcomers alike. If there’s an occasional slight touch of the production line to things here, it’s one easily forgiven in the high calibre food and great value wine on offer. Taken together with the warm, welcoming vibe of the staff and space here, there’s all the makings of a classically comforting Sunday lunch. Except the roasties. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Innovative, award-winning restaurant, with a tasting menu that takes you on a journey through India. Plush, comfortable room and welcoming staff serving regional dishes, often reinterpreted with Irish produce. Ananda Website anandarestaurant.ie Address Cinema Building, Sandyford Road, Dundrum Town Centre, Dundrum, Dublin 16 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Innovative, award-winning restaurant, with a tasting menu that takes you on a journey through India. Plush, comfortable room and welcoming staff serving regional dishes, often reinterpreted with Irish produce. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

Seafood tapas overlooking Howth Harbour, with fish coming from the boats that dock right outside - doesn’t get much fresher. On a sunny day, bagging an outside table is like winning the lotto. Octopussy's Website octopussy.ie Address West Pier, Howth, Dublin 13 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Seafood tapas overlooking Howth Harbour, with fish coming from the boats that dock right outside - doesn’t get much fresher. On a sunny day, bagging an outside table is like winning the lotto. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

Chubbys The former taco truck gets very serious in a drop dead gorgeous space Posted: 23 Jul 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Chubbys? If you were looking to tell the tale of Dublin’s food scene over the last fifteen years, there are few better figures you could do it through than Barry Stephens. His crash-era opener 147 Deli steadily built up a rep on Parnell Street as one of the city’s very best sandwich shops, rotating specials (their best in class Christmas sandwich included) descended upon by ever more hungry hordes of workers as the city bit by bit got back on its feet. But as the pandemic knocked us all right back down again and rampant inflation followed, input costs’ rapid escalation saw Stephens’ pitch of quality and creativity in casual convenience food become a harder and harder sell. That didn’t hold him back from branching out, with taco truck Just Chubbys popping up in Clontarf in summer ’22 to bring the same ethos – and the very same crowds. We impatiently waited after the sad shuttering of the Deli and an extended Christmas break for the truck with a promise of bigger things to come, and come they now have in the fancy form of Chubbys , a radical reworking of the warehouse space the truck once sat in for a big new chapter. Where should we sit? Stephens’ wife Jen, with a long CV of design and branding jobs behind her, is the mastermind behind this gorgeous glow-up popping with pastel pinks – whether or not you’d been in the prior iteration, you’ll stroll in slack-jawed through the giant glass double doors at one of Dublin’s nicest new spaces. Plump down on any of the soft accent chairs and you’ll feel right at home. A duo of long communal tables in the middle of the floor (and a few two-tops between them that can be made into the same thing) are a group dining dream if you have the foresight to book far enough in advance – reservations have gone like lightning. We were landed at the banquette set opposite the kitchen pass, ideal to take in the atmosphere and any what’s-that-they’ve-ordered-there FOMO. As teased on socials for ages by the endearingly excited chef, the kitchen fitout is the stuff of cooking nerd dreams, with a custom smoker and wood-fired grill making the counter seats the ones you want – they’re often held for short stay walk-ins, so if you want to be sure of getting a seat you’ll have to make do with craning your neck to flashes of flame from afar. What’s on the menu? We lost count of the times over the years (more recent ones especially) where people we raved about 147’s sandwiches to sneered over the price. Too often that’s the rub with casual food’s cognitive dissonance, an expectation that we can have the best in quality without bulking up the bill - as though an added two or three euro to know where your food’s come from was that one bridge too far. All that’s to cushion the blow of the beef birria (€8.50) and confit carnitas (€8) tacos – Chubbys was already at the top end of the city’s scale for taco pricing, and these latest tweaks take things further. But that’s true for flavour as well as price point; in the low and slow overnight McLoughlin’s beef cheek, shin and brisket just as much as the copper cauldron-cooked Salters free range pork and bacon belly, there is the kind of quality, time and attention that doesn’t come cheaply. You can taste where your money's going. Creativity costs too, and what a wallop of it in the pork rolls (€12), crisp-skinned snacks landing in the dreamscape space between chimichanga and spring roll – this is a bite that’ll stay with you for weeks, even before you get to the beautifully-balanced smoked lime and jalapeño salsa on the side. Watch on with glee as others order them around you and let out lusty sighs of delight as the deep-fried skins pour out slow roast pork juices. Only the sharing nachos (€13.50) came up short on value. Despite their hand-cut and tajin-seasoned superiority over the usual fare, and a house cheese sauce we’d drink from the dish, the higher price and smaller portion versus the ones we loved on our trip to the truck not too long ago was a let down. A smaller snacks section option with salsa matcha and guac looked more palatable at a full €4 cheaper – it’s rare we get food envy for a smaller plate. Chipotle and lime butter-basted corn ribs (€8.50) made amends, with a cheaper price tag and chunkier portion than our last visit. Subtly sweet, smoky flavour permeates every dripping kernel here - there’s no shame in slurping, everyone else is at it. Sticky-sweet honey and soy chicken (€14.50) is a prime example of the new Chubbys' more varied flavour profile. The Asian influence that often streaked through 147 is on full display, with bangs of garlic, ginger and chilli to the fore in every crisp, spicy bite. Good prep goes a long way but as is ever the case with fried chicken, quality is everything – the tender taste of Rings Farm free-range birds shines. The smoker is the crowning glory of Stephens’ new setup. We arrived intent on ordering the Jamaican jerk lamb ribs, but the sights and scents of a neighbouring table’s beef short rib (€37) caused a quick pivot. McLoughlin’s again brings the goods with dry-aged prime cuts, rubbed and smoked for ten hours to give a blackened exterior barely encasing the tender meat beneath. It slides off the bone into a peanut-textured and makrut lime leaf-scented curry that we’d bathe in given half the chance. Slow-tweaking flavours is a hallmark of Stephens’ style, and with this interplay of smoky sweet meat and softly-spiced sauce he’s hit on a primal harmony that had us enter a bliss state (see also: garlic naan for mopping). Not that we were done yet – sticky toffee spring rolls (€9.50) aren’t something we would pass on. You’d want to be confident to offer only one dessert option - they are, and have every reason to be. There’s more than a hint of baklava in the syrup-soaked, nut-sprinkled notes here, but novelty too. Like everything else at Chubbys, this is casual comfort food shot with a playful streak of energetic invention. What are the drinks like? House cordials and reductions drove us straight to the cocktail list (all €12) – beers via Zingibeer and Whiplash and a tap-heavy wine list will offer enough variety and value to keep most punters happy. The best of the bunch was a picture perfect Cherry Float, ruby red from Regal Rogue vermouth and cherry soda, citrus-spiked from sumac sprinkled on the dense vanilla foam, with the fresh flavour of smoked lapsang. The Shaken Stephens played like a milder Moscow mule, Valencia Island vermouth and IPA reduction in place of vodka – light and lively. There wasn’t the same balance or freshness to be found in the Mango SuperSplit, with alleged salt and chilli flavours all subsumed in tawny port. How was the service? This team’s ample honesty gives eye-opening insights into the challenge the hospitality biz is up against, and they’ve begged clemency more than once for the kind of intro hurdles all new openings face as they get the measure of things and struggle to hire to meet demand. Against that kind of difficulty, we’ll always give a lot of leeway, but when we were told 30 minutes on from our opening time seating that the all-at-once glut meant the kitchen might need another ten minutes to take our order, we wondered why phased seating and/or a slower scaling-up wasn't being utilised. That sense set in all the more as tables around us politely corrected the orders wrongly set down before them. Staff were all very friendly and funny, but it’s clear they were flustered too – demand like this (it’s now nine weeks until the next available table) is hard to plan for, and with the baptism of fire they’re in for they’ll need to tweak things quickly to keep hangry heads happy. Setting expectations more clearly or starting people on snacks upfront would go a long way. Our advice? If you’ve going in soon, check the menu in advance and order ASAP. And the damage? This greedy glut (it’s professional diligence, swear) clocked up a €147 bill before tip – mental maths on most tables around us put the average order in and around €50-60 a head. You’d be well fed for that, and with far better stuff than many other options around town where you'll spend the same. What’s the verdict on Chubbys? Understandable opening jitters aside, Chubbys has all the makings of Dublin’s latest success story – and we’ve got every faith in a team that’s never been short of the ability to learn quick and rise to it. That two month-plus run of full houses ahead of them speaks to the high esteem and expectations they’re held in - once again, here’s proof they’ve earned it. Often more candid than can-do, the refreshingly honest 147 Deli story spoke to the passion needed to weather the mounting challenges of making genuinely good food work in the environment we’re in. To see that passion make the leap to a space like this would fill your heart as well as your stomach. Many great restaurants feel like stepping into someone’s home. Chubbys feels like you're getting a window into Stephens’ life, witnessing something earnestly sincere, and altogether special. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Inexpensive, excellent Neapolitan style pizza in Temple Bar, with their margherita coming in at under €10. The MacHugh brothers were inspired to open Sano after a trip to Naples, seeing how delicious, affordable and popular pizza is there, and it's loved by locals, tourists and students in equal measures. Bookings are only taken from 12:00 - 17:00 but you can put your name down and they'll text you when your table's ready. They have a second site in Ranelagh. Sano Temple Bar Website sano.pizza Address 2 Exchange Street Upper, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Inexpensive, excellent Neapolitan style pizza in Temple Bar, with their margherita coming in at under €10. The MacHugh brothers were inspired to open Sano after a trip to Naples, seeing how delicious, affordable and popular pizza is there, and it's loved by locals, tourists and students in equal measures. Bookings are only taken from 12:00 - 17:00 but you can put your name down and they'll text you when your table's ready. They have a second site in Ranelagh. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

Dolce Sicily made their name on their crunchy, creamy, filled on the spot cannoli, but after moving into a larger premises on South Anne Street introduced a larger menu for lunch and dinner. Handmade pastas, risotto and fish all feature, but it's their bakery we're really here for. A solo breakfast of mini fruit tarts and filled croissants in one of the nooks upstairs is one of our fair city's greatest pleasures. Dolce Sicily Website dolcesicily.ie Address 20 Anne Street South, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Dolce Sicily made their name on their crunchy, creamy, filled on the spot cannoli, but after moving into a larger premises on South Anne Street introduced a larger menu for lunch and dinner. Handmade pastas, risotto and fish all feature, but it's their bakery we're really here for. A solo breakfast of mini fruit tarts and filled croissants in one of the nooks upstairs is one of our fair city's greatest pleasures. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

Six by Nico Website sixbynico.ie Address 1 Molesworth Place, Dublin 2, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

Well-executed, carefully sourced Italian food from Ross Lewis (chef and owner of Michelin-starred Chapter One) and his friend, chef Luciano Tona, whose restaurant in Italy also held a Michelin star for a decade. Since stepping back from Chapter One Lewis himself has been cooking in the kitchen, and looks to be having fun with it. An interesting cocktail list makes for a perfect after work aperitivo. Osteria Lucio Website osterialucio.com Address The Malting Tower, Grand Canal Quay, Clanwilliam Terrace, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Well-executed, carefully sourced Italian food from Ross Lewis (chef and owner of Michelin-starred Chapter One) and his friend, chef Luciano Tona, whose restaurant in Italy also held a Michelin star for a decade. Since stepping back from Chapter One Lewis himself has been cooking in the kitchen, and looks to be having fun with it. An interesting cocktail list makes for a perfect after work aperitivo. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta 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

Little Dumpling Dublin gets a dedicated dumpling shop Posted: 28 Jan 2020 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? In December, what had been Fudo Izakaya on Little Mary Street, reopened after a short and unsuccessful stint selling sushi, as dedicated dumpling shop Little Dumpling . Cautious excitement followed - we love dumplings but had been to Fudo and memories consist of every roll, whether it was meat, fish or fruit tasting the same. The stodge factor was high, the post-digestion was slow. Would this new concept from the somewhat secretive team behind several restaurants in the city be any better? Within weeks the praise was rolling in for the xiao long bao (soup dumplings), spicy prawn and fish egg wontons, and the dish throwing most of Dublin's food obsessed Insta heads into a spin - nutella dumplings. So dirty. So irresistible. So off we went. Where should we go for a drink first? Any time you're near Capel Street you would be doing yourself a disservice not to stop for a drink in Bar 1661 , Dave Mulligan's hypnotic cocktail bar on Green Street (below). Once there you will understand why they were named cocktail bar of the year at last year's Craft Cocktail Awards, despite only opening in April. Trying their signature Belfast coffee is non-negotiable, and they have the best obscure spirits list we've seen - including a very impressive array of mezcal, at even more impressive prices. If for any reason you're off the booze you can head to The Virgin Mary , Ireland's first non-alcoholic bar, or for cocktails, New Orleans inspired Krewe is getting a good name for their Louisiana Bowlers and Sazeracs. Where should we sit? Going off our visit on a Saturday at lunchtime you'll be lucky to get a seat, so will probably have to take what you're given. You may have to queue (but can book by calling the restaurant - advised), and there are tables for two and four, as well as a couple of window seats. It only seats around 20 and it's a squeeze, but most people will be in and out relatively fast. What's good to eat? In the interests of thorough research, and because there were five of us, we ordered the whole menu. If you can find four friends to go with we'd advise you do the same. There were no dud dumplings, but some were definitely more standout in terms of flavour than others. The xiao long bao, those elusive soup dumplings, are on the menu with Silver Hill roast duck and hoisin sauce, or Castletownbere crab and pork. For us the duck was the winner on flavour, with deeply savoury threads of saucy meat, but no soup. While the crab and pork had plenty of soup, but were more subtle on the flavour front. The chicken satay dumplings with fried peanuts and the beef dumplings with shallots and teriyaki sauce were both excellent, with scuffles over the beef in particular, and at €7 for six pieces (so just over €1 for each) really felt like fantastic value. The wrappers on the beef however were quite slippery and not sealed very well so they were hard to pick up. Probably (if unexpectedly) the dumplings that came out on top were the beetroot with prawn and crabmeat, which had perfect chewy wrappers, and a slightest earthiness from the beetroot up against the fishy richness of the prawn and crab. The spinach and wild mushroom dumplings also got the nods of approval, and it's nice to see vegetable based options that don't suffer on flavour. The other two dumplings are carrot and spicy kimchi (is there another type?), and spicy prawn and fish egg wontons with chilli sauce. Both good but slightly less memorable, although kimchi in dumplings is something we could get on board with. On the day we were there the only available sides were jasmine rice, kimchi and miso soup. Two mystery sides were crossed out in black - maybe they'll make an appearance again in the future. We loved the addition of edamame beans in the rice, and the kimchi had the crunchy/spicy balance licked. No complaints. Finally to the outlier, the Insta-dish, the caption grabber - Nutella dumplings with vanilla ice and mini marshmallows. We'll admit to one or two eye rolls when we saw these surface, but for whatever reason they just work. Go with it, live your life, order more than one portion. What about the drinks? Very basic - white or red wine with no information on what they are (presume the worst), prosecco (same), Krombacher or Heineken for beer, limited soft drinks and green tea. So many places miss the opportunity to put together an interesting, compact drinks list that will increase the per head spend and we will never understand it. And the service? The queueing system was non-existant, with no one coming out to give an idea of wait times or to take names. This meant everyone who newly turned up walked into the crammed restaurant first to see what was happening, and at times things got confusing (and a bit tense) as twos who had just arrived were seated ahead of threes and fours in the queue. A little communication would have gone a long way. Once inside staff couldn't have been nicer, and they did take a portion of nutella dumplings off the bill to apologise for the wait. They did however bring almost every dish at the same time - a pet peeve of ours - meaning half of it was cold by the time we got around to eating it. Next time we would order two or three plates at a time. The verdict? Little dumpling is a solid addition to Dublin's food scene and our first dedicated dumpling shop. It's tasty, fast and cheap, and while we're not going to say it'll change your life, we're glad it's there and would happily return. We're very much in favour of anywhere putting suppliers like Silver Hill duck and Wright's seafood on the menu, and hope the team continue to innovate and perfect the menu over the coming months. Judging by the current buzz it will be jammed regardless. Little Dumpling 28 Mary Street Little, Dublin 7 littledumpling.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

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