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The pizza slice that says it's spring, a zingy crudo by the sea, and Bib Gourmand bites are some of the dishes that stopped our scroll this week. Here's the 5 things we most want to eat in the capital... 1) Scallop Crudo, Mamó We keep going back to look at just how pretty this new dish from Mamó is. Irish sea scallop crudo, pickled chilli, blood orange and coriander are served inside a stunning scallop shell, and once again proves that these guys know what's up when it comes to standout seafood in Howth. 2) Turbot Rib, Amy Austin The Bib Gourmand Babes aka Amy Austin are now open for lunch, and to celebrate, they have added a turbot rib with a Thai green sauce, organic puffed rice and coriander to the menu. Book early - they've been out the door since they joined the elites. 3) Spring Greens Slice, Mani Mani have gone full spring with their latest slice, aptly named Spring Greens . A spinach béchamel base is topped with tender stem broccoli, sugar snap peas, walnuts, Cashel blue cheese, and garlic & thyme honey, and mamma mia it looks good. 4) Basque Cheesecake, Featherblade This creamy burnt Basque cheesecake with blackberry compote at Featherblade looks almost sultry. Go for the €14.50 steak, but leave stomach space for this. 5) Prince of Persia, Beechpark Eco Farm Right next to Clonsilla train station is Beechpark Eco Farm - an organic fruit and vegetable farm, that's just starting serving sandwiches at the weekend between 12:00 and 15:00 - and what sandwiches. Check out 'The Prince of Persia', with Persian spiced carrot and onion fritters, beetroot borani, sumac mayo and pickled peppers on sourdough and beyond focaccia. Brb - hopping on the train.

What should we know about Benjamin's Hot Chicken? Benjamin's Hot Chicken took flight in lockdown when chef Ben Lowney found himself out of a job with plenty of time to experiment in the kitchen. He loved fried chicken, particularly the Nashville hot kind, and felt there was a gap in the Dublin market. They started serving 'sandos' at The Village Yard in Ballybrack, quickly earning a local fanbase, but when that closed in Autumn 2022 Benjamin's moved into The Vintage Inn in Irishtown, a lovely local boozer that hadn't been serving food, and probably needed to with more and more pubs saying their businesses aren't viable without it. What should we have? Pick between 'sandos' (thigh meat) and 'tendies' (breast meat), and there's always specials. There's white fish and vegan sandos if you're not a chicken lover, and sides consist of fries and slaw, with dips also. A special of tooth-crunchingly crispy BAM ( Black Axe Mangal ) wings came dusted with the London restaurant's spice mix, topped with roast garlic tahini, pickled jalapenos, coriander and shallots. It's a good dish, not lacking in flavour, but would have been better with a more generous hand on the tahini, which might have helped the shallots to stick instead of ending up in the bottom of the tray.   We had every intention of ordering the original hot chicken (mild, medium or spicy), but at the last minute swerved to the Middle East Feast. This chicken thigh came dusted with za'atar, and was topped with roast garlic tahini, sumac onions, parsley, pickled burnt chilli, shankleesh (Middle Eastern cheese) and zhoug (hot chilli sauce). There was nothing to fault about this burger, except that it was difficult to pass to anyone else for a bite. Every taste receptor in your mouth will go off with this one, from the juicy meat to the pickled onions, the creamy cheese to the chilli heat - there's no flavour left untickd. They have the batter, brining and frying down to an art form, and if someone could invent a bottom bun that didn't get soggy it would be perfect. Ranch fries come with 'secret and spicy seasoning', ranch dressing, pickled onions and bacon, and were hot and crisp, the ranch playing off nicely again the onions, with the bits of bacon like buried treasure coming up with every other forkful.   The one draw back of Benjamin's is that the chicken isn't free range. If Chimac , Cluck and Mad Egg can do it, so can everyone else. Chimac and Mad Egg's burgers are both around €2 more, which we'd pay any day for a better provenance bird. What's the seating like? The pub has plenty of seats (high and low) and even its own little snug. They also have a couple of big screens for sport and a nice outdoor area which we imagine is bursting on sunny days. Why should I go? Food options in Irishtown aren't plentiful, and being able to get pub food this tasty is a challenge citywide. It's a great stop the next time you want a few pints with some fuss free, flavour-filled food, and dog owners will be delighted to know that well behaved pooches are welcome. Benjamin's Hot Chicken @ The Vintage Inn Thursday - Sunday 74 Irishtown Road, Dublin 4 instagram.com/benjamins_hotchicken

What should we know about Karen’s Diner? It’s the stuff of marketing intern nightmares - your Boomer boss, investing more faith than finance into their basic bitch product, pops their head around the door and asks the dreaded question - “how do we make it go viral?” You want to cry out that engagement can’t be engineered, but apparently it can, because how else could Karen's Diner have clocked up over 32 million likes on Tiktok (and they boast over THREE BILLION views on there).

February's giveaways are now open for business, and between Michelin-anointed restaurant experiences, nights out with all the cocktails, and premium steaks, there's a hell of a line up as usual. Your support through ATF Insider s keeps us ad (and nonsense) free, and allows us to pay our writers and pay for our meals, giving you independent features and reviews about eating out in Dublin. In return we promise a host of benefits, including the chance to win one of these... 1) A tasting menu for two at D'Olier Street to celebrate their Michelin Star Dublin's got a brand new Michelin star, after D'Olier Street were added to the very small, very elite club , just over a year after opening. They've joined Variety Jones, Bastible and Glover's Alley in the capital's one star restaurant list, and with chef owner James Moore previously head chef at two-Michelin-starred Atera in New York, the writing was on the wall from day one . To celebrate the team's amazing achievement, we're sending one of you in for dinner for two, to feast on Michelin-starred French toast with Mimolette and lardo, and yuzo kosho cream with octopus and lobster. See the full menu here , and book here . (Prize redeemable Tuesday - Thursday) 2) A €150 voucher for Amy Austin to celebrate their Michelin Bib Gourmand No award matters to chefs and restaurateurs as much as a nod from the Michelin Guide , so it's safe to say the team at Amy Austin cracked open a few bottles of Champagne last week to celebrate their brand new Michelin Bib Gourmand . They join restaurants like Uno Mas, Spitalfields and Richmond in the category for restaurants offering good food at reasonable prices, with inspectors praising the quirky restaurant's "detailed, precise cooking for a reasonable price tag." We've got a €150 voucher to give away for Amy Austin this month which should get you all the black cod fritters, langoustine tails and black bean tamales you can manage. 3) A dumpling-making class for two at Lucky Tortoise - with four winners We're always looking for new things to do, and activities involving food are high on the priority list. Lucky Tortoise in Temple Bar are known for their great value, €26 all in menu, but groups can add on a dumpling making class too. They cater for up to 50 people, and for €59 each you'll get a welcome drink, chef demonstration, roll your own dumplings, and enjoy what you've made along with the rest of the menu once you're done. Vegans and vegetarians can be catered for, and enquiries can be made through  eat@luckytortoise.ie . We've got eight spots for their dumpling making experience this month, so we're going to pick four lucky winners ! 4) Feasting menu for two at Yves with wine from Redmond's Brother Hubbard 's Ranelagh pop up Yves seems destined to be more than a fleeting experiment, with feedback suggesting they'd be mad not to stick around. As if the €37.50 French/Spanish feasting menu wasn't good value enough, you can pop next door to Redmond's of Ranelagh to pick up a bottle of wine and enjoy it for just €10 corkage. You know we love a good deal, so we've got the feasting menu for two at Yves to give away this month, and you can head into Redmond's to choose any wine up to the value of €40 to bring in with you to enjoy with your Socca, Bombas and Beef Pot Au Feu. 5) €100 voucher for 9 Below How better to spend a dark, damp, Dublin evening than in a basement speakeasy sipping 'Black Pearls' and 'Flight Clubs'. 9 Below is one of our favourite cocktail bars, hidden away in the basement of the former Stephen's Green Hibernian Club, and its four intimate, art deco rooms offer plenty of options for having all the private chats while lounging on velvet sofas. We've got a €100 voucher for 9 Below to give away this month, which will get you through most of the cocktail list - just make sure you've eaten first. 6) €150 to spend at Warehouse's brand new supper club Warehouse Food Market has been serving the good people of Harold's Cross with groceries, breakfast, lunch and great coffee since opening mid-Covid. When we held our Bahay Filipino Feast  for ATF Insiders there it was such a great, laid back space for dinner, so it made total sense for them to start their brand new Saturday night supper club . It's all the fuss free, comfort food you could want on a chilly weekend night, with dishes like gruyère croquettes, shepherd's pie and gnocchi, and a beer, wine and N/A list. Three courses will set you back around €32, so the €150 voucher we've got to give away this month is going to go a long way. 7) The St. Patrick's Day experience for two at Urban Brewing With the lack of a strong national dish, we never know what we're supposed to eat on Paddy's Day. Bacon and cabbage? Beef and Guinness stew? Taco cheese fries? To take the pain out of March 17th, Urban Brewing are serving an Irish Classics menu that looks a lot better than your average Irish pub, with dishes like steamed Irish mussels with white soda bread, and Irish ham hock crubeens with mustard cream. The special St. Patrick's menu runs for two days from Sunday 17th to Monday 18th March, and we've got a table for two to give away, with an Irish dish, a Paddy’s Day cocktail, an Urban Brew beer and a brewery tour included. See more about St. Patrick's Day at Urban Brewing here . 8) A premium steak hamper from Francis St. We've got a Francis St. ultimate night in hamper to give away this month, with two of their large sharing steaks, candles, Achill Sea Salt, and a Francis St. chopping board to serve it on. The new premium steak brand (exclusively stocked at Tesco) have partnered with Mae owner/head chef Gráinne O'Keeffe, and when you scan the QR code on the front you'll be taken to a cook-a-long video filled with tips and tricks on how best to cook your 35-day matured Côte de Boeuf, or your 14-day matured chateaubriand. Check out Francis St. here . 9) A Dublin Coffee Festival prize pack Dublin's first ever coffee festival is taking place from Friday 1st - Sunday 3rd March at The Complex in Smithfield, with over 30 specialty brands to explore and taste, as well as treats to go with all that coffee. There's a full programme of events with talks and panels, a coffee competition, tasting room and workshops, and it's child and dog friendly. We've got a bumper prize pack to give away to one of you, with two tickets for the Sunday session of your choice, a DCF tote bag, t-shirt, cupping spoon, and a selection of microlot coffees from Bailie's - some of the best coffees in the world made in tiny quantities. Check out Dublin Coffee Festival here . Everyone signed up to   ATF Insiders   for February (new and old) will be automatically entered into the prize draw - you don't need to do anything. If you're not signed up yet join here  before midnight on Saturday 17th February to be in with a chance of winning. Winners will be picked on Sunday 18th.

What should we know about Rustic Honey? Deep within the concrete jungle of Cherrywood business park is a little sanctum in the form of Rustic Honey . Coffee nut Anna Shipley started off serving cups of Joe from a hole in the wall, before expanding into a full on bakery and subsequent brunch spot. They supply baked goods for places like Grounded , Glovers , and Two Fifty Square , and serve all day brunch on the weekends, as well as breakfast and lunch during the week. What did you have? Rustic Honey's brunch menu is well rounded, with options from eggs Benny to Turkish, French toast to waffles, as well as some sandwiches. There's also a bakery counter up the front with lots of pastries and sausage rolls (vegan and non vegan). We started with two items that came in roll form, the cinnamon and sausage. The cinnamon roll (which happens to be vegan) didn't scrimp on the delicious filling, but the dough was a little too dense. The sausage roll on the other hand had perfect, flaky handmade pastry, with well spiced sausage and a healthy serving of Ballymaloe relish. No better way to start the day. We find it hard to pass on Huevos Rancheros, and Rustic Honey's has crispy cubes of potato, chorizo, roasted tomatoes, fried eggs, sriracha mayo, and chilli honey. We had all the hopes but it fell a little short, with chorizo few and far between, and eggs fried hard, making it all a bit dry (god bless the drizzle of sriracha mayo). This felt more like a potato side dish than a main event, and at €14.50, we couldn't help feeling slightly swizzed. It's not often that porridge grabs our attention on a brunch menu, but Rustic Honey top their slow cooked oats with maple syrup, banana, berry compote, mixed seeds, and crushed biscoff. It tasted ultra comforting, with the berry compote giving it a nice fruity zing, but it could have been a little more elevated for the price (€8.50), by caramelising the banana or amping up the toppings. The brioche French toast on the other hand got a sizeable thumbs up, with the fluffiest, cloud-like bread topped with bacon, maple syrup, fruit coulis and fresh berries. The portion was a leeettle small for the price (€14.50) but it was a brunchtime dream. Their Smoky Joe sandwich was disappointingly back to missing the mark. Slices of chicken breast topped with applewood cheddar, slivers of chorizo and rocket on a ciabatta all felt a little nineties, and there was nothing remotely smokey about it, but it does beat Subway or Starbucks next store. What about drinks? Coffee is Imbibe so you should be in for a good time (barista permitting), and they serve the somewhat hard to find matcha, (as well as a blue version). Their soft drinks are pretty standard, with vit hits, san pellegrinos, and kombucha. Oh and a selection of monster energy drinks, if you're feeling spicy. Why should I go? Rustic Honey is a well needed addition to the area, and while the food is not something we'd travel miles for, it's definitely the best option and the most solid cup of coffee around. Rustic Honey Unit 5, Building 5, The Campus, Cherrywood Business Park, Dublin 18 rustichoneyfood.ie

Thank God. The longest month in the solar system is over, and now we can get on with looking forward to a bank holiday a month from here until June. From brand new Michelin stars to aperitivo hour by the sea, here's where you need to be eating in February... For that newly-crowned Michelin magic: D'Olier Street, Dublin 2 Dublin's got a brand new star. D'Olier Street has been added to the little and lauded gang of Irish restaurants with one Michelin star, and this is a team that's going to be buzzing for all of February (and beyond). What better time to bag yourself an early table (because that's all that's available) and sit through their 12-course, €96 tasting menu, with dishes like rabbit, char siu and salted daikon; foie gras custard with English muffins; and the now iconic seeded pretzel bread course. For the Michelin buzz on a budget: La Gordita, Montague Street Las Tapas de Lola 's sophisticated little sister La Gordita arrived on the scene almost a year ago, with its dimly lit bar, Bodega-style barrels, and creative takes on Spanish cooking. Head chef Maria Luisa Moraleda has bags of flavour talent, and Michelin agree, as they've awarded them a Bib Gourmand for 2024. The second most famous award from the big man recognises friendly restaurants serving good food at moderate prices, and ensures an uptick in business, so you might need a little more planning to get a seat there these days, but good things (like gildas, prawn tortillas and crab salad with crispy chicken skin) come to those who wait. For getting in early to the new kid on the block: Bootleg, Drury Street The cool kids have a new place to hang out, while eating sourdough with chicken skin butter; Iberico ham scotch eggs; and all the gildas from their * gilda menu *. Bootleg is more bar than restaurant, with DJs and Italo Disco nights, but with the head chef from Big Fan behind the food, we reckon it's going to be a party for your mouth as well as your ears. Get in quick before everyone hears about it. To be spoilt near the sea: Oliveto & The Parlour Bar, Dun Laoghaire We did it. We got through the month that's 562 times longer than all the other months. You deserve a little treat. Jump on the Dart to Dun Laoghaire and make your way onto one of the pink sofas in The Parlour Bar in Haddington House. Get there between 5 and 6pm for Aperitivo hour , and a complimentary snack with your exceptionally good cocktail. Then head across the lobby to buzzy Oliveto , for housemade charcuterie, gnudi in a brown butter sauce, and wood-smoked halibut with beurre blanc. Bonus points for booking in enough time to get a window table. To say goodbye to Dry January in style: Old Street, Malahide If you're finally off the dry, and have Grower Champagne tastes on a San Pellegrino budget, head to Old Street in Malahide on Wednesdays for a very generous 50% off the entire wine list. You're going here to go big, so maybe a bottle of Marguet Blanc de Blancs Champagne for €87.50 when it's usually €175, Matthiasson's Californian Chardonnay for €60 when it's usually €120, or Jean Foillard's Morgon for €32.50 when it's usually €65. Combine it with an early bird of three courses for €39 and leave feeling very pleased with yourself. For getting your pancakes in early Tang, Cumberland Place It's T-6 days until pancake Tuesday, so get planning before it's on top of you and you're overwhelmed with all the choices . Tang serves some of the city's best pancakes year round, so you get your fill at any point in February, and you can expect them to come drowned in seasonal fruit, yoghurt, honey, nuts, and their God-tier nutbutter. If it's a sunny day you might even brave their outdoor seating in lovely Cumberland Place for all the spring feels. For welcoming home an old favourite: Mamó, Howth The team at Mamó in Howth took January off for some round-the-world travelling, and are back this week full of 2024 energy and fresh ideas. From the team who brought us the cod chip and langoustines larger than a human hand, we're in for whatever they're cooking in February.

One of our favourite beats to cover about town is new openings , with the variety we see always giving an interesting insight into the industry headwinds. Sadly right now, nothing says more about what’s going on than the growing tide of closures. With difficult post-pandemic conditions only coarsening, a raft of changes that took effect in January, from increased minimum wage and PRSI, to a hiked hospitality VAT rate, has seen that tide start to grow to a flood, and it’s not just quiet newcomers hitting the wall. Here ’s the big news on what’s shut up shop in Dublin lately... Luna, Drury Street Originally opened by John Farrell, Luna never quite found its feet after reopening in mid-2021 under new management, with a series of pivots suggesting a restaurant struggling to find its niche. With stiff competition around that stretch from Farrell’s Amy Austin and taqueria Masa , it’ll be interesting to see if anything else steps up to the plate in this stunning space. P. Mac’s, Stephen Street Lower Candlelit fixture P. Mac’s shocked everyone with the news that it was packing it in last week after 11 years – if the gig is up for a place this established and busy, a lot of quieter places are going to be looking around nervously. It quickly emerged though that the space is to be handed over to the people behind Bonobo  and Kodiak , who will no doubt take the food and fun to the next level. The current form will close on the 11th February. The Square Ball & Fowl Play, Hogan Place Just a few weeks on from opening their latest venture in the form of Clanbrassil Street’s Board , BodyTonic have closed the curtains on The Square Ball, the Hogan Place sports bar that often ploughed a similar board game furrow outside of match times. Their other outlets Bernard Shaw , Back Page  and Wigwam  all look to be carrying on apace; meanwhile this site will be under new management in the coming weeks. Their barbecue chicken restaurant Fowl Play is also gone, but you can still find it in The Back Page in Phibsborough. Peperina, Ranelagh and Portobello Peperina ’s short-lived stint in the city has come to a sad end, with the new Portobello space folding just six months in, and taking the Ranelagh OG, open for all of twelve years, with it. The newer site had got off to a rough start with mixed reviews and poor passing trade, but both going down wasn’t one we saw coming. Their website says they're closed for renovations, but staff have been let go. Michie Sushi, Ranelagh One of the longest-standing outlets to fall in recent times, Michie  has said goodbye to its home in Ranelagh after a staggering 17 years. Fans of its sushi offerings have some relief as the other locations in Dun Laoghaire and Sandyford remain open as usual. Bread 41's Eatery, Pearse Street Fear not: Bread 41  is going nowhere, with the bakery as busy and bustling as ever, but they’ve decided to call time on their upstairs eatery serving brunch and lunch and head back to basics – not that basic is a word you’d ever associate with baking like this. It’s as grim a sign as any on this list, given the sit-down space was always hopping - the sums just aren’t stacking up for all too many. Duck, Fade Street Duck on Fade Street announced their closure just b efore Christmas, saying that " the space limitations and practicalities of the property have made it too difficult to operate and remain compliant at the level that the demand requires without some major changes. " There was much sadness amongst their fans, until the news came out that they were closed down by the HSE for a litany of health and safety infractions (that you won't want to read about while eating). They say they hope to reopen in a new form. The Baths, Clontarf The Baths in Clontarf had a chequered start, with locals protesting that the restaurant opened while the swimming baths remained closed. The restaurant had mediocre reviews over its time, often criticised for being over-priced for its offering, and it closed before Christmas for "renovations". It's now been confirmed that the site has been sold to a hospitality group with restaurants and hotels in Dublin and Belfast, and several sources have told us it's Nolaclan , the group behind House and 9 Below. Mario's, Sandymount Mario's Italian in Sandymount quietly stopped trading in the middle of January, and initially the news spread that all three of their restaurants (Ranelagh and Terenure also) had shut, but the latter two have continued trading. On OpenTable the Sandymount listing says " We are very sad, but due to the economic climate unfortunately we have to see striding (sic - we presume they mean stop trading) . We would like to thank all of our customers for their support throughout these years. " Tolteca, various locations We’re long past canaries in the coalmine with high-profile casualties like this - burrito chain Tolteca posted losses of nearly a quarter of a million last year across its four Dublin outlets, and after a decade of solid business they’re not seeing much light at the end of the tunnel. That this kind of once-reliable model is stuttering too now says it all. Stone, Stoneybatter Stoneybatter pizzeria Stone was one of the unlucky few to open what felt like just days before Covid landed in 2020, but managed to weather that storm and build up a decent following once things got back into the swing. Even so, the same owners are repackaging the space as a Korean restaurant, with a banner outside declaring “Stone Korea coming soon”. It’s probably more trading on the name than promising a fusion joint – though we’d absolutely give kimchi-filled crusts a go. Storyboard, Islandbridge After seven years serving up great quality brunch and lunch to the residents of Islandbridge’s Clancy Quay development (and plenty more who came on foot of the good word), Storyboard has called it a day. Another example of a place where there weren’t exactly an abundance of empty seats, we can only assume costs got too much to manage. All My Friends, Meath Street Bad news for Dublin’s LGBTQ+ community as the city’s newest bar brings down the shutters for the final time, not much more than a year on from opening its doors. All My Friends had big plans to expand its food menu beyond the excellent toasties it offered, but the multiple increased costs 2024 brought put paid to all that. They didn’t hold back landing the blame squarely at the government's feet. Drip Coffee, Clanbrassil Street Barely six weeks after taking over the space previously home to Clanbrassil Coffee Shop, Drip Coffee have announced their exit, citing frustration at the insecurity of the rolling monthly lease they’d been offered. They’re actively on the lookout for a new, more reliable home. Kale + Coco, Stoneybatter The emotional toll behind every one of these closure blurbs was well summed up by Kale + Coco owner Rebecca Feely in this article , who rightly fears a future of chains being the only operations who can afford to survive in this environment. The pressure of making ends meet has forced her hand in shutting the Stoneybatter site, which is due to see new tenants set up soon. Sal y Pepa, Cornelscourt Cornelscourt food truck Sal y Pepa  had one of the sadder sayonara posts we’ve seen of late with this screengrab ad of the trailer up for sale. Maria Garcia’s tapas venture had racked up some impressive reviews over its less than a year in operation, before saying they were closing in November . We were hoping they would reappear elsewhere, but it seems it wasn’t to be. Know of any other Dublin restaurant closures? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie .

Dublin has a new Michelin-starred restaurant, as D'Olier Street joins Variety Jones , Bastible and Glover's Alley in the acclaimed club after this evening's 2024 Michelin awards ceremony. Owner and head chef James Moore had previously been head chef at two-Michelin-starred Atera in New York, so expectations were very high since he opened the restaurant with wife Jane Frye (who diners will know from front of house) and business partner Anthony Smith (who also owns Mr Fox ) just over a year ago in December 2022. The guide said the restaurant "boosts Dublin’s dining scene with visually striking and technically accomplished dishes." A second new one star went to The Bishop's Buttery in the five-star Cashel Palace Hotel, lead by head chef Stefan McEnteer. The guide said the restaurant " offers top-quality produce and great natural flavours to Cashel Palace Hotel. " A third new one star for Ireland was awarded to Homestead Cottage in Doolin, which only opened last summer. Owned and run by Robbie McCauley, formerly head chef at Gregan's Castle , inspectors praised his " delicious cooking (which) makes a visit to the rural west coast all the more appealing." The country also has a new two-star, as Terre in Castlemartyr Hotel in Cork was upgraded from last year's one, which it was awarded within months of opening. The guide said, " Vincent Crepel and his kitchen team have made impressively quick work of crafting a bold, assuredly two Stars experience." Despite predictions from many sides, Library Street , Allta , Uno Mas , One Pico , Mae , Lignum and more continue to be passed over for a star, and the inspectors have yet to decide Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen will be Ireland's first three-star restaurant - something critics have been shouting for since it opened. No restaurants in Ireland have lost stars this year, but Aimsir in Kildare has been removed from the guide as it's not currently open. The Wild Honey Inn in Clare is still listed as having one star in the guide, despite the fact that the website says they will not be serving dinner this season. Someone must have forgotten to tell the inspectors.

What should we know about Tacos Lupillo? Just a month on from opening, Tacos Lupillo has built a strong following off the back of overwhelmingly positive Mexican expat reviews, and a snaking queue leading from an unmarked pink door that can’t but catch the eye of anyone passing by. Tacos were the family trade of chef and owner Jose Guadalupe Zamudio back in Mexico, and now he’s sought to bring those true-to-home flavours to this unlikely Inchicore outlet. What should we have? A smart plan for when to visit, if the evening and weekend crowds that gather here continue. Tacos Lupillo has taken off at furious pace, and if you time things badly you could be a long while waiting to get your order in, You’ll also have next to no chance of snagging one of the four small seating spaces inside, although Cleary’s, the old-fashioned boozer beside, has smartly agreed to allow Lupillo patrons bring their food in – it hasn’t been this lively in years. There’s starters of a sort in the form of nachos, quesadillas and baked potatoes, though the tiny, two-manned kitchen is so frantic you shouldn’t expect to get things in any order other than when they’re good to go. We tried the regular nachos and aside from the cheese, which seemed more standard issue squeezey sauce than the melted cheddar the menu claims, these were great: proper crunchy homemade chips buried beneath mounds of moreish guac and tangy sour cream, with a welcome blast of heat from pickled jalapenos.   Not on the board but also available is a bowl of beef consommé, like a spicy oxtail soup with strands of super-tender beef swimming throughout. If you take just one tip from us today, do not miss this. From the grandmotherly figure who descends the back staircase with two bowls at a time, to the intense umami hit that blasted through the January cold, this is the dish that best sums up Tacos Lupillo’s homely appeal. The main event involves your choice of six fillings in any of six dishes, from burritos and alambre bowls to sandwich-like tortas and fried tortilla volcanes. Given the name, we had to go in for the tacos – it’s the dish that’s most often attracted the expat stamps of approval too – with al pastor. The house special marinade gives the pork a deep flavour that’s well balanced with sliced red onion and coriander, though we found the optional house salsas were needed to avoid everything feeling a little too dry.   Gringas are flour tortillas draped over a cheese and onion-laden filling fried on the grill, before being wrapped and seared themselves, and it's one of Lupillo’s standouts. The minced beef barbacoa had succulence to spare, and was superb laden with more of that salsa. It’s a substantial portion too; any one of these dishes would be more than enough of a meal for most right-minded diners. Why should I go? Against some solid options for Mexican food scattered throughout the city, Tacos Lupillo stands out first and foremost for its bare bones authenticity - this is a menu that knows there are no frills needed when the basics are this good. Don’t be surprised to see this place land a bigger outlet before long. Tacos Lupillo 53 Sarsfield Road, Inchicore, Dublin 8 instagram.com/tacoslupillodublin

The crisp and toastie pairing that Irish dreams are made of, the seasonal special highlighting some of our best food producers, and the prettiest Turkish/Georgian set menu mash up. Here's the five things we want to eat in Dublin this week... 1) Ham, Coolea cheese and leek pizza,  Coke Lane Coke Lane Pizza owner Dave Holmes made a new year's resolution to use their monthly pizza specials to highlight Ireland's best food producers, and January's went live yesterday. They've taken free-range ham hocks from Whole Hoggs , given them the roasted honey and mustard treatment, and paired it with Coolea cheese, roasted celeriac and organic baby leeks from McNally's Family Farm . Find it on menus now at Lucky's and The Circular , both in Dublin 8. Up with this sort of thing. 2) The Tayto toastie, Hawksmoor British giants Hawksmoor have given the ultimate nod to Ireland by teaming up with the people's prince of Ireland, aka Mr. Tayto. Until the end of March, the ham hock and four cheese toastie in their bar will come with a side of Tayto Cheese & Onion, topped with scallion mayo and more ham hock. The collaboration has already gone viral so show our country some pride and make it your civic duty to hop on over to the bar at Hawksmoor for one of these bad boys. De Valera would be proud.... 3) Shortrib flatbread with French onion dip, Row Wines Right, we're well into January and the urge to be good is wearing thin. This short rib French onion dip from Row Wines is your sign that it's time to resume regular programming. A 24-hour braised short rib is loaded onto a torched flatbread, with a creamy celeriac remoulade, and topped off with a lil cornichon pickle. Paired with a French onion dip on the side, this looks like one of those dishes that could get seriously messy, but in the worth it kind of way. 4) Smoked Gubbeen croquettes, Slice Let's face it, Dublin loves a croquette, and we're at peak croquette with these smoked Gubbeen beauties from Slice in Stoneybatter. Who doesn't love fried cheese, let's get real. Served on a bed of roasted veggies and McNally greens, it's the perfect deep-fried yet colourfully healthy dish for this dreary month. 5) Scallops with walnut and coriander zagismari, Margadh RHA These scallops served on a walnut and coriander zagismari sauce, dotted with basil and chilli oil are part of Margadh RHA's Black Sea inspired January tasting menu. Georgian cuisine is only starting to become a thing in Ireland, and trust us, you need to get on board. Don't even get us started on the wine.....

For some reason, Dublin has historically lacked a proper Sunday roast culture, particularly in comparison to our friends in the UK. There have always been notable purveryors of course, fighting the good fight to keep us in beef striploin and roasties over a pint and the Sunday papers, but they've been more of a rarity than found on every corner. Dublin's roast game however is on the up, and several new openings over the past year are finally giving Sunday lunch the treatment it deserves. Here's where to go when you're raring for a roast... City Centre Hawksmoor, College Green The Hawksmoor Sunday Roast is without doubt one of the best, and best priced in the city. For €23 you'll get a couple of slices of dry-aged beef rump, beef-dripping roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, roasted carrots, buttered greens, roasted garlic, and bone marrow gravy, with optional add-on sides like macaroni cheese. Or you can pick a sharing steak from the blackboard (they recommend prime rib or chateaubriand) and add on all the trimmings for €7 per person. ATF Insiders got a first look when it started and we can confirm this is a great roast, plus, that dining room... FX Buckley (Dublin 2, Dublin 7 and Monkstown) FX Buckley offer their famous Sunday roast in all of their venues - Crow Street in Temple Bar, Pembroke Street near St Stephen's Green, the Bull & Castle near Christchurch, Ryan's in Stoneybatter, and FX Buckley in Monkstown. For a great price of €22.50 they're serving roast rib of beef (cooked medium) with Yorkshire puddings, mash, duck fat roast potatoes, confit shallots, roast carrots, tenderstem broccoli and gravy. Bloody Mary's, made with spicy F.X. Buckley seasoning, tomato juice, fresh lemon and vodka are €8, and you won't go wrong with either. The Legal Eagle, Inn's Quay The newly reopened Legal Eagle on Inn's Quay have a (current) choice of lamb rump, half chicken or Black Angus striploin for their Sunday roast (priced from €24 - €27). All are served with roasties, green cabbage, honeyed carrots and parsnips, turnip and carrot purée, stuffing, Yorkshire puddings and gravy. We gave it the once over in November and the root veg was the surprising star - have a read here . Bovinity, Capel Street A rare Saturday roast option as well as Sunday, steakhouse Bovinity on Capel Street have a similar offering to competitor Hawksmoor, with a choice of roast beef or a sharing steak with all the Sunday trimmings. If you go for the classic it's dry-aged rump served with creamy mash, beef-dripping roasties, seasonal vegetables, Yorkshire puddings and gravy (€23 per person), or go for a spendier cut from the blackboard with sides an additional €5 per person. Roasts are served from 13:00 - 16:00. Fade Street Social, Fade Street Fade Street Social have great options if you're sick of roast beef (but they do that too if you're not). You can go for stuffed roast pork with Pink Lady apple compote; chicken, ham hock, duck liver and tarragon pie (both €20.50); and there's even a veggie pie (€19.50) for non meat-eaters, all served with roast potatoes, Yorkshire puds and seasonal veg. The classic roast sirloin of Yearling beef (€24) comes with caramelised red onion marmalade and fresh horseradish. Brookwood, Baggot Street Brookwood on Baggot Street is another great option when you just want the classic striploin, although it's one of the priciest roasts in town at €29. Their Irish beef comes with Yorkshire puddings, roast carrots, smoked cheese & pancetta cabbage, creamy mash and gravy. South Dublin Lottie's, Rathmines Sunday lunch at Lottie's is ideal when you have a mix of roast lovers and haters. The lovers can pick between Sheelin roast striploin or Andarl Farm pork belly with all the bits. The haters can have bavette, sea bass or gnocchi, and with €10 corkage on Sundays it's a great excuse to crack open a special bottle at not much more than at home prices. There's also a goujon-free kids menu with mini roasts, bavette, fish and more. The Dunmore, Rathmines Plush Rathmines newcomer The Dunmore got straight in there with their Sunday roast offering, with a choice of dry-aged roast beef (€27) or roast free-range chicken (€25). All come with duck fat roast potatoes, seasonal greens, confit garlic & gravy, and either onion & sage stuffing for the chicken, or buttermilk Yorkshire puddings for the beef. The Old Spot, Beggar's Bush It's Pat McLoughlin's chicken or beef at The Old Spot on Sundays, all served with duck fat roasties; roast carrots; greens; cauliflower cheese; sage, onion, walnut & apricot stuffing, and gravy. No likey roasts? No problem. There's a full a la carte menu to choose from too, in cosy pub surroundings. Brighton Road, Foxrock The €42 three-course Sunday lunch menu at Brighton Road in Foxrock (formerly Pala Pizza & Trattoria and before that Bistro One ) features roast beef and chicken, or you can go rogue with fish & chips, plaice or wild mushroom risotto. Look out for specials like crispy roast duck with stuffing, and there's a generous amount of starters and desserts to choose from so rest assured you'll find something you like. Yew Tree, Terenure The former owners of 57 The Headline (known for superb Sunday roasts and a wine list a step above your average pub) sold up and moved out last year, but Clanbrassil Street's loss has been Tenerure's gain. They've now opened neighbourhood restaurant Yew Tree , and they didn't dare leave the Sunday roast behind. Pick from Black Angus beef or free-range chicken with roasties, carrots, sage & onion stuffing, green beans and gravy. A roast will set you back €26, or you can add a small plate like crispy calamari or pork terrine for €33. The Butcher Grill, Ranelagh Meat specialists The Butcher Grill (it's in the name) have three roasts on the go every Sunday. Pick from Irish beef striploin with horseradish (€27), corn-fed chicken with chicken sauce (€24), or free-range pork rack with apple sauce (€24). All come with yorkshire puddings, duck fat roasties, gravy, stuffing, peas and carrots, and you can start with seafood starters and cocktails if you're settling in for the afternoon. Oxhorn Grill, Dublin 4 Dublin 4 newbies Oxhorn Grill are keeping it simple with chicken or beef for their Sunday roast, but they've got some of the best prices in Dublin, with striploin and bearnaise for €22, or half roast chicken with mushroom jus for €19 (it's not free-range though). They both come with Yorkshire puddings, duck fat roasties, baby vegetables and red wine jus, or you can do like the other steak houses and ditch the roast beef for a sharing steak. Eleven, Loughlinstown From the same group as The Butcher Grill (as well as 777 and Dillinger's), Eleven has injected some serious life into this site in Loughlintown on the edge of the N11. As well as serving lunch and dinner from Thursday - Saturday, Sunday lunch is a big deal in here, with the same options as The Butcher Grill - beef (€27), corn-fed chicken (€23) or free-range pork rack (€23). All come with Yorkshire puddings, duck fat roasties, gravy, stuffing, peas & carrots, and the wines and cocktailsshouldn't be missed, so best to travel here by public transport, or bring a designated driver. Bresson, Monkstown Bresson in Monkstown offer a roast as part of their Sunday lunch menu , with two courses for €40 and three for €46 (or €32/€38 without the €8 roast supplement). It's Hereford prime roast beef around here, with duck fat roasties, veg, Yorkshire puddings and gravy; or a very posh 'Poulet' from free-range Feighcullen Farm, with pork, apricot and chestnut stuffing, sprout tops, roast carrots, duck fat roasties, roast chicken jus, and bread sauce 'Anglais'. Served Sundays from 11:00 - 15:00. North Dublin Old Street, Malahide Sunday lunch at Old Street in Malahide has been a thing since day one, with Roast Rib of Beef and all the trimmings for €26, or the less classic Chorizo-Crumbed Chicken Supreme, with pumpkin and sage purée, chantilly baby carrots, preserved lemon and tarragon piccata, and fermented black garlic mashed potato (€25). There's also fish, burgers and pasta for any non roast lovers. L Mulligan Grocer, Stoneybatter L Mulligan Grocer serve their Sunday roast from 13:30 until they're sold out, with a choice of organic chicken with sausage meat stuffing (€24.50), organic pork collar with black pudding bon bons (€24.50), or for the veggies there's an organic courgette & squash nut roast with tofu bon bons (€19.50). Each comes with s easonal veg, roasties, mash and gravy, and you'll need a scotch egg to start. The Coachman's Inn, Cloghran We wouldn't have considered ourselves carvery connoisseurs - in fact we were quite happy to leave them behind in the 90's with Glenroe and dial-up internet - but Emer & Esther's Sunday Roast podcast had us wondering what we were missing. Their trip to The Coachman's Inn near the airport drew us in with talk of home potato croquettes "the size of sliotars', expert gravy ladling, and Emer giving it a massive 9/10 scoring, and with a full portion €14.95-€15.95, and a half €10.90, it's one of the best value options around for the very hungry. Fagan's, Drumcondra The other Northside carvery to beat is found in the pub made famous by Bertie Ahern - Fagan's in Drumcondra. €15.50 will get you a plate with beef, turkey, ham, multiple types of potatoes and all the veg you can handle, and it's the loveliest pub to while away a Sunday in. Did we miss a great Sunday roast? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie .

The low/no alcohol life is swiftly becoming not just a January thing but a movement that’s gaining serious traction on social media ( hashtag sobertok). Popular with the Gen Z-ers - it’s finally becoming less taboo to ditch the booze, without being asked if you're pregnant/driving/in recovery. Thankfully there's an increasing amount of spots in Dublin that are embracing the sober buzz with really good alcohol-free options - be gone concentrated fruit juice medley "mocktails" that cater only towards a child's palette for €9 a pop... Board, Dublin 8 The newest completely booze free bar to grace our fair city is Board - a board game café-slash-bar. Their mocktail list is very impressive, featuring house made cordials and premium non alcoholic "spirits" from Lyre , Three Spirit and Siegfried . Not to mention they have one of the largest selection of non alcoholic beers in the city, and they're outwardly child and dog friendly - hop to it! Bar 1661, Dublin 1 Swiftly moving from a completely non alcoholic bar to a very alcoholic bar, Bar 1661 shake up some of the best cocktails around, so you know you’re in good hands when it comes to perfectly made mocktails. We like the look of the Birdie, with green tea, peppermint, rhubarb, plum and bitters, and you won't miss the booze with drinks this good. Bull and Castle, Dublin 2 FXB’s Bull and Castle location near Christchurch has non drinkers surprisingly well covered. Zero proof wines by the glass to pair with their ( world famous if you don't mind ) steaks, along with a dedicated non-alcoholic cocktail list that actually looks good - we're talking smoked old fashioneds made with cherry wood smoke and a 0.0 Guinness reduction, along with salted caramel espresso martinis. No need to feel like you’re missing out here when you’ve ditched the hooch. The Old Spot, Dublin 4 The Old Spot is a sober friendly spot. With one of the most varied selections on this list, they have red and whites by the bottle, a nice selection of beers, and a whole non-alcoholic cocktail list, as well as low abv cocktails. Lots of options for those who want to dial things back, or skip the hangover altogether. The Shelbourne, Dublin 2 Probably not on most people's N/A radar, The Shelbourne  is the ideal place for those off the grog. They've recently partnered up with   Lucky Saint   - a non alcoholic craft beer brand who are passionate about 0% beer that actually tastes good. So passionate that they've stuck to the traditional brewing methods, and operate out of a 400-year old Bavarian brewery. It's not just beer to be had at this boujie Stephen's Green hotel, they also have N/A wines and a full cocktail menu taking advantage of Lyre's   non-alcoholic spirits. This ain't a January thing either, the Shelbourne are keeping them on year round. D'Olier Street, Dublin 2 In one of the finest tasting menu restaurants in the city, you won't have to sacrifice the full dining experience if you've cut out the booze. As part of their twelve course tasting menu, D'Olier Street offer a full non alcoholic cocktail pairing to complement each course. What a time to be alive. Astopia, Dublin 2 Stay dry by going to Ireland's premiere cyberpunk Asian fusion mocktail bar - Astopia on Aungier street. Their exciting mocktail list features interesting elements from a frozen blooming flower, to a cheesy cream foam. Go for the menu descriptions of the mocktails alone, you won't regret it. Read our two minute review here . Shouk, Dublin 9 Shouk 's aura reads wholesome. Their menu is packed full of vibrant dishes heavy on the veggies, and you can expect the same vibe when it comes to their drinks. For those off the sauce, they have a sophisticated selection of freshly squeezed juices (we love the green apple, carrot, and ginger), virgin cocktails, homemade mint lemonade, and a decent selection of gazoz - that's fruit flavoured sparkling water to you. Did we miss somewhere with a great non-alcoholic drinks selection? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie .

Oh lads. The blessed month of January is upon us. If like us you overindulged, spent too much and drank all the booze, we got you. Whether or not you're on the dry, doing Veganuary, or after all the stress of December you just need a little treat, we've rounded up our go to spots for January, and as a post Christmas win, there are plenty of deals to be had. For the boujie January bargains: Hawksmoor, Dublin 2 2024 so far is shaping up to be the year of the bargain, (ok maybe the €2 coffee on Drury Street got us excited) and Hawksmoor  are starting this list off with guns a-blazing. This month they're going in with a double January whammy - aka balanced boozeless bargains. They're offering a lean rump steak & a side for €23, and three interesting looking non-alcoholic cocktails specials for €6 a pop. Their steak and side deal runs Monday to Saturday from 12:00 - 15:00, and again for the 17:00 sitting for the early birdies. Get on this stat. For the cheap, cheerful, and calorie conscious: Nutbutter, Smithfield & Grand Canal Dock Got the January blues? Nutbutter will sort you out. . A solid option for a quick lunch, or if you're in need of a healthy dinner spot they open again from 16:00 - 21:30. There's a small selection of beer and wine, but also kombucha and juices for those on the dry. The menu has lots of great options from tacos to poke bowls, tostadas and pho. Guilt free goodness right here. For a veggie friendly January treat: Yves at Brother Hubbard, Ranelagh Brother Hubbard ’s Yves ' French-inspired casual dining menu in Ranelagh has some really nice veggie and vegan options for those taking it easy with the meat this month. Save a few pennies too by opting into their BYOB deal with Redmond's wine shop. They open Wednesday to Friday from 17:30 and hold a small number of walk-in tables nightly. To get us through this cold snap Andhra Bhavan, Marlborough Street Andhra Bhavan snuck up on us relatively recently and we've been hearing really great things about this new Indian oening. With a focus on the southern part of the country, they describe themselves as "pioneers of authentic South Indian breakfast", and boast a good variety of dishes, including dosas, idlis, vadas, uttappams, and peserattu. All mains are under €20, which is great news for the current month we're in. God knows we all need a bargain. For when you're doing Dry January: The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin 2 For those in their mocktail era, The Shelbourne have added a bunch of new low and no alcohol drinks to their menu and have recently partnered up with Lucky Saint - a non alcoholic craft beer brewed in a 400-year old Bavarian brewery. Their cocktails are made with Lyre's   non alcoholic spirits, with some pretty interesting options (we like the look of the blood orange spritz), and the menu is available not just for January, but year round. Livers rejoice. For when you need a bit of flavour after all the turkey and ham L-Blanc Mezzes, North Strand On Friday and Saturday nights, North Strand's favourite coffee shop Cloud Café turns into a brand new mezze restaurant, with the food at L-Blanc looking whopper and their set menus a serious steal - one main, two mezze and a glass of vino is €35. Hearty Turkish dishes, along with a varied selection of mezze plates, make this spot a great place to go with a group of pals. Share the whole menu and get those veggies into ya. For when you need one more January deal: BAH33º, Dublin 2 This month, Brazilian bastions BAH33º are including two glasses of house wine with two Gaucho Rodízios BBQ experiences - a four course menu where you pick your meat option from the servers walking by. There's lots of interesting options including rump, flank, fillet wrapped in bacon, chicken hearts, twelve-hour ribs, and cinnamon smoked pineapple. Sounds like a much needed fun injection over the next few drab weeks.

Our first 9 Giveaways of 2024 have arrived, and it's a restaurant bonanza! Five star dining, a Middle Eastern supper club for four, all the roast duck you can eat, and loads more. Our ATF Insider service is how we remain ad free, pay our writers, pay for our meals, and operate independently to give you the only advice you need about eating out in Dublin, so if you appreciate our content, we'd appreciate your support to keep it going... Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders by midnight on the 17th January will be entered into the draw, and winners will be picked and notified on the 18th January. Here's what we've got lined up for you this month... 1) Lunch for two at The Shelbourne with drinks from their alcohol-free menu and a hamper from Lucky Saint Beer Our recent Instagram poll showed that a sizeable 36% of you are doing dry January, and apparently 2024 is going to be the year of the moderate drinker, so it's good timing for The Shelbourne to launch their new no and low-alcohol menu. As well as a partnership with alcohol-free beer Lucky Saint , they've got new cocktails, spirits and wines on the list, and it's now available year round. We've got lunch for two to give away in No. 27 Bar this month, with a selection of drinks from the new menu, as well as an alcohol-free, beer-filled hamper from Lucky Saint . ( T&Cs: Nontransferable and subject to availability) 2) A €100 voucher for Bullet Duck & Dumplings Dublin has never had enough places to gorge on Peking roast duck if you ask us, and with the recent closures of CN Duck in Ranelagh and Duck on Fade Street, it now has two less. So thank your lucky stars that Bullet Duck & Dumplings is still doing the business on Mary Street Little, with roast Silverhill duck cooked in a specially imported bullet oven, char siu pork and handmade dumplings on the menu. They're open seven days a week from 12:00 - 21:00, and we've got a €100 voucher to give away so one of you can do the dog on it. 3) A three-course vegan menu for two from The Purty Kitchen As well as dry January, Veganuary is also taking up a lot of headlines this month, so The Purty Kitchen in Dun Laoghaire have dived in with a fully vegan menu (€35 for three courses) on top of their regular à la carte, available until the 28th January. The menu will focus on local and seasonal ingredients, with dishes including Pear and Beet Salad, Chargrilled Cauliflower Steaks, and Frangipane with Raspberry Sorbet, and we've got a three-course menu for two with wine pairings to give away to one of our Insiders this month (value €120). Reservations are recommended via purtykitchen.com . 4) A €100 voucher for dinner at Root, Skerries We were so impressed by a recent lunch at newly opened Root in Skerries (beef cheek toasties with truffle mayo for the win), that we immediately started plotting a return for one of their dinners (and they're open on Valentine's Day). Local owner Alex Lee and chef Andrew Kelly (ex-Potager and Bastible) take food and flavour very seriously, and the menu screams that this is not your run of the mill suburban café. We've got a €100 voucher for dinner at Root to give away this month, and we might see you there because we just can't stop thinking about crumpets with cheese custard and nduja . 5) Dinner for four with wine at L Blanc Mezze It was ATF Insiders who first alerted us to L-Blanc Mezze 's weekend supper club at Cloud Café in the North Strand, telling us we needed to check it out asap. Started by longtime friends Arda and Anil, the menu draws inspiration from the Mediterranean and the Middle East, with mezze include baba gonoush, atom and tarator, and mains including Hunkar Begendi (slow-cooked beef) and Imam Bayildi (roast aubergine). A set menu including two mezzes, a main and a glass of wine is just €35, or €40 with dessert, or you can pick six mezzes to share with a bottle of wine for €75. We've got the full experience for four at L Blanc Mezze to give away this month, with a bottle of wine of your choice. 6) Two tickets to an 'Asian Kitchen Cocktails' showcase at Asia Market and a €50 voucher Asia Market , the go-to grocery store for all of your favourite far eastern ingredients, has announced their schedule of events and experiences to celebrate the Lunar New Year, and there's a packed programme from Saturday February 10th to Sunday February 25th. We've got two tickets to Master Mixologist and award-winning Spirits Writer, Oisin Davis' special ' Asian Kitchen Cocktails ' showcase at their Ballymount store on Saturday February 17th, showing you how to make world-class drinks at home using ingredients and spirits available from Asia Market , which you'll sample while enjoying some tasty snacks. The winner will also have a €50 voucher to spend in any of its stores (Drury Street, Dublin 2, Ballymount, Dublin 12, or their newly opened Mini Asia Market in Maynooth), or online where you can get nationwide delivery. 7) €100 to spend at El Fuego Tacos and Pastiamo Trucktorria at Eatyard Have you tried the tacos from El Fuego at Eatyard ? We did and we haven't stopped thinking about them. The crispy shells, the pitch perfect pork carnitas, the birria consommé on the side - these are undoubtedly some of the best in the city. And right next door you'll find the death row carbonara from Pastiamo Trucktorria - you can also level up by going for the one with black truffle. (They're taking a break from Eatyard until February for unit upgrades, but you can also find them at The Place Street Food on Grand Canal Street.) We really want all of you to try both of these, so one of you will be winning a €50 voucher for each, which should get you most of the menu. 8) A €100 voucher for Fayrouz Middle Eastern Fayrouz in Dublin 8 has got to be offering some of the best value food in the city, with the mezzas a brilliant way to eat your way through kibbeh, arayess, hummus and fatoosh for very little money. The free corkage on drinks just adds to the incredible value, and the €100 voucher we've got to give away this month will go a very long way. You can also order for takeaway (and you'll feel much better than after a chipper), and it's the ideal pre-gig eating spot before heading into Vicar Street. Check out Fayrouz here . 9) A monthly fermentation subscription from 4 Hands Food Studio Rose Greene and Margaux Dejardin started 4 Hands Food Studio in 2018 after a previous life working in Michelin-starred kitchens and on organic farms, followed by restaurant pop-ups and food collaborations in Ireland. These guys are fermentation fanatics, and an example of a genuinely sustainable business . Their new monthly subscription sees a changing selection of their naturally fermented products like sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha delivered to your door for €60, with optional add-ons like hummus, sourdough and granola. We've got a monthly subscription with add ons to give away this month worth over €100, to give your gut the New Year boost it's been waiting for. Email 4handsf@gmail.com to sign up. Everyone signed up to   ATF Insiders   for January (new and old) will be automatically entered into the prize draw - you don't need to do anything. If you're not signed up yet join here  before midnight on the 17th January to be in with a chance of winning. You'll be supporting independent content in Dublin and beyond, and be able to get answers to all of your burning questions about eating out, here and abroad, directly from us.

Our 30 hottest list features the most talked about restaurants in Dublin right now, based on column inches, Insta love and the general pain involved in getting a booking. There are the restaurants with all the buzz, in alphabetical order, with four new entries for January... * This list doesn't include cafés or lunch only options, everywhere here is open for dinner at a minimum

For all the grim news of closures that’s kicked off the year, it’s a crowded slate in our first new openings report of 2024, with a whole host of outfits arriving on the scene across the last few weeks. The north of the city fares better than usual with plenty of action in the suburbs too – a sign, as if we were in need of another, that central area rents are going beyond the reach of small and new businesses... Board, Clanbrassil Street Arriving right on time to ride the dry January wave, alcohol-free bar Board opened its doors last week with a half-price promo that saw plenty of curious crowds pour in to check out the new venture from BodyTonic, they of The Bernard Shaw and WigWam among others. Impressive shelving units in the downstairs pub and upstairs café area hold a host of board games to enjoy as you sip on the range of non-alcoholic draught beers, wine and cocktails they’ve pulled together, with a house rule that the loser buys the next round a clever marketing pitch to keep the bar busy. The brunch and evening pizza menus aren’t anything overly eye-catching, but should cater to most tastes. Honey Honey, Bath Avenue Portmarnock staple Honey Honey has been reliably thronged since its 2018 opening, but it’s a surprise to see them expanding to a second site on the other side the city. Their standout yellow branding has taken over the Bath Avenue space that was previously home to Farmer Brown’s, and we’ll bet the smell of pecan honey crunch cinnamon rolls has started turning heads as it wafts its way through D4 too. Menus are expected to change on the regular, but alongside the all-day cakes and pastries you can expect granola, porridge and breakfast brioches for breakfast with a choice of sandwiches and quesadillas for lunch. Panacea, Sandyford Converting its spacious conservatory area into a new art deco dining space, Sandyford House opened up Panacea at the end of November, a higher-end alternative to the gastropub fare previously offered. Pastries and sausage rolls dominate the breakfast menu while seafood abounds for lunch; at dinner, yellowfin tuna and foie gras front a fancier offering that also includes Andarl Farm pork chops and slow-cooked short rib. They’ve made a particular pitch of their “carefully sourced and curated” cellar wine list, and while the reds look the part, there’s just five bottles of white listed – not quite what we expected with this much fish on offer. Boom, Francis Street The inside track for Inchicore residents has always put Boom right up there as the best coffee around, so Liberties locals will be glad to see they’ve chosen Francis Street for their second outlet. Sat beside Turkish café Rumi , another recent opener here, it’s a significantly bigger site with the kind of stop-and-savour space the original’s limited room always struggled to provide - all the better to enjoy their selections of Tartine pastries and vegan and gluten-free cakes from Rua. With beans supplied from Bell Lane in Westmeath, Boom are pitching themselves as the best value specialty coffee in D8 – a bold claim. Tacos Lupillo, Inchicore Anyone passing through Inchicore in recent weeks can’t have failed to notice the head-turning queues snaking out from Cleary’s pub. Tacos Lupillo is the culprit, a Mexican restaurant crammed into the tiny kitchen space that occupies one corner of the building. Strong word of mouth from Mexican influencers in Dublin seems to have driven the rapid, rabid following that’s engulfed the place and sent crowds flocking to its street food selection, including tacos, gringas, quesadillas and more. You’ll have little hope of snagging one of the three tiny tables inside; luckily Cleary’s have smartly agreed to allow punters eat in the pub, too. El Fuego, Eatyard Eatyard at the Bernard Shaw has added a new vendor in the form of El Fuego , the taco truck that’s gone from strength to strength since starting out in Laois early last year, and adding gradually more markets and festivals to its roster. It’s a pared down offering here from the mobile kitchen with just tacos and sides rather than the burritos and bowls they offer elsewhere, but their beef birria with a consomm é  dip on the side was all we had eyes for either way. They’ll be there every week from Thursday to Sunday. Krewe, Portobello New Orleans-inspired Krewe on Capel Street has been reliably packed since reopening post-pandemic (their original ill-timed arrival at the end of 2019 never let them build up much steam), and for all the faults we found on a visit last year , their range and keen pricing has kept them thronged enough to make this second arrival inevitable. It’s set within the new Charlemont Square development in Portobello – you know, the one that pushed out the Bernard Shaw’s previous incarnation – and looks to have ample space to mop up all the interest it should attract on this side of town with its Creole-inspired cuisine. L-Blanc Mezes, North Strand Road With a growing list of closures only a week in, it’s looking like 2024 will be another challenging year for the industry. In such an environment, we’re expecting to see a lot more supper club popup entries like L-Blanc arrive on the scene. Opening Friday and Saturday nights in North Strand Road’s Cloud Café , this Turkish mezze restaurant is offering a focused menu with eight small plates and three mains – sounds like the perfect size to try everything in one go to us. Three prix fixe menus ranging from €35 to €70 look like especially good value in the current climate. Daata, Blackrock After cracking the Dublin market in 2021 with a third opening in Glasthule, Pakistani restaurant Daata has inched further into the capital with a fourth site in Blackrock. Taking over the sizeable premises that previously housed Flash Harry’s, they’ve given the space just the love and attention you’d expect from their other locations. The family-run business, which originally set up out of Wicklow as far back as 1999, offers plenty of variety across its wide brunch, lunch and dinner menus, with a great value kids’ menu and signature cocktail selections only adding to the appeal. Andhra Bhavan, Marlborough Street If the high praise of Vritti Bansal’s review wasn’t enough to turn our heads towards Andhra Bhavan , the chorus of Indian expat feedback on Google declaring it tastes just like home surely would be. This new arrival to an unassuming stretch of Marlborough Street has racked up an impressive reputation in just over a month of operation. Open Tuesday through Sunday for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it’s got an extensive menu of South Indian dishes, many never or rarely seen across Dublin. The promising word of rasam, manchurian and top-tier dosa has us very keen to get in and try it for ourselves. Yew Tree, Terenure After dropping hints of things to come since as far back as September, Yew Tree has opened in Terenure, a new neighbourhood restaurant from the people who brought us Clanbrassil Street’s 57 The Headline, which shuttered after ten years when the building was sold. It’s more of a wine and small plates vibe than the previous premises’ beer and (high-end) pub grub, with duck pâté and black pudding croquettes among the standout selections of the evening menu. They’re also offering a range of toasted sandwiches as a weekday lunch option, with Sunday roasts a holdover from the Headline days. Honest2Goodness, Botanic Avenue After leaving the Glasnevin farmer’s market that bore its name for 14 years at the end of last year, Honest2Goodness wines have moved on to a new home nearby in Botanic Avenue (the market remains open for now and a new operating team are looking for a location to move to in the future - there's a new Instagram page here ) . They’re offering a small selection of snacks and wines by the glass in this small corner site, as well as a retail outlet for their extensive selection of imported wines – if you’ve ever attended any of their excellent tastings, you’ll know this is one to keep a close eye on. Coming soon... Vice, Phibsborough The good news for the Northside just keeps coming: Vice , home to some seriously good pizzas and wings over on Merrion Street since late 2022, is opening a second outlet in Phibsborough. They’ll throw open their doors on the 24th.

You won't find any dry January or Veganuary resolutions around here - we only tend to go in for behaviour improvements we have a hope of keeping long-term, so gut health, grocery refills, and buying better meat are high on the agenda for 2024. Here are the New Year's resolutions you might actually stick to this year... Give your gut a leg up 4 Hands Studio 's Rose and Margaux have been busy fermenting anything and everything in Westmeath for the past few years, and their new monthly subscription is a great way to boost your gut health in 2024. You'll get kombucha, sauerkraut, apple cider vinegar, fermented chilli jam and more for €60 a month, and there are optional add-ons like sourdough, hummus and granola. Email 4handsf@gmail.com with your name, address and phone number and they'll send you a payment link. Buy better meat We don't go in for Veganuary around here, but we do go in for eating a bit less meat, but spending more money on it. That's where a quality butcher like The Village Butcher in Ranelagh comes in, and with nationwide delivery you don't need to worry about lugging pork shoulders and lamb legs into the boot or onto the bus. Apart from all the usual kitchen staples you can experiment with Irish rose veal and buffalo, French wild boar, and Japanese Wagyu, and the team there are great for prep and cooking advice. Learn to make your favourite restaurant food at home Great 2024 news - M&L's dumpling making classes are back on Sunday 28th January. If you've had their handmade, chunky dumplings the likelihood is you've thought about them a lot since, and now you can learn their tricks to recreate them at home. For €50 you'll learn to cook and eat beef, pork, prawn and vegetable dumplings, and you can book a place by texting 0877542775. Get to know Irish, organic vegetables It's a case of use it or lose it when it comes to Irish veg (especially the organic kind), where growers seem to be giving up and leaving the market every week. Yes it can be more expensive to buy local (and definitely to buy organic), but we'll happily drop one lunch out or a few coffees to upgrade our veg shelf to the good stuff from Green Earth Organics . Apart from the age old "you are what you eat" mantra, we want these guys to be around next year, and the one after that, and unless more people realise the true price of homegrown produce, Dutch peppers and Moroccan raspberries might be our only option in the next few years. Refill, refill, refill It's all too easy to stick to the same shopping habits month after month, but if you make one change for 2024, find a grocery refill station and head there with your containers in hand, instead of adding to plastic mountains across the globe. There's Minimal Waste Grocery in Raheny, Noms in Phibsborough, The Souce in Rathmines, and The Good Neighbour in Dundrum, with the latter hoping to open more refill stations in 2024. Once you get into the swing of it it'll become second nature, promise. Eat at local and independent restaurants Not to be dramatic, but it feels like we're on the cusp of a tidal waves of closures, with each week bringing more shockers. It can't be said enough that if you want somewhere to survive, you need to support them, so the next time your Insta-hun friend wants to book The Ivy for a getogether, set them straight and divert that money towards the places where your booking really matters.

We're back with at least one veggie dish (for the month that's in it), a main course inspired by a cocktail, and a wintery cruffin, as some of the 5 things we want to eat most in Dublin this week... 1) Steamed Cod, Hang Dai Hang Dai are celebrating their kick ass cocktails with a collaboration where bar meets kitchen. Their steamed cod, chilli and ginger dish is inspired by their Chili Chili Yaw cocktail, and features a special blend of pepper, chili shrub, bay leaves, and coriander seeds. What a pairing. 2) Veggie Bap, Honey Honey Cafe This Toonsbridge halloumi, smashed avocado, fried egg veggie bap, served with homemade vegan ketchup, from the new Honey Honey Café in D4 is the perfect way to ease yourself into a meat-free January. You could drop the cheese and egg if you're doing Veganuary, but why torture yourself. 3) Pepperoni pizza, Minetta Deli The pizza-by-the-slice game has got its game face on in Dublin at the moment. With the recent arrival of Mani , we love to see more top notch pizza sold by the slice (perfect for people with commitment issues). Sisters Nicola and Deboragh Hughes of Minetta Delicatessen - an Italian/NYC inspired café/deli are slinging out this little pepperoni number with hot honey if you find yourself on the Sutton side of the city. 4) Blood orange super split, Mr Fox The retro super split dessert has been a fixture at Mr Fox since day one, but it's been given a January 2024 update with the addition of blood orange. We approve. 5) Apple crumble cruffin, Bread 41 There's still plenty of time to eat all the wintery desserts, and this spiced apple butter and custard cruffin from Bread 41, topped with a cinnamon glaze crumble has us in a low key chokehold. Clearly we didn't treat ourselves enough over Christmas so we may as well keep going...

ATF Insider's last 9 Giveaways of 2023 are here! We've got a food and culture filled hotel stay in Dublin, vouchers to try the city's hottest new openings, food and drink-filled Christmas hampers and more. Our ATF Insider service is how we remain ad free, pay our writers, pay for our meals, and operate independently to give you the only advice you need about eating out in Dublin. If you enjoy our content and haven't signed up, maybe this will be the month you cave... Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders by midnight on the 17th December will be entered into the draw, and winners will be picked and notified on the 18th December. Here's what we've got lined up for you this month... 1) A stay in The Croke Park Hotel for their 15-minute Dublin experience, worth over €300 The Croke Park hotel (part of family-owned Irish luxury hotel group, The Doyle Collection) will be putting up one ATF Insider (and guest) overnight in a luxury guest room on Thursday 11th January, for their 15-minute Dublin: Peter Pan at The Gate experience, with breakfast the following morning, and a pre-theatre dinner in the Hawthorn restaurant. The Croke Park Hotel is the official accommodation partner of The Gate Theatre, and the new city escape packages are aimed at giving guests an insider’s track to the city, changing throughout the year to highlight the cultural richness of the local area, including the Gate Theatre. To find out more click here . 2) Saturday lunch for two at Tom Foster's residency at Mamó Howth's Mamó is one of our favourite places to spend a few hours in the capital, and from January 12th - February 4th, Australia's best young chef , Tom Foster, is taking over the kitchen and dining room. At 29 Tom’s career has spanned restaurants including The Ledbury in London and Cirrus Dining in Sydney, and most recently he was head chef at ELE By Federico And Karl. He and his team will be cooking a seven-course menu over four weekends, with a wine pairing also available, and we're sending one of you there for a long Saturday lunch to see what all the fuss is about. Tickets are available here . 3) A €200 voucher for Bootleg The guys behind Big Fan, Sprezzatura and Bow Lane have come together to create a new wine bar, Bootleg , in a former Starbucks on Drury Street, and with Big Fan chef Alex Zhang in charge of the Mediterranean-ish food, you know this is going to be good. Wines are natural leaning with a vintage "back catalogue" list for the serious drinkers, and there's an Apertivo cocktail list. Recyling is big on the agenda, with the bar and high tables made from sheet material removed from the walls, and from the New Year they'll be doing wine nights, live music and more. We've got a €200 voucher to give away for Bootleg this month, that can be spent on food, drinks or events (excludes their vintage wine selection). Book a table here . 4) Lunch for two with wine at  Cellar 22 A new wine destination has opened at St. Stephen’s Green, and we're most interested in the fact that they're making 80% of their charcuterie in house. Cellar 22  is a cosy, downstairs space with a wide-ranging wine list and an all-day dining menu featuring that charcuterie, breads, cheeses, tartare, crudo and more. Chris Maguire (ex-Frank's and Delahunt) is in charge of the kitchen, while sommelier Victor Nedelea (ex-Sole) is in charge of wine, and this month we're sending one of you for lunch in Cellar 22 to be spoilt by both. 5) A €150 voucher for Mani on Drury Street There's no danger of anything to do with Christmas over-shadowing the buzz about Mani opening at breakneck speed on Drury Street. Since opening for business last weekend there's been a constant queue down the street, and we've officially lost count of the amount of people we've seen saying their carbonara slice is the best pizza in the city. Ex- Pala Pizza owner/chef Rory Shannon has joined Mani creator Ciaran McGonagle in the kitchen, and if that ain't a dream team what is. We've got a €150 voucher for Mani to give away this month so one of you will be seriously splurging on slices, suppli and deep-fried lasagne. 6) A Premium Irish Hamper from Lotts & Co worth €125 Premium grocer Lotts & Co specialises in the best Irish and international food, craft beers and wine, and every visit there unearths something we absolutely must have in our fridge/press/drinks cabinet. As well as their in-store stock and monthly food and drink subscriptions , they also do a keen line in hampers, and this month we've got one of their premium Irish hampers worth €125 to give away, with products like Cloud Picker coffee, Crossogue preserves, and Skelligs chocolate. Check out their hampers and gifts here . 7) Bar f ood & cocktails for two worth €100 at Kinara Kitchen Ranelagh Ranelagh's Kinara Kitchen has recently done a revamp of its bar space, so customers can now enjoy their award-winning cocktails and Pakistani nibbles in an even more intimate setting. From date nights to friend meet-ups this festive season, they've also announced extended operating hours, with all three restaurants open from 12 pm-7 pm on Christmas Eve, and reopening on the 27th - k eep up to date by following @kinara_group on social. To celebrate its new cocktail space, Kinara Kitchen is giving one lucky ATF Insider a bar bites & cocktails experience for two worth €100. 8) A Roe & Co Distillery experience and hamper Roe & Co Whiskey  is made from hand-selected stocks of Irish malt and grain whiskys and aged in bourbon casks, with flavours of vanilla, toffee and spiced orchard fruits. The Dublin 8 Distillery and Visitor Experience opened in  June 2019 focused on cocktails, and they won 'Best Distillery Tour 2020' at the International Spirits Challenge. We're sending one of you off to Roe & Co on a blending or flavours experience, and you'll also be sent a bottle of Roe & Co Whiskey, glassware, a box of Tara Gartlan chocolates, a Christmas decoration and a tote bag. Check out their experiences here . 9) i-Stil Vodka and  Ballymaloe  Vodka  Cranberry  sauce Ballymaloe Foods have partnered with i-Stil 38 Premium Irish Vodka to use their pink berry vodka in a more grown up take on cranberry sauce.  i-Stil 38 is produced in West Cork and is the number one selling premium vodka in Ireland. Their ' pink berry' is made with distilled Irish grains and Irish berries, and they recommend enjoying the resulting vodka cranberry sauce with roast turkey, nut loaf, brie cheese or even mixed into a festive cocktail. We've got three bottles of i-Stil 38  vodka and three jars of the cranberry sauce winging its way to one ATF Insider this month, and we won't tell anyone if you pass the other two off as last minute Christmas presents. Everyone signed up to   ATF Insiders   for December (new and old) will be automatically entered into the prize draw - you don't need to do anything. If you're not signed up yet join here  before midnight on the 17th December to be in with a chance of winning. You'll be supporting independent content in Dublin and beyond, and be able to get answers to all of your burning questions about eating out, here and abroad, directly from us.

What should we know about Fusco's Cafe? Fusco's has been around for donkey's years - it celebrates its 60th anniversary next July - and it's one of the OG Dublin chippers, getting bonus points for the ability to sit in. They're are known for being one of the few that still serve ray, which is "very Dublin", but we did find a good few others including La Costa in Clontarf, Macari's in Glasnevin, C.Aprile in Stillorgan, Tony's Super Takeaway in Coolock, The Lido on Pearse street, and Roma in Clondalkin. What did you have? Their menu has all the usual suspects, from burgers to fish, fried chicken to kebabs, and an all day breakfast. We rang a day in advance to secure the ray (lighter in taste than cod, and more delicate) as we heard it sells out. It arrived (via table service if you don't mind) beautifully battered and steaming hot. The trick is to open it like a book (Norina, the owner Filippo's daughter advised) and work around the bones. We encountered a couple, but they're more like cartilage in texture, and we hear some people eat them. The flesh was light, fluffy and a nice change from the ubiquitous cod. We also ordered the smoked cod, a good litmus test for any chipper worth their salt (soz). It was beautifully smoked, super fresh, and falling apart on our forks. When you see a Warley burger on a chipper menu, you know you're in for a good time. Also known as "wurley" burgers, Norina told us that they were invented in Fusco's, and consider us starstruck. A regular who went by the name of Warley (who only passed away last year) used to come in and ask for a quarter pounder patty to be battered, and hey presto - the iconic Dublin delicacy was born. Our burger was nicely assembled, with the batter giving an interesting texture contrast, but we'd save this one for a hangover. Another good test of chippers is their battered sausage. Fusco's have used the same recipe since day one - a combination of beef and chicken, with a heavy hand on the spices. The flavour's almost closer to black pudding - it's not your traditional battered sausage. Their chips are fluffy, crispy, very well seasoned, and were gone in minutes. Excellent chipper chips to be had here. Norina recommended we try the curry roll and who are we to refuse. It's a curried rice log that they get from their neighbouring Chinese takeaway, and in classic chipper fashion they toss it in the fryer. It comes with a side of curry sauce and ladies and gentlemen, may we present to you, the deep fried 2 in 1. The flavours were all there, but the texture was a bit stodgy and homogeneous. It was a trip all the same. What is there to drink? They offer all the usual soft drinks, along with tea and coffee, and for those that way inclined you can go full retro with a pint of milk. Why should I go? Come for the history, the ray, and Filipio's iconic kick boxing portrait on the wall. The charming staff, fresh fish, and above average chips are three more reasons to pay a visit to this Dublin city institution . Long live Fusco's! Fusco's Café 27 Meath St, The Liberties, Dublin 8

An old school sherry, a once a year truffle brie, and a Greek classic are all calling our names this week... 1) Sherry Trifle, The Pig's Ear Does it get any more old school than a sherry trifle, the marmite of desserts? The Pig's Ear have made a bold move featuring the Christmassy classic on their menu, seen as they're synonymous with grannies and ladies named Vera, but we'd much rather eat one made by a professional - our Grannies never made them this pretty. 2) Shrimp Saganaki, Shouk We adore Shouk , and it's not every day they get a new menu item. Warm up with their newest dish - slow cooked shrimp in a Mediterranean tomato sauce with hints of anise and Bulgarian cheese, flamed in their woodfired oven and served with freshly baked bread made in house. 3) Pumpkin Risotto, Note We're still in our pumpkin era, and this pumpkin risotto with taleggio and sage looks like the perfect wintery plate to cosy up with at Note . Grab a seat at the bar, order a glass of La Palazzina's Nebbiolo, and forget about all the Christmas presents you still have to buy. 4) Dongé Truffle Brie, Sheridan's Sheridan's once a year Dongé truffle brie has landed, and what is Christmas if not fresh St. Jean black truffles from Burgundy sandwiched between layers of creamy young brie and double cream cheese. Ripened in the Cousances-les-Triconville cellars of the Dongé family, this should take pride of place on your Christmas cheese board. 5) Caramel Tart, Daddy's Cafe December is the month of indulgence, and this caramel tart from Daddy's is the sweet treat you don't need, but will want. It's layered with a thick dulce de leche and topped with a crumbly coconut sponge - in for a penny and all that.

What should we know about Just Chubby's? Just Chubby's taco truck was a long held dream of 147 Deli 's flavour master Barry Stephens, and was meant to open pre-covid. Almost two years later than billed, they finally opened their hatch outside Lotts & Co. in Clontarf in Summer 2022, and immediately queues and early sell outs became the status quo. While they initially parked their truck in front of the multi-coloured, specially commissioned mural, they're now inside the warehouse behind it, meaning cover and more seats. What did you have? There's tacos, sides and salsas which cost extra (more on that later). You're here for the tacos, and up until last spring they were €5 a piece, but they've risen sharply to €6.50. Assuming you'll want at least two, and maybe a salsa for each at an extra €2.95 a piece, you're looking at €20 before you've touched anything else. Comparing this with El Milagro 's food truck in Herbert Park, where you'll get two tacos for €12 with your choice of salsa on the side for each, we're in the rafters here (and we've had many complaints about El Milagro daring to charge €6 a taco). We tried all three, with the ale-braised pork marginally out in front. The sweet, tender meat comes with salsa verde and an onion/coriander mix on top for freshness, but we would have liked more salsa to drown it with. The chicken, with chipotle and honeyglazed red pickled cabbage, salsa verde and jalapeños needs a warning - we were almost crying trying to refill our water bottles. A particulary spicy batch of jalapeños maybe, but it was hard to taste anything during the brief period our taste buds were burnt off. The veggie had charred sweet potato, onions, white cheese, epazote (a Central American herb) and chipotle salsa, and we really liked this too, with its milder spice and sweet/savoury flavours. What it was all missing though was free-flowing salsas. At almost €3 each it will chunk up the bill considerably to add a few to your order, and it was anathema to us not to include a small pot on the side, or offer a selection as a considerably cheaper add on - salsa is around 50% of the fun of eating tacos. Corn ribs were put on the Dublin map by Big Fan back in 2020, and the ones here come deep-fried with chipotle butter, but when they arrived we realised we'd paid €8.95 for a single ear of corn. It was excellent corn, cooked but with crunch, doused in an earthy, smoky, sweet butter. but €9? That's a tough kernel to swallow. Big Fan's are €7.50 and it's a sit in restaurant. The best thing we ate was the hand-cut nachos. A portion with just jalapeño cheese and salsa roja is €8.95, and adding on the same pork or chicken will add another €3.95 (so €12.90). We added the pork and it was a huge portion, the best value dish we had, with the nachos no relation to anything in a bag, and all the accompaniments being fought over by clashing crisps trying to scoop up as much as possible in one bite. What is there to drink? Soft drinks, water and a couple of craft beers. You won't be settling in for the night. Why should I go? Just Chubby's has a legion of fans travelling for their tacos each weekend, and if you're in the Clontarf area there aren't many better places to eat, but we're a long way from peasant food here - these are sit in, restaurant prices. If that works for you then go forth and chow down, but if you're one of the many feeling particuarly price sensitive at the moment, you may find €3 salsas and €9 corn push you over the edge. Just Chubby's 46 Clontarf Rd, Clontarf, Dublin 3 justchubbys.com