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Each year Christmas sandwich hysteria seems to reach new heights, and 2023 has seen the most creative sambos yet - and it's not even December. Do you want house-roasted turkey or smoked chicken? Wicklow brie or mozzarella? Gravy on the side or gravy mayo? Here's our running list of where to get one in Dublin right now, and keep an eye out for our verdicts on how some of them actually taste... City Centre 147 Deli, Parnell Street 147 Deli have been keeping us all waiting this year, only releasing their Christmas sandwich this week, and it's the same special that earned them top spot in last year's Christmas sandwich verdicts list . It's got glazed ham, steamed turkey, bacon fat sprouts, crispy bacon bits, hazelnut, sage and cranberry stuffing, Brie and cranberry mayo served on granary bread, and it's served with a chicken wing gravy. A beast is right. Mr French, Dublin 2 We do love a Christmas sandwich with a difference, so claps to Mr French for serving their 'Christmas Sleigher' on chunky focaccia. This one looks like a monster, with roast turkey, honey and mustard glazed ham, sage and onion stuffing, smoked cheddar, cranberry mayo, wild rocket, and turkey and stuffing flavoured crisps. It's available from Wednesday 6th December and it better live up to the high expectations we've got for it. Fairmental, Grand Canal Dock Fermentation specialists Fairmental have just added their 'Christmas Turketta' to the menu, and if you like your monster lunch to come with tangy ferments this one's for you. It's got rolled turkey breast, ndjua stuffing, cranberry labneh, relish and leaves, all served on fancy bap-style bread. Brother Hubbard, Dublin 1 The 'Chrimbo' is officially on the menu at Brother Hubbard on Capel Street and it's our first meatloaf sighting. Their homemade bread comes with turkey and sausage meatloaf, baked ham, their special stuffing sauce, brussel sprout and cranberry slaw, and a seasonal side salad. Honey Truffle, Pearse Street Honey Truffle 's festive sandwich never fails, with proper turkey and ham, sage, thyme and onion stuffing, and an orange, port and cranberry sauce. It comes toasted but you can request non-toasted if that's more up your street. Carved, Grand Canal Dock Grand Canal sandwich specialists Carved aren't holding back this year with ham, turkey, sausage stuffing, red cabbage, chestnuts, brie, cranberry sauce, garlic aioli and homemade gravy on top - wowza. The Commons @ MoLI, St. Stephen's Green The Commons @ MoLI have just launched their 'Santy Toastie', with roast turkey, baked ham, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and the lesser spotted lettuce and mayonnaise. Doughboys, Dublin 2 This year's effort from Dough Boys looks nicely messy, with house roast turkey, honey mustard glazed ham, braised spiced red cabbage, sage and onion stuffing, caramelised onion mayo, cranberry orange sauce, and a gravy dip. No danger of this one lacking moisture. Lisboa, Dublin 2 Lisboa 'ultimate Christmas sandwich' is a spin on the famous Portugese Francesihna, with some festive substitutions like ham and turkey in place of steak and chorizo. The Cake Café, Dublin 2 The Cake Café are calling this one "the Christmas sandwich of your dreams, and with smoked chicken, honey baked ham, stuffing and either their homemade cranberry sauce or spiced mango (eh yes) heaped onto their sandwich bread. It's served with a side of homemade gravy and we're sold several times over. Urbanity, Smithfield Urbanity 's annual 'Chrimbo Sambo Slam' is back with a Croque Monsieur and brisket bang. Over the next three weeks they'll have two Christmas sandwiches on the menu every week, running a poll on which one reigns supreme, with the 'Ultimate Chrimbo Sambo' crowned on December 16th. The winning sandwich will be available for the week before Christmas, and keep an eye on their socials for each week's options.⁣⁣⁣ North Dublin Two Pups, Fairview Two Pups in Fairview have shown up with the lesser spotted veggie Xmas toastie. It's got potato and Brie gratin, spiced apple chutney, and brussels sprout stuffing on Firehouse sourdough, and if you need meat you can add their home baked ham. Slice, Stoneybatter Slice 's Christmas toastie is up there in the pretty stakes, and just look at that bread. Theirs has honey baked ham, cranberry relish, melted brie, herb stuffing, chive mayo and house pickles which we applaud - there are nowhere near enough pickles on this list. Milo’s, Drumcondra Milo’s Christmas toastie has come on the scene with no description, but we spy turkey, ham, stuffing, spinach and cranberry sauce, along with a side of relish. While it looks like one of the drier options on this list, we have it on reader authority that the stuffing is anything but. Puck Lane, Whitehall God bless Puck Lane for finally giving Whitehall residents somewhere to eat, and now they have a Christmas sandwich to boot. Roast turkey and ham come with stuffing, Brie and spiced cranberry sauce, and there's an option of hot gravy or gravy mayo for dipping - be cheeky and ask for both. Perfect Day Café, Kilbarrack The Kilbarrack/Raheny area is positively spoilt for Christmas sandwiches, but the cranberry mayo in Perfect Day 's 'festive melt' has us positively interested, as well as their thickly sliced turkey and ham. Add some stuffing, brie and wrap it all up in sourdough and she's complete. Perky's Coffee House, Raheny Perky's toasted Christmas sambo has roast turkey, ham, stuffing, caramelised red onion marmalade, mayo and cranberry sauce on toasted sourdough, and it comes with a side of garlic mayo which is never a bad idea. Their vegan version is on a ciabatta with nut roast, caramelised onion, cranberry sauce and vegan mayo. Lab, Raheny Food truck Lab did an oozing Christmas sandwich special back in August, and it's back for December with the addition of ham as well as turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mozzarella (controversial but we love it) and caramelised onion, and while the August sambo looked considerably juicier, if you eat it immediately you should get the mozz at optimum melt. McNally Family Farm, North County Dublin McNally Farm 's veggie and vegan Christmas baps are back on the menu at the farm shop and café, and we promise you won't miss the meat. They come with roasted carrots, sprout slaw, herby stuffing, cranberry and port sauce, mayo (regular or vegan), and the veggie version is topped with Corleggy peppercorn cheese. Don't skip the mince pies for dessert. South Dublin Junior's, Beggar's Bush Junior's is something of a mecca for Dublin sandwich lovers, and their 'Christmas Cracker' is already drawing the crowds. Their chargrilled ciabtta comes with roast turkey, baked ham, crispy bacon, herb and onion stuffing, homemade mayo and cranberry relish. Daddy's, Rialto Daddy's are going different for the second year running using spiced beef instead of turkey and ham. There's also McNally's Brussel Sprout, Horseradish and Cranberry Slaw, and Nigel's Herb and Apple Stuffing. Happy Out x Together Academy, Dun Laoghaire Toastie Kings Happy Out have been kind enough to deliver a Christmas version, with turkey, ham, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mayo, rocket and a gravy dip. We hear preceding it with a very cold plunge makes for optimum enjoyment. Greenville Deli, Rathmines, Inchicore & Monkstown While supplying many of Dublin's cafés with their sandwiches, Greenville Deli operate a different menu out of their own three locations, so their in-house Christmas sandwich is a bit different. You'll find roasted in-house turkey breast, homemade maple glazed ham, parsley, sage and onion stuffing, pickled red cabbage, Wicklow brie, mustard aioli (oooh) and cranberry sauce. It's served with a cranberry mayo dip and a small bag of crisps, in case you needed more convincing. The vegan one has roasted sweet potato and green lentils, vegan stuffing, mustard mayo and cranberry sauce. Foodgame, Beggar's Bush Two words. Bacon. Crumbs. That's what Foodgame are bringing to the table this year, along with sliced turkey, cranberry mayo, sage and walnut stuffing and brie on sourdough. They had us at bacon. Daddy's, Rialto Never one to row in with the masses, Daddy's have ditched the turkey and ham in place of spiced beef. Add in McNally's brussell sprout, horseradish and cranberry slaw, and a herb and apple stuffing, and it's everything a turkey and ham hater could wish for. Park Life, Harold's Cross Park Life in Harold's Cross are the only place on this list brave/clever enough to include crispy potatoes in their 'Crambo Sambo'. There's also turkey, ham, stuffing, unspecified cheese, and cranberry sauce. See you there for the potatoes. Barnhill Stores, Dalkey Barnhill Stores are flying the flag for Dalkey this year. Their Christmas sandwich comes with baked ham, roast turkey, herb stuffing, cranberry sauce and sage mayonnaise (what!?), and it's served with warm gravy. Joy to the world. West Dublin Ian's Kitchen, Kimmage Ian's Kitchen (from the same owners as Cluck Chicken in Tallaght) have made gravy and mulled-wine glazed ham their USP. Their ciabatta comes filled with buttermilk-brined roast turkey, that ham, nduja & chestnut stuffing, and cranberry mayonnaise, with a spiced turkey gravy for dipping (or pouring which is how they seem to be doing it). It's available Tuesday - Friday as part of their soup and sambo combo. Farmhouse Café, Walkinstown Farmhouse Café's open Christmas sandwich made its return last week, consisting of toasted sourdough topped with cranberry mayonnaise, roast turkey, herby bacon stuffing, Durrus cheese, cranberry sauce and dressed leaves. It's a whopping €15.95 so it better be good. Pickles, Kimmage The Pickles Christmas sandwich is pretty standard with turkey, ham, Brie, stuffing, red onion, spinach and cranberry sauce, and comes on their own low GI brown or another bread of your choice. Goat's Gruff, Strawberry Beds Drive through coffee shop Goat's Gruff 's 'Santa Baby' has returned for 2023, and the wood-fired sandwich once again has turkey, ham, Brie, cranberry sauce and stuffing on sourdough ciabatta, with garlic mayo for dipping. Baa Baa, Chapelizod Baa Baa don't tend to do things by halves, and it's no shock that their Christmas toastie is a little different. Organic sourdough comes stuffed with Derg cheddar AND Wicklow Brie, cranberry & pear jam, honey roast ham and sage butter. That'll be a *need* then. Various Locations Poulet Bonne Femme, Various Locations Another winner from last year's sandwich tasting, Poulet Bonne Femme 's 'Ho Ho sandwich' is back and it's about time. What made this for us was the soft white bread filled with their juicy free-range roast chicken, along with honey roast ham, house made stuffing, cranberry sauce, mayo and mustard. You won't regret this one. Find them in Suffolk Street, Ballsbridge, Monkstown, Blackrock and more. Greenville's Wholesale Sandwich, Various Locations Greenville supply over 30 cafés and delis across Dublin so expect their wholesale Christmas sandwich to pop up all over the place, including Grump's in Foxrock, Surge in Clontarf and Cob Coffee Company in Rathfarnham. It's got sliced FXB turkey breast, sliced FXB glazed ham, homemade parsley, sage and onion stuffing, mustard mayo and cranberry sauce. Póg, Various Locations Póg's Christmas sandwich is now available in all of their locations, and has turkey, ham, brie, homemade stuffing, cranberry sauce and mayo on sourdough. Have you had a Christmas sandwich we need to know about? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie.

It's the most wonderful/stressful/financially depleting (delete as applicable) time of the year. Our best advice for you is get those Christmas presents done early, lists are your friend, don't overspend, and rather than buying things that will eventually end up in landfill, say it with food and drink. Here's what we'd like to be waking up to this year... A West of Dingle Sea Salt Gift Pack, €26 We are low key obsessed with West of Dingle ’s salts. The whiskey smoked adds a deep layer of umami to everything, the smokehouse rub makes every dish taste like it's come off a charcoal grill, and the lemon and rosemary have taken our oven roasted vegetables from satisfactory to showstopping. Gift the four-pack to your favourite foodie. Five Farms Irish Cream, €34.95 Warning: After you taste Five Farms Irish cream , it will be impossible to go back to bog-standard Baileys. This is farm to table booze, made from single batches of Irish cream sourced from five family-owned farms in Cork, and premium Irish whiskey. There is no going back. Bon Chocolatiers Chocolates, €30 We're similarly obsessed with Bon Chocolatiers , which - we're saying it - are the best Irish chocolates we've tried. Pricey, yes, but just one with your evening coffee or tea feels like a treat worthy of a special occasion. The Festive Treats collection features Christmas spiced s’mores and Cointreau and blood orange, and a twelve piece, four flavour box costs €30. Asia Market Hampers, from €28 Asia Market do a great range of hampers, from sushi-making ones to Korean noodle ones to Asian beer ones, and they're available for nationwide delivery. Check them out here . Burren Smokehouse Christmas Hampers, from €54 Clare-based Burren Smokehouse have eight hampers to choose from all based around their award-winning smoked salmon. There's a breakfast one, a cheese one, a whiskey one, and an ultra luxe one if you really want to spend the g's. Tara Gartlan Chocolates, €26 Tara Gartlan Chocolates are like mini works of art, and as well as chocolate collections containing flavours like kalamansi, Timur pepper and spiced apple caramel, you can also buy chocolate inspired Christmas cards . Fallon and Byrne’s Christmas Hampers, from €45 Fallon and Byrne's Christmas Hampers range from €45 to as much as €1000 for The Showstopper ! There's options for everyone, including vegans and gluten-free eaters, and expect an abundance of cheese, wine and Irish produce Drinks Wall and Keogh's X-Mas Gift Box, €24.99 Combining two Christmas themed teas and a heart shaped infuser, Wall and Keogh's X-Mas Gift Box would be a perfect secret Santa or stocking stuffer for the tea-lover in your life. Mulled Wine & Hot Whiskey Syrup from Dublin Cocktail Lab, €24 Once you've tried Dublin Cocktail Lab 's hot whiskey syrup and mulled wine mix, you'll wonder how you ever did Christmas without them. They're available in a gift pack for a €3 saving, and if buying for some lucky alcohol-lover in your life, be sure to add on one of each for yourself. Off the Cuffe's Irish bitters, from €16 Angostura have had the bitters market covered for as long as we've been alive, but Irish brand Off the Cuffe are giving them a run for their money in the quality stakes. Get them in flavours like marmalade, chocolate and coffee for €16 a bottle, or if you really love someone there's the ' Everything ' bundle featuring their entire selection of drinks for €110 (€150 value). Upside Coffee, from €12 What's Christmas without some festive coffee, and Upside Coffee’s Christmas blend is €12, with free shipping for orders over 1kg. There's a Christmas gift trio too featuring two espressos as well as the festive coffee. Craft Cocktail’s Christmas Collection, from €12.50 Every year we look forward to the release of Irish Craft Cocktails’ Christmas collection , and this year there's a 'Gingerbread Punch', a 'Festive Old-Fashioned', and a 'Mistletoe Margarita', for €12.50 for a double serve or €35 for a bigger bottle that serves seven. Their factory ‘Cuckoo Lane’ off Capel street will also be transformed into a Merry grotto where you can try the cocktails, buy the cocktails, and pick your own selection box, which includes six small cocktails and garnishes for a special in-store only price of €62.50. Experiences Tickets for Big Grill Festival 2024, price TBC Europe’s biggest BBQ and food festival Big Grill is making its way back to Ballsbridge next August for another weekend of food, experiences, chef talks, music, and more, with a line up that's bound to be as impressive as always. Tickets are due to go live this month and will be available here . A Cookery Class at the Dublin Cookery School, from €95 Kick start a new skill for someone this year with one of Dublin Cookery School 's courses in modern vegetarian food, handmade pasta or 'the joy of baking'. They're not cheap, but they're hard to beat for the best instructors and a generous amount of food to eat or take home. Check out their course calendar here . Subscriptions ATF Insiders, €55 If you know someone who lives to eat, wants access to exclusive events, and loves a bit of Insider info, an ATF Insider subscription is €55 a year, and includes entry into nine giveaways a month, event invitations, exclusive content and direct access to our team to ask all and any of their pressing questions about eating out. We do gift bundles too . Lotts & Co's Seasonal Subscription, from €60 We love the idea of a Lotts & Co. seasonal subscription dropping onto our doorstep each month, with the chance to try new products you might not have picked up off the shelf, that could soon become household favourites. It's €60 a month or €175 for three month's prepaid, and we're big fans of gifts that keep giving long after the 25th. Greenman Wines, price TBC Greenman Wines ' Wine Club Subscription is reopening in December 2023, and is THE most perfect gift for anyone wanting to learn more about wine (or just treat yourself to a happy dance once a month when the box arrives). Keep an eye on their website for their release. Smoked Salmon from Burren Smokehouse, from €136.45 As well as their hampers, Burren Smokehouse also do a smoked salmon subscription - how boujee. Starting at €136.45 (very specific) you can send someone enough salmon for 1-2 people for three months, with three different varieties in the box. Olive oil tasting club from Sarah and Olive, €125 Sarah and Olive ’s award-winning olive oils are a world away from what's on your supermarket shelves, and their tasting club is the ideal way to geek out on the very best. For €125 they'll send a premium bottle every quarter, with tasting notes, food pairing suggestions and a recipe to try, and if you're not invited over to try the results then that's just rude. Cheese Club, Little Cheese Shop, from €42.50 We've been firm fans of Mark Murphy's Dingle-based Little Cheese Shop for years, and their Irish-only cheese club is still the best way to discover the very best of what's being produced on our little island. You can sign up for 1-12 months, and the excitement of the post-person bringing that month's delivery never gets old. Books Flavour! Mark Moriarty Mark Moriarty's new cookbook Flavour is on a roll of awards, recently adding An Post's 'Cookbook of the Year' to his list of accolades. While he's known for Michelin-star cooking, he aims to show readers how to do basics, focusing on everyday food packed with flavour. The New Ballymaloe Bread Book Ballymaloe Cookery School is world renowned at this stage, with their students taught by bread making experts including Darina herself. Now she's laid down her secrets in The New Ballymaloe Bread Book, and whether you know someone who's never baked, or just wants to up their game, this one covers it all. Buy it here . The Blasta Books Collections Blasta Books are now gearing up for series three of their lovely collections of cookbooks (to be released in 2024), each highlighting Irish authors and chefs. Each specialises in a different type of food, from Bahay's 'Masarap', to Lily Ramirez-Foran's 'Tacos', and cost €15 each or you can buy a bundle of four for €50. Buy one of the first two bundles to have wrapped under the tree, or pre-order the next collection for recipe joy delivered throughout 2024. Bake, Graham Herterick Of all the cookbooks we've had in recent years, none has us coming back as often as Graham Herterick (also known as The Cupcake Bloke)'s Bake. From basics like brown soda bread and Victoria sponge, to 'modern twists' like the PB&J sandwich and the tahini and black sesame cupcakes, there's no such thing as a recipe fail. It's worth buying for the chocolate chip cookie and brownie recipes alone. Spice Box, Sunil Ghai Anyone who's eaten in Pickle on Camden Street has likely thought about it on repeat for week's after, so when we heard Sunil Ghai was releasing his own book focused on easy, everyday Indian food, we immediately made space on our bookshelves for Spice Box . True to description these are uncomplicated recipes, with ingredients any avid homecook will have to hand, and yes the goat keema is in there. All we need now is the goat.

The fanciest brunch in the city, an injectable cruffin, and a crab sambo in the form of a homage are among the 5 things that have caught our eye this week. Feast your eyes on these... 1) Hazelnut & chocolate cruffin, Drop Coffee It's a double hazelnut and chocolate cruffin with an injectable shot of Baileys - what is there not to love? Pop on down to Drop Coffee in Drumcondra and get the festive season started. 2) Sautéed gambas, Juno Juno aren't messing around in the kitchen, and this week their sautéed fresh Irish prawns are served with garlic, ginger & jalapeño butter, sesame & sourdough. Like come on, jalapeño butter!? Dzvine. 3) Banoffee French toast, Happy Out, Donnybrook The sheer concept of banoffee French toast had our ears perking up, and that was before serving it with a cinnamon mascarpone and topping it with a dulce de leche sauce. These lads at Happy Out know what's up. Brb, hightailing it to Donnybrook. 4) Irish lobster brunch, Gigi's Eggs Florentine? Who's she. Gigi ' s in Ranelagh are taking the humble brunch up several notches with this Irish lobster eggs Benedict. Who says brunch can't be fancy AF? 5) Crab Toastie, Chimac We love this tribute Chimac have made to Table Wine , the chilled out small plates/wine bar/restaurant that closed in November 2022. Their signature dish was a legendary crab sandwich that Chimac have paid homage to with their latest toastie -with-a-twist, and they've spoiled us by dropping the recipe. The combo of fresh crab, gruyere, cheddar and Sriracha caramel sounds unmissable in the taste stakes.

From bougie bars to a Ballsbridge steakhouse, a beloved Italian restaurant's new daytime deli to a curious Korean sandwich could-be franchise, here’s everything that’s new in Dublin city and surrounds, with a lot more yet to come... Dosa Dosa, Adamstown Long one of our go-to recommendations for the best Indian street food about town, Dosa Dosa have been happily attracting queues at their various mobile locations since setting up shop back at the start of 2020. Now, two years on from being among the launch partners at the Grand Canal Street market, they’ve added a second fixed spot in Adamstown right outside The Crossings shopping centre. As you’d expect, these guys are slinging by far some of the finest dosas in town, along with top-tier parotta, curry, and kathi rolls. It’s open evenings from Thursday through Sunday. Masa, Camden Street Pandemic “art diner” Dig In never quite managed to live up to the name of its predecessor Green 19, and after going on the market early this year the building has now become the second home of Masa , the Drury Street taqueria from the people who brought us Bunsen. It’s not at all hard to imagine this faring particularly well along this stretch of street, with plenty of keenly-priced tortilla chips, tacos and quesadillas to offer as little or as much soakage as the passing pub trade might wish for. It’s open every day for lunch and dinner. Amuri by Day, Chatham Street We’re living for the ongoing good news saga that is Amuri : after taking the chance to open their own premises in 2022 in the pandemic-abandoned upstairs tasting room of wine merchants The Corkscrew, Sicilian brothers Andrea and Luca Licciardello have now taken on the ground floor too, following The Corkscrew’s move to a bigger premises right round the corner – win win. Amuri by Day is now open from 08:00 every day but Monday, for deli-style servings of panini, arancini, cannoli and charcuterie, and judging by the happily waving staff and wide-eyed first customers we spotted as we strolled past over the weekend, there’s just as much to savour here as there is upstairs. Goat’s Gruff, Adamstown It’s a great week to be living in Adamstown: as if getting their own Dosa Dosa wasn’t good news enough for the southwest suburb, Strawberry Hall pizza and sandwich stalwart Goats Gruff have gone and set up shop there too – right beside, in fact. Their wood-fired oven is still a work in progress so you’ll have to wait just a little bit longer for the full suite of pizzas, but for now there’s plenty in the sourdough toasties (yes, including their Christmas classic), baked goods and Imbibe coffee to choose from, with early opening hours every day. Pen & Player, Harcourt Street The latest arrival to Dublin’s ever-more crowded craft cocktail space, Pen & Player in The Green hotel just off Harcourt Street is going in heavy on the literary vibes with a space it’s called “The Library” and some drink descriptions that look like they’ve been through a copywriter with grand aspirations. Whether it’s a “complex post show indulgence with the heroine in her emerald attire” or “a loosening of collars and bowing out with a warm handshake”, we’re none the wiser what any of these things actually taste like but they do look the part. A short, small plates food menu seems to know what it’s doing, and cocktails start at €15. Hey, copywriters are expensive. Oxhorn, Ballsbridge Quick on the offing after Mespil Road’s longstanding Keshk Café closed its doors for the final time back in September, steakhouse Oxhorn has taken on the premises promising to fill what it says is a gap in the market, and spare locals the trouble of trekking into town for a cut of beef. While we have to raise an eyebrow at that – it’s a short stroll over the canal, lads, you’re not crossing the Amazon – they’ve got most of that nearby city centre competition beat in a straight shoot-out over price. A soup and special lunch deal at €19.90 should go down well with the midweek crowd, while their Sunday roast pricing ranks well against the swelling city competition, at €19 for chicken and €22 for beef. Bad Egg, Clanbrassil Street No not Mad E gg , but confusingly close in name if not in offering: this curious new arrival to Clanbrassil Street has all the look of an international franchise and arrives here from Pakistan, with expansion allegedly due in Canada and Australia soon too. We’ll add a pinch of salt, so, to Bad Egg ’s Korean egg drop sandwich specialty, though it does get the nod for going free-range. These loaded beasts of scrambled egg and various fillings on milk bread look like an almighty feed, and the all-day menu is also stacked with fries, tacos, and burgers to boot. Coming soon... Cellar 22, Stephen’s Green Soft-launching this week is a new wine bar for the city in the form of Cellar 22 . This Stephen’s Green basement bar has kept schtum so far on just what food and drinks it plans to offer, but we’re expecting all to be revealed following a soft launch later this week. Mani, Drury Street After the hard slog of years of food truck and popup stints, Roman pizza and Tuscan panini vendors Mani are getting a long-sought space of their own on Drury street. Prep is well and truly underway with a menu and opening date due soon, and Rory Shannon (the man behind Pala Pizza and Trattoria) will be in the kitchen. We're excited. The Dunmore, Rathmines As if Rathmines residents didn’t have enough to choose from, the owners of Waterford’s Strand Inn Hotel have arrived in Dublin 6 with a new spot named after their hometown. The Dunmore 's early menu hints don’t do anything massive to set the world alight, but we’ll hold judgement until the full thing drops – it’s due any day now. Love Tempo, Thomas Street Thomas Street’s iconic Clock pub shut up shop back in February of this year, and we’ve been wondering what might step in to take over the sizeable premises. Love Tempo is the answer, a new joint venture from the people behind Parnell Street bar The Big Romance and queer club night Mother. It’s coming in December. Popup Meyhane, Dame Street It’s not at all long after mainstay chipper Beshoff Bros bailed out of Dame Street and their spot is already bearing signs of a popup to come. The spritzed-up fitout gave little immediately away when we popped our nose in the other day, but looks like this is to be a meyhane – a kind of traditional Turkish tavern that leans in to the latter part of food and drink combos. No trace on social yet, but we’ll be keeping a close eye.

There's lots of socialising to be done in December but it's hard to avoid the over priced set menus that somehow always feel like a swizz. The good news is there are plenty of restaurants to dine in that don't succumb to the greed, and places to go to when you want to avoid the madness, so here's where we'll be eating out in December. Christmas menus, be gone! For the splash out with your best friend dinner: D'Olier Street, Dublin 2 D'Olier Street offer one of the best tasting menus in the city and there's no sign of a Christmas menu on their site, thanks be to god *blesses one's self*. The snacks are fire, the seeded pretzel with smoked Gubeen a delight, and their desserts never fail. Go here with your bestie for a proper treat. For a final hurrah: Loretta's, Phibsborough November saw many a closure and we are devo that Loretta's have made it onto that ever expanding list. We've never had a bad dish here, and their wine list is not only popping, but their cocktails are surprisingly excellent too. Their last service is on the 23rd of December, so if you can get in for a final send off and wish the lads well. For when it's freezing out and you need comfort in the form of food: Piglet, Cow's Lane Come out of the cold and head to Cow's Lane to chow down on some continental comfort food - Piglet 's hearty menu will set you straight. Their confit duck gizzards taste fa r better than they sound, and there's no way you can leave without trying their bacon & scallop dish which is available as a nibble, starter and main so literally no excuse. Their wine list is always on point, and you're guaranteed to be looked after by the lovely French staff. Oo la la. For when you're out with your pals and need a crowd pleaser: Fallon & Byrne's Wine Cellar, Dublin 2 With lots of sharing options, a separate plant based menu, and a corkage charge of €1 on any wines off the shelf from Sunday - Tuesday (or €10 from Wednesday - Saturday), Fallon & Byrne is a great shout when you're getting a group of mates together to celebrate the festive season. Grab a cheese board and drink all the wine. It's mother flipping Christmas after all. For when everywhere decent in the city centre core is booked out: The Legal Eagle, Four Courts Ever so slightly outside of the main drag of town is your best bet when all the good restaurants dead centre are booked out, and the Legal Eagle is a steadfast choice. Their à la carte menu is still on for the month of December, with only groups needing to opt for their Christmas set menu. Their fermented beetroot, dill & cashew dip is not to be missed, and we loved their braised ox cheek with bone marrow. Their Sunday roast is also a delight. Read our once over here . For when you're Christmas shopping in town and need something quick but delicious: Tang, Dawson Street & Abbey Street Tang is the perfect spot for a healthy, quick and delicious bite, with two of their locations either side of the city near Grafton Street & Henry Street. How very convenient indeed. They're open from 08:00 - 15:30 Monday to Friday, with a slightly later closing time of 16:00 on Saturdays. For breakfast, they're rolling out classics like shakshuka, pancakes, and mushrooms on toast, whereas lunch leans more into a Middle Eastern vibe. We're talking flatbreads, hummus, tzatziki, Moroccan lamb, salad plates.... you get the gist. Our kinda Thang. For when you need to carb load, because yano, it's winter: Bar Italia, Dublin 1 It's no secret that we are big Bar Italia backers (read our once over here ), and this is the place to load up on cosy carbs in these wintery months. Fluffy La Levain sourdough bread is served with every starter (get in!) and you can't go wrong with fresh pasta or their 72-hour fermented pinsas (aka Roman fluffy pizza) for mains. Heck, get both. Bonus - not a Christmas menu in sight, and at time of writing quite a few tables are free for the month, even on those coveted December weekends. Get booking. For that long luxurious lunch, for the month that's in it: Note, Dublin 2 Note is one of those places where you can sit at the bar and graze while catching up with a pal for hours, making your way slowly through their snacks, starters, mains, desserts, and more importantly, their wine list. What more could you want people? Get your lazy luxe lunch on here, and afterwards nip into The Gingerman for a cosy Christmas pint.

Is this your lucky month?? November's ATF Insider giveaways have been revealed, and what better way to get in the festive spirit than by winning a present from us to you. We've got hotel stays, fancy lunches, swanky dinners, afternoon tea, and will be making nine of you very happy in three days time. ATF Insider s is the only way we're funded and lets us visit cafés and restaurants independently, pay our writers, and give you #ad and #invite free content, as well as offering members loads of other benefits - so if you get value from what we do, you might consider supporting us in return. Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders by midnight on the 17th November will be entered into the draw, and winners will be picked and notified on the 18th November. Here's what you could be winning this month... 1) An overnight stay in the Radisson Blu Royal, Dublin, with lunch at The Old Town Café Dublin 8 has a brand new coffee spot, serving Cloud Picker coffee, gourmet sandwiches and salads, and homemade goodies like cinnamon rolls, protein balls and smoothies. The Old Town Café is a three-minute walk from Aungier Street and part of the Radisson Blu Royal Ho tel, Dublin ’s development of Le Pole Square. We've got lunch for two at The Old Town Café to give away this month, and you can head upstairs afterwards for an overnight stay with breakfast in Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Dublin . If you need dinner recommendations you know where we are. (T&Cs apply) 2) Lunch for two at One Pico Michelin-listed One Pico has been open for an incredible 26 years, with head chef Zhan Sergejev taking over the kitchen (and food photography ) in 2022. We love nothing more than a long lunch there before ambling out onto Grafton Street in the late afternoon, so their new ‘set lunch menu’ with two courses for €39 or three courses for €49 is a great reason to take a half day from work and do the same. We've got lunch for two to give away this month with breads, canapés, coffee and petit fours, which can be used up until November 21st, or until the end of February 2024. We recommend saving it for a dark January day when you need cheering up. 3) Dinner for two at Yves @ Brother Hubbard, Ranelagh Brother Hubbard have just launched an evening pop up called “ Yves ” in their Ranelagh location, and initial word on the street is excellent (our Insiders are everywhere). The food leans towards French and Spanish cuisine using great Irish products, like panisse, Toulouse sausages, and confit mackerel, all created by their two French chefs. There's small plates, big plates and sharing plates alongside a feast-style sharing menu (with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options), and a small but perfect wine list with Vermouth and Sherry-based cocktails. They also offer BYO from Redmond's of Ranelagh. The vibe is fun, relaxed and reasonable, and they open Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays from 17.30 - book here or walk in, or if you're signed up to ATF Insiders you might be going for dinner on us. 4) Sunday Lunch for two with wine at The Morrison Room, Carton House Fairmont, Kildare The only think we like better than a Sunday drive is a Sunday drive that ends with a Sunday roast. So we've earmarked this new one from chef Adam Nevin at The Morrison Room , in Carton House , Maynooth - one of Ireland’s most spectacular dining rooms and just 30 minutes drive from Dublin. Lunch is €55 for two courses or €65 for three, with dishes like mackerel with red pepper and bouillabaisse, and yoghurt pannacotta with preserved raspberries, book-ending the roast options of Feighcullen Farm chicken, rump cap of Higgins' beef, or mushroom pithivier, and we've got a three-course Sunday lunch for two to give away this month. 5) Dinner for two at The Coburg's Arzuaga Wine Supper Club The Coburg , Conrad Dublin ’s contemporary award-winning restaurant, is holding the fifth installment of its Supper Club series with Spanish winery Arzuaga, on Thursday 23rd November. The one-off menu has been designed by Executive Head Chef, Marek Sulhas, alongside the Arzuaga catalogue, to celebrate both the wines and the best of Irish produce, and we've got a table for two to give away for what sounds like a very swanky evening. For more information or to book visit OpenTable. 6) Food and drinks for two at new cocktail bar Pen & Player Dublin has a new premium cocktail bar on Harcourt Street, and we're sending one of you to check it out. Pen & Player has a very impressive sounding cocktail list, each with its own story to tell, and there's a bar food menu with dishes like garlic and rosemary foccacia, duck leg rillettes and cod tacos. Pen & Player are going to treat one of our Insiders plus a guest to food and drinks to the value of €120, and you've got until the end of January to get in there - that's one way to kick the mid-Winter blues. 7) Afternoon Tea for two with bubbles at Bewley's, Grafton Street Bewley's on Grafton Street have just launched Afternoon Tea, and what timing with multiple city centre shopping trips likely to be on the horizon over the next few weeks. It's filled with sweet and savoury treats all made in Bewley's in-house bakery (which has been producing breads and cakes for almost a century) and includes sandwiches, fresh scones and patisserie. They're all accompanied Bewley's master-blended loose-leaf tea and a glass of bubbly, surrounded by stained glass works of art in the Harry Clarke room, with the Christmas Lights twinkling outside on Grafton Street. As good excuse as we've heard to take a break from the shops. 8) €100 voucher for Orani New Blanchardstown opening Orani Café & Restaurant was badly needed in Dublin 15, and the locals are letting them know all about it. The Filipino-owned restaurant is serving modern European cuisine with Asian fusion like tonkotsu ramen and chicken karaage, but the Filipino influence has been popping up in specials and desserts, like pork adobo, breakfasts like longsilog and tapsilog, and ube croissants. We've got a €100 voucher for Orani to give away this month so one of you can head over and try the whole gamut. 9) A year's 'Saltscription' for Dingle Sea Salt for you and a friend Dingle Sea Salt, the off-grid, solar-evaporated, sustainable salt producer, is giving us two of their new ' Saltscriptions ' to give away (with a value of €110) - one for the lucky winner, and the other for a friend or family member that you can pass off as a Christmas present (or keep for yourself - we don't judge). The award-winning, artisan producer won gold at Blas na hÉireann for their 100% natural, mineral-rich sea salt, produced by the sun’s rays and the West Kerry breeze, resulting in higher levels of magnesium and calcium, and lower sodium. Their new Saltscription will mean a delivery of fresh salt four times a year, and is priced at €55. (Get any Christmas orders in by Saturday December 23rd 2023 to ensure you get an E-voucher in time for gift giving) Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders for November (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 November 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.

From bread to bao to Basque cheesecake, this week's things we most want to eat roundup features dishes from some of the city's newest openings, as well as from some solid staples continuing to kick things up a notch... 1) Potato Focaccia, Kicky's Chef Eric Matthews' new opening Kicky's on George's Street is generating quite the hype machine on the Dublin scene, and here's exhibit #1. Just look at this 72 hour potato focaccia that comes with carbonara butter topped with Peter Hannan ’s guanciale. If that ain't a mic drop... 2) Oxtail Bao Bun, Mae Mae 's snacks are always pitch perfect and a highlight of any meal there (seriously, they should open up a wine and snack bar), but this one makes us want to make a reso stat. An oxtail-filled bao bun with smoked Irish cheese, onion and a jus gras glaze. We think the words are, "I can't" and "even". 3) Pork Belly Bánh Mì, Maggi's Bánh Mì Bar Maggi's is back! The pop up brain child from Happy's Bar & Street Food has reopened this week on Aston Quay, and boy were we happy to hear it. The home of the chicken fillet roll has welcomed the Bánh Mì with open arms, and we reckon these are among the best in the city. Plus everything's made from scratch - we love to see it. 4) Burned Basque Cheesecake, Mi Casa Freshly opened Mi Casa in Smithfield is situated in the former home of the formal Fish Shop, and their burned Basque cheesecake with salted caramel and mascarpone cream looks like it could seal many a deal when it comes to reservation making. 5) Dark Chocolate Crémeux and Seville Orange Choux, Elliot's Elliot's is just the shiniest little star in Phibsborough and their latest drop on Instagram has us repeatedly eye-balling their feed. The Dark chocolate crémeux and Seville orange choux is seriously winking at us (as well as the rest in that post ).

It’s started to get bleedin freezin’ out there, and the need to stay warm while eating good food is intensifying (plus we can turn the rads off for a few hours - bank account bonus). We’ve rounded up a list of the cosiest, snuggest spots to warm up and chow down in, and make sure to ask to sit near the fireplace... Locks, Portobello Off the icy canal in Portobello, take solace in Locks , where you'll be greeted with an open fire, lots of cosy corners, and plush seating to warm up and dine like a royalty. With a menu that screams fancy comfort food, Locks will definitely defrost your loins. Baan Thai, Ballsbridge If you can’t face the trek into town, head just outside the city to Baan Thai in Ballsbridge. Upstairs the lighting is warm and subdued, and the wood panelled walls give the dining room a cushy old-time feeling, as if you’ve been transported back to the past. It's also some of the best Thai food in Dublin, with friendly and genuine service. All round good vibes. The Old Spot, Dublin 4 Let the drop in temperature be your excuse to check out what chef Mark Ahessy (formerly of Hang Dai and 777 ) is doing at The Old Spot . Cosy up next to their fireplace and soak in all the warm fuzzy feels of a gastropub with top notch food and service. Winter dishes include a c hicken liver and foie gras parfait served with a bitter orange chutney, and gnocchi with pumpkin, St Tola goat cheese, pine nuts, and crispy sage. Bonobo, Smithfield Yes, they have one of the best beer gardens in the city, but have you ever sat in the front room on one of their massive couches and drank their spiced old fashioned, before transitioning to a glass of heady red with some of the best pizza in the city? We can’t think of anything more comforting than a few hours in Bonobo when it’s absolutely baltic out. Mr Fox, Dublin 1 Mr. Frost have you in a chokehold? Head to Mr. Fox 's underground cavern. Their inviting dining room has lots of corners and crannies to cosy up in for some of the best food in the city. Tasting menus are a winter thing. Get on board. Delahunt, Camden St One of the silver linings to come out of the pandemic was that seating in some restaurants has became a little more intimate. Delahunt 's individual mahogany snugs are a great example of this, and their main one at the window in front seats eight. With menus that cater to all dietary needs, and a cracking wine list, it's a super spot to shelter from the elements. Finish upstairs in their Sitting Room bar for the ultimate cosy cocktail experience. Osteria Lucio, Grand Canal Dock Nothing says comfort like homemade pasta and red wine. The Italians know what they’re doing, and so does Ross Lewis. In his intimate restaurant Osteria Lucio at Grand Canal Dock, sit under the padded arched ceiling for an even cosier and snug dining experience, or near the open kitchen for some residual oven heat. The Bath, Dublin 4 Nothing beats a roaring open fire at a pub. The Bath takes it one further, with that plus decent food. With lots of couch seating along the walls, grab a seat next to the fireplace and enjoy one of their sourdough pizzas. No matter where you’re sitting, the pizza oven is less than 60 seconds away, and they're notoriously warm. The Lucky Duck, Dublin 2 Yes, we know it's Press Up, but the Lucky Duck needs a mention on this list. Upstairs, their deep teal panelled walled dining rooms are softly lit, where you can enjoy warming Indian small plates. Nab the snug with the fireplace and heat up your cold bones.

What should we know about Kasi? Popping up suddenly at the end of August in a relatively small space in Temple Bar’s Crow Street, Kasi caught our eye with its colourful décor and relatively cheap prices for so central a location. The authentic Indian street food it promised is an ever more crowded space of late, so in we went to see if this new arrival could stand out from the crowd. What should we have? We have never yet said no to puri, the crisp fried bread shells that make the best flavour bomb start to any casual Indian meal. Of the two on Kasi’s chaat menu we went for dahi puri, stuffed with spiced potato and chickpea mash, onion, sev, and mint and tamarind chutneys. These six little bites are lovely, a great contrast of crunchy dough and soft, spiced, intensely-flavourful filling, though the fridge-cold yogurt could definitely have used a little more time to come up to room temperature – we’ll blame popping in right at opening time for that one. Not sated on chaat yet we turned to the hot options and took on the samosa, with two of the large pea and potato-filled triangular pastries swimming in a similar mix of chutneys and yogurt and doused with generous amounts of crispy sev and sharp onion. What makes chaat such great comfort food is the dynamic contrast of flavours, so many individual elements harmonising into an ultra satisfying mouthful, each new spoonful a slightly different balance that constitutes a riff all of its own. They nail it here. Kathi rolls come in chicken or paneer tikka, served with a side of mint chutney for dunking. The paratha wrap is thin and flaky, tasty in its own right and a perfect vehicle for the chilli mayo mess of marinated chunks of meat or cheese and veg within. This would make a substantial lunch on its own and, given the rocketing price of even a sandwich around Temple Bar these days, a pretty good value one too at €11.50. There’s increasingly stiff competition on Dublin’s dosa front, and while there’s plenty to recommend ( Dosa Dosa and Indian Tiffins among them) we’ve never had any in Ireland as good as those from the recently-shuttered (RIP) Iyer’s in Cork, so we came in here hopeful of a new favourite. An immediate advantage is the sheer size of the thing – we had as hard a time fitting this in one frame as Kasi apparently did getting it onto the tray. The gorgeously brown underside was cooked to the point of crackling almost on sight, though a slightly soggy-soft interior suggested just a little more time mightn’t have gone astray. This masala version came stuffed with yet more spiced potato and sides of coconut chutney and lentil broth – flavour-wise, it's a hit. Are there drinks? Softs only we're afraid. Why should I go? There are not many spots left in this part of Dublin that can fill you up without leaving your pockets empty - all this, enough to feed two well, came to just €40. Between its wide and well-considered menu and a casual vibe that lends itself as much to quick bites as lingering lunches, Kasi has the goods to make the most of its prime city centre location and satisfy a whole range of needs. Kasi 3-4 Crow Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 kasikitchen.com

What should we know about Little Richards? On a never ending quest to find the best pizza in Dublin, we made the trek to Skerries to check out the foodie-circle-hyped Little Richards , which is tacked on to the side of Keane’s Bus Bar . Their chef from Bologna flew in the wood fired pizza oven all the way from Italy, and their pizzas are cooked at 400c using birch wood - we were hoping for great things from this Neapolitan pizza joint. What did you have? We had some Italian Bruschetta to start, topped with mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, pesto and rocket. It was more of a straight up flatbread, which is always a tad disappointing when the starters are just smaller, less topped versions of pizza, but not to worry, we didn’t come here for the starters. Their pizza menu is very varied with a lot of interesting combos. We started with their signature - the Little Richard - topped with mozzarella, parmesan, sausage, provolone, spinach, fresh chillies and garlic oil. The cheese to sauce and toppings ratio was perfect, and everything was very flavourful from strong garlic oil to a welcome chilli kick. Unfortunately the dough lacked the fluffy, chewy texture that's a must when it comes to Neapolitan pizza. The Puck Fair flavours were also a delight with rich goats cheese dotted across the pie, a zing of red onion, sweetness from the honey, and a really nice texture contrast with the crunchy walnut topping. The Vegan was packed with veggies, a real knife and fork job, and included vegan mozzarella, peppers, wild mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, olives, garlic oil, and a hefty amount of rocket. Viva la '90s. At €13.50 this felt like very good value. Generally we welcome white based pizzas, but the Mushrooms missed the mark for us. Topped with mushroom paste, mozzarella, gorgonzola, parmesan, wild mushrooms, parma and truffle oil, this was far too savoury and rich with nothing to cut through the musty flavour. A few bites in and we were mushroomed out. The dips on the other hand were elite. They really did taste homemade and we couldn’t decide if the black truffle garlic or the pesto was better. Staff were charming and friendly, but only at the end did we hear that they have specials on every evening. Apparently the chef likes to experiment (last week with sardines) and we were raging we didn’t find out earlier. What about dessert? We can’t resist cannoli, and were grateful they sold them by the piece, post pizza feast. These were crunchy on the outside with a light fluffy ricotta filling on the inside, and were a sweet little ending to graduate our palettes back to normality from all the garlic oil. What is there to drink? The pub next door provides the drinks, and they have a small selection of cocktails, somewhat bog standard pub wine, and a solid beer offering. Why should I go? Little Richards doesn’t quite have the best pizza in Dublin, but definitely the best pizza in Skerries. We do commend them on their wide repertoire of toppings and combinations, just make sure to ask about the specials. Little Richards 98 Strand Street, Townparks, Skerries, Co. Dublin l ittlerichardspizza.ie

From French to Filipino, Argentinian to Georgian, Brazilian to Nigerian, it’s a properly international slate in our latest rundown of Dublin’s recent arrivals. Here are nine new openings, and more to look forward to soon... Bless Up, Tallaght Despite a growing number of market and festival vendors in the last number of years, proper sit-down African food remains tragically scarce in Dublin city. That’s why we were really excited to see Bless Up arrive in Tallaght, with a wide Afro-Caribbean food menu and a seriously impressive fit-out. The food skews primarily Nigerian with a major focus on grilled and spiced meat (hello goat), plantains, and various styles of rice. The huge space and committed interior design suggest a lot of ambition for what this place could be - find out what we thought of Bless Up in this week's Once Over . Mi Casa, Smithfield It took longer than expected for a new tenant to take over what was previously Vegan Sandwich Co (and the more formal incarnation of Fish Shop before that) on Smithfield’s Queen Street, but Mediterranean restaurant Mi Casa soft launched last week to a slew of happy faces. The bodega-style new venture from the people behind nearby PHX Bistro hits some expectedly familiar beats in its all-day menu of nibbles, small plates and sides, but there’s more of interest in their croquetas and cerdo. The walk-in only window bar should make this a good pick for last-minute impulse eating. Yves @ Brother Hubbard, Ranelagh Brother Hubbard ’s Ranelagh location is wading into the evening market with Yves (geddit?), a French-inspired casual dining menu with a seasonal selection of sharing and solo plates that places a welcome focus on provenance, with a range of great name-checked suppliers like Sheridan’s, Ring Farm, Garryhinch Mushrooms, and The Village Butcher. They’ve matched Row Wines market-leading gilda price at 2 for €5, and the feasting menu’s €37.50 per person price tag looks like solid value to us – especially with the sheer range of choice it offers. Yves will open Wednesdays to Fridays from 17:30 with a small number of walk-in tables held nightly. 3 Brothers, Drimnagh You’ll never guess who opened this one. Trading on their own sibling relationship to open a family-oriented restaurant with a focus on “pizza, wings and things”, the owners of 3 Brothers have done a serious job on the space above Drimnagh’s Gate Bar, with a sizeable selection of leather-covered seats and booths lining the brick and wood-finished walls. The menu isn’t about to set the world alight, but they’ve had the good sense to get in a proper wood-fired oven and a pizza chef from Sicily. We’ll take whatever new openings we can get in D12. Bahay @ Warehouse Food Market, Harold’s Cross We were thrilled to team up with Bahay for an ATF Insiders -exclusive tasting menu over the summer at Warehouse Food Market in Harold’s Cross – if you’re kicking yourself that you missed it, boy have we got good news for you. Richie Castillo and Alex O’Neill will be taking up a two-month residency on Friday and Saturday nights at the same location, bringing the best in family recipe Filipino food all through November and December. No word yet on the exact menu they’ll be offering, but we’re keeping everything crossed for more longanisa corndawgs and palapa cured halibut. Bookings are open here for the first two weeks. Georgian Delight, Moore Street The basement level of the Moore Street Mall is one of the great, underrated treasures of Dublin’s food scene, with a host of otherwise unseen cuisines from the Balkans to Bolivia cropping up among its many small counters. The latest to join the fray is Georgian Delight , and given just how often we’ve been back to Ella’s Heaven on Talbot Street, any more Georgian food in the city is very good news in our book. The menu here offers the same flagship khinkali dumplings and cheese-laden khachapuri, but also carries an array of meat and bean soups and stews alongside a wider range of flatbreads. Peperina, Richmond Street “Irish kitchen with an Argentinian twist”, Peperina has expanded into the city centre from its Ranelagh base with a new Portobello site, where the ill-fated Wildflower failed to blossom. With 12 years under their belt on the southside they’re trying something a little different here, and the menu ventures further into South American cuisine than the more conservative Ranelagh options. We’re most keen to get our teeth into the empanadas – handmade by the owners’ 72 year-old mother – and the chargrilled parrilla section. A weekday lunch menu at €16.50 for two courses and a drink could see this play well with the office crowd. Gaucho’s Dog @ Eatyard, Drumcondra The rise of Brazilian food in Dublin continues unabated with Gaucho’s Dog setting up shop in Eatyard at the Bernard Shaw. The loaded hot dog and burger vendors have been doing solid business in Smithfield since opening their doors there last year, and this new location would seem a much better fit for a second site than the Tara Street shop they shuttered earlier in the year. Uruguayan panini and an impressive choice of veggie options are menu standouts, while their frankly startling chicken burger looks like it might leave you short of breath. It’s open Thursdays to Sundays. Mad Yolks, Rathmines A year and a half on from opening their first permanent site in Smithfield, and many years before that honing their craft at various festivals and pop-ups, the free-range egg sandwich experts Mad Yolks are expanding southward to a second location in Rathmines. We’re expecting their wide selection of hangover-busting brunch burgers, hash browns and nachos con carnage to go down very well in the southside suburbs – just as well for them, with how crowded the morning market is starting to get. They’re open Wednesday to Sunday to start but are planning an all-week offering before too long. Coming soon... Mughal e Azam, Jervis Street There’s not a sliver of info to be had so far about this Indian that’s cropped up around the corner from Jervis Shopping Centre, but we’ll be keeping a close eye in the weeks to come to see whether it’s anything worth shouting about. 2210 Patisserie, Powerscourt Townhouse Centre Those who’ve eyed up Una Leonard’s cakes and confectionary with envy from afar can sleep easy: the Mullingar-based 2210 Patisserie and café is about to expand into Dublin with a site in Powerscourt Townhouse Centre. Great news for the sweet-toothed in the capital. Yew Tree, Terenure Settling into Circa’s former space in Terenure is Yew Tree , a new casual neighbourhood restaurant from the team behind Clanbrassil Street’s 57 The Headline , which shuttered earlier this year after ten years of service when the building was sold. Doors are expected to open in mid-November.

Top-tier bruschetta, high-end nachos, and a seasonal stew that stopped us in our tracks. Here's the best looking food going in Dublin this week... 1) Venison borscht, Fairmental Say it with us: Venison. Borscht. Fairmental have debuted plenty of great plates to expand things beyond their range of fermented foods since opening their Grand Canal Street café at the start of the year, but we're not sure anything got such a gasp from us as this seasonal stew. 2) Roasted fig bruschetta, Oliveto How often do you get really excited about a bruschetta? Samey combos make this a typically skipabble dish, but Oliveto have cast off the air of meh with a seasonal pairing of roasted black figs and whipped goats' cheese, sprinkled with rosemary and hazelnuts and drizzled with Irish honey. 3) Fermented beetroot dip, The Legal Eagle The Legal Eagle is back at last after a very lengthy absence, and one of the new menu's highlights is a host of delicious and very fairly-priced vegetarian dishes. We love the eye-popping colour of this fermented beetroot dip with dill and cashew, served with a side of Japanese turnip and airy, crisp flatbreads. 4) Crispy chicken skin nachos, Orani New Blanchardstown arrival Orani have caught our eye more than a few times since opening a few months back. The latest dish to do it is this bowl of crispy chicken skin nachos - say that without salivating - slathered with their homemade sauce. It's not a combo we've ever thought about before; now it's one we can't stop thinking about. 5) Salted caramel knot, Bread 41 Sometimes, it's the simple things. Bread 41 's beautifully browned pastry knot is a treat in any form, but dipped here in a rich caramel sauce and sprinkled with a pinch of coarse sea salt it takes on a whole new appeal.

To get you in the spirit of Samhain, we've rounded up the spookiest and tastiest treats in this town for all you Hallow-Queen's out there. Eat, drink, and be scary because it'll be next year before you get another chance... Eye-Scream Sundae, The Old Mill Coffee Dock Head over to the aptly named village of Swords for The Old Mill Coffee Dock 's bone-chilling Eye Scream Sundae. We love the effort this cute little coffee shop went to - try it if you dare. Pumpkin Pie, Queen of Tarts Pumpkin Pie was the OG Halloween dessert, and first cropped up in cookbooks as early as 1675 - way before the pumpkin spiced latte became a personality. A staple in the States, we believe Irish people need more pumpkin pie in their lives, and Queen of Tarts in Temple Bar have brought the good stuff this year. Pumpkin and Sage Pasta, Little Forest Little Forest are giving the nod to spooky season with the addition of a pumpkin and sage cavatelli pasta, topped with pine nuts and fresh grated parmesan. We can't think of a better way to consume a Jack-o'-lantern. Pumpkin and Nduja Potstickers, Happy's Bar & Street Food Happy's Bar & Street Food are celebrating Halloween with their hand rolled pumpkin and nduja potstickers served with a melon sweet and sour sauce, and they look only gourd-geous. We love that they keep it local, sourcing their pumpkins from Asia market , and nduja from Corndale Farm in Northern Ireland. Spiced Apple Margarita, The Washerwoman Grab your broomstick and head on over the to the dead centre of Dublin (aka Glasnevin) for The Washerwoman 's spooky cocktail. You had us at spiced apple and margarita. Charcoal Latte, Brew Lab Brew Lab are calling their charcoal latte a great coffee alternative for the spooksters that avoid caffeine. It's made with food grade activated charcoal so you can be Halloweeny and healthy at the same time. Pumpkin Spiced Latte, South Bank Café How good does his pumpkin spiced latte look from South Bank Café look? We have no idea how people still go to big chains when drinks like this exist. Absolute basic witches. Raspberry Blood Cream Filled Black Croissant, Cloud Picker Cloud Picker 's raspberry blood cream filled black croissants are available at their 42 Pearse St location this Eve of Hallows, and they look seriously killer. Bone appétit! Halloween Pop Tarts, Bread 41 We can never resist Bread 41 's Halloween treats, and this year the pop tarts have our souls. They use their oak forest spelt pastry and Malone’s raspberry jam to fill them, and they're topped with icing and spooky sprinkles. What else would we expect from the seasonal pastry ghouls of the city? Pumpkin Spiced Ice Cream Cookie Sambos, Chimac Chimac are back at it with their pumpkin spiced ice-cream cookie sandwiches, and we are Pump-ed! They take two chewy pumpkin snickerdoodles, stuff them with Upside cold brew ice-cream and dip them in Belgian white chocolate and a cinnamon crumb. More sweet than spooky but we're not complaining. Eye balls Cake Pops & Brain Cupcakes, Flower & Bean Flower & Bean on Cork Street are slinging out some seriously spooky sweet treats. They are really nailing the Samhain spirit with their vanilla and caramel eye ball cake pops and chocolate strawberry brain cupcakes. Spooky pooky. Pumpkin Spiced French Toast - Brother Hubbard South Brother Hubbard 's pumpkin spiced French toast is scarily good. They top their vanilla brioche French toast with a spiced pumpkin purée, white chocolate mascarpone, caramel sauce and an almond and ginger biscuit. Brother Hubbard? More like Brother Hubba Hubba. Pumpkin Pie Tarts, Coco Brew How cute are these little pumpkin pie tarts from the lads over at Coco Brew . We reckon they'll be love at first bite. Spiced Pumpkin Caramel Latte Mikado, The Cupcake Bloke The Cupcake Bloke 's spiced pumpkin caramel latte mikado looks frightfully good. It's a coffee shortbread, topped with spiced pumpkin purée, vanilla marshmallow, homemade caramel, toasted coconut and pumpkin seeds. Jack O’Lantern Cocktail, Peruke and Periwig Currently under the moniker Spook and Periwig, Peruke and Periwig are really getting into the spirit of Halloween with their Jack O'Lantern cocktail which contains dark rum, Campari, pumpkin spice syrup and pineapple juice. Sounds eerie-sistible.

October's ATF Insider giveaways are here! This month we've got not one but TWO hotel stays, restaurants vouchers from some of our favourites, a prize that will keep you in takeaways for weeks, a hamper from some of the country's best food businesses and loads more. Our ATF Insider subscription service is how we operate independently, ad and invite free - everything you see featured on ATF is paid for by us and experienced on our own time - so if you're not already signed up and get value from our content, we would appreciate your support as always. Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders by midnight on the 17th October will be entered into the draw, and winners will be picked and notified on the 18th October. Here's what you could be winning this month... 1) An overnight stay with breakfast in The Harrison Chambers of Distinction Belfast, with tickets to Burnt Out The Harrison Chambers of Distinction , a boutique hotel in a series of restored, landmark, Victorian merchants' residences in Belfast, is giving one ATF Insider a night away from it all. Located at Queen's University, you'll be firmly in the cultural heart of the city, and they're throwing in two tickets to see Burnt Out by Gary Mitchell in the Lyric Theatre too. If you're looking to grab a pre-show bite you will be spoilt for options - Belfast's food scene has exploded in recent years - and we'll be on hand with a shortlist for you. 2) An overnight stay at Knockranny House Hotel & Spa, with dinner at La Fougère We'll be sending another lucky ATF Insider off to Westport for a mid-week getaway to one of Ireland's best four-star hotels - Knockranny House Hotel & Spa . You'll also be treated to dinner in La Fougère , the hotel's restaurant, who grow their own fruit and vegetables on the grounds, and bring in fresh fish from the Atlantic Coast each morning. Situated on a hillside overlooking Westport, with views of Clew Bay and Croagh Patrick, the hotel's Salveo Spa is ideal for some unwinding, or if you want a bit more activity it's perfectly located for day trips along the West Coast. 3) A €250 voucher for UberEats Do you love a takeaway? This could be your lucky month, because UberEats have given us a massive €250 voucher to be used on deliveries from your favourite Dublin restaurants, including Okky , ViCE Pizza and Wings , Chimac , Baan Thai , Uno Pizza , Duck , Kale + Coco and loads more. Who would say no to more midweek pick me ups and weekend indulgences with food delivered directly to your door? See who's delivering to your area here . 4) Lunch for two with wine at Volpe Nera, Blackrock Barry Sun first gained restaurant notoriety with his cooking at Etto on Merrion Row, so when he made the move out to Blackrock to open his own restaurant Volpe Nera , we were hot on his trail to try it out. Four years on and it's better than ever (we recently trekked across the capital twice in two weeks to eat there - it's really that good), and their €38, three-course lunch menu from 13:00-15:00 on Fridays and Saturdays might make it a hat-trick. We've got lunch for two and a bottle of wine to give away to one lucky subscriber this month, 5) Tuesday night dinner for two at Big Fan with drinks The team at Big Fan have been on a tear since opening just before Covid hit in early 2020, and are now open Tuesdays - meaning you can now eat some of the best Asian food in Dublin seven days a week. To celebrate, they're giving one of our Insiders a Tuesday night dinner for two, with drinks, bao buns, dumplings (including their new squid xiao long bao with minced langoustine, pork, truffle and langoustine broth), xiao chi ('small eats'), a side, and dessert. If you're not sure what to order, feel free to take inspiration from our once over . We've also heard rumours about new menu items coming soon, and you should be excited. 6) A FoodWorks hamper worth over €100 FoodWorks is Ireland's accelerator for food and drink start ups, run by Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and Teagasc. They've given us a hamper to give away this month featuring some of the successful businesses from this year's program, including the first Irish made ginger beer, Zingibeer ; mala black garlic peanut chilli rayu from EAST by Kwanghi Chan; Bananitas from Cream of the Crop ; Wexbury Spirits Strawberry Cream Liqueur and loads more . If you or someone you know is working on a category-disrupting food or drink business, FoodWorks are currently taking applications for 2024. 7) Limited edition Halloween cocktails from Irish Craft Cocktails We're fast entering spooky season, and in the spirit of all things Halloween, Irish Craft Cocktails have given us some of their limited edition Hallowe'en cocktails to give away. They've launched two new ones this month - ‘ The Kraken’s Trick ’ (Kraken Black Spiced Rum, chocolate, caramel, charcoal, and lime), and ' The Kraken’s Treat ’ (Kraken Black Spiced Rum, cherry, vanilla, lemon), and we've got a small and large bottle of each of them to give away. Hand-mixed and bottled in Dublin 7 from the same deft hands behind Bar 1661 , instant cocktails of this quality at home has been a godsend since lockdown, and we're hoping they're going nowhere. 8) A €100 voucher for Greenville Deli Greenville Deli have been expanding across the South Dublin suburbs in the last year, recently opening their newest location in Monkstown , and they've given us a €100 voucher for one lucky reader to celebrate, which can be used in Inchicore, Rathmines or Monkstown. Greenville gained a stellar reputation for stunning sandwiches since they moved from their original Tara Street location over to Dublin 8, with specials on deck every week - we're particularly partial to their beef brisket. They also stock a Bread 41 pastries and overnight oats if you're in at breakfast time, and salads if you're going for lunch. 9) Two tickets for the Samhain Festival of Food & Culture Boyne Valley Flavours - a group of local food producers and hospitality providers - organise the brilliant Samhain Festival of Food & Culture to celebrate the ancient Irish holiday, from the 2nd - 5th November. They've given us two tickets to some of the festival's top experiences this year, kicking off on Saturday 4th with a Boyne Valley Food Safari to three local producers - Boyne Valley Cheese, The Cider Mill, and Martry Mill. You'll then be taken back to Kells, where Graham Herterich will present a trio of his famous bracks, and the evening will be rounded out with a cocktail masterclass showcasing flavours from the Boyne Valley. You'll also be given ingredients to recreate them to take home with you. Do Saturdays get any better? Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders for October (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 October 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.

Choosing where to eat is hard. So many options, so many conflicting opinions, so little money - thanks inflation. So each month we're going to narrow down the options for you. These are places that are particularly good right now - whether it's because the food has never been better, or it's the perfect vibe for the time of year. Here's where we think should be on your October eating list... For when you want a cosy Autumn space and the best wine: Green Man Wines, Terenure The wine bar at Green Man Wines is back open, ready to shield you from the cold and rain of Autumn/Winter 2023, with small plates like Goatsbridge trout rillette, chicken liver mousse, and Scotch eggs, from chef Dan Smith (previously at Airfield Estate). But the best bit? You can drink anything from the shelf for €10 corkage, meaning you can drink Rafael Palacio's gorgeous Louro (made from Godello grapes) for €31 + €10 corkage, as opposed to the €60+ it'll cost you in restaurants around town. If you're in more of a pick and mix mood there's always loads to love by the glass, and their knowledgeable staff will be more than happy to talk you through them all. For when you refuse to give up on summer eating: Shaka Poke, Baggot Street Sometimes a grey day needs a splash of colour, and that's when you need a bit of Shaka Poké in your life, for Ahi tuna, spicy salmon, and Tahiti tofu bowls. You'll get your five a day in one sitting, and enjoy a brief departure to Cali climes, before braving our umbrella-breaking weather once again. For when you're very ready to dive into winter eating: Nomo Ramen, Dublin 2 Other than sitting beside a fire drinking an Irish coffee, one of our favourite ways to warm up is with a steaming hot bowl of ramen, and Nomo is where you'll find some of the city's best. As well as their OG, Shoyo and San Diego ramen, they're now serving Mazemen (soupless ramen), and kaarage curry rice, for added spice. Pull up a stool in the window and look pityingly at all the ramen-less people braving those Autumn winds outside. For a bread and pastry adventure: The Rock Bakery, Skerries We do love an excursion in the name of food, and while you might be more drawn to Skerries in warmer months, The Rock Bakery 's new location has given us a reason to make the drive year round. Their menu changes each month, and October's features blackcurrant granola bear claws, custard and apple buns, and a "Samhain slice" with squash purée, Taleggio, honey and pumpkin seeds. For cold weather seafood: The Seafood Café, Temple Bar Proving that seafood's not just for summer, The Seafood Café in Temple Bar are flying the flag for cold weather fish dishes, with crab BLTs, seafood chowder and torched oysters with harissa butter and crispy shallots. Just because it's cold out there is no excuse to skip on your Omega 3s. For when it's more about the drinks than the food Bar 1661, North City Centre When we think of all the places we'd like to be huddled up on a chilly Autumn day, Bar 1661 is right at the top of the list. Start with a (cold) Belfast coffee and work your way through their award-winning, "staunchly independent" cocktail list. The simple bar food list of oysters, pâté, cheeses and meats is just enough to keep you sated while you concentrate on the real stars of the show. For an advance reservation to look forward to: Uno Mas, Aungier Street In case there was any question about it, we're here to tell you that Uno Mas on Aungier Street is as good as it's ever been, and the tortilla, prawn rice, and flan de queso are just the antidote for a dreary October day, when summer is but a distant memory and Christmas feels like ages away. The clever ones book in here for a late Friday lunch and spend a very happy (usually tipsy) afternoon eating all the food and drinking all the sherry/Chardonnay/sparkling wine. For a drive out of Dublin: Grangecon Kitchen, Wicklow I f you're heading Wicklow way this month (or Kildare as it's on the border), plan a diversion beautiful bakery and café Grangecon Kitchen , for roasted plum porridge, Turkish eggs, and free-range roast chicken sandwiches, in their lovely garden tent . Premium coffee and pastries join the line up, and they also do dinner on Friday nights, as well as takeaway pizza. It's the perfect country café and will make the drive well worth it.

Had a big lunch? Feeling too much commitment from main courses? Looking for more variety in life? Enter small plates. How fun is it to eat a bunch of little things? We think a lot. We’ve rounded up the go-to places in the city that are banging out banging snacks, and where you can eat as much or as little as you like. Row Wines, Dublin 2 A semi-replacement for (and big improvement on) the Coppinger Row of old, Row Wines is like its younger, cooler, small plate-eating, cloudy-wine drinking nephew. The menu features "snacks" and "plates", and it's tailor-made for ordering as you go, and sharing the lot, ideally on the outside terrace on a warm October afternoon. The only issue you'll have is knowing when to stop ordering - those plates are just so good . Bar Pez, Dublin 8 One of the newer additions to Dublin’s dining scene, Bar Pez (just off Aungier Street) is the sister restaurant to Fish Shop in Smithfield. Their whole menu is basically small portions with a heavy focus on seafood, making it the perfect place to partake in petite plates. Their wine list is impressive and reads like a geography pamphlet, with the regions split up into 'Oceans' and 'Mountains' rather than nations or grapes, and their Coravin selection starts from €20 a glass. If their lobster toast is on the menu - get it. Read our once over here . La Gordita, Dublin 2 We would like to thank Spain for putting the concept of tapas into the world, so of course La Gordita needs a mention. They have plenty of options for your nibbling needs and if you stick to everything bar the 'Sugerencias' section you’re on a one-way ticket to tapas town (we love the fried aubergine with sugar cane honey). Their sherry and wine by the glass list is the perfect accompaniment to all the snacks. Read our once over here . Mr Croqueta, Dublin 2 Croquetas, aka bite-sized flavour bombs, are the perfect light bite, and Mr Croqueta is the motherland for them in Dublin. They currently have eight varieties, so plenty to choose from, but the standout ones for us were the Basque cod & the jamón serrano. Both were generously filled and the bechamel was perfectly seasoned. It’s a minimum of six croquetas per flavour so choose wisely. Don’t skip on their other plates - the chorizo in cider and the classic tortilla are something special. Read our two minute review here . Amy Austin, Dublin 2 Next to Drury Street car park, Amy Austin is a great option for smaller portions and wine on tap if that’s your thing. Their menu is varied with a solid selection of cheese & charcuterie, along with proper smaller dishes. Their menu changes often and currently we like the look of the sweetbread yakitori and the langoustine tail. Go with three or four people and you could probably order the whole menu to unlock the maximum restaurant experience. Margadh RHA, Dublin 2 Usually known for its tasting menus, Margadh in the RHA has a selection of little bites from its à la carte menu. Their anchovy toasts are a serious winner - a must-order in our eyes. Service is always knowledgeable and friendly, and they have a great wine list. The perfect post-work/pre-pub pitstop. Big Fan, Dublin 2 It’s no secret that we’re a big fan of… Big Fan , and they are a solid option to hit up when you’re not in the mood for three-courses (and now open seven days a week). With only one “large” dish on the menu - the small plate world is your oyster here - and there are loads of options for veggies and vegans too. A trip to Big Fan rarely disappoints. Read our once over here . Fallon & Byrne, Dublin 2 If you’re looking for nibbles with wine, Fallon & Byrne's underground cellar is a great shout. The basement in the boujee food hall is literal perfection for a cheeseboard, with some of the best value wine in the city with €1 corkage from Sunday to Tuesday. They even have a plant-based menu for veggies and vegans. Ooh la la. Hang Dai, Dublin 2 Hang Dai offer a good few snacks and bites on the lighter side, and one of our favourite dishes in the entire city is their cheeseburger spring rolls. Pull a seat up at the bar, order a legendary cocktail and a plate of these bad boys, and you are in appetiser heaven. They are still busy as ever so make sure to book in advance. Ka Shing, Dublin 2 Ka Shing serves the OG snacks aka dim sum, which means 'touch the heart' in Chinese. They were designed to touch the heart, not the appetite, which is such a sweet way to describe a tasty snack. Ka Shing’s menu has so much choice with over 15 different types of dumplings, barbecued pork buns and fried turnip cake. We love ordering the traditional way by ticking off what to have with paper and a pencil - it really captures the essence of dim sum. A Fianco, Stoneybatter Grano’s sister restaurant in Stoneybatter is snack heaven. Italian-only wine bar A Fianco has a focus on the ​​Calabria region (aka the toe of the boot) sourcing seasonal ingredients from small Italian and local Irish producers, and you can’t really go wrong with anything here. We love their spicy meatballs, Killary Fjord mussels, and who doesn't love a crostini? Try as many as you can - this is what going for small plates is all about. Green Man Wines, Terenure One of Dublin’s best places to buy and drink wine, Green Man Wines in Terenure also have a small kitchen serving a variety of snacks, from house smoked Goatsbridge trout rillette to scotch eggs with a sauerkraut remoulade. Choose from their shelves upon shelves of wines to drink in house with a set corkage fee (€10 at the time of writing), so the better you drink, the better the value.

Picture the scene. It's a grey Sunday in November, but you're sitting in Michelin-starred Variety Jones , enjoying a long, lavish lunch, with each course introduced by chef/owner Keelan Higgs, and wines paired by sommelier Kathleen Hall Smith. You'll sit on long tables with other food-obsessed ATF Insiders , make new friends, and get a chance to see the kitchen at the end. Set your alarm for tomorrow at 7:59pm and this lovely dream could be a reality. We're taking over Variety Jones for two very special Sunday lunches, on the 12th and 19th November from 2pm, where the team will serve their chef's choice, six-course menu, with either a wine or non-alcoholic pairing, and some special extras thrown in. There are only 25 seats for each sitting, all on shared tables, so this event is only open to ATF Insiders - if you have someone who really wants to come with you, they'll have to be signed up and book their own seat. This is an omnivores-only event, with no menu substitutions possible. Most dishes will be serving sharing-style, and you can expect some of Variety Jones ' greatest hits, including Flaggy Shore oysters, duck liver parfait with potato waffles, and spaghetti alfredo, as well as the return of the cauliflower and smoked trout dish - it's about time - and some new ones you might not have tried before. After dinner guests are welcome to have a look around the kitchen and chat to the chefs who prepared your meal. The price for lunch is €85 with a wine pairing at €65, or an N/A pairing at €25, and you can see a sample menu below - some dishes may change depending on ingredient availability. Bookings for the ATF takeover of Variety Jones on Sunday 12th November and Sunday 19th November open at 8pm on Wednesday 4th October. Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders will receive a booking link in their inbox, and each Insider will only be able to book one place. As usual, please set an alarm if you want to be there, this is going to be a popular one. Sign up to ATF Insiders here .

The first of the winter storms are hitting but we're getting a bit of an Indian summer with the pace of restaurant openings picking up. There are lots of new spots to keep you going through the onset of the darker months, so here's some inspiration for brand new places to try to fill the progressively longer evenings... Kasi Café, Temple Bar There has been a welcome trend of Indian street food restaurants opening in Dublin in the last year, and Kasi Café in Temple Bar is the latest to join the city's dosa revolution. It's taken over the former Sweet Churro spot on Crow Street and is open from 11:00-20:30, seven days a week. They're serving up dosas, samosas, chaat and momos, but the drinks menu appears to consist of standard soft drinks, without the creamy lassis we've become accustomed to from their contemporaries. They're also on Deliveroo for any office workers looking to get a pick me up in the city centre. Samosa, Dorset Street Dublin has its first (as far as we're aware) Somali restaurant, with the opening of Samosa on Dorset Street. There's no website or socials to speak of, but the Dublin Inquirer got the scoop here , and we're very interested in the lamb ribs, sabaayad (Somali flatbread) and of course those samosas. 3fe, Phibsborough 3fe have opened their seventh Dublin location in Phibsborough, just a few doors down from the eternally busy Two Boys Brew . Coffee, brewing equipment for your home and 3fe merchandise are all available, but more importantly they're serving their usual breakfast, brunch and lunch menu seven days a week. Musashi, Blackrock Mushashi 's newest location is in the already spoilt for choice Blackrock village. Open from 12:00-22:00, seven days a week in the new Frascati Centre, and serving their usual array of sushi rolls, nigiri, ramen and Thai dishes, it's a dependable (if not thrilling) addition for those with a need for a taste of Japan in South Dublin. Greenville Deli, Monkstown Their sandwiches are already stocked by numerous coffee shops in and around Dublin, but Greenville Deli have just added to their Dublin 8 and Rathmines locations with their newest opening in Monkstown. You can expect the usual excellent sambos, salads, soups, and possibly Bread 41 pastries if the new spot takes after its older siblings. Drop Coffee, Drumcondra Taking up the mantle from former vegan bakery Bear Lemon, Drop Coffee is Drumcondra's newest option for caffeine and sugar. Their pastries are from Media Luna , and they're making some decidedly autumnal drinks, like Biscoff cappuccinos. They're currently open from 08:00-16:00 Tuesday to Friday, and 09:00-17:00 on the weekends. Cluck Chicken, Tallaght Cluck Chicken have firmly established themselves with a permanent home in The Square Shopping Centre in Tallaght. They're open and serving their free-range, buttermilk brined chicken burgers, tenders and wings from 17:00 Wednesday to Friday, and from 15:00 on weekends. On Sundays kids eat free alongside a dining adult, which is sure to go down very well with local families. WingMan, Clontarf On the Northside there's another new option for wings, fried chicken, burgers and other culinary Americana. WingMan have opened their third food truck in the grounds of Clontarf Rugby Club, dishing up their spicy wings and hefty looking burgers. They're open 17:00-21:30 Thursday to Saturday and 16:00-20:30 on Sundays. Coming soon... Allta, The Docklands They've been on hiatus for nearly a year after their location on the top floor of Trinity Street car park wound down, but the folks behind Allta have been very busy. After rumblings in the last few weeks they've officially announced that their new location at 1 Three Locks Square in the Docklands is set to open in December, with a micro-bakery at the same spot following in January 2024. Given the lofty heights that their previous iterations at their original restaurant , Summer House and Winter House all reached, it's safe to say expectations are through the roof. Amuri Deli, Chatham Street The lads behind Amuri have already brought a taste of Italy's most famous island to Dublin, but they're soon going to be bringing Sicilian street food to the city too, as they're opening a deli in the former location of The Corkscrew below the restaurant. We're expecting arancini, panele, sfincione, cannoli and more, and are incredibly excited given how great the food up top is . Mi Casa, Smithfield Mi Casa is the new restaurant from the same people behind Smithfield stalwart PHX Bistro , and are stylising themselves as a bodega-style Mediterranean restaurant with small plates. They're heavily renovating the place at the moment if their Instagram videos are anything to go by, and are opening soon at 6 Queen Street in Smithfield. Diwali, Camden Street Jerusalem, the Middle Eastern mainstay on Camden Street sadly closed in recent weeks, but signs have gone up in the windows from Diwali , the Indian veteran on George's Street. No information has been released on an opening date, but we're expecting a traditional, no frills Indian, like in the original location.

An Irish spin on a New York classic, a sweet Spanish sandwich, and a soup we'd sip whatever the weather. Put on your togs and dive (face first) into the five things we most want to eat in Dublin this week... 1) Prawn bisque, Lottie's Soup season is here and yes, of course we're going to shout about it. Lottie's are getting the ball rolling on the bisque front with a gorgeous looking bowl of liquid comfort served with toasted sourdough and house-made butter - ideally enjoyed on a cold wet day in their cosy Rathmines restaurant. 2) Italian sausage benedict, 31 Lennox There are a multitude of variations of eggs benedict; eggs royale, eggs Florentine, eggs sardou - we could go on. However, 31 L ennox have conjured up something new to us and we very much like the look of it. Italian sausage, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce sound like a perfect excuse for a brunch excursion to Portobello. 3) Gorgonzola dolce, caramelised onion, spinach and walnut pizza, Little Forest Little Forest continue to sustain their reputation for slinging some of the most beautiful pies in the city. Blackrock locals are spoiled for choice in a number of cuisines, but if you're in the mood for pizza there's only one choice and it's a no-brainer, especially with this Gorgonzola dolce, caramelised onion, spinach and walnut pie on the go. 4) Irish Angus beef meatball sandwich, The Woollen Mills In the summer of 2022 we watched the first season of The Bear and fell in love with the Italian beef sandwiches Carmy served out of The Original Beef of Chicagoland. Ever since, we've been lamenting the lack of proper, filthily indulgent sandwiches in Dublin, and the crew in the kitchen at The Woolen Mills clearly harboured similar feelings. This stunner of a sandwich goes someway towards remedying things with meatballs, tomato sauce, jalapeños, cheddar and rocket, all tucked into a crusty roll. 5) Sándwich de chocolate, La Gordita The food in La Gordita and a lot of Spanish cuisine in general is focused on sharing plates. This dish however, definitely requires a break in tradition. The chocolate sandwich from their current menu, bookended with crisp pastry, would be equally well enjoyed as a solo endeavour on one of the intimate bar seats, as it would be in a larger group, where it would be the envy of anyone who chose anything else.

Everything from a long lunch in Uno Mas... A leisurely Friday lunch in Uno Mas did nothing to disprove that the team here continue to set the bar for dining out in Dublin. A ‘snack’ of salamorejo with Cantabrian anchovies, toast and a generous pour of quality olive oil was a perfect salty, sunshine-filled bowl to see out the end of summer, while a starter of prawn rice with saffron and basil had us swaying in our chairs, temporarily unable to continue whatever conversation we’d been having. The just-cooked tortilla remains as tear-jerkingly good as it’s been since day one, and a vegetarian main of ricotta agnolotti with San Marzano tomatoes, aubergine and black olive wiped the flavour floor with another main of Iberico pork presa, showing what a skilled kitchen can do when it comes to meat-free mains. All too often we find fish mains inexplicably dull – a watery piece of protein surrounded by unloved veg and some form of potato – but Uno Mas’ hake with sweetcorn, trompettes, buttermilk and black truffle was spectacular, with perfectly burnished fish surrounded by creaminess, umami sweetness and a vinegary-tang. Many ‘wow’s were exclaimed in the consuming of this dish. The fried Maris Pipers currently come with marjoram and garlic butter, and yes you need to order them – don’t fight it. The flan de queso remains one of the best desserts in Dublin, along with Etto ’s red wine prunes and mascarpone, Library Street ’s Paris Brest, and Chapter One ’s soufflé. (Lisa) Crispy potatoes, salads and gnocchi at Etto... A dinner at the counter in Etto on a packed Friday night was just as impressive –we’d go as far as to say the kitchen has gone up a step since our last visit, under head chef Vish Sumputh (previously at Luna – the old Luna, no relation to the current Luna ). While it’s always been vaguely Italian, the only things hailing from the mother country on the night we ate there were suppli, gnocchi and rum baba (although that's technically French), and it seems to have moved firmly into the ‘Modern Irish’ camp. A snack of crispy potato, with onion jam, pecorino and duck ham was cheffier than we’re used to in this dark-wood filled room on Merrion Row, and something we can (deservedly) see appearing on Michelin’s Twitter feed some time soon. A tomato salad with goat’s cheese, yuzu dressing, honey and cherry was incredible on its own, but a side of goat’s cheese and yuzu filled tapioca rolls signalled that we weren’t in the more casual Etto of old any more. Another starter of Lambay crab salad with pickled dillisk and nashi pear followed the same formula – an utterly delicious dish on its own, but a tearable, warm kimchi brioche on the side pushing it into ultra-memorable territory. Like in sister restaurant Uno Mas, the vegetarian main of herb gnocchi with peas, violin courgette, pickled mushroom, truffle, Comté fondue and hazelnuts was a major menu high, with another main of BBQ pork presa not coming close in terms of interest or flavour. A side BBQ of hispi cabbage with miso mayonnaise, anchoïade and crispy onion was one of those all consuming dishes you will be thinking and talking about a year after eating it, comparing every other cabbage dish that passes your lips, complaining that it doesn’t taste as good as Etto’s. (Lisa) Spaghetti Alfredo at Variety Jones... Recently we sat at the chef's table in Variety Jones where no menus were given (how exciting or terrifying depending on your constitution), and chef/owner Keelan Higgs served all the courses. The simple dish of Spaghetti Alfredo continues to hit the table in the middle of the Michelin starred tasting menu, and it was lovely to hear Higgs explain how he makes it, and that it's something his Dad used to make for him as a kid. Uncomplicated, yet indulgent, it was our most memorable dish of the evening. (Maggie) Balfego bluefin tuna and salted caramel martinis at The Old Spot Just over a year ago saw Mark Ahessy, formerly head chef at Hang Dai and 777, relocate to a new spot called The Old Spot . Eager to give their updated menu a go, the Balfego bluefin tuna (said to be the most sustainable on the market) was the standout dish for us. The quality of the tuna itself was clearly top tier, and the combination of the salty ponzu dressing with the crispy shallots and creamy avocado was ace. Fresh, light and oh so delicious. The Old Spot is for the most part spot on, but their salted caramel espresso martini deserves some sort of "best espresso martini in the city" medal. So smooth, so creamy, so deliciously sweet and salty. The most delightful post meal treat when you're too full for dessert... Nah, we could have one after dessert too - they're THAT good. (Maggie) Chicken Katsu Curry, Kakilang We’ve been back in Kakilang a couple of times since covering it – when we called it some of the best Asian street food around , we weren't speaking lightly – and on a recent return visit it continued to hold up as well as ever. Their katsu curry bowl is a very satisfying lunch of rice buried beneath a cap of soft omelette and served alongside a generous chicken cutlet swimming in lightly spicy sauce – it never fails to fill. Ditto the popcorn chicken and chips, as simple as snack food gets but as top-notch too - tender chicken chunks, pristinely crispy chips, and a sharp sriracha mayo slathered all over. Delish. (Ronan)

Sometimes you just need to get out of the house, or the office, or the library. Whether you need decent coffee, a change of scenery or to get away from your co-workers (often it's all three), surrounding yourself with good coffee, breakfast and lunch options will do much to soften the blow of not yet being a millionaire retiree, free to spend your days not having to answer to the man. These are our favourite places to head for sustenance, coffee, plugs and Wi-Fi when the need arises... As One, City Quay If you shimmy past the queue of office staff waiting to take their coffees back to their desks, the seating options in As One are numerous. They've got plugs and wifi so you won't be without power or connectivity while you're working, and the big booths are perfect for spreading out in. As One's commitment to transparency when it comes to the provenance of their ingredients is second to none, and the breakfast and lunch options are both ATF-recommended if you get peckish while you're toiling away. Tang, Abbey Street Tang serve bright, punchy food (it's in the name really) and their Abbey Street location happens to be a great space to work from. Both plugs and Wi-Fi are available so your battery won't die nor will your signal drop mid email, and a plate of pancakes will make your work feel a lot more palatable. Third Space, Smithfield If you're looking for somewhere to work in Smithfield, Third Space is on the south-west side of Smithfield Square. It's a social enterprise meaning that the purpose of the business is not profit maximisation but social benefit, and aside from serving coffee, breakfast and lunch, they also have plugs and Wi-Fi available so you can work while you eat. Mind The Step As much as the phrase irks us, Mind The Step has a very valid claim to being a real life 'hidden gem'. Nestled away down Strand Street Great, just off Bloom Lane and the Millennium Walkway, they also boast a dance studio upstairs, lest the stresses of your work prove too much and you need to shake it off. Equipped with plugs and wifi, and having the distinction of being one of the few cafés in the city that open late (until 23:00) it's a perfect place for a few hours of graft. The Art Of Coffee, GPO Arcade & Grand Canal Dock New locations from The Art of Coffee have been proliferating rapidly around the city in recent years, but we think we've established the best two to work from. If you're looking for somewhere central, they have a location hidden away in the GPO Arcade , or if you're near the Docklands they're also in Grand Canal Dock . Both are furnished with plugs and Wi-Fi and the Grand Canal Dock one gets extra points for the views. Vice Coffee, Dublin 1 Existing in the same space as the bar and club Wigwam on Middle Abbey Street, Vice Coffee provides a place to work with a quirkier interior than others. They have plugs but no Wi-Fi, however there is good data reception. Just make sure you're finished your work before the music starts pumping early evening. Brother Hubbard, Capel Street With a deceptively large interior and plenty of seats, Brother Hubbard North is an excellent bet for a space to get a table to work from on Capel Street. There are no plugs but there is Wi-Fi and Middle Eastern inspired breakfast/brunch and lunch menus which will definitely sustain you through a hard morning's labour on a laptop. Brother Hubbard, Ranelagh The younger sibling of the Capel Street Location, Brother Hubbard Ranelagh received a bit more parental attention, and so has the provision of both plugs and Wi-Fi for hungry hybrid workers requiring a space to get tasks done. The menu is similar to their other locations with the usual homey Middle Eastern fare, with the baked goods and coffee a highlight too. Copper and Straw, Aston Quay Copper and Straw's Aston Quay location have recently started stocking cakes and other treats from The Cupcake Bloke , which makes it a very enticing (and dangerous) location to work from. They also have a 'happy hour' from 12:00-13:00 where all drinks are €2.50 . There are plugs lest you get distracted by the coffee and cakes and your battery runs out but there is no Wi-Fi so you'll need your hotspot. The Fumbally, Dublin 8 The Fumbally’s spacious café should provide you with the head-space and natural light you need to get your head down and that work finished, or at least distract you with its mismatched furniture and fresh bread. Just do not under any circumstances attempt this on a Saturday morning, i.e. crazy crowds time. Bibi's, Portobello If you want to get some work done in Bibi’s make sure to go mid-week and avoid the weekend brunch crowd. You’ll get a bigger table to sprawl your work across, and feel extra important, while suspending the illusion that you’re not procrastinating. Blas Café, Dublin 1 Blas has loads of space to settle into, as well as WiFi and plugs, and the menu is so well priced you'll probably end up staying for breakfast and lunch. 3fe/Gertrude 3fe 's Grand Canal Street café and Gertrude on Pearse Street are great places to plug in your laptop over a top coffee. Both have plugs, but there isn't Wi-Fi. Network, Aungier Street Sleek and modern, regardless of what you’re actually doing, doing some work in Network will make you feel like you’re a hip architect sipping sweet nectar contemplating the next Spire, although hopefully less of an architectural tragedy. Fortunately you just popped in for a pastry and five euros of procrastination, so no harm done, and they're so high tech in here they even have MagSafe chargers. Coffeeangel, Various Locations Coffeeangel  has multiple locations across the city, meaning you’re never far away from the freedom of a hot drink outside the cave, and it's a solid cup of coffee to snap you out of that too-long-stuck-indoors induced rut. There is Wi-Fi in all of their Dublin locations but in Hatch Street Upper it's provided by the building, not Coffeeangel themselves. Hatch Street Upper and the IFSC location both have plugs, and their Trinity Street location (our fav) is also finally reopening in the next two weeks after a dormant period over the last few years. Two Boys Brew, Phibsboro TBB’s Melbourne style cafe is a favourite of ours to do work in, mostly because it’s decorated like the dream apartment that we can't afford, and the food and coffee is better than what we'd be making in that dream apartment too. Shoe Lane Coffee The upstairs in Shoe Lane Coffee near Tara Street Station feels like one of the best kept secrets in the city, and it's nothing but calm and positive workflow vibes - until it gets jammed with people with the same idea as you. Grab a coffee and a museli breakfast biscuit downstairs and head up to your own little co-working oasis, complete with plugs and Wi-Fi. What are your favourite cafés to work in? Let us know by emailing info@alllthefood.ie .