Cooking with fire from chef Keelan Higgs, with an emphasis on family-style dining, homemade pasta and big flavours. A wine list full of unusual options and a minimalistic room, which was immediately touted as one of the most exciting new restaurants of the year when they opened in 2018. Michelin agreed and awarded them a star just nine months later. Variety Jones Website varietyjones.ie Address Variety Jones, Thomas Street, The Liberties, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Cooking with fire from chef Keelan Higgs, with an emphasis on family-style dining, homemade pasta and big flavours. A wine list full of unusual options and a minimalistic room, which was immediately touted as one of the most exciting new restaurants of the year when they opened in 2018. Michelin agreed and awarded them a star just nine months later. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Fia The neighbourhood café that should be rolled out across the city Posted: 26 Nov 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Fia opened in early 2016, and is probably best known as the place where chef Keith Coleman and partner Aisling McHugh (the duo behind Roots - read our once over here ) first made their mark. It was set up by business men and friends Alan Wall and Derek Foley (who are also behind similar new wave Dublin cafés ( Laine My Love , Little Frieda's , Fable & Stey ), and who originally hired Coleman as a consultant, but he liked what they were trying to do so came on board full time. His partner McHugh came on as front of house and pretty soon Fia was booming. Their approach of starting with the ingredients they wanted to use, like McNally Farm vegetables, Gubbeen cheeses and meats and North Wicklow eggs, and devising the dishes from there, felt fresh and unusual for a café, and soon getting a table for brunch at the weekend was a task and a half - it still is. When should we go? Weekends in here (featuring an all day brunch menu) get nuts, so maybe not the place to head if you have a hungry child (or adult) in tow, as queuing will most likely be involved. We visited on a weekday lunchtime and it was a totally different story, so calm and relaxed, and while it filled up it never felt anything more than mellow. What's the room like? Tables are for two or four, with the best, most comfortable seats running down the middle of the room. There's also a counter facing out onto the street - prime solo dining or working lunch real estate, and there are plugs on the left side. What's good to eat? At the weekend it's brunch all day, but during the week there's breakfast, brunch and lunch sections, although the options for each are pleasingly minimal. We tried all three dishes from the brunch section, which also feature at the weekend, but simple breakfast and lunch options like porridge, toasties and soup are also available midweek. Softly scrambled North Wicklow eggs came topped with McNally Farm kale, lemon and garlic yoghurt and furikake (a Japanese seasoning made from things like dried fish, sesame seeds and seaweed), all on top of toasted Bread 41 sourdough. A lesson in simple ingredients and clever kitchen combining, with the flavour of each ingredient crystal clear - although the furikake does make things quite salty. Regardless this is about as good as eggs and greens get. Harissa eggs consisted of two crispy fried eggs, harissa crème fraîche, paprika butter, feta and pickled onions, topped with chives and coriander and served with toasted sourdough. It's like a sexed up, flavour exploding version of the best Turkish eggs you've ever had, and if you go here for only one reason let it be the harissa eggs. Just one caveat - non-toasted sourdough would be far better for mopping up all that creamy harissa swirled with paprika butter, so we recommend asking for it freshly cut, and piling on the gorgeously smooth and salty room temperature butter. We also tried the chocolate buckwheat, hazelnut and honey granola, which comes with Glenilen yoghurt, 'seasonal fruit', Highbank Orchard syrup and mint, and can be easily squeezed in as a dessert (to share if you must). The granola was crispy, nutty and nicely sweetened, and we loved the combination of everything together, but we would ping them on the 'seasonal fruit', as the blueberries and large blackberries clearly weren't. Preserved apples or plums would have been a better shout for this time of year. We grabbed a homemade sea salt brownie to go, which was predictably gooey, chewy and perfectly salty - if like us you think salt can almost universally improve any dessert. What about the drinks? The coffee at Fia has been Roasted Brown since day one and that's unlikely to change any time soon, but they do change the blend, and when we visited they were using a lovely Ethiopian. They also make changing flavours of kombucha but the current batch wasn't ready - they assure us they have it on every weekend. And the service? Lovely and laid back. They were on top of everything but very relaxed, in the way that makes you feed relaxed by osmosis. The verdict? The café format that focuses on seasonal ingredients first may not feel as fresh and unusual as it once did, but we're not bored of it and don't think we ever could be. There are still far too many sad cafés out there serving bland soup and barely passable paninis, and Fia makes brunch and lunch an event, a meal to plan for and get excited about. If every neighbourhood village had a Fia, somewhere that starts with the farmers and producers, letting everything else follow on from there, the city would be a far nicer place in which to exist. Fia 155b Rathgar Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6 fia.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Shaku Maku is the less casual sibling of fast casual group Umi Falafel, focused on sit down, fun dining that's inclusive to all. They describe their dishes as "Middle Eastern soul food", with much cooked over the charcoal grill that you'll smell as soon as you walk inside. The long room is ideal for group gatherings, family meals and a quick bite before a movie in The Stella up the road. Shaku Maku Website shakumaku.ie Address Shaku Maku, Rathmines Road Lower, Rathmines, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Shaku Maku is the less casual sibling of fast casual group Umi Falafel, focused on sit down, fun dining that's inclusive to all. They describe their dishes as "Middle Eastern soul food", with much cooked over the charcoal grill that you'll smell as soon as you walk inside. The long room is ideal for group gatherings, family meals and a quick bite before a movie in The Stella up the road. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Tables at Liath were already some of the hardest to get in Dublin, and Michelin awarding them a second star in the 2022 hasn't helped things. They got their first star as Heron & Grey in 2016, but when owner Andrew Heron departed two years later, owner/chef Damien Grey announced a name change to 'Liath' - 'grey' in Irish, and took things up a gear. Reservations open two months in advance and you’ll need to be primed and ready to get a table. Liath Website liathrestaurant.com Address Blackrock Market, 19A Main St, Blackrock, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Tables at Liath were already some of the hardest to get in Dublin, and Michelin awarding them a second star in the 2022 hasn't helped things. They got their first star as Heron & Grey in 2016, but when owner Andrew Heron departed two years later, owner/chef Damien Grey announced a name change to 'Liath' - 'grey' in Irish, and took things up a gear. Reservations open two months in advance and you’ll need to be primed and ready to get a table. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

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

A Dublin pizza institution long before leoparding, white pies and chipotle mayo became part of the local lexicon. The menu runs the Italian gamut from Antipasti to Risotto, and the cocktails are a cut above your average pizza place. Paulie's Website paulies.ie Address 58 Grand Canal Street Upper, Dublin 4 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story A Dublin pizza institution long before leoparding, white pies and chipotle mayo became part of the local lexicon. The menu runs the Italian gamut from Antipasti to Risotto, and the cocktails are a cut above your average pizza place. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Bun Cha Website @bunchadublin Address 11 Moore Street, North City, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Lotus Eaters From modern Irish to Japanese grilling - The Pig's Ear team go rogue Posted: 23 Jul 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Lotus Eaters? Up until a month ago it was The Pig's Ear , open on Nassau Street since 2008. Nothing and no one stays relevant forever, but it takes a brave restaurateur to upend a working formula for something totally new. In June they announced they were going to "park The Pig's Ear for now", and launch "a more casual but comfortable offering" to fit with "the zeitgeist of the moment" - Lotus Eaters . The main gist is Japanese-inspired dishes with Wagyu burgers cooked over a charcoal grill, and with the two mains topping out at €20 a piece, they're aiming for this to be " a more affordable dining experience ". The name comes from Greek mythology, from those who spent their time in a state of blissful forgetfulness after eating the Lotus plant. It also refers to someone who prefers to indulge in pleasure and luxury rather than dealing with practical concerns - sounds strangely familiar. Where should we sit? The room is still The Pig's Ear, apart from some new art on the walls and rows of sake behind the bar, and it jars a bit with the new concept. It feels like it's passing through before the original makes a return, and makes it hard to settle into as a totally different experience - we kept expecting to see a shepherd's pie or stripy pink bag carrying dessert coming out of the kitchen. The wine glasses still have The Pig's Ear branding on them too, and while we wouldn't be ones to advocate waste, it's another marker that makes you feel they haven't fully committed - and if they're not convinced, it makes you wonder whether you'll be. The best seats in here have always been at the window, overlooking the College Park in Trinity, so request them if you can. There are two more floors above that (sometimes used as private dining rooms) that will also open if demand is there. What's on the menu? They get full marks for pushing the boat out with a menu that's very different for Dublin, although only having two "main" options of omelette or Wagyu hamburger won't appeal to everyone - adventurous eaters assemble. You can order as you go or leave it up to them for €60 a head, and the latter option means getting to try everything if there are two of you (bar the luxury add ons) - the menu says you'll get the hamburger, but they said we could sub in an omelette. Doing it this way means you get everything for €120, whereas if you ordered all of the parts separately it would come to €135.10. The all-in experience starts with soba salad, a pile of buckwheat noodles served with a dashi dipping sauce (more like a broth). Our noodles had been overcooked so were missing bite, and while the broth is pleasant it's very subtle. Fans of big flavours won't find them here. Oysters with nahm jim (a Thai dipping sauce with chillies, lime and fish sauce) and bonito (skipjack tuna flakes) on the other hand have the flavour dial turned to high, while masterfully managing not to overwhelm the delicate oysters underneath. A grilled scallop arrived plump and juicy, sitting on pig's head pudding (made in house) that has the spreadable consistency of Spanish morcilla, as opposed to Clonakilty's finest. It's all swimming in Café de Paris butter, supercharged with herbs, spices and other savoury ingredients, and you'll struggle not to pick up the shell and drain every drop. Scallops and black pudding is an overdone, clichéd dish - this is how to do it for 2024. (If you're sharing the "leave it up to us" menu they'll bring two scallop shells with half in each). We love crudo/sashimi/ceviche, but a plate of raw hamachi (young yellowtail) looked and tasted like it had been beaten with a blunt object, with the flattening treatment making the flesh taste more mealy and bitty than the firm, delicate pieces we were expecting. The tangy yoghurt felt too heavy on top of the subtle fish, and we would have preferred a more polished preparation along the lines of soy/yuzu/sesame/chillies and the rest. The only thing putting us off the all-in menu was the tartare with brioche. We knew it was going to be dirty delicious after our trip to Toast downstairs , but it's a meal in itself, and eating half of a sandwich after everything that had come before, with a main and dessert still to come, will be too much for most stomachs. It's another good main option if you don't want the burger or omelette, expertly flavoured with all the textures, and a burnt leek ash mayo for dipping to push your calorie intake to even greater heights. For the omelette there's a choice of crab (€20) or maitake mushroom (€18), with optional add ons of caviar (€30) and truffle (with truffle oil pesto and fresh truffle - €10). Never have we ever seen an omelette this tight, shiny and satiny smooth - we reckon a video on how to make it would go viral. We cut it on the diagonal as instructed, revealing a mound of expertly dressed white crab meat that looked like more than €20's worth - we may have had special treatment here. The only slight off note is that the exterior and the interior feel like two separate entities - warm omelette, cool filling added before plating, when we expected them to be more enmeshed. Before your mains a tray of condiments and sauces arrives, and this is where the fun really starts. Bowls of pickled ginger, burnt jalapeño salsa, togarashi, crispy onions, and bottles of sriracha and ponzu allow you to mix and match as you like. We tried the sriracha with the omelette, but the rest are better with the burger. And what a burger. Wagyu beef, the Japanese breed known for it super marbled meat, is used here, and while the marbling might be lost to mincing and frying, you can taste the fat content in the juicy patty, glazed with burnt honey and black vinegar. They include a soy egg yolk in the all-in menu and you should too if ordering separately. Mix it up and pour over the rice, along with chopped up bits of the burger, and have fun adding in all the flavours. If you eat anything here, have this. Again there are add-ons - caviar, truffle, bone marrow and duck liver (foie gras), but we didn't feel the need. Both desserts are included if you go for the whole hog, and you'll be struggling for space at this point. A chocolate burnt Basque cheesecake made us rethink our view that you don't mess with a classic, the sour yoghurt and tangy passion fruit seeds slicing through the rich chocolate and forcing us to eat more than we'd planned. At €15 though this must be one of the most expensive desserts in Dublin. Another of yuzu parfait with matcha, white chocolate and raspberries was sweet and pleasant but the flavours weren't jumping out of the bowl. What about drinks? Classic cocktails, beer and "little treats to start" provide plenty to tempt, and the wine list has a good amount of choice with 23 by the glass. It's confusing though as everything is listed out of price order (even within the smaller categories), so if you're going in with a rough price range that you want to spend within, it makes it more of a struggle to see what's in your bracket. The other thing that might give you a jolt is some of the glass prices, which go to up €16.95, with no pour size listed - there's a big difference between 125ml and 175ml. Our server didn't know which it was, but after going into the back confirmed they're 175mls (just under a quarter of a bottle). The majority of newer, fresher restaurants in the city centre have moved down to 125ml or 150ml, which many diners like as they can try more and stop their chilled wines getting too warm - others feel short-changed getting less than a bowlful. Many of you will love that glasses here are on the larger side, but the accompanying sticker shock is real, and margins are high - those wines selling for €16.95 by the glass are available retail for €23 - €26 for a bottle. This is not unusual for the city centre, but with diners still squeezed from every angle, it's sad that restaurant economics have push things to this point, and it's undoubtedly making former restaurant frequenters stay home more often. From a quality perspective we had no complaints, loving a sparkling Blanquette de Limoux from Antech in the south of France made from the Mauzac grape , a white Burgundy from Alain Chavy, and a Langhe Nebbiolo from Virna Borgogno. There are three sakes too, with Hakutsura's 200ml glass cup of chika sake enough for two to have some easy sips. They also brought us a yuzu sake FOC with the bill (we're not sure if this is standard or not) which was a sweet yet zippy way to wake our palates up again after all that food. How was the service? We had the distinct feeling we'd been rumbled as soon as we walked in, getting more attention than seemed necessary, and while the service was very amiable and amenable, we felt eyes on us every time we looked up. It makes it a lot harder to tell you what Joe public can expect, but they're an experienced team in here so we wouldn't be expecting any service-related curveballs. What was the damage? €202 for two people before tip for the works, which is standard for a full feed with drinks in a higher end restaurant around this part of town, but you could have a small plate, one of the mains, and a couple of drinks each for around €65 a head. What's the verdict on Lotus Eaters? You need courage and confidence to take a leap of faith on a new food concept in a 16-year old, very successful restaurant, and there's lots to like at Lotus Eaters , but it's missing a clean break from The Pig's Ear. We can't help feeling they would be off to a stronger start if they'd fully committed, but can also understand the desire to test the water. We're not sure €17 glasses of wine and €15 slices of cheesecake fit with their objective of providing a " more affordable dining experience", but you won't get crab omelettes, tartare toasties or Wagyu hamburger rice bowls like these anywhere else in the city right now, so jump to it if you're in the mood for brand new food. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Steak and seafood with more than a few nods to the Parisian bistro. Classic, comforting dining in the seaside village of Dalkey. Deville's Website devilles.ie Address 25 Castle Street, Dalkey, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Steak and seafood with more than a few nods to the Parisian bistro. Classic, comforting dining in the seaside village of Dalkey. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Cantina Valentina The (pricey) Peruvian opening we've been praying for Posted: 25 Nov 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What do we need to know about Cantina Valentina? It's been a long four/five years since The Central Hotel on Exchequer Street closed its doors, and a long three since we found out the international group The Hoxton were taking over, bringing with it all the design-led, lifestyle-focused, ultra-modern touches familiar to anyone who's stayed in any of their boutique hotels before. As well as the resurrection of the famous Library Bar , the thing we were most excited about was that the group's Peruvian restaurant, Cantina Valentina , would be installed on the ground floor. We've been bleating on about Peruvian food being a massive gap in the dining scene here for longer than we can remember, and The Hoxton have a tendency to get things right, so this was a good news day. Cantina Valentina started out as a concept in The Hoxton's incubator space underneath their Holborn hotel in 2021, devised by the hotel group's food and beverage director Jules Pearson, along with chef Adam Rawson, who's travelled extensively in Peru and worked at London's Pachamama . He wanted to bring a mix of cosmopolitan and historical dishes, from coastal villages to isolated mountain towns, and the restaurant opened proper in Brussels in 2023. Based on its success the group picked Dublin as their second location (London has tonnes of fantastic Peruvian restaurants - lucky them), and it opened officially last week, after a week or so of soft launching with some chosen influencers. Where should we sit? The room is in two sections. There's the front room where you walk in featuring the bar, and the back room featuring the raw bar. There's lots of different table configurations and they'd easily sit eight without a problem if you're planning a group night out, even though it's not a huge restaurant. It's all very tactile and comfortable with most tables featuring a banquette, and you'll probably spend as much time as we did taking in the lighting, the cushions, the artwork, the ornamental touches dotted around the place. For anything up to four people you could sit at the raw bar and see your food being prepared - it's curved so you should still be able to talk to each other - and there's a few nice corners for intimate encounters. The lighting is also low, which some might see as cosy and romantic, while others will bemoan squinting to read their menu. What's the menu like? Modern Peruvian by way of London. For the most part this is less what the grannies are eating in Cusco, and more what the gastro tourists are eating in Lima. There ' s plenty drawn from the country's most famous dishes and ways of eating - ceviche being number one. There are six different types (including a veggie option), and it should be a large focus of your meal here. Other typical Peruvian dishes include grilled skewers, pollo a la brasa, quinoa-based salads, and carapulcra - a rich stew made from dried Andean potatoes. To potentially save you a Google, 'Aji' and 'Rocoto' are types of chillies. Ají Amarillo is sweeter, Ají Panca is smokier, and Rocoto is very spicy. Cancha, is toasted Andean corn. A bite while you wait? We wanted all four but with some measure of restraint we stuck to the chicharrones with aji lime salt (€9), and holy hell these are now the ones to beat citywide. Rendered and crisped to such perfection you may think you're hallucinating, these will wipe all memories of flabby, fatty pork belly from your mind, along with tooth-breaking cracking. The sweet amarillo mayo on the side is just added lux. After that you'll need some ceviche - the culinary equivalent of a lightning strike to the mouth. Scallop ceviche (€18) comes with jalapeño tiger's milk, green apple and cancha (toasted corn), with two corn tortillas to scoop it up onto, and it's been so long since we had ceviche this precisely perfect that it was almost an ' I've just got something in my eye ' moment. There's seabream and tuna versions too, and we're going back for all of them. We ordered the 'fried calamari ceviche' (€17) ready to tear it apart - how can anything fried be ceviche! Well if this is wrong, we don't want to be right. A mound of lightly-spiced, barely breaded, tender as a baby's cheek calamari rings come with a bowl of 'Tiger's milk a la chalaca' - a milky-looking ceviche marinade with lime juice, coriander, possibly some fish stock and kernels of crunchy corn. Throw a ring in the bowl, scoop it out with a spoon and throw your head back in glee as a new core food memory is created. Absolutely no notes, now or ever. From the 'Anticucho' (skewers) section, the lomo saltado (typical Peruvian, super savoury, stir-fried beef) comes with Hereford beef, shoestring fries and a piquillo pepper sauce. It's already in chunks so easily shareable, and the flavour from marinading, grilling and painting it with that sauce runs so deep, the fries adding a tiny bit of extra texture to the silky meat. From the bigger plates, we were floored by some of the pre-opening menu prices, with a duck and rice dish priced at €52, a Herford dry-aged rib-eye for €54 (no sides), and a whole Peruvian (presumably farmed) sea bream to share at €72. Who would ever pay this we thought! And they obviously thought twice, because when we got there the duck dish had been reduced to just the leg for €32, and a new 'pollo a la brasa' had been added, also for €32. However, there's been an insane decision to raise the price of the 450g rib-eye to €90!? Again, we wonder, typo? The same size rib-eye in Hawksmoor is €58 (no fries for that but still). In FX Buckley it's €69 with a side and sauce. If you pay €90 for a steak here you have more money than sense. We have more sense than money, so it was the 'signature' free-range pollo a la brasa, with lamb's lettuce and aji amarillo mayo (€32). Most people will want to add fries (€6), so this is not a cheap version of chicken and chips by any stretch, but it's a very good one. We rarely order chicken for obvious reasons, but we would if more tasted as juicy and smokily skinned as this one, that amarillo mayo and just dressed lamb's lettuce a double chef's kiss. Fries were excellent too - hot, crisp and perfectly salted. We were interested to try their version of carapulcra, a rich, dried Andean potato stew that usually comes with pork or beef (or llama), but is one of the vegetarian options here, with mushrooms and fresh truffle (the part that presumably justifies the €32 price point). In Peru potatoes are often sun or freeze-dried to make them last longer, rehydrating them when needed. This might not win 'most attractive dish of the night', but it's at the top of the table for flavour, those potatoes almost concentrated, the mushrooms bringing deep umami in every bite, and the (scant) truffle adding additional luxury. It's one of those dishes where you think a couple of forkfuls will be enough, but you can't stop going back for more. Their 'Peruvian-braised lamb' (€38, Slane Valley's best slow-cooked) gets the South American treatment with coriander sauce (barely discernable), black kale and frijoles. Lamb feels as much of a high end ingredient as truffle these days, and this one was so well cooked it was practically spoonable, but we found the flavours extremely rich and salty. A whole plate for one would have tipped us over the edge, but you probably know someone whose street it would be right up. A side of grilled broccoli and peanuts (there was chilli too) had one of the best treatments of a cruciferous veg we've had in a while, but the broccoli itself was overcooked and soggy. Hopefully a one time misdemeanour. There are four desserts, and they felt to us like more of an add on than a main event. We're regretting now not ordering Peru's famous 'suspiro de limena' with custard, meringue and passion fruit, thinking it might be bland and/or plain. Instead we went for the tres leches (€12, more Latin American than strictly Peru), named for the evaporated milk, condensed milk and whole milk in the mix. It's soft, sweet and mild, with the coconut on top and berries at the side adding texture and tartness. Pleasant? Yes. A must order? No. What's a dessert menu without a chocolate tart, and Cantina Valentina's (€12) come with cacao, toasted quinoa ice-cream and dulce le leche. They recommend cracking the wafer and mixing it all in, and we couldn't really ascertain where the tart was. It felt more like a splodge of chocolate, a splodge of dulce de lecha, and some toasty ice-cream with a slightly grainy texture. There was nothing not to like here, but equally we don't think it's an essential ending. The yuzu sorbet Pisco Colonel (€11) would be a lighter, boozier end to dinner. What should we drink? There are three signature drinks on the food menu - a classic Pisco Sour, a Spicy Margarita and an N/A Chicha Morada. The Pisco Sour is as good as in our rose-tinted memories of Peru, and the Chicha is a really refreshing alcohol-free choice, with purple corn steeped in fresh pineapple, apple, cloves and cinnamon, topped up with fresh lime juice and soda. There's a larger cocktail menu too with eight 'house' options, featuring more Pisco, Tequila, Gin and more. As with any hotel wine list, it's never going to light us on fire with excitement, and prices are very high. There's only three bottles on the whole list under €50, with most in the region of €50-€60. The most interesting thing here is that they've managed to source Peruvian wine, both a Chardonnay and a Syrah (€11.50 a glass or €55 a bottle). We tried a glass of the Chardonnay, and while it was crisp, clean and refreshing while chilled, as it warmed up it became clear what a simple wine it is. Good for a try, but we wouldn't go back for a bottle. How was the service? Very pleasant but more training is needed. We had to ask for water every time, the empty carafe pushed to the front of the table not enough to nudge the standstill staff into action. We had to request a glass of wine twice before it was delivered, and we were one of only a few tables there, so we hope they can tighten things up before they get busier. Staff were very friendly and asked us lots of times how our food and drinks were, but they need to do better at anticipating diners' needs before they have to raise a hand. What was the damage? We paid around €80 a head for a generous amount of food for three and one drink each. You could definitely order less than we did (we overdid it) but a few more cocktails and wine and your bill will be in the big leagues. This is definitely in the "pricier restaurants" category. If you're on a budget, go for a Pisco sour, some chicharrónes and a bowl of ceviche and you'll be out for under €40 before tip. Otherwise go large. What's the verdict on Cantina Valentina? After an all time wait, Dublin finally has Peruvian food of a standard we've only seen in London and Peru - we think that's worth getting excited about. Yes it's expensive, and sometimes it feels like we're living in an alternate universe, getting more and more detached about the prices of food and eating out. It's becoming harder and harder to discern what's good value, what's too much, what's worth spending the big bucks on, and there's so much noise, opinions and crying out from every side on what's fair and right (both diners and restaurants). In the end all we can judge on is whether or not we think the food, drinks and experience are worth your time and money. In Cantina Valentina , we've found dishes we've been attempting to manifest here for at least 10 years, so (budget allowing) our answer is a big fat yes. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

This sweet Italian café has a legion of local fans who come for simple plates of pasta, paninis, salads and more. This is homestyle cooking served with Italian warmth, and pretty much everything is made fresh in house. Check out the monthly set menu with specialities from a different Italian region each month. Bell Pesto Website instagram.com/bellpestocafe Address 44 James's St, The Liberties, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story This sweet Italian café has a legion of local fans who come for simple plates of pasta, paninis, salads and more. This is homestyle cooking served with Italian warmth, and pretty much everything is made fresh in house. Check out the monthly set menu with specialities from a different Italian region each month. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

A first time visit to The Pepper Pot Café in Powerscourt Townhouse is incomplete without two things - the bacon, pear and Hegarty's cheddar sandwich on crusty white bread, and a doorstop sized slice of what's probably the best Victoria sponge in the county. The atrium seating has airy views over the exclusive boutiques, galleries and jewellers below, and it's a calm, top floor escape from the city's crowds. The Pepperpot Café Website thepepperpot.ie Address Powerscourt Town House, 59 South William Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story A first time visit to The Pepper Pot Café in Powerscourt Townhouse is incomplete without two things - the bacon, pear and Hegarty's cheddar sandwich on crusty white bread, and a doorstop sized slice of what's probably the best Victoria sponge in the county. The atrium seating has airy views over the exclusive boutiques, galleries and jewellers below, and it's a calm, top floor escape from the city's crowds. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Mr. Fox This is Irish food Posted: 27 Nov 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Mr Fox opened at the end of 2016 from the same owners as The Pig's Ear , Stephen McAllister and Andrea Hussey, with chef Anthony Smith. They opened to very positive reviews , but if the word on the street is anything to go by (and we'd like to think we're talking to the right people), it's just been getting better and better. After a 'memorable for all the right reasons' lunch there during the summer, we'd been meaning to go back and do a proper write up, and after three people in one week told us how much they loved it, we took it as a sign that we needed to tell the masses. Where should we go for a drink first? Wine bars and cocktail dens are scant around here, and in all honesty there isn't a pub within a five minute walk that we could hand on heart recommend (if we're missing somewhere let us know), so we'd suggest a drink in the bar in Mr Fox, which is very comfortable and has a nice drinks list (more on that further down). Where should we sit? There are two main rooms, one towards the front on Parnell Square, the other towards the back. We prefer the front due to its proximity to 1) the bar, 2) the windows and 3) the stove. It just feels cosier. What's good to eat? Both times we've eaten here we left really impressed. There's so much mediocre food in the city that when you eat somewhere like this it's like a smack in the face. On this occasion we ate from the pre-theatre, and at three courses for €27.95, it's got to be one of the best value (for what you get) in the city. We also love that the options are all from the á la carte, so no cheaper ingredient options being made to look like better value than they are. They start you off with excellent sourdough, which comes with mushroom butter and parmesan cream - both so good you're likely to put indecent amounts on the bread. We really loved both starters, which had so much going in in terms of flavour and texture. Tuna was listed on the menu as coming with ponzu (a citrus-based sauce), navet (a type of turnip), avocado, charred watermelon and tobiko (fish roe), but actually came with what we think were jalapeños, red onion and cucumber. Usually that kind of thing would drive us mad, but it was so delicious we didn't even notice until later. The other of Buffalo mozzarella, smoked beetroot, Jerusalem artichoke and hazelnut was possibly even better, and such a seasonally perfect plate of food, the crunch of the hazelnuts and artichoke providing really lovely texture contrasts with the soft cheese and beetroot. There was more pledging allegiance to the seasons with a main of roast barley risotto, pickled mushrooms and smoked ricotta, which was just about the most perfect thing to eat on a cold, wet November night in Dublin. So much depth of flavour and a lot of (attemptedly inconspicuous) scraping of the bowl took place. Another of cod with cauliflower, brown butter, grapes, capers, almonds and mussels initially had us a bit like "why does cod even exist", but once we gave it a chance we fell hard. Yes cod can be a bit tasteless, but brown butter should be added to every dish in every restaurant for the rest of time. No exceptions. It was a great combination of flavours that we never would have put together (grapes and mussels?), and really worked. A side of thick, paprika spiked chips with garlic aioli were potato perfection, but another of nduja green beans were overcooked and needed more nduja. Do not, under any circumstances, leave here without having dessert. Anyone who's been to The Pig's Ear will know about the nostalgia inducing cakes and icecream, like the berry cheesecake in a sweet bag and the "walnut whip", and they've carried the same theme over to Mr. Fox. Both the clementine "super split" and the coffee "iceberger" are so perfectly reminiscent of the versions a lot of us enjoyed as children, but you get the feeling that if you tasted them side by side you'd be disgusted at your younger self for accepting such a substandard version all your life. What about the drinks? Mr. Fox has an excellent wine list, and while the mark ups are typically city centre high, there were so many bottles we wanted to drink - which is frustratingly still a rarity in Dublin. They have 14 wines by the glass, from house Godello and Nero d'Avola on tap, to Burgundy and Bordeaux, and an additional six sweet wines (try the Jurançon with the super split - swoon). There's loads for natural wine lovers to get their teeth into, like the cloudy 'Colfondo' prosecco from Casa Belfi and the stunning Syrah based 'Octobre' from Domaine des Foulards Rouge, and they have a sommelier, so if in doubt ask for advice. They also have a few Irish craft beers and a very substantial spirits list. And the service? Very bright-eyed and smiley, if a bit eager to take our order. Perhaps they were under pressure to turn tables post pre-theatre. The food came at a nice pace and they were all very pleasant in the process. The verdict? We're constantly asked by visitors (or friends of visitors) to Ireland where they should go for a proper Irish food experience. Our first response is usually "not Temple Bar!", but beyond that, it's hard to know where to suggest that won't be a total let down on the food front. As far as we're concerned, the best Irish food experiences revolve around the best Irish produce, seasonality of ingredients and innovative ways of putting them all together. Mr Fox ticks all of the boxes, and with the excellent wines and lovely room to boot, this is our new go-to for people wanting to know what Irish food even is anyway Mr Fox 38 Parnell Square West, Dublin mrfox.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

If you've never tried a Southern Indian crispy pancake made from fermented rice and lentil batter, and dipped into coconut, fresh herb and tomato chutneys, get thee to Dosa Dosa for the best in the city. Apart from their namesake, you can (and should) also order kathi rolls, parotta and vada (like pillowy, fragrant Indian doughnuts), with a mango lassi to wash it all down. They have a second truck at Hynes Bar in Stoneybatter, and the only regret you'll have after visiting either is that you didn't go sooner. Dosa Dosa Grand Canal Website dosadosa.ie Address Albert Court East, Grand Canal Street Lower, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story If you've never tried a Southern Indian crispy pancake made from fermented rice and lentil batter, and dipped into coconut, fresh herb and tomato chutneys, get thee to Dosa Dosa for the best in the city. Apart from their namesake, you can (and should) also order kathi rolls, parotta and vada (like pillowy, fragrant Indian doughnuts), with a mango lassi to wash it all down. They have a second truck at Hynes Bar in Stoneybatter, and the only regret you'll have after visiting either is that you didn't go sooner. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Replacing Duck next to Asia Market, Hong Kong Wonton is the bustling supermarket's latest foray into fast food, Asia style. The wontons are unsurprisingly the star item, but the Hong Kong-style French toast is drawing the Tiktok crowds. The 15 seats fill up but diners eat and move on quickly, as food comes out fast. Hong Kong Wonton Website hongkongwonton.ie Address Hong Kong Wonton, Fade Street, Dublin 2, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Replacing Duck next to Asia Market, Hong Kong Wonton is the bustling supermarket's latest foray into fast food, Asia style. The wontons are unsurprisingly the star item, but the Hong Kong-style French toast is drawing the Tiktok crowds. The 15 seats fill up but diners eat and move on quickly, as food comes out fast. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

The residents of Newtownpark queue up daily for homemade pastries, brightly coloured granola bowls and piled high paninos at Fable + Stey. Every neighbourhood needs a café putting this much effort and flavour into every plate. Fable and Stey Website fableandstey.ie Address 24 Newtown Park, Newtownpark, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The residents of Newtownpark queue up daily for homemade pastries, brightly coloured granola bowls and piled high paninos at Fable + Stey. Every neighbourhood needs a café putting this much effort and flavour into every plate. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Terra Madre Simple, perfetto pleasures at the best low-key Italian in town Posted: 11 Nov 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Terra Madre? The bathroom tap never fully stops running. You’re not likely to get a knife and fork in the same style, never mind from the same set. You might need to ask a stranger to squeeze in to let you get out. And it’s one of our favourite Italian restaurants in Dublin, no question. It’s not in spite of its copious quirks that Terra Madre stands out – it’s because of them. More than anything else, descending into this tiny trattoria in a Bachelor’s Walk basement is like arriving in the middle of an intimate Italian family meal, complete with cheerful host slapping a wine glass and a plate down in front of you. If the essence of great hospitality is making you feel right at home, few places in the city have done it this well for this long. Where should we sit? The mismatched assembly of furniture squeezes about eighteen people into this room across eight well-worn tables – no pickiness permitted, just be glad you grabbed one. Bookings are highly, highly advised, though owner Marco’s endearingly unchanged old-school “system” (arcane scribblings on a pad) with deposit-free phone reservations does lend itself to the occasional late cancellation or no-show. Never, ever be those people, but do chance your arm to see if you can’t get lucky off their badly-bred backs. What should we have? There’s not much mulling to be done over the characteristically short menu, with a plate of dressed bread delivered alongside the unfussy A4. For old times’ sake we somewhat lamented the laminated page, a relatively recent arrival in here – in an earlier era, tell tale smudges of olive oil stains spoke to satisfied previous patrons. Taste the peppery, fruity notes and wonder how anyone could forgive themselves wasting a drop. The Terra Madre team have built their reputation on the quality imports that drive their dishes’ integrally Italian flavour, and this is clearly illustrated with the truffle oil. Most times you see those words it’s a synthetic cause to cut and run. Here, a genuine infusion delivers the earthy depths of fresh shavings. Layer it up with the crumbling cubes of aged Parmigiano Regiano and taste the difference. If anything, these welcome bites are a distraction from the decisions to be made, but we came back to earth long enough to order the involtini di bresaola (€17.50). Antipasti here are the chief cheerleaders for quality Italian ingredients (the burrata plate, on since day one, long preceded its now-ubiquity in Dublin), and these red rolls of salted, air-dried Lombardian beef would make a convert of anyone. Slight sweetness and delicate spicing, amped up by the balsamic drizzle on the side, offset the richness of mayo-bound 36-month parmesan. There is saltiness and then there is this - time itself tasted in every dry-aged bite. While not rolled on-site, the pastas that make up Terra Madre’s primi come handmade from a long-time partner back home - we’ve yet to have any over the years that weren’t in the top leagues. Deciding which not to get is the real challenge here. Few who’ve had it won’t rave about the ravioli (€21.50), for all the greige puddle of a plate might not scream appeal. This mess of mushroom and truffle sauce spooned over ricotta-stuffed mezzaluna and liberally finished at the table with cheese (“more parmesan” is an instruction, not a question) is as autumnal a plate as you’ll find anywhere in Dublin right now. The pasta’s al dente resistance and the slight chew of chunky mushroom pieces are all there is to prevent you slurping it like soup. In lieu of the menu’s sausage and saffron ragù, fettucine came served all’Amatriciana (€20.50) – but this was no runner up. The glisten of guanciale’s rendered fat coats the red ribbons, binding the cooked-down tomato and white wine sauce to a just-right richness piqued by the pepper and EVOO notes that poke through in every swirled forkful. Great Italian cooking showcases the standard of food through a simple style that lets its characteristics shine through – every ingredient here is gleaming. It's cooking that, in other words, gets out of the way and lets the food speak for itself. Where much of it does this in whispers, with the spezzatino di cinghiale (€24.50) it roars. This Tuscan-style stew’s flaky chunks of wild boar wear the slow-cooked sauce’s flavours beautifully, spooned and scooped and then desperately swiped up with no end of EVOO-drizzled bread. This here is the essence of Terra Madre’s cucina povera style, the kind of hearty feasts that fed peasant labourers with the rewards of their toil – in the aromatic soffritto, something to show and savour for those aching limbs. Not having spent the day out in the fields didn’t affect our enjoyment. After all that, a gelatinous jiggle – no, not our swollen stomachs but a perfect panna cotta (€9.50). The tart tang of a thick raspberry syrup basted over the crown of this thickened cream classic plays off gentle vanilla sweetness for a finale that’s decadent without overdoing it. The similarly traditional tiramisu never fails for those somehow left with more room to manage its greater heft. Desserts here are simple, not simplistic – the theme of the place in a nutshell. What’s good to drink? In a word, everything – the same ethos of care that defines the dishes informs the wine menu too. If you’re on the red you’ll have three times the choice as for white, fitting the general thrust of the food. There are top-end three-figure treats if you’ve got something to celebrate, truly great pours at prices that don’t take the piss. They're serious about good Italian wine here, but not too serious to have two €34 Portuguese bottles as entry-level options. The Cataldi Madonna Malandrino Montepulciano (€54) made it onto the restaurant's list after a dinner at the winery – we’ll always be won over with direct links like that. With its deep plum and blackberry notes and soft tannins, it accented the richer stews without overwhelming the subtler sauces. Deep-rooted relationships in Sicily mean there’s always an interesting Etna Rosso on the go here, if you’re willing to step the spend up a little. How was the service? From the first open-armed invite to take up a table to the last look of near-umbrage at the idea of not having a coffee to finish, hospitality here embodies the innately Italian need to keep giving until you can’t take any more. We reckon the staff must scout the room on the regular for bread baskets bearing the last slice, so swift do they swoop in with a fresh one the second you’ve picked it up – to leave even a spoonful of sauce on the plate would be a grave insult. This is a family enterprise, through and through, and like all the best ones, makes you feel part of it. And the damage? We put down just under €150 before tip, and after our late (and light) lunch the next day, our first sight of food since, we couldn’t but think it a bargain. Prices are such that you could plan out a two-course meal with a good glass of wine for well short of €50 a head, though you’re less likely to skip secondi than wistfully wish such a thing as terzi existed. What’s the verdict on Terra Madre? It’s the way of quietly great restaurants sometimes to become so well-rooted you almost take them for granted – it feels like Terra Madre has always been there, and always will. Many will stroll past this little staircase without a thought. Plenty will take its paltry presence online (currently no website or social media) and need to phone up as an inconvenience too far. Some might even spy through the wine-flanked window and think a little place like this can’t be up to all that much. But none who make it in here ever tend to forget its simple, perfetto pleasures. Sometimes the shabbiest covers bind the best books. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Vegan fast food that's big on fun, and big on flavour. Loaded waffle fries, Buckfast BBQ burgers and Korean-fried broccoli wings all feature on a menu that may have you needing a nap afterwards. Excellent vegan soakage, or the cure the day after. Saucy Cow Website @thesaucycow_ Address 19 Crane Lane, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Vegan fast food that's big on fun, and big on flavour. Loaded waffle fries, Buckfast BBQ burgers and Korean-fried broccoli wings all feature on a menu that may have you needing a nap afterwards. Excellent vegan soakage, or the cure the day after. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Ka Shing A dim sum den off Grafton Street Posted: 28 May 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? We're not a city (or a country) known for having all the dim sum options, but every so often a conversation strikes up online about where to get the best dim sum in Dublin and our ears prick up. We've had Ka Shing earmarked since Ernie Whalley reviewed it in The Sunday Times last year and said it was the best dim sum he'd had in 30 years in Ireland, and a reignited conversation amongst those in the know on Twitter recently confirmed it was still up there for the Asian community as one of the best. The site it's in on Wicklow Street has been a Chinese restaurant for decades, but only became Ka Shing six or seven years ago. It couldn't be any more convenient for a mid-shopping refuel, as it's just off Grafton Street, and there's loads of seating on two floors, so it's a great option when you need food but haven't booked anywhere. Plus, dim sum. Loads of small bites of super tasty (hopefully), super cheap food. What more could we possibly need to be convinced it was worth a visit. There is a more standard menu of starters and mains, but we had the laminated picture menu in mind. Where should we go for a drink first? You're spoilt for choice for drinking dens around here. For a cocktail with complimentary prosecco while you wait, you can't beat The Sidecar in The Westbury, or there are some interesting concoctions being made at Dylan McGrath's Bonsai Bar . For wine there's Loose Canon , Piglet or La Cave , and for a pint try Neary's for its bar men in bow ties, or Grogan's which is the place to be on a sunny evening. Where should we sit? There's a front and a back room, but we preferred the back finding it a bit more atmospheric. That might have been because there were more people in the restaurant the time we sat there though. The front room does however have the bonus of a fish tank, so toss a coin. There's loads of space so if you're coming with baggage like a buggy or a suitcase you won't have a problem. They have highchairs too so the whole family can dig into the dim sum. What's good to eat? There are 48 different dim sum on offer, and while we're not usually fans of the food pictures on menus format it was actually quite helpful here. We managed to try 17 or 18 dishes over a couple of visits, and there are some we would definitely not recommend, like the braised chicken feet and the sweet vinegar and ginger pork feet - both about 99% bone. Taro croquettes were interesting but quite greasy, and the pork wrapped in a beancurd sheet with oyster sauce was fine but wouldn't have us running back. Everything below we really liked and want to eat again Chiu Chow Fan Gor - Minced Pork Crystal Dumpling Fried Radish Cake with Shrimp, Pork and Chinese Sausage Vietnamese Style Spring Rolls Stir-Fried Mooli Cake in XO Sauce BBQ Pork Buns Steamed Bun Shanghai Style Deep-fried Mince Cuttlefish Cake BBQ Pork Rice Noodle Roll Sesame Balls We also had a lot of dumplings, which started to meld into each other after a while, but they were all good, particularly the shrimp and the siu mai. What about the drinks? Drinks are not Ka Shing's strong point, and the wine list in particular reads like a shelf in the wine aisle in Tesco. They did say they would do corkage though, at around €15 per bottle. There's a basic beer selection with Tiger, Heineken and Tsingtao, and Irish, Calypso and Russian coffees if you're braver than us. And the service? Perfunctory but pleasant. There were a few instances on the first occasion where our waitress kept dropping plates on the table without telling us what they were, leaving us to call after her, pleading with her to come back and tell us what we were about to eat, but maybe she thought the picture menu took care of that. The verdict? We really liked Ka Shing, and our second visit came to €15 per person (with no drinks), which seems like some of the best value in the city right now, especially for food this tasty. We're definitely going back to work our way through the rest of the menu, and at €5-6 per dish mistakes aren't badly felt. If you're new to dim sum this is a great place to get started. Just go for a drink before or after, or stick to the beer. Ka Shing 12A Wicklow Street, Dublin 2 www.kashing.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Bell Pesto The charming Dublin 8 café serving regional Italian specialities Posted: 24 Feb 2026 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story with Bell Pesto? The casual, Italian café in Dublin 8 opened in 2020, and has a loyal legion of local fans, who regularly contact us saying " you have to try it ". Owners Simona Panti and Enzo d'Elia (a couple who split their time between being here and looking after their children) have been in Dublin for a few decades, and used to work together at Steps of Rome ( who remembers it? ). They opened their own business mid-pandemic, and have been ticking along nicely ever since. It's hard to know what category of restaurant to place it in, as they shut at 9pm, but do a monthly three-course set menu focused on a different region of Italy in addition to their regular one. So it's kind of a place for a night out, but one with an early start and finish. Otherwise their bread and butter is pasta, paninis, pizza slices and owner Enzo's "delights" like Parmigiana di Melanzane from 12pm until close. Where should we sit? The café style room doesn't feel set up for settling into for a few hours, but if that's the plan at least ask for the bench seating with cushions. The room is unfussy verging on stark, and some more soft furnishings/plant life/colour/more ambient lighting would go a long way to softening things up. We've marked the handful of counter seats in the window giving prime people watching out onto James' Street for our next solo dining article update. What's on the menu? Quite a lot. The standard offering of classic Italian pastas, paninis, hot dishes, salads and pizza slices are well priced, with pastas €13-€16, a panini and soup combo €14.50, and pizza slices prices €5.50 - €6.50. In addition, each month they have a special two/three course set menu from a different region of Italy, priced at €35.90/€40.90 (a jump from €28 for three courses just over four years ago, which says a lot about food inflation). As it's where they get to show a bit of flair, we stuck mainly to the specials, this month from the Northern Italian region of Trentino Alto Adige. Triangles of Tyrolean Grana cheese served with fresh rosemary and balsamic drizzle sounded too simple, we must be missing something, but it was indeed just a couple of slabs of Grana Padano cooked in the oven. Finished with the dreaded balsamic glaze (why not just good balsamic vinegar?) and dried rosemary (not fresh), we were underwhelmed. We did enjoy the halloumi like texture (although it tensed as it cooled), but it felt very basic for €15, especially off the back of a meal in Uno Mas the night before where the starters are the same price and in a different universe of skill and effort. Things got better with the Canderli alla tradizione, bread based dumplings with speck and herbs in a clear meat broth. These were silky, savoury and very satisfying, particularly on a cold evening, but again the €17 price tag had us puzzled - it's considerably more than any full plate of pasta on the regular menu, for a dish consisting of cheap components. Dipping a toe into the regular menu we decided to see where their carbonara sits on the Dublin pasta scale. Long-time readers will know we've got Bar Italia 's salty, creamy, full-throttle flavours on a pedestal, but occasionally we'll hear someone saw they thought it was too much. Bell Pesto's is a gentler version, rich without leaving you feeling like you need to say penance afterwards, with crispy guanciale throughout and on top. It's all too easy to scarf down, but we did find that the egg slightly scrambled leaving little flecks throughout. For €16.25 (compared to Bar Italia's €23) this is a solid, well-priced plate of the real deal. Back to Alto Adige and we were onto pumpkin gnocchi with Gorgonzola and toasted walnuts (€27). The purple colour of the sauce was slightly off-putting (we're guessing red wine had a hand in it) but the flavours were strong, and richly cheesy. The nuts gave good crunch and we appreciated the freshly grated Parmesan brought to the table, but the gnocchi were quite gluey in texture, which can happen when there's excess moisture in the dough, or if it's over-kneaded leading to too much gluten. A special dessert of almond and cocoa cookies were more bitter than sweet, working nicely against the apricot conserve inside, and they're a pleasing, not too sugary ending with an excellent decaf macchiato for the road (why are good ones so hard to find?) The other special dessert of apple and raisin bread cake with raspberry sorbet is a clever way of using yesterday's bread, absolutely packed with chunks of apple, and again managing to be not too sweet. Like a one bowl recipe your friend's granny would serve when you popped in for tea. What about drinks? We're definitely in commercial wine territory, and there was nothing here that got our pulses going. There's a decent range of styles though and prices are more friendly than most places these days, with bottles starting at €29 and topping out at €42 for white and €49 for red. Avoid the one-note house Percorino, but the I 'Muri' Bianco, a Malvasia blend from Puglia was full bodied and flavour forward at just 25c more a glass. For reds both the Primitivo and Negroamaro were nicely drinkable, if not wildly exciting. How was the service? So warm, proper Italian famiglia style, both on the phone and when we got there. Owner Simona is a proper Mama there to take care of you, and when she came to chat or deliver dishes it felt like she might wrap her arms around us at any moment. She was thrilled to chat about Italy and her hometown of Abruzzo, and how she and Enzo ended up here. It's easy to momentarily forget you're in the Liberties on a wet evening in Dublin. What did the bill come to? €122 before tip for three courses, two glasses of wine and a coffee each, and we took some leftover pasta home. Overall it's hard to argue with. What's the verdict on Bell Pesto? It's hard not to like this simple Italian café, with its charming staff and no fuss food. The cooking isn't in the leagues of some of the city's other Italian big hitters, but it's an honest place to get a low-pressure feed, with so much from the breads to the pastas to the pesto made by hand. This is generous, homestyle Italian food, served with warmth, and while the café vibes don't quite say big night out, we'll go back for lunch when we want honest cooking that tastes like holidays. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

The second opening from Japanese Daruma, whose first location is in Temple Bar. The Malahide outpost is less Japanese pub, more neighbourhood restaurant, with accommodating staff, a very good drinks selection, and commendably good ingredient provenance, including free-range pork from Carlow and organic salmon from Donegal. Sushi is excellent, and there's plenty to like from the hot section too - we love the chicken kaarage with yuzu mayo and the 18-hour beef short-ribs in a ginger soy glaze. Daruma Malahide Website daruma.ie Address DARUMA, New Street, Malahide, County Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The second opening from Japanese Daruma, whose first location is in Temple Bar. The Malahide outpost is less Japanese pub, more neighbourhood restaurant, with accommodating staff, a very good drinks selection, and commendably good ingredient provenance, including free-range pork from Carlow and organic salmon from Donegal. Sushi is excellent, and there's plenty to like from the hot section too - we love the chicken kaarage with yuzu mayo and the 18-hour beef short-ribs in a ginger soy glaze. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Tang (Cumberland) This is outdoor dining goals for summer 2026 Posted: 16 Jun 2026 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Tang's Cumberland Place dinners? It's the third year of outdoor summer time dinners at Tang on Cumberland Place - a risky move in a country perennially plagued by rain you might think, but it's had little or no impact on bookings here, or how much diners have been enjoying the experience (just look at their reviews). Fundamental to that are clever, robust pergolas with the ability to stay fully covered, and pull the sides down in case of sideways rain, but we're told that's not really been an issue. Tang is one of the places Dubliners are most obsessive about when it comes to breakfast, brunch and lunch (is there a single soul in the city who doesn't love what they do?), so it makes sense to keep the Middle Eastern vibes going through to dinner, which they only host on Thursday and Friday nights during summer - no Saturdays so their staff can have a weekend off. Don't you love to see it. What's the story with seating? This secret garden is one of the loveliest outdoor options in the city, tables flanked by foliage, and large pergolas to shelter diners if an unexpected shower hits. Even if you've booked an outdoor table in advance and the forecast on the day changes, don't despair and cancel in a panic - they'll make sure you're protected from the elements. You can book inside seating too if you don't like the risky life, but we're coming here on a warm summer evening for that patio space outside. What's the menu like? A Middle-Eastern inspired mix of flavour first combos, with vegetables in most of the starring roles. There are only two meat dishes and a few featuring cheese, and it's a compilation of Ottolenghi's favourite flavours, with sumac, tah ini, toum and za'tar scattered across it. It's divided into snacks, dips, small plates, large plates and sides, and we strongly recommend coming here in a group of AT LEAST four, because you're going to want more than is physically possible for two people to eat (we did the damage to ourselves so you don't have to). Two crunchy lavash crackers (€8) came topped with creamy, tangy goat's curd and simultaneously savoury, sweet and saline fig and olive tapenade, shattering into all kinds of loveliness on first bite. We insist you order the courgette fritti (€9) - beautifully battered and adequately drained coins of hot, juicy veg bursting out from a crispy, cumin-studded coating. Lemon tartare sauce on the side is a genius addition. Dips have their own menu section, with a choice of hummus, labneh and muhammara (€10 each), all coming with an individual loaf of sage brown butter kubaneh (a traditional Jewish yeast bread). Tang's hummus is infamous, so we tried the labneh with confit garlic and za'tar, and the muhammara with pomegranate and toasted walnut. There's nothing timid about the flavours jumping out of these plates, and you're guaranteed to send them back embarrassingly clean. Marinated cucumber with miso tahini, chilli crisp and scallions (€13) is a dream bowl for a warm evening, all crunch, creaminess and spice, with chunks of cucumber begging to be dredged through multiple competing sauces. Another small plate of fried halloumi came on top of harissa yoghurt and sumac onions (€16), and while the flavours were once again in your face delicious, we found the halloumi dry - maybe the advance soaking trick would work. Juicy lamb kofta balls (€19) came sitting on a tangy sumac yoghurt, topped with chilli, shallot and herb salad to add zing and cleverly cut through the meatiness. Kofta can get a bad rep for being dry - this one won't be receiving any such complaints. You absolutely need to get the Middle Eastern chicken skewers too, with hot honey and tzatziki. Drag those juicy, burnished chunks of meat through sweet and spicy smears, then cooling yoghurt, relishing each fizzing flavour individually and together. You don't need sides, but when has that ever stopped us. Get the crispy potato terrine with toum and shatta (€7), delicate slices compressed into a whole new form, and cooked until crisp, livened up further by being dragged alternately through Lebanese garlic sauce and fiery hot sauce. Need some crunch? The baby gem salad with herby yoghurt, toasted hazelnuts and green chilli (€8) will tick that box, as well as the one for your daily greens. Not quite as healthy as a plate of steamed spinach, but so much more enjoyable. Of the four desserts, one is a trio of their stuffed dates, and one is an affogato (they do excellent decaf if you want the flavour without the inability to drop off once you get home). That left our two, a rhubarb and custard brioche, and a dark chocolate crémeux with orange, sesame and sumac. While we're die hard fans of rhubarb and custard, a slice of bread was not what we needed after dinner, and this sent us into the realms of discomfort and belt loosening. The chocolate crémeux was a far more suitable after dinner spoon, sweet but not overly, with lovely tang from the orange and crunch from the sesame. The sumac was drowned out by the rest, but we didn't miss it. What are the drinks like? The drinks list is simple but functions perfectly well. There's a nice selection of summery spritzes and cocktails priced from €12-€14 (be aware our spicy pineapple marg was PROPERLY spicy), and nine wines from €35-€48 - everyone complaining about restaurants where wine prices now start at €50 will be delighted. A couple of Whiplash beers and N/A options complete the line up. Wine wise we love Arndorfer's refreshing Grüner Veltliner, which comes in a 1 litre bottle - even more bang for your buck. We're also fans of Baglio's Nero D'Avola, and if you like skin contact, try the excellent value Salamandre Blanc. How was the service? Every Tang we ever enter, owner Stephen O'Dwyer is there overseeing things. If anyone out there knows how he's successfully cloned himself we'd love the details. Is it something to do with AI? Between him steering the ship front of house, and everyone else friendly, warm and relaxed, looking like they really like where they work, it would be hard not to have a good night here. What did the bill come to? €175 before tip which included three wines and a cocktail, plus leftovers to take home. Less greedy people will spend less. €45 per person on food will get you the full shebang. What's the verdict on Tang's dinners? Like strawberries, barbecues and water fights, some things are just better in summer, and so are dinners at Tang. This lovely outdoor space serving plates supercharged with flavour should shoot to the top of your summer 2026 eating list - September will be here before we know it, don't spend Autumn mourning all the outdoor eating you never got around to. If you can time a meal here with Ireland's next heatwave that would be ideal, but either way once it's not lashing out there you'll feel very continental. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Jean-Georges at The Leinster The celebrity chef adds Dublin to his empire with big flavours, €48 snacks and spectacular rooftop views Posted: 2 Apr 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What do we need to know about Jean-Georges at The Leinster? The globally renowned chef, and self-confessed rule breaker Jean-Georges Vongerichten has been lured to Dublin by Paddy McKillen Junior ( Press Up Entertainment ), whose family he's known through the biz for 15 years. The Leinster Hotel now falls under ownership of The Dean Group, which Press Up set up to separate their hotels from the rest of the business. They sold a majority stake to a London based investment group in 2023, so it's kinda Press Up, and kinda not. JGV is one of the world's most successful chefs, with an empire stretching across 46 locations in North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Europe and The Middle East. His flagship New York restaurant Jean-Georges has two Michelin stars (downgraded from three in 2018), and the work involved in keeping this many restaurants operating at such a high level makes our heads hurt, but he and his team are amongst the world's best restaurant operators. (Jean-Georges @ The Leinster) As good as Press Up are at interiors and cocktails, they've yet to produce anything above mediocre when it comes to dining. Jean-Georges is a "partnership" with the main man, who is not going to put his name over the door lightly, so although he only visits his restaurants once a year, we expect other members of his team will be all over every detail. Executive head chef Ross Bryans has worked for Press Up for a couple of years, but don't let that put you off - he was head chef at Jason Atherton's Pollen Street Social for almost 10 years, and worked at restaurant Gordon Ramsay under Clare Smyth, as well as Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud. Is there somewhere for a pre-dinner drink? There sure is. Slot in an appetite sharpener at The Collins Club , the hotel's ground floor cocktail bar, named after Irish designer David Collins who designed restaurants for Pierre Koffman and Marco-Pierre White. He passed away in 2013, with British Vogue called him " London's great interior designer ", and the naming here is a lovely nod to one of Dublin's best design talents. The menu is unique for the city, with Collins Club versions of drinks you may already know, and brand new ones you won't, like the 'Chocolate & Yuzu' with chocolate tequila, sake and yuzu marmalade. The Abv is handily noted for each drink, so you can decide between a 9% Bellini or a 22% Martini depending on your tolerance/mood/stomach contents. The 'Kumquat' is their answer to the Martini, with gin, vodka, vermouth and pickled kumquat brine. What looks like two olives are actually brined grapes, plump and ready to pop - they make the drink. The first one that arrived wasn't cold enough, and when we asked for a couple of ice cubes to stir through and dump out they arrived back with a second one, freshly made and ice cold. We would have liked to see more appealing brands than Beefeater and Absolut, but others drinks feature more interesting spirits producers. The 'Palo Santo Paloma' was a very good version of a paloma, with Tequila, grapefruit, lime and grapefruit soda. Where should we sit? Into the lift and up to the rooftop, and despite the slight movement away from the Press Up brand, the room is in the same style we've seen in their other restaurants. We were particularly offended by the trees, but probably because they brought back bad memories . It's a long room with booths on either side and round tables in the middle. We will always pick a booth over a table in the centre of the room, and try to get one at either end for the best views. The most in-demand seats are going to be on the terrace at either end of the restaurant (not currently open), with views across the city as far as the Dublin mountains. What's on the menu? Dishes you could be eating anywhere in the world, with no obvious links to the city its found itself in. JG likes a raw bar/crudo/sushi, "light and bright" appetisers ( think Beverly Hills Housewives when they're forced to eat something carb-free on camera), and he loves big flavours, so there's plenty of truffle, chipotle mayonnaise and Champagne sauces. Asian flavours like fermented black bean ginger and green curry are also a running theme. Two of his signature dishes are caviar topped snacks, and both have landed on The Leinster's rooftop, but you'll have to empty your piggy bank to try them. The egg toast with herbs and caviar is on the menu at JG's flagship New York restaurant, two-Michelin-starred Jean Georges , among many others - see how its made here - while the crackling hash brown with caviar, smoked salmon and cucumber yoghurt can be eaten in his restaurants from Los Cabos , Mexico to São Paulo , Brazil to Nashville , Tennessee. Egg toast We tried the hash brown, and our thoughts went like this: "this hash brown could be a lot crispier; where is this salmon from?; mmmmm caviar; I wish there was more caviar; oh God, we've just eaten €42 in two bites..." Is this a must eat dish in Dublin? If you're earning anything close to the average salary, absolutely not. If you have money pouring out of your ears (or the person paying does) then kick back and enjoy this snack as status symbol. Onto appetisers and a plate of baby artichokes with rose saffron aioli and lemon showed what this group does best - simple ingredients supercharged with big, bold, flavours. The warm shrimp salad with avocado, tomato and Champagne vinegar dressing looked like something for diners on a diet, with a ratio of 9:1 leaves to everything else. The "shrimp" themselves came in a tangy sauce that was more beurre blanc than vinaigrette, and the whole thing was pleasant to eat, but once the shrimp are gone there's not a whole lot to keep you interested. The raw enoki mushrooms thrown on top were puzzling. Mains range from €24 for whole roasted cauliflower to €48 for beef tenderloin, and you'll need sides on top for €6 a piece. Wild turbot (€38) with crushed nuts and seeds came in a sweet and sour jus with lightly poached baby onions and tomatoes floating in it, and we've re-eaten it in our heads more times than the hash brown. Perfect, pristine white fish, which flaked away beautifully when hit with a fork, and not a drop of the broth it was sitting in went back to the kitchen - this is a killer fish dish. Charred, marinated duck breast (€40) comes with caraflex cabbage, herb salad and a coconut lime infusion (just like in Kyoto ). Caraflex is related to hispi, and to the best of our knowledge isn't available here -either it's imported or they're using its more common cousin. The breast was substantial, but a bit tough in parts - full marks for the crispy skin though. Oh but that sauce... Like a red curry paste ground by hand on a Thai beach met a juicy lime and throupled it up with a dash of cream from a just-picked coconut. The cabbage had char and bite and swirled around in that sauce was just perfect. An obligatory side of mash potato had a reassuring amount of butter, and easily slots into the "Michelin-level-mash" category. Desserts (all €12) are designed to be familiar and comforting as opposed to dazzling and intricate. A rhubarb trifle with lychee gelée and lime meringue came with plenty of the tart pink stuff to offset the sweetness, and delving deep brought up something new each time. A moussey butterscotch pudding comes with a layer of liquid salted caramel on top and a scoop of whippe d crème fraîche floating in it. There's a couple of shortbread biscuits on the side for dipping and scooping onto, and while we thought we'd find this Angel Delight throwback too sweet, if you like salted caramel there's nothing not to like. What about drinks? The wine list is pricey, not overly interesting, and is laid out in an order that makes no sense - not by price, nor country, nor style, so it's not an easy read. The by the glass list is their biggest downfall, with only three options each for white and red, and two whites and one red from Paddy McKillen's winery Château La Coste. Another red is almost €30 a glass, so for the average wine lover there's an embarrassingly bad selection. Plan on getting a bottle, which start at €45. We drank the Heinz W grüner veltliner (€45) which was crisp, fruity and an easy drinker that worked with everything. If drinking red we would have gone for Holzer's juicy Zweigelt (€55), which will also work well with this kind of food. How was the service? Not overly welcome on arrival, but our server was overflowing with smiles. She did however sound like she was reading from a document she'd been forced to practice for hours before being allowed onto the floor. We got the feeling that any question there wasn't a pre-prepared answer for might send her into a spin, afraid of accidentally veering off script. We were told in overtly enunciated words that all of the produce on the menu was "LOCAL and SEASONAL", and that's where the sourcing story ends. It's also worth pointing out that the dinky, dainty cutlery feels like it was made for diners with tiny hands. It takes a bit of getting used to. What's the verdict on Jean-Georges at The Leinster? Jean-Georges Vongerichten leads an impressive global empire, and it feels like we should be grateful he's added little ol' Dublin to his restaurant map , but despite some stellar flavours, we left feeling it's missing some magic right now - an Irish welcome, a wine experience worthy of the setting and the name over the door, and information about the ingredients on the plate. In a country where provenance is our biggest play, to completely ignore it feels like a huge oversight, especially at these prices. We wonder who's going to fill this restaurant seven nights a week (we visited on a Monday and were one of only three tables the whole night, and saw later on Instagram that one was a hosted journalist). Maybe the same set that fills up The Ivy day after day, who want to feel less ick about themselves. Dublin lacks great food in glam surroundings, it tends to be one or the other, with a lot of the city's best chefs and operators unable to conceive of spending this much money on upholstery and Costa Nova cutlery. It would be nice for someone to finally get it right, but celebrity chef led restaurants have notoriously bombed here - talk to the teams behind Gary Rhodes, Gordon Ramsay and even our own Richard Corrigan. We'd love to see Jean-Georges break the curse, because we'd very much like to sip another kumquat Martini on the terrace, while they pick a coconut for that duck sauce. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Just north of the river Liffey to the west of the city centre, Smithfield used to be home to inner-city farm yards and an open-air market, but is now home to fried egg sandwiches, Cardi-Bs, and one of Dublin's best places for seafood small plates and natural wine. Smithfield Our Take Just north of the river Liffey to the west of the city centre, Smithfield used to be home to inner-city farm yards and an open-air market, but is now home to fried egg sandwiches, Cardi-Bs, and one of Dublin's best places for seafood small plates and natural wine. Where to Eat Biang Biang Bonobo Fish Shop Mad Yolks Matsukawa No Messin @ Proper Order Nutbutter Smithfield Oxmantown Smithfield Sister 7 The Legal Eagle Urbanity

Winedown at Home Long live the restaurant meal kit Posted: 25 Jan 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? With the surreal news of a near abolition of COVID restrictions last week, you may be wondering why we're using this time to highlight a dine-at-home meal box, but we've become fond of these boxes over the last couple of years, getting us through some tough lockdowns and giving us a break from the endless discussion on what to cook for dinner and/or opting for another average takeaway. This is our homage to those boxes that got us through, and maybe a plea to our favourite restaurants to keep some going. It’s clear from talking to our readers that there’s a market for them, be it people who aren’t fully comfortable returning to normal life so suddenly, parents who want the date night without the extra 50 quid for a babysitter, or anyone who wants a restaurant experience without having to move very far. Winedown opened in December 2020 (the sophisticated older sister of Meltdown ), and between lockdowns we never managed to get in there to try their menu of small plates and sharing platters. They're trying to create a relaxed atmosphere focused on seasonal Irish food and delicious wine, and we can see how this is reflected in their supplier list which proudly supports mainly local Irish producers. It’s clear that they're not skimping on quality with Sheridan’s Cheesemongers for their cheese selection, Carraignamuc Cottage for their fruit and veg, and Little Italy for pastas and other provisions. Their wine list is also extensive, however there are only around five options by the glass so be prepared to fork out for a bottle with prices starting at €29.50. Like many restaurants, Winedown had to pivot a number of times since opening, and their most recent launch was an at-home box showcasing some of their signature dishes. We gave it a spin a couple of weeks ago when we couldn’t bear another 6pm dinner reservation. How do I get it? Place your order on their website , choosing between a regular box with meat or the vegetarian box, and you can add a wine pairing to your order (more on that later). The box is available on Friday and Saturday this weekend, but from February they're reducing this to just Fridays. As it’s all made fresh on the day it will keep in the fridge for up to three days, so you could always stow it away until you’re ready for it. You can opt to pick-up between 12:00 - 19:00, or they’ll deliver it within 6km of the restaurant for an extra €5. What's in the box? Everything you need! We ordered the regular box which was 6-courses and the box contained all components, helpfully numbered by course to make the whole process very simple. The instruction sheet tells you everything you need to do to pull the meal off seamlessly, and they time things perfectly to mimic the rhythm of a normal restaurant meal, leaving a bit of time between courses to digest. Another nice touch was the very funky Spotify playlist, curated by DJ Tara Stewart, to set the scene for the evening. The tunes were so good that we downloaded the playlist to recycle for future dinner parties. The meal started off with a focaccia with cep butter and Guinness Bread with black olive tapenade. The only part of this course that we didn’t love was the focaccia which quite dense and not oily enough, but everything else was delish, and we could have done with an extra helping of the cep butter to keep in the fridge. Next up was the smoked fungi croquettes on a spicy tomato sauce. We adore a good croquette, and we could have eaten these ones all day. Generally we think a decent croquette needs to be freshly fried and served immediately, but even though these were just reheated in the oven they didn’t feel as though they had been pre-prepared. They were crispy on the outside with the most luscious, creamy filling once you bit into them. We would go to Winedown just to try these again (and a glance on their website shows us that they have two other flavours to try!) From there we moved onto the grilled halloumi and grilled courgette in a sherry vinegar reduction, served with romesco. The star for us was the romesco sauce which was deliciously creamy and went really well with the other components. The nutty topping gave a lovely crunch which brought the dish together, and overall we thought it was excellent. We moved on to the first meat dish of the evening – after a quick heat up in the oven and some light assembly it was time for slow-braised pork belly with celeriac puree, parsnip crisp and pickled apples. Full disclosure, pork belly is not our favourite cut, and this did the genre no favours with far too much unrendered fat and not enough meat, but everything else in the dish delivered. The puree was silky smooth and went wonderfully with the tartness of the pickled apples, and the textures were all there, it's just a shame about the meat. The next dish was bavette steak skewers with pickled ginger and their homemade rayu. We were worried that after some time in the oven the steak would come out totally overdone but they got it spot on with the timing and the result was a perfect blush centre. The Asian style soy marinade tied in nicely with the rayu and ginger, and we really enjoyed tearing the meat off this one. Finally we moved onto dessert. The chocolate Marquis had a rich, smooth mousse with a biscuit base which was a bit thicker than we expected, but it did lighten up the dessert and the biscuit itself was gorgeous. They touted chocolate budino on the side which we thought was going to be more like a traditional custardy budino, but in reality it was more of a thick caramel sauce. It may sound like we had a few gripes with this course but we're nitpicking, and will shamelessly admit that we scraped up every last morsel. The box feeds two, with enough food to feel comfortably full, but they’ve gone with quality over quantity so you’re not going to be ending up with any leftovers for the next day. The spaced-out timing of each course also lended to us not having to roll ourselves away onto the couch once we’d eaten. What should we drink with it? When we placed our order there was only one wine pairing option and it wasn't very exciting, so we drank our own, but they've expanded their offering since with some more interesting options. If you're looking for white you can't beat Ciello Bianco, a natural wine verging on orange which we think would go really well with all the flavours here. If you're after red, Gran Cerdo is a natural, juicy Rioja, without too much tannin, so again a good all round pairing. And the damage? €55 for the kit, plus €5 if you choose to get it delivered. Given the quality and variety of the food we thought it was excellent value for money. The verdict? Winedown clearly put a lot of thought into which dishes would translate well at home and made sure that each dish was nicely flavoured and texturally balanced to keep the experience interesting. We think they’ve done a great job and are glad to see that they’re taking orders for this weekend, but it does looks like they’ll reduce this to Friday pickups only in February. At €55 you really can’t go wrong with this for a relaxed night in, and if they do decide to discontinue it down the line, we’re excited to get into their Montague Street restaurant to try a few more things and get the full experience. Winedown 15 Montague Street, Dublin 2 www.meltdown.ie/winedown New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Xi'an Street Food Xi'an food diluted for a fast food nation Posted: 5 May 2026 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the scéal on the newest Xi'an Street Food? Originally founded in Galway in 2016, Xi'an Street Food opened their first Dublin location in 2018, and have just opened their third and largest site to date on Suffolk Street (where Tolteca used to be). The faceless, Chinese-owned hospitality group behind it was set up in 2012, and seems to have retail shops, Chinese takeaways, and even a smashburger restaurant as part of their portfolio. Xi'an is the one they've hit it biggest with though, thanks in huge part to getting in early on the spice bag train, which has gone on to become a global phenomenon . Did you even visit Ireland if you didn't have one while you were here? In an EU Business article, an unnamed company spokesperson said that Xi'an Street Food had " found a great balance between authenticity and modernity ", which we read as: " Irish people's palates can't handle real Xi'an food so we've made it less spicy/more sweet/less authentic ", but this Suffolk Street branch is the biggest yet, with the biggest menu to match, so maybe our previous underwhelming visits would be banished by this new beauty? Is there more seating here? This is their biggest dining room by far. While the former Tolteca site is relatively narrow, it's long, starting with plenty of two tops and counter seating at the front. At the back it opens up into a wider space, with more two tops, three booths for four, and one long wooden table in the centre that sits 10/12. What's on the menu? A LOT. Too much. There are so many options, and customisable options on those options, that you might feel like running for the door while clutching your head in your hands. It will also come off as nonsensical for anyone familiar with this thrilling cuisine. Why do Biang Biang and Liang Pi noodles have a choice of sauce? Liang Pi in Laksa curry sauce is not Liang Pi. Biang Biang in Dan Dan sauce is not Biang Biang - it's dan dan noodles. Are they trying to mess with our heads? It's like asking what sauce you'd like with your bacon and cabbage - parsley, tartare, or chip shop curry. You order via a QR code with your table number, and the menu online didn't exactly match the printed ones, so steel yourself for some possible on the hoof changes. Then we were brought fortune cookies. Shouldn't these come at the end of the meal? We estimated that 50% of customers were having a spice bag (€9.50), an enormous plate of spicy chips, non-free range, non-Irish chicken, and supposedly vegetables, made with their "secret blend of spices". As we were on a try as much as possible mission we ordered a "tapas" sized (kill us now) mini version (€5.50), and apart from a few cursory chillies on top there was barely a vegetable in sight. It doesn't come with curry sauce either - you'll have to add that on for another €3. We've seen this mini spice bag show up online with plenty of veg, and if inconsistency is this much of an issue with their most popular dish, we can only wonder about the rest. Apart from that major omission, these ain't homemade chips, and we'll happily never eat that chicken again. Here's what else we had... Smashburger spring rolls (€9) : These flavourless, unseasoned parcels would give smashburgers a bad name. Staff didn't know what the sauce was - eventually said "tomato sauce". We found out online it's Ballymaloe relish. A travesty in comparison to Hang Dai's version, which actually tastes like a cheeseburger Pan fried pork dumplings (€9.50 for eight) : These had good flavour, juicy meat and a nice dumpling skirt, but came with no dipping sauce. Vinegar and soy are on the table but no sauce bowls to mix your own. We asked and were brought some but another basic item missed Pickled cucumber salad (€6) : This is a decent smacked cucumber, but sweetness comes through more than acid or heat Stewed beef bao bun (€6): Did you order a swimming pool with your bao? A soggy, claggy, gummy mess. The radish will not save you... The main event, " Xi'an Specialty Noodles " are served in comically large bowls about the size of an adult's trunk, which only serve to make the portions of food look tiny. They're not, but optics and all that. You pick your dish, pick your meat, and pick your sauce, but if like us you want your dishes with the correct ingredients, you want to order the Biang Biang noodles with the home-style special sauce, and the Liang Pi with the Qishan spicy and sour sauce. For the gun gun, soba, rice and other noodles, go nuts. Biang Biang noodles with home-style special sauce and pork (€17.50) : These noodles were pretty good, wide, rough and chewy, but they were slightly overcooked and should have been chewier. The pork (belly, we presumed mince) was minimum 50% fat, and that veg came out of a freezer bag (those swollen, sweaty cubes of carrot will linger on for a while). If they improved the quality of the meat and veg this would be substantially more enjoyable Gun gun noodles with dan dan sauce and duck (€18.50) : These noodles are thin and springy, as opposed to the biang biang's wide and chewy ones, and the sauce was rich in peanuts and chilli. We forgot we'd ordered duck until close to the end - it was so overcooked it had more of beef/pork texture. Stay away from this as your meat choice if you know what's good for you Liang Pi "tapas" (€7) : If you order the full sized version of this (from €15.50) you're forced into choosing meat/veg/tofu to go on top - traditional Liang Pi never has anything else added. This was a sad sample of one of Xi'an absolute best bangers, with all of the savoury, tangy, spicy flavours on mute. And where were the traditional spongy gluten pieces, washed out and reformed in the process of making the rice noodles, to soak up that sauce?? ATF calls this woeful. Go to Biang Biang on Mary Street to taste real Liang Pi. What about drinks? The most interesting drinks on offer here are "Xi'an cocktails" and bubble tea. Although some might consider sangria in a Xi'an restaurant just as interesting. Wine is "white or red", beer is Tiger, Asahi or Tsingtao, and there's soft drinks too. At least some effort has gone into the cocktails, although the "Xi'an spice bag margarita" was just a regular (good) margarita with a tajin rim. A "Ganbay" with baijiu, lemongrass, ginger, kiwi, basil, fresh lime and ginger ale was very nicely done, but served in a silly little glass and was gone in three sips - a child-sized portion of alcohol. How was the service? Friendly but vacant. Helpful but clueless. We asked two different people what the usual sauces for Biang Biang noodles and Liang Pi were. Neither knew, they had to bring in a third. We asked another if the food was spicy, we were told no, mild, when the reality is you pick your spice level when you order. We asked another server what the sauce with the spring rolls was. She didn't know. Our Liang Pi never arrived, and despite staff asking several times if we'd received everything we'd ordered, and telling them no, we still had to flag someone down four times over 30 minutes, and eventually tell them we just wanted a refund so we could leave this torturous place, before it eventually arrived. What did you pay? €110 for enough food for four sharing everything, with three drinks. It's a relatively inexpensive option for a quick bite with friends or family, but as we know, cost and value are two very different things. What's the verdict on Xi'an Street Food? Throughout a very long 90 minutes in here we kept thinking about it as the McDonalds of Chinese food. They're not concerned about keeping the food authentically Xi'an, using quality ingredients, making each dish the very best it could be. This is pile 'em high, turn 'em over stuff, where you may look the other way if you care about where exactly what you're eating comes from. The increasing global fandom of the spice bag has put Xi'an Street Food firmly on the tourist map, and they're going to ride that wave as long as it lasts, but you're not a tourist ticking off a bingo card of Irish Instagram dishes. If you want to eat real Xi'an food go to Biang Biang on Mary Street instead, or get on a plane to any of Guirong Wei's Xi'an restaurants in London, but a few years ago we ate in both on the same week and honestly there was very little in it. If you're just hungover and want a spice bag then knock yourself out. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

One of Dublin 8's most loved cafés has crossed the Liffey and opened site number two in Fairview. This one is more petite than the original, with a small but potent menu, and the hash browns with caramelised onion, fried egg, cheese sauce & crispy onions looks set to be the star weekend dish. Pastries are homemade and coffee from these guys is always excellent. Two Pups Fairview Website twopupscoffee.com Address 30 Annesley Bridge Road, Fairview, Dublin 3, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story One of Dublin 8's most loved cafés has crossed the Liffey and opened site number two in Fairview. This one is more petite than the original, with a small but potent menu, and the hash browns with caramelised onion, fried egg, cheese sauce & crispy onions looks set to be the star weekend dish. Pastries are homemade and coffee from these guys is always excellent. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Dak @ Bar Anam A cursed corner of Capel Street tries cut-price wine and Korean fried chicken to break the spell Posted: 19 May 2026 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What’s the story with Dak? 1a Bolton Street hasn’t seen a bar last longer than a couple of years, since Dolly Fawcett ran a not-quite-a- brothel out of the address almost a hundred years ago. In the last two decades alone we’ve seen independent craft outlets Underdog and Beerhouse, Galway Bay Brewery efforts Paddle & Peel and Taco Libre, as well as Rúta, O’Byrne’s, and The Last Waterhole… Sorry, since who ran a what now? Look, that’s a whole other story, and one worth reading in full once you’re safely settled in her latest successor Bar Anam . The point is that you’d be wanting steel nerves or a proven track record to have a crack at this site given its history – just as well the owners of Liberties local Dudley’s have no shortage of both, with five years under their belt in what was once Baker’s Lounge. Maybe it’s that heritage and the chance/threat of wayward Yanks straying beyond the bounds of Temple Bar that have kept Dudley’s menus squarely in a play-it-safe pub grub space that’s never thrilled us, but co-owner Rossa O’Reilly offering up the space at the back of Anam to his Korean fried chicken-crazed brother Kelan had us hoping Dak might be different. How’s the bar out front? At opening time on our first Friday visit, the light streaming through two walls’ worth of windows would nearly have you thinking you’re in a city where summer actually arrives. As an early afternoon crowd of solo sippers snuggled up with a book, yielded to increasingly loose-tied office hordes, whose third and final “just one more” eventually freed their seats, for a college-aged crowd in for DJ sets that take off on weekend nights, we got the sense of a space smartly set up to ride the waves of passing trade that have washed over this place’s prior inhabitants. That’s the key to nailing an awkward corner of the city – giving curious customers who fall in the door a reason to stay, while building up a destination rep with over-and-above add-ons. The speaker setup, sending such throbbing bass down through the banquette we thought we'd parked on a massage chair, tells you enough about how seriously the music’s a part of that picture, but it’s a quick scan of the natural wine list that really perked us up. You'd nearly spit-take in shock at some of the prices here – and waste a lot less money doing so than at most wine bars around town. We spotted several bottle and BTG options going for 8-22% (!) cheaper than places like Cellar 22 , September and Etto . That alone makes this one of the most exciting new places to drink good wine in the city. So can we order from Dak to the tables in Bar Anam? We wish. Having to give up our prime seating to get fed struck a sad note, especially when emerging afterwards to find not a seat free – they’d have a hit on their hands if those office escapees could call in an order and stay put for a few more "one more"s afterwards. Dak's contained space has four tall two-tops and three low four-six seaters, allowing the kitchen to keep pace at this early stage - we can only hope it expands out in time. Walk-in waits are short at quieter times, but book ahead for peak hours – especially now word’s getting out. What are we eating? It’s not just slipping into a space that’s been the graveyard of many a publican’s dream that might look like a brave move here – Dak are slinging Korean fried chicken as if lunch counter White Rabbit up the street didn’t already have the local market locked down. In that sense the name, Korean for chicken is playfully direct – it would want to be good. Reader, we’d marry it. We’ve got a lot of loving loyalty to White Rabbit, but many a fan will be tempted up this end of Capel Street with a competitor like this in the frame. The first standout is the coverage - thick, syrupy sauces cling to the chicken’s crisp crags with a drip-free dedication we’d wager took no end of diligent test cooking to achieve. Up against their cheap and cheerful neighbour’s delish but often puddle-piled mounds, and Space Jaru ’s drizzled yangnyum stacks, this comprehensive coating really stands out. Jaru using Ring’s Farm chicken is the one reason we’d have still said they have a slight edge, but since our visit we’ve learnt that Dak has pivoted to Feighcullen free-range birds . Consider our one caveat null and void. Solo diners might sulk at how much better value the double (€26) is than the single (€16), but a dosirak platter (€25) that adds rice, banchan and a tteok skewer should soften that cough. This is a place made for sharing though – we doubled up with dakenjeong and garlic honey butter. Skip the first one in favour of the "classic red" if you’re spice-averse, but we wouldn’t wish missing these spicy-salty-sweet notes on anyone. Bear in mind the latter’s in-your-face allic tang will be revisiting you all evening - keeping yer mouth shut is a small price to pay. Expect to see the elastic absurdity of the corn cheese (€6.50) all over Instagram, with a mozzarella pull that’s nothing short of silly, stringy fun. Dunk the drenched chicken and have at it – the dry-coated "Dak’s hot dust" fried chicken option would be especially good with this. If it’s a touch under-seasoned in its own right that’s only in anticipation of all the dipping to be done - get the kimchi pancake (€11) twist if a little added salty sharpness is non-negotiable. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/416aaa_a2be60b26ba64119a3f85ae4085f0ecd/720p/mp4/file.mp4 We didn’t find anywhere near enough of it in the banchan (€6), with modest muted flavours ill-able to hold up against the assertive intensity of the chicken – balance is key, these just felt brushed aside. Spinach was the worst offender with distinctly more sog than spring, but the beansprouts and julienne daikon could stand to bring more than just crunch. Look to the pickled pink radish dished up with the chicken for how it should be done. Jhol mandu (€12) feels a strange swerve as a sole Nepalese note on an all-Korean menu, and not one that did much to course-correct our sceptical first impression. There’s tangy, zesty life to spare in the chunky achar base, but this fleeting flash of chef’s favourite personality comes at the cost of a cross-continental detour that’s just a little jarring. Anything for dessert? Not yet anyway. The Dak team have teased sweet things to come, but there’s no sign yet. Well, what about a digestif then? Now you’re talking. Bar Anam ’s wine might have caught our eye but it’s the cocktails (all €15) that got our hearts thumping. The mango and elderflower-spiked Bangkok is a signature spicy marg that takes on Fidelity ’s premium specimen, while a cold brew and chai Oaxaca's deep smokiness from palo santo could give Bar 1661 ’s Belfast coffee a run for its money. Don’t miss them. A rum-based Kingston’s pineapple and white port notes are like the cross-section of a white negroni and a Jungle Bird, and should land solidly for fans of either. Only in Athens are we on shakier ground, with this longform Mediterranean martini’s various vegetal flavours too busy to be anything but a completist’s curio. How’s the service? As tight-run but light-touch as you’d expect for a hospitality group in the making looking to hit the ground running. Table service prevails at quieter times with keen eyes swooping in to take orders at just the right moment – it’s hard not to hang around. Despite clearly sectioned schemes the two spaces feel seamless, with bar staff floating between to lend a helping hand to O’Reilly running the room solo. He has hospitality in his bones, with wide-eyed "I know right" excitement at every cheese pull, and a magician’s “ta-da” theatricality as he points out the concealed cutlery drawers tucked beneath the tables. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/416aaa_5a9f3fa15ab643b093a037605d634bf1/720p/mp4/file.mp4 What’ll it cost us? The dosirak’s €25 is smart pricing – you’d struggle to spend more than that a head for the food. All we ate, and bulging tummies with it, came to €45.50. Wash your KFC down with an Albert de Conti Pet-Nat and head back to the bar for a nightcap cocktail after and you’re talking the mother of all date nights with change from €50. What’s the final verdict? Many have come and gone on this corner of Capel Street since Dolly Fawcett’s day, but none have had the same staying power of her nod-and-wink trade. Between Bar Anam ’s keenly-priced wines and the calibre of KFC Dak are slinging, we have here the best chance yet to break the curse. They may not be running a brothel back there, but it’s something worth whispering about. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Not just bolstering Smithfield's thriving food scene, but taking it to new heights, Matsukawa is Dublin's only omakase style dining experience, and what many (including us) are calling the Japanese restaurant the capital's been waiting for. Helmed by chef Takuma Tamaoki (formerly of Wa Sushi), there are only eight seats around the counter and they're booked out months in advance, so this is one you'll need to plan ahead for, or get lucky with a cancellation. The 18-course menu is worth the wait. Matsukawa Website matsukawa.simplybook.it Address 8 Queen Street, Smithfield, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Not just bolstering Smithfield's thriving food scene, but taking it to new heights, Matsukawa is Dublin's only omakase style dining experience, and what many (including us) are calling the Japanese restaurant the capital's been waiting for. Helmed by chef Takuma Tamaoki (formerly of Wa Sushi), there are only eight seats around the counter and they're booked out months in advance, so this is one you'll need to plan ahead for, or get lucky with a cancellation. The 18-course menu is worth the wait. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Borgo The new 'Osteria Locale' that has Dublin 7 heaving Posted: 2 Sept 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Borgo? The lights went out in Loretta's in Phibsborough almost two years ago, and since then we've lost count of the amount of DMs telling us every other restaurant operator in Dublin was taking over the site. We were beginning to give up hope that anything new would ever materialise, when we got word at the start of summer what was coming, and it was way better than the rumours. Sean Crescenzi and Jamie McCarthy have built a rocketship-style CV over the past few years, starting slowly with Crudo in Sandymount (formerly Dunne & Crescenzi , Sean's parents' business) then the short-lived (and unfortunately named) Happy Endings , before taking off like a missile with Achara , H era (plus bar Juno ) and now Borgo in quick succession. Usually we get nervous watching operators who are onto a good thing move too fast, wondering how they'll keep standards high when spreading themselves so thin, but we've yet to see cracks forming. The opposite actually, with Hera added to the Michelin guide just last week - getting the Michelin man to Dorset Street deserves an award in itself. Borgo pitches itself as an " Osteria Locale" drawing inspiration from across Italy (where the Crescenzis hail from and somewhere both of the owners love), a casual place open to all budgets and tastes, but with everything done to the highest standards. These guys are nailing fresh, contemporary casual in Dublin right now, giving people what they want before they knew they wanted it, and not falling down in any area like wine, service, toilets, how many others can we name... It's beginning to feel like everything they touch is destined for success, and after letting them settle in for a couple of weeks we headed over to the Dublin 7 borgo to see if this is another bull's eye. Where should we sit? The room has had just enough of an update to make it feel like Borgo and not the building's former inhabitants Loretta's (whose owners were in for dinner on the evening we visited - no one recognised them, which made us feel totes emosh). There are pops of colour from neon artwork, a new ambient lighting scheme, panelling that's been painted dark green, new dark walnut panels added above, and half "café curtains" across the front window to let all the light in while maintaining dining privacy. It's got bags of character, and feels like it's been sitting on this corner of Phibsborough for years. Our favourite seats are the curved leather banquettes - your own little corner PDR, ready for you to sink in and veg out for your allotted dining time. There's one at either end of the main window at the front, and others in the centre and against the other wall facing the North Circular Road. If you like seeing your food being made, the kitchen here is wide open, with a view directly in from the back of the room. Either way, make sure to stick a head in on your way to/from the toilet. We should preface all this though by saying that if you want a table at Borgo any time soon, you'll be taking whatever you can get - they are currently being swarmed and it'll take a while before things calm down enough for you to dictate your table. What's the food like? Far too tempting. They could have done half this amount of plates, but then you might not be as eager to go back so soon. Between spuntini (snacks), pizzette (sourdough flatbreads, not pizza), antipasti, pasta, and wood-fired proteins, we can't think of anyone who wouldn't be able to eat how they want here. Got kids? Their children's menu is €10 for a juice, a pasta or pizzette, and ice-cream with chocolate biscuits for dessert (Crudo does similar). Can any other restaurant operating at this standard compete with that? Is there any surprise that it was packed with families at 4pm? ATF's Ronan covered our ATF Insiders preview , and said the focaccia and onion whey butter (€5) needs to be tasted. As usual, he was right. This. Is. Focaccia. The best we can remember eating in Dublin, maybe ever? The crumb, the crust, the flavour, the salt flakes on top, the perfect slick of oil underneath, and that lighter than air onion whey butter... Perfection spread on perfection. We don't usually recommend filing up on bread when there are so many other appealing things to eat, but we make an exception for Borgo. They serve Connemara oysters (€4 each) two ways - one with a bergamot mignonette, and another that's getting all the headlines, topped with a Carbonara-style sauce and cooked in the woodfired oven. It's not one for oyster purists, who'll find the briny, earthy notes lost under the cheese - it's more of an easy introduction for someone who wants their first taste. For our money it'll be the citrussy bergamot mignonette every time. Padrón peppers with Tallegio custard (€6) has been a headline grabber for sheer creativity, and while we would happily, mindlessly eat these as part of any meal, the peppers weren't charred enough and the cheese sauce didn't have the right consistency for dipping - you'll need a utensil to scoop. It was all very pleasant, but not a must order for us. You know what is a must order? Repeat after me: " I will order the gambas ". Say that 10 times, turn around and touch the ground, then go to Borgo and order the gambas with garlic, chili, lemon and more of that focaccia (€18). The tender, luscious gambas, silky from soaking up that impeccable sauce with just the right amount of sweet garlic, spicy chilli and lemon to lift it all up to the heavens. You'll want every last crumb of that focaccia to wipe the plate clean, and don't forget to suck the heads. They've been at pains to convey that the pizzette (€10-€12) are 48 hour sourdough flatbreads, NOT pizza. They arrive puffed up and ready to be cut, torn or just shoved in your mouth, and Mark's oyster mushrooms with stracciatella and aged balsamic was the one to fight over. Another with lemon ricotta, guanciale and Cloonbrook reserve was good too, but we did find the toppings swamped by so much dough. The pasta section is somewhere Borgo excels. Our tortiglioni with milk-braised pork ragu, crumbs, herb oil and Cloonbrook reserve (€21) was on a par with similar ones we had in Bologna on our recent trip there . Don't be afraid of tomato-less ragu - you won't look back. Maybe the dish of the night though was their agnolotti stuffed with ricotta, topped with prosciutto, 24-month old Parmigiano Reggiano and hazelnuts, in a butter sauce (€22). If ever there was a testament to bringing together the best regional ingredients, and letting each of them sing for what they are, here she is. You could not pull this off with substandard produce, and they're not trying to. It's worth nothing that ATF's Ronan loved the amatriciana on his visit, and we both wished we'd ordered the seafood pasta when we saw it travel to other tables. The pasta section is where it's at. If you're more protein than carbs (we're both), you can eat meat or fish from the wood-fired oven. They wanted a good value steak so went for bavette, which comes with cavolo nero, carrot purée, and tarragon and balsamic jus (€28). If you add a side of potatoes you'll be at €35, so it's not a "cheap steak" but by God it's a good one. Whatever they've done to that meat in advance of cooking we need to know about - it melted like fillet, but with that added texture from the coarser grain, the steak browned outside, and served medium/rare inside (chef's recommendation). The accompaniments were pleasant, but could be more exciting. You know what was exciting? Those Ballymakenny Queens with herb cream and Cloonbrook Reserve (€7) - just don't go for a medical any time soon after consuming them. Gnarly, deep fried potatoes are arrestingly crisp, every side is a good side, with piping hot fluffy insides and all the extra flavours to take them from an A+ to an A++++++. BBQ Abercorn rainbow chard (€6) couldn't help but be dull in comparison - we didn't get any barbecue flavours, nor peach in the advertised dressing, but it's always good to get those Irish-grown greens in. No self-respecting Italian has a dessert section without a solid tiramisu, and Borgo's is a monster slice for €9. It's falling over with creaminess, coffee and chocolate, but some of the sponge was too dry and needed better soaking. A very minor infraction. Get one for the table. The bigger hit here is the polenta cake with brown butter peaches, mascarpone and basil (€9). It's another very generous slice (a whole one might kill you) but everything about the textures, flavours and scents of this scream "summer! Don't go!" What about drinks? If you're partial to a negroni order the 'Negroni Sporco' once you're sitting. It's like a Negroni Sbagliato but with Lambrusco instead of Prosecco, and a fat olive perched on top. There's also the 'Borgo spritz' and the 'Pesca spritz', and it was a tough choice. When it came to the wine list we couldn't see past LAMBRUSCO BY THE GLASS. Have the sparkling red wine with the antipasti, have it with the pizzette, and let yourself see the light. The wine list is mainly Italian, with some random bottles in there from France and Spain (presumably for those who can't see past Rioja and Sauvignon Blanc), and it's very much a regional deep dive, so if you're confused just tell them what you usually like, what you want to spend, and let them help find you a bottle. We tried both the house Nero d'Avola and Grillo (both €7.50 a glass or €33 a bottle) and thought they both punched above their weight for those prices. How was the service? They couldn't have been nicer. We walked into a room that was the definition of "buzzing", every seat taken, animated conversations all around, well-behaved children everywhere, friends and families delighting in their new regular, and somehow they managed to effortlessly take care of everyone with kindness and grace. They also let us put in an initial order, then add more on - it's that kinda place. We weren't aware of a time limit on our table, but almost as soon as we got up after two hours, a family of four swept into our seats. If they were under pressure to move us on, they never let on or made us feel rushed. What should we budget? As you know we are greedy little so and sos and ordered waaaay too much - to the point of stomach pains. You don't need to make yourself sore from over eating, you can just go back another time like a normal person, so we reckon €50 a head will see you very well fed, but it's very easy to spend more if you let your eyes do the ordering. What's the verdict on Borgo? More Osteria Locales for Dublin please. More of this seemingly simple cooking with layers of flavour and the best ingredients available to the kitchen. It all seems so simple, yet is so often overlooked in favour of Insta-pretty plating and maximising GPs, hoping customers won't taste the difference. We've said it before that these guys seem to have the formula for what people want right now, and what they're willing to pay for it, and it looks like they've pressed yet another diamond with Borgo. New Openings & Discoveries More >>