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Follow the sea north to Fairview and Clontarf, and suburbs Killester and Artane for some of the city's best Indian and Pakistani food, as well as brunch and toasted sandwiches by the sea. Clontarf - Fairview - Killester - Artane Our Take Follow the sea north to Fairview and Clontarf, and suburbs Killester and Artane for some of the city's best Indian and Pakistani food, as well as brunch and toasted sandwiches by the sea. Where to Eat Badam Chubbys Happy Out Kinara Kitchen Clontarf Surge Coffee Taza The Orange Goat Killester Two Pups Fairview

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

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

Roots Restorative dining goes on the road Posted: 29 Oct 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Roots is a pop up partnership between chef Keith Coleman and partner Aisling McHugh, and while this is a once over with a difference, in that they're nomadic so we can't give you an address, Roots is something you should know about, and will feel better for having been a part of. The couple moved home from New Zealand five years ago with designs on opening their own place, but high rents coupled with demand, as well as the somewhat new phenomenon of 'key money' put paid to that, so they ended up working in some of the city's best cafés, like The Fumbally and Bibi's , before being offered the opportunity to run Fia in Rathgar, with Keith in the kitchen and Aisling front of house. Fia almost immediately became one of the city's most sought after brunch spots, with weekend queues that were the stuff of legend, but it was when Keith started his Roots Pop Ups that people started talking about his food instead of Fia's. The first pop-up was in 2017 with Cúan Greene (now head chef at Bastible ) who was home from Noma in Copenhagen for a stint before heading to Mexico to launch the infamous Noma pop-up in Tulum. The next was with Eric Hellig (formerly of Heron & Grey, now Liath ), then came one in Bibi's with friend and ex- Momofuku chef Joshua Plunkett. Last year Keith and Joshua popped up again in Green Man Wines in Terenure, with Keith staying on to do a residency. Just before he was due to move on, Catherine Cleary reviewed the wine bar turned restaurant in the Irish Times giving it 9.5/10 and saying, "we’ve waited a long time for someone to bring wine lovers and food lovers together over plates of brilliantly creative food in a casual friendly place." That day the Terenure wine bar booked out for weeks. So what's happening now? In August this year the Keith and Aisling officially launched ' Roots ' as a travelling food concept, hosting intimate pop-up dinners across Ireland. They recently moved from Dublin to Slane, and harbour a dream of opening a destination guest house, organic farm and bakery in the future - we wait in hope for that one - but in the meantime we'd been very jealous of the feedback from a dinner series they did in the Hang Tough gallery in Portobello at the end of the summer, so when we heard their next pop up was going to be Sunday lunch at McNally Family Farm in North County Dublin we jumped on the tickets - and got the last two. What's the venue like? McNally Family Farm is our favourite place in Dublin to go vegetable shopping, and the sheer amount of organic produce they manage to grow in an Irish climate is mind-boggling. If you haven't been we'd really recommend a Friday or Saturday trip to their farm shop and newly opened café. Keith and Aisling have been working on the farm recently learning about everything that grows there, so the recently renovated barn seemed like the perfect place to do it. What's good to eat? With their pop ups we imagine it will be usually a case of putting yourself in their hands for a no choice tasting menu, and these are very good hands to be in. Their initial description of "some individual snacks followed by a sharing main course and a dessert" was massively over-delivered on, and one look at the menu up on the wall had all kinds of excitement running through the room. The couple came out at the beginning to talk everyone through the dishes, and explain that a lot of the vegetables were only picked that morning - it's hard to imagine a more idyllic set up for a vegetable based pop up than the farm the vegetables were picked on. First out were rosa radishes with a green tomato emulsion made from tomatoes that hadn't ripened and Irish rapeseed oil. With these came char-grilled cucumbers filled with pumpkin seed miso, and Keith Coleman must be one of the only people in the country who can make hot cucumbers taste good. After this came burnt leeks with leek top mayo, from which there is no going back. This was peak leek, and the perfect illustration of what happens when sensible use of seasonal produce meets someone who seems to have a natural gift for creating maximum flavour from minimal ingredients. Thick slices of Scéal sourdough followed with lovage butter (all aboard the lovage train), and then a borscht-like beetroot soup with horseradish cream and fennel flowers for a kick of aniseed as it went down. This was fresh horseradish grown on the farm in case you were imagining a jar of Coleman's, and it was a delicate, silky bowl of warmth, sweetness and general soothing. After this came the main affair of lamb rump with blackberry and elderberry. The meat tasted like it was fresh from a summer barbecue, almost making us forget we were in a converted farm barn in October in 6 degrees celsius (there's heaters, it's fine), and was covered in the most intense, thick berry sauce, like Michelin-starred ketchup. Sweet + smoke = happiness. This came with four sides, including cold slices of kolhrabi marinated with dandelion, which was almost like a palate cleanser between bites of everything else, and char-grilled cauliflower with a Drumlin cheese and beer sauce - which was exactly as good as you're imagining it to be. The other sides were flower sprouts (a cross between Brussels sprouts and kale) with fermented black garlic, which were chewy, sticky, flavour-filled mouthfuls, and Orla potatoes dripping in what tasted like butter and herbs, which are baby potatoes somewhere between waxy and floury, and which seem to have the best qualities of each. Every vegetable was prepared relatively simply, using one or two other ingredients max, yet they tasted like the best possible versions of themselves. That's what serious kitchen talent can do. Dessert was a whipped lightly minted cream over cape gooseberries with honeycomb (from the farm's beehives), an elegant and thankfully light end to a Sunday feast - barring much honeycomb stuck in teeth but that comes with the territory. What about the drinks? For the moment their pop ups are likely to be BYO unless the venue has an alcohol licence, so we took a bottle of Judith Beck 'Ink', an Austrian blend of Zweigelt and St Laurent (available in Green Man Wines and Loose Canon ) which was pretty dreamy with the lamb - and the cold weather. Aisling had also made cordials/juices including sorrel and mint, hawberry and rose geranium and blackberry, thyme and juniper, which were all lovely to alternate with, and a bonus for the drivers. And the service? On their website Aisling and Keith describe Roots as "an experience where our guests feel like they’re at home, with friendly faces around them who are eager to converse and get to know one another," and this is exactly what they've created, through the use of a single communal dining table, sharing plates, and both popping heads in constantly to check on everyone, as if you're at a dinner party in someone's home. It's hard not to be struck by how meaningful the experience is, and how much of the people behind it comes through on the plates and in the room, so it feels like everyone there is in on something special. The verdict? The root of the word restaurant comes from the word "restorative", as when restaurants as we know them today started to open in Paris in the 18th century they were seen as a way to restore your body and soul. That's exactly what Roots does - restores you through food picked metres from where you're sitting, cooked in a way that respects what it is and isn't trying to turn it into something else, and makes you feel better from the inside out just for having been a part of it. With people finally starting to come around to the importance of both using and eating Irish produce, Keith and Aisling are an example for others to follow, and we have little doubt that this farm/guesthouse/restaurant they're dreaming of is going to be big news when it finally comes together - possibly scene-changing. At Food On The Edge in Galway last week one of the chefs who was giving a talk said "having good food is a way to respect yourself, it's self-care", and we can think of few other places bringing this to life in such a vivid way right now. Roots are hoping to host more pop-ups on the McNally farm (and other places), but sign up to their mailing list or follow them on Instagram to hear about what's next. Roots Hopefully coming to a venue near you soon rootsproject-ie.squarespace.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Row Wines This new wine & music bar is serving heady food in a striking space Posted: 22 Aug 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Row Wines? When Coppinger Row closed at the end of 2021, after their landlord decided to develop the building and put the lease on the open market, the Mediterranean-style bistro's regulars were devo.com . Owners Marc and Conor Bereen were already deep in plans for their next restaurant Orwell Road in Rathgar, which opened the following March, but they had unfinished business with this pedestrianised alleyway off South William Street. It took another year, but in April 2023 they revealed that they had secured the lease for the site next door, and were opening a "natural wine and music bar", with snacks and small plates from 23-year old Head Chef Paddy Maher, who had been sous chef at Orwell Road under Daniel Hannigan (he's also across things here as Executive Chef). If you know us you'll know we think Dublin needs more wine bars - places you can show up to without a reservation, that don't make you order three courses including a main, where the focal point is as much on the by the glass list as the food, so this was very good news. Where should we sit? The space looks incredible from every angle. This was not a cheap fit out, designed to feel like a wine bar in Barcelona or San Francisco, and from the green leather to the gold accents, the built-in decks in front of the kitchen to the striking art work covering the walls, there's nowhere else in the city we can compare it to. If you want to sit indoors we'd settle in at a banquette against the wall, giving you full view of the striking space. Over at the bar you'll find counter seating (one to add to our where to eat solo guide ) and some high tables, and there's a good amount of seating outside if it's a rare sunny day in Dublin. The outside seating is not as comfortable though if you're settling in for a few hours, with chair backs slouchy and tables slanted on the uneven ground below. They're also all tables for two meaning you'll have to pull a couple together if there's more of you - all or any of this may or may not bother you. What should we drink? The wine list is more accessible (read: affordable) than places like Fish Shop, Bar Pez or Note, with glasses starting at €8. While they may not have every wine producer with a cult-like following on there, it's fun, full of interest, and both a Portugese pet nat from Vigno and a Chenin Blanc from Domaines de Baumard in the Loire were exactly the light-touch, lively wines we wanted to drink on a sunny Saturday in the city. The more we looked at the list the more we wanted to drink from it, and we didn't even get a chance to try their cocktails, which favour Irish drinks producers and low ABVs. There's a few softs too, including that refreshing kefir from The King. What about food? Their menu of 8-10 small plates changes regularly, and it would have been easy to stick to the same old wine bar classics, but there's nothing dull or carbon-copied about the food in her e. A group of three or four could easily get through the whole menu - which is our pretty much our goal for every meal. Is there anything worse than food envy while looking at another table, or food regret for the one you didn't order... As we established a couple of weeks ago , Row's gilda (€5 for 2) is on the cheaper end of the Dublin scale for the Spanish bar snack, but it's also smaller than the ones at Fish Shop , Uno Mas and La Gordita , with an unexpected hit of chilli. Depending on your spice appreciation levels you may or may not enjoy this - we prefer to get the heat from the pickled green chilli and didn't think it was needed, but we'd still start our next meal with one of these salty, spicy mouthfuls. Marinated olives (green with stone in, black with stone out) were very good quality, juicy, mild and sweet, and a more generous portion than a lot of other places (they are €5 though). Something that's been on the menu from the start (and will hopefully stay on there as long as supply makes it possible) is the Kilkee crab rosti. Thinly sliced layers of waxy potato are deep-fried to a cripsy, chewy finish, served warm and topped with beautifully seasoned Kilkee crab. They're €16 for 5 so work out at just over €3 a bite, but this is a premium product showcased masterfully. There always seems to be a flatbread on, and ours was with nduja, anchovy and fresh basil (€12). The immaculate base was topped with a flavour bomb of spice and salt, but it was very oily and ended up all down our hands after a few bites. A little less nduja would have solved the problem (but it wasn't that big of a problem). Unusually large padron peppers (€8) came with zatar instead of the usual heavy hand with flaky sea salt, and needed a few more minutes in the pan to get the sweet, melting flavours and textures we love. We did see other people's which looked more like it, so we may have just gotten unlucky, and we would have preferred salt, but they were still finished off. Row has an admirable selection of vegetarian dishes (veggies and friends of veggies take note), and another menu success was the baby gem with caesar and Kilnahlan reserve - a Parmesan-style cheese from Kylemore Farmhouse (€10). The fresh, crispy lettuce halves are spread with a cheesey caesar dressing which starts to submerge down through the leaves, then are topped with breadcrumbs and more finely grated cheese. Lettuce has never had it so good. Burrata (€13) came with ripe, roasted peach, basil and mint, and more breadcrumbs, this time laced with zatar (they like zatar in these parts, and this was a very clever addition), We would eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and every flavour and texture was a paragon of summer - get in and eat it while you can. Our last savoury dish of mixed Garryhinch mushrooms (from Offaly) came with shallot xo, shiso leaves and an egg yolk (€14), and while flavours were good (particularly in the sauce), this is one for fungi fanatics. Some of the larger oyster mushrooms were jaw-pain-inducingly chewy, while the smaller ones like shiitake worked much better popped into your mouth with a spoonful of sauce and a drizzle of egg yolk. There's one dessert and one cheese plate (when we visited there was a triple cream from Ballylisk, an 'Irish camembert' and a blue, but details were scant). Dessert was an olive oil cake that Maher learnt how to make while cooking in Spain, with maceated strawberries and whipped mascarpone. There are few better pairings in life than strawberries and vinegar (get involved), and the rich, finely crumbed cake and light mascarpone made for an elegant, summer fruit-laced end to an excellent lunch. How was the service? Full of warmth with lots of big smiles meeting every request. There did seem to be a slight gap in knowledge when it came to the menu, with one (delightful) server unable to answer some questions about the menu, and having to check several things with the kitchen, so a bit more training on what the kitchen is using and serving would be welcomed. What was the damage? €113.50 with two glasses of wine and a kefir, which felt like decent value for what we had. What's the verdict? Although Row Wines is where Coppinger Row was and has the same owners, it's a very distant relative. While Coppinger was a cosy jumper that you've worn a hundred times and knew exactly what to pair it with, Row is like the 'investment' jacket you've bought in All Saints across the road - thrilling, unusual, ripe for eye-widening and compliments from anyone who comes across it. The space feels like nowhere else in Dublin, the drinks are made for diving into, and for a chef in his early twenties to be turning out food this heady and distinctive, we're marking him as one to watch. Row Wines Coppinger Row, Dublin 2 bereenbrothers.com/row New Openings & Discoveries More >>

You might think Good World Chinese on George’s Street is just another Cantonese catering to Irish taste buds, but those who know ask for the dim sum menu as soon as they sit down and don’t look beyond it. Char siu puffs, cheung fun (steamed rice paper rolls), stir-fried turnip cake and shrimp har gow are some of our favourites, but it would be a crime to visit and not order the xiao long bao (soup dumplings) too - they’re a Dublin dumpling benchmark. Good World Website facebook.com/GoodWorld Address 18 South Great George's Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story You might think Good World Chinese on George’s Street is just another Cantonese catering to Irish taste buds, but those who know ask for the dim sum menu as soon as they sit down and don’t look beyond it. Char siu puffs, cheung fun (steamed rice paper rolls), stir-fried turnip cake and shrimp har gow are some of our favourites, but it would be a crime to visit and not order the xiao long bao (soup dumplings) too - they’re a Dublin dumpling benchmark. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Grano The pasta place we've been waiting for Posted: 22 Jan 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? December 2018 was quite the month for restaurant openings in Dublin ( Variety Jones , Gertrude , Uno Mas scraping in on the last day of November), and one that we were really intrigued by was Grano in Stoneybatter, where owner Roberto Mungo's Italian mamma had flown over and was in the kitchen making pasta. Mamma Roma quickly gained cult Instagram status , and social media was alight with talk that Dublin had itself an authentic Italian restaurant to eat fresh pasta in. Roberto is originally from Calabria in Southern Italy, and says he wanted to open a place that reminded him of home. A lot of the ingredients come from producers and farmers who are family friends, and he wanted the restaurant to be in Stoneybatter because of its sense of community - it's also where he lives. Before opening Grano, Roberto worked as a sommelier for Wallace Wine Bars , and a look online at the wine list made it obvious the wine was as important as the food. There are no flashy names, just small producers with loads of organic, biodynamic and natural options, and refreshingly reasonable mark ups. So far all was sounding a bit too good to be true. Where should we go for a drink first? There are loads of great pubs in Stoneybatter, including L. Mulligan Grocer for one of the best craft beer selections in the city, The Cobblestone for traditional Irish music, and Walshs which was voted best pub in Ireland at last year's Irish Restaurant Awards. Part of the reason for this (apart from the unfalteringly lovely staff) must be the price of the drinks - they sell sherry cask-aged Red Breast whiskey for €10 a measure, when it's more like €18 around town, and Aspall's cider for €5.80, when we've only ever seen it at €8+. Where should we sit? It's a really cosy, intimate room, with mostly two tops and some fours, but they will obviously move them together if there's more of you. We were probably at the worst table in front of the door so had an occasional blast of wind when people came in, but we booked late and were just happy to get in at all. If we have another summer like 2018, the one in the path of a breeze will be the one to bag. Otherwise we'd advise sitting as close to the pasta making action as you can get. What's good to eat? The format of the menu with nibbles, starters, pasta and secondi makes it way too easy to order all the food, but this is the only way to go if you want the full Grano experience (and you do). Portions aren't huge and prices very reasonable so you can get away with ordering from every section. From the nibbles we had the Capocollo ham cured in Primitivo wine, from a family friend's farm in Italy, which had incredible flavour, especially with the Calabrian red wine we were drinking. Marinated anchovies with frigatelli peppers, sourdough and tomato and basil cream were also demolished, and the nduja with crostini (which melts at your table in what looks like an oil diffuser) is the proper Calabrian real deal - which means super spicy. Enter with caution if you're heat-averse. If not you'll love it. From the starters, we had to go for Mamma Roma's stuffed artichoke special with caciocavallo cheese, which was as perfect as we'd hoped it would be. Another of Frisella de Farro (spelt rusk bread that's brushed with water to soften it and topped with cherry tomatoes, oregano, garlic and olive oil) was a bit too soggy for us, and they explained that it's been difficult to get the soakage level right - when it was harder they had people complaining that they were going to break a tooth. They're debating letting people brush their own water on at the table so they can determine their own level of softness, which we think is a great idea. For mains we obviously had to stick to pasta, but there are a couple of meat/fish dishes on there too. Only certain pastas are made in house, others need machinery and the space is too small, so they bring them over from Italy - look for the ones saying 'homemade' on the menu if you want to know what's what. One that is always made in house is the traditional Calabrian pasta fileja, made using a knitting needle. We had that night's special which was described as a cacio e pepe with artichoke and mint. It wasn't what we know as cacio e pepe, which is just made with pecornio cheese and loads of black pepper, but it was delicious nonetheless, and had a layer of slightly hardening cheese at the bottom that we took great pleasure in scraping off at the end. Another of Amatriciana with mezzamaniche pasta (imported), black pig guanciale (from the cheek), tomato sauce and pecorino was faultless, and if any dish was going to make us feel like we were eating in Roberto's Calabrian village this was it. So simple but with such explicitly excellent ingredients, there was practically no conversation while eating this. Continuing the pig fest they brought us a half portion of Italian cheeses with chutneys and a little bit of orangey fruit cake, which is surprisingly good in place of a cracker. We finished with tiramisu, which we thought was perfect except for needing more Marsala, until Roberto told us they don't put any in so that children can eat it too, and he has great memories of his mother making an alcohol free one for him and his siblings when they were small - it's hard to argue with that. What about the drinks? It's rare (although thankfully less so) to find restaurants in Dublin that think about their wine list as carefully as their food, and this is one of those places. Everything is Italian and most are organic, and the mark ups are on the low side in comparison to most places in the city which makes it pretty good value. We were recommended a red Cirò, one of Calabria's most famous wines made from the Gaglioppo grape, which was a bit like Nebbiolo - light and fresh but with good structure and soft tannins - and it was a perfect match for all of the tomatoes and cheese. They don't have dessert wines on the menu but they do have them so ask, and a white (or more like orange) one made from the grape Zibibbo (Muscat) was particularly good. And the service? Roberto is the ultimate host, and constantly has an eye on everybody whilst never being obtrusive. He happily doled out recommendations over the evening, all of which were spot on, and all around us echoed 'Ciao!' and 'Buona sera!' as customers (a lot of whom were Italian) came and left. All of the staff were lovely, and the whole place had a really laid back, neighbourhood vibe. The verdict? We were trying not to get our hopes up about Grano in case our instinct about it was wrong, but we can happily tell you it's as good as (if not better than) we hoped. Almost overnight this has become the place to go in Dublin for rustic Italian cooking and homemade pasta, and if they can keep these standards up it's going to be somewhere you'll need to book well in advance. We're always a bit wary when we hear a restaurant is importing all of their ingredients from another country, when we have so much fantastic produce on our door step, but it's really difficult to argue with food that tastes this good, and we've never tasted an Irish tomato with Calabrian flavour. We've already booked to go back. Grano 5 Norseman Court, Manor Street, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7 grano.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Waterfront dining on the docklands from the Bereen brothers, also behind Coppinger Row (now closed) and Orwell Road. The menu uses Irish produce, often with a Mediterranean spin, and the pre-theatre menu is ideal if you're going to a show in the Bord Gáis Energy theatre. Charlotte Quay Website charlottequay.ie Address Charlotte Quay Dock, Millennium Tower, Ground Floor, Ringsend Road, Dublin 4 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Waterfront dining on the docklands from the Bereen brothers, also behind Coppinger Row (now closed) and Orwell Road. The menu uses Irish produce, often with a Mediterranean spin, and the pre-theatre menu is ideal if you're going to a show in the Bord Gáis Energy theatre. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

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

Free-range egg sandwiches, homemade hash browns and chilled mimosas make for a very happy brunch in Dublin 7. Brothers Hugh and Eoin O’Reilly starting serving egg sandwiches in 2018 at festivals and events, and this site on Smithfield Square is the first place they've called home. Flavour combinations are ace, and you should prepare to leave with a newfound grá for eggs. Mad Yolks Website madyolks.ie Address Unit 4, Block C, Smithfield, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Free-range egg sandwiches, homemade hash browns and chilled mimosas make for a very happy brunch in Dublin 7. Brothers Hugh and Eoin O’Reilly starting serving egg sandwiches in 2018 at festivals and events, and this site on Smithfield Square is the first place they've called home. Flavour combinations are ace, and you should prepare to leave with a newfound grá for eggs. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

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

After shifting to Japanese-leaning Lotus Eaters in 2024, 2025 saw The Pig’s Ear go back to its roots, and turn the dial up on the Irishness. A brand new menu was launched, with dishes inspired by and featured throughout Dublin’s literary history, and dishes like coddle, tongue n’cheek kidney pudding, and boxty pancakes with Cais na Tire cheese and truffle getting old and new customers excited. A great place to take visitors to. The Pig's Ear Website thepigsear.ie Address The Pig’s Ear Dublin, Nassau Street, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story After shifting to Japanese-leaning Lotus Eaters in 2024, 2025 saw The Pig’s Ear go back to its roots, and turn the dial up on the Irishness. A brand new menu was launched, with dishes inspired by and featured throughout Dublin’s literary history, and dishes like coddle, tongue n’cheek kidney pudding, and boxty pancakes with Cais na Tire cheese and truffle getting old and new customers excited. A great place to take visitors to. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Ethically sourced food, elevated to new levels of deliciousness by their clever staff have had Dubliners converging en masse to Dublin 8 since The Fumbally opened in 2012. High ceilings, mish mashed furniture and a “let’s all be friends” vibe make it feel like you’re in someone’s living room, in the best possible way. The Fumbally Website thefumbally.ie Address Fumbally Lane, The Liberties, Dublin 8 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Ethically sourced food, elevated to new levels of deliciousness by their clever staff have had Dubliners converging en masse to Dublin 8 since The Fumbally opened in 2012. High ceilings, mish mashed furniture and a “let’s all be friends” vibe make it feel like you’re in someone’s living room, in the best possible way. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

The South-West suburbs of Dublin were never a stronghold for food in the past but that has started to change. With some great bakeries and breakfast options in D12 and a growing number of great ethnic restaurants in D24, the area is a wise choice for good value. West Dublin Our Take The South-West suburbs of Dublin were never a stronghold for food in the past but that has started to change. With some great bakeries and breakfast options in D12 and a growing number of great ethnic restaurants in D24, the area is a wise choice for good value. Where to Eat D'Lepak Kaizen Mama Shee Orani

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 >>

Space Jaru Casual Korean food that's spicing up The Liberties Posted: 7 Mar 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Space Jaru? Korean street food vendors Jaru have spent a long seven years building their brand on the food market and festival scenes, together with a growing retail presence. As well as stockists like Supervalu and Fresh carrying their kimchi and rayu, they operate their Jaru Mart direct delivery service online, sending Korean storecupboard essentials, meal kits and ready to hit dinners across the capital. Founder Gunmoo Kim was just about to sign the lease on the business’s first sit-in space elsewhere in March 2020 when, well, we all know what happened next. Three years, a few pandemic pivots and plenty of recipe experimentation later, Space Jaru has finally settled down in Dublin 8, in the Meath Street site that was formerly home to Tasty8 café. Where should we sit? Both wide, floor-to-ceiling shopfront windows have benches running the full length of them, so they're ideal for solo diners or those who want to watch the world go by - and few Dublin streets are as good for entertaining outside watching as Meath Street. Otherwise, the left side of the space has a smattering of two and four-top setups spaced throughout, while the right plays host to a bigger ten-seater table, calling out for a group outing. It’s also got by far the best view of the open kitchen. What's on the menu? They’ve kept things clear and concise with four sections representing a good spread of Korean cuisine: small plates, banchan and sides, BBQ bowls and KFC (Korean fried chicken) burgers. The chicken is free-range too which we love to see. If you’re just in for a bowl it’s worth getting the full spread of banchan for maximum mix-and-matching pleasure - they're perfect for adding into rice. For our part we got stuck straight in to the small plates. First out was the Yangnyum chicken, an impressive mini-mound of twice-fried thighs drizzled in a spicy gochujang-based sauce. That intense, fermented chili paste is a staple of Korean cooking - the country’s mountainous terrain made preserved foods a requirement for more inland regions - and here it brings real flavour complexity to the tender chicken strips, nicely offset by cubes of pickled daikon. Crispy, flaky batter is delicately seasoned and a light scattering of seeds brings added crunch to the plate. This is a good one for sharing among those with different palates - spice lovers will lap up the Yangnyum sauce, while the more mild-mouthed can grab an uncoated strip if their chopsticks are quick enough. A plate of mandu came next - Korean dumplings not too far removed from the more familiar gyoza. These beef galbi (rib) ones arrived deep-fried with a cracklingly crisp finish, scattered with pickled onions. The duelling textures of skins and filling is really effective, a satisfying crunch yielding to the soft meat, but the flavour can feel a little one-note beyond the first bite and there’s only so much the little side bowl of soy sauce can do. Worth trying shared with a larger crowd, but this isn’t a plate we’d want all to ourselves. Our server cheerily called out the tteokbokki as her favourite plate as she set it down, and it’s one we'd been keen to try. In Korea you’ll find endless variations on this popular street food dish, centred on log-shaped rice cakes usually tossed in a spicy sauce and topped with sliced spring onions, sesame seeds and a soft-boiled egg. Space Jaru ’s interpretation centres on gochujang pork and it’s a resounding success in our book, rendered fat and fiery sauce happily lapped up by the squidgy cylinders and lightly tempered by the unset egg. There’s hearty, heavy eating in this, but we couldn’t keep our chopsticks from flying back for more. Edamame felt like coming up for air after all that, and we salute the unfussy treatment here that gets out of the way and lets the light, fresh, firm soybeans speak for themselves. A tell-tale blistered skin on the pods speaks to a short pan-fry finish before the sprinkling of cashews, sesame seeds and coarse salt that adds a very pleasant crunch. BBQ bowls are one of the centrepieces of the Space Jaru menu, and a mainstay of their market trade. After much wrangling we went for pork jeyuk - thin cuts of fatty meat marinated in apple and gochujang and stir-fried into submission. The bowls come with a choice of purple or kimchi rice and one of six sauces served on the side for drizzling or dipping - choose your own adventure. We usually like our kimchi with a little more tang than this but it plays well against the sweeter notes of the meat. Tired-looking limp leaves of rocket took away from an otherwise bright bowl, well-balanced with textures and flavours, though after trying the bulk of the small plates before it there wasn’t much new to note here. If you’re going in for a bowl alone, you’ll likely come out satisfied. The only reason we didn’t go for the beef bulgogi bowl was wanting to try the appa burger instead, which comes with two generous layers of the soy-marinated meat, slopped over two slices of cheese, sandwiching a fried free-range chicken breast. 'Appa' is an affectionate term for 'Father' in Korean, and this does feel like something yer Da might mangle together over a summer barbecue - and we mean that in the best way possible. The bulgogi is beautiful - the cheaper cuts of meat usually used mostly reflect a history of commoner cooking, but it also yields muscly mounds of meat with maximum surface area to soak up the intensely-flavoured sauce. The chicken is just as good as in the yangnyum to start, and doesn't skimp on size. If there’s a drawback it’s the cheddar which dissolves into a largely flavour-free ooze. The bun itself doesn’t stand out much either, but there’s no pretence here to being anything other than a vessel for everything in between. What are the drinks like? The wine list stands out as seriously considered - a lot more thought has gone into these picks than most comparable casual eateries around town. We went with the Judith Beck Ink - always a nice natural one to see by the glass— and the fresh red fruits and minimal tannins make for a perfect pairing with the lightly-spiced pork and bulgogi. For spicier dishes you might want to stick with white - we can vouch for the Von Winning Deidesheimmer Riesling as a good way to balance out the bolder dishes. For a traditional Korean flavour there’s sool and soju going - fermented rice beer and spirits, respectively - while non-alcoholic options include Irish-produced kefir and kombucha. How was the service? Fast and friendly - we had our first plates inside 15 minutes of arrival and the whole lot came in quick succession from there. It’s worth asking for dishes to be divided out into starters and mains if you don’t want to be overwhelmed. Staff were very happy to help with recommendations and couldn’t have been more apologetic when one side we were really keen to try (padron peppers with baby anchovy) wasn’t available that day. The place got busy quickly when we visited on a Sunday evening, and while servers largely left us alone once everything was on the table, it was easy to catch an attentive eye if there was anything else we needed. And the damage? €80 before tip for two, with wine and kombucha and frankly far too much food. You could easily fill up for under €25 a head before factoring in drinks. At lunch, it’s a very reasonable €13 across the board for a slimmed-down menu of BBQ bowls and KFC burgers with chips. What's the verdict on Space Jaru? A welcome new space for casual catchups, Korean style, in the heart of the Liberties. With its well-honed menu, excellent drink options and fair pricing, we can see Space Jaru becoming a popular spot for quick bites on the go, kicking off a night out (it's right around the corner from Vicar Street), or just somewhere to spend a few hours in good company over unfussy food. Grab a group, order a bit of everything, and share a bottle of soju - you’re in safe hands here. Space Jaru 67-68 Meath Street, The Liberties, Dublin 8 jaru.ie/spacejaru New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Variety Jones Some of the most exciting cooking in the city right now Posted: 5 Feb 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? We'd been hearing about Variety Jones for months before it opened, but all we knew was that it was going to be a boot-strapped operation (i.e. no money men) on Thomas Street from the ex-Luna and Locks head chef Keelan Higgs. Keelan himself was regularly seen walking to and from the site, power tools in hand, so we had a (good) feeling that this was going to someone doing things on his own terms. They were originally supposed to open in September, but after a raft of delays (an all too common story this year) we were edging towards Christmas and the doors were still shut. We were starting to get a bit anxious for them, but finally on the 20th of December, the doors swung open and the open fire at the back of the kitchen was burning. Where should we go for a drink first? The location feels a bit like you're near nothing, but there are actually loads of options around. Lucky's is just around the corner and has craft beer, wine on tap and great vibes. For more craft beer and cocktails you've got Drop Dead Twice on Francis Street, and if you want to step back in time head down the hill to The Brazen Head , officially Ireland's oldest pub, dating back to 1198. Where should we sit? The room is long and narrow with tables, bar seating, and a "chef's table" edged right up against the pass. We'd definitely try to get nearer the action, and the bar is great if you just want to stop in for a few plates. We would try to avoid the table closest to the door, especially on cold nights, as the wind from the door opening and closing can be a bit intrusive. Saying that, we'd take whatever table we could get to eat here. What's good to eat? The menu is small, with much of it cooked over burning embers in an open hearth at the back of the kitchen, and if that's the key to make everything taste this good, we're going to have to figure out a way to do it at home. It's divided into snacks, small plates, pasta and family style sharing mains, and when we were there, the snacks consisted of an oyster with Vietnamese dressing and an artichoke filled with comté custard. Both excellent, even for a non-oyster lover, and anything with comté custard is a winner in our book, particularly when it comes inside a chewy artichoke skin. From the small plates, the one we've really struggled to stop thinking about (like everyone else it seems) was the char-grilled cauliflower with burnt yeast, sea trout, brown butter and fish roe. We'd had a few messages from people before we went talking about 'undercooked' cauliflower, but the slight crunch of the florets just added another element of texture to frankly a masterpiece of a dish, and we loved every bit of it. The hearth grilled vegetables with barley and goat's curd was another dish we ended up fighting for the last spoons of (seriously, smoke and fire take everything to another level), and the chicken liver and foie gras parfait with crispy, sweet and sour onions and potato bread (made in a waffle iron) was super rich with loads of layers of interest from the different components. From the two pasta dishes, we went for the comté ravioli with hearth roasted mushrooms and mushroom broth, and very much regretted sharing one between four. Keelan perfected his pasta making at a two-star Michelin restaurant in Tuscany, and this really was special. We were advised to eat the ravioli whole so they burst in your mouth, and the deep, rich flavours from the cheese were a brilliant counterpoint to the smoked and pickled mushrooms. For mains, there were two choices of hearth grilled brill or venison loin, both sharing platters for two. There's been mixed feelings from diners and critics about only having shareable mains, as it is limiting if you're a table of two and want all the food, but we were a four so got to try everything, and at this stage were running out of superlatives to describe how incredible everything tasted. Both the fish and the meat are cooked over burning embers in the open hearth, and it felt like we were being fed by Francis Mallman . Take us back to the time before electricity and gas when everything was cooked with flames and smoke. The brill had tender flesh and blackened skin in a herby cockle and mussel sauce, with kale unlike any we have ever tasted (also cooked over the embers), and officially the best potato salad in the world, which came with smoked eel through it and reminded us in the best possible way of smoky bacon crisps. The other main of venison loin came with a generous amount of perfect meat, hearth roasted celeriac (once again, the best version of celeriac we've ever tasted), blackened cabbage (ditto), wild mushrooms, and peppercorn gravy. We're very much on board with eating less meat of a higher quality, and we'd cut it back to once a month if all of it tasted like this. There wasn't so much as a scrap of food left on any plate. There was no cheese on the menu but they brought us a selection of what they had in the kitchen, along with homemade bread and seedy crackers, and two large spoons of honeycomb and acacia honey, which was a lovely addition and something we haven't seen here before. There was only one dessert on the menu both times we visited, and the two incarnations we've had have been much in the same vein (and made from the same cake mould). Between the apple cake with caramelised apple and brown butter custard, and the Jamaica cake with caramelised pineapple, and vanilla and coconut cream with sarawak pepper, we'd have to give it to the Jamaica cake for nostalgia if nothing else, but both were very good. What about the drinks? Sommelier Vanda Ivancic has worked hard to put together a wine list full of interesting bottles that you won't find in every other cool spot in town. It was immediately obvious how invested she was in her list, so we left it up to her to bring us wine matches for various dishes, and loved the whole experience. We tried so many new and unusual wines, all of which we enjoyed (probably in part because of her obvious love for all of them and ability to sell us the stories behind the bottles). The wine list is well priced for Dublin, with everything under €60, and everything is poured by the glass which is brilliant and so rare to see, but there were no glass prices on the menu when we were there so it's easy to get carried away and not know how much you're spending. If you're in groups of 4 or more it would make more sense to drink by the bottle, but either way we'd advise putting yourself in her hands. And the service? Faultless, these are pros at work. Keelan's brother Aaron is front of house along with Vanda, and they make a polished pair. Often the chefs bring the dishes to the tables themselves and explain what they are, which is great as you can ask any questions you might have about what you're eating. The verdict? We try to avoid hyperbole, but this is undoubtedly some of the most exciting cooking in Dublin right now. Higgs is taking it back to basics, and reminding us why humans have cooked with fire for the past 1.5 million years. Electricity might be convenient, but it doesn't turn out food like this. If you eat all the food and drink all the wine you could end up with a hefty enough bill, but in terms of value for what you're getting, we'd pay it every week. We're hearing that a weekend table at Variety Jones is difficult to come by at the moment, which isn't surprising after the raft of great reviews they've had, so we recommend taking any booking you can get as soon as possible, because you deserve to try this food. Variety Jones 78 Thomas Street, Dublin 8 varietyjones.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

This 14-seater Indian/Nepalese under a bridge in Clontarf was one of our favourite finds of 2025. It feels like being invited to someone’s house for dinner, who’s cooked every ounce of your meal from scratch, grinding spices and kneading naan. Badam’s food is alive with flavour, and they do takeaway at a reduced price if you want to try it at home. Badam Website badam.ie Address Badam Indian and Nepalese Cuisine, Howth Road, Clontarf West, Dublin 3, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story This 14-seater Indian/Nepalese under a bridge in Clontarf was one of our favourite finds of 2025. It feels like being invited to someone’s house for dinner, who’s cooked every ounce of your meal from scratch, grinding spices and kneading naan. Badam’s food is alive with flavour, and they do takeaway at a reduced price if you want to try it at home. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Bovinity Capel Street gets a sleek new steakhouse Posted: 9 Aug 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story? Bovinity just appeared, fully formed, on social media at the end of June, and opened its doors to influencers and celebrities (Keith Duffy himself graced their presence on opening night) mere days later. With the neon signs, industrial chic fit out and high end cocktail shots it was clear who their target demographic was, but we struggled to get more meaningful information out of them - like who owns it and where they were sourcing their food. We eventually found out through the grapevine that it's the same owners as All Bar Chicken across the road and in Stoneybatter, which we've never been to due to the absence of free-range chicken, and were told that their steaks are sourced from FX Buckley. Things were looking up. With all the eye-catching Instagram posts and reels, including some from those there on an #invite , you guys wanted to know what it was really like, and whether Hawksmoor have anything to worry about. Where should I sit? It's a big space and there are loads of seating options. High tables seating a max of four run almost along the full wall leading from the front to the back, where you'll find lower tables and semi-private seating areas that would be ideal for small groups. There's also a lovely booth at the front inside the window that would seat at least six, but they might let you push it to more. Generally we're more fans of natural light than neon, so we'd be out front, but if you're trying to hide, talk in private or carrying out an illicit affair, head to the back. Decor is sleek, modern and industrial, and they've done a great job on the fit out. What's the food like? This is a steak house for the TikTok generation. It's simple, accessible, and there's no fancy information on there, like the provenance of their meat, fish and vegetables, or who the chef is. If you're a fan of Featherblade on Dawson Street you'll find the menu is quite similar here, with a little less flair. We started with some "bits" - very good Nocellara olives, and slightly over-toasted sourdough with truffle mascarpone. Let's be straight, there is absolutely no need for bread in a steakhouse, but it disappeared almost as fast as it hit the table - that "just sat down and starving" hunger tends to do that. If however you feel as Irish Times food critic Corinna Hardgrave does about truffle oil (that it has no place in civilised society and should be extinguished from the planet) you might want to avoid it. (Read more about that here ) On "oyster shooter" came in a pleasant Asian style dressing flecked with chilli and sesame, but when we asked where it was from we were surprised to hear "France". Even in months not ending in R (the generally accepted best months to eat oysters) there are plenty of farmed oysters available across the country, so we can only assume the choice to use imported ones was for cost reasons, and this one was very small. A starter of burrata, mixed heritage tomatoes, splodges of puréed basil and an olive crumb on the other hand hit all the right notes. A clever addition of pink pickled onions brought welcome sour notes to the plate of sweet tomatoes, creamy cheese, fragrant basil and that crunchy crumb, and this is exactly the type of summery starter you might want before diving into a steak - with a whole ball of burrata you could even share it. Our other starter of "prawns pil pil" had enough chilli, garlic and lemon to wake up the most jaded palate, and we unashamedly cleaned the plate with extra bread, but the pedantic in us was irritated by the fact that this is not pil pil - there is no lemon or any form of creaminess in pil pil. Either cook the original dish in bubbling hot, spicy, garlic oil (bread on the side thanks), or just call this prawns with garlic, lemon and chilli and we'll chill out. Onto mains and there was a choice of three steaks (one sharing), a double smash burger, and spiced aubergine for the veggies with dukkah and whipped feta. We started with the burger and were very pleasantly surprised at how good it was (we thought the steak would be the star). Two juicy patties (they would have been better if they were more pink but it takes a brave soul to do that with Environmental Health Officers breathing down your neck), excellent burger sauce, a single leaf of lettuce, cucumber pickle, melted cheese (there could have been more) and a nicely toasted brioche bun was almost faultless, and any burger chasers will want to add this to your beef patty bucket list. For steak we'd been mentally eating the sharing Côte de boeuf (a bargain at €55-€65 we were told) since Bovinity opened, so there was much dropping of faces when we were told it wasn't on. Instead they had a sharing striploin or a t-bone, priced from €55 - €85, depending on the size). We didn't fancy paying top dollar for either of those cuts, so went with a 'chef's cut' which we were told was flank (€17), and a rib-eye (€23). The chef's cut arrived and we doubted if it was actually flank - it had none of the grain, texture or mounded shape you would associate with that cut of beef. Instead it was very soft and tasted woolly, as if it had been cooked for too long in a water bath. It looked and tasted more like Featherblade, which is a beautiful cut when cooked right, but something had gone wrong here. The rib-eye was much better, cooked perfectly medium-rare, nicely browned on the outside, and great flavour throughout. They're not huge steaks, but as city centre prices go it felt like value for money. We've been told by multiple people that steaks come from FX Buckley, and we're not sure why they're not shouting about that. The only problem with both steaks was the sickly sweet onion marmalade that came on the side, and would be far better suited to a cheese plate than a chef's cut of meat. It was completely over-powering, ruining the flavour of the meat, and we advise you to scrape it to the side or ask them not to bring it at all. Especially because the sauces are so damn good. Both the béarnaise and chimichurri were textbook perfect, so automatically adding the onion stuff to plates is ill-judged. There's also peppercorn, mushroom, and we were very, very tempted to order the bone gravy. Chips were good too, skin on, crisp and hot. You can get them naked or with truffle and parmesan (see earlier note on truffle oil), and one is clearly more wanton than the other so choose based on stomach space/satiety needed. You're going to want to try the onion strings (more wanton abandon here), which consist of long strings of deep fried onion, just cooked so there's still the slightest crunch, and although we thought they would have benefited from being a touch crispier, this is a side of the "take it away from me or I'll keep eating it" variety. The only bum-note came with the 'creamed spinach', which first came as a ramekin of 'dry spinach', flaking around our forks like tiny pieces of crepe paper. We called staff and said we didn't think it was right, and were told "that's how it comes", and had to persist until it was taken back to the kitchen and shown to the chef. Eventually we were delivered actual creamed spinach, and it was actually very good, with the perfect amount of cream and nutmeg - we were just left scratching our heads as to how it went so wrong first time round, and why staff weren't falling over themselves to take this dry pot of flaky greens away from us. There are two desserts on the menu, both incredibly heavy for following steak and chips (and the rest), and we think they would have been wise to have something simple, straightforward and lighter on there to end with. Instead you've got a pistachio and apricot bread and butter pudding with crème anglaise and vanilla ice-cream. It's very good, we'd happily eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner, but after a heavy meal you'll want a spoon or two at most. The other one they're calling "The Marathon - If ya know ya know". If ya don't know, it's a bowl of very good (but again very heavy) chocolate ganache with whole peanuts, a light, creamy topping (somewhere between whipped cream and ice-cream), and more chocolate on top along with edible gold leaf. The same applies to this one - a few spoons and you'll be begging for mercy (or a second stomach). Basically you will not need a dessert per person, but they're worth trying. What about drinks? We were told by past visitors to try the bell pepper sour and it was excellent, with all the tang, bitterness and smoky depth you would hope for. It's clear that work and energy has gone into the cocktail list, and there's loads on there we would have liked to order, including their version of a Negroni with Valentia Island vermouth, and a Bloody Mary with tomato and pickle juice. The beer list is short but not the usual suspects either, with local options from Rascals and the Dublin City Brewing Company. An Irish craft cider would complete the picture. Wines are sadly less exciting, and the two we tried tasted sterile, more like something from a supermarket than a quality steakhouse. We had to send back a Mencia as it tasted off, as if it had been open too long. A freshly opened bottle was better, but as Mencia goes this was not a great example. An Italian blend wasn't much better, and we found ourselves wishing we'd stuck to cocktails. Clearly they're focused on price/value rather than trying to create an award-winning wine list, but they could do better, and to not have something big like a Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon by the glass seems like a big oversight. How was the service? Mostly pleasant but after having to call the server a couple of times to complain, there was a subtle sense of "here go the Karens" again. Situations could have been handled with more care and genuine apologies - instead we felt as if we were the problem. We've had far, far worse service experiences, but some training is needed. And the damage? €145.50 before tip for enough food to comfortably feed three hungry adults with a drink each. As the city centre goes right now it felt like decent value, but would be more so if they just tightened things up a bit. The verdict? Bovinity has brought a bit of glam to Capel Street, and many, many Instagrammable/TikTokable opportunities for anyone who walks through the door, phone firmly in hand. There's a lot of potential here if they can tighten up the food and iron out the creases in service, and we imagine they're looking at more sites, so hopefully this is their number one focus before any expansion plans. There's plenty of gaps in the Dublin market when it come to casual, quality dining experiences, on the lower side of spend and the higher side of fun, and if they put all of their energy into elevating the experience here, and forgot about getting screentime on influencer accounts, we think they'd get to where they need to be much sooner. Bovinity 123 Capel Street, Dublin 1 bovinity.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

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

Pi If this isn't the best pizza in Dublin we'll eat our smartphones Posted: 13 Jul 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? We'd heard rumblings of a new pizzeria opening on George's Street for a while, and to be frank we weren't particularly excited. In the realm of pizza/burgers/fried chicken it takes a lot to make us want to give up a meal for what's often over-priced, under-whelming fast food, but something about this one seemed different. After a bit of digging we found out that Laois native Reggie White, the man behind the perfect pizza, had been working in an auctioneer's in Dublin, before jacking it to follow a career in food. After a three-month course at Ballymaloe, his existing pizza obsession grew further, and after various cheffing jobs, and a stint at his brother's award-winning Italian restaurant Flour + Water in San Francisco, he came back intent on finding a site to showcase the Neapolitan-inspired pizza he's spent the past few years perfecting - the problem was where and how with the city's current property situation. It all started to come together when a friend introduced him to the man who would become his business partner, John Savage, who Reggie says had a "carbon copy" business plan of bringing the best pizza to Dublin. John managed to secure a prime site on George's Street, just off Dame Street, and oversaw the high-end fit out. They quietly opened a couple of weeks ago (no pre-opening fanfare here) and we thought now was a good time to find out if it was the real deal. Where’s good for a drink beforehand? We'd head for the newly opened Loose Canon Cheese and Wine , either before for some tasty natural wine or after for a cheese plate (and some tasty natural wine). For cocktails, Bonsai Bar is just across the road and has been getting great reviews for its Japanese inspired creations . You're pretty spoilt for good pub options in this part of town, with The Stag's Head , The Long Hall and Grogan's all a few minutes walk away. What’s the room like? Slick and almost futuristic, all red, black, grey and chrome. This was not a cheap fit out. There are low tables and chairs at the front and back, and high tables and stools in the middle. There's also counter seating in the window which is perfect for a quick solo meal or if you just like people watching. We loved the sleek white tile effect on the high tables (will we be shot for using the term 'insta-friendly?), and the red leather-look high stools and banquettes made it feel more like New York (or any ultra cosmopolitan city for that matter) than Dublin. The high ceilings give a sense of space that's not often found in city centre eateries, and the chrome wall that's supposed to look like used tomato tins is dramatic to say the least. What's good to eat? The menu is short and simple which makes the job of choosing easier. There are no starters or sides, just eight pizzas, three sauces and two desserts. The aim is to do a few things very well rather than spreading themselves too thin. If you only get one pizza, make it the margherita. It's rare that you eat something where the quality in every ingredient is so explicit, but here, the individual flavours of tomato, extra virgin olive oil and Toonsbridge Fior di Latte were almost shockingly good. The crust was the best we've had in Dublin (if not Ireland, if not the world) - springy and chewy but also so light from the four day fermentation the dough goes through before being put into the Stefano Ferrana pizza oven at almost 500°C. We recently heard an Italian pizzaiolo say that the mark of a good pizza is that you could eat another one, and we can't remember the last time we ate a whole pizza and didn't feel uncomfortably full. Three of the eight pizzas are biancha (no tomatoes), and we loved the 'Funghi', which comes with grana padano, spinach, 'hen of the woods' mushrooms, fontina, garlic and sage cream. An incredible amount of flavour, but really well balanced and not overpowering. The 'Zuccha', with Grana Padano, basil, courgette, garlic, house ricotta and salsa verde was another table silencer. Pizza bianca has a tendency to be slightly dry, due to the lack of tomato sauce, but the homemade ricotta on this one had a silky consistency and a lovely lemony tang. Salsa verde added another level of freshness, and the grana padano added a rich saltinesswhich really highlighted the fresh courgette. Both dips we tried were excellent, although the basil aioli was more addictive than the chipotle mayo for our money. Dessert options consist of a chocolate 'budino' (described as a chocolate pot with sea salt but really a set custard, they just didn't think that would sounds as appealing) and vanilla ice-cream with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt, with the sub-heading, 'Delicious... just trust us!' It was delicious, and one of the most simple, inspired, luxurious desserts we've had. The chocolate pot was so rich it was only a few steps away from being solid. We have no idea what chocolate they're using in this but we need to find out. One square a day and life's daily challenges would be a lot more manageable. We've also come to the conclusion that almost all desserts are infinitely better when chunks of sea salt are added to them. What about the drinks? Three white and three reds by the glass and bottle, and a frizzante (basically prosecco) on tap. We tried the Sangiovese (the ultimate pizza wine) and Sauvignon Blanc which weren't particularly exciting but perfectly acceptable for pizza. The beer list has been put together with love and they have an interesting selection of cans and bottles. We tried the unfiltered lager from Ichnusa which was a crowd pleaser. There's also a decent selection of soft drinks. And the service? Charming if a little unconfident, but they've just opened so they can be forgiven for that. On one visit there was a mistake with a pizza but it was rectified immediately. Everyone was extremely pleasant. The verdict? We're not fans of hyperbole, but if this isn't the best pizza in Dublin right now we'll eat our smartphones. There's magic happening here and you'd be advised to go soon because once word gets out it's going to be rammed. People keep talking about how the restaurant scene in Dublin is overheated, and that we can't take any more openings. They have a point in terms of the current chef shortage , the general difficulty in recruiting hospitality staff, and the rising city rents, but Pi shows why new openings are so important - in with the great, out with the mediocre. Dublin has a lot of great pizza places, but a new bar has been set with Pi. Pi 10 Castle House, 73 - 83 South Great George's Street, Dublin pipizzas.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Little Dumpling Website littledumpling.ie Address Drury Hall, 4 Stephen Street Lower, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Canal-side, Italian (in parts) dining from the team behind The Dean, The Liquor Rooms and Roberta’s. Leather-filled, luxe dining room and outdoor terrace looking onto the Grand Canal, perfect for those rare, wonderful occasions when the sun comes out. Angelina's Website angelinas.ie Address 55 Percy Place, Dublin 4 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Canal-side, Italian (in parts) dining from the team behind The Dean, The Liquor Rooms and Roberta’s. Leather-filled, luxe dining room and outdoor terrace looking onto the Grand Canal, perfect for those rare, wonderful occasions when the sun comes out. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Hawker Street food and Shanghai cocktails at Hang Dai's little sibling Posted: 15 Jun 2021 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? A summer of outdoor dining you say? We may have collectively raised our eyebrows when it was announced that the despite the likelihood of this summer being like almost every other summer, we'd be spending most of it eating and drinking outdoors. We pictured rain in our risotto, wind blowing our wontons down Wicklow Street, but walking around town at the weekend, tables and chairs lining what felt like every street, pavement and car park space, we thought why didn't we do this years ago? Yes the Santorini-style weather helped things, but after the past 15 months we'd take a wonky table on the Maumturk Mountains with a monsoon fast approaching. Adding nicely to the city centre's holiday feeling and general "we can't believe we're allowed out of the house again" vibes is Hawker, the new street food and cocktail set up outside Hang Dai on Camden Street. They've taken out the window, applied to take over part of the footpath and car parking spaces (the latter still pending), and put together a menu of Asian street food, inspired by markets in China, Hong Kong and Thailand. Where should we sit? First things first, there's no reservations - see "typical Irish summer" and "uncovered footpath dining" - so you'll take what you can get. At the moment there's three tables and a few more seats at the window, but if that permission to use the car parking spaces comes through there's going to be more steel-top tables on beer crates and plastic stools for all of us, so come on Dublin City Council. If there's nothing available when you get there you can bum a drink wherever you can find space and they'll call when they have seats for you. What's the food like? There are few things we like more than menus that make you want to order one everything, but one of those things is when the prices and numbers of diners and dishes perfectly aligns so that we actually get to say "one of everything please", which is what we did here. It's such good value that you'll easily cover it between three or four, but even if you're a two we recommend it - if there's anything left you can take it home for the next day. There's an obligatory salty edamame order (got to get those greens), perfect for warding off any building hanger, and the Buddha's delight salad was the only other vegetarian/vegan option when we visited, but you can order off the main menu inside too. Said vegan salad had interest swinging at every taste bud, with vermicelli noodles, veggies, nuts, seeds, herbs, chilli and a tangy sweet soy and black vinegar dressing. They've been going back and forth between pork dumplings in sweet soy and chilli oil and pork dumpling soup depending on the weather, but they brought us both, and while soup in 20c might not sound ideal, whatever way they're on the menu when you visit order them. The ones in soy and chilli sauce were so good we summoned a second portion, but both were generously filled and flavour-packed. Cod and crab wontons could have tasted of non-descript fish, but Hang Dai don't roll like that. Both cod and crab were discernible in their shatteringly crispy coats, with a (homemade tasting) sweet chilli sauce for dipping. Stir-fried noodles with prawn and XO was another one of those dishes it was just hard to stop eating, even though egg noodles aren't our favourite of the noodles. It was smoky and savoury with crunchy vegetables and just the right amount of heat. Two dishes in particular have been playing on repeat in our brains since we visited. The BBQ beef skewers with satay were perfection on a stick. Beef so tender it was almost falling off the skewer, finished on the barbecue for that smoky char, then lovingly drowned in satay sauce and topped with peanuts, spring onions, sesame seeds and chilli. We're talking last supper territory. The other is the cheeseburger spring rolls, not a dish we ever thought would grace the pages of ATF. Being the unapologetic food snobs that we are, Maccy Ds is not somewhere we frequent these days, but some kind of kitchen witchcraft here has made these taste EXACTLY like a Big Mac (okay better), with none of the corporate fast food ick factor, or the concern about exactly what part of the cow went into your "100% Irish beef" burger. Even if you're passing Hawker on the way to somewhere else, just grab a portion on the go. You'll thank us. Dessert of deep-fried ice-cream with butterscotch sauce was the only thing we didn't love, but it was probably a victim of its impressive size. The deep-fried ball of ice-cream was still ice hard in the centre, with the inside of the batter under-cooked, so something had gone amiss with cooking times/temperatures. A smaller (albeit less-Instagrammable) ball might have solved the problem and allowed us to savour that buttery sweet sauce a bit more. What about the drinks? Cocktails are the draw here, and something Hang Dai have always done very well. While a lot of takeaway cocktails in Dublin over the last few months have been unforgiveable (lest we forget the Pornstar Martini that tasted like watered-down vodka with cheap orange juice), the ones at Hawker are worth your time and money, and you can even get a Fat Frog to go with your Big Mac for the ultimate in early noughties nostalgia. Unlike the ones of our youth, this is a step more sophisticated, with vodka, limoncello, kiwi, bergamot, spiced cloudy apple and ginger, and we also loved the Shanghai spritz with gin, rose, pomegranate and prosecco. The wine list has also had a step up in interesting options from the last time we visited - we even spotted a rosé txakoli by the glass. And the service? So warm and welcoming, with everyone seeming buzzed to be back serving actual humans instead of answering the phone and packing food into boxes. We'd asked for the food to be paced which they might not have heard as it all came out very quickly, so if you want to enjoy a few dishes before moving onto the next ones, it might be worth ordering in stages, rather than excitedly insisting you need every dish from the get go. The verdict? Hawker is exactly what we want to see more of in Dublin right now. Fun, fresh, phenomenal value and reminding us why we love going out to eat so much. We'd like to see the menu play with some more unusual Hong Kong/Singapore street food dishes (like curry fishballs), but this is a kitchen that's doing everything so well that whatever's on the menu we're quietly confident that you'll enjoy it. Our summer of outdoor dining is off to a bright start. Hawker 20 Camden Street Lower, Dublin 2 www.instagram.com/hawker_dublin New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Coppinger The boys are back and better than ever Posted: 6 Aug 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story with Coppinger? You remember Coppinger Row right? Opened mid-recession in 2009; became a central player in Dublin dining for the next 12 years; was engulfed in a social media meltdown after Beyoncé and Jay Z were papped having dinner there; closed abruptly at the end of 2021 after their pesky landlord decided to put their lease on the open market. Name-checked everywhere from Vogue to Goop , Coppinger Row had a fanatically nostalgic fanbase, who despaired at the news it was pulling down the shutters for the last time, but lo and behold, those clever Bereen brothers managed to get the lease back into their hands after two and a half years of refusing to give up the fight - what an entirely exhausting palaver. The result is Coppinger Row 2.0. They've dropped the 'Row' to become ' Coppinger ', completely reinvented and redesigned the restaurant space, and unveiled a far sexier menu from Executive Chef Daniel Hannigan and team - the days of black pudding salads and open meatball sandwiches have been parked. Where should we sit? There are quite a few different areas so this is somewhere you might want to specify a seating preference when you book. There's bar seating (ideal for solo dining or if you like to watch things from up high), outdoor seating, two circular tables perfect for group catch ups, and a long line of tables for two/four/six along the left wall in the front room looking out onto Coppinger Row. There's also two sections towards the back of the restaurant which feel a bit more private and removed from the buzz of the main floor. The section at the very back has private dining written all over it. What should we order? Good luck making choices here because everything sounds better than the thing before it. Order a couple of snacks while you read it from top to bottom 18 times. On being handed the menus we were told to order what and how we want - refreshing in a world where we're increasingly told to order three courses or get out. You might be wondering what tarama is. Stop wondering and ask them to bring it. The silky cod's roe based dip (€6.50) comes with a puddle of sweet fennel jam (why is this not more of a thing) and a generous sprinkling of furikake over the top. It's one of the nicest things we've eaten this year - sweet, salty, savoury joy in each scoop. The kitchen also sent up some muhamarra with marinated red pepper and candied walnut (€6.50) which we hadn't ordered. It's smoky and piquant with contrasting textures and you'll need an order of foccaia (€4) to mop both of them up. If you stop in for one plate at the bar, make it the tuna crudo with peach, oregano and fennel (€19). It could so easily be a case of the Coco Chanels - just take one thing off. It's not. It's an incredible flavour combo, with sweetness, spice and herbal notes offsetting the fatty fish - we've never tasted anything like it. Those garlic and chilli gambas a la plancha are back, and still as monstrous as ever. They come in small (€16) or large (€30), and four of them as a starter swimming in that spoonable garlic, chilli and lemon butter sauce with half a slice of sourdough felt like good value. A round flatbead, piled with sticky, savoury lamb belly, comes with a Belvedere pineapple mint chimichurri (€16) - clearly dreamt up by someone with a flair for flavour. Every bite brings savoury, sweet, sharp, fruity, creamy - consider this an order to order it. Octopus rice, evidently cooked in squid ink, came with nicely cooked BBQ octopus and dollops of sunny saffron aioli (€17) - an enjoyable dish which the under-seasoned rice and under-flavoured aioli somewhat took away from. Long, fluffy, crisp pan-fried gnocchi (€26) comes tossed with peas, meaty maitake mushrooms and Hegarty's cheddar, and it's a killer vegetarian dish, easily enough to make you pass on meat or fish, but a little too oily for our delicate taste buds - we couldn't quite finish it which doesn't happen too regularly. A lighter hand with the fats is all that's needed. Crisp Ballymakenny spuds (€6.50) are hash browns for the 2024 diner, sitting in a pool of Parmesan custard with more of the good stuff on top. This is another dish you'd regret skipping if you saw it pass by on the way to another table, but try to share or you'll struggle to entertain dessert. The dessert menu is more on the simple side with ice-creams, sorbets and a couple of plates proper - a panna cotta; and a strawberry and elderflower cruller with ice-cream (the menu said strawberry but we think we got vanilla - €12). The well made pastry is partly soaked in syrup by the time it arrives, spilling over with summer strawberries, and the lime zest keeps everything from feeling too sweet. What about drinks? The wine list isn't going to get oenophiles' pulses racing, but it's a good one for covering all the bases, and having bottles to satisfy all tastes. There are three sparkling wines for sub €60 (fizz fans will be delighted), and having whites and reds between €35 and €40 will make a lot of squeezed diners very happy. We really liked the Valle des Aigles Cazot Orange, which stood up well to those big flavours. There's a decent by the glass selection too with bubbles, white, orange, rosé, reds and fortified, and mark ups are not as painful as some of the other restaurants around town. It's clear they want people to see Coppinger as a regular dinner spot, rather than a once a year treat, and we get the feeling they've worked hard to keep prices on the more accessible side. How was the service? For the second week in a row it felt like we'd been busted on arrival. Service was very friendly, and twice extras arrived from the kitchen that we "just need to try". Despite this, there were long lulls in service at times, and we spent an hour more there than necessary waiting for various courses to arrive. A lot of the staff are back from the original Coppinger Row, and all seem very upbeat and happy to be home, but things could do with a bit of tightening up - whether that's on the floor or in the kitchen we couldn't tell. It's early days though. What's the verdict on Coppinger? The lads behind Coppinger must have thought the world was falling down around them when that lease got pulled from under their feet, but from our vantage point it's the best thing that could have happened to them. We've heard the Bereen Brothers say that Coppinger Row was never really about the food - well Coppinger is, and this update, 15 years after the original opened its doors, couldn't feel any more of the moment. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Set in an iconic building overlooking the Liffey and the Ha'Penny Bridge, the same team behind The Winding Stair serve a varied menu featuring some of the best Irish produce from breakfast till late, seven days a week. The outdoor terrace is the place to be for people-watching when the sun shines. The Woollen Mills Website thewoollenmills.com Address 42 Ormond Quay Lower, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Set in an iconic building overlooking the Liffey and the Ha'Penny Bridge, the same team behind The Winding Stair serve a varied menu featuring some of the best Irish produce from breakfast till late, seven days a week. The outdoor terrace is the place to be for people-watching when the sun shines. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Natural wine café with a white-washed, flower-filled room, in a prime spot looking out to sea. A simple but effective breakfast and lunch menu give way to wine bar small plates in the evening, with tenderly created plates of Irish seafood, pasta and excellent vegetarian options, as well as smaller nibbles to snack on. The natural-only wine list is a draw in of itself, and don't be surprised if you're made to share a table with other diners. It's that kind of place. September Website instagram.com/september.dublin Address September, Bath Place, Blackrock, County Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Natural wine café with a white-washed, flower-filled room, in a prime spot looking out to sea. A simple but effective breakfast and lunch menu give way to wine bar small plates in the evening, with tenderly created plates of Irish seafood, pasta and excellent vegetarian options, as well as smaller nibbles to snack on. The natural-only wine list is a draw in of itself, and don't be surprised if you're made to share a table with other diners. It's that kind of place. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Glovers Alley Website gloversalley.ie Address 127/128 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Orale Street Food @ Pawn Shop Steak tartare tostadas, tacos and chicken fat rice make for supremely better bar food Posted: 21 Mar 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story with Órale? Órale Street Food (pronounced Orralaay, meaning 'all good' in Mexican slang) was started by Ian Cairns in 2019, originally operating out of The Belfry in Stoneybatter as a taco-based pop up. They were trucking along nicely until Covid butted its head into things, shutting them down and causing them to narrowly miss out on an Irish Times write up from Catherine Clear y, who visited and called the tacos "brilliant" and delicious". Once restrictions were lifted they pulled their trailer to Bonobo in Smithfield, Walsh's in Stoneybatter and Eatyard in Drumcondra, before taking up a more semi-permanent spot in Dun Laoghaire on the Pavillion, but a permanent location was the goal. After Berlin Bar on Dame Street was shut down mid-Covid for flaunting regulations, new operators moved in to open Pawn Shop , and knowing Cairns they asked if he'd come on board to do the food. He jumped at the chance, but it's taken over a year to get their bar licence back, and they've only officially reopened this month. To add insult to (literally) injury, Cairns managed to damage his arm so badly a few months ago that he needed surgery at the start of the year, and needed a new head chef to come on board stat or they wouldn't be able to open. Brian Spain (previously at 777 and Charlotte Quay) came in to save the day, and looks to have been a brilliant hire . The bar and restaurant opened fully for business a few weeks ago, and the new menu looked so good we had to get straight in there. Where should I sit? The 'restaurant' area is just in front of the kitchen, under a glass atrium bringing all the light. Sit anywhere here for the full menu, or you can order from a more condensed version at the bar or around the back (but if it's quiet we imagine they'd be flexible) What's on the menu? It screams sharing, so please go with people who want to try all the food. Tacos are a non-negotiable, but there are loads of smaller places like tortilla chips and tostadas, as well as bigger mains and burritos. It's a really nice sized menu, with plenty of choice, but not so big you'll worry about whether they can get it all right. The corn tortillas come from Mexican food producer Balam (also used by El Milagro and made from scratch, nixtamilization and everything), and it's these tortillas that are cut up into triangles, deep-fried and topped with cheese, jalapeños, sour cream, salsa roja, salsa verde and pico de gallo. Once you've had freshly fried tortillas it's hard to go back to the stuff in foil-lined bags which seem stale in comparison, and we loved every element here, we just would have liked a little more cheese and jalapeños (but we're greedy). They did give us extra sauces on the side. It's a hefty portion so best for sharing, or you'll fill up before you've even gotten started. We'd place a bet that the agave habanero chicken wings with achiote and orange are going to be a popular order in here, and the fact that they're using free-range chicken from Rings Farm makes them all the more appealing. The smoky, spicy sauce will have you throwing the wet wipes to the side and licking the remnants off your fingers, but they were quite fatty and we would have prefered a longer, slower cook to render them down and make them crispier. One dish that we couldn't take our eyes off after seeing it on the menu was the steak tartare tostada with bone marrow, habanero salsa, sunflower seeds and pickled onions, and it's a stunner. Every ingredient has a place on the plate, every flavour shines through, the textures are nailed. We'd suggest popping in for a beer and one of these, but we wouldn't be able to stop at just one. Órale made their name on tacos, and there are five on the menu here, with pork, chicken, fish, flank steak, and sweet potato. Everything except steak can be mixed and matched at €13 for two or €18 for three (the flank steak are €15 for three), and we tried the chicken, pork and fish (in that order in the pic below) All three are worth ordering and were loaded with flavour, but the masa-fried chicken with lemon aioli, sesame onion salad and coriander was the unanimous favourite. Pork carnitas comes with mango and habanero salsa, lime and jalapeño slaw, onion and coriander, and the Baja fish comes with pickled cabbage, pineapple pico, ssamjang and orange salsa and coriander, and this kitchen bring a very good (and different) salsa game. We wanted all the mains, which include bavette steak, whole seabass, and squash al pastor with blue corn tortillas, but the Rings organic half roast chicken with ancho mole, chicken fat rice and crispy garlic won out (mainly becase of the chicken fat rice). The meat had been flattened and cooked over a grill, leaving the meat nicely juicy and the skin nicely charred. The mole was a savoury pile of deliciousness (albeit a bit heavy on the coriander seeds), and the chicken fat rice, oh the chicken fat rice... We were so taken by this one that we had to grill the chef afterwards to find out what he'd done. It's bascially day-old rice cooked in the fat that drips down when the chicken's cooking, with some other spices and flavourings in there, and crispy garlic on top. We will be trying to make this at home, and it will not taste as good as this. For now the solo dessert is a chocolate brownie with salsa cachete and vanilla ice-cream, but we were royally stuffed at this point and a brownie wasn't enough to make ourselves even more uncomfortable. What about drinks? Pawn Shop are behind the drinks, and there's a nice looking beer and cocktail list, with Irish brewers including Whiplash , Dublin City Brewing Company and Trouble Brewing . We tried a 'Friskey Sour' with Teelings small batch, Ancharo Green (we have searched and searched and have zero idea what this is, except maybe a typo), gooseberry, sugar and egg whites, but it was unbalanced in the direction of sour, leaving puckered lips behind after every sip. We really liked the Liberator lager which was a nice easy sipper, and the bar also came up with a non-alcoholic cocktail for the driver, in the region of passionfruit and lemon, which was pleasant if basic. How was the service? Owner Ian was doing all of the food service when we were there with another lovely server bringing drinks, and the food came out at a really nice pace, with optimum opportunities to ask questions and have the chats. It was very quiet at lunchtime though so we can't speak for how you'll find it on a rocking Saturday night, but we think these guys get it. What was the damage? €97 for enough food to feed three comfortably with a drink each, so you're looking at just over €30 a head for a very good feed. And the verdict? Órale are serving properly tasty, different food from their Dame Street bar base, and our only concern is whether drunken bar goers will appreciate it. Bars need better food, but after the quick demise of Taco Libre we just hope this better bar food experiment is more successful. It's a perfect place to meet with a group of friends or family, right in the city centre, relaxed and well-priced, and lunchtime is pretty perfect for younger diners in too, as there's loads of space for buggies and colouring equipment on tables (there's no nappy change though). The next time you want to just pull up a chair, order a beer and eat something really tasty with none of the fuss, you've got a new option on Dame Street. Órale Street Food @ Pawn Shop 15 Dame Street, Dublin 2 instagram.com/pawnshopdublin New Openings & Discoveries More >>

The Dunmore Rathmines' newest bar and restaurant brings seaside chill to the suburbs Posted: 12 Dec 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about The Dunmore? In welcome contrast to certain other, flashier recent arrivals, Rathmines' newest bar and restaurant The Dunmore opened its doors at the start of the month with lit tle fanfare . There was no glitzy queue of influencers sharing suspiciously generous servings, just the quiet word of some locals pleased to see a new neighbour open for business. (c) The Dunmore It’s the Dublin debut of brother-sister duo Clifden and Louise Foyle, who’ve built themselves a reputation for premium Irish hospitality at Waterford’s Strand Inn Hotel . From the top-tier fitout they’ve given this cavernous space, to the team they’ve assembled to serve it, we get the sense they’re looking to bring that same sense of coastal chill to the city suburbs. Where should we sit? Even if you’d spent some time in the Bowery pub that previously occupied this building, you might not be able to hold back from mouthing a wow at the way The Dunmore opens up before you on entry. A low-lit lounge area flanks the front doors and extends to the small loft above, all cosy wing chairs and mahogany panelling: an intimate space that screams out for a pre-or post-dinner drink. Things get more expansive as you move through the narrow but suddenly very open room – the building is much longer than wide, but the high arched ceiling that towers above gives the dining area to the rear an airy openness that never leaves the space feeling crowded. There’s an abundance of artwork on the walls of this back area, every nook and cranny given its own distinctive colour pop. Big wraparound booths for groups of up to six flank the right wall, with two and four-tops arranged along the left - both are a good mix of comfort and vantage point. Down the centre, there’s a scattering of two-seaters we’d steer clear of if you can to avoid the two-lane traffic passing on either side. (c) The Dunmore What’s on the menu? Quite a bit of seafood – their years at the southeast seaside have certainly given The Dunmore’s team their pick of the waves, and they’ve carried plenty of that experience into this suburban menu with a few Strand Inn favourites cropping up. They’ve also brought onboard ex- Asador chef Josef Cervenka, whose influence seems clear in the charcoal oven options dotted through the menu’s sections. We put that to the test with the starter of crispy chicken, marinated in buttermilk and chili, and served over charred baby gem with a dollop of romesco (€12). As appetisers go this is utterly on-point - tender thigh meat perfectly rendered beneath the chargrilled skin, a rich and fatty flavour that leaves you longing for more. Where the lettuce lightens things a touch, we did find the romesco a little redundant, its muted spicing lost amidst the chili already there in the chicken – an added vinegar kick could have made all the difference. No surprise for a seaside restaurant, Kilmore Quay crab claws (€18) are a Strand Inn staple, and one they’ve wisely carried over. These are great, the meat’s sweetness finding a suitable foil in the pond of garlic butter it’s served swimming in, with a just-right squeeze of lemon acidity cutting through. Your sourdough on the side will not go to waste. Seafood chowder (€12) came off a little less exciting in comparison – where the prior plates made for unfussy entrées done well, this bowl felt a little bit like filler. Great chowder comes off as an old favourite delivered with fresh flair; this serving has the air of a practical pub standard. The house wheaten pulls its weight with a lovely treacle intensity, though we’d have to hope the lack of butter was by mistake and not design. We will never not leap to attention for turbot (€33), and The Dunmore treat it with appropriate pomp, laid out on a bed of girolles and spinach and propped up against two wedges of dauphinoise, with potato sliced so thin it practically dissolves on contact. The mushrooms’ umami earthiness is all that stops this descending into full-fledged decadence – we mean that in the best possible way – with seared flesh flaking into buttery, fish-infused sauce and creamy, cheesy potato. It's a high price point for a main, but we didn't feel mugged off. Venison (€34) gets similar value-for-money kudos, with medium-rare saddle slices layered over a base of colcannon mash – it’s every bit as good as it sounds. With components like that, we would not have bet on the honey-roast parsnip stealing the day, but their root veg treatment is a revelation. Sticky, chewy, caramelised chunks play off the gaminess of the meat for a main that's both familiar and fresh – a nail-on-head example of where this restaurant really excels. The potato and spinach “pie” (€21) was not what we expected – it’s a tart, to start - but that’s just semantics, and what matters is it’s very tasty, featuring more of those miraculously-thin potato slices spread over a spinach and onion base, and dotted with chermoula herb paste and a crumbled feta. In a fish and meat-heavy venue it’s not uncommon to see a token veggie main rolled out, but there’s more thought than that here: sharp flavours are in concert with contrasting textures of crisp spud and flaky pastry. There’s a growing movement we’re none too happy about of sides moving toward a pre-requisite rather than an indulgent extra – gladly The Dunmore has said no thanks to that trend with mains that hold up as more than enough in their own right. That said, it’s not Some of the Food you’re reading so we didn’t hold back. York cabbage (€6) is less a generous wedge than a whole half-head plonked down before you. The charred edges are lovely with lashings of chili butter, but by any standards this is a lot for any but the biggest of tables. The portobello plate (€6) is a bit of a dud - if the menu-listed pesto was ever included here, it must have melted away on the grill. For all the good of the Knockanore cheese, the soggy slabs of mushroom could really have used something sharper. After all that the dessert menu comes off as just sadly uninspired, with predictable choices like crumble, cheesecake and chocolate fondant giving the sense of being there for the sake of it more than any real effort to impress. We reckon you’re better off retiring back to the bar area with one of their dessert cocktail choices instead. What are the drinks like? We were sorry to see The Dunmore’s online cocktail menu somewhat whittled down from what’s up online to what we were presented with at-table - the front half of the space definitely lends itself to lingering about and working through the list between a few friends. Still, there’s enough choice here to suit most palates among the 'classical twist' recipes they’ve gone for. The 'Angels Abyss' won the day for our money with nutty notes of amaretto and walnut bitters elevating the rum and maraschino cherry flavours. 'Bulleit in the Blue Sky' is an amenable aperitif with bourbon sweetness and the citrus lift of San Pellegrino lemon, but the herbal notes of Benedictine struggled to break through and the limp sprig of rosemary didn't help. The 'Tokyo Iced Tea' takes colour from Midori, and wields the sweetness well to ward off the heaviness of several spirits. The wine list has some great deals by-the-bottle – you can’t go wrong with the natural Ciello Blanco at €30 – but there’s less to shout about in the largely commercial by-the-glass list. Some selections are clearly geared to pairing with mains, and we found the richness of Seguinet Bordet Chablis a good fit for the turbot. Horgelus Rosé had a smattering of berry acidity to offer up against the venison, but the heavy Alibes Verdejo floundered against the lightness of the tart. If you can agree on a bottle you’ll be on firmer footing. How was the service? Relaxed and friendly to the last – the Foyles’ intention to build a great hospitality experience has wisely started with the team, and everyone here seems full-on committed to the aim. Even as the place filled up as the night waned on, there was no sense whatsoever of anyone struggling to keep up - good training goes a long way. And the damage? Dinner for three came in at €215, a pretty reasonable price for this part of the city in 2023, especially with a glass of wine and a cocktail apiece. If you can agree on a bottle between you and steer clear of the menu’s higher end, you could have a good night here for under €50 a head. What’s the verdict on The Dunmore? Not everything at Rathmines' new bar and restaurant is a success, but what The Dunmore gets very right is exporting the laidback coastal vibe of its sister restaurant to the Dublin suburbs. From the space to the staff to the plates of homely, wholesome food at prices that won’t leave you with a bad taste in your mouth, this is a new neighbourhood arrival that locals and blow-ins will be welcoming to Dublin 6. New Openings & Discoveries More >>