Modern Irish restaurant Delahunt is probably most famous for being the place Harry and Megan ate when they visited Dublin in 2018. They moved to a tasting menu post-Covid and the seasonal menu is big on Irish ingredients. Delahunt Website delahunt.ie Address 39 Camden Street Lower, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Modern Irish restaurant Delahunt is probably most famous for being the place Harry and Megan ate when they visited Dublin in 2018. They moved to a tasting menu post-Covid and the seasonal menu is big on Irish ingredients. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Neighbourhood restaurant from the same team as the The Woollen Mills and The Winding Stair. Varied menu focusing on Irish food and provenance, with an all day brunch from 12pm on weekends. The Washerwoman Website thewasherwoman.ie Address 60 Glasnevin Hill, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Neighbourhood restaurant from the same team as the The Woollen Mills and The Winding Stair. Varied menu focusing on Irish food and provenance, with an all day brunch from 12pm on weekends. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Dalkey's much-loved wine shop has a restaurant in the back, and outdoor seating when the sun shines. The menu is a catch all of things like pasta, burgers and seafood, but the stars are on the shelves. Pick from an ever-interesting wine list, or pluck a bottle from the shop and pay corkage. Grapevine Website onthegrapevine.ie Address 26 Castle Street, Dalkey, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Dalkey's much-loved wine shop has a restaurant in the back, and outdoor seating when the sun shines. The menu is a catch all of things like pasta, burgers and seafood, but the stars are on the shelves. Pick from an ever-interesting wine list, or pluck a bottle from the shop and pay corkage. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Neighbourhood pizza as it should be: equal parts authentic and eccentric. Named after the nondescript little Smithfield alley out behind Frank Ryan’s pub where it originally set up stall in 2017, Coke Lane has steadily progressed to bigger and better things since opening in 2017, now serving up its wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas in two D8 sites: The Circular in Rialto and Lucky’s in the Liberties. Founder Dave Holmes brings vocational zeal to his work with irresistibly airy sourdough crusts, delicious home-made chilli honey and sophisticatedly simple flavour pairings designed to appeal to all palates. It's a particular hit with vegetarians, with half the menu meat-free. Coke Lane at The Circular Website cokelanepizza.ie Address 536–538 South Circular Road, Rialto, Dublin 8 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Neighbourhood pizza as it should be: equal parts authentic and eccentric. Named after the nondescript little Smithfield alley out behind Frank Ryan’s pub where it originally set up stall in 2017, Coke Lane has steadily progressed to bigger and better things since opening in 2017, now serving up its wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas in two D8 sites: The Circular in Rialto and Lucky’s in the Liberties. Founder Dave Holmes brings vocational zeal to his work with irresistibly airy sourdough crusts, delicious home-made chilli honey and sophisticatedly simple flavour pairings designed to appeal to all palates. It's a particular hit with vegetarians, with half the menu meat-free. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Located right along the canal, Grove Road has an understated and easy-going vibe, great music, and is a serious contender for the best avocado toast in town, thanks to the addition of feta and the crispiest bacon known to man. They also serve brunch all day, seven days a week. Grove Road Website groveroadcafe.ie Address 1 Rathmines Road Lower, Rathmines, Dublin 6 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Located right along the canal, Grove Road has an understated and easy-going vibe, great music, and is a serious contender for the best avocado toast in town, thanks to the addition of feta and the crispiest bacon known to man. They also serve brunch all day, seven days a week. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Potager Ex-Chapter One head chef makes Skerries a food destination Posted: 25 Jun 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? In January this year it was announced that The Red Bank restaurant in Skerries, open since 1983, would close, and the site would be taken over by ex- Chapter One head chef Cathal Leonard and his partner Sarah Ryan. Interested eyebrows were raised, more so as the industry rallied behind them on social media to tell the world what lovely people they were and how great their first solo venture was going to be. Cathal had most recently been working with John Wyer at Forest Avenue , but also worked in UK restaurants like the Michelin-starred Clove Club in London, before coming home and settling into Chapter One. Sarah had been selling fish wholesale to the trade, which is how they met 10 years ago, and Potager has been their dream practically since they met. Despite being one of Dublin's most popular seaside villages, Skerries has been lacking a destination restaurant in recent years. A trip out there at Christmas was less than inspiring, and left us scratching our heads as to why no one was pushing the boat out (sorry). And as if by magic along comes Potager. 'Potager' means kitchen garden, and theirs comprises the wealth of vegetables and fruits being grown in North County Dublin, as well as fish caught locally and meat like Lambay beef from Lambay Island just across the water. They describe the food as modern, Irish and seasonal, built around Irish producers and their ingredients, and with Cathal being originally from Rush just down the road, he was no doubt familiar with the glut of produce in this part of the country, that few places seem to be taking advantage of. All of the pre-opening talk about it being a showcase for local produce made it sound like the type of restaurant we might have dreamed up, so we were full of anticipation heading off on the Dart. Where should we go for a drink first? We would come straight here and have an aperitif in the lovely waiting/bar area. Cosy up beside the fire (in June) with a sherry or an Irish G+T and enjoy a few moments of calm before heading into the dining room on the other side of the building. If you feel like a bit more action you could head into Nealon's a few doors down (who do a great trad session on Wednesdays), or to The Snug around the corner, which might be the most atmospheric (and snug) bar in the town. Where should we sit? The main dining room is down the corridor from the reception/waiting area, and is a good size whilst still feeling intimate. There are also two smaller rooms off the main one, which would be perfect for group dining or celebrations, or if you were looking for a bit more privacy. The room is very well lit despite there not being much natural light, so there will be no issues reading menus or getting those all important photos of your food. What's good to eat? At dinner it's tasting menu only, with a couple of choices to be made throughout. They say it's five courses for €55, but really it was eight when you include the bread (which you should) and the snacks, which for this amount of food at this level of cooking is incredible value. We imagine once the plaudits start coming in the prices will increase, so get in soon if you like bang for your buck. The first thing to arrive is bread, and it was the most perfect bread course we've had in years. A fluffy, white mashed potato bread, and a dense, fermented, crunchy crusted brown bread with pumpkin seeds came with cuinneog butter and ricotta with local lovage pesto. We could have left after this and it would have been a worthwhile trip. After this came snacks of a tapioca cracker with smoked cods roe, and white beetroot rolled and stuffed with more beetroot, walnut and mint. The cracker was the winner when it came to flavour, but both were interesting single bite snacks. Usually soup does little to get us worked up, but the next miniature course of potato soup with herbs, thickened cream and dehydrated bacon was about as exciting as liquid vegetables can get. We desperately scraped out every last drop out until becoming aware that we were probably disrupting the other diners. The next course of cured, then torched red mullet (a severely under used fish), in a red mullet sauce, with rush tomatoes, tomato jelly, tomato powder, basil and frozen buttermilk was probably the dish of the night, and one of those experience elevating plates of food that makes you wonder how a person even begins to put these flavours and textures together to create something with the ability to totally silence those eating it. After that came another highlight, and a curve ball in the form of strong blue cheese midway through a meal. A cashel blue cheese mousse sat on top of very finely chopped celery and apple, with apple jelly and pickled walnuts. So unusual, so dynamic, so insanely delicious. Then came a dish that we've thought or talked about daily since eating it - charred octopus with roasted cauliflower, Drummond House elephant garlic, and a milk and seed crumb. The garlic heightened everything without taking over, and the charred octopus tentacle was meltingly tender. There had been so much flavour by this point that our heads were spinning, in the best possible way. After that sensory rollercoaster it was onto the mains, and on the night there were two choices, both of which we tried. Hake came with broad beans, lemon confit, smoked mussells, samphire and Ballymakenny pink potatoes, while Aylesbury duck breast came with braised duck leg, cabbage and baby turnip. Both were faultlessly cooked plates of food, the hake probably winning it for us, but they somewhat lacked the excitement of everything that had come before. We wondered if they felt pressure to put on "a proper main course" for locals and former regulars, rather than continuing the theme of small and explosive. Dessert choices come on a separate menu with options for tea, coffee, dessert wine or any other after dinner drink you might want. Again there were two choices, and again both were eye-widening. A smoked chocolate mousse (genius) came on top of beetroot and cherries, with vanilla ice-cream in the centre and puffed spelt berries. Apparently Cathal has a thing about putting vegetables into desserts, and anyone that can do that and have us dreaming of eating it again is very talented. Another scraping the bowl scenario. The other dessert of set sheep's yoghurt from Velvet Cloud , came with the sweetest local strawberries, strawberry tea, strawberry sorbet, shortbread and burnt white chocolate, and it's hard to think of a more perfect, more delicious, Irish dessert at this time of year. And the drinks? The wine cellar is in the old bank vault, which must make it one of the coolest in the city, and they're fine for you to stick your head in and look around. There's a decent sized wine list with some real finds on there and they're working with great wine importers, but it's clear that there's no sommelier to refine it and give it a personality unique to the restaurant - they are looking for someone though. Servers were not versed on the list, so if you want a recommendation find Sarah the owner who will be happy to chat and talk through the options. They've played it very safe with the by the glass list, and the choices won't do much to excite wine lovers, but there's lots to try by the bottle with some really unusual options, and they do have plans to expand and change the wine list over the coming months. We had a really interesting white wine from Savoie in France made from the Jacquère grape - new one on us - and it was complex enough to cope with all of the flavours without over powering anything. And the service? Owner Sarah is a natural host, very generous with her time and clearly at ease working her way around the room making sure everyone is looked after. The chefs brought most of the dishes to the table, which is something we wish more restaurants did, giving us an in depth overview of what we were about to eat, but the few times that servers brought one (clearly as the kitchen was under pressure) they didn't know what they were bringing, and a chef ended up having to come out anyway. Things were very smooth and excellently paced up until the mains, which we had an abnormally long wait for, with no communication from staff about what the delay was. They did take two drinks off by way of apology at the end, but there were a few other issues that weren't dealt with as quickly or as fuss-free as they should have been. We think they're aware that service needs tightening and would be surprised if this isn't top of the agenda over the coming weeks. The verdict? There are a lot of panicked voices at the moment in Dublin about restaurant closures and how it's "carnage out there", but the reality is that most restaurants don't work out because they're missing a certain magic that makes it somewhere that people are desperate to eat in. Potager has that magic and feels like two people who've laid everything on the line to create their perfect restaurant, a chef who's finally been able to fully unleash his own creativity after years working for other people, and now it's exploding onto plates into Skerries. There is no doubt that this is a place that's going to get people very excited to get off their bums and go for dinner, and that's how you survive in a competitive restaurant market. Add to this that the menu seems to be changing daily and we're going to struggle to fight the temptation to hop back on the Dart on a weekly basis due to crippling FOMO. Potager 7 Church Street, Skerries, Co. Dublin potager.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

South Dublin suburb Rathmines has plenty to satisfy hungry visitors, from freshly made pasta and pizza to generously topped galettes. Rathmines Our Take South Dublin suburb Rathmines has plenty to satisfy hungry visitors, from freshly made pasta and pizza to generously topped galettes. Where to Eat Grove Road Kodiak Lottie's Mad Yolks Rathmines Reggie's Pizzeria Shaku Maku The Dunmore Umi Falafel Rathmines Uno Pizza Voici

Library Street Grab your friends for a night in the PDR Posted: 8 Mar 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? We're always keeping a close eye on Irish chefs abroad, hoping that one day they'll make a triumphant return home, blessing us with skills learned from kitchens around the world, and filling our hearts and stomachs with joy and dishes never to have graced a Dublin menu before. Kevin Burke, who was head chef at Michelin-starred The Ninth in London was firmly on the watchlist, so when we saw that he was back in Dublin mid-pandemic there was a frisson of excitement at ATF HQ. Very soon he popped up at Niall Davidson's Allta, who at the time were keeping us very well fed at home with Allta Box, and he soon became known (to us anyway) as the namelaka man , for causing a major obsession with the creamy ganache-like addition to their desserts. We figured he had sights on his own place, but weren't expecting it to happen quite so fast. At the end of Summer 2021, Allta announced that they wouldn't be returning to their South Frederick Street site, and instead were opening Allta Winter House on the top of Trinity Street carpark (read our review here ). And in the old Allta site? Kevin Burke was opening Library Street . Excitement was high, and we were delighted to be able to offer ATF Insiders first access to the soft launch in November. We were taken aback at the quality of food, wine and service on night one, but we were looking forward to a return visit once they settled into it. Where should we sit? The main dining room is modern and buzzy, with a high table down the centre and regular tables at the wall and window, but we were here for the private dining room (PDR), which can be booked for six to ten people. We feel like most Irish people don't understand the joy of the PDR because there aren't that many of them, but let us tell you, they are special places. It's like a restaurant within a restaurant, with your own waiters, your own music, your own menu, and total privacy for intimate / clandestine / potentially defamatory conversations with no fellow diners' ears to worry about. If you're going to pop your PDR cherry, this is the place to do it. The room is atmospheric and comfortable, with retro furniture, low lighting, your own personal sound system, and plenty of space for whatever else you dragged in with you - presents, props, outerwear. We were six, but the table extends to seat up to ten. It feel really special to be in your own cavernous space away from the throng upstairs, and if you don't have a special occasion coming up as an excuse, you can totally make one up. Returned your library books on time? PDR. Back into your fitness routine? PDR. Finally managed to clear out the freezer? Definitely deserves a trip to the PDR. What's the food like? The team will send a suggested menu in advance, which is basically a bit of everything, and you can make changes as needed. They're also happy to cater for vegetarians as part of the group. You pay per dish as opposed to a set price per person, which we really liked as it means there's no hidden surcharge for taking over the room. There is a minimum spend of €100 per head for food and wine, but that's not hard to get to. We started with all the snacks, and the legendary first mouthful that is choux pastry filled with horseradish cream, with a Cantabrian anchovy, pickled radish and lemon zest on top. This is the stuff of mouth explosions, the tiny bites you'll be thinking about for months afterwards. Then the most Instagrammed dish on the menu - crispy chicken wing with chanterelles and tarragon mayo. The wing has been deboned, with the meat turned into a chanterelle stuffed mousse, placed back inside the skin, breadcrumbed, fried and served with tarragon mayo. It's a lot of work, and it pays off. Next up, Dooncastle oysters from Galway, whose sweetness is cut through with Bourgoin verjus (a kind of lemon juice substitute made from early harvested grapes) and a sliver of chilli. Then some pickled candy and golden beetroot, which you'll pop like sweets. Perfectly chewy sourdough baguettes and Abernethy butter came with the small plates, the first of which was a pile of pear, radicchio, walnut and sheep's cheese, sitting on top of a sheep's yoghurt dressing, both from Velvet Cloud in Mayo. Make sure to mix it up with the spoons provided before diving into the sweet, salty, creamy, nutty, bitter goodness. Make sure the chargrilled Porcupine Bank langoustines are on your menu. These sweet, chunky prawns (similar to Dublin Bay) are caught off the west of Ireland, halved and barely grilled in the shell, before being topped with shellfish bisque and lemon, and you will want a spoon for the juices left behind (or to have shown restraint with the bread). Onto the bigger plates, and with two veggies and four carnivores we got to try a bit of everything. You might think you're risotto-ed out, but you haven't had the delica pumpkin version at Library Street, with sage, toasted pumpkin seeds and more sheep's cheese - parmesan who? It's so easy to overcook risotto, or have it sitting there a bit meh, like the forgotten sibling on the menu, but this had oomph from every angle, and we couldn't spoon it into us quick enough. On special that night was a whole wild brill, chargrilled and served with Killary Fjord mussels, a herb emulsion, and a textured topping including onions and puffed rice. It's always a treat to order a whole fish like this, but if there was only a small number of you it could quickly derail your plans to eat everything else on the menu. It generously fed four, but could have easily stretched to six - we struggled to finish the meat on the flipside. Our other main was a barely cooked roast saddle of lamb, with a kalamata crust and silky soft Jerusalem artichoke purée, and if you were only going to eat one piece of meat a week (even a month), this is it. It's so pink it's basically raw (think of it like sheep steak), and the flavour almost knocked us down. A perfect trifecta of ingredients, and a dish we want to taste again. Sides were also plentiful and generous, providing an even backbone for the superstars up front. Winter leaves came again in sheep's yoghurt dressing, and red cabbage was nicely sweetened with apricots, apple and orange. The other side you're going to try is the roast Carolus potatoes Lyonnaise, which came topped with truffle. They're chewy, fudgy, savoury little carb bombs, but if pushed would prefer our potatoes crispier rather than chewy. For dessert we started with a gossamer light sheep's yoghurt mousse with blood orange, before attacking a couple of Paris Brests with stout namelaka, yuzu and espresso cream. Dessert in Library Street is in no way a downgrade on the savoury courses that came before, and that Paris Brest in particular is one of the most original desserts we've had in Dublin. We sincerely hope it never, ever leaves the menu. What about the drinks? The wine list has been a work in progress since opening, but on the night we visited the manager told us she had finally gotten it to a place where she was really happy with it. Margins are high and there aren't any bargains to be found here, so it's probably best to just close your eyes and go for it (but if you are on a budget there are wines on tap which will add considerably less to the bottom line). We drank the cheapest sparkling wine, a Spanish blend made from the same grapes as cava (€68, we know, ouch), a white blend from Sokol Blosser in Oregon (€59), and a natural Cheverny from Clos du Tue-Boeuf (we didn't keep a record of the price but in the same region) which was our highlight. We enjoyed all of them, but there's barely anything under €40 a bottle so factor that into your budget. And the service? You might worry that in a PDR you'll be flailing around trying to get a server when you need them, but this didn't happen once. It was like they knew what we needed before we did. The whole thing was effortless and easy, and supremely relaxing. We spent about four hours there in the end and couldn't believe the time when we looked at our watches/fitbits/phones. We also thought they got the food quantities perfect. It would have been easy to chuck a few more plates onto the table (and bill), bring down six desserts rather than four, but it was on the mark, and we didn't leave feeling sick or like we'd done ourselves damage through food (which we often do when left to our own ordering devices). And the damage? Around €140 a head once 12.5% service charge was added on (their website states this goes directly to staff). Definitely on the pricier side for a meal out, but we felt it was money well spent and a really memorable evening. The verdict? Library Street is a brilliant addition to the Dublin dining scene, and instantly tables there became some of the most sought after in the city (just try to get a Saturday night table booking before summer). This food feels fresh, original, they're not copying anyone else on the scene, they're just doing their own thing, and doing it so well. We love the main room with its floral installations, open kitchen and long table running down the middle of the room, but the next time you're going out to eat with a likeminded group, try with all your might to get the PDR, and settle in for something special. Library Street 101 Setanta Place, Dublin 2 www.librarystreet.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Agave Website agavedublin.com Address 19-22 Lord Edward Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Healthy, happy food, the kind you feel better after eating. Interesting salads and sandwiches and usually a couple of hot dishes. Missing out on cake would be a big mistake. Honey Truffle Website honeytruffle.ie Address 45 Pearse Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Healthy, happy food, the kind you feel better after eating. Interesting salads and sandwiches and usually a couple of hot dishes. Missing out on cake would be a big mistake. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Kicky's is the solo debut of former Chapter One head chef Eric Matthews, along with friend and former Bang GM Richie Barrett. Bright colours and in your face flavours are the name of the game, and you wouldn't want to pay them a visit if you're on a diet. Prices are on the higher side of eating out in Dublin, so it's likely to be a special occasion choice rather than a regular haunt for most. Kicky's Website kickys.ie Address South Great George's Street, Dublin, D02 WK13 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Kicky's is the solo debut of former Chapter One head chef Eric Matthews, along with friend and former Bang GM Richie Barrett. Bright colours and in your face flavours are the name of the game, and you wouldn't want to pay them a visit if you're on a diet. Prices are on the higher side of eating out in Dublin, so it's likely to be a special occasion choice rather than a regular haunt for most. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

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

Chef de Partie < Back Chef de Partie La Vespa Apply Now Location Dublin 2 Employment Full-time Date Posted 23 June 2026 Website lavespa.ie Love fresh pasta, busy services and great vibes? La Vespa is seeking to hire a Chef de Partie to join our passionate Italian kitchen team in our restaurant in Dublin city centre. Authentic Italian cuisine Fast-paced, professional kitchen Career growth opportunities Supportive team environment Competitive pay If you can handle the heat and bring the passion, we want to hear from you! Please send CV and/or cover letter to info@lavespa.ie

Chongqing Hotpot Dinner and a show (of yourself) for €20 a head Posted: 21 Apr 2026 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What’s the story with Chongqing Hotpot? Restaurateurs Ryon Wen and Ian Keegan’s well-established knack for landing Chinese concepts on the Dublin dining scene is best summed up as plugging gaps in the market—ing. They may not be the first to do it, but you can bet they’ll be the sleekest. So where pastel pink Hakkahan gave Sichuan spice a Stoneybatter lease of life, and an impending rebrand of the genuinely novel Nan ’s Huaiyang cuisine in Hong Kong café-style looks set to poach poky Hong Kong Wonton ’s customers from down the road, now here’s Chongqing Hotpot ’s bubbling broth to fill your feed – and no doubt their seats too. The cutesy panda mascot and “ how to eat like a local ” branding speak to the drive, key to this group’s ongoing success, to broaden the appeal from a nostalgic diaspora market to a wider public with minds and wallets equally open. Hotpot is nothing new here - as ever with Chinese cuisine in the city, Parnell Street’s been at it for years - but this bright, branded take is a clear effort to free it from IYKYK turf. Should we order anything other than hotpot? That’d be like stopping by a steakhouse for the salad. There’s really no need, especially knowing most appetisers are transplants from the group’s other outlets, including new arrival Chuna Hunan next door. Not having been yet we were tempted by the century egg but let down to hear it wasn’t on that night (a few years still to go maybe). Typhoon shelter squid (€12) was no consolation, with none of the distinctive dish’s garlic or crunch present half as much as the sodden sensation of under-drained oil. Just get straight into the action. Alright, how do we do this? Start with the broth (€11.90 - €14.90). Sichuan-style spice with beef tallow is traditional, and it’s hard to beat the sights, scents and eventual savour of a chunk of fat dissolving amongst dried chillies and peppercorns. Most will be okay going straight down the middle on medium spicy - level up and lean hard on the cooling sesame oil side bowls if you’re feeling braver. The traditional nine-grid shape grew out of a culture of communal hotpots and individual items zealously guarded – there’s no faux pas fouler than nicking a nugget of someone else's good stuff. If you’re not here to share they can do it for you, but then what are you doing here at all? Another advantage is less chance for ingredients to go AWOL, but then you forfeit the fun of dragging each other’s dire chopstick skillz. As well as an S-shape that leaves more room for fishing fun, double- and triple-pot options give the chance to try pork bone, mushroom, or tomato broths alongside the classic. We’re all for the inclusivity on half-veggie crowds, but we reccomend pork if you’re doubling down on seafood or more delicate vegetables – the mild, rich, sweetness is a welcome balm to benumbed lips. Be warned - the handy menu card you might have studied in advance only partly matches the bilingual listings on the tabletop tablet you order from. Friendly staff are on hand to aid navigation, and to send the order through (oddly you’re asked for a table number when none are in sight). https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_63433c21f1a54f8d989c08fca6d888bd/720p/mp4/file.mp4 Versus this group’s usual focus on provenance (next door they proudly tout Buckley’s meat, Silverhill Duck and Andarl Farm pork), the “premium” and “organic” labels here go unattested (and our questions about them unanswered). In terms of meat, it’s more cut than provider they mean - premium beef slices (€8.90) are wafer-thin rolls, only needing the barest broth-blanching to bring out their best. The quick-cook effect is a great first intro to the alchemy ahead. Ultimately, the shared joy of hotpot is in the sense of a communal cooking lesson – trial and error as much as anything else. Wouldn’t spicy beef (€8.90) flavours get lost in an already-spicy broth, you might rightly wonder. On the surface, sure, less so the marinated depths of these thicker cuts. In the back-and-forth fishing for every possible permutation, in the wide-eyed and full-mouthed signs of a winning combination, there is the contagious fun of shared discovery. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_f75e61093952457897e4098ba152db60/720p/mp4/file.mp4 That’s truer and truer the more adventurous you are – ample offal is where you can really take the plunge. Hotpot has its roots in cash-strapped fishermen looking for flavourful ways to spice up cheap cuts. Cast yourself in their boat and go all-in on iron-rich pork liver (€6.90), or slices of duck blood (€6.90), amplified or overrode to taste by the endless combinations you can make up at the dipping sauce station (€1.98pp, go big on black vinegar). Queasier customers can dip their toes with a thousand-layer tripe (€6.90). Free of the metallic tang, its crunchy layers come alive with a short swim in the tallow. There wasn’t a plate we finished faster. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_ff9b3172fa8c461baeabfab057adbc93/720p/mp4/file.mp4 The mushroom averse may erupt in hives at the sight of black fungus (€3.50), but they're a non-negotiable where hotpot’s concerned. Also known as wood ear, they plump up in the furious heat of the broth and yield to the bite with an elastic snap so satisfying it might tempt some braver fungiphobes to give it a go. Save such spongier stuff for the final stretch, when the broth has bubbled down to a concentrated sauce. That’s where the likes of Chongqing dry potato (€3.50) step to the fore, sun-dried slices that survive a simmering with delicious bite. Few options better showcase the tableside theatre than sweet potato noodles (€5.80), whose pale palor on the way into the broth couldn’t be further from the glassy glory that emerges after – expect oohing and aahing all round. Tofu puffs (€3.50) are marvels of spongy structure ripe for lapping it all up as greedily as we’d like to – just let them cool a little before spraying it all out again. Stodgier still are glutinous rice noodles (€4.90), very much the final boss of the meal with an elusive form to put even the most chopstick-cocky among us right back in our place. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_ec1e36f6afc64bc6b81989f0c5d36d02/720p/mp4/file.mp4 Should we save room for dessert? Everyone but curious completists and nostalgists need not. Appealing as the price point of the classic ice jelly (€2) is, its simple soft and subtle sweet sensations are solely there to soothe tongues numbed by all that málà mouthfeel – if you’re not suffering, no need. Only the chalky candy consistency of haw flakes sprinkled over gives this anything of note. It’s a similar story for the glutinous cake (€6.90), little fingers of rice flour that cool to a gentle chew. Roasted pear (€6.90), another Chinese classic, lacks any hint of either word in its insistently aquatic flavour – this is one sad spoonful, and one only. The efforts of floating goji berries and red dates to add a hint of intrigue are valiant but in vain, leaving this sorry syrup akin to the dregs of a tin can, and not half as tasty. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_17b001b684474a1494c4226787e3cad8/720p/mp4/file.mp4 What’s good to drink? Cocktails, like appetisers, are available from next door, and in the same vein they aren’t quite the right fit. On any other day, the sour-sweet sharpness of a passionfruit saketini (€14.50) is something we’d sip with just about anything, but when you’re talking hotpot it’s beer or bust. Stick to a Tsingtao (€5.50) to cool the taste buds. How was the service? By definition you’re on your own here. Save a helping hand on the initial order and intermittent offers of a hot drop (say no unless you’re running low; concentrating the flavour is part of the fun), staff stay out of your way unless you flag one down to add to the order. Given the size of the place, that rarely proves a challenge. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_8e1c60fccacf44c88087bf47ef1c6782/720p/mp4/file.mp4 What should we budget? True to hotpot’s humble roots, you’re in for a cheap night out. Our underwhelming appetiser and desserts still landed us at less than €30 a head before drinks - cut that faff and keep to fewer rice or noodle items and you’d easily come in at €20. Ribeye, scallops, prawns and the likes will swing things the other way if you’re so inclined. What’s the verdict on Chongqing Hotpot? Some restaurants rely on the prowess of kitchen craft to offer a two in one deal - dinner and a show. At Chonqing Hotpot , the only show is the one you'll make of yourself, fishing stray chunks from bubbling broth like a blind angler. Bring some friends and be brave with what you order – it’s a lot of fun. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Clanbrassil House 2018 Dynamic, charcoal cooking in Dublin 8 Posted: 15 Mar 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? The second, more-casual opening from Bastible chef-owner Barry Fitzgerald and his partner Claremarie Thomas, with rapidly rising chef Gráinne O’Keeffe in the kitchen. Part of a contingent of young restaurateurs behind some of the most dynamic food in Dublin right now, Bastible's been showing up on every ‘best places to eat in Dublin’ list since opening, and along with their contemporaries like Etto and Forest & Marcy , have injected a new streak of energy into the Dublin dining scene. Clanbrassil House opened in Autumn 2017 and was supposed to be a more casual wine and small plates type of place, but we reckon most people are coming here for a full, multi-course meal. Where’s good for a drink beforehand? We liked 57 The Headline which has a brilliant Gin & Tonic menu, huge beer selection and comfy seats. If you want a more traditional pub you’ve got Leonard’s Corner , and if you’re after wine you’d probably be best to go straight to Clanbrassil House and see if they can seat you early for an aperitif. What’s the room like? Narrow and cosy. Very much ‘Parisian wine bar’, as opposed to ‘inner-city Dublin’. There are high tables and stools at the front, which is a lovely space with bare brick and deep blue walls, wine bottles lined up along one side and fairy lights in the window. It feels very grown up, and like you could be in any number of cool European cities. In the back are the normal tables where you can look into the kitchen, but we could see it from our high table too. What's good to eat? If you’re like us you’ll want it all, and the menu is small enough that if there were four of you (or two who were very hungry) you could just tell them to bring everything. They do a family style sharing menu for €40 a head where the chefs pick food from every section once the order goes in, and it works out as good value, but they’re not keen on telling you what’s going to come out in advance so it feels a bit like Russian roulette. We did tell our server there was one dish we weren’t keen on, and she managed to get it changed to the one we really wanted, but we would have liked full disclosure before deciding whether to go family style (which we did) or á la carte. From the snacks, Verdial olives were exceptional - the type you find in most good bars in Spain but rarely here. Iberico ham croquettes were good, but the knockout dish was grilled sourdough and hot smoked trout. The flavours of smoke from the grill were vivid, and it's come up in conversations a lot since. From the smaller plates, roast leeks, chopped egg and chicken skin was enjoyable whilst not particularly memorable (and maybe a touch under seasoned), but the chicken liver parfait with caramelised apple and brioche was rich, luxurious and perfect. When it came to the charcoal grill (larger plates) our expectations were completely flipped on their heads. We’d been eager to try the Picana steak with roasted bone marrow, parmesan and anchovy, and while it looked great and the flavours were good, the meat was tough and sinewy, and we didn’t enjoy it. The BBQ cauliflower however, with vadouvan butter, lentils and yoghurt (which we probably wouldn’t have picked) turned out to be one of the most memorable dishes of the night (and the year), culminating in a tussle over the last few scrapes of the plate. The cauliflower was almost meat-like, and the flavours were an another level. It takes a skilful kitchen to make a relatively flavourless vegetable taste this good (although the fact it was swimming in butter helped). The infamous hash brown fries were in fact just hash browns in the shape of chips (we're not sure what we were expecting after the mass hysteria on Instagram), and we couldn’t ascertain much pickled onion from the mayo, which it really could have done with to cut through the fat in the fries. Desserts were chocolate mousse, honeycomb and marmalade ice-cream - all very nicely done - and blood orange doughnuts with buttermilk custard, which had a nice texture but only the teeniest splodge of blood orange. The buttermilk custard was beautiful and delicately flavoured. What about the drinks? The wine list is very short. One sparkling, five whites and five reds – three of each are available by the glass). Personally we don’t think this is enough, and although we did have some lovely wines, if you’re only going to have a list this short, every wine has to knock it out of the park. The Mas Candi Cava is a a brilliant example of Spanish sparkling wine, and it’s refreshing to see something other than prosecco by the glass. For whites we had a Riesling from German producer Geil , which is perfectly good but not going to change your life, and the Spanish Louro from Rafael Palacios , which is stunning. For reds we had a natural Côtes du Rhône from Eric Texier , and an Austrian Blaufrankisch from Murh van der Niepoort . The Blaufrankisch had more to it. We had tasters of a few others but none were hitting the spot. If we were going for a single bottle it would have been Australian producer Jamsheed ’s Syrah, which is a brilliant, vibrant example of new-wave natural wine. And the service? Lovely – informative and accommodating. There when you needed them and not there when you didn’t. Our only issue was the speed the food came out at the start (although this isn’t the fault of the front of house staff). We had two snacks and three starters on the table within 15 minutes of the order going in and had to ask them to slow down. If the courses had been more well-paced and we we were told what was on the family style menu (again probably coming from the kitchen) it would have been a perfect 10. The verdict? This is exciting, innovative cooking from a kitchen that’s not standing still, and whilst it might not have been 100% perfect we love what they’re doing. When they get it right, they really take the food to a different level, and we're planning a return soon. On the night we were there Darina Allen flew in for a few plates before an early morning flight to San Francisco. Clearly the woman has her priorities right. Clanbrassil House 6 Clanbrassil Street Upper, Dublin 8 clanbrassilhouse.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Masa Drury street gets a Mexican tacqueria Posted: 16 Aug 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Masa is a new Mexican taqueria from the guys behind Bunsen , in the old SMS site on the corner of Drury Street . We were excited when we heard this was coming because we were told they'd be making the tacos fresh (the only place in Dublin doing so as far as we know) and had imported special machinery from Mexico to make the masa - the dough made from nixtamalizing corn to break it down and then grinding it into a dough (you can read more about the lengthy process here ). It opened very quietly last month with no big announcement other than a post on their Instagram page telling people the doors were open. We tried to visit a week in on a Saturday and found it closed with no explanation - this has been a recurring theme over the past few weeks with numerous people on Instagram complaining that they've also visited to find it closed. Seems they've been having teething problems with the Mexican machinery and difficulties in finding anyone here to fix it. A week later we tried again midweek and this time it was mobbed. There was a 45 minute wait for a table but you can go for a drink and they'll call you when they have space. Where should we go for a drink? You've got the city's best selection of natural, organic and biodynamic wines at Loose Canon just down the street. For cocktails try Drury Buildings or the upstairs cocktail bar in Fade Street Social , and for pints P. Macs is good fun and just across the road. What’s the room like? Bright, airy and minimalistic, with loads of people talking about the "miami vibes" from trees, cacti and bright blue counter tops. There's table seating by the window looking out onto Stephen Street, and counter seating both facing the window and facing the other way. It feels fast casual in a really modern-European-city way, and there's a lit-up cactus outside the bathroom that's coming to an instagram feed near you soon. What's good to eat? As we visited early on we wanted to go again a few weeks later, so over two visits we had most of the menu. Food comes when it's ready, and is divided into small plates, quesadillas and tacos. There's also a very interesting sounding dessert of churros with goat's milk caramel but they told us it won't be available for another few months. We thought the tortilla chips were good but would have liked more guacamole (there is never enough guacamole), and the bowl was hard to retrieve it from. We weren't as keen on the elotes (corn on the cob with cheese and chilli) - ours were overcooked and we found the sauce sickly, but we've seen other people on Insta saying they loved them. A cheese quesadilla with chipotle mayo was good if not ground-breaking, but again there was a bit too much of that sauce. Of the tacos we thought the best were the El Pastor (pork, red chilli, pineapple, onion, coriander achitoe - a pepper-like spice), the chicken (fried chicken, salsa macha, chipotle) and the fish (fried cod, cabbage, chipotle, lime), although the fish was better with crisper batter on the first visit. We imagine most people will think these are very good, but we felt the fillings could be a bit more vibrant. We also don't think the tacos are quite there yet. 10 points for freshness and for making them authentically from masa, but they were slightly too thick and the consistency was crumbly. It's early days so we would imagine they are still ironing out kinks, and we would be confident that the quiet opening was to give them time to improve. It is also verging on ridiculously cheap. The first time our bill came to €9 a head, the second €11 a head (with no alcohol), so this is a great option when you want something quick and cheap. What about the drinks? Very basic. Pacifico and Sierra Nevada for beer, and house red and white wines, which the staff told us were vinho verde (presumably Portugese) and tempranillo (presumably Spanish). We didn't drink anything on either occasion because there wasn't anything we wanted. We were really hoping for a margherita and mezcal list. Maybe by Christmas... *crosses fingers* And the service? A bit all over the place on the first visit. Some food never arrived, only to be told that they'd sold out when we queried where it was, and the team seemed stretched. Things were much smoother on the second visit, and all of the staff were very pleasant. The verdict? Dublin has always suffered from a lack of places that fall under the "Quick. Cheap. Good." heading, and Masa fills a gap for both that and for fresh tacos in the city. While we might not have been knocked over by the food, we'd be pretty confident it will get better over the coming months (Bunsen have never been one to do things by halves), and we think it's a great addition to the Dublin dining scene. Especially when you only want to spend a tenner on dinner. Masa 43 Stephen Street Lower, Dublin masadublin.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Opened by owner Shona McCabe after years of working in restaurants across Australia and New Zealand, Kerb draws on several different cuisines. They originally focused on Middle Eastern food a modern twist - this is definitely not the greasy late night kebab that we all know and love, but the evening menu has more of a Mexican spin with tacos, totopos and tostadas. Plenty of options for both veggies and vegans, and a great place to stop for coffee. Kerb Website kerb.ie Address 1B Brighton Road, Foxrock, Dublin 18 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Opened by owner Shona McCabe after years of working in restaurants across Australia and New Zealand, Kerb draws on several different cuisines. They originally focused on Middle Eastern food a modern twist - this is definitely not the greasy late night kebab that we all know and love, but the evening menu has more of a Mexican spin with tacos, totopos and tostadas. Plenty of options for both veggies and vegans, and a great place to stop for coffee. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Well-executed, carefully sourced Italian food from Ross Lewis (chef and owner of Michelin-starred Chapter One) and his friend, chef Luciano Tona, whose restaurant in Italy also held a Michelin star for a decade. Since stepping back from Chapter One Lewis himself has been cooking in the kitchen, and looks to be having fun with it. An interesting cocktail list makes for a perfect after work aperitivo. Osteria Lucio Website osterialucio.com Address The Malting Tower, Grand Canal Quay, Clanwilliam Terrace, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Well-executed, carefully sourced Italian food from Ross Lewis (chef and owner of Michelin-starred Chapter One) and his friend, chef Luciano Tona, whose restaurant in Italy also held a Michelin star for a decade. Since stepping back from Chapter One Lewis himself has been cooking in the kitchen, and looks to be having fun with it. An interesting cocktail list makes for a perfect after work aperitivo. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

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

Allta Niall Davidson's wild wine bar comes to Setanta Place Posted: 10 Dec 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Oh we do love when a chef who's been a hit elsewhere prodigiously returns home, bringing bits of other cities in their armour and implanting them in our own. One thing is guaranteed, it's not going to be boring, and it's most likely going to be something brand new for the city - especially if they're coming home from London, scene of some of the most exciting cooking in the world right now, where unexciting/average/samey just doesn't cut it. So colour us fit to burst when the news broke last summer that ex- Nuala chef/owner Niall Davidson was coming back to Ireland to open a restaurant in the capital. Nuala was pegged as a 'modern Irish' restaurant using the best produce from the British Isles, and Allta (Irish for 'wild') was pitched much the same (with Irish substituted for British), but from early on they referred to it as a wine bar, and much of the talk was about small plates and handmade pasta (both of which we like a lot). Davidson brought ex-Luna head chef Hugh Higgins in as head chef and partner, along with Christine Walsh (ex-Loam) as sous chef, and the trio spent months leading up to the opening travelling around the country meeting producers, and testing recipes in a Terenure test kitchen. When they finally opened last month our readers got first access to the soft launch , and they had so much interest their system crashed. When reservations were released until the end of the year they had over 1,000 bookings in 24 hours. Safe to say people were excited about this one. Where should we go for a drink first? You're definitely not short of options around here. 9 Below (pictured), Peruke & Periwig and The Sidecar (our fav) are all a few minutes walk away if you're after a pre-dinner Martini/Mezcal Smash/Manhattan. For a proper pub head for Kehoe's or Davy Byrne's, and for a good glass of wine head for Isabelle's on South Anne Street, basement wine bar La Cave or La Ruelle. Where should we sit? The long table down the centre of the room is half kept for walk ins, with the other half used for groups. On the side nearest the kitchen the tables are all for two with extremely Instagram-friendly lights above, but there's one light-free 'date table' in the corner if you like things a little dimmer. The tables nearest the window are all for four, so plenty of options. There's also a private dining room downstairs (due to open any day) so if you did want to have your birthday/anniversary/leaving meal there it's a possibility. What's good to eat? The menu is a food sharer's dream, starting with snacks and moving onto a variety of plates, most of which include pasta. They've also just introduced a chef's menu for €48 per person where you get practically everything, but you will have to choose between the spider crab bigoli and the BBQ lamb pappardelle - a choice no one should ever have to make. Cromane oysters come with rhubarb vinegar and are of the dissolve in your mouth variety, with added zip from the vinegar, and the subject of the mural on the wall is the oyster fisherman in Kerry that they buy them from. Anyone who grew up in Dublin was probably raised on ray (or skate as all the cool kids are calling it now), and they've done a very clever take on it with their crispy skate wing and seaweed cream. The bone is used to pick it up (a fish first for us) and it was perfectly crisp, tender and seasoned. A small plate of grilled broccoli, pickled green tomato and goat's curd had immense flavour, and had us kicking ourselves for stripping the leaves off broccoli all of these years. Here they topped the dish like smoky crisps, with the broccoli stems beautifully chargrilled and tender, the goat's curd creamy like the inside of a ball of burrata, and the pickled green tomatoes the perfect foil to lift it all up. Then come the pastas. If you've heard about anything it's probably been the chicken scarpinocc, a stuffed pasta filled with chicken liver mousse in a foamed sauce topped with crispy shallots. It's rich, it's luscious, it's perfect. You will groan - unless you really don't like chicken liver pate, or butter (in which case we can't be friends). The spider crab bigoli is the dish with theatre attached, and another must order. The bigoli pasta is topped with spider crab and an egg yolk when it comes out, before a chef holding a spider crab shell filled with bisque pours it over the top. It's every bit as good as it sounds, with the flavour of the crab coming through on so many levels. The pasta here is faultless, with the perfect amount of chew, and everything combined makes this a very special dish. Speaking of special dishes, say hello to the BBQ lamb with seaweed pappardelle, Cáis na Tíre cheese and wild marjoram. Mayo lamb is salted, confit then smoked over birch and glazed with their own Irish BBQ sauce, black apple purée, brown butter and salted cherry blossom vinegar. If you need to take a minute to process that go right ahead. You'll need another one after you've eaten it. Sticky, smoky, crunchy lamb, wafer thin strips of pasta, that cheese sauce... Swoon... They also sent out an extra dish that's not on the menu yet but will be soon, and form an orderly queue. Hand-dived scallops are flash fried on the pan, then put back in their shells, topped with gooseberry beurre blanc and hazelnuts and placed on top of some smoking juniper wood to finish cooking at the table. Will any scallop ever taste this good again? How did we not know that scallops and hazelnuts were meant to be together? Where has gooseberry beurre blanc been all our lives? So many questions. For dessert they're keeping it simple, with ice-cream or cheese, but obviously not just any ice-cream, 'nitro' (nitrogen) ice-cream, with smoked honey, sea buckthorn and white chocolate chunks. As you do. It's a pleasingly nostalgic end to a stellar meal, and one that won't have you leaving thinking you overdid it. Cheeses when we visited were Coolea or Young Buck, but they had run out of bread due to an issue with their flour supplier, so maybe check beforehand if you feel cheese without bread is like a weekend without wine. What about the drinks? The wine list is full of interesting bottles to drink but the prices are very punchy, so there's not much in the way of value. If that doesn't bother you or someone else is paying you'll have fun exploring it. We found the glass list offered more bang for your buck and lots of interesting wines are open so we'd stick to that. There's also a selection of wines on tap that are slightly more pocket friendly. The by the glass list is not separated into sparkling, white and red, but instead by genre, which those who don't have much wine knowledge might be uncomfortable with (especially considering there's a lot of unusual grapes), but just ask sommelier Ian Fitzpatrick or any of the other staff to point you in the right direction. The chardonnay based sparkling Tuffeau is a great meal opener at €8.50, and we also loved the Czech Krasna Hora rosé (€10.50) with the crab bigoli. And the service? Manager Gráinne Bates is well known in the industry having managed Etto, Forest & Marcy and Piglet amongst others, and her hospitable, bubbly nature is infectious, with other staff equally lovely. The chefs bring the dishes to the tables themselves and explain what's in them, and everyone seemed very chilled and on top of things, making for a very relaxing experience. The verdict? Despite only being open a couple of weeks, Allta is already one of the best restaurants in the city, and we look forward to seeing what the team get up to next, both with the menu and with the second more upscale site that's in the plans down the line. With what feels like a weekly increasing awareness of the importance of eating what's around us, and the sheer amount of world-class produce coming from our small island, places pushing as hard as Allta are going to be instrumental in taking Irish food and restaurants to the next level, and finally shaking off the global image that there's nothing to eat here but potatoes. Allta Setanta Place, Dublin 2 allta.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Full-Time Front of House Staff < Back Full-Time Front of House Staff Volpe Nera Apply Now Location Blackrock, Co. Dublin Employment Full-time Date Posted 27 June 2026 Website volpenera.ie Volpe Nera in Blackrock are looking for a friendly, enthusiastic waiter/waitress to join our front of house team. You'll bring genuine passion for food, wine and great service, along with a team-first attitude and the energy to thrive in a busy environment. Previous experience in a similar setting would be an advantage, with fine dining experience considered a strong plus. Full wine training will be provided, so a willingness to learn is just as important as experience. Competitive package on offer for the right candidate. Start date: Immediate Full job description is available on application. To apply please send your CV and a short cover letter outlining your background to: info@volpenera.ie .

Mark Fagan grew up in Foxrock and says there was never anywhere for him to hang out - fast forward a few decades and he's made one. Grumps is a homemade gelato and coffee shop for kids (and grown up kids) to enjoy Irish ice-cream from Scúp gelato, locally roasted coffee from Pine Cone Roasters, and treats like p de nata. They're also selling Irish pantry products, and promise that despite the unhappy bunny on their logo, customers will leave with a smile on their face. Grump's Website @grumpsfoxrock Address Brighton Cottages, Unit 3, Foxrock Village, Dublin 18 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Mark Fagan grew up in Foxrock and says there was never anywhere for him to hang out - fast forward a few decades and he's made one. Grumps is a homemade gelato and coffee shop for kids (and grown up kids) to enjoy Irish ice-cream from Scúp gelato, locally roasted coffee from Pine Cone Roasters, and treats like p de nata. They're also selling Irish pantry products, and promise that despite the unhappy bunny on their logo, customers will leave with a smile on their face. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Chef de Partie < Back Chef de Partie Glas Apply Now Location Dublin 2 Employment Full-time Date Posted 2 June 2026 Website glasrestaurant.ie GLAS IS HIRING! ROLE: Chef de Partie We are currently looking for a Chef de Partie to join our kitchen team. We are a vegetable-led, fully gluten-free restaurant focused on seasonality, sustainability and progressive plant-based cooking. Our kitchen is driven by curiosity, precision and a desire to push vegetables to the centre of the plate in new and exciting ways. What we’re looking for: - Minimum 6 years’ experience in a high-level kitchen - A strong technical foundation and attention to detail - A genuine interest in modern, forward-thinking cooking - Passion for working with vegetables, seasonality and produce-driven menus - Ability to work cleanly, efficiently and as part of a small, focused team A culinary degree is a plus, but not essential if experience and skill set are strong. What we offer: - A creative and supportive kitchen environment - Opportunity to work closely on seasonal menu development - Exposure to refined plant-based techniques and modern cooking methods - A role within a kitchen that values quality, sustainability and innovation This is an ideal role for someone who wants to be part of a kitchen that is actively shaping the future of vegetable-focused cuisine. If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you. Email cover letter and/or CV to info@glasrestaurant.ie

Soup Ramen The best Dublin ramen discovery so far Posted: 3 Sept 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Soup Ramen opened on Dun Laoghaire's main - in need of some TLC - George's Street Lower in summer 2018, adding life and a bright pink neon sign to an unloved part of town. It also gave Dubliners another place to go for ramen, in a city brutally under-served (yes first world problems but still). It's a joint venture from two friends - chef Conor Hughes and front of house Will Shannon - and their brightly coloured Instagram feed has been taunting us for months, along with flurries of online praise for the food, but apart from one pretty good review from Katy McGuinness in the Irish Independent and minimal information on their own website we didn't have a lot to go on. So off we went to Dun Laoghaire. Where should we go for a drink first? If it's a nice evening head for the terrace in Haddington House (and a deckchair if you're lucky) for a drink looking over the sea. If the weather's not with you, pop around the corner to " The Bar " for a cosy pint, or if you're looking for a cocktail head for The Lighthouse , which also has one of the most impressive non-alcoholic drinks lists we've seen - as do all of Bodytonic 's bars. Where should we sit? There's outside and inside seating, but we can't say the ones outside have the nicest views in the city - if it's warm you probably won't say no. Inside is bright and airy with three large communal tables made from Beach and Cedar trees downed in Roundwood, Co. Wicklow, and two high tables which seat two each. There's also bar seating. It's a small space but they've used it well for maximum capacity. What's good to eat? Obviously you're coming here for the ramen so that's a no brainer. We went for the tonkotsu pork - the original and the best - but there's also grilled chicken or a vegetarian one (which can be made vegan). The juicy pork came chargrilled with those delicious blackened bits, on top of an incredibly flavoursome broth containing homemade noodles (they've started making their own since Katy 's review), spring onion, fermented vegetables and a soft, seasoned egg on top. Another thing that's changed since that review is that their eggs and chicken have been upgraded to free-range, which makes us (and her we bet) very, very happy. You can choose your own seasoning but we asked them to bring it how they liked it, and there was definitely a hint of coconut in there which might not wash well with purists but makes for exceptionally tasty ramen. We're always on the hunt for three things that are notoriously hard to get excellent versions of here - freshly made tacos, sushi and ramen, and for us this is the best ramen we've found here to date. It should be noted that owner Conor was in the kitchen on the night in question so you'd expect it to be as good as it's going to get if the boss is cooking your dinner. The rest of the menu features small plates/sides and three salads with optional extras. We'd ordered some small plates of deep-fried kimchi and fried chicken thinking they would come out first, but everything ended up on the table at the same time, leading to the inevitable eating half your food cold, so if you want them as starters and mains request it when ordering. We don't know where deep-fried kimchi has been all our lives but we're just glad we got there eventually. Deep-frying something so intrinsically good for you is a smart move (let's just ignore what high heat might do to all that good bacteria), and they're kind of like more tangy, more chewy onion rings, in a crispy batter managing to avoid feeling in any way greasy. The fried chicken was the only disappointment of the meal. The brown meat and batter were surprisingly soft and bland, and the fermented chilli mayo and mango butter didn't do much to liven things up. Our other main was the umami salad, which has rocketed into the top three salads we've ever eaten in Dublin. It comes with pickled shimeji mushrooms, cannellini beans, parmesan crisps, smoked seasame, seasoned egg, cured cherry tomato and shoyu dressing. Who knew there was no such thing as too much umami? You can add chashu pork, grilled chicken, fried chicken or 'grilled' halloumi which we went for, but it was actually cubes of deep-fried halloumi - delicious but not what we were expecting. Nevertheless, this is a salad that we're going to spend hours trying (and no doubt failing) to recreate at home. We also ordered the triple-cooked fries with house BBQ sauce and spice blend, which was a gigantic portion - fine if there are three or four of you but for two it's a bit much. They're skinny fries and the BBQ sauce was good and not overly sweet, but we'd skip them next time to try the side salad with pickled veg, unless we were with a gang. For dessert we couldn't side-step the blackboard special of sweet crisp bread with yuzu curd, basil mascarpone, yoghurt and strawberries, and we're hoping it makes a comeback with each strawberry season. The fried dough, which seems to exist in most Asian cultures in some form, was light and crisp, and a perfect vehicle for getting the basil yoghurt, sorbet, yuzu curd and semi-frozen strawberries into our mouths. It's also nice to see places putting as much thought and creativity into their desserts as they do their savoury dishes. Next time we're going for the gingerbread nachos with chocolate and chilli sauce, and black chai ice-cream. What about the drinks? That creativity also runs to cocktails, like sake, strawberry, lemon and tonic, and soft drinks, with homemade kombucha flavours including honey and habanero and kumquat and star anise. We tried a yuzu spritz with yuzu liqueur, dry vermouth and prosecco which was a definite upgrade from your bog standard aperol, and an apple and honey lemonade, which was equally lovely. The wine list is small but better than we were expecting from a scout online, with two whites, two reds and a prosecco, all decent, and none likely to cause chronic hangover (not guaranteed). They also do one beer - Kirin Ichiban. And the service? Full of smiles and checks that we were okay, although we would have liked to have been asked about the pacing of dishes when we ordered. Apart from that it was hard to find fault. The verdict? Soup has been on the to-do list for a while and we only wish we hadn't waited so long to get here. The ramen is best we've found in Dublin, and if this was our local we'd be in here every week - particularly over those long, dark winter months. We live in hope that Soup Ramen 2 is on the cards, so that more people get to experience the joy of really great ramen, that spectacular umami salad and the wonder of deep-fried fermented cabbage. Soup Ramen 28 George's Street Lower, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin www.soupramen.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Mark Moriarty Studio The ATF Insiders Preview Posted: 11 Aug 2026 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope Tell us about Mark Moriarty's new restaurant and studio? The people behind Wilton Park in Dublin 2 want to make it Dublin's newest contemporary urban neighbourhood, where the apartments are high, the people are beautiful, and Champagne flows like the canal running past it. Wilton Park, IPUT Real Estate Those clever investors knows that cool urbanites like cool places to eat and drink, and their first major coup was luring Scéal Bakery back to Dublin as one of their first commercial tenants. Their second was backing TV Chef Mark Moriarty to open his first studio, test kitchen and once a week restaurant in a two storey space which includes an art gallery, and ATF Insiders got a pre-opening preview at a special price. The studio will act as a filming space for his RTE show Cook Like a Chef , a private events space from Monday - Thursday (coming to an influencer-filled brand launch near you soon), and a public sitting each Friday night, enabling the team to take Saturday and Sunday off - the holy grail of hospitality. There are two sittings each Friday - 17:30 until 20:00 and 20:30 until late , and bookings for the month open six weeks ahead of time . Never miss an event - sign up to ATF Insiders Only 40 seats, once a week? Technically yes. Unless you want to take over the whole space for a private booking (up to 24 seated, more standing) between Monday and Thursday. It's worth getting on their mailing list though. This is a brand new business and if there's a night with no bookings, or two people want the same night but neither can fill the whole place, you might get lucky. What are the seating options? Walk down the steps and linger in the gallery en route to dinner (some of the artists have their studios in the same building). Walk to the end and down a dark corridor, and to the left you'll enter the setting for what they're calling an " upmarket, relaxed dinner party ". The counter seats 12, and is the best vantage point to watch the magic unfold in the small kitchen. The seats are comfy too with good back support, if someone in your party has this particular bugbear. There's also a single table seating four, and a "snug" seating three or four in a cosier setting. There are also a couple of tables in a bar area facing the counter, where you can sit back with a pre or post dinner drink if you want to max out your stay. What is there to drink? Charles Heidsieck is the house Champagne (€28), and there's a Crémant de Limoux too (€15) for the bubble lovers. The by the glass list is relatively small, with five choices each for white and red, plus a rosé, but when there are no dull duds present, it turns out thirteen choices is plenty. The glass pour size on the menu said 175ml so we initially thought the prices weren't bad, but it turned out to be a misprint and should have said 125ml - suddenly €19 for that glass of Au Bon Climat didn't seem as reasonable. It's much better value drinking by the bottle, but with mainly private events and only 40 public seats a week, they probably don't have to worry as much about the perception of value as a neighbourhood independent. Tell us about the food The 10-part tasting menu is €150 , which is substantially more than every one Michelin-starred restaurant in Dublin - D'Olier Street (€139), Bastible (€110), Variety Jones (€110) and Forest Avenue (€98). Could a gong from the tyre man be part of the grand plan? A big part of the experience here is watching the chefs at work, having them explain what they're doing, seeing just how much work went into that delicious snack you swallowed in one bite. The menu will change regularly, but expect some things to stay in place. Here's what we had at the preview... A very strong opening: Tartlet of wild sea trout in the thinnest of crispy shells, and Big Mac 'a la Rossini' - a juicy slider with added foie gras. We'd put a bet on this becoming a signature. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_ece41cc9693141a780be897cbbfabb7e/720p/mp4/file.mp4 Citrus cured hamachi with an intense barbecued tomato consommé (barbecued on the street outside!), pear and frozen oyster pearls, served with a mini buckwheat crumpet topped with caviar. There was more than a hint of Chapter One off this one. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_f34f9a52eab8458e91a0c9629bee0490/720p/mp4/file.mp4 Expect Mark's baked potato sourdough to become legendary. Look at that crust! Bagsy the end bit. Part bread, part cake. Full happiness. Celeriac baked in bread with Fino sherry, yeast, apple and preserved truffle. We were shown the celeriac after it came out of the oven before plating, and in all honesty we didn't know celery's cousin could taste this good. The acid levels in that sauce and the shavings of truffle were standout. Roasted Castletownbere cod with pork cheek "paella" and XO: Can't imagine anything more opposite to a boring, filler fish dish. The burnished flesh, the rich pork and rice gems hidden underneath, that sauce! Wowza. Pastry-encased, soft as butter Donegal milk fed lamb, with green olive, courgette and "Caesar" - little gem stuffed with all the flavours of Caesar salad, as well as avocado which we thought was a too heavy, unnecessary addition. The jus was an added bonus. A pre-dessert of apricot and jasmine tea, with sheep's yoghurt sorbet, salted coconut and honey vinegar. Read that again... Can you taste it? You really should. Pair with a glass of Sauternes for maximum enjoyment. Vietnamese Mekonga 70% chocolate with vanilla and tamarind ice-cream. Chocolate might feel like a safe choice to end on, but it's an appropriately lavish ending to an impressive parade of dishes. Warm madeleines fresh from the oven are the bonus that you won't need but can't say no to. Why and when should we go? This will be special occasion territory for most, and will likely entail severe pre-planning to get the Friday you want. Bookings for each month open six weeks in advance (so bookings for all five Fridays in October will be released at 10am on Friday 21st August ), but join their mailing list for updates. OR if you're the private event/entertaining a rake of clients on someone else's money type, get in touch with them about Monday - Thursday. As far as the food and drinks go, there appears to be Michelin-starred ambition here (with the talent to match), and at €150 for food they will need to consistently deliver on a par with Dublin's other stars, for food, wine and service. Based on our preview they're off to a rip-roaring start. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Kevin O’Donnell and Laura Chabal’s Comet opened just off Dawson Street in Summer 2025 with little fanfare, but within weeks the critics (us included) had proclaimed it one of the most exciting restaurants to open in Dublin in recent memory. O’Donnell’s Scandi-influenced cooking feels genuinely unique in Dublin right now, as do the small site’s paired back bistro vibes, and the wine list is an event in itself. The quail on toast is already a thing of legend – if ever dare to take it off the menu they’ll have an angry mob at the door. Comet Website cometrestaurant.com Address Comet, Joshua Lane, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Kevin O’Donnell and Laura Chabal’s Comet opened just off Dawson Street in Summer 2025 with little fanfare, but within weeks the critics (us included) had proclaimed it one of the most exciting restaurants to open in Dublin in recent memory. O’Donnell’s Scandi-influenced cooking feels genuinely unique in Dublin right now, as do the small site’s paired back bistro vibes, and the wine list is an event in itself. The quail on toast is already a thing of legend – if ever dare to take it off the menu they’ll have an angry mob at the door. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

That’s Amore looks quaint, but Monkstown locals know it as a place where you book a table of four and end up with a table of eight by the end of the night when the staff join your group - that's when you really feel the amore. Know that whatever you choose from the menu here is going to be the real deal, and trust whatever is on the specials board. If you spot the tonnarelli fresh pasta with lobster on the board, order it. That's Amore Website @Thats-Amore Address 107 Monkstown Road, Monkstown, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story That’s Amore looks quaint, but Monkstown locals know it as a place where you book a table of four and end up with a table of eight by the end of the night when the staff join your group - that's when you really feel the amore. Know that whatever you choose from the menu here is going to be the real deal, and trust whatever is on the specials board. If you spot the tonnarelli fresh pasta with lobster on the board, order it. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

City centre café and pancake house Póg opened their third location in the seaside village of Howth, and took their natural, pampas grass-filled aesthetic with them. Brunch, lunch, coffee and homemade juices draw plenty of passers by, as does their vegan afternoon tea. Póg Howth Website ifancyapog.ie Address Island View House, 1 Harbour Road, Howth, Dublin 13 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story City centre café and pancake house Póg opened their third location in the seaside village of Howth, and took their natural, pampas grass-filled aesthetic with them. Brunch, lunch, coffee and homemade juices draw plenty of passers by, as does their vegan afternoon tea. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Is it a chipper? Is it a gelato shop? Is it a bakery? Sorrento's may seem like it's suffering from multiple personality disorder, but when owner Cristian Proca can do all three so well, who are we to judge. Gelato flavours change daily, and his focaccia Pugliese have the locals queueing up. Sorrento's Website @sorrento_take_away Address 10B Arbour Hill, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Is it a chipper? Is it a gelato shop? Is it a bakery? Sorrento's may seem like it's suffering from multiple personality disorder, but when owner Cristian Proca can do all three so well, who are we to judge. Gelato flavours change daily, and his focaccia Pugliese have the locals queueing up. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Chef de Partie < Back Chef de Partie La Maison Apply Now Location Dublin 2 Employment Full-time Date Posted 23 June 2026 Website lamaisondublin.com Can you sear, sauce and plate with precision? La Maison on Castle Market are looking for a talented Chef de Partie to join our French restaurant in Dublin city centre and help create beautiful dishes inspired by classic French cuisine. French-inspired menu Professional, high-energy kitchen Work alongside experienced chefs Genuine opportunities to grow Competitive salary & staff benefits Passion, consistency and attention to detail are a must. Send cover letter and/or CV to info@lamaisondublin.com ‘Bonne cuisine starts with a great team.’