Search Results

We tried 12 of the city's Christmas sandwiches. Read our verdicts here (subscriber only) It may be only November but Christmas sandwiches are coming in hot, fast and with all the trimmings - and not a moment too soon if you ask us. Here's where to get a Christmas sandwich in Dublin right now, and we'll be updating this list as more hit menus. The Christmas Sandwich, Joli, Stoneybatter Newly opened Joli in Stoneybatter get extra points for their use of roasted ham hock instead of slices, as well as carved turkey, herby stuffing, and homemade cranberry aioli. It's served toasted and while on the more simple side it looks pretty perfect to us. The Open Sandwich, Farmhouse Café, Dublin 12 We might have been skeptical of an open Christmas sandwich, before this delight for the eyes from Farmhouse Café came into our lives (via our feeds). They take toasted sourdough, top it with cranberry mayo, sourdough bacon and cranberry stuffing (fried in butter), roasted turkey, melted Durrus cheese, and finish with a dollop of their own cranberry jam. It's a three course meal in one but we're game. The Christmas Croque, Oxmantown Smithfield We love a Croque Monsieur and we are loving Oxmantown 's Christmas spin on the traditional French classic - a baked sandwich with turkey, ham, stuffing, braised red cabbage, cranberry, mustard béchamel and gruyere cheese. They also have a veggie Christmas special with spiced celeriac, roast Brussels sprouts, braised red cabbage, stuffing, melted brie and cranberry. Christmas Sandwich, Honey Honey, Portmarnock Honey Honey Café is giving honey-baked Christmas ham the spotlight it deserves. They add homemade stuffing, cranberry sauce, brie, mayo and mixed leaves, before toasting to melted perfection. If you're big on brie and not so big on turkey, this is the one for you. They also have a veggie option with roasted butternut squash, toasted hazelnuts and all the trimmings. The Crambo Sambo, Park Life Café Crumlin Park Life Café has managed to pack a roast into their "Crambo Sambo" with turkey, ham, seasoned stuffing, Dubliner cheddar, cranberry sauce and thinly sliced roast potatoes with Himalayan rock salt and rosemary. It's all served on toasted firehouse sourdough, and they had us at roast potatoes. Crimbo Sambos, Bang Bang, Phisborough Bang Bang have three Christmas sambos available, each looking as good as the others. They have house-roasted turkey, veggie brie and vegan spiced jackfruit, all served with sesame sprout slaw, rocket, port and orange cranberry sauce, and sourdough stuffing. Definitely worth a trip or three to Dublin 7. (Read what we thought of it here ) The Christmas Special, Grump's, Foxrock The Christmas Special at Grump's has carved roast turkey, maple glazed Christmas ham, homemade herby stuffing, tangy cranberry sauce and mustard mayo on sourdough. They're also offering a vegan option with roasted sweet potato & lentils with cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg, balsamic onions, vegan homemade herby stuffing, tangy cranberry sauce and vegan mustard mayo on sourdough. Christmas Bap, McNally Family Farm, North County Dublin If you are looking for meat-free options, you need the Christmas baps from Mc Nally's Family Farm . The veggie option has sesame roast carrots, Brussels sprout and celeriac slaw, garlicky mayo, peppercorn cheese, herby stuffing, and cranberry and port sauce. The vegan bap has all of that without the cheese. They're both served on garlic and rosemary focaccia, and we don't think you'll miss the meat. The Chrimbiatta, Old Street, Malahide Old Street 's 'Chrimbiatta' is another one for non-turkey lovers, filled with honey glazed ham, housemade cranberry sauce, herbed stuffing, and spiced brussels sprout slaw. It's served on a toasted ciabatta with a side of handcut chips. Christmas Sambo Slam, Urbanity Urbanity always go the extra mile, and it's no different with their Chistmas sandwiches. They've just launched their "Chrimbo Sambo Slam", with a different sandwich each week for the next three weeks, and the ones with the most votes and sales coming back for Christmas week. First in line is a Christmas Banh Mì, with miso & honey glazed ham, sprout & Chinese cabbage slaw, pickled carrot & parsnip, garlic & herb kewpie mayo, cranberry & chili sauce, and fresh coriander, with a five-spice gravy for dipping. There's also a veggie option on for the month, with maple & cider roasted butternut squash, kale & pecan pesto, brie, rocket, cranberry chutney, and stuffing pangrattato on Tartine sourdough. (Read what we thought of it here ) The Christmas Special, 147 Deli Rarely have we seen the level of excitement reserved for the 147 Deli Christmas special, from anyone who's ever eaten it. It's got honey-glazed ham, turkey, bacon fat sprouts, crispy bacon crumb, Brie, sage & hazelnut stuffing, and cranberry sauce on granary bread, served with a side of chicken wing gravy. Join the queue. (Read what we thought of it here ) Xmas Special, Tír Deli Another sandwich with a legion of fans from last year is Tír Deli 's Xmas Special. They take turkey breast from Feighcullen farm, stuff in turkey sausage made from leg meat, and roll it into a 'turketta', before cooking it sous vide for six hours for maximum juice. Then they add house-smoked ham, house gravy, cheddar, Christmas tree mayo and cranberry sauce, load it onto a ciabatta and toast it. We've already had reports that it's as good as ever. (Read what we thought of it here ) Spiced Beef Christmas Sambo, Daddy's Daddy's in Rialto are mixing it up this year and we love to see it. From now until the 23rd of December you can get your hands on their Christmas sandwich special with Ennis Butcher spiced beef, McNally's organic brussel sprout and cranberry slaw, and house horseradish mayo, on 30% rye organic Tartine sourdough. If you're around Rialto way you should also pop into The Cupcake Bloke for one of his smoked bacon, pear and cheddar mince pies. (Read what we thought of it here ) Christmas Bao, Soup, Dun Laoghaire Bored of bread? Sick of stuffing? Soup in Dun Laoghaire have the remedy. Their Christmas bao features pulled turkey in Korean spiced cranberry sauce, bacon and bourbon jam, and miso parsnip purée. Our heart rate's gone up just thinking about it. The Christmas Sambo, Póg Póg 's ultra cheesy sandwich is back on the menu in all locations. They fill their sourdough with turkey, ham, brie, homemade stuffing, cranberry sauce and mayo, and toast it to get the cheese all melty. (Read what we thought of it here ) The Veggie Festive Sandwich, Queen of Tarts For all of you complaining about the lack of veggie Christmas sandwiches, Queen of Tarts have just launched theirs, with brie, red cabbage and pumpkin seed pesto on homemade focaccia. Non-veggies can also add bacon. The Kevin Mc Callister, SUP Coffee Shop SUP Coffee know a thing or two about coffee, and apparently now Christmas sandwiches. 'The Kevin McCallister' comes with more honey and mustard glazed ham than we ever get on Christmas day, aswell as roast turkey, Christmas stuffing, turkey and stuffing crisps (yum), Applewood smoked cheddar, cranberry mayo, and rocket leaves on ciabatta. We can see why it's likely to sell out so DM to preorder. Christmas Special, Leroy's A lot of R&D goes into a good Christmas sandwich, and reckon the guys at Leroy's put the time into this one. Roast turkey, smoked ham, bacon and cranberry jam, chestnut and sprout slaw, pickled beets, Brie and Christmas stuffing are served on crunchy ciabatta from Tartine Organic Bakery - we see your efforts guys and we appreciate them. DM them to order in advance or risk disappointment if you just rock up to Merrion Cricket Club. The Seasonal Sambo, South Bank Café In Harold's Cross, South Bank café have a Christmas Sandwich for non-Brie lovers. Their seasonal sambo comes with roasted turkey, home-cooked ham, slow-braised red cabbage, herb stuffing, cheddar, mustard mayo, and cranberry sauce served on sourdough bread. It's only available Monday - Friday, and you can also get it on deliveroo direct to your couch or home office. The Greenville Christmas Sandwich, Greenville Deli Greenville Deli kicked things off early this year, launching their Greenville Christmas Sandwich with hand-carved turkey, honey-roasted ham, herby stuffing, pickled red cabbage (we love this addition), creamy Brie, cranberry sauce and mustard mayo, all served on sourdough bread. They also have a Vegan Christmas Special , and both are available in Inchicore, Rathmines and Surge in Clontarf. (Read what we thought of it here ) The Festive Special, Honey Truffle If you're trying to get into the Christmas spirit near Grand Canal Dock, head for Honey Truffle . Their 'Festive Special' features home-baked ham, roasted turkey, sage, thyme and caramelised onion sourdough stuffing, and a good dollop of lightly spiced cranberry, orange and port sauce. Roast Turkey Special from The Wooden Spoon The Wooden Spoon in Blackrock is going a more simplistic route this year with their roast turkey special that comes with turkey, stuffing, Brie, and cranberry mayo. One for the less is more sandwich lover. Christmas Sandwich, Gerard's Deli Gerard's Deli is back with their Christmas sandwich, filled with baked ham, turkey, Brie, Gerard’s stuffing, mixed leaves, cranberry mayo, and the somewhat unusual but delicious sounding addition of crispy onions. Loose pants are recommended. The Happy Cheesemas Toastie, Meltdown The Christmas lights are on, Meltdown's cheesemas toastie is back, Christmas has finally begun. Home to some of the greatest toasties in the capital, their 'Happy Cheesmas' is right up there, with mature cheddar, creamy Brie, crispy bacon, roast turkey, homemade stuffing, mayo, and cranberry sauce on sourdough bread. See you there. The Santa Baby, Goat's Gruff The Santa Baby is back at Goat's Gruff in the Stawberry Beds. It features ham, turkey, Brie, stuffing and cranberry sauce, served on wood-fired ciabatta which we're betting takes it to a whole new level. Pair it with a garlic dip to eliminate any dry sandwich fear. (Read what we thought of it here ) The Festive Feast, Sprout If you've reached your carb quota after trying all these sandwiches, here's something different from Sprout . The 'Festive Feast' is a salad with herby roasted chicken, roasted Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, nutty bulgar, pomegranates, kale with cranberry vinaigrette, and sourdough stuffing, and it can also be served in a bowl or wrap. The healthy option if you are looking for one.

The Coca Cola Christmas ad, Ryan Tubridy's Christmas jumper, a drop in temperatures - Christmas is well and truly on its way. While the festive season brings good stuff like mulled wine and mince pies, it can also bring the stress of Christmas shopping (breathe), but we've done the hard work so you don't have to. Here's the first of our Christmas gift guides with inspiration for gifts filled with love, and by love, we mean food and drink... Food Nutshed's Peanut Butter Tasting Box For the peanut butter lovers in your life, Nutshed has a Christmas Tasting Box and a Peanut Paradise Box with recipes, chocolate and socks. They come with three flavours of your choice and a gold custom-made Nutshed spoon, because your loved one is that fancy. Find them on their website . Chocolate Bundles from Bean and Goose Bean and Goose have bundled up some of their slabs, smaller bars, and bags of drinking chocolate for gifts starting at €52.50 and going up to €118.50. Lots include their "hammer of joy", which should be used to bash your slab into bite-sized pieces. 'Fresh from the sea' Sligo Oyster Box If you know someone with a grá for oysters, who maybe hasn't have the confidence up to now to try them at home, send them a delivery from the Sligo Oyster Experience , which comes with everything they'll need, including Sligo Bay oysters, shallots, lemons, hot sauce, Wildwood barrel aged blackberry balsamic, a shucking knife and instructions on how to open them. There's wine too, with a choice between Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis or Champagne, and prices range from €59 - €100. You can order right up until midnight on Friday 23rd December for next day delivery, so you could even make it your own Christmas day starter. Order here . Lilliput Food and Drink Hamper Who doesn't love a really good food hamper, particularly when it's full of Lilliput Stores ' charcuterie, condiments you actually want to eat, and that aged balsamic, and we haven't even gotten onto their cheese selection, which is in our opinion one of the best in the country. They're having a hamper market in their Stoneybatter warehouse on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th, where you can taste through the range and make your own, and if you're signed up to ATF Insiders you can get first look (and taste) at all the goods on Friday 16th, with a 10% discount on the night. Builín Blasta Give someone the gift of Builín Blasta 's iconic smoked onion mayo this Christmas, in a hamper from the Irish language café and bakery in Galway. They've got five options full of their Irish-made, small batch sauces, chutneys and dressings, and prices start at €29. They deliver nationwide, but advise getting orders in before the 13th December to guarantee delivery for Christmas. See the range here . Hen's Teeth Hen's Teeth are creating bespoke hampers this year with wine, nutbutter, rayu, chocolate, candles, and anything else from their shop that you might want to throw in there. They can delivery nationwide and even internationally, but get your orders in by the 14th December to guarantee delivery before Christmas. Asia Market Hamper Asia Market have launched a new range of food and drink hampers this year (including Japanese gin, whiskey and sake), but we love the idea of waking up to this sushi making hamper for something a bit different over Christmas. There's only so much turkey and ham a person can eat. A Beer Selection from Lough Gill Brewery We recently discovered the unbridled joy of Lough Gill Brewery 's pastry sour, at Kodiak in Rathmines, and it might be our new favourite Irish brewery. They do discovery packs online of their IPAs, stouts and sours, including a barrell-aged series and limited releases, and we think this would make a great gift for someone who's adventurous with their beers. Check out their gift packs here . A Dublin Cocktail Lab Gift Pack Dublin Cocktail Lab 's hot whiskey syrup and mulled wine mix are legendary at this stage, but they've just started importing Whitebox's canned cocktails, from a team including some of the best bartenders in the world (the freezer martini is life). A gift pack with one of each, as well as Dublin Cocktail Lab's hot whiskey syrup and mulled wine mix, will cost you €60, and it can be delivered across Ireland. Imbibe Coffee Roasters Gift Box What's better way to spread joy than with the gift and scent of quality, freshly ground coffee, like Imbibe Coffee 's Christmas gift boxes for €24 - we're currently drinking their " This Is Not A Christmas Blend " and we approve this message. You can choose whole beans or ground for whatever brewing method your recipient is using, and bags are available in 250g or 1kg, with free shipping on orders over €20. They also give 1% of coffee sales to Women’s Aid, 1% to projects where they import their coffee from, and 1% is shared amongst staff, so you're supporting the good guys to boot. Brew Box Coffee Selection Box Selection boxes never disappoint, and as part of their Christmas collection, Brew Box have a coffee selection box, which beats commercial chocolate bars any day. It comes with 50g each of coffee from 12 different roasters, so it's a great way to find some new favourites. Buy it here . A taste of Killahora Orchards Young Buck cheese and Killahora 's apple icewine is a post-Christmas dinner pairing you won't forget in a hurry, and this year they've launched a 'blossom to bottle' case, including their full range of drinks. They suggest starting with the perry as an aperitif, moving onto cider for the main, and having the apple ice wine and Pom'O (like a brandy) with cheese and dessert. Don't mind if we do. Get one here . A Personalised Corkscrew from Oui Chef Everyone needs a good corkscrew, but most contend with using the one they bought in the corner shop that time they were in a bind. Oui Chef is the brand used in restaurants like Aimsir, Dede and Bastible, and their restaurant-quality, premium corkscrews come with free engraving, so they'll know you put the thought in. Craft Cocktails' Christmas Collection Craft Cocktails have long been a fridge staple in our homes, and we look forward to the Christmas release every year. Choose from a Yuletide Negroni, Gingerbread Punch or Festive Old-Fashioned, or make up your own selection box. They're available in a two-serve bottle for €12.50, or a seven-serve bottle for €35, and you can find them in over 20 independent retailers around Dublin or online . Kombucha Brewing Kit from All About Kombucha If you know someone who's all about their gut health, All About Kombucha 's deluxe brewing kit could save them a fortune every year in fizzy, fermented drinks. It comes with a S.C.O.B.Y., starter liquid, loose leaf tea, a cotton tea bag, organic sugar, a swing top bottle and a two-litre kilner jar, as well as instructions to start their kombucha journey. Delivery available nationwide. Buy it here .

At last count there were over 30 Christmas sandwiches across the city that we wanted to try, and while getting around them all may prove challenging, we have managed to try twelve in the past week, to give you the low down on what's worth queuing for, and what should be avoided. Here are the results...

We’re rolling our way into the festive season, but ahead of the serious December madness, loads of eye-popping plates have been filling our feeds over the past few days. Whether it’s a pit-stop to fuel your Christmas shopping, a get together with pals, or a weekend brunch date with your dog, these are the five things we most want to eat in Dublin this week.... 1) Elliot’s matcha and black sesame choux Since its recent opening, Elliot’s in Phibsborough (and bakery baby of Oxmantown ) has been top of our minds when it comes to delicious, and seriously pretty, baked goods in the city. These matcha and black sesame choux buns look like something we've dreamed up, and based on our last visit we’re pretty sure they'll taste like it too. 2) Milo’s egg, bacon & tomato jam brioche We’ve been excited to check out Milo’s, the Drumcondra sister to Two Boys Brew in Phibsboro, and this egg, bacon and jam brioche is just the ticket to get us there on a weekend morning soon. Milo’s also gets extra bonus brunch points for dog owners, because you can bring your beloved pup along - just be sure to leave them a bite. 3) Taiwanese chicken nuggets, Happy Endings Rarely a week goes by that we’re not craving fried chicken of some shape or form, and these Taiwanese chicken nuggets with fried jalapeños and basil from Happy Endings are currently top of our lust list . Chicken thigh nuggets are marinated in soy and five spice, and served with fried pickled jalapenos and a zingy basil mayo. Sign us up. 4) Seabass taglioni, Grano One of our top choices for pasta in the city, Grano ’s latest offering is solely on offer to those with a blessed reservation for the Stoneybatter spot. Their latest creation features seabass, artichoke and bottarga (salted, cured fish roe pouch), creating a holy trinity of sea, land and salty savoury goodness. It might even turn our heads away from the pistachio ravioli. 5) Smores, The Pepper Pot Café Behold the latest addition to The Pepper Pot Cafe ’s sweet counter. Crunchy digestive s’mores with Swiss meringue and chocolate ganache. We know what we’ll be ordering after our pear and bacon sandwich, which is the law to order *almost* every time you visit the Powerscourt Centre. We don’t make the rules.

We're always looking for new parts of Ireland to discover, with food and drink top of our agenda, and somewhere that's been slowly creeping up our wish list is Tramore - mainly thanks to chef Holly Dalton's ( Conbini Condiments ) envy-inducing Instagram posts every time she's home. So there was only one person we wanted to compile a guide on where to eat and drink there... We all love a day trip to a picturesque Irish town - some of us plan our weekends around it. When it comes to day trips though, I normally organise them based around a café or restaurant that’s caught my eye. If the town offers more than one food hot spot it moves dramatically up the list. There are already some big hitters here: Connemara, Kinsale, Ennistymon, but there’s a new member of the club. If you had asked me when I left Tramore for Dublin to train as a chef twelve years ago if I could ever see it becoming a food destination, I’d have politely laughed in your face. Thankfully I was very, very wrong, and Tramore’s burgeoning food scene has me loading up the car or booking a train down every other weekend. Here's where I head for. Molly's Café First order of the day is coffee, preferably good coffee. Molly’s Café is about as close to the sea as you can get. Situated in an old surf school (which has moved next door), Molly’s has an unobscured view of the ocean, and the queue is constantly out the door - another thing I thought I’d never see in Tramore, unless it was for chips. The service is excellent with the staff knowing most of the returning customers by name, and they are numerous. The reason I keep coming back here though is, of course, the coffee. I’ve worked alongside specialty coffee for years, and Molly’s definiely ranks amongst the best of them. Seagull Bakery If there’s one place I’d have to give credit for starting Tramore’s culinary rebirth, it’s Seagull Bakery . Sarah and her team run it like a well-oiled machine, and recently expanded to open two more bakeries in Waterford City and Dunmore East. I’m a fool for their seasonal cruffins, and I rarely walk out of here without at least one loaf of sourdough and a bag of pastries under my arm. They’ve recently added a pantry and wine section teeming with Irish, artisan producers and low intervention wine. Pick up one of their tote bags to bring back to all of your extremely jealous friends. Mezze Crane your head around the corner from Seagull Bakery and you’ll probably be greeted with the sight of people enjoying mezze platters in the sun, alongside a sizeable queue. I slept on Mezze for a long time and it was my loss. They make the best falafel I’ve had in Ireland, which I realise is a bold statement but you'll have to trust me on this one. On walking in you’re met with a confectionary cabinet of Middle Eastern treats flanked by a grocery and wall of wine. It’s very easy to spend money here with the staff often complimenting you on your ordering, offering tidbits of information to make you feel even more smug about your purchase. Last time I was in here I walked out with an enamel lunchbox, socks, wine, and lunch for four, my card sufficiently tapped out. Mezze is my newest obsession and I would eat lunch there every day if I could. There’s also a sun trap of a terrace out the back. Dooley's & Fancy Chips We can’t talk about Tramore without talking about chips. Chips are synonymous with Tramore, and who doesn’t love chips? If you’re talking old school then Dooley’s is your one stop shop. They do everything that a good chipper should do and special praise go to their chunky chips. New to the game is Fancy Chips , a restaurant focusing on chipper inspired food that also does takeaway. The calamari and monkfish scampi are a standout, and their homemade pepper sauce with twice cooked chips made me sing on a recent visit. There's plenty of room in Tramore for Dooley’s old school classic chips, and Fancy Chips bringing something new to the party. Fancy Chips Beach House When I heard that the folks behind Fish Shop in Smithfield were going to open a sister restaurant in Tramore I couldn’t believe my luck. Fish Shop has a fantastic, well deserved reputation, and I’m happy to say that Beach House is much more than a sister restaurant. Peter and Jumoke have a style that oozes hospitality. A menu written on a huge blackboard in beautiful, cursive writing changes regularly with the seasons, much of the vegetables coming from their garden at the back of the restaurant. The food here provides comfort in a refined way, and there’s always plenty of seafood on the menu and at least one stew or braised meat dish. Beach House had some pretty rough timing with Covid but they really made it work, pivoting with style as restrictions changed. Their at home offering single handedly kept my parents fed throughout the pandemic and soon became a hot ticket item in Dublin too thanks to nationwide delivery. Beach House has changed the food landscape of Tramore, and you can't come here and not pay them a visit. Cove Stores Tramore is the kind of town that was made for picnics. A walk to the sand hills on a sunny day carrying deli food and drinks on your back has got to be one of the best ways to spend an afternoon in Ireland. Cove Stores have you covered for all of your picnic supplies, as well as maybe the best selection of specialty food I’ve ever seen in a corner shop. Their 99 machine has become an icon in Tramore, and they've managed to perfectly blend Tramore’s old food identity with its new one. Do yourself a favour and ask for bueno sauce on your ice cream. Sea Brew Coffee Van You can hardly come to Tramore without a dip at Newtown Cove, and you’re going to want to warm yourself up afterwards (it is Ireland after all). Sea Brew Coffee Van offers specialty coffee as well as treats, breakfast and toasties to warm you up after your swim. It’s worth noting that they're only operating on weekends at the moment, but they normally expand their hours once the days get longer and the water gets warmer. Bardoe Pizza Everyone loves pizza, that’s just a fact. Sourdough pizza is something a bit different and more special though, and Bardoe Pizza offers just that. Their dough proves slowly over time so all those funky, sour notes can develop, with big air bubbles rising to the top and crisping up wonderfully in their brick pizza oven. I like a little kick to my pizza and the Diavolo at Bardoe is a hard Diavolo to top. The Vic It wouldn’t be Ireland without rounding off your evening with a pint in your local. The Vic (the sign outside might say Victoria House but don’t be fooled) offers everything that’s great about an Irish pub.Creamy pints, live music, cocktails and a roaring fire are always on the menu here. You could easily find yourself comfortably wiling away the hours, and the sea view upstairs makes it all the harder to leave this gem of a pub. The Phat Cow are often seen popping up here, slinging their loaded fries, burgers and specials like bourguignon. Quite simply, The Vic offers everything that you’d ever want from a Sunday afternoon in Tramore. Holly Dalton is the creator and chef behind Conbini Condiments , with her Japanese inspired range including Sunday Sauce, Katsu Ketchup and Onsen Hot Sauce. Try them in rice bowls, with eggs, or however else your heart desires. They're stocked across Dublin in stores and cafés including Lotts & Co, Hen's Teeth and Daddy's, and in Tramore you'll find them in Seagull Bakery. See a full list of nationwide stockists here .

We could all do with an injection of française now and then. The pastries, the wine, the general air of sophistication and arrogance - what's not to love about La Belle France? But Paris can be spenny, St Tropez overrun with the rich and fabulous (just making you feel poor and inferior), and a lot of the picture perfect places are out of the way and don't really work for a long weekend. Enter Toulouse, the answer to your mille feuille, cassoule and foie gras loving prayers... The southern French city (it's less than 200km from the Spanish border) doesn't tend to hog the headlines, but it's completely walkable, 20 minutes from the airport, and considerably cheaper than Dublin for food, wine and accommodation, making it ideal for a few food-filled nights away. We'll leave other people to fill you in on the art, architecture and multiple museums - here's where to eat and drink. Pastry Antoine Fornara If you go out of your way for one pastry palace in Toulouse, make it Antoine Fornara . It will ruin every other cake and pastry you eat for the foreseeable future, but it's worth it for the memories. There's one in the north of the city and one in the south, so no excuses, and there's very few seats in each (and constant queues) so prepare to hang around ready to pounce if you want to sit in. You won't find better pastry in the city, the chocolate eclairs will make childhood dreams come true, and the mille feuille may evoke tears. A word of warning: in Toulouse what we know as 'pain au chocolat' they call 'chocolatines'. Ask for the latter if you want them to answer you. Sandyan Right in the centre of town, Yannick Delpech's Sandyan is a point of pilgrimage for visiting pastry fans. The gateaux and patisserie sit in suspended cases like precious jewels, and the struggle to decide what to order will be very real - we found more than one trip eased the pain. You'll find everything from classics like Paris Brest and Kouign Amann, to a pastry play on boiled eggs and soldiers, and you can sit upstairs looking out over town while you dig in to their creations. Au Poisson Rose Type in "Patisserie Toulouse" into Google maps and dots will appear on every corner. Not all are the bells and whistles type, most are smaller, less Instagrammable shops like Au Poussin Rose , doing what they do and doing it very well. Locals love this place because the owners makes many cakes and pastries in miniature form, meaning you get to try more. It's also crazy value for money - you'll probably feel guilty when you get the bill. Lunch Le Magret On the first floor of the Victor Hugo market, with a wrap-around balcony overlooking the city's streets below, there's something resembling a French food court, but th is is serious restaurant stuff. La Magret is where those in the know go for Tournedos Rossini, tête de veau and all the duck you can quack at (Magret means duck breast) The French love a good set lunch and Le Magret offers it up for less than most main courses at home. The wines are local and all too easy to drink (especially in some lunchtime sunshine) and the service is friendly and helpful. Plates of jamon come from the famous Charcutier Maison Garcia downstairs, and no set French lunch is complete without a classic dessert like Rum Baba or îles Flottantes. This is food that's in no way over-complicated, best served with friends and wine on a sunny day. Le Panache One of the younger, more vibrant kids on the Toulouse restaurant block, Le Panache opened in 2020, and their Instagram feed will draw you in as fast as their dish descriptions. Expect less classic, more new wave dishes, like prawn crudo, monkfish with Japanese caviar, orange and Sabayon, or Caribbean fritters with corn and coconut. The wine list is full of delicious things to drink, but when we visited there was no physical wine list - instead you had to tell the server what you liked and she would make suggestions. Trés annoying. Dinner No. 5 Wine Bar When wine lovers land in Toulouse they head straight for No. 5 Wine Bar , where some of the world's biggest hitters can be sampled from enomatic machines. Upstairs is casual with 'tapas', meat and cheese, whereas downstairs you can do a full tasting menu with wine pairings. For us the beauty of a place like this is in being able to taste as many wines as possible, so grab a card, charge it up and get pressing those buttons. If that sounds like too much work, or you're feeling self-conscious about your wine knowledge, settle in and let the lovely, super passionate staff take care of it. Tinned pâtés and foie gras are better than you'd imagine, while the white ham sprinkled with black pepper is so good you might want a second plate. This is the type of place where you can easily have three wines on the go and no one will look twice at you, and an opportunity to try some bottles that you might not even justify a glass of at full price. Le Baluchon On a sleepy little side street lies another newcomer to the Toulouse food scene - modern bistro Le Baluchon . Opened just before Covid, this one woman kitchen does a stellar job of serving up local produce with classic leans and modern twists, all calmly served by an owner who seems to enjoy being the host. The wine list runs for pages, with prices that will have your eyes watering (with happy tears), and the menu swings from simple plates of anchovies to vol-au-vents with lamb neck and hazelnuts, and all the cheese in between. Bistronomie for 2022. Michel Sarran Recommended to us by Chapter One chef-patron Mickael Viljanen, Michel Sarran is your two-Michelin-starred experience, and frequently cited as the best restaurant in the city. It's got everything you would expect from cooking at this level (including a €165 tasting menu), and if it's good enough for Mickael... Note, they close Saturday and Sunday, so if flying in for the weekend make sure you get a booking on Friday. Une Table à Deux Another hot spot in town that shuts at the weekend, Une Table à Deux was awarded a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin guide for their "impressively curated and beautifully balanced dishes". Everything is fresh, seasonal and picked with produce front and centre, and a three-course lunch is incredible value at €25. Hito You won't find a website for Hito, just a poorly attended to Facebook page , but that hasn't stopped diners (and Michelin inspectors) descending on the French restaurant run by a Japanese chef. Dishes are creative French, with Asian touches, and they also close Saturday and Sunday, so it's midweek or nothing if you want to try that day's handwritten dishes up on the board. Cartouches Modern bistro Cartouches keeps things simple with set lunch and dinner menus, and frequently changing dishes. The room is bright and fresh, the wines are natural, and the staff are charming. Le Genty Magre More old-school than new-wave, Le Genty Magre has been around for more than 20 years, and is where you head for all the classics like duck terrine, pan-fried foie gras, and of course cassoulet. There's Champagne at under €10 a glass, and they sometimes have aligot with confit sausage... L'Entrecote You'll probably see the queues for L'Entrecote before you see the big yellow and black sign directing you to steak, frites and terrible glassware. €21 gets you the main attraction plus a salad to start, and if you're in a bind or just want something simple you could do a lot worse. Maison du Cassoulet If you find yourself walking around Toulouse on Sunday night, finding nothing but Asian and Indian restaurants open, and just wanting one more taste of France before you head home, head towards Maison du Cassoulet . Clearly aimed more at tourists than locals, the prices are higher than other places, and the portions smaller, but almost as soon as their doors open at 19:00 it fills up. It's namesake is the best dish on the menu. Drinks Buvette Buvette is a small wine bar serving tapas both inside and on the street, with a minimal wine and beer list written on a blackboard outside. Young locals come for natural Cinsault and empanadas, and it's a great pre-dinner stop if you need to kill some time in chilled out surroundings. Au Père Louis One of the oldest wine bars in Toulouse, there since 1889, Au Père Louis serves typical bistro food with a surprisingly good wine selection. Come for the character, stay for the Calvados. Café Chouchou If there's one thing Toulouse isn't short of it's bars. There are countless stops like Café Chouchou with good cocktails, Breton cider and free wifi, so no excuse for getting over-tired from all that walking. Food Shops Xavier If you like cheese, you may faint when you see inside Xavier , beside the Victor Hugo Market. Just before opening a queue starts to form outside - take your place and wait to be taken inside by one of the cheese-adoring, utterly charming staff. We thought we knew cheese, but there's so much here that's never graced a counter at Sheridan's, and we strongly recommend putting yourself solely in the hands of staff for recommendations. They'll let you taste anything, and you'll definitely leave with more than you planned, so plan your luggage accordingly. Criollo If it's chocolate you came here for, don't miss Criollo down the street. From glass cases containing slabs of handmade chocolate bars, to displays holding pick and mix truffles, bon bons and chocoate covered fruits and nuts, it's all too easy to overspend on the sweet stuff. You'll need some for walking around, for your hotel room, to take home, and any other excuses you can find to buy all the chocolate. Cave Mr Pepin When in Toulouse, drink all the (much cheaper) French wine, and Cave Mr Pepin near the centre has plenty to keep your thirst sated, from Grower Champagne, to the young guns of Burgundy, to rum and armagnac sold 'en vrac' from big glass vats. To an Irish restaurant-going wine lover the prices seem scandalously cheap, so go for the good stuff - when in France. L'Envie L'Envie is another wine shop you could easily lose an hour in, rooting through the racks and shelves, unearthing zero dosage Champagne, old Vouvray and rare Banyuls. Staff are happy to make recommendations, and there's likely to be a lot of wines here you've never seen before, so use them willingly. Markets Marché Victor Hugo The beating heart of Toulouse, Marché Victor Hugo is the kind of central market Dubliners have been screaming for for years. This should be your first stop for food shopping, with fresh bread, cheese wheels to the ceiling, all the local fruits and vegetables you can think of, fresh fish, butcher counters, cured meats, wine - it's hard to think of anything you can't find here. Sunday is a big day at the marché, with Toulousians gathering to meet friends and family around barrels and tables. One grabs the cheese, one the bread, one the wine, maybe some oysters - pick and mix eating and drinking is all part of the experience and no one seems to mind what you eat where. Don't miss Betty and Emilie for cheese, Maison Garcia for charcuterie, Bar Des Amis for drinks, and the seafood area at one end overflowing with oysters and fruits de mer platters, but it's hard to take a wrong turn in here. Marché de Saint Aubin If you happen to be in Toulouse on a Sunday, the Saint Aubin market should be right at the top of your agenda. It's a cacophony of smells, sounds, laughter and food as far as your eyes can see - whatever your French craving you'll find it here. The choice is almost overwhelming - bring your shopping bags with you - and you'll want to take home spices, terrines in tins, maybe some hand-carved spoons. Come hungry as the eating options are endless, and head straight for the Rotisserie de l'Hers, who've been here for 30 years, and for whom rotisserie chicken is an art form. There are numerous different types of full-flavoured birds, distant relatives of what's on supermarket shelves here, as well as some pork. Ask for the best (organic and free-range) and make sure to get a side of the potatoes cooked in the chicken drippings as they turn. Pull it apart with your fingers - you will never forget the taste. Where To Stay We stayed at the Mercure Centre Compans , which was about a 15 minute walk to the centre of town, and right next to the city's Japanese Gardens. It's clean, modern and our room was spacious, and a bit of a bargain at €230 for three nights in a triple room. How To Get There We flew Ryanair and got flights for around €65 per person. The whole thing was considerably cheaper than staying in various three and four-star Irish hotels for three nights, which is either depressing or cheering depending on your point of view. Want to book a different city break? Check out four other flights with great food at the end of them here .

Breakfast Caravan, Bankside & Other Locations Caravan , with six sites now across London, never seems to falter when it comes to breakfast and brunch, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a menu that involves so much difficultly in deciding what to order We've always loved the jalapeno cornbread with fried eggs, but on this visit the kimchi pancake with one of the best bacon chops we've ever tasted was in a tie for favourite plate. Their sweet dishes are just as interesting and bursting with flavour - case in point, the vanilla pancakes with lemon curd cream cheese, bay leaf and lemongrass poached pear, and pumpkin seed and sumac praline. Opened by three New Zealanders in 2010, it's relaxed, spacious and eternally consistent. Eataly, Bishopsgate Giant foot Italian food hall Eataly opened next to Liverpool Street station in April 2021, after being originally founded in Alba, Italy in 2010. It opens from 07:00 - 23:00 on weekdays (from 09:00 on weekends), and has an impressive café and patisserie on the ground floor, with fresh pasta, pizza and bread counters further back. To get from one to the other you'll walk through the tunnel like "sweet spot", featuring every Italian chocolate and sweet you could dream up. In the café we loved the apricot croissants, clearly made in house with plenty of butter and the delicate mandarina cake. We really wanted an excuse to dive into the jars of rhum baba but it was early. Coffee (from Illy) was not good, and the cannoli would have been better if they were filled on the spot, but it's a bright, central breakfast spot with loads of options to choose from. Pizza slices were crisp and generous too, but pricy at almost £10 a slice. Eataly stocks over 5,000 Italian food products and 2,000 wines over 4,000 square metres and two floors, including mozzarella made in house, fruit and vegetables from high end suppliers to the restaurant stars Natoora , and pasta shapes you've probably never seen or even heard of. It's hard to imagine anything Italian they won't have in here. Bakeries Jolene, Shoreditch Sweet little corner bakery Jolene morphed out of the original bakery and restaurant in Stoke Newington, and it's been a runaway success in Shoreditch with regular queues snaking down the street and a scramble for the limited bench seating outside. Get there post 11:00 and prepare to see the place all but ransacked. Expect Pain Suisse, filled focaccia and daily specials, and just grab whatever you can. Bread Ahead, Borough Market One of London's most famous bakeries and cookery schools, Bread Ahead makes everything you'd expect a bakery to, but they can't shake their reputation for the city's best doughnuts. They have different flavours every week, but chocolate, vanilla, jam and honeycomb are there day after day. The main bakery stand is in Borough Market, but the doughnuts can be found around the corner at the bakery on Cathedral Street. St. JOHN, Bermonsey & Borough Fergus Henderson and Trevor Gulliver's St. JOHN is a name synonymous with London. The Farringdon restaurant has seen many of the city's best chefs come up through the ranks before going out on their own, their Shoreditch 'Bread and Wine' restaurant is what small plate dreams are made of, and their bakery's doughnuts have long given Bread Ahead (above) a run for their money. Find their bakery arch on Druid Street near London Bridge from Friday - Sunday, or their seven-day bakery and wine shop in Borough. Both serve those freshly baked, jam and vanilla stuffed doughnuts, and don't leave without an Eccles cake. Little Bread Pedlar, Bermondsey A Saturday morning stroll and eating fest around Bermondsey's food markets, food arches and food-heaving industrial estates is a Londoner right of passage, and Little Bread Pedlar should be top of your list. If a more perfect almond croissant exists we haven't tried it, the pain au raisin will immediately demote most others you've tried to "inedible", and the 'cheesy thing' is an extraordinary thing. Grab a bagful and cross the road to Monmouth coffee , in an arch off St James' Street, to enjoy a flat white in a ceramic cup, perched at a counter or sitting on a wall. Don't forget to get some beans to go. Lunch & Dinner Normah's, Queensway We first heard about Malaysian Normah's in Queensway via Eater's 38 Essential Restaurants list, and if you ever get the chance to eat there, drop everything in your calendar to make it happen. Owner Normah Abd Hamid is cooking food you will still be thinking about years later - her Nasi Lemak beef rendang is made with fresh coconuts, not milk, her prawn laksa tingles with heat and brightness, her roti is so flaky you'll wonder if you're seeing things. You could fly to Kuala Lumpar and not find food as good as this (although if this happens you didn't do your research properly), and a return flight to Gatwick is so much cheaper. We're strongly considering flying in and out on the same day to eat it again... Master Wei, Holborn If you only had a day in London, Master Wei in Holborn (or sister restaurant Xian Impression in Highbury) is worth giving a precious meal over to. You won't find more jaw-dropping hand-pulled biang biang noodles anywhere. Thick and chewy, they're said to have originated in the Xian region by workers who lacked the time to make thinner noodles. The traditional Xi'an Liangpi coldskin noodles are made by washing wheat flour to produce a starchy water, that's then dried and cut into springy noodles, while the remaining solids (wheat gluten or seitan) are chopped and served on top with cucumber, beansprouts and chilli oil sauce. The whole thing is cold, and once you've had it, you'll want it again and again. We also love the tangy potato sliver salad, smacked cucumber and the Xian 'burgers', but you can't make a bad choice here. Manteca, Shoreditch Big flavours and unapologetic ingredient combinations are the name of the game at Manteca in Shoreditch. They call it "nose to tail" and "Italian-inspired", and a glass case of cured (from their in-house salumeria) meats greets you en route to the toilet. The drinks list is extensive and interesting but you could spend a whole lot of cash very quickly if you get stuck into Amaro Sharpeners before and cocktails after. The small plates are where the fun is, and don't even consider skipping the pig skin ragu with crispy skin and parmesan, or the beef battuta (like an Italian tartare) with egg yolk and chicory. Hand-rolled pastas are worth stalling over too, with the tonnarelli brown crab cacio e pepe, and the fazzoletti with duck ragu, duck fat and pangrattato two of their best. Whatever you order for dessert, be sure to follow it with their beef fat fudge. Padella, Shoreditch & London Bridge Padella at Borough Market (and now Shoreditch) has long been known for heart-breakingly long queues, and some of the best (and best value) pasta in the British Isles. Sadly prices have risen steeply since our last visit so it's no longer a lunch or dinner to throw a little at and get a lot in return, but the consistency remains remarkable, with every delicious plate of freshly made pasta tasting the same every time. The pici cacio e pepe will be one of the best examples (if not the best) you've ever tried, same for the pumpkin and ricotta ravioli with sage butter, and the fettucine with British nduja, mascarpone and lemon has been on the menu from the start for good reason. The wines are on tap, the staff are laid back, and the newer Shoreditch location seems to be marginally less slammed than the original. You can also book tables in Shoreditch, whereas the other remains a queue-ing only zone. Bao, Borough Market & Other Locations Another box to tick on the London restaurant bucket list, and an always reliable source of some of the best food around is Bao , with six locations around the city. They made it big on their namesake, with beef shortrib, curry cheese and prawn shia all options, aswell as a deep-fried option with cold-amoked aubergine, but the Yu Shiang boiled eggs and 40-day aged beef with Taipei butter rice must also be eaten when you're there. La Chingada Take the overground to Surrey Quays or the Jubilee Line to Canada Water and you'll find some of the best tacos in the city at La Chingada . We think it used to be a greasy spoon, and apart from the lifesized Mexican figure welcoming you out front and some murals on the walls, we don't think much has changed when it comes to the decor. The corn tortillas for their tacos are freshly made and organic, fresh meat is delivered daily, and all vegetables are organic too. The Tacos al Pastor with spit-roasted pork and pineapple are a prime example of the cult Mexican dish, the chorizo is a surprising winner too, and we hear the beef Suadero is one of their best but they didn't have it on when we visited. The salsas take it to Mexico city levels, but go lightly or your mouth will need a while to recover. Cheese & Dessert Pick & Cheese, Covent Garden London has a cheese conveyor belt and we can barely sleep with the jealousy. Pick & Cheese (part of The Cheese Bar group) in Covent Garden has up to 30 different plates moving around the restaurant, featuring all British cheeses paired with an accompaniment, and a few plates of cured meat. If you love cheese like we love cheese, this is a trip, and even some of the most eyebrow-raising combinations (like St. Ella goat's cheese with rose Turkish delight) hit its mark. There are also off-belt options like cheese toasties and a Port and Stilton ice-cream affogato, and desserts like a whipped rosary goat's cheese doughnut, and a yoghurt, lemon and honey cheesecake. See our Instagram Reel here . Udderlicious, Covent Garden & Other Locations Londoner's are spoilt for ice-cream 12 months of the year, with Soho a hive of choice, but in Covent Garden Udderlicious has them queuing up for made in store flavours like espresso & chocolate biscotti (amazing), custard cream, and a Bourbon sour sorbet. Customers can vote on the flavours they'd like to see in store from a compendium of options , and it's a cute place to dive in for a quick scoop away from the throngs outside. Milk Train, Covent Garden The most Instagram-worthy ice-cream in London can be found at the side of Covent Garden market, in a whimsical looking place called Milk Train . Their claim is fame is bringing "the first candy floss cone to the UK", and it's so clever, so effective, and so expensive (we paid £14 for two sundae cones with one candyfloss add on). Children (and big children) will love it, and after you tear off the candyfloss and throw it in the bin the ice-cream and add-ons are very, very good. Accommodation London hotel and guest house prices are nothing short of insane - we genuinely can't understand who is paying this amount of money to stay in them. It feels like they have (honestly) doubled since before Covid, so expect to feel disheartened once you hop on booking apps. However, we felt like we found a bargain at The Mitre in Greenwich , whose rooms above the old English pub downstairs have recently been renovated. It's equal walking distance to the national rail (8 minutes to London Bridge) or the DLR (20 minutes to Bank in the city), and it was quiet, clean and very comfortable. Greenwich is also a lovely place to base yourself, and you can even take a boat into central London. Looking at January, we found a double room from Friday - Sunday for €284 on booking.com , which trust us, is a major bargain.

Like many people, brunch is a highlight of our weekend. We tout breakfast as our favourite meal of the day (all that not eating for eight hours really works up an appetite), but enhancing a regular brekkie with a lie-in, the option of having a breakfast cocktail with zero judgement, plus an order of pancakes ‘for the table’, and it doesn't get much better. Some people hike on the weekend, we brunch. Here are our favourite spots to do it in the city centre (suburbs coming in the next mail out)... 1) Bread 41, Pearse Street The one and only Bread 41 recently opened their 'eatery' upstairs, providing an extra 40 seats for the never-ending demand. It’s only open Friday through Sunday serving a varied brunch, including a breakfast naan and a croissant eggs benedict, with all the bread and doughs made expertly in-house. Be warned however, this is a no wifi or laptop zone, so expect to unplug and enjoy your meal without any distractions. If you’re visiting during the week, you can enjoy their downstairs café as normal for pastries, breads and sandwiches. 2) Tang, Abbey Street & Dawson Street This small but mighty café on the corner of Dawson Street is best known for their Middle Eastern inspired lunches, with flavour-packed salads and perfectly marinated meats drawing in the work crowd, but their breakfast and brunch menu is another draw. Tang serves an all-day brunch on the weekends, including the perfectly spicy shakshuka which is never far from our minds, and a granola bowl that we've tried to recreate at home more times than we'd care to admit. Luckily for the people of Dublin they expanded into an additional larger location on Abbey Street a few years ago, filling a brunch shaped hole on the North side of the River Liffey. 3) As One, City Quay This bright and spacious café is based on the quays, and focuses on serving seasonal, locally sourced food that's good for your gut. As One boasts a hefty roster of the best suppliers around, including McNally Farm, Higgins Butchers, Ring Farm and Cloudpicker coffee, and their brunch menu makes good use of all of these great ingredients. While we’d love to say we would be going for their seasonal yoghurt bowl with fruit, we know when it came down to it we wouldn’t be able to resist the 'Breakfast Muffin', loaded with sausage meat, black pudding, egg and cheese. 4) Mad Yolks, Smithfield Founded by two brothers, Mad Yolks have been slinging the finest egg sambos to the hungry masses at music festivals for years, and more recently started popping up at weekend markets and in pubs in Dublin 8, Stoneybatter and Glasthule. They've since moved on to open their first permanent shop in Smithfield , so now you can head to Dublin 7 for eggy goodness and great tunes seven days a week. Look out for our Mad Yolks Once Over coming in the next mail out. 5) l'Gueuleton , Fade Street You might think it weird to be sipping on a flat white in the same place that you likely partied into the wee hours the night before, and you're dead right - it is weird, but it works. Once you get their signature Bloody Mary into you, the flashbacks of your dodgy dancing will fade into the distance, promise. The food in L'Gueuleton is not your usual bar food or brunch menu, and has something for everyone, from ham hock Eggs Benedict to steak frites. Mimosas, Bellinis and Rossinis are recommended accompaniments. 6) Brother Hubbard North, Capel Street Brother Hubbard came on the scene when there was really very little in the way of brunch menus in Dublin. Their mezze trays were a sight for sore eyes and rumbling tummies, and they immediately gained a following, and if a Middle Eastern breakfast isn't what you're after, there's always the peanut butter and jelly French toast. They expanded from the Northside to the Southside on Harrington Street, and have now gone even further south with an outpost in Ranelagh, which has been excitedly welcomed by locals. 7) Krewe, Capel Street This New Orleans-inspired kitchen say they are 'bringing the dirty south to the Northside' - to translate, this means flavour and spiced-packed Creole food like jambalaya and blacked fish tacos. For brunch Krewe switch up the traditional eggs benny and serve BBQ shrimp Po' Boys, and fried chicken on waffles with chive hollandaise and hot sauce - a nightmare for your arteries, a dream for your mouth. This spot is all about fun, so bring some friends and make sure to try their deep-south inspired cocktails. 8) Chimac, Aungier Street Did you know that the home of the KimCheese burger now has a brunch menu every Sunday? The perfect cure to any hangover, pop in to Chimac for their jalapeño hash browns and eggs, or if you’re in mood for their signature crispy chicken, you can order it loaded onto kimchi waffles. 9) Network, Aungier Street This little spot on Aungier Street is a regular coffee pitstop for us, but we also love to drop in to Network for the cheekily named 'Notions on Toast' – loaded with, you guessed it, avocado, alongside a plethora of other new-fangled toppings like dukkah and pickled ginger. Sure, we may never be able to afford a house but at least we’ve got great brunch options. 10) Blas Café, King's Inn Street Not somewhere you would come across by chance, Blas is hidden off Parnell Street in the Chocolate Factory , flanked by multi-story car parks. It’s a cosy, casual spot, and you won't find any airs or graces here, just great food. They serve brunch on Saturdays only so make your way here for some Iron Hash (full of FX Buckley pudding, rooster potatoes and topped with poached eggs), or try one of their great veggie options, like slow-cooked Blas beans on toast. 11) One Society, Gardiner Street Think of everything you crave on a brunch menu, and you’ll probably find it on One Society ’s menu, including potentially the most extensive American style pancake menu in Dublin. They generously run the brunch menu from Wednesday to Sunday so no need to wait until the weekend to satisfy your brunch cravings. 12) Urbanity, Smithfield If you’re ever getting to the hangry stage of the day, we would advise you to avoid Urbanity’s socials or it might just send you over the edge. Everything they post looks ultra colourful and ultra flavoursome, showcasing their seasonal menu which changes often. They always have interesting brunch specials, and there's a great outdoor area which we're expecting to be packed on summer weekend mornings. 13) Eathos, Baggot Street With two locations on Baggot Street, Eathos is where you head if you're feeling virtuous and ready to nourish your body. They have all sorts of healthy options like Açaí bowls and a breakfast salad, but also the option to be a bit bolder with a full Irish or a croissant filled with scrambled egg and Gubeen chorizo. You do you, but make sure you leave some room for one of their cakes - there's always room for cake. 14) Veginity, Dorset Street Veginity have won a host of awards over the years for their clever approach to vegan food. Rather than going down the bean burger and falafel route, they've successfully taken the old carnivore favourites like cheese toasties and chorizo scrambled eggs and turned them vegan. Head chef Mark Senn is very creative with his ingredients and cooking methods, and has managed to dazzle even the most staunch meat lovers. For us, the most impressive wizardry is in their pastry selection which is notoriously difficult to imitate without butter, but they've nailed it. 15) Ebb & Flow, Camden Street One of the more recent openings in the city centre, Ebb & Flow relocated from Clontarf to Camden Street in late 2021, bringing a little slice of peace to an otherwise hectic area. The sage green exterior sets the scene for the calm vibe they've become known for, and is perfect for a slow start to your day. The menu appeases carnivores and veggies alike, with dishes like an Asian pork bap, soufflé pancakes and vegan scrambled eggs. The café is owned by the team behind Full Circle coffee so expect a decent cup of joe with brekkie. 16) Herb Street, Grand Canal Dock Herb Street opened when there wasn’t much in the way of brunch destinations in Dublin, let alone in Grand Canal Dock. Luckily times have changed, but even with a glut of brekkie places at our fingertips, Herb Street have managed to hold onto that first mover advantage, with a loyal following turning up each weekend trying to get a coveted spot on their terrace. Our favourite places for brunch in the suburbs is coming in our next mail out on Tuesday 19th April...

Without the usual commute or any form of social life past 8pm, we witnessed a near mass exodus from the city to the suburbs over the last two years, with people craving a bit more space and a pleasant 5km. It wasn’t until people settled into their new home that they suddenly had the panicked thought, ‘do people in the ‘burbs brunch?!’. Of course they do hun, you haven’t moved to the moon. There are loads of great options or brunch outside of the city centre, so whether you’ve moved north, south, inland or along the coast, we've sussed out the best options for you. Northside 1) Two Boys Brew, Phibsboro Everyone knows that no one does brunch like the Australians, and Kevin and Taurean of Two Boys Brew obviously got some good inspo from their time down under. Sitting in this Phibsborough café, if you averted your eyes from the sideways rain outside you might be fooled into thinking you’re in Melbourne. The menu has tonnes of great savoury dishes like avo toast with crispy halloumi and eggs benedict with pulled beef cheek, but we can bet even the people who choose a starter over dessert would be swayed by their signature hotcake filled with stewed fruit and crème pat. 2) Slice, Stoneybatter Stoneybatter is a foodie heaven right now, with a brilliant selection of cafés and restaurants offering food from all over the world. For brunch though, we can’t resist a visit to Slice . The café is deliciously cosy, the staff are really welcoming and the food is always excellent. Lucky for us, and the people of Stoneybatter, they serve an all-day brunch six days a week, so none of this weekend only nonsense. 3) Social Fabric Café, Stoneybatter Another point for Stoneybatter, Social Fabric is located in the old post office which they have transformed into a friendly, casual space. Their brunch menu is varied, with a very generous looking full Irish alongside porridge, granola and pancakes, plus more. They're vegan and vegetarian friendly, and also serve Cloudpicker coffee, so you’re sure to get a decent flat white. 4) The Pigeon House, Clontarf This neighbourhood spot in Clontarf has been serving consistently great food for years and their brunch offering is no different. They have all the classics, but we've also spied more unusual options like grilled brisket with spiced beans and chimichurri. Their buttermilk pancakes with peanut butter ganache and salted caramel give us a filling just thinking about it, but your sweet-toothed friend/child/self would be all over it. 5) Póg, Howth & Malahide Póg is pancake central, with a full menu of sauces, toppings and premium add ons for their signature protein pancakes. If that's not your deal there's also avo toast, breakfast brioche and acai bowls. Although they started in the city centre, the last couple of years have seen them expand to the North Dublin suburbs of Howth and Malahide, and their newest location is coming to Clontarf soon. Dublin 8 6) Daddy's, Rialto Daddy’s has been knocking it out of the park since they opened in late 2019, bringing their modern Irish dishes to the streets of Rialto. They do an all-day brunch menu on the weekend, and have a few brunch style dishes on their weekday menu. The croissandwich is what we’d be ordering any day of the week. That or the Turkish eggs. Decisions, decisions... 7) Two Pups, Francis Street This dog-friendly joint in the Liberties is the perfect place to hit up for breakfast, pup or no pup. They have an excellent supplier list, using McCarthy’s of Kanturk for black pudding, McNally Farm for veg, Firehouse Bakery for their bread and Lilliput for their cheese and meats, so, you can be sure that whatever you’re eating is going to be full of the best ingredients around. 8) The Fumbally, Fumbally Lane Some of the best chefs and food entrepreneurs in Ireland have ‘graduated’ from the Fumbally , which operates a non-hierarchical kitchen, allowing everyone the equal chance to create new menu items. This freedom has paid off for both the employees and the café, with a queue of hopeful young chefs waiting in the wings to get their shot (or before there were chronic staff shortages anyway). It's almost as long as the queue of hungry millennials gagging for brunch on a Saturday morning. 9) ALMA, Portobello Another Portobello diamond, ALMA is a family operation, with the name stemming from the four initials of the children, and you’ll usually see one or more of them on the floor. ALMA is bringing an Argentinian twist to the traditional brunch and they’re doing it very well, with interesting dishes such as choripan Argento which features Argentinian-style sausage on sourdough. Our favourite though, would have to be dulce de leche pancakes. We repeat – dulce. de. leche. pancakes. Whelp! 10) 31 Lennox, Portobello An Italian-style brunch is something we didn’t think we needed until 31 Lennox came around. Think toasted focaccias, ribollita (Tuscan bean soup), mortadella filled croissants, cannellini toast and of course some good quality Italian sausage. Brunch is available all day Saturday and Sunday. 11) Groundstate Coffee, The Liberties This café roastery based in the Liberties, Dublin 8 works with small growers for their coffee beans and roast everything in small batches in-house. They're keen to use quality local suppliers and they are certainly nailing this with McNally Farm, Firehouse Bakery and Pigs on the Green on their roster. Expect to see a few yogis pottering around as the spaces transforms into a yoga studio in the evening, and their menu reflects their clientele with overnight oats a popular order, but don’t worry, you can also over-indulge with French toast or their brekkie brioche bun. 12) Storyboard, Island Bridge If you find yourself in the Island Bridge neighbourhood, it can seem a bit food-starved, but luckily there is one saving grace - Storyboard . Their menu is ever-changing, always using seasonal and sometimes unusual ingredients. We fell for their kimchi pancakes when they first opened, and made many a detour to pick up a coffee from them during lockdown to fuel another walk around Phoenix Park. 13) Bibi's, Portobello & Dun Laoghaire This quiet but buzzy little spot in Portobello has recently opened a seaside outpost in Dun Laoghaire, but the original in Portobello is always a go-to when we’re thinking about where to grab brunch in town. Go early to grab a table and settle in with a coffee and a plate of their Turkish eggs. Get a few of their signature brownies to go to round off your weekend nicely. Southside 14) Grove Road, Rathmines Located right at Portobello Bridge, you’ll want to try nab a window seat here for peak people watching as you sip your coffee. Grove Road serves brunch all day on the weekends and even have a smaller brunch menu that they serve all day during the week, so you don’t need to wait until the weekend to enjoy their avocado and feta smash toast with properly crispy bacon. 15) Dillinger's, Ranelagh If you’re in the mood for a brunch that might turn into lunch that might turn into dinner, Dillinger's is where it's at, with a lively offering from 11am on Saturdays and Sundays. Dillinger's takes as much pride in their drinks as their food, so you can pick from host of cocktails to complement your full Irish or shakshouka. We can recommend their signature Bloody Mary, or if you’re with a gang get the mimosa & bellini tray to ease yourselves gently into the weekend. 16) Happy Out, Donnybrook We can always recommend a trip out to Bull Island to pick up a coffee and toastie from Happy Out before a walk, but if the weather is a bit wild or your head is feeling a bit too tender, try their new outpost in Donnybrook. Well, we say new, they have been on the go for well over a year now but between the jigs and the reels of lockdowns, they’re only getting a good shot at it their full sit-in brunch menu now. We’ve only had the pleasure of trying the breakfast bap so far, but we are loving what we’re seeing pop up on our feeds each week. 17) Junior's, Beggar's Bush Juniors is owned by brothers Paul and Barry McNeary, who are also behind Paulie's Pizza and Lotts and Co., and it’s been on the go for years, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. However just before lockdown they nabbed Fiachra Kenny (ex-head chef of The Old Spot) and they took the closure period as an opportunity to revamp the menu. The theme is American-style diner with stacked buttermilk pancakes, buttermilk chicken and waffles, and smash burgers, and they’ve been getting great reviews ever since. This is where we’d head for some recovery after a late night. 18) Five Points, Harold's Cross Five Points in Harold’s Cross is a 3fe creation, so you’re destined for good coffee if you go (we would go out of our way for one of their oat flat whites made exclusively with the Dublin Oat Co. oat milk), but they also offer a stellar brunch line up. With simple sounding names like ‘Eggs on Toast’ or ‘Pancakes’ you’d be forgiven for thinking they haven’t put a huge amount of thought into the lineup, but the beauty of this menu is in their add-ons. Sure, you could get regular pancakes with honey butter (yum), or you could load them up with fried chicken, seasonal fruit or sausage. The world is your oyster with this menu so go forth and row your own boat. 19) Hatch, Blackrock Hatch in Glasthule has been a regular coffee destination for us, but the space here is limited so they always kept it simple with coffees, pastries and treats. Luckily for us and the locals of southside Dublin, they expanded to Blackrock with a much bigger premises in the last couple of years. They serve a small brunch menu, which includes some of the nicest mushrooms on toast we have tasted, and we beg you not to miss out on their Hatch swirl which is only available from the Blackrock branch and scooped a silver medal in the prestigious Blas na hÉireann awards. This is the perfect spot early birds/parents too us as they start serving from 8am on the weekend, and 7am midweek. 20) Fable + Stey, Blackrock A true neighbourhood café, some of the most local locals don’t even know it’s here. Hidden off Newtownpark Avenue, Fable + Stey serve a constantly changing menu with monthly specials taking pride of place. Their brunch is no different so keep an eye on their Instagram to see what they’re serving up, and always leave room for their homemade bakes. 21) Overends Kitchen, Airfield Estate Sitting on the large Airfield Estate in Dundrum, Overends Kitchen has probably the most locally grown produce around as most of it is grown on the grounds, and their menus change depending on the harvest. It’s a family friendly spot and designed to be explored and enjoyed by all. You could arrive early and help collect the eggs that will end up in your breakfast, or burn off some of your brunch with a walk around the six acre gardens. Either way, you won’t be disappointed by the garden greens shakshuka, buttermilk fried chicken and waffles, and brioche French toast. Look for brunch in the city ? Check out our guide to brunch in the city centre here .

When we think back to our younger, care-free, 2019 selves, one thing (other than the obvious) has changed - our ability to make spontaneous dinner plans. We’ve been through 8pm closures, restaurant meal kits, even nibbled on a compulsory €9 toastie in order to enjoy a long-awaited beverage in public, and with pent-up demand meaning the first half of 2022 was spent desperately seeking any free table, it’s no wonder its taking a while to shake off the meticulous pre-planning mindset. If you're also missing the ability to head out for a quality meal without the fuss of pre-booking weeks in advance, these 20 places are perfect for a walk in... Frank's, Camden Street Sip on an extensive selection of natural wines by the bottle or glass and perch yourself on one of the signature green barrels at Frank’s on Camden Street. They've got a rotating menu of fresh and exciting small plates from chef David Bradshaw, like potato bread with sour cream, roe and chives, and Hegarty's cheddar crumpets with wild garlic, and are “walk-in only”. We recommend sharing some outside while basking in the evening sun, and don’t skip on the charcuterie. Nomo Ramen, Charlotte Way No bookings are needed at Nomo Ramen , which is good to know when that need for a Hirata bun hits. Order yourself some of the best ramen in the city with a side of mushroom karaage and wash it all down with a few Asahis – they now have it on tap. And if anyone says you can’t have a big bowl of comfort food in summer, you sent them our way. Read our once over here . 777, George's Street 777 are walk-in only for bookings under six people. Check out their contemporary twist on Mexican food along with their very popular margaritas, and if you pop in on Sundays you can save yourself a few quid with selected dishes and drinks €7.77. Bargains and Margs, what's not to like. Masa, Drury Street Sticking with Mexican, Masa on Drury Street is also walk-in friendly. With a newly kitted out interior, grab a stool inside or sit at one of their window tables (half in, half out) and enjoy fish tacos, tortilla chips with a range of salsas and frozen margaritas. The Seafood Café, Temple Bar Niall Sabongi’s idea of “super fresh seafood in a relaxed atmosphere, where people can get their fish on” is a simple concept which delivers on quality. They only offer a small part of The Seafood Café up for reservations, so walk-ins are encouraged. Don’t miss their oyster happy hour daily from 16:00 - 17:00, with naked oysters €2 and topped/torched ones €3. Loose Canon, Drury Street Sometimes you just want a simple summer dinner of wine and cheese, or cheese toasties, or small plates and cheese, and Loose Canon ticks all the boxes. We love “The Classic” toastie with Hegarty’s cheddar, 18 month aged Coolea, homemade bechamel and scallions, toasted to perfection on Le Levain Sourdough bread. Walk on in and have it paired with a top natural wine. Chimac, Aungier Street Chimac needs no introduction at this stage - casual dining at its finest, pairing Korean fired chicken with Irish craft beer. We can’t fault their burgers - our current favourite is the “Good Good” with twice fried free range chicken; ssamjang and cheddar cheese sauce; honey and jalapeno relish; and habanero mayo served in a potato bun with house pickles. If you're looking for a non-burger option, try the Chimac poutine - twice fried handcut chips; Szechuan spice mix; adobo gravy; ssamjang cheese sauce; siracha candied bacon; free range chicken 'nugs' and spring onion. Cornucopia, Wicklow Street A vegan restaurant your non-vegan friends will also enjoy, Cornucopia specialises in hearty, plant-based dishes that don’t lack in flavour. Their 'main course and two salads' deal is an absolute steal for the sheer amount of food you get. Choose from favourites including veggie lasagne and moussaka, and pile up a plate with their potato salad and slaws, then grab a seat in the cosy upstairs dining room. Coke Lane Pizza, Lucky's and The Circular, Dublin 8 Coke Lane Pizza are constantly trying (and succeeding) to elevate the traditional Neapolitan pizza. We feel like running to try out their latest special with Tír Deli, “The Smoked Margarita” with Irish sunstream tomatoes smoked for three hours over applewood chips, Toonsbridge Fior di Latte, 18-month-aged Parmesan and Irish basil. Firing up ovens in both The Circular in Rialto and Lucky's on Francis Street , they guarantee a fun-filled pizza night. Zakura Sushi, Baggot Street & Wexford Street If you’re craving something lighter like sushi (depending on the quantity you eat of course), you can’t go wrong with Zakura . Currently with three locations in the city serving fresh made-to order sushi rolls, along with other Japanese favourites Donburi (rice bowls), tempura and Yaki Soba. You can also BYOB for €6 per bottle. Happy Endings, Aston Quay Inspired by global street food flavours and specialising in fried chicken, Happy Endings is a fun spot to check out for dishes like Ho Chi Minh honey tenders and “The Jimmy Burger" with mission spice buttermilk chicken; pineapple and habanero chutney; peanut and lime satay sauce; slaw; mayo and dry roasted peanuts. They also serve buckets of cocktails if you've had a hard week. Full Moon Thai, Temple Bar Full Moon Thai on Parliament street is all about bringing fresh, legit Thai food to Dublin in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. There's a wide range of traditional dishes, and prepare your palate to be hit with the four essential flavours of Thai cuisine - spicy, sour, sweet and salty. Read our once over here . CN Duck, Ranelagh We're still thinking about the Hong-Kong style roast meats we had at CN Duck in Ranelagh. This place was designed for spontaneous, casual dining but that does not affect the quality. Grab a few friends and order a feast of roast duck, crispy pork belly and juicy Cantonese soy chicken. You can also BYO for €6 a bottle. Read our once over here . Aobaba, Capel Street Still one of the best-value for money restaurants around, Aobaba has an almost a cult-like following at this stage. Grab a stool inside or a table on the recently pedestrianised Capel street, and try anything on the menu. Start with a few summer rolls, a steaming bowl of Pho, or a grilled pork banh mi, and follow up with a tall, iced Vietnamese coffee for dessert. Dash Burger, Capel Street Dash Burger ’s Capel street location has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating for you to satisfy those last minute smash burger cravings. We'll race you there to try the Allta shitake miso butter collab before they sell out. Arisu Sushi & BBQ A spontaneous activity and dinner all in one, in Arisu you can go for one of their BBQ sets and grill your own meat, fish and vegetables at your table. Served with salads and complimentary Korean side dishes or “banchan”, of kimchi, miso soup and seaweed for the table, it's a full experience, and one you will not be leaving hungry. Kimchi Hophouse, Parnell Street You and your dining companion can’t choose between Korean or Japanese food? Hit up Kimchi Hophouse on Parnell Street which does both, with some Irish pub thrown in for good measure. It's Dublin's oldest Korean restaurant with plenty of bibimbap, japchae and zigae, but there's a full sushi menu too, in a casual pub-like setting. Lee's Charming Noodles Once you’ve had a hand-pulled noodle you can’t go back. Lee’s Charming Noodles on Parnell Street have made it their mission to bring the widest and best choice of noodles to the city. Serving everything from soup noodles and chow mein, to spicy noodle mix and traditional Chinese stir fries, it's one of the best places to eat in Dublin's version of Chinatown. Pho Kim, Parnell Street Another one of our Vietnamese go-to restaurants, Pho Kim on Parnell street was formerly Pho Viet (and we have no idea why the name changed as apparently it's business as usual). Get the Cha Gio (Vietnamese Spring rolls), Vietnamese pancakes, and any of their rice vermicelli dishes - ours is a Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio, with marinated pork and pork spring rolls. Dosa Dosa, Stoneybatter South Indian Street food is finally getting the love it deserves in Dublin, thanks to two Dosa Dosa locations - one at Albert Court East off Grand Canal Street Lower (Wednesday - Sunday), and their newest location at Hyne's Bar in Stoneybatter. We’ve tried all the Dosa at this point and picking a favourite would be like picking a favourite child/dog/fingernail. Don't miss the Vada either - pillowy lentil dumplings with peppercorns, curry leaves and chili, served with onion chutney and sambar. Read our once over here . Did we miss your favourite place for a walk-in? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, especially if the city’s menus and café windows are anything to go by. We’ve looked on in glee as our social feeds have started to fill up with mince pies, puddings, and hot chocolates - and December isn’t even here yet. Here are some of the best-looking (and sounding) Christmassy dishes in Dublin right now — and if it's a Christmas sandwich you're after check out our guide on where to get the best Christmas sandwiches in the city . Mince pies, No Messin' If you eat one mince pie this festive season, make it a No Messin' mince pie. What must be some of the world's finest launched last week with pre-order available online right up to Christmas eve (although loads of dates are already booked out). The buttery, flaky, Irish butter pastry filled with dried vine fruits, spices and suet (that they've rendered themselves) take three days to make, and need to be tasted for the hype to be believed. Mont d’Or, Fallon & Byrne Most of the selections on this list are unsurprisingly sweet, but it just wouldn’t be Christmas without sickening quantities of cheese. Nothing has come so close to giving us whiplash as the sight of this oozing, baked Mont d’Or now being served in Fallon & Byrne 's wine cellar. You’ll want to watch this one on a loop. Spiked hot chocolate, Honey Truffle The hot chocolate field gets more and more crowded every year, and we love seeing new and interesting twists on a hot drink staple. Points to Honey Truffle then for not just using a rich chocolate ganache in theirs, but spiking it up with a dash of Kraken spiced rum. If this doesn’t warm you up on a winter's stroll around town, nothing will. Christmas sausage roll, Meltdown When it comes to savoury seasonal fare, the bulging Christmas sandwich is more or less the only game in town, but Meltdown have taken it upon themselves to branch out with a Christmas sausage roll. Stuffing and cranberry sauce meet the usual pork filling, and colour us curious. Mincemeat Financier, Two Pups Another trés inventive take on a classic, Two Pups have cooked up a mince pie in financier form. The light almond crumb of this French cake seems like a perfect fit for the fruitiness of mincemeat, and as fond fans of the frangipane-topped varieties of mince pie we’re pretty confident this is going to be a winner. Mince pie danish, The Pepper Pot Cafe Given it’s a time when comfort food reigns, it can be a risk to stray too far from tradition where Christmas dishes are concerned. We think The Pepper Pot Café have hit on just the right balance of innovation with this mince pie danish. It helps that it’s really pretty too. Chocolate biscuit pudding, Farmhouse Café One of the more creative-looking confections on the list, The Farmhouse Café ’s chocolate biscuit pudding would make for a great Christmas dinner centrepiece. It’s filled with Digestives and Mars Bar bits, encased in milk and dark chocolate, and finished with a white chocolate layer. There’s a gluten-free version available too. Mince pies, Bread 41 “Is it ever too early?” Bread 41 asked when launching their mince pies last week, and when they’re as good as this the answer is a resounding no . With a fluffy crumble topping and a scattering of icing sugar on top, this is a straightforward version of the classic done very well. Ice cream sandwiches, Cold Boi You’ll have to move quickly to have any hope of snapping up one of Cold Boi ’s Christmassy ice cream sandwiches: the original batch of December deliveries sold out inside of 24 hours. No surprise with flavours including Baileys tiramisu and chocolate chip cinnamon roll. Fingers crossed for a follow-up supply. Nutella panettone, Sugarloaf It’s wall-to-wall panettones in supermarkets and bakeries all over the city right now, and while we’d never dare to complain about such a thing, we can’t pretend Sugarloaf Bakery ’s unique variation didn’t come as a little bit of a relief. It’s filled with Nutella and powdered milk truffle, and we’re dying to know if it tastes as good as it looks. Apple snap, Soup Two Mulled wine and hot ports aside, Christmassy drinks have seemed a bit slower off the mark this year. That means Soup Two ’s apple snap caught our eye all the more, with its star anise-topped combo of spiced apple, cider and brandy. Mince pies, The Bakery by the Cupcake Bloke You get the picture by now: we really like a mince pie, so we had to end on a good one. The Cupcake Bloke is speaking our language with no fewer than three variations this year, including a classic, a cherry and chocolate, and an especially OMG combo of bacon, cheddar and pear. If anyone's looking for us we’ll be in Rialto.

What should we know about The Window Box? It's a cute little food truck in a yard down a laneway, just off the main street in the somewhat sleepy village of Rathfarnham. There aren't many reasons to come out and eat here (apart from high end chipper Salt & Vinegar ), and some of our readers had told us that The Window Box was one of the only things that kept them going during multiple lockdowns. It's owned and run by Robyn Lawlor, who's been working on the Dublin chef circuit for almost 20 years. What's the menu like? They open for breakfast and lunch from Monday - Saturday. Breakfast is pancakes, granola or a bacon and egg butty. Lunch is sandwiches and salads. There's also a daily special. We can never resist a special, so went for the classic pastrami with ruby slaw and Swiss cheese on soft rye bread. The filling was jammed with flavour, with juices from the slaw dripping down our hands, and came with the most beautiful garnish on top of lettuce and pickles. Our only complaint was that the rye bread could have tasted more homemade - even if it wasn't. We also had the New York grilled reuben which you shouldn't leave without trying.. Shaved pastrami, Swiss cheese and choucroute come on (much better) sourdough, and the whole thing has been toasted. A pretty perfect sandwich specimen. Never one to skip our salads, we also tried the Lebanese mezze bowl, which had plenty of texture and flavours with Imam Bayaldi (stuffed aubergines), preserved lemon labneh, tender stem broccoli, couscous, spiced roast veg, pickles and hummus, but unfortunately came with a leathery, dry flatbread underneath. A little homemade number would have improved things immensely, or even a better bought in version. The biggest disappointment here was a scone which the server told us was homemade despite its uniform shape, but as soon as we cut through its dry, powdery middle, we knew it had started life in a freezer. Homemade gooseberry jam helped things a little, but most of it went in the bin and we wished we'd taken the jam home to have on toast. What about the drinks? Coffee (from Irish company Fixx) was excellent, and we loved seeing the lesser spotted Cortado on the menu (possibly the most under-rated coffee of all time). Apart from that you'll find the usual suspects of tea and hot chocolate, as well as iced teas and coffees. Why should I go? It's a very genuine, tiny business providing much needed breakfast and lunch options in an under-served area. That Reuben would be the ultimate reward after a hike in the Dublin mountains (or to fuel up before going), and although they weren't on when we visited we've heard great things about their tacos too. The Window Box 21 Main Street, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 instagram.com/the.window.box

An often overlooked and underrated dish, here at All the Food we're longtime lovers of the humble bowl of soup. For lunch or dinner, we're firm believers that good soup is a perfect meal in its own right, but can also be souped-up (sorry) with a toastie or some good bread and butter on the side. We’re also of the opinion that soup is a year-round affair which should not suffer any seasonal pigeon-holing. There’s a definite uptick in chilled soups like gazpacho on menus but, let’s face it, with Irish weather we’re usually in need of warming up in the middle of July. So where do we turn when we’re craving the comfort of a truly great bowl? We’ve had our fair share of lack-lustre, and quite frankly lazy, bowls of ‘vegetable soup’ (you can get lucky, but at the very least please enlighten us as to which veg has gone into the pot. The point is, we know a good soup is hard to find. And just like love, it’s worth waiting for the right one to come along, because bad soup is sad soup. Here are some of our favourite spots in the city, and we continue our quest to uncover the city's best... Honey Truffle, Pearse Street A popular lunch spot and independently run café with a mission to serve the best of Irish ingredients, Honey Truffle has a great selection of sandwiches and salads, as well as great coffee on tap, but for us their soup specials are always very special. Exhibit A: roasted butternut squash, parsnip, caramelised onion and ginger soup, topped with toasted chorizo and chive and herb dressing, showing all those other vegetable soups who's boss. Pho Kim, Parnell Street When we think about a comforting, warming bowl of soupy goodness, our mind wanders to Asia, and the home of pho, Vietnam. This fragrant dish consists of broth, rice noodles, herbs and meat, and we’re lucky to have a few great Vietnamese spots in Dublin. This extra spicy Bún Bò Huế from Pho Kim is a variation on the classic pho, made with beef and pork broth, and using vermicelli round rice noodles. With a bowl of this in our hands and our eyes closed we could be wedged on a plastic stool in hot and humid Hanoi instead of tucked inside on blustery Parnell Street. Little Bird, South Circular Road Cute vegetarian café and yoga studio Little Bird has been serving great coffee and veggie food on the South Circular Road since 2015, and their menu always includes a homemade (vegan and gluten free) soup of the day. We can’t think of a better option for a healthy lunch post-yoga class than this recent pea and mint, topped with coconut drizzle and chili flakes. Namas-tasty. Oxmantown, Smithfield Churning out whopper sandwiches in Smithfield for years, Oxmantown ’s soups also deserve their flowers. Much like the bread-based options, the lunchtime soups on offer are as creative as they are delicious – like their recent Mexican tortilla. This spicy tomato broth with mixed beans is topped with lime crema, avocado and crispy tortillas, and is a regular lunchtime hero. The Ramen Bar, Dublin 2 In a close tie with pho, our other Asian soup craving has to be the mighty Ramen. This Japanese (by way of China) delicacy packs a punch and The Ramen Bar on South William Street has a long list of ramen options. They purchased Ireland’s first state of the art ramen noodle making machine in the city of Kagawa, and make all of their noodles fresh on site. Chinese-style wheat noodles are served in a meat or fish based broth, flavoured with miso or soy, with toppings like pork, fried seaweed, bamboo shoots and green onions, all topped with a fried egg. Nomo, Dublin 2 One of the most hyped openings of 2022, Nomo Ramen take a simpler approach to their ramen, with noodles imported from the US and three main options - chicken, pork or vegan. The broth is so immensely creamy you'll wonder what magic is at work behind the counter, and ramen purists can be found propping up the counter day and night. Jaru, Dublin 14 Korean owned and run Jaru , operating out of Nutgrove, started off life as a college project in DIT Cathal Brugha Street and has been producing Korean foods with Irish ingredients and traditional family recipes since 2016. Their meals and products are traded in a number of weekly markets in Dublin including soups like this Galbitang beef short rib soup – a hearty, nourishing dish with delicate flavours. Blas Café, Dublin 1 Sometimes we wish Blas Café was our little secret, but it’s not and that wouldn’t be fair to everyone else anyway. This blissful hideaway can be found behind Cineworld on Parnell Street, and is one of our favourite places to go for lunch or a coffee and treat. There’s always a soup of the day on the menu, like this recent take on the love it-or-hate it ‘Marmite’ of Dublin, the coddle. There are few things better than sneaking in here on a rainy afternoon for a rib-sticking lunch while getting stuck into a good book. But shhhh, don’t tell anyone…. Three Storey, Dublin 2 The quest for Dublin’s best seafood chowder deserves its very own guide, but we thought we'd give a nod to this new kid on the block for a gallant effort. Three Storey opened their café, “spritzeria” and cocktail bar in March of this year, and a bowl of this creamy chowder in the bar, with the prerequisite soda bread accompaniment, would go down a treat if you need somewhere to dive in from the winter rain. yy Neon, Dublin 2 Asian-inspired Neon has been a Camden Street stalwart for as long as we can remember, and is one of the only places in town (the only?) where you can serve yourself a '99 ice cream. Which is either the best or the worst business idea, entirely dependent on your customers' skill sets. Digressions aside, their version of the world-famous Thai hot and sour prawn soup, Tom Yam Goong or Tom Yum, is the perfect way to get some heat into your bones on a cold day, or knock a stuffed nose on the head. Richmond, Dublin 8 Buzzy neighbourhood restaurant Richmond ’s recent menu addition caught our eye, and although it may be considered by some to be a pasta dish, we’re claiming it for soup territory. This comté cheese ravioli, served in an onion broth, would have us practicing for the egg and spoon race, without the egg, all the way to Portobello. Cornucopia, Dublin 2 Open since 1986, Dublin institution Cornucopia was, for quite some time, the only place in the city where you could get decent vegetarian and vegan food. How far we have come. They always have at least one if not two soup options on their menu, and we love choosing from their freshly baked bread selection (decisions, decisions). Then, tray in hand, we scurry around and try to nab a steamy window seat, for one of the best people-spotting locations in town. The Pepper Pot Café, Dublin 2 Another one of our long-time favourites, The Pepper Pot Café in the Powerscourt Centre, always has a soup of the day we find hard to resist.. They can sell out fast though, so be sure to get their early to avoid disappointment (this literally happened to us last week). Their hearty soups, like this beautiful minestrone, come served with their delicious freshly baked breads, and we think they're perfection. Legit Coffee Co, Dublin 8 This little spot on Meath Street is the perfect place to settle into on your lunch break. Legit serving great coffee, sandwiches, sweet treats and the daily soups are seriously delicious. We’re still not quite sure if we prefer to pronounce this Liberties cafe’s name ‘legit’ as in short for ‘legitimate’, or as we’ve also heard it called, ‘leg it’, as in ‘you better leg it in here for soup before we’ve eaten it all’. Two Pups, Dublin 8 Staying in the Dublin 8 neighbourhood is one of our top brunch – and also dog-friendly – establishments. Two Pups just gets it right, and the same can be said for their soups, including this classic Dahl that they’ve been serving for years. Crave-inducing stuff that will warm your belly and sooth your worries away.

What should we know about Kodiak? It's a behemoth of a bar in Rathmines where Copan used to be, from the same guys who own pizza and craft drinks focused Bonobo in Smithfield. It's the same quality vibe in here, from the interiors to the drinks list, the service to the simple but hits it home food menu. What did you drink? First things first, is there a better bar beer list in the country? Answers on a postcard please, because we haven't come into contact with one. Beer lovers will lose their minds over the sours, stouts, ales, Belgians, IPA's, the sharing bottle 'rares' - this is as far from a brewery bought beer list as you can imagine. Ask the staff for recommendations or go for a lucky dip. Lough Gill Brewery 's 'Pain and Perfection - Mango, Guava and Passion Fruit Pastry Sour was on tap when we visited, and it's one of the most delicious beers we have EVER tasted. We also had a less sour sour from Lervig in Norway, and a Pilsner from Danish brewery To Øl - no complaints. You could come in here every week for a year and still find something new to try. They put the same welly into their cocktails, which range from a classic Margarita to a Kodiak whiskey sour with Amaro Montenegro. We tried the Spicy Margarita and order it with extreme caution, and a cold milk chaser. At one point it went down the wrong way and that was a scary, burny few seconds. What about the food? Things are simple here with a pizza menu and a couple of bits and dips. The pizza oven is upstairs and you'll get a good gawk on route to the toilet, where you'll also get atrium views of the room below. It's a great-sounding menu ranging from a basic Margherita to one with truffle, orange and pistachios, and there's loads of add-ons. We had the 'Potato & Pancetta' with a white base, rosemary roasted potato and smoked pancetta, knowing the fans it has in Bonobo , and it's a great pizza, with a perfectly light and airy Neapolitan dough. It's rich and we probably wouldn't have wanted a whole for one person, but half was perfect, and they come in takeaway boxes so easy to bring home if you have any left. (You guys have also told us the 'Sausage' and the 'Truffle & Orange Zest' are two of your favs) The 'focaccia' is more like garlic pizza bread - a salty, garlicy, chewy carb-fest - but the 'spicy creamy nduja' was a bit of a dud - too solid for a dip, and missing the creaminess in the name. Why should I go? Apart from the food and drinks, the staff in Kodiak were so welcoming and warm. We were greeted twice within seconds of walking in, and despite the place being packed on a Saturday evening, we were never left trying to wave someone down. These guys hire well. Staff and management were more than happy to spend time geeking out on drinks, and if they didn't have the answer to a question (we always have all the questions) they went and got it. These guys are the bar operators our drink-soaked city needs, and we can't wait to go back with a gang. Kodiak 304 Rathmines Road Lower, Dublin 6 instagram.com/kodiak_rathmines

November's monthly 9 giveaway is live! From lunch at The Shelbourne to dinner in a magical Christmas courtyard, restaurant vouchers to cookie and olive oil subscriptions , our nine monthly giveaways is a small way to thank our supporters for letting us stay #ad, #collab and #invite free - and we hope you prefer things that way too . Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders by midnight on Thursday 17th November will be entered into the draw, and winners will be picked and notified on Friday 18th November. Here's what's in this month's line up... 1) Sunday lunch for two at The Shelbourne We've recently noticed Sundays having a higher dose than usual of the Sunday fear, but fear note, we've got the antidote. A three-course Sunday lunch with a bottle of wine for two in The Saddle Room at The Shelbourne will dispel any thoughts of work on Monday, and we're sending one of you off to try it out. We recommend a visit before the end of the year when the Christmas decorations and lighting will be out in force - a perfect way to start the festivities. 2) A €120 voucher for Indo-Chine, Dublin 4 Indo-Chine , inspired by South East Asian flavours is the newest addition to D4 (where Le Perroquet used to be), and we've got a €120 voucher to give to one of you this month so you can sample the 'Bo La Lot', whole sea bream with Asian slaw, and plenty of their Asian-inspired cocktails. There's a DJ at the weekends, and while dancing isn't essential, bringing someone who shares food is. 3) Two Tickets to Christmas in the Courtyard Christmas is coming to the courtyard and by courtyard, we mean a glass mansion on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham , from 24th November - 18th December. To celebrate the launch we've two tickets for one of their 4-course Christmas festive lunches (on Friday 2nd, Friday 9th & Sunday 11th December) designed by Michelin Starred Chef Danni Barry, with a complimentary glass of bubbles on arrival. It will be an afternoon of fun, festivity, fine dining and live music from the Swingcats, and you can tell all your friends you were in a glass mansion... at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Check out Christmas in the Courtyard here . 4) Afternoon Tea for two at Carton House, Kildare We've been dying to get a look inside the newly refurbished five-star hotel Carton House in Kildare, but one of you are going to beat us to it as we have an afternoon tea for two in the Gold Salon room to give away. We can confirm there will be buttermilk scones, clotted cream, sandwiches, sweet treats and most importantly a glass of champagne each, and if you're going just for the interiors, that's also a valid reason to visit. There are also vegan, gluten-free and vegetarian menus which can be booked in advance. Dates subject to availability and T&Cs apply. 5) Champagne and Oysters from Sligo Oyster Experience Sligo Oyster Experience will be delivering a taste of the Wild Atlantic Way from the shore to the door of one ATF Insider this month, with one of its signature ‘Fresh From The Sea’ Champagne & Oyster Gift Boxes worth €100. It includes a dozen Sligo bay oysters, a bottle of champagne, recipe book, Wildwood barrel-aged wild balsamic blackberry vinegar, Scarlet For Yer Ma whiskey hot sauce, an Irish seaweed Blend by Prannie Rhatigan, lemon and red onion for serving, a shucking knife, and a handmade oyster shell candle. We love the idea of enjoying quality oysters at home with zero fuss, and if you do too, they're available here . 6) A Three-Month Cookie Subscription from Good Fortune Cookies We've been hearing tales of 'Corkies' , including Barrys' Tea shortbread, Beamish cookies and Hadji Bey Rose Cookies, coming from 'the real capital', and Sarah Cremin is the woman behind Cork-based Good Fortune Cookies . The pandemic-born business has been supplying the goods tor cookie connoisseurs countrywide using premium quality, local and ethically sourced ingredients, and there's no palm oil in sight. We've got a Three Month 'Treat & Repeat' Cookie Subscription to give away this month, meaning freshly baked, seasonally-inspired cookies direct to your door, and if that doesn't satisfy your cookie cravings, nothing will. 7) Oui Chef Corkscrew and a Case of Róisín Curley Wines Oui Chef produce some of the best tools for chef kitchens (you'll find them in Aimsir, Dede and Bastible among others), and the small Irish company has recently added a corkscrew to their range, complete with the option of personalisation. We've got one to give away this month (with either your own name of the name of a lucky recipient), and they're also throwing in five bottles of wine from brilliant Irish winemaker Róisín Curley so you can put it to good use. Time to get out the fancy wine glasses. 8) A year's subscription to Sarah & Olive's Tasting Club While Sarah Merrigan was working as a chef in Barcelona, and after discovering the producers, tastes and benefits of olive oil, Sarah & Olive was born. We know dipping your bread in olive oil is more of a Mediterranean custom but using good quality ingredients, especially olive oil makes all the difference, and once you dive in it's hard to go back to the substandard stuff. We've got a year's subscription to Sarah & Olive's Tasting Club to give away so you can step up your olive oil game and try some of their award-winning bottles, complete with tasting notes, food pairing suggestions and recipes. Make sure you have some bread on hand. 9) A Folláin x Nutbutter Gift Box Folláin is the Irish word for wholesome and this wholesome jam business has been producing preserves in the West Cork Gaeltacht for nearly 40 years. Folláin recently teamed up with the folk at Nutshed to produce a nut butter, relish and jam gift box, and the lucky winner of this prize will receive one of these limited edition sets, along with a full hamper of Folláin goodies. Make sure to check out the series of Folláin X Nutbutter recipes on @follainirishpreserves , like their PB&J milkshake or thumbprint cookies. See the collaboration box here . Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders for November will be automatically entered into the prize draw. If you're not signed up yet join here and support independent content in Dublin and beyond, and get answers to all of your burning questions about eating out, here and abroad, directly from us.

A four story multi-sensory experience, plant-based puns, and another London-based heavy hitter has a go at opening in Dublin. Here’s what’s new in the city this week... The Park Café, Ballsbridge After the recent ropey arrivals of Jamie Oliver and Anna Haugh on the Dublin dining scene, we’re not sure any celebrity chef is safe from our sceptical Irish palates. Richard Corrigan is the latest to step into the fray with The Park Café , taking on the former Shelbourne Social space in D4 from Dylan McGrath and promising a warm, casual all-day restaurant experience. The ace up his sleeve is Virginia Park Lodge , the four-acre County Cavan estate from which his London restaurant empire had been supplied until Brexit mucked it all up - more homegrown produce for us, then. The all day menu is unashamedly lush, with yellowfin tuna schnitzel, lobster spaghetti and tableside Caesar salad, as well as the Bentley's fish pie and a plate of roasted Oxford ‘Sandy & Brown’ piglet with crab apple and pickled mustard seeds. We’re quietly confident. Hyde, Dublin 2 You’d be forgiven for thinking Hyde was set to be the biggest game-changer for Dublin since Covid-19 from the tone of their social media teases . The four-storey mixed-purpose experience just off Grafton Street has a lot to take in, from the ground-floor café bar to the rooftop terrace - not due to open until Spring of next year, and their first few nights were spent wine-ing and dining every influencer, model and PR luvvie in town. The second-floor restaurant Gekko is one of the most-touted attractions, and while pitching a menu as “Asian-style” tends to put us on edge - as if 60% of the world’s population shared a single cuisine - the presence of Hang Dai alum and the man in charge of Saltwater Grocery's Raw Bar , Karl Whelan, as Executive Chef goes some way to calming the nerves. He’s dreamt up a primarily Japanese-style selection of plates to enjoy alongside the venue’s sizeable selection of high-end cocktails. Hyde is open now. Milo's, Drumcondra After six successful years in Phibsborough, the brains behind Two Boys Brew , Kevin Roche and Taurean Coughlan opened another café, Milo's on Monday, November 14th. The name of the new café was inspired by Taurean's dog who's called, you guessed it, Milo. Their Australian-style interiors, good coffee and cinnamon knots, as well as their egg and bacon brioches have all made their way over to the lucky people of Drumcondra. El Milagro, Clanbrassil Street We recently reported the good folks at 57 The Headline had kitchen space in need of good food every Tuesday, and we couldn’t be happier that El Milagro are moving in for a Taco Tuesday Takeover every week from 18:00 to 21:00. We’ve been banging the drum for these guys since they first cropped up at Malahide Marina last year, and this is top-quality stuff made with some of the best ingredients sourced from Mexican providers in Ireland and further afield. There are four varieties of taco to try, but for us the slow-cooked beef brisket birria is the one to beat. Mrs Reid's, Kevin Street The latest addition to Dublin 8’s increasingly-packed café scene, Mrs Reid’s is a new neighbourhood arrival beside Assassination Custard on Kevin Street. Affectionately named after owner Kristin Hawthorne’s grandmother, it’s a little spot steeped in the humble food history of the area, formerly home to a butchers and bakery. Open weekdays for breakfast and lunch, the small premises is starting out with soups and a simple sandwich menu including meatballs, beef brisket and a veggie delight. Coffee comes courtesy of Badger & Dodo, the artisan Irish roaster that imports from Brazil and Columbia directly into Cork. Yumgrub, Grand Canal Dock Vegan fast food joint Yumgrub is back after finding itself suddenly without a fixed abode in September, following the closure for renovations of Ballybrack’s Village Yard, and the ending of its summer popup stint in P. Mac’s in Dundrum. The plant-based takeaway is the latest arrival at Grand Canal Dock’s street food yard The Place , joining Griolladh, Pastiamo and Ciao Cannoli in the buzzy D2 hub. Seitan burgers and loaded fries are the name of the game, though we’re hearing the arancini-style Mac ‘n’ Cheeni are worth trying, even with a dodgy pun like that. Yumgrub arrives this Wednesday 16th and will be open Wednesday - Sunday each week. Benjamin's Hot Chicken, Irishtown Likewise left without a home after The Village Yard’s temporary closure was Benjamin’s Hot Chicken , but they've also found a new lodging at Irishtown’s Vintage Inn . From Thursday to Sunday each week the team will be serving up their signature menu of Nashville sandos and tendies, and keep tabs on social for their eye-catching specials. In the meantime, the classic hot chicken and prawn po boy will do very nicely indeed. Don’t be fooled by the name either - there’s interesting options for pescatarians and vegans too, with hot fish and crispy oyster mushroom sandos rounding out the menu.

We’re not quite ready to say the ‘C’ word just yet, and with the unseasonably warm weather, we’re not really feeling it either. However, we do have to admit that the lights make everything feel a little bit magical and brighten up these dark evenings – which is definitely something to be thankful for. This time of year is also great for finding cosy spots to share good food with good friends, but before the festive drinks, dinners and gatherings commence, here are a few things we’d love to get our teeth into in Dublin this week. 1) Hot Chicken Sando, Benjamin’s Hot Chicken Sometimes there’s nothing better than a hot chicken sandwich for comfort (or a hangover), and this one from Benjamin’s Hot Chicken brought our scroll to a screeching halt. Crispy Nashville style fried chicken is served in a potato bun with pickles, melted cheese, crunchy iceberg lettuce and signature special sauce. Earlier this month, Benjamin’s reopened in their new home in the Vintage Inn , after a brief hiatus when the Village Yard closed for renovations. If there was ever a reason to make your way to D4, here it is… 2) Chicken Liver, Milk Bread, Elderberry and Field Mushroom, Frank’s Frank’s is knocking it out of the park with new dishes lately, and the thought of this smooth chicken liver paté on soft, sweet, buttery milk bread, paired with aromatic elderberry and earthy field mushroom, is sending us into a spin. With over 100 organic and biodynamic wines, you won't struggle to find something to accompany it either. 3) Croissant Sbagliato, Soup Two The temptation is high to hotfoot it to Smithfield this week and get our hands on this mega watt dessert in Soup Two . Whilst better known for their ramen and Asian-inspired savoury dishes, the sister restaurant of Soup Ramen in Dun Laoghaire has also been busy coming up with this ‘croissant sbagliato’ - smoked chocolate chili ganache, opera chocolate ice cream and sesame praline, all stuffed into a freshly baked croissant. How will we ever look at a regular croissant again. 4) ‘Mr Alfred’ Croque, Madame Monsieur Good news for Westsiders, there’s a new sandwich shop in town. Madame Monsieur opened in Blanchardstown last month, specialising in the ‘croque’ - the hot sandwich with cheese and ham that's a classic French bar snack, made popular by bistro-owner Michel Lunarca in the early 1900s. Madame Monsieur has introduced an eighth croque to their repertoire this week, the Mr Alfred, and try this on for size - pastrami, garlic mayo, melted emmental, mixed leaves, crispy onions and their homemade, top secret, creamy bechamel sauce. Hold us back. 5) Pear Pavlova, Flower and Bean The lovely folks at Flower and Bean know a good thing when they see it, and they know that the Pavlova is a year-round, classic dessert (yes, this is a hill we are willing to die on). A new addition to their artisan bakery menu this week is this light and fluffy meringue topped with cream that really leans into the Autumnal season, with red wine poached pear, crushed blackberries and cocoa nibs. We feel warm, cosy and on a sugar high just thinking about it.

Increasing energy prices, economic uncertainty and labour shortages have put enormous pressure on restaurants, and every day lately seems to bring another closure. Here's where's shut up shop in the last few weeks. The Pigeon House, Clontarf The Pigeon House Clontarf has closed, with one of their chefs posting a picture of "the last dessert served in The Pigeon House" on Sunday 13th November, followed by the final ticket in the kitchen saying "that's all folks, the pigeon has flown x". The restaurant had held a Michelin Bib Gourmand award until this year when it was dropped from the guide completely. Their sister restaurant Pigeon House Delgany remain open. Cali Kitchen, Dún Laoghaire Californian-inspired Dun Laoghaire café Cali Kitchen , owned by Catríona and Steve Roberts (an ex-Ballymaloe pupil) have announced they will close for good on Sunday November 27th. They opened their colourful, healthy-eating focused café three and a half years ago after returning home from California, but say they can no longer juggle everything on their plate, and the time has come to "pass on the mantle to another great business". No news yet on who will fill the space. The Store & Yard, Greystones The Store and Yard Café at Belmont Demense in Greystones, an offshoot of Sandycove Store and Yard , has closed, posting on November 9th that their second location is not "financially viable in this current climate". Their Sandycove Store and Yard remains open. Winedown, Montague Street The closure of Meltdown's sister wine bar Winedown was announced on November 4th after two-years of trading. Owner Maeve O'Malley blamed today's the current climate, along with difficulty in making it work alongside family life. Their last day of trading will be this Saturday, November 12th, if you want to pop in for one more glass. Table Wine, Dublin 8 Table Wine & Loose Canon owners Kevin Powell and Brian O'Keefe announced on October 18th that their high profile Pleasants Street wine bar Table Wine would close in November, after just a year of trading. The pair previously ran Meet Me in the Morning café in the same location, but they swapped coffee beans for natural wine in November 2021. They blamed "everything being the way it is" as the reason for the decision to shut the wine bar, and their last service will be on Saturday November 19th if you want one last plate of pickled eggs. Circa, Terenure Circa , the former Michelin-recommended restaurant in Terenure, is the city's highest profile closure yet. They announced their time was up on October 4th, citing price increases and staff shortages as part of the reasons for the decision. Originally opened by four industry friends four years ago, they blazed brightly at the start, with Michelin awarding them a Bib Gourmand in their first year of opening, but taking it away the year after. One by one the founders left to do other things, and head chef Gareth Naughton stepped away from the restaurant mid-pandemic, leaving owner/manager Ross Duffy as the only original founder left. Circa has shut with immediate effect. Vegan Sandwich Co, Smithfield and St. Stephen's Green Both Vegan Sandwich Co. locations have closed, with owner Sam Pearson having to announce the news on his personal Instagram account on October 5th - the company's page was recently hacked and they still have no access to it. He blamed rising costs, energy prices and rent doubling in their St Stephen's Green site as the overarching factors that have shut his stores, and described himself as 'heartbroken' but 'proud'. He's also pledged to help his former employees find new jobs. Hemmingways, Stillorgan Hemmingways Stillorgan, the sister restaurant of Hemmingways Clontarf, closed on October 30th, according to a sign outside, as their social channels and website remain quiet. They opened just before the first lockdown and say they've found external challenges "impossible to overcome". Liston's, Camden Street Camden Street grocer Liston's which has been in business since 2000, ceased trading on September 16th, 2022. The news slowly trickled out on social media and was confirmed by Liston's, on their website giving special thanks to their staff, suppliers and customers over the last 22 years. No word yet on what's going to fill the space. Monck's Green, Phibsborough Monck's Green (formerly Woodstock) in Phibsborough closed on the 28th of September, after 30 years serving the local community. They seem to be doing it with a heavy heart, and their last few posts are filled with all the nostalgia. Lifeboat Beef & Reef, Skerries Blaming rising costs, seafood and meat restaurant Lifeboat Beef & Reef in Skerries has shut their doors, claiming they had no other option. Their final day serving was Sunday 2nd of October, and they haven't announced any plans to reopen elsewhere. Lenehan's Bar + Grill, Rathmines Lenehan's spiked speculation in early September, cancelling a live music event at short notice before word got around that diners with bookings were having them cancelled. A sign on the door confirmed the restaurant was no more, and they haven't been active on Instagram since. No official statement has been made but bookings are closed. Dorian, Donnybrook Dorian in Donnybrook took to social media to announce its closure on the 20th September. They narrowly missed out on a year in business, having opened in November 2021. It was a turbulent year with changes in management and a head chef replaced halfway through, and it seems that they never found their sweet spot. Hush, Rathmines Hush 's Rathmines premises appeared on the commercial section of property website Daft at the beginning of October, saying it was "available immediately." Readers also told us there has been no action there for months. Owners Jules Mak, who owns Mak in Ranelagh, and his friend and business partner Peter Burke opened their doors in August 2020, during the height of the pandemic. They've made no formal announcement, but they haven't been active on Instagram since July 4th. Spatched, Rathmines Fried chicken restaurant Spatched seems to have struggled in the shadow of older sister Sprezzatura next door, and it seems their owners felt it was best put on ice for the time being to focus on the more in-demand brand. The team are hoping to bring back Spatched at a later date, in another space. B Skewers, Bolton Street B Skewers owner Bruno Amado took to Instagram on September 25th to announce the closure of B Skewers at their current Bolton street location, with Sunday October 2nd their last day of trading. But before you weep about all the Brazilian BBQ you never got to eat, the good news is they have opened B Skewers 2.0 in Temple Bar, and ATF Insiders got the first look. Know of any other Dublin restaurant closures? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie

What should we know about Kakilang? Kakilang say their mission is ‘to bring the bubble tea culture into the hearts of the Irish’, but we think they're underselling themselves. They also serve up some of the city's best Asian street food, and the seats by the windows overlooking the quays offer some of the best people watching in the city. We were on Bachelor’s Walk, but they've recently opened a second location in Finglas . What did you have? The menu is on a looping slideshow on a screen above the counter where you order, which added an extra layer of difficulty in choosing what to order. We were debating between the Taiwanese fried chicken steak or the chicken wings, until the smiling staff told us to go for the Korean spicy chicken wings. Sold. These are the opposite of the skinny wings found in some spots which leave you struggling to surgically extract meat from between the bones. The batter was ultra crispy and they were covered in a sweet, spicy sauce made with honey and gochujang. In the cringey words of the famous colonel, they were finger lickin’ good. Among the most interesting options on the menu is takoyaki, a Japanese street food staple of deep-fried octopus balls. Kakilang's are delicious, soft and chewy, but better shared: if you're ordering anything else, even a small serving of six will leave you short of stomach space. The Taiwanese popcorn chicken and chips is a bit more standard, but no less a success: well-seasoned battered bits of chicken buried between perfectly crispy chips (we'd bet both have been twice or triple-fried) and layered with sriracha mayo. This is spice bag style at a higher spec, with the potential to become a hangover treatment of choice for weekend diners. The soufflé pancakes are made to order and take time, but good things come to those who wait. We watched them being made behind the glass like excited children, and a full forty minutes later they were ready. Several tables were served at the same time, adding to a lovely buzz of excitement on delivery. They're light, airy and soft, served with fruit and cheese foam, a cheesecake-esque sauce made from cream cheese and milk. What about drinks? We asked the staff for a recommendation and they jumped to the blue coral lemonade - “Do you like things that pop?” We do, and it tasted exactly like it looked - tart but very sweet with popping balls of green apple. The result was luminous blue teeth and a serious nostalgia for Mr Freeze. If you're feeling brave you could also try the cheese foam topping popular across Asia. We gave it a go with a mango boba and for all the curdled colours it's surprisingly tasty with a mellow flavour and a milkshake texture: a little like drinking a cheesecake. You'll want to avoid activity for a while after this one. Why should I go? In addition to the food, we really loved Kakilang 's vibe. There's an understated jungle aesthetic which goes well with the food and manages not to verge into the tacky. " Leave me be, I’m drinking my tea ", is emblazoned in neon on the wall, and they'll do just that while you people watch out onto Bachelor's Walk, and wait for your soufflé pancakes. Kakilang 5 Bachelors Walk, Dublin 1 kakilang.ie

There’s something about being perched up on a bar or a counter that we just love. Maybe it's a reminder of city-breaks to Barcelona or Lisbon where counter dining is the norm and you can have a bit of banter with the bar staff, or maybe we just like to have a nose and see what’s going on around us. When we’re dining with a partner it’s a more intimate and cosier set-up to be seated side by side, and as a solo diner, it’s the perfect chance to have a peek into an open kitchen to see the chefs in action or gaze out the window to do a bit of people watching, without being anxious about taking up a whole table for a solo visit. Whatever that special sauce is we’re into it, and when given a choice will always opt to be seated up at the bar or on the window counter. If you also enjoy the voyeuristic life, these are the best places for counter dining in Dublin. Uno Mas, Dublin 2 Taking the lead from their sister restaurant, Etto, owners Liz Matthews and Simon Barrett installed a bar as one of the main seating areas in its Spanish-inspired sibling, Uno Mas . Somehow they've also managed to replicate the convivial feel of the Etto dining room, keeping the service casual and friendly while serving top quality food and wine. We’re not the only ones who think so – the Michelin guide bestowed them with a Bib Gourmand award in 2021, which is presented to restaurants with good quality, good value cooking. Fish Shop, Smithfield Fish Shop is counter seating only, and although their bread and butter is fish and chips, this is not your standard chipper. Their fish is local, fresh and sustainably sourced and is lightly beer battered before being fried in rapeseed oil. All of their fish is served with chips and tartare sauce, and the menu is rounded out with a whole baked fish and some shellfish dishes if you’re not in the mood for the fried stuff. Their wine list is very impressive, and this is where you’ll find all the industry heads on a Monday evening when they open special bottles to be served by the glass at lower then normal prices. Clanbrassil House, Dublin 8 We lucked out on the window seat of Clanbrassil House when we visited back in October to try it out after Grainne O’Keeffe departed to start her own venture, Mae. We were very pleasantly surprised with what we found, and it seemed that James Dobson, formerly of Potager in Skerries, was wasting no time in getting his feet under the table and putting his own spin on the menu. We would go back just for the barbeque pointed cabbage, and we’d be requesting the window seat for some more grade A people watching. Note, Dublin 2 Everything we publish recently seems to have a mention of Note , our new favourite wine bar on Fenian Street, and this is through no personal bias - they just seem to be ticking every box right now, including a long and welcoming bar on which to base yourself as you get the scoop on what wines are open that evening. Their shelves are stacked with natural wines from the best producers so take a seat and let their knowledgeable staff guide you through their recommendations, while you work your way through the snack menu. The Seafood Café, Dublin 2 Something that we find lacking in Dublin, despite our obvious proximity to the sea, are restaurants devoted totally to seafood. Sure, every menu might have some mussels or prawns or a decent whole fish option, but there are only a few establishments really championing fish, and they’re mostly run by Niall Sabongi. As the man behind wholesale business Sustainable Seafood Ireland, he supplies only the best, so when you visit The Seafood Café in Temple Bar you know you’re in for a treat. It's just re-opened post-pandemic and seeing the pictures of people sitting up at the counter bar enjoying oysters and Bloody Marys made us immediately crave a long lunch propping up the bar. 777, Dublin 2 Come for the tacos, stay for the margaritas. Probably the liveliest of our list and depending on what time you visit, this could be more club scene than restaurant. 777 is all about fun and the staff are always having a good time, so if you’re perched up on the bar there’s nowhere better to soak up that energy. They’re also very helpful if you’re stuck on what to order, but you won’t really go wrong with anything – this is one of the best Mexican restaurants in Dublin. Amy Austin, Dublin 2 The team behind 777 and Dillinger’s teased the opening of Amy Austin for months before the doors actually opened in early 2020 … and then swiftly closed along with the rest of the country. It was a short but sweet stint for them, and even with some opportunities to open between lockdowns they were more affected than most other restaurants due to their tiny premises, wedged into a little space beside Drury Street carpark which we couldn’t believe they managed to transform into such a cool wine bar. They maximised the space using all counters, some facing onto the bar and others out onto the street, and they’re now back up running at full capacity - so let this be your signal to book yourself in for some small plates and wine on tap. Etto, Dublin 2 The buzzy little restaurant on Baggot Street only has a limited number of seats, so you’ll be lucky to snag any at all unless you plan well in advance. While Etto sits in the middle of the city, it has an intimate and casual feel, with a small number of low tables at the front of the room and a bar at the back which brings in more of a wine bar vibe. Host, Ranelagh Since opening in 2017, Host has been the venue of many a celebration, families and friends crowded around the table, sharing the Chef’s Menu featuring the restaurant’s most-loved dishes - like the now infamous pumpkin cappellacci which they wouldn't dare take off the menu - but our favourite visit was a midweek summers evening when we lucked out on a rare walk-in. Seated at the bar we were able to watch the chefs work away creating their Italian-inspired dishes while we enjoyed a glass of natural wine and some freshly made focaccia. Since then, the bar has been our preference when we visit, but they also have a counter facing out onto Ranelagh's main street. Read more in our once over here . Spitalfields, Dublin 8 When converting Spitalfields in the Coombe to a restaurant the owners kept the cosy pub vibe intact, including the beautiful big dark wood bar, flanked by traditional barstools which have been reupholstered in bottle green. The bar offers a direct view to the open kitchen, making it the clear choice as you tuck into the clever takes on old school classics, like devilled eggs and cock-a-leekie pie. Loose Canon, Dublin 2 There’s very little we could fault about Loose Canon , the wine and cheese shop in George’s Street Arcade, except that perhaps it could be bigger so we wouldn’t have to be disappointed so often when we try to stop by for a glass of wine. There’s something about the win when you’re wandering past and spot a free stool at their street-facing counter – even if you were on the way to somewhere important you could be swayed to just slip in for one to take advantage of the opportunity. When we have managed to nab a spot, it’s such an enjoyable experience to share a toastie with a friend (they're big enough to share!) while sipping on a glass of natural wine that the friendly staff have recommended. Forest Avenue, Dublin 4 You may remember this as Forest + Marcy, the chic restaurant on Upper Leeson Street, but since they rejigged the original Forest Avenue location around the corner to a grocer during the pandemic, this spot has now been renamed as Forest Avenue . They have also revamped the menu – in fact you won’t even be presented with a menu at all, the tasting menu dishes will just start flowing. This is a special occasion venue, with the menu coming in at €98 per person, but it is truly a special experience, and the beautiful chef’s counter is the place to watch each dish being prepared with intricate detail. Little Mike's, Mount Merrion Little Mike's is the neighbourhood restaurant that everyone dreams of having around the corner, but unfortunately it’s only the locals of Mount Merrion who hold the privilege. The wine bar and seafood restaurant opened just two doors down from their sister restaurant, Michaels, which could seem risky, but owner Gaz knew there was appetite in the area and the gamble paid off. These counter seats are coveted but proceed with caution and a good sense of humour if Gaz himself is there causing mischief in the kitchen. Soup, Dun Laoghaire We won’t pretend that the window counter in Soup is going to provide the nicest view while you eat – this ramen restaurant is located in the more neglected end of Dun Laoghaire, and it’s only in the last few years that the area is seeing a bit of re-generation with new shops and cafes opening. However there's a noticeable change, and Soup have created a little community with their restaurant - the last time we visited for a pre-cinema ramen, it felt as if everyone who walked in knew each other. It's recently been spruced up, and part of this renovation was maximising their window and wall space with a long counter, so while you might not be too interested in the quiet road outside, you can still appreciate the welcoming and warm buzz inside while you sip your soup. Read our Soup once over here . Cornucopia, Dublin 1 For the real people watching lovers among us, this is the spot to beat. Cornucopia on Exchequer Street is a mainstay on the Dublin casual dining scene, and was one of the first totally vegetarian spots when it opened in 1986. It’s a huge premises, spanning two floors, but the window seats on the ground floor are the ones to vy for. Grab your food at the buffet and you could easily while away a few hours looking out on the comings and goings on the busy street outside. The Ramen Bar, Dublin 2 As you can guess from the name, The Ramen Bar focuses on one thing, and they do it well. Their selection of ramen has to be the widest menu in Dublin, with loads of variations of broths and toppings so you can try something new every time you visit. The venue itself is a bit dark and divey (in a good way) with a counter running down the wall as you enter – the perfect place for a quick slurp or solo meal. Did we miss your favourite place for counter dining? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie

There’s no doubt that we are a nation of dog people, and by the number of doggy dedicated Instagram accounts we’re seeing popping up amongst our friends and families the obsession is only intensifying. Over the pandemic they basically became our proxy children, and with the cost of living going the way it is, this may need to become a permanent substitution. We also got very used to having our furry friends with us 24/7 over the last couple of years and now that we’re shifting back into gear, we plan on bringing them along for the ride, so here are some of the best places we’ve come across that will allow (well behaved) dogs on-site while you enjoy your meal. Happy Out, Bull Island & Donnybrook Happy Out are dog friendly in both locations, but Bull Island is the paw-fect spot to get a bite with your pooch before a brisk walk on the beach. They serve coffee, toasties and treats from their beach-side container with ample outdoor seating, and there are always tons of other dogs to make friends with. Little Bird Coffee & Yoga, South Circular Road Vegetarian neighbourhood café Little Bird in Portobello is attached to a brilliant yoga studio, so whether you’re visiting for some downward dog or grabbing some brunch with your furry friend, this place is for you. They are dog mad, so you’ll usually come across one of the ‘resident’ dogs roaming around to make new friends. Two Pups Coffee, Francis Street You can’t have a name like Two Pups and not welcome the puppers through the doors, can you? This café is a regular meet-up spot for local dog-lovers of the Liberties to grab some grub. As well as being dog-friendly, this is one of our favourite spots for brunch and their supplier list is second to none, so you know you’re getting the best. Brindle Coffee & Wine, Lennox Street We’d almost follow Brindle ’s Instagram account for the dog content alone. They have a steady stream of four-legged friends accompanying their owners while they pick up their low intervention wines and provisions, and they rarely leave without a little treat of their own. Bread 41, Pearse Street Croissants + great coffee + that bread + pizza + custardos + dogs = the ultimate café. Bread 41 are back open for sit-in with a new upstairs eatery, and pups are welcome downstairs for coffee, pastry and whatever new creations the dynamo team has come up with. The Fumbally Café, Fumbally Lane The Fumbally in Dublin 8 can almost feel like you’re in someone’s living room, with its mish-mash furniture, comfortable couches, and books strewn about for people to leaf through. So, you shouldn’t be surprised to pop in for some healthy, seasonal food and see a dog lazing by someone’s feet as if they were in their own home. Bear Market, Various Locations Bear Market was set-up by two architects and you can feel it the second you walk in to any of their locations. The shops are beautifully decked out with hardwood flooring, exposed copper pipes, and lots of light. What’s more beautiful though is how you have a really good chance of finding a dog to chat to, from a distance, while waiting for your coffee. Note: The IFSC location gets really busy so doesn’t let dogs in for now. The Orange Goat, Ballsbridge Located on Serpentine Avenue, The Orange Goat has indoor and outdoor seating and a warm welcome for those visiting with their dogs. It’s also right near the DART, for dogs on the go. Two Boys Brew, Phibsborough One of our favourite brunch spots on the northside has been hosting dogs of all sizes since they opened in the heart of D7 in 2015. They took all that they learned while living in Melbourne and sampling the best cafés they had to offer, added a dash of furry friend love and opened the ideal café for your weekend excursions. Press Café, Beggars Bush Hidden within The National Print Museum on Haddington Road is a café serving up seasonal fare with constantly changing specials. They have been a favourite of locals since their opening in 2014, and will always have a dog or two amongst the brunch crowds, either indoors or in their covered outdoor area which they opened last summer. Network Café, Aungier Street Any café that has a ‘Dogs’ highlight on their Instagram page gets our seal of approval, and they have plenty of material as their four-legged customers have been a mainstay of Network since they opened on Aungier Street in 2016. If this sounds like your kind of place, pop in here for brunch or a coffee while your pup brings you for a walk around town. We’re fans of their 'Notions on Toast' which is loaded with avocado of course, and their toasties are hard to beat. Blas, Kings Inns Street Fresh and seasonal food is the focus in Blas and your dog can join you for breakfast, lunch, or weekend brunch; plenty of pupportunity (sorry) for some bonding time. It’s a big spot so we’re hoping that well-spaced tables mean that dogs can be accommodated as easily as they were before, but there are external benches and lots of grab-and-go food options if you want some fresh air. Storyboard, Islandbridge Some dog-friendly spots fall into the “look, we’re letting your dog in so don’t expect too much from the food” category, but Storyboard is very much not one of those thanks to their seasonal food and great coffee. They're back open for eat-in now, but there's also the option to grab and go instead before you hit the Phoenix Park for a picnic with your pooch. Urbanity, Smithfield Great for groups thanks to a menu with plenty of meat, vegetarian, and vegan options, your dog won’t go hungry for food or attention thanks to the treats and puppy love dispensed generously by staff at Urbanity . Plus there's plenty of lovely shaded outdoor seating. Gaillot et Grey, Clanbrassil Street Perhaps the only 'French-style' pizza around Dublin, Gaillot et Gray serves up their crispy based wood-fired pizza which is loaded with emmental cheese alongside a menu of sourdough sandwiches and pastries. They're dog-friendly so expect a few snouts sniffing around your feet for crumbs. MVP, Clanbrassil Street MVP on Clanbrassil Street is owned by the same crowd as The Bernard Shaw, and we like to think of this dog-friendly pub as their kind of cool, laid-back little sister. While there’s usually some sort of event going on, be it quizzes or flea markets, it’s usually pretty chilled with people meeting up, dog in tow, for some hair of the dog to sort out any hungover heads. The Bernard Shaw, Drumcondra The Bernard Shaw has something for everyone – whether you’re frequenting the Eatyard food market or looking for a boozy brunch, karaoke or somewhere to watch the match, and you’ll be pleased to hear that you can bring your dog along to join in on the action. The Circular, The Magnet and Lucky's These cool spots all have the same owner, and they’re clearly dog lovers as all of their premises are dog-friendly, inside and out. So, if you’re a local of Rialto or the Liberties you’ll be spoilt for choice on your next outing with Coke Lane Pizza served in both Lucky’s and The Circular . The Old Spot, Dublin 4 There’s nothing nicer than the whole family around the table for dinner with the dog snoozing at your feet. Thanks to The Old Spot , you can do this without having to be the one to cook or wash-up afterwards. Dogs are allowed in the bar at the front so be sure to ask for a table there when booking if you’re bringing the pooch along. Brewdog, Grand Canal Dock If you're looking for somewhere to go pinting with your pooch, the Brewdog Outpost site which is home to their very own on-site brewing tank could be a winner. They have two outdoor areas but also welcome dogs inside, so no need to freeze while you enjoy your drink. They also have a full food menu, including a stellar vegan and vegetarian line-up. If that's not enough for you, take a look at Sarah Hanrahan's ( @i_come_undone ) comprehensive list of '90 Dog-Friendly Dublin Eateries' for even more recommendations, and if you know any other spots that are particularly great for dogs, let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie.

You know the feeling. You’re having a lovely night, the food's great and the conversation's flowing, but you've been handed the dessert menu and nothing appeals. Alternatively, you've eaten too much and are in desperate need of a stroll to break the meal and rediscover your appetite. When either happens, you've got options. These are some of our favourite spots for post-dinner dessert that open late - and if you're really stuffed but can't kick your sweet tooth, dessert cocktails are also an option. A Fianco, Stoneybatter Grano’s sister restaurant A Fianco is walk in only and serves two of our favourite Italian desserts - a first rate tiramisu and their deconstructed cannoli – creamy ricotta with chocolate chips, crunchy pastry shell and pistachios. Take a perch on a high stool, survey the buzzy room and have a mosey at their great selection of Italian wines by the glass. Chimac, Dublin 2 We are big fans of the ice cream sandwiches at Chimac and have finished off many a dinner with a stop in here. Our regular favourite has salted caramel ice cream between two chunky chocolate chip cookies, dipped in melted chocolate with a pretzel crumb, but we recently spotted their latest creation - pumpkin spice snickerdoodle cookies with cold brew ice cream, topped with white chocolate and a cinnamon crumble. Top tip: patience is a virtue. If you can wait a few minutes to let it slightly melt, the cookie texture is spot on. Also be aware - these sandwiches are huge and can easily be shared between two. Murphy's, Dublin 2 Sorbet at Murphy’s is the perfect palate cleanser option. These guys have been making ice cream for more than twenty years and the sorbets are handmade in Dingle using Irish spring water. The flavours vary by season and we love the OGs mango and raspberry. If you're in need of ice-cream, the dingle sea salt is an interesting option for those looking for something a bit different. If you have space, we recommend a combo of the brown bread and raspberry sorbet, for a cup or cone akin to an elevated jam sandwich. Ayla Turkish Foods, Capel Street It feels like you can find almost anything on Capel Street these days, with so many different cuisines represented. In Ayla Turkish Foods you can find every middle eastern ingredient you can think of (it’s where we go to get our pub piber chilli flakes), and on the sweet side they serve Turkish delight and nougat. For our money the best thing on the menu is the pistachio baklava - layered filo pastry filled with chopped pistachio, for maximum sweet, flaky goodness.  It's priced by the kilo but we're usually satisfied with a couple of pieces each (only open until 8pm). Note, Dublin 2 The staff in Note are so helpful and knowledgeable and will help you to pair their desserts and cheeses with a digestive or dessert wine. They also make their own limoncello which is a far cry from the sickly sweet syrup you may have had elsewhere in the past. Pull up a stool at the bar for the perfect end to an evening. Three-Twenty Ice Cream Lab, Drury Street Three-Twenty describes themselves as an ice cream lab, but there's lots more on offer, and they've just released their new winter menu. The Marshmallow bomb hot chocolate is a toasty accompaniment to a stroll around town, topped with a scoop of blow-torched marshmallow, or have it on the side of Belgian waffles if you need something more substantial. Due to allergy restrictions, they do have a weird rule of no mixing ice cream flavours and they don't allow tasters so you may be picking blind, but we haven’t found a flavour we didn’t like. Clanbrassil House, Dublin 8 The pastry chef at Clanbrassil House is always creating new desserts, sometimes re-inventing a classic, and always incorporating what’s in season. The restaurant is happy to welcome diners in for a dessert if you give them a call on the evening and they have space. Wigwam, Dublin 1 If you want to keep your night going but still need to satisfy the sugar craving, head to Wigwam. They have a host of alcohol laced creative desserts including a cookie dough pie served with mezcal dulce de leche drizzle, or an old-school banana foster - rum flambéed bananas served with vanilla ice cream. Bar 1661, Smithfield If you fancy a drink for dessert Bar 1661 is hard to beat. Recently voted the best bar in Dublin and we have to agree, their take on an Irish coffee (the Belfast coffee) is made with Two Fifty Square cold brew, poitín, cream, demerara sugar and topped with nutmeg. We've seen people who don't like coffee knock this back, and once you're tried it you'll want it again and again. Dolce Sicily, Dublin 2 Save yourself the flight to Sicily and head to Dolce Sicily , a Sicilian patisserie on South Anne Street, for a pistachio cream-filled cannoli. They're available in three sizes (we always vote ‘big’) and are best enjoyed with an espresso. Peruke & Periwig, Dawson Street When we saw a menu heading 'alternative drinks of a dessert nature' we knew Peruke & Periwig had to be on our list. They take an espresso martini up a notch by adding caramel and chocolate bitters, and if you have space, try the Can’t fight this Teeling anymore - a whiskey spiked milkshake made with chocolate and Guinness reduction syrup. Kakilang, Dublin 1 Kakilang is a Taiwanese style café and bakery on the quays serving up (amongst other things) mille crêpe cakes - layers upon layers of thin crepes, separated by pastry cream and stacked together to form a cake. They also make the picturesque, pillow-like Japanese soufflé pancakes. which are made to order and take 30-45 minutes, which is ideal for those of who don’t have the discipline to properly space out our courses. Sweet Churro, Temple Bar The guys at Sweet Churro have upgraded from their former market stall and now have their own premises in Temple Bar. They describe their churros as ‘crunchy clouds of deliciousness’, and you can add strawberries, bananas or crushed Oreos. The most tempting as far as we're concerned are the ‘Sweet God’ Churros, which are hollowed out in the middle and filled with chocolate, dulce de leche, Nutella or vanilla sauce. Loose Canon Put yourself in the hands of the cheese experts at Loose Canon and finish the night on a savoury note with a side of natural wine. The weekly cheese specials are in prime condition and there's always some with a bit of funk, just like the wine.

At a time when more and more restaurants across the city are sadly shuttering, it’s encouraging to see a similar number of new arrivals. At the best of times it takes courage to start a new restaurant. In times like this, it’s going to require a strong stomach and a lot of support. Whether you’re seeking high-end Irish cuisine, casual Brazilian BBQ, or some of the best fried chicken in town, consider getting out and paying these newcomers a visit over the next few weeks and months. Anna Haugh at Conrad Dublin, Earlsfort Terrace Having started out under Derry Clarke at the now-closed Michelin-starred L’Ecrivain, before moving on to a succession of big gigs in London (from working with the Gordon Ramsey group to opening her own restaurant Myrtle in London), to soon appearing as a judge on Masterchef: The Professionals, Tallaght-born chef Anna Haugh has been very busy over the past few years. It's been big news that she's returned home for a high-end hotel dining pop up experience at The Conrad , with a major focus on native food heritage, dishes that highlight various homegrown ingredients, and elevated iterations of classic Irish dishes. It’s open now for dinner, with a tasting menu prices at €90 (wine pairings an additional €75), and a similarly expensive à la carte with mains priced from €35 for a vegetable pie to €45 for Dexter beef collar. Lunch service is due to start from November 15th, and bookings are open here . Taza, Raheny Three years and a lot of satisfied customers on from opening in Artane, Northside favourite Taza has expanded its Dublin 5 operations with a second site Raheny village. Led by Karachi chef Arshad Ansari, the authentic Pakistani restaurant has a lengthy menu of tandoor and curry dishes, with the €29 early bird and Sunday lunch menus standing out particularly strong in these tighter times. With a sizeable dedicated vegan menu boasting biryani and mushroom masala and an accommodating kids’ menu offering options for any level of adventurousness, this should mark good news too for families and those with varied diets north of the Liffey, as well as anyone who's tried and failed repeatedly to get a booking in Artane. B Skewers, Temple Bar We were delighted to hear the news that B Skewers was progressing from its petite Bolton Street site to bigger and better premises on Crow Street, and it was our pleasure to pack in a full house of ATF Insiders to be the first to try it out last week (one among many good reasons to sign up ). The Brazilian BBQ joint originally opened a bricks-and-mortar base last year after picking up lots of positive attention at food markets since starting up in 2019, and it’s easy to see why: charcoal-grilled chicken, F.X. Buckley burgers and a serious range of skewers with flavours boosted by top-quality technique and delicious toppings. Read our once-over here . Daruma, Parliament Street The latest Japanese arrival in D2, Daruma quietly opened its doors late last month in the former Fish Shack site. The menu hones in on two cornerstones of Japanese cuisine: raw fish in the classic forms of sashimi, nigiri and sushi (just don’t expect a full selection); and robatayaki, charcoal-grilled skewers of everything from monkfish and king oysters to scallops and ox tongue. Edamame, karaage and a Wagyu beef-topped heap of yakimeshi or Japanese-style fried rice feature on the broader “bites” menu too. There’s a real focus also on Japanese drinks, with Asahi on tap, a selection of sake, and cocktails including a goma sour, cucumber mojito and matcha-sake mix. We’re intrigued. Chimac, Terenure We’ve been giddily anticipating this one since it first hit our coming soon list all the way back in June - Korean fried chicken champions Chimac are expanding out from Aungier Street to open a second and much bigger location in the south of the city. There’s space for eighty to eat across the two storeys here with the most exciting news the arrival of options for kids and a breakfast menu (including chicken scotch eggs, we need), distinct from the current Sunday brunch. As big fans of what this team can do with a free range chicken, we’re very envious of the people of Terenure. Artybaker, Kimmage Romain Tessier, previous head baker at Hotel Café Royal and Great British Bake Off professional contestant, brought Artybaker 's croque monsieur buns, tiramisu croissants and zebra-striped pain au chocolates to Dalkey in 2021, after an initial pop up in Sandycove Store & Yard. A successful year and many croissants later, Artybaker 2.O has just opened in Kimmage, which is a big coup for an area light on exciting food options. Coming soon... The Greedy Eagle, Glasthule The latest arrival from the Loyola Group, whose also own The Landmark and The Old Spot , The Greedy Eagle looks set to fill the same gastropub niche in the south county suburbs. Matthew Fuller, who previously opened Boqueria in Stoneybatter and Howth, is leading the kitchen. Church & Chambers, D’Olier Street We were already excited about the arrival of a modern fine dining restaurant in the iconic D’Olier Chambers building, but the news this week that the celebrated chef Mina Pizarro will be arriving from the US to lead the bread and pastry menu has us counting down the days. Church & Chambers is due to open its doors in December. Noisette, Rush Good news for the north of the county as Bread Naturally’s long-term head baker Vaarsha Baugreet is set to open her own place with partner and fellow baker Jérémy Pastor in Rush. Noisette will serve Imbibe coffee alongside a boulangerie and viennoiserie-style selection of baked goods. Hyde, Dublin 2 Offering a unique experience across each of its four floors - that’s still new-ish Three Storey seen and raised - Hyde will combine a café, restaurant, terrace and rooftop bar, under the culinary direction of Karl Whelan, he of Saltwater Grocery and Hang Dai fame. Their social posts are quite cringe, but we're keeping an open mind.

Nutbutter open their second location in Smithfield Market Square today, with the same all-day menu as their Grand Canal Dock location, some new Autumn additions, and all the seasonal Irish veg the team say they could get their hands on. The interior is just as Californian/boho as the original, with counter seating, low tables and booths (although none of those swinging chairs), and some of the highlights on the new menu include an 'Earthy Bowl' with mushroom asado, brown rice and spicy Mole sauce, and their new 'Forbidden Rice' bowl with Irish brisket. The team say they've done huge work on their sourcing and have gone to meet most of the farmers they're using in person, with red cabbage, pak choi, cucumber, carrots and mixed leaves amongst the Irish veg on the menu, from farms including Garryhinch, Iona Farms and Denis Harford. New sides include 'Autumn Greens' with coconut 'bacon' and furikake, and for dessert there's 'Coconut Sagu' with caramelised pineapple. You can see the full menu online . Nutbutter Smithfield is open seven days a week from 11:30 - 21:30, serving an all-day menu. They don't take reservations so just walk on in. Nutbutter Unit 15, Block C, Smithfield Market, Dublin 7 nutbutter.ie

Strings of cooked wheat or rice flour dough entangled in chopsticks can be as comforting as stews on a cold day (in our book anyway). Each bite may be silent or result in an audible slurp that some chefs take as a compliment, but the satisfaction that follows a meal of (good) noodles is consistent across the board. Whether served dry with condiments or doused in different kinds of broth, noodles have found a place in many East Asian restaurants in Dublin, and here's where we think -serve the best in the city. Dan Dan noodles, China Sichuan Most dan dan noodles you’ll find in Dublin use minced meat, but China Sichuan ’s version is suitable for vegetarians. Chilli oil and vinegar are mixed into the noodles, which come topped with crushed nuts. The chilli oil lends the noodles a moist quality without making them unpleasantly greasy, and the crushed nuts add a layer of texture. A bowl is enough to satiate two people if you order a main to go with it. Hand-pulled noodles with spicy lamb, Lee’s Charming Noodles A spice paste, coriander and chopped scallions add colour and flavour to the noodles and lamb that make up this dish at one of Parnell Street’s best establishments - Lee's Charming Noodles . Sichuan peppercorns are the star ingredient in the paste, making it spicy but not in an unbearable way. The freshness of the noodles is a testament to the kitchen’s competence and the chunks of lamb are cooked medium-rare. One portion is enough to make two meals for one. Rice noodles in pho, Pho Kim We feel spoilt for choice at Pho Kim , with different types of pho including beef, chicken or prawn. The rice noodles are a constant feature, though, and the heart of their Vietnamese noodle soup. Served with fresh scallions, coriander, mint and lemon wedges, each bowl of pho is a substantial meal that warms the insides. The beef version comes with sliced steak, slow-roasted brisket and meatballs. Yaki Soba, Zakura It might be the norm to visit Zakura for sushi and bento, but the yaki soba is a reason to visit too. Egg and wheat flour noodles tossed with tofu and vegetables or chicken and prawns, this yaki soba is garnished with a fried egg and shallots. The flavours are delicate with a hint of Worcestershire sauce, giving the dish a slight sweetness. A pot of hot sake makes a good accompaniment and periodic sips work as a palate cleanser. Malatang, M&L Chinese Restaurant Glass noodles and a spicy broth form the base of malatang, a kind of noodle soup that also uses tofu, sliced lotus root and mushrooms. Despite being transparent originally, the glass noodles take on the deep red colour of the broth. It’s tough to find malatang on most other Sichuan menus in the city, and M&L does it justice in multiple ways. The portion is huge and enough to make four meals for one, and the spice level is high enough to make your nose water. Fried noodles, Shi Wang Yun There are good noodles, and then there are excellent ones. The fried noodles at Shi Wang Yun fall into the latter category. Tossed with sliced onions and peppers, they’re thicker than most other noodles you’ll find in Dublin. The chunkiness is pleasant without being stodgy and makes each mouthful satisfying. Order one of Shi Wang Yun’s gravy mains to go with them and you’ll find yourself eating more than your appetite demands. Biang Biang Noodles, Xian Street Food Wide, flat noodles aren’t the norm - at least not in Dublin. However, Xian Street Food ’s biang biang noodles have taught everyone that good noodles needn’t be thin and delicate. They’re hand-pulled and mixed with a generous amount of chilli oil, and toppings include vegetables, chicken, beef, pork, lamb, duck or prawns. It’s wise to ask for a medium-spicy version if your spice threshold isn’t too high. Noodles in Ramen, Soup Ramen at Soup ( Dun Laoghaire and Smithfield ) can have kimchi, shoyu, shio, miso, satay or extra hot seasoning, but the noodles that go into all the types of broth are the same - freshly made and filling with their chicken, pork, vegetarian or vegan toppings. Garnished with scallions and a seasoned egg, bowls of ramen at Soup are always a good idea. Pad Thai, Baan Thai It’s hard to go wrong with food at Baan Thai , and pad thai is just one of the restaurant’s many strengths. With homemade tamarind sauce, a hint of sweetness defines the pad thai at Baan Thai. Rice noodles are tossed with bean sprouts, egg, scallions and ground peanuts, resulting in a pleasant mix of textures. The lemon wedge that comes as a garnish has its use too - it lends a slight tartness to the dish and cuts through the noodles well. Chicken Noodles, Wok In Noodle Bar Takeaway chains aren’t the first to spring to mind when thinking of good noodles, but Wok In Noodle Bar proves that sometimes simple is best. The noodles are the kind you’d find at Chinese buffets, although the place describes itself as “Thai fast food”. At €4.95 for a portion of plain noodles, the prices are very humble. Noodles with chicken or prawns, however, go slightly above €8. Eaten with the complimentary chilli oil, these noodles are great for when you don't have time for a sit-down meal. Chow Mein, Ka Shing Better known for its dumplings, the kitchen at Ka Shing also knows how to make noodles worthy enough to warrant a visit. A bit dry on its own, the chow mein goes well with most gravy dishes on the menu. One portion of chow mein is good enough for one person if you aren’t ordering any starters, we you can wash them down with a pot of steaming jasmine tea, which will also counter some of the grease. Pad Thai, Nightmarket The pad thai at Nightmarket is similar to Baan Thai’s because it has the same slight sweetness and comes with tofu, egg, bean sprouts and ground peanuts, but different because the rice noodles are thinner. Given that Nightmarket’s menu is on the modern side, there’s also the option to choose between rice noodles and glass noodles, and topping include vegetables and tofu, chicken or prawns. Ramen, Nomo Newcomer Nomo Ramen import their ramen noodles from Sun Noodles in the US - Momofuku founder David Chang's noodle maker of choice. The wavy, bouncy noodles come in a rich, eight-hour broth with either chashu pork, chicken or roasted tomato (vegan), as well as a free-range marinated egg, leeks, spinach and scallions. Nomo don't overload their bowls, with simplicity letting their ingredients shine.

With Halloween over we're already looking to what we're going to eat in January - we're not even kidding. There's also duck liver parfait, rainbow rolls and piled high waffles on our must have menu this week... 1) Duck Liver Parfait, Hen's Teeth We haven't seen much from Hen's Teeth recently, but this duck liver parfait with fig, pickles and chutney on brioche from new head chef Kev Milson gave us all the cravings. Their all day menu runs from 12pm till late from Friday - Sunday. 2) Galette des Rois (for next January), Go Pan We can't actually believe we're talking about eating something post Christmas, but Go Pan open reservations for their January Galette des Rois today, and we thought you might like to know. The French traditionally eat the flat, round puff pastry cake filled with almond cream on the day of epiphany (6th January), and Go Pan's will cost €50. Email gopanbakery9@gmail.com to reserve. 3) Rainbow Rolls, Wasabi We've found the solution to brighten up those cold, wet November days - rainbow rolls from Wasabi . Stuffed with crayfish, Philadephia and cucumber, with slices of avocado, tuna, salmon and white fish on top, they're crowned with wasabi mayo & masago, and if all that wasn't enough, their black zakkoku rice sets them apart from the crowd even more. 4) Weekend Waffles at The Washerwoman, Glasnevin If you're going to do a waffle, you should do it right, and this piled high 'Greek' version from The Washerwoman in Glasnevin comes with fruit compote, yoghurt, roasted nuts & maple syrup. You can also go 'Florentine' (poached eggs, spinach and hollandaise) or 'Benny' (with poached eggs, bacon and hollandaise). Find them on the menu every Saturday and Sunday from 12:00. 5) Mandarin & Dulce de Leche Layer Cake The words 'guilt free' usually fill us with trepidation, but this layer cake from Guilt Free Bites looks like it could give 'free from' a good name. Mandarin flavoured gluten-free almond sponge, lactose-free Dulce de leche, toasted hazelnuts and dairy free buttercream all add up to a cake we really want a slice of this week.