Search Results

Amuri Why aren't more people shouting about Amuri? We'll start... Posted: 3 May 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story? Brothers Andrea and Luca Licciardello are from Sicily but have lived and worked in Dublin for over a decade, in various bars and restaurants around town. Opening their own Sicilian restaurant together was always a dream, and it was Covid that handed them the opportunity. They had started a side hustle, importing Sicilian wines into Ireland made by Luca and a friend in Sicily (called GioVinotto ) , and through this got to know the owners of wine shops including The Corkscrew on Chatham Street. Their upstairs tasting room had lain idle during the pandemic, and they were wondering what to do with it, until a conversation with the brothers sparked the idea that maybe they could take it over. The sleekly designed room with its juniper green walls, wood panelling and hanging lights just needed some brightly coloured art-work, cheerful Sicilian cloths, and kitsch Italian ornamets added to the glass cases, and it felt like it was Amuri ' s all along (which was a good thing because the brothers say they had to spend all of their savings along with loans from family and friends just to get the doors open). When it came to the menu, neither of the brothers is a trained chef but say they "know their food" and knew what they wanted to serve, so they employed a chef consultant from Sicily to help with the opening menu, then hired a head chef (originally from Brazil) and sent him to Sicily for two months. One final call to Granny to get her approval on the dishes and recipes and they opened in May 2022. Amuri have had some good reviews (including in the Irish Times and the Sunday Times ) but has never really exploded as one of the city's most wanted bookings. Despite this their online reviews from customers are off the charts, so we thought it was time we paid them a visit. Where should we sit? If you've never seen The Corkscrew's tasting room you'd probably think "wow, these guys must have some serious backers behind them to knock out a room like this", but most of it was here already. Despite this it just fits, feeling fresh and modern, but still homely and warm. The main dining room is where the buzz is, with two window tables offering views out onto Chatham Street (although currently you're looking at a building site that will be the European Commission's headquarters at some point). As well as regular tables there are two high tables for two, and additional tables in another smaller section that you'll walk through on entering, and is marginally quieter if you'd like less animated chatter all around. What did you eat? This is a perfectly sized menu in our book, with five starters, four pastas and a risotto, and three meat and fish options. There are daily specials too so make sure you ask. Currently the lunch menu is the same as the dinner one, but they are introducing an express, less expensive option soon, which we think will make a huge difference to their lunch trade. We ended up here twice in the space of three days, as we couldn't stop thinking about our first visit, so managed to get through quite a bit of the menu. They start (as all good restaurants do) by bring you bread and their own imported olive oil - it's the good stuff. We got foccacia at lunch and sourdough at dinner, and it wasn't obvious if either were homemade, but they filled the hunger gap nicely until the starters. Then, the caponata. Oh the caponata. Close your eyes and you're sitting on the edge of Scopello's natural park, the sun beating down on your face, each forkful more sweet, sour and sunkissed than the last. Aubergine, shallots, peppers, pine nuts, Modica chocolate and some grated ricotta salata (a hard, pressed ricotta) - this dish is pretty much single-handedly responsible for us going back twice in three days, so desperate we were to taste it again. Arancino (an oval version of arancini) is the street food that no self-respecting Sicilian restaurant would leave off their menu, and the one here comes with saffron-scented rice, stuffed with ham and mozzarella, with a ring of burrata fondue for mopping. Crisp, creamy and well-seasoned, you couldn't ask for more from the tear-drop shaped, deep-fried snack. The last starter we tried was the (clearly handmade) tortellini with lamb, broccoli, spinach and shimeji mushrooms. If it sounded insipid by description, it was anything but on the plate. The chewy pasta was toppling over with lamb flavour (we wondered if it was cooked in the stock), with the vegetables and sauce the right combination of salt and acid, with some kind of vinegar, to cut through the pasta and meat, and more of that stellar olive oil. Critics complain a lot about food being under or over seasoned - in here they seem to have it down to a fine art. Of the four pastas, the 'Pasta alle sarde' with sardines, anchovies, fennel, saffron, onions, pickled raisins and breadcrumbs send us flying back to a little Sicilian guesthouse we once stayed in, where the owners' husband fished each morning, and she cooked what he caught. We thought that was the best iteration of this dish we would ever taste, but this one's even better. If you don't order it you'll smell it being carried to other tables and just have regret. Don't have regret. The risotto when we visited was with sun-dried tomatoes, topped with burrata cream and what we think was basil oil, and it's in these simple dishes that the quality of their sunshine-filled, mainly imported ingredients really shouts out. The other pasta we had to order for sheer uniqueness was the 'Caserecce crema di pistachio', with pistachio sauce and guanciale. We half thought this might be some kind of gimick for the 'gram, but oh were we wrong. Despite the cream in the name, there's no cream in here. Instead it's made with cheese (usually Robiola and Parmesan), water, olive oil and nuts, with some expertly rendered, crispy, chewy pieces of guanciale scattered throughout, that every so often pop in your mouth. Joy. Fish options when we visited were halibut (the catch of the day) and sea bream (which was actually sea bass that day), and despite the latter not offering much in the interest stakes, we were drawn in by the fennel, courgette and 'Amuri dressing' (capers, olives and shallots) accompaniments. We had blinked at the prices of €33 and €34 for fish but this was actually a whole fish, stuffed with fish mousse, and would probably be too much for some people. It also came with those €6 roast potatoes with rosemary (more below), which you'll need to order anyway, so take that off. The flavours were deftly Meditteranean with the fish perfectly cooked and still juicy, but we lost interest half way through and it needed more of that salty Amuri dressing. Saying that we all know people who love nothing more than a big hunk of fish for dinner - this is for them. And now the other reason we went running back two days after first visiting. The potatoes. We probably don't even need to talk about these, the pictures surely tell the story, but in case you're in any doubt - fluffy insides, outsides so crispy you'll study them asking "how?", rosemary scented and a generous hand with the salt. This is potato perfection. On our second visit they weren't quite as burnished, so there's a little bit of inconsistency here, but they were still in the top tier of potato sides, Ask for the really, really well done ones if you can. The other side we tried was the tomato, red onion and ricotta salata salad, and these tomatoes clearly didn't grow up on our shores. We asked where they were buying them from, expecting them to name some Italian food importer. Turns out they're walking down to Fallon & Byrne every day because they need such small quantities and "they have the best". That's committment to the cause. The red onion is more sweet than astringent, that olive oil is in good use again, and the ricotta salata is the creamy, salty, icing on the cake. There are three desserts on the menu, the moka pot tiramisu you've probably seen online, cannoli, and the third one might be a chocolate or lemon mousse. Yes the moka pot is a bit of a gimmick, but it's actually the perfect serving size for one, and this is an excellent, nicely boozy tiramisu. A cold lemon mousse came wrapped in white chocolate with confit lemon and meringue, and was a fresher ending if your palate needs wakening up again - although the complimentary limoncello with the bill will do that too. What about the drinks? The drinks list only has wine and after-dinner drinks on there, but they do cocktail specials so be sure to ask if you're told not about them. We loved their take on a Sicilian negroni with Zibbibo white wine instead of Vermouth, and a non-alcoholic option was concocted on request with lemon juice, strawberry purée, egg white and more. As NA options go this was a good one. The wine list is really lacking in by the glass options, with only three whites and three reds by the glass (and two of each are their own imports). We tried their Giovinotto Zibibbo and Frappato and didn't find either overly interesting. There are some Sicilian crackers by the bottle though, like Tenuta delle Terre Nere's Etna Bianco, and COS's Vittoria Rosso, so that's the way to go for us. How was the service? Everyone working here was Italian, which really adds to the "I'm on holiday" feeling. The two brothers work the room, welcoming regulars and chatting with new faces, and there's a jovial atmosphere that just seems to spread from table to table. It's all so very Sicilian, and hard not to get swept up in. What was the damage? A three-course meal for two with four drinks came to €155, which felt like really good value, both for what we ate, and among the current state of pricing in the city. What's the verdict? Why aren't more people shouting about Amuri? Maybe it's because they've managed to continuously improve since opening, and it's more of a slow burn than an initial flash in the PR pan. Either way we felt like we'd been let in on a city centre secret last week, that regulars would be very happy to keep to themselves. So to them, we say sorry. And some more good news. Later this year The Corkscrew will move to a new location beside The Westbury, and Amuri will take over downstairs too, turning it into a more casual place for Sicilian street food. We'll be first in the queue. Amuri 4 Chatham Street, Dublin 2 www.amuri.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Mani Join the queue for perfect pizza to perk up the New Year Posted: 9 Jan 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story with Mani? If you haven't already heard of Drury Street's latest pizza slice shop, you must have been on an enforced social media blackout for the last few months, because Mani has been everywhere (and that's going to continue for the foreseeable future). Owner Ciaran McGonagle used to work for Coppinger Row, before founding Catch Events, and later setting up food truck Ciao Cannoli . At some point an obsession with Roman-style pizza al taglio took hold, and realising it wasn't readily available in Ireland, he decided he was the man to bring it. He spent a year mastering the dough from Italians in the know, then went to Ballymaloe for their famous 12-week course to focus on the rest. He tested the water with a food truck which popped up at various locations like Clontarf, Dublin Castle and the House of Peroni, but when Blazing Salads vacated the Drury Street premises they'd been in for 23 years, McGonagle got lucky with a lease. As luck would have it, chef Rory Shannon, who'd recently wrapped up Pala Pizza and Trattoria in Foxrock in search of somewhere more central, was available for hire, and these two Roman pizza nerds came together in a solid case of all the stars aligning. Are there seats? Yes but they're limited to eight stools inside (five facing out onto Drury Street with glorious people watching opportunities) and picnic benches outside. Some are covered, but we imagine all will be eventually, because you know, Ireland. What's on the menu? Pizza slices, dips, panini, and a few fried bits (Fritti) which are a Shannon specialty. Sadly the fritti weren't available on the day we visited, but we've had his suppli and oogled his lasagne fritti online so we feel confident reccomending them even without having tasted them. Of the five pizzas available on the day we visited, three were vegetarian and one vegan, so plenty of options for any non meat-eaters in your life. There's also a vegan panini with melanzane parmigiana, as well as porchetta and mortadella options. You'll be able to eye up the slices up in the display window before making your choice, although you might feel frazzled if there's a queue and not feel comfortable leaving it for a browse. The staff then whisk it off to be reheated in the oven and give you a buzzer that goes off when it's ready. Fear not, this is how many slice shops in Italy operate, and nothing is lost with the pre-cook, reheat later method. Because of the high hydration, the dough gets even crispier after a second trip to the oven. The margherita (€6.50) is always the first test of any good pizza place, and Mani's comes with homemade tomato sauce, Toonsbridge Fior di Latte, stracciatella, basil and EVOO. Whether you've had Roman style pizza before or not, the base here with its 80% hydration and three-day fermentation before baking will knock you sideways - so light while losing nothing in texture, so crisp without being dry or hard. Sweatshop levels of exertion have gone into this dough preparation and cook, and you can taste it as soon as it hits your mouth. Toppings were perfectly judged, with bright tomato under an oozing double cheese combo. The Carbonara slice (€8.50) is what catapulted Mani from fondly-thought-of food truck to social media superstar, and it's an eye-catcher, with pancetta, guanciale, Pecorino Romano, Toonsbridge Fior di Latte, black pepper, and a generous coating of free-range egg yolk over the top (we're dying to know what happens to all of the egg whites, maybe there's a pavlova spin off in the works). The toppings here outweigh any saintly lightness from the base, but the carbonara flavours are all there and then some. Too many pizza places can be tight with the toppings, but shouldn't be any complaints about that here. Wall to wall pancetta, cheese and egg yolk will make the masses happy, but the richness factor is high so we wouldn't plan on eating much more if you're having a whole one. We didn't realise the potato slice (€6.50) was vegan until after we'd eaten it, the cream di nocciola bringing a creamy, nutty, sweetness that deftly disguised the lack of cheese. Irish rooster potatoes are sliced wafer thin, and it's topped with cress for added freshness. The other meat option is the salsiccia (€7.50), with housemade fennel sausage, vodka sauce, fior di latte, pink onions, salsa verde and Pecorino Romano. The salsa verde is a clever touch, bringing a lemony freshness to a meaty, cheesy slice, and like everything else in here is beautifully balanced. Of the four dips (€2 each) we tried three - garlic sauce, hot chilli and honey, and cacio e pepe. We would heartily reccomend all of them (the garlic is perfection), but the Carbonara slice dipped in the cacio e pepe sauce is an OTT trip that cheese lovers won't be forgetting any time soon. Panini (€10.50 - €11.50) are no relation to the ultra-processed bread pox that landed in Dublin some time in the last century (and are still readily available in delis and bad pubs across the country). These have the same light, ultra-crisp dough as the pizzas, baked into sandwich form, sliced through the centre and stuffed with fillings like porchetta and cheesy aubergine. When we heard the mortadella option came with pistachio cream, curiosity got the better of us, and of all the things we ate that day, this is one we've been reliving daily. The mild, porky, slightly smoky flavour up against the slightly sweet, pesto-like sauce sounds so wrong, but tastes so incredible. Owner McGonagle's other business Ciao Cannoli plays a supporting role here, with Nutella, classico and pistachio options (€5.50 each) all made to order. We've had these several times and they're always pitch perfect, but these felt a bit smaller than what we've had in the past so we wouldn't share between any more than two (if you're feeling generous). What about drinks? They're basic but do the job, with a very drinkable organic Nero D'Avola by the glass (€8) or bottle (€45) and a Gavi for white (same prices). Beers are Ichnusa (or Peroni 0.0) and they have soft drinks too. How was the service? Pleasant but perfunctory. You place your order at the till, pay and take a seat with your buzzer. Once your order is ready you go up to collect it. Just prepare to feel slightly stressed if you have questions about the menu and there's a snaking queue behind you - there's only one till and hungry people are easily irritated. What was the damage? €60 for more than enough to feed three - we took leftovers home but could have been greedier and finished the lot. What's the verdict on Mani? We wanted to like Mani, but we LOVED it. McGonagle has cut zero corners, determined to get the Roman specialty just right for a clearly appreciative Irish audience, and having Shannon for start-up support makes Mani a powerhouse. We think Shannon has grander Trattoria-style plans down the line, but if the temperaments work, we think these two could have an imressive run of restaurants in them. God knows it's easier having a business partner than going it alone, especially when you operate with the same fervour and work ethic to attain a perfect product every time. With appetites (and wallets) for premium-priced dining experiences dropping by the day, we think it's ultra-accessible, ultra-delicious places like Mani that are going to soar in 2024. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Vietnom Street food that's reason alone to got to Stoneybatter Posted: 30 Oct 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? We're really quite into this whole "dingy pub gets great pop up in the back" thing. Between Vurgerface in The Belfry and Dice Bar, Grálinn in MVP and Coke Lane Pizza in Frank Ryans and Lucky's, pub food has never been better. Another one that we've been hearing loads about over the past few months is Vietnom in the back of The Glimmerman pub in Stoneybatter, and while the idea of Vietnamese/Mexican fusion wouldn't have had us running for the Luas, after two excellent reviews in The Irish Times and the Irish Independent we had to check it out for ourselves. Set up by chef Milly Murphy and Alex Gurnee earlier this year, the menu at Vietnom changes every week, and most things on the menu are vegetarian, with at least one vegan option. They work with what's local and seasonal, growing some vegetables themselves, buying others from organic farms, and sourcing only free-range meat and eggs. So far so good. Where should we go for a drink first? The Glimmerman is atmospheric to say the least, with Charlie Haughey and Margaret Thatcher in a bed hanging from the ceiling, beer mats all over the walls and more nooks and crannies than we thought was possible to fit in a single pub, so a drink here is a good shout. Otherwise you've got L. Mulligan Grocer for an immense craft beer selection, The Cobblestone for traditional Irish music, or Walsh's, which was named best pub in Dublin at this year's Irish restaurant awards. Where should we sit? There's loads of seating out the back, ranging from quirky to "I'm sitting on a plastic-covered leather sofa in the middle of a tip", but with the weather turning colder you'll want a good winter coat to eat outside. Luckily the pub are cool about bringing the food inside, so just sit wherever you can find some mismatched furniture. What's good to eat? The menu is short with three main options both times we visited - tostadas, banh mi and fried rice. Ingredient and flavour combinations change each week and we tried everything twice, loving all of it. We marginally preferred the tostada with cauliflower, peanut sauce, chilli and pickled onions to the one with squash, tomatillo salsa and toasted sesame, but there wasn't a lot in it. We much preferred the banh mi with caramelised ginger and apple roast pork to the one with paneer, finding it lacking in flavour - the same could not be levied at the pork, and the lovely crunchy vegetables jammed in alongside it. Our only complaint is that we like a crisper bread for banh mi, Vietnom's being a soft sourdough, but they've had it designed especially for them and it's exactly what they're going for so we might be alone on that one. Both courgette and broccoli fried rice came topped with an assortment of nuts, chillis, pickled onions, herbs and flower petals, and might have been our favourite thing here. To make something as plain as rice taste this vibrant takes skill, and the courgette in particular was verging on "food crack". There was so much food we took some home and there were fork fights over the last of it the following day. What about the drinks? Those clever Vietnom people, knowing the type of customer they were likely to attract with their food, convinced The Glimmerman to stock a couple of very nice, inexpensive wines to go with it. Ciú Ciú are an organic producer from the Marche region of Italy and both the white and red blends are excellent, particularly for €6 a glass. We'd go so far as to say these could be the best value wines in any pub in the city right now (accounting for the quality). If you're going to drink wine here, this is what you want. Forget the rest. And the service? Alex and Milly do everything themselves, with a smile on their faces, and are happy to answer questions about the food or make recommendations. We also found The Glimmerman staff lovely, particularly the younger members of the team who were just super friendly. The verdict? Vietnom alone is worth a trip to Stoneybatter. They can do as much 'fusion' as they want if it tastes this good, and with their focus on local produce, organic vegetables and free-range meat and dairy, it's fast food to make you feel good. Go soon, go often, and order everything. Vietnom The Glimmerman, 14 Stoneybatter, Dublin 7 @vietnom New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Kevin O’Donnell and Laura Chabal’s Comet opened just off Dawson Street in Summer 2025 with little fanfare, but within weeks the critics (us included) had proclaimed it one of the most exciting restaurants to open in Dublin in recent memory. O’Donnell’s Scandi-influenced cooking feels genuinely unique in Dublin right now, as do the small site’s paired back bistro vibes, and the wine list is an event in itself. The quail on toast is already a thing of legend – if ever dare to take it off the menu they’ll have an angry mob at the door. Comet Website cometrestaurant.com Address Comet, Joshua Lane, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Kevin O’Donnell and Laura Chabal’s Comet opened just off Dawson Street in Summer 2025 with little fanfare, but within weeks the critics (us included) had proclaimed it one of the most exciting restaurants to open in Dublin in recent memory. O’Donnell’s Scandi-influenced cooking feels genuinely unique in Dublin right now, as do the small site’s paired back bistro vibes, and the wine list is an event in itself. The quail on toast is already a thing of legend – if ever dare to take it off the menu they’ll have an angry mob at the door. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Díon The rooftop restaurant with the 360º views that opened too early Posted: 9 Dec 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the scoop on Díon? It's the new rooftop bar and restaurant in the old Central Bank building (now Central Plaza) that's been years in the making, and finally opened last weekend after multiple delays. The site was originally due to be leased by the Irish operator of PF Changs , but when a global pandemic caused that to fall through, an Irish company known as Dreamview set their sites on it. It appears to be mainly funded by Irish corporate lawyer Barry McGrath , with Alan Clancy (a long time hospitality pro behind House, 37 Dawson Street and The Wright Venue) initially a fellow director. Díon is the Irish for roof, pronounced "dee-in". There's been rumblings of issues with the site for months, with Clancy stepping down as director in October (he's still described as a hospitality consultant to the business), and this week the news broke that Clancy's House venues in Dublin and Limerick have gone into receivership with an estimated €10 million owed. An 'annus horribilis' perhaps. While press releases started coming in September about its November opening, the date was put back again and again, with several people complaining on Díon's Instagram page a couple of weeks ago that they'd woken that morning to an automated email saying their booking for the same day had been cancelled. Not even a phone call? Help to find a table elsewhere? Not their problem apparently. It finally opened late last week, offering discounts on the menu for one night (as far as we can ascertain). You start below ground level, entering the doors to find hosts who will escort you via lift up to the tenth floor restaurant. We're told the plan is is start guests on the ninth floor and offer them a drink first, before ascending the stairs for dinner, but it's all a bit of a mess right now. So what's the problem? This venue is not finished and shouldn't have opened - clearly an ill-advised decision was made to cash in on the Christmas rush. Floors remain unfinished at the joins; nails sit on the ground ready to pierce the soles of diners walking by; there's a hole in the bathroom wall where a mirror should be; loose wires stick out along the staircases; kick boards under banquette seating were falling down hitting diners' ankles. Whoever was responsible for painting and finishing the ground floor looks to have gone on holidays midway through and forgotten to come back. Other online reviews from the early days of opening noted power tools on the ground; dust everywhere; a fire audit taking place during their meal with alarms going off for 30 minutes. There's something embarrassingly Irish about it all - "sure isn't it grand? What do they want?" What about the room and views? They're the reason it'll take you a while to spot the nails on the floor. Whatever we were expecting from Ireland's first 36 0 ° rooftop restaurant and bar, the reality of this glass box in the sky and its palatial design work exceeded it. It's incredible to be able to look down on every part of Dublin city centre and beyond, like a bird soaring over Dame Street, Trinity, the Convention Centre, the Ha'Penny Bridge - be sure to walk the full periphery of the room for the whole spell-binding effect. If there's a particular city marker that has a special place in your heart, ask for a view of it while you eat. The best tables are along the windows (and there are loads of them), with larger tables for groups (rectangular and round) set back from the front row, but there are no bad vantage points - you just can't escape these views. It does have a bit of a luxury liner feel to it, particularly when descending the stairs to the ninth floor below the restaurant, but we've never been adverse to a bit of luxury travel, and it all feels a bit surreal that we have something at this level (both physically and figuratively) in little 'ol Dublin. A sidenote though for parents - despite the restaurant being full of kids in with their families for an early dinner, they didn't think ahead enough to order high chairs, so they will be left to sit on laps or crawl over banquettes until they sort it out - which is really relaxing for their parents. What's the menu like? At first glance, snoozeville. It's a rare day that we struggle to decide what to order because so LITTLE appeals, but this is your typical please the masses combo. There's cream of chicken soup (is this a funeral?), duck a l'orange (is it 1970?), bacon and cabbage croquettes (sure we've got to have some Oirish stuff on there, we're basically in Temple Bar), and very little to get your heart rate up. Those croquettes (an appetiser at €9.50) are actually pretty decent, tasting distinctly of your Mammy's bacon and cabbage, with a very soft white sauce barely holding it all together. If you didn't like her version though you probably won't like these either. Another appetiser of shiitake mushrooms in salt and vinegar tempura (€10) was lacking both advertised flavours, but the batter was crisp and grease free. Bizarrely there were unadvertised spears of broccoli in there too - shiitakes too expensive? Chilli mayo on the side delivered a good punch of flavour, but it wasn't what was billed. For starters your eye can't help but be drawn to the 'Díon vol-au-vent', clearly their signature dish, given centre stage in its own box in the middle of the menu. Luxury ingredients like truffled chicken, foie gras and ceps justify the €25 price point, but of course it wasn't available. We slummed it with Lambay crab soldiers (an Instagrammer's dream at €16.50). The soliders arrived over-fried and lukewarm with the texture of cardboard, and if they'd ever come in contact with a Lambay crab we couldn't taste it - what a waste of a prime Irish crustacean. The béarnaise though was so perfect we would have eaten our napkins dipped in it, so we soldiered on. The surprise starter smash was the deep-fried globe artichoke with sage, tomato and romesco sauce (which also happens to be vegan). Beautifully tender inside, gorgeously crisp outside, the sage and tomatoes, brought freshness, the romesco depth, smoke and cream. It's a killer dish, veggie or otherwise. Díon are taking their life in their hands putting a double smash burger (€23.50) on the menu with all the competition around here, but those other guys can relax. These are not smashed patties (they were still pink inside, which in a non smash burger we would appreciate), and we're not sure how we felt about the large slice of tomato on top and the mound of iceberg underneath. Throw back to a sadder time in Dublin's burger history? It wasn't on a "cristal bun" either, looking like your average brioche. The main issue was the grease dripping from every side of it - so messy, with fat the dominant flavour and texture. Chips arrived at room temperature and criminally under-salted. There was no salt or pepper on the table, so after we'd gotten out of our seat (for the 65th time) to flag down an overwhelmed server, then have her take most of five minutes to go and source salt, they were fully cold. Duck a l'orange (€27.50) came plump and pink, with perfectly rendered fat, and crisp skin, but where's the orange? We were almost finished it before we remembered that part. A meaty jus would be more accurate. An endive tart came with half a caramelised bulb sitting on top of a rectangle of pastry, as if the two had been cooked separately and then assembled. Pleasant, but disjointed. Sides of colcannon mash (so dry we almost choked on it and with such a skant amount of kale we thought we'd gotten the wrong dish) and tenderstem broccoli with crispy chilli (very, very spicy with no crisp to be seen) were €4.50 each and you'll need them as a lot of dishes come with zero sides, like the dry-aged fillet steak (€47.50), or the Iberico pork chop on the bone (€45). We'd seen the tart tatin for two (€18) being carted around the restaurant, all eyes drawn to the large mound of apples heading for other tables. It's good, but not Mae good, with nicely burnished, tender apples crying out for more caramel. Again it seemed that the apples were cooked separately to the pastry with no fusion between the two - attempts to eat it just resulted in the apple chunks falling off. We've never seen Gypsy tart on a menu here, and while the description of "salted caramel tart" isn't technically correct, the addition of salt to an overly sweet tart is always welcome. This is dessert perfection, the type you'd expect to end on in a London bistro where every plate has delivered on your largest food dreams - the pastry, the custard, the glossy top, the Chantilly on the side - may they never take it off the menu. What about drinks? The website's cocktail menu talks a big talk abou t " A modern Irish cocktail story, told from above" , but when we asked for the menu we were told none of these special cocktails were available. " We just have classic cocktails ". Like what? " All the classic cocktails ." Panic, what's a classic cocktail. Can you give us some examples of what the bar can make? " All the classic cocktails. " We gingerly asked for a spicy margarita, expecting a "request denied", but it was brought and it was very good. The wine list looks like it's been designed by several different people. There's everything from supermarket brands, to natural wines, to bottles you'd only buy if you were showing off (€2000+), and there's no cohesion in any of it. You'll struggle to find anything of interest by the glass under €16/17, with the rare (and welcome) exception of Cantina Tollo's Montepulciano, a brilliant house red at €9 a glass. Anyone serving Moët as their house Champagne in 2025 needs to take a long hard look at themselves. How was the service? What service? After our appetisers and starters were delivered (together) we were left completely alone, to the point that we started to wonder if this magical room had imbued us with the super power to become invisible. No one came to check how the food was, to take away our empty glasses, to ask if we wanted more drinks, to clear our plates, to bring fresh cutlery. After a good 30 minutes of sitting like icebergs, we started to think that surely the mains were going to arrive any second, so got up and found a server from another section, apologetically explaining that our server had disappeared. "Oh I think everyone's gone on their break"... Our disappearing server hadn't know what the fish of the day was, how it was cooked, what price it was, what sizes the sole (priced per 100g) was available in. After a five minute delay each time when he went off to check, we gave up asking questions. Our flustered rescue server admitted that they weren't ready to open, and that the night before had been "carnage", with many, many unhappy customers. Our experience was mild in comparison apparently. Lucky us. There's also an agonising wait when the back waiter brings up your food on a large tray and places it on a service table in view, and you have to watch your food lose heat while they wait for a front waiter to bring it to you. More than a few times we were close to jumping up and grabbing the plates ourselves. Why anyone would put people on the floor with such inadequate training, who don't even know what's on the menu, and who are willing to walk off on a break leaving diners deserted is a head-scratcher. Was it days away from going under if they didn't get the doors open? Didn't they realise the damage that initial carnage could do? Why not do a week long soft launch seeking diners' forgiveness while they fixed the floors, finished the paint job and trained their staff to an acceptable level? How much was the bill? €194.50 for enough food for three (but just two mains), three alcoholic drinks and two softs. You'll easily spend €100 a head here if going all in, and you could spend a lot more if you're looking at that grill section and the higher priced wine. What's the verdict on Díon? It's generally accepted that glamorous international imports like Gloria , The Hoxton and Hawksmoor are good for Dublin, but you still hear rumblings of "but why can't we do these things ourselves?", with a lack of investment generally blamed. Díon has had plenty of investment (estimates sit around €10 million), but lacks the expertise to get a new opening off the ground in a professional, (seemingly) faultless way like their international competitors. It's embarrassing that we can't do it as well as them, especially in a space that has the potential to be as iconic as this one. Imagine Gloria opening the restaurant while there was still building work going on; Hawksmoor letting staff loose on the floor who hadn't been properly trained; The Hoxton opening Cantina Valentina with their Peruvian cocktails and star dishes missing from the menu. None of these guys would have risked it, no matter what time of year it was or how the bank balance looked, because they know you've only got one chance to make a first impression, and those first reviews (diner and critic) will sit on the first page of Google until the end of time. If you've got all the money sloshing around your pockets and are happy to drop some on a sub-par experience then go forth and enjoy those views, or just drop in for a drink, but otherwise we'd put this one on the long finger until the new year, when hopefully the online reviews will reflect that they've finally figured out what they're doing up there. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Dakoi Hand-pulled noodles above the Italian Quarter Posted: 24 May 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Dakoi Oriental Café quietly popped up on Millennium walkway two months ago, in Dublin’s somewhat under-utilised Italian Quarter. They specialise in Chinese hand-pulled noodles (which are exactly what they sound like), which the chef makes behind a glass window looking onto the street. They also serve Filipino and Korean dishes and sushi, and while the amalgamation of so many cuisines would usually be a turn off, the lure of hand-pulled as opposed to machine made noodles was too hard to resist. Where’s good for a drink beforehand? For wine, Enoteca della Langhe and Wallace’s Taverna (both owned by TD Mick Wallace but thankfully not run by him) are just up the walkway towards the liffey. Their wine lists are solely Italian and great value thanks to the fact that they import all of their wines directly without going through a wholesaler. This is the place to go when you want to splash out on a bottle of Barolo. Asian restaurant Koh , next door to Dakoi, has an award-winning cocktail bar, and for a pint we’d recommend TP Smiths around the corner. We'd probably eat first as you'll be done quite quickly, then get on the booze after. What’s the room like? You order and pay downstairs, then go up a floor to the seating area where they bring your food once it’s ready. The floor to ceiling glass walls provide great views of the streets below, and it feels like being in a very mini skyscraper in some cool Asian city. Until you see the sign for the Jervis Centre. What's good to eat? The hand-pulled noodles obviously, which come in a broth infused with 15 Chinese herbs, beef, spring onions, coriander and what looked like radish. The noodles are the wonderfully chewy kind that no machine can master, the thinly sliced beef was meltingly soft and the broth had layers of flavour. We also tried the Filipino Bulabo beef stew on the recommendation of the owner, which again came in a really flavoursome broth, with bone marrow (and chunks of bone), sweetcorn, pak choi, raw onion and spring onion, with a side of rice and fresh chillis. Both dishes came in small and large but we thought the small was more than sufficient. Sides of fried pork gyoza and edamame were also good, and the gyoza comes with a side of pickled carrot and cabbage - like a Chinese version of coleslaw. Go easy with the chilli oil on the table, unless you enjoy losing your taste buds every now and then. What about the drinks? Better than the average casual Asian eatery. Three white wines, three red and two proseccos, all commercial but drinkable, and five different Chinese beers – Asahi, Chang, Tsingtao, Tiger and Cobra. They also do tea and coffee. And the service? Owner Fang was manning the till when we were there, helping people navigate the menu and making recommendations. Our food and drinks came quickly and all were delivered by smiley staff. The verdict? Undiluted Asian food (like the type they eat in Asia) is notoriously hard to find in Dublin, and while we’d prefer a place to focus on one thing and do it brilliantly, having somewhere that does genuine hand-pulled noodles really well is a great addition to the city. We’ve got our eye on the oil spilled noodles for next time, and they told us they’re hoping to start trialling an Asian breakfast soon, with dishes like Thai omelette, wonton soup and steamed buns. We'd take that over a full Irish any day. Dakoi Oriental Café 10 Millennium Walkway, Dublin 1 facebook.com/Dakoi2018/ New Openings & Discoveries More >>

D'Lepak Superior Malaysian street food hidden away in suburbia Posted: 14 Oct 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the background on D'Lepak? Wife and husband team Ira (front of house) and Sydian (chef) came to Dublin from Malaysia 23 years ago, with both working in hospitality across restaurants and cafés. A year ago the Palmerstown café in the middle of a housing estate that Sydian worked for (Easy as Pie) decided to close, and the couple decided to take the leap and bring the food they eat at home to Dublin 20 locals, but were they ready for it? Ira said that at first regular customers didn't know what to make of the new dishes, asking if they could still get their usual burger or chicken salad. They kept these items on the menu, supplementing with iconic Malay dishes like curry puffs, Nasi Lemak and Mee Goreng, but she says that now most people have come around, and order the Malay dishes over the old Western ones. They would love to get to the point where these dishes are removed completely, and we think that would be the turning point for D'Lepak to gain a wider following, moving from a locally loved café to a Malaysian food destination. What's the seating situation? This is a café set up, so not somewhere you're likely to settle in for hours. Chairs are hard plastic or backless cushioned benches (most with cushions), but it's a sweet place to sit surrounded by Malaysian artwork and fans, and a large fake flower wall complete with "just lepak and chill!" in neon letters. Some Gen-Z driven Instagram/Tiktok thought went into this decor. There's a cute garden out back too if it's mild enough for outdoor dining, with more fake flower + neon sign photo opportunities just crying out for a place on your social feeds. They do take reservations so you can also request where to sit (benches by the window for us), but when we tried to use their online system it wasn't working so we had to call. What's on the menu? You have to cut through a fair amount of filler food to get to the supremo Malaysian stuff, but that's where we come in useful. Needless to say you are not here for the chicken burger, steak salad, or chips, but from the Asian sections there are some key winners and ones to avoid. Beef and lamb are Irish, but chicken may not be, so avoid as required. The only two small plates that are fully homemade are the curry puffs (or karipap) and the Malaysian chicken satay skewer (€10.90), and these should both be in your order. You want to talk about going the extra mile? D'Lepak's satay sauce is from a family recipe, made with fresh ingredients and zero shortcuts, including grinding peanuts fresh instead of using bought in peanut butter. The barbecued chicken skewers are smoky and tender, and while the plain chunks of cucumber, red onions and compressed rice cubes might seem dull at first glance, you would eat the top of your finger dipped into this sauce. Curry puffs (€6 for four) come filled with curried potato or sardines, in the crispiest deep-fried pastry shell, and they'll default to potato if you don't specify which on ordering. If you drove out here and just had a plate of these you would leave with no regrets, and probably order a second portion to go. €1.50 per puff feels like you're ripping them off. We've spent years trying to find a version of Nasi Lemak (the country's national dish) that's as good as the ones we fell in love with in Malaysia, and Normah's in London is the closest we've got without jumping back onto an Ethiad flight, until now. Order it with the lamb rendang (€15) - a spiced meat curry rich in coconut and fragrant with lemongrass, and pick and mix with the spicy sambal sauce, crunchy peanuts and anchovies, refreshing cucumber, soft egg and rice cooked with coconut milk and pandan leaf. It's unusual to serve the egg in this common breakfast dish fried instead of boiled, but we quite liked the yolk running all over the rice. The weekend sees specials hit their social media feeds, and ask about them if they don't offer them up on arrival - we had major heart eyes to find out they were running a special of roti with dahl, and the flaky, buttery flatbread had barely hit the table before it was ripped to shreds and inhaled by all present, but the dahl covered in a thick oil slick was very high on the spicy scale, and should probably come with a warning for fair-weather Irish palates. The roti is sadly bought in (it is a quality version), but the couple hope to extend their kitchen if business goes well so that they can start making their own (we also hope for this as there are few higher pleasures in life than good, homemade roti). A Malay dish we've never seen served in any other restaurant here is kuay teow ladna (€16), a dish of flat rice noodles in a silky egg soup, with prawns, chicken, squid and vegetables. The chicken stock-based, egg-enriched soup has a deep flavour profile, with meat and seafood quantities more generous than we expected, and a squeeze of lime over the top livening it all up. There's a bit of a "chicken soup for the soul" vibe going on here - the next time you're sick or feeling "tired" (read: hungover), we bet this would improve things. Mee Goreng, a fried noodle dish with chicken and/or seafood is commonly sold at food stalls around Malaysia, with egg noodles in a sticky, sweet sauce. D'Lepak's has chicken, prawns and plenty of fresh, crunchy veg, topped with a fried egg, fried onions and freshly fried prawn crackers. It's not a reason to drive here like some of the other dishes, but if you're craving noodles you'll be very happy. As is too often the case, we left feeling short-changed that we hadn't been able to try more. Next time (on the owner's advice) we're trying the Nasi Goreng Ikan Masin - Asian style fried rice with salted fish, chicken onion, choi sum and a fried egg on top - and the Maggi Goreng chicken chop - instant noodles fried in Malaysian sauces with vegetables, crispy breaded boneless chicken leg and a fried egg . The less said about this 'Gear Box' special - a Northern-style vermicelli soup with bone marrow - that we also missed out on the better. If you're hungry enough for dessert, skip the fridge with bought in sponge cakes and profiteroles, and look to the counter for Malaysian specials like 'Serimuka', a two-layered dessert with glutinous rice and green pandan custard, and 'Talam gula merah', with a palm sugar based and a coconut milk topping. The serimuka was our favourite, but we wouldn't class either as a must eat. We'd rather have another curry puff. How was the service? Totally charming, with owner Ira genuinely interested in everyone that walks through the door, wanting to know how they're finding the food, how they heard about the restaurant, and whether they've been to Malaysia before. Their two children help out at the weekend too when they're not in college, and it's the kind of place you'd feel yourself drawn to regularly if you lived locally, for the welcoming energy as much as the food. What was the damage? A bargainous €67 before tip, for two starters, four mains, and two Malaysian sweets, with plenty of leftovers to take home, or for four people to feel very full eating in. What's the verdict on D'Lepak? There's so much heart in this little café, and if they just ditched the burgers and bought in fried food and stuck to where the soul of the operation is, this could end up as much an out of the way food destination as Normah's in London, in its back street shopping mall in Queensway. For now they're too nervous to make the leap, but maybe once word spreads about the curry puffs and nasi lemak, they'll move things up a gear and focus fully on what they're best at. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Etto Sherry, stracciatella and a feast of meat Posted: 26 Jan 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Unarguably one of the most talked about restaurants in Dublin since opening in 2013, Etto was a ray of light in a recession ravaged city and led the way for the other young, dynamic openings that followed. Run by partners Liz and Simon, the menu is part-Italian, part-Irish with a stellar wine list which includes sherry and three wines on tap. There are only 38 seats, so reservations (especially at the weekend) are essential. With the couple due to open their second restaurant ‘Uno Mas’ later this year, we thought it was time to revisit one of the game-changers on the Dublin restaurant scene. Where’s good for a drink beforehand? There’s a strong argument for going straight to Etto and getting stuck into their sherry or prosecco on tap, but if you’d rather a change of scene we’d suggest La Cave on South Anne Street for the best value glass of fizz in the city (€8.95 for proper Crémant de Bourgogne), or for cocktails try Peruke and Periwig . If it’s a pint you’re after you won’t do much better than O’Donoghues which is just a few doors down. There’s a very good chance you’ll stumble on a trad session. What’s the room like? Cosy, bistro like space with white walls, dark wood and candles. Always a nice hum of conversation but never so loud that you can’t hear your dining companions. Has that intimate feeling that’s perfect for dates or a catch up with friends. What's good to eat? In a word? Everything. We’re not sure if there’s ever been a dud dish served in Etto. Go hungry because you’ll want to start with the snacks. Smoked almonds and fino should run away and get married. The bright green olives and hake and morcilla croquettes were perfect, flavour packed pre-appetisers. For starters, the sea bream crudo with blood orange and rosemary oil is a stalwart of the menu for good reason. Light, fresh and bursting with flavour, it feels like you’re doing your body a favour by eating it. Smoky eel wrapped in salt-baked kohlrabi, up against tart granny smith and horseradish managed to convince a lifelong eel-avoider what she’s been missing out on. The one we’re still dreaming about is the stracciatella, celeriac, truffle honey, hazelnut and lovage. Gooey cheese above a pesto-like lovage sauce, with crunchy hazelnuts, smooth peelings of celeriac and umami sweetness from the truffle honey. For mains, the Côte de Bœuf has to be experienced at least once. It's a total feast of delicious, perfectly cooked meat and would easily feed three. Crispy garlic potatoes and the richest béarnaise sauce will finish you off. Vegetables are no less impressive - the roast onion squash risotto with chanterelles and tallegio lasted approximately 20 seconds while spoons clattered together scraping the plate clean. A side of hispi cabbage with buckwheat and mustard sauce was one of the most delicious incarnations of cabbage that we’ve tasted. It’s official – chargrilling anything makes it approximately 10 times tastier. Desserts don't let the side down either, and their signature red wine prunes with vanilla mascarpone is another dish that needs to be tried at least once. We also attacked the warm chocolate mousse with walnut ice cream and Campari like jackals. What about the wine? The wine list is great and although it was a slow build, they’re finally getting recognition for it and having customers order their more unusual bottles. These guys love sherry and they’ve converted many of their customers into loving it too. The combination of Equipo Navazos Fino and smoked almonds is a great start to a night out. There are three wines on tap from innovative wine importer Wine Lab (whose motto is #nocrapontap ), a prosecco, a friulano (Italian white) and a refosco (Italian red). All really solid wines and great value at €6.50 for still and €7 for sparkling. The main wine list is Italian/European heavy and has so many great names on there that choosing is the difficult part, but the lovely staff are always ready to make recommendations. We had a rich, flavour-filled verdicchio from Italian producer Fattoria San Lorenzo (€44) which did a great job of standing up to the many flavours in our starters, and a juicy, slightly savoury Zweigelt from Austrian producer Claus Preisinger (€45), which we were worried might be a bit light for the Côte de Bœuf, but in reality was a perfect match for the juiciness of the medium-rare beef. We finished with a Madeira from legends Barbeito (€10.95) and a Spanish sweet wine from Bodega Bentomiz (€9.95), which were perfect examples of why sweet wine shouldn’t be a sickly, cloying end to a meal. And the service? Unfailingly excellent. Hospitality is a hard industry to recruit for so finding consistently great staff like these is not something to brush over. Staff are attentive but unobtrusive, happy to recommend without being pushy, knowing when to come over and when to leave you alone. And they come across as really nice people who like what they're a part of. The verdict? There’s a reason why Etto is so loved, particularly by those in the food and wine trade. These guys are doing everything right. The food is uncompromisingly great, the wine list is dying for exploration, and the staff go over and above to make customers feel taken care of. If you haven’t been yet we strongly recommend rectifying that at the first available opportunity. We are counting the days until 'Uno Mas' is abierto. Etto 18 Merrion Row, Dublin 2 etto.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

The Grayson Website thegrayson.ie Address 41 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

There's more to Dublin's tourist-thronged mecca than sad stews and over-priced pints. Look around corners and you'll find fresh seafood, bangkok-level Thai food, and one of the city's best wine bars. Temple Bar Our Take There's more to Dublin's tourist-thronged mecca than sad stews and over-priced pints. Look around corners and you'll find fresh seafood, bangkok-level Thai food, and one of the city's best wine bars. Where to Eat Achara Daruma Eatokyo Temple Bar FX Buckley Crow Street Full Moon Lucky Tortoise Temple Bar Monty's of Kathmandu Pho Ta Piglet Rosa Madre Sano Temple Bar Saucy Cow Sweet Churro The Seafood Cafe Toca Tapioca

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

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

Chef Dylan McGrath's Fade Street Social remains ever popular amongst visitors and locals, with two separate food options. The main restaurant downstairs serves a bistro type menu of Irish produce that's "uncomplicated", like oysters, steak and Kilkenny's Goatsbridge trout. Outdoor tables at the front and on their rooftop order from a "wood-fired menu" of pizzas, small plates and meats, all cooked using natural wood and embers. Good selection of vegan and vegetarian food too so plenty to satisfy a mixed crowd. Fade Street Social Website fadestreetsocial.com Address 6 Fade Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Chef Dylan McGrath's Fade Street Social remains ever popular amongst visitors and locals, with two separate food options. The main restaurant downstairs serves a bistro type menu of Irish produce that's "uncomplicated", like oysters, steak and Kilkenny's Goatsbridge trout. Outdoor tables at the front and on their rooftop order from a "wood-fired menu" of pizzas, small plates and meats, all cooked using natural wood and embers. Good selection of vegan and vegetarian food too so plenty to satisfy a mixed crowd. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

City centre café and pancake house Póg opened their third location in the seaside village of Howth, and took their natural, pampas grass-filled aesthetic with them. Brunch, lunch, coffee and homemade juices draw plenty of passers by, as does their vegan afternoon tea. Póg Howth Website ifancyapog.ie Address Island View House, 1 Harbour Road, Howth, Dublin 13 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story City centre café and pancake house Póg opened their third location in the seaside village of Howth, and took their natural, pampas grass-filled aesthetic with them. Brunch, lunch, coffee and homemade juices draw plenty of passers by, as does their vegan afternoon tea. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Comet The most exciting, original restaurant opening in Dublin this year Posted: 8 Jul 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the 411 on Comet? The prodigal chef returns home from Denmark with a grá to settle at home and dreams of achieving big things on home turf. Wexford-born Kevin O’Donnell came up through the ranks of Dublin dining, working at Bastible and Klaw, before decamping to Copenhagen and achieving very big things. Gaining a job at two Michelin-starred Kadeau , he worked his way up to head chef at Kadeau 's summer beachside outpost Bornholm (which has one Michelin star), before being appointed head of research, development and "special stuff" across both restaurants, which doesn’t happen without a lot of talent and an equal amount of graft. O’Donnell’s now wife Laura Chabal also worked at Kadeau as Communications Manager, but the couple, like most in hospitality, dreamt about what they could create on their own, and Ireland was calling. They moved home in 2024 and started testing the water with their Comet supper club , which had a few run outs at the Fumbally Stables, as well as doing some private catering while they figured out a plan. That plan was hatched with old employers Bastible , who came on board to back Comet the restaurant. Remember La Ruelle , the wine bar behind what's now Pablo Picante on Dawson Street? The wine list (or room) was never our vibe, so we can't say we were heartbroken to see them go. The site though on Joshua Lane (named after Joshua Dawson who sold the land it sits on to Dublin corporation for £3,500 in 1715) has the most central of locations, and despite a lack of passing trade, we were surprised to see it sat empty since last year – until Comet swooped in to turn on the lights back on. What table should we be asking for? If you're a table of six (or maybe less depending on how busy they are) you'll want the oval table in the window - the only one with decent natural light and the perfect shape for group conversations. Thankfully acoustics in here are better than the lighting - be aware that if you bring that older person in your life who wears reading glasses they will complain about needing a torch to see the menu. Otherwise the room is roughly split in two by a room divider on the left and the bar counter on the right, with natural light diminishing the further back you go, but a mirror cleverly installed on the back wall to combat this. We generally like to be at the front and have a better view of the whole room, but if you're meeting someone to conduct an illicit affair, ask for a corner in the back, or just behind that divider. What's the menu like? A genuinely original (for Dublin), European bistro-style, love letter to local sourcing, pickling, smoking, fermenting and doing very clever things to get the maximum possible flavour from very lovely ingredients - no BS included. Start with the "Comet" aperitif while deciding what to order - the white vermouth on ice with a guindilla chilli pepper and a dash of the brine mixed through is an electric opener, and the perfect signature serve. There’s a “4-course carte blanche” option for €78, but it’s a bit confusing as to exactly what you’ll get. They told us two snacks, two starters, a fish course each (red mullet instead of the pollock on the menu), a main to share, and two desserts, but it’s all a surprise, and with no details of what’s on there it’s impossible to know whether it’s better or worse value than ordering à la carte , which is what we ended up doing. Don't pass on olives and pickles (€8) thinking you've had them a million times - not like this you haven't. Warm olives arrive so smooth and glistening in olive oil (the really good stuff) you can almost see your reflection in them. A unique assortment of pickled gooseberries, artichoke, asparagus, and onion sit beside them, and between the rich olives and tangy pickles it's a mini flavour riot. Anchovy and meyer lemon toast came next, covered in a sorrel leaf which we struggled to see the point of (other than the fun of lifting it up to see what's underneath). This one needs a chilli warning - that heat wasn't mentioned on the menu - and while those mink brown anchovies are in our all time top food lists, we didn't love this enough to think about it much afterwards (especially for the €9 price tag). Onto starters/small plates, and a smoked pork cheek and black kale skewer (€22) arrived concertina-style in the most perfect rectangle. The pork, from Fiorbhia Farm in Laois is cured in shio koji ( here's an explainer ), hot smoked, then glazed with pork fat, collatura (an Italian fish sauce made from anchovies) and fermented habanero. The tangy, earthy kale up against the ultra-thin smoky pork, dragged through the toasted yeast emulsion on the side makes for a dish where the above average price tag is easily justified. " Peas, broad beans and pistachio " wouldn't have been on our order sheet if owner Chabal hadn't told us it was her favourite, and gosh were we glad we listened. Peas and beans from Abercorn Farm and Castleruddery in Wicklow tasted like they'd been plucked from the ground moments earlier, podded by nuns who yodelled as they worked. Tossed through with pistashio and fermented plum, and sitting on a puddle of crème crue (another name for crème fraîche), this is the kind of dish you want to never come off the menu, but you know it has to – that’s what makes seasonal eating so special. When you get to mains DO NOT look past the quail on toast - currently a top contender for the best thing we've eaten in 2025 (or ever?). French quails are deboned, given a sweet Asian glaze (confit garlic, cider vinegar, soy), stuffed with leeks, melded to homemade sourdough, and sat in a pool of Vin Jaune sauce – this is gamebird witchcraft and we were suitably spellbound. You might start off with a knife and fork, but a few bites in and you'll be making a show of yourself gnawing every last sliver of meat from the remaining bones - a finger bowl would be handy. If we don't see this on the Michelin Inspector's dishes of the month some time soon we'll be questioning whether they know what they’re talking about. The fish dish was pollock cooked in beef fat (ooooof for us, controversial for pescatarians) served with girolles and toasted hazelnuts, in a buttery sauce made with the mushroom cooking liquid and fermented white asparagus juice. Anything sitting side by side with that quail is going to pale in comparison, but the mouthfuls where you got a bit of everything were pretty special. As fish dishes go, this isn't light, and those (crazy people) who don’t like too much butter may want to pick something a bit less rich. Pommes boulangère usually looks like more like a gratin than a potato rose, but we prefer this version. Cooked in chicken stock and so soft that a knife glides from top to bottom of the waxy potato stripes, it tasted like the best Christmas potatoes, without veering into carbocide territory. Yet another impressive kitchen turn. In too many bistro set ups like this, desserts are an obvious afterthought. Something spoonable, something freezable, always simple and negating the need for a pastry chef. So Comet's three options plus an out of the box cheese course is more cause for applause. We usually skip the cheese course - we eat enough of it at home for a fraction of the price, why bother with the premium restaurant surcharge - but Comet is where habits will be broken. Are we going to cook the softest warm oat pancake as a base, make a marmalade-from Cedrat, an ancient citrus fruit imported from France, and generously shave nutty, caramel, crystal-flecked Coolea (an Irish gouda-style cheese) over the top? No we are not. We're good, but we're not that good. This is that good. A fig and brown sugar tartlet had the kind of ultra-short, crumbly, cocoa-filled pastry that only the most skilled Granny can produce. Filled with slices of ripe fig and topped with a silky, coffee crème diplomat (there’s cold-infused coffee oil in the crème), it's the kind of thing you could imagine Cedric Grolet serving you after a Parisian pilgrimage, while you tell yourself it’s a perfectly acceptable breakfast alongside a Café au Lait – fruit and coffee = breakfast. What about drinks? This is a wine venue - there's a few aperitifs and some NA options but no beer or spirits as we type. There's a short, sharp by the glass list, with a single sparkling and rosé, three each of white and red, and a couple of dessert options. It's considerably cheaper to drink the same wines by the bottle, with small glasses (125ml) at a premium price, so you will pay more for variety. There are no bad choices on this list - everything's been carefully chosen to take up a treasured slot, and the minimal intervention lean in much of the bottles is the perfect fit for the thoughtfully prepared food. If you tend to stick to the more common grapes and are unsure which of the by the glass options you might like, ask for a taste. And if you're in the wine drinking big leagues (and/or the salary big leagues) ask for the cellar wine list ( also online ). This is the kind of starry-eyed selection we’re more used to seeing in London or Paris, and this alone will draw a very specific type of diner (the type we’d really like to be friends with). How was the service? With two owners on the floor, and with us getting clocked immediately, it was never going to be anything but lovely. Dishes arrived with perfect timing, and we weren’t rushed off the table afterwards (this will depend on whether there’s a booking after you though). If Chabal is on the floor try to grab her for food and wine recommendations. There’s nothing quite like getting your hands on the person whose passion project you’re watching unfold. What's the financial committment? Comet has placed itself in the upper tier of Dublin pricing, in line with Library Street, Kicky’s, Uno Mas, and with the extreme amount of work to extract maximum flavour in the kitchen, it couldn’t be any other way. There’s no doubt the Michelin inspectors will be sitting down to dinner soon, and it’s hard to imagine a chef who’s coming from a multi-starred stable not wanting to get one on his own terms. While the prices might mean this is special occasion territory for most people, they won't care too much if it’s worth it. We paid €125 per person for a snack, starter, main, dessert/cheese, and four drinks each (including an aperitif and coffee), before tip, and we’d pay it again, and again. What's the verdict on Comet? It’s always hard to make big statements after just one meal, but here we go anyway. Comet , is the most exciting, original opening in Dublin this year (and we might include 2024 in that too). Maybe someone will say restaurants like this are 10 a penny in Copenhagen, maybe nothing is really original any more, but looking at the existing landscape of Dublin dining , Comet has landed with something entirely different. This is such confident cooking, sourcing only the best and fusing it with bold flavours developed through time-intensive methods. This is a team on a mission, with no evidence of fumbling or second-guessing themselves (maybe they’re hiding it well). There’s no hint of bean-counting or cost-cutting either, but you’ll pay for this kind of investment in flavour, and we suggest you do before word spreads and those 30 or so seats become perpetually booked up. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Mamó A blast of fresh air for Howth Posted: 15 Oct 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? There are certain types of people residing in Dublin who frequently make grand statements such as "there's nowhere to eat in *insert suburban town/village/street here*", while others look on in confusion thinking, "but there's 36 restaurants there?" (We may or may not be guilty of such statements.) What this actually means is "I'm aware there are 36 restaurants there but none are exciting enough to make me get off my bum and pay someone a substantial amount of money to cook my dinner", and one of the postcodes that's fallen into this bracket over the years is Howth. Yes there are plenty of restaurants, yes there's a decent (could be better) amount of fresh fish, but it always felt like a trick was being missed, and the culinary dynamism that's been taking over the city centre at full force hadn't quite reached here. So when we heard that ex- Etto front of house Jess D'Arcy and chef husband Killian Durkin (ex-Thornton's, Chapter One and Charlotte Quay ) had signed the lease on a harbour facing site earlier this year we felt a shiver of excitement. They describe Mamó (Irish for grandmother) as "a contemporary European dining experience in a relaxed and friendly setting", and a showcase for North County Dublin's abundant produce, as well as lesser known fish that they can buy directly from the boats. With Jess coming from Etto we had high hopes for the wine list, and a quick look online showed sherries, lesser known producers and no prosecco. So far, so ticking all of our boxes. They opened the doors at the end of September, and initial reports suggested our excitement was going to be justified. Where should we go for a drink first? The good news is there's no shortage of pubs in Howth. The bad news is if you're looking for something other than beer or gin you may struggle. The Bloody Stream is a cosy place to huddle up with a pint if it's cold outside, the Abbey Tavern up the hill on Abbey Street claims to date from the 16th century, and if you're after a more "modern" selection of drinks head for Wrights Findlater . They also have a roof terrace if it's warm enough to sit outside. Where should we sit? The dining room is cosy and quite compact - be careful what you say as it's likely your neighbours will hear you. There are tables and counter seating (perfect for eating alone ) as well as four tables outside - we don't need to tell you how in demand these are going to be come spring. For the moment heaters have been ordered. The two tables at the window with a view of the harbour are the ones to plump for if you have a choice, or the counter's lovely for one or two. What's good to eat? The menu is divided into snacks, starters, mains, sides and desserts, and as seems to be the case more and more lately we're finding ourselves more drawn to smaller plates than larger ones - probably because it allows us to try more food. The menu is changing regularly depending on what's available but if they're on as a snack when you visit do not miss the confit potato chips with taramasalata - Mamó's take on fish and chips. Salty, vinegary, creamy, fishy, and exactly the type of culinary excitement we've been looking for from a restaurant by the sea. Herby, garlicky razor clams with a macadamia nut crust were perfection on a plate (the flavour still hasn't left us), and chicken liver parfait with chicken skin crisps and crispy onions was gone in seconds. Both are must-orders if they're on. Good sourdough bread comes as standard and they plan on varying up the butters. At the moment it's a Vadouvan butter (similar to a masala spice blend) with flakes of sea salt on top. It was whipped to the point of fluffiness, and the bread comes in very handy for mopping up the last few smears of chicken liver parfait. From the starters we had a mackerel tartare with orange and pressed cucumber, which was like a Peruvian ceviche cleverly served with crisps. We are very much here for the zing and freshness of a well-made ceviche and the accompanying crunch of salted crisps, and think that variations of this will be one of their signature dishes (read: please don't ever take it off). Another starter of tarragon gnocchi in a porcini broth felt like an ideal plate for a cold day, and managed to feel light despite the rich, savoury flavours. Killian is apparently known for his homemade pastas so we look forward to more of those hitting the menu over the coming months. A main of wild black pollock with sobrasada, Lambay crab and coco de paimpol broth was well balanced with a tingle of heat and excellent fish, but wasn't as memorable as some of the smaller dishes. They also do an Etto-style Côte de bœuf from Higgins Butcher to share with bearnaise sauce and crispy potatoes, so that's on the agenda for a return trip soon. We did have the crispy potatoes as a side and they're up there with Etto in terms of their ability to turn a table of adults into a pack of scrambling animals desperately fighting over the last few crunchy bits. Another side of carrot salad with tahini and pomegranate didn't really do it for us, and felt like it was lacking seasoning. For dessert the Howth honey tart with sea salt ice cream is another we're hoping is a permanent fixture. Honey comes from up the hill where there's also an allotment they're on a waiting list for, and it's hard to think of a more thoughtful, of-the-moment ending to a meal here. Another of dark chocolate ganache with blueberries and Italian meringue was luscious, but the portion sizes didn't allow either to feel overwhelmingly sweet. We're still regretting not ordering the Old Groendal cheese with poached pear and Guinness bread, so that's high on the list for next time. What about the drinks? We're big fans of small production/on the natural side wines, but have been growing weary of seeing the same names on every new wine list in town, so it was refreshing to see a lot of lesser known producers here, and Jess is more than happy to talk people through them and make recommendations. Anywhere serving sherry by the glass gets bonus points from us, and offering something sparkling other than prosecco by the glass gains more again - here it's a great value sparkling Chardonnay from the Loire called 'Tuffeau' from Domaine Plou. There are 13 wines by the glass and we asked them to bring what they thought would work for each dish. They were on the money every time, particularly a dry furmint from Tokaji in Hungary with the mackerel tartare. And the service? This is very much a family operation with Jess' brother helping her front of house and the rest of the crew calm and tight knit. Jess is very much the hostess making sure everyone is well looked after, and while we were there she had to graciously turn away guest after guest without a booking - but not without making sure they had the restaurant's card with booking details, and telling them they would love to welcome them another time. It's not often that people leave a restaurant this happy when they haven't been able to get in. The verdict? Mamó is a breath of fresh air in sleepy Howth and it feels like it's been a long time coming. We're looking forward to seeing it settle in and just hope that the tourists don't find out about it too soon or we may struggle to get a table forever more (especially in summer, picture the scenes). At the same time, we're excited about visitors experiencing this new iteration of Irish food in such a tourist hotspot and going home to tell everyone about it, so basically you can't win. A drawn-out, lazy Sunday lunch here would be just the way to end the week, or a midweek evening stroll along the harbour followed by ceviche, 'fish and chips' and all the wine sitting up at the counter would be as good an antidote to hump day as we can imagine. Mamó Harbour House, Harbour Road, Howth, Co. Dublin mamorestaurant.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Storyboard Website storyboardcoffee.com Address Clancy Quay, Storyboard, Camden, Island Bridge, Dublin 8 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Sourdough pizza and free-range chicken wings are Vice’s reason for being, and opening so close to Trinity College was a smart move. Their “elevated sourdough crusts” are finished with seeds, while similarly elevated toppings include chilli-infused pineapple and toasted fennel powder. Wings and tenders come with various levels of heat, and don’t skip the dip. There’s plenty of seating upstairs and downstairs and it’s ideal for a quick, inexpensive bite en route to somewhere else. Vice Website @vicedublin Address 5 Merrion Street Lower, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Sourdough pizza and free-range chicken wings are Vice’s reason for being, and opening so close to Trinity College was a smart move. Their “elevated sourdough crusts” are finished with seeds, while similarly elevated toppings include chilli-infused pineapple and toasted fennel powder. Wings and tenders come with various levels of heat, and don’t skip the dip. There’s plenty of seating upstairs and downstairs and it’s ideal for a quick, inexpensive bite en route to somewhere else. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Casual ramen shop on Dun Laoghaire's main street that opened in summer 2018 and quickly gained a loyal fanbase. One of our top picks for ramen in Dublin, with everything including the noodles made in house. Don't miss the deep-fried kimchi and creative cocktails. Soup DL Website soupramen.ie Address 28 Lower Georges Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Casual ramen shop on Dun Laoghaire's main street that opened in summer 2018 and quickly gained a loyal fanbase. One of our top picks for ramen in Dublin, with everything including the noodles made in house. Don't miss the deep-fried kimchi and creative cocktails. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Honey Honey has been thronged from the day they opened in 2018 with locals, visitors and passing cyclists queuing up for specialty coffee, granola bowls and warm sausage rolls. It filled a much needed gap in the area for a quality café, and expect to wait for one of their in demand tables. Honey Honey Website honeyhoneycafe.com Address Strand Road, Burrow, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Honey Honey has been thronged from the day they opened in 2018 with locals, visitors and passing cyclists queuing up for specialty coffee, granola bowls and warm sausage rolls. It filled a much needed gap in the area for a quality café, and expect to wait for one of their in demand tables. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Part of chef Joginder Singh's (ex-Jaipur and Kerala Kitchen) mini Indian empire, with other sites in Rialto, Dublin 8, and Blessington, Wicklow. Everything is made fresh on site, and each location offers something slightly different - in Terenure it's the weekend Punjabi breakfast, with a range of dishes to try for €12.99. The evening à la carte has lots of lesser seen recipes, and the early bird is fantastic value. Spice Village Terenure Website spicevillageterenure.ie Address Spice Village Indian Restaurant | Terenure | Dublin, Terenure Road North, Terenure, Dublin 6W, County Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Part of chef Joginder Singh's (ex-Jaipur and Kerala Kitchen) mini Indian empire, with other sites in Rialto, Dublin 8, and Blessington, Wicklow. Everything is made fresh on site, and each location offers something slightly different - in Terenure it's the weekend Punjabi breakfast, with a range of dishes to try for €12.99. The evening à la carte has lots of lesser seen recipes, and the early bird is fantastic value. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Lock's Grown-up, canal side dining that's worth a trip for the butter alone Posted: 3 May 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Locks has been around since the 1980’s but has had more incarnations than Madonna. At one point it gained and lost a Michelin star within a year (as Locks Brasserie), which led to the restaurant closing in the summer of 2015. That Autumn, it was taken over by Conor O’Dowd (ex-head chef at Dax) and Keelan Higgs, who’d been a chef in Locks Brasserie for the past few years, along with Paul McNamara (ex-head chef at Etto). Since then it’s been gaining a steady buzz with one great review after another. Higgs has since moved on, and in February this year Locks announced that they had hired a new head chef , Chris Maguire, formerly of The Ledbury and Trinity in London (both Michelin starred). We thought it was time we went to check it out. Where’s good for a drink beforehand? If it’s a sunny day most of Dublin will be at The Barge , so you may as well join them. Otherwise The Bernard Shaw is slightly closer and has a good range of beers as well as cocktails and an impressive selection of no and low-alcohol drinks, in case you’re saving yourself for the wine list at Locks. What’s the room like? Really beautifully laid out, like being in a very plush house. The killer tables are the ones by the window, where you can gaze out at the canal all night, but the whole room is ultra comfortable. The private dining room upstairs has serious wow factor, and if we were organising a group night out or a little celebration it would be right at the top of our list. What's good to eat? The smart money’s in the chef’s tasting menu on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which includes five courses (different each week) for €45. There’s also a very good value market menu available from 5:30pm – 6:30pm Tuesday to Saturday, with two courses for €25 or three for €30. We went á la carte. Whatever other choices you make, do not neglect to order the sea trout and dulse butter, which no description can do justice to. It comes with homemade sourdough and brown bread, and honestly if we’d had three courses of that it would have been worth the trip. Another snack that’s difficult to fault was the whipped chicken liver with brioche, grapes and apple - beautifully light and perfectly balanced between richness and freshness. For starters, we loved the roast cauliflower risotto with morels and truffle, which was an umami bomb. The violet artichoke, duck hearts and padron pepper (which came as a sauce) was more understated and didn't wow in the same way, but a nice dish nonetheless and the duck hearts were perfectly cooked. From the mains their signature dish seems to have become the Delmonico salt aged rib-eye for two, with braised short rib, duck fat chips, salt and pepper onion rings and king oyster mushroom, for €65, so we felt we had to try it. The rib-eye meat had extraordinary flavour, so much so that we wanted to eek out every bite, and the short rib and mushroom, which came on two separate plates, felt like more of a distraction. They would have been highly enjoyable by themselves but the steak was the star of the show and hard to compete with, and by the end we were getting close to the meat sweats. Saying that, if you go hungry, or don’t order snacks and starters, you will probably be very happy. The salt and vinegar onion rings were a genius move and highly addictive, but the duck fat chips were more bendy than crispy, and we couldn’t understand the reasoning behind making chips curved and taking off their lovely crispy edges. Dessert was a struggle after so much meat, but we wanted to try the peanut butter tart with banana milk ice-cream after seeing it all over Instagram. It was very well done, the milky banana perfectly offsetting the dense peanut butter tart. What about the drinks? We recognised barely any winemakers on the list which usually sets off alarm bells, but we had nothing to worry about. This is a list which has been put together with care and attention, and there’s a big focus on wines from Portugal, as GM Andressa is Portugese. Everything we tried by the glass was a good step above most restaurants in the city, including an Italian Vermentino, a Spanish blend of Treixadura and Godello, a red blend from the Douro in Portugal and an Italian Barbera. And the service? Our waitress couldn’t have been any more welcoming or lovelier, a rare find for restaurants at the moment, and another member of staff was happy to make wine recommendations and let us taste before deciding. It seems like a place where the staff are happy to be there. The verdict? This is grown up dining in a gorgeous canal-side location, close enough to town that you could walk, far enough away that it feels totally peaceful. Attempt to bag a window table, don’t miss the butter, and if you order the rib eye try not to gorge yourself on multiple courses beforehand. Next time we're going Tuesday or Wednesday for the chef’s tasting menu. Locks 1 Windsor Terrace, Portobello, Dublin 8 locksrestaurant.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Sous Chef < Back Sous Chef Glas Apply Now Location Dublin 2 Employment Full-time Date Posted 15 September 2025 Website glasrestaurant.ie Glas Restaurant is hiring a SOUS CHEF for its restaurant on Chatham Street in Dublin 2. Glas is an exciting restaurant in the heart of Dublin where chefs work with local and seasonal veg and fruit to create an eclectic menu. The menu is plant-based and gluten-free but our customers are not restricted to vegan and vegetarian and have come to expect the highest standard of food where veg is the star. This is a brilliant opportunity for a chef who wants to express themselves - and have the freedom to do so. Candidates should have experience working in a busy restaurant. Knowledge of vegan and vegetarian food is a bonus. Please email a cover letter and/or CV to info@glasrestaurant.ie .

Pancake-famous café Póg opened their fourth location on Malahide's main street, bringing avo toast, breakfast brioche buns and of course their extensive protein pancake menu to the seaside village. Póg Malahide Website ifancyapog.ie Address 1 Main Street, Malahide, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Pancake-famous café Póg opened their fourth location on Malahide's main street, bringing avo toast, breakfast brioche buns and of course their extensive protein pancake menu to the seaside village. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

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

This little hatch on Malahide's New Street serves Indian family recipes and more mainstream lunch options. Coffee is by Ariosa and seating is only outdoors, so best kept for dry days if you want to sit while you eat your potato curry or chicken salad. A Do Website @ado_coffeetogo Address 2 New Street, Malahide, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story This little hatch on Malahide's New Street serves Indian family recipes and more mainstream lunch options. Coffee is by Ariosa and seating is only outdoors, so best kept for dry days if you want to sit while you eat your potato curry or chicken salad. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

The only rooftop bar in the city centre with wraparound views of Dublin, in five-star surroundings. Open seven days a week in summer (weather permitting), with Asian-inspired small plates and cocktails, as well as all the classics, wine and beer. Take an outside lounger if the sun’s out, but there’s covered and indoor seating if it’s not. The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Website the-marker-dublin/the-rooftop Address Anantara The Marker Dublin, Grand Canal Quay, Docklands, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The only rooftop bar in the city centre with wraparound views of Dublin, in five-star surroundings. Open seven days a week in summer (weather permitting), with Asian-inspired small plates and cocktails, as well as all the classics, wine and beer. Take an outside lounger if the sun’s out, but there’s covered and indoor seating if it’s not. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Chob Thai Website chobthai.ie Address Chob Thai Restaurant, Vernon Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin 3, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Exciting food made for sharing in a room that feels more like New York or Copenhagen than Dublin. Chef Kevin Burke made his name as head chef of Michelin-starred The Ninth in London, before returning home mid-pandemic and opening Library Street in the former Allta site, and it immediately became one of the most sought after bookings in the city. The private dining room is one of the best in town. Library Street Website librarystreet.ie Address 101 Setanta Place, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Exciting food made for sharing in a room that feels more like New York or Copenhagen than Dublin. Chef Kevin Burke made his name as head chef of Michelin-starred The Ninth in London, before returning home mid-pandemic and opening Library Street in the former Allta site, and it immediately became one of the most sought after bookings in the city. The private dining room is one of the best in town. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

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