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What’s the story with Mambo Sambo? “Our vision of what a deli should be like” at Mambo Sambo is pretty simple: “not just processed shite”. We couldn’t argue when their Christmas toastie took honours in our latest annual rundown. Back then they were managing loaves-and-fishes miracles out of a poky truck behind Inchicore’s Glen of Aherlow; since, they’ve shacked up with a renovated McDowell’s up the road and bagged themselves the space to really go wild. What do we need to know? Where not to sit, first of all. Though the suntrap stretch that sees neighbours Unfiltered and Riggers thronged will be packed all summer, steer clear of the huffing exhaust. The whiff of grilled cheese in our hair isn’t exactly a rarity, but one you might want to avoid if you’re venturing onward after. Though who’d want to with the sun beating down as it was on our first sleepy Sunday afternoon visit - pint in hand, you’d park here all day. Which we thought we might have to as time rolled by, with no sandwich in sight. Less than a month in the new space teething issues are to be expected, but with few other punters in sight we couldn’t comprehend this long a wait. It worked as an appetite-builder at least - we inhaled a Mambo cheese steak (€14.50) with the full force of a Dyson. This two-cheese molten mess of mozzarella and cheddar swaddles grilled rib-eye and caramelised onion in a soupy, steaming feast, with only the crunch of crispy onions to slow you from swallowing it whole. Worth a wait, for sure. The beefy madness (€11.50)… was not. Mambo’s approach goes all in on double dairy decadence - the fat stick of butter they baste the grill with, and the full-contact crispness of the cheese flipped onto it. A moment too long left it overly crisp, and if the beef were better it’d have almost passed us by, but these dry dud shreds were left steaming too long, losing all the juicy goodness of the gold standard at Mrs Reid’s. We’ve seen (and smelled) enough online and in passing to know that’s not standard fare for the slow-cooked Mambo meats, so it fell to spicy pulled pork to prove they could do it better when the brisket was already gone on a second-chance visit. Plenty of other options were too – €6 toastie Thursday was bringing the crowds. They won't have left hungry. Meat and cheese both just the right side of caramelisation this time, crisped bread faring better than an overly soft roll, this spicy, sloppy jalapeño and crispy onion filled specimen is how it’s done. Why should we go? The hard-hatted queue from the building site across the road who pass over the cheap Spar nearby is all the endorsement you need on the chicken fillet (€11.50) and breakfast roll (€8.50). Both of these are textbook with a twist, like the chicken’s sweat-inducing bounty of bacon and pepperoni, or the breakfast’s soft yolks soaked into spreadable pudding. In just a few minutes’ early morning we saw dozens doled out. If this place can hit its stride, it’ll be our vision of what a deli should look like too. Mambo Sambo McDowell’s pub, Emmet Road, Inchicore instagram.com/mambosambo_1

It's no shock to hear that we're major fan girls (and boys) of Amai by Viktor (read our review here), the first fine dining showcase that Brazilian food has ever had in Ireland, and after a recent trip back to try their spring Folklore menu, we decided you absolutely have to try it too, so we're going back for a second takeover of the restaurant. On Tuesday 12th May they're opening the restaurant just for ATF Insiders, and serving the full 'Folklore' menu, plus a couple of previews from their new summer 'Samba' menu for only €89pp including a welcome Caipirinha - a massive €27 saving from if you booked in on your own. They're doing this as a very special experience for us because they think we put them on the map - the reality is we just got in there first (thanks to tip offs from a couple of ATF Insiders!). Word will always get out when a restaurant experience is this good, but don't tell them that or they might stop being so sound. We're taking over Amai by Viktor on Tuesday 12th May, with early tables at 17:15 and 17:45, and later ones at 19:45 and 20:15, and there's a vegetarian option (please request this when booking!). As usual with our events, the team including chef Viktor and GM Alex, will be on site all night to welcome you, serve the dishes, and answer your questions. This is an ATF Insiders only event - sign up here for €6 a month if you want in. Each Insider can book a table for two, and bring one non-Insider with them. If you're coming with friends who are also signed up and you want to sit together, just make a note on your booking. There's also bar seating so solo diners are very welcome. Who knows who you might meet over dinner. Bookings for our Amai by Viktor takeover on Tuesday 12th May go live tomorrow, Friday 1st May at 13:30. Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders will receive the booking link directly to their inbox. If you're not already part of Dublin's best food club, find out what you're missing below.

Rebrands, revivals, renovations, reopenings and even a residency - it’s exciting times as Dublin hurtles headlong into the high season. From Korean fried chicken to New England lobster rolls; a Michelin kitchen’s younger brother to a Ballina bistro’s capital city cousin, here’s everything new and upcoming worth getting excited about.   Mongoose, Thomas Street   Most restaurants have a bumpy path to opening, but few have hit quite as many speedbumps as this. When the Michelin-starred Variety Jones  grabbed the chance to move from their original, intimate Thomas Street site into the vacated Caffe Noto building beside it, they had grand plans to rebrand the OG as Mongoose , a more casual concept than its starry sibling. But things are rarely as easy as that, and after a shock fire just eight days in, VJ was back at home. Three years and untold reams of insurance paperwork later, VJ is thriving in the new space with their star happily retained, and Mongoose ’s time has come at last. They’ll be slinging a more affordabl e à la carte from Sunday to Tuesday starting this very weekend, and bookings are already open .

This sunshine is making the sad state of the world seem soooooo much better, and with peachy sandwiches, langoustine toasts, and purple pancakes, that feeling seems to be spreading to the city's plates too. Here are the five hard fought dishes we've singled out in the capital this week... 1) The peachy boy, Loverboy We're suckers for a summery sandwich, so when we saw this from Loverboy at the weekend we were all "STOP THE LIGHTS". The 'Peachy Boy' is tarting up prosciutto with peach chilli jam (read that again), as well as mozzarella, radicchio and lemon aioli on ciabatta rolls. It might only be April but we're proclaiming this the summer sambo of 2026. 2) Apple pie and Delice de Bourgogne ice-cream , Variety Jones Keelan Higgs is known to be a Michelin-starred, culinary genius, and he strikes again with this apple pie and Delice de Bourgogne ice-cream. He first put the two together out of desperation one lazy Sunday at home, and now he's spreading the good word as part of the tasting menu at Variety Jones . Praise be for scarcity breeding ingenuity. 3) Ube pancakes, Sasta in the city Apart from the fact that they're antioxidant, vitamin C and potassium packed, how adorable are these purple ube pancakes from Sasta in the city in Leopardstown? They come with a coconut and white chocolate ganache, whipped vanilla mascarpone, flaked almonds and coconut shavings, and if you're going to do dessert for breakfast, at least those complex carbs should slow down the glucose spike. 4) Langoustine Toast, Mr Fox Mr Fox has gone back to offering an À la carte option as well as their longstanding tasting menu, which is great because then you can order multiples of this l angoustine toast with yuzu kosho, bonito and sesame. See also sourdough with Parmesan custard, and tuna aguachile. 5) Côte de Boeuf , Tablá Tablá in Mount Merrion have gotten themselves off to a very strong start, with every reviewer and foodie that's been by impressed with the French flair on show in the former Little Mike's spot. While the Croque Monsieur and French onion soup sound like the business, there might also be a new contender for the best Côte de Boeuf in town. They use Irish Angus beef, stick a slab of 'Beurre Maître d’Hôtel' on top (butter, lemon, parsley, black pepper), and bring the Bearnaise on the side. We haven't seen the chips but we're hopeful.

What do we need to know about Twist Bakery?   It's the new Temple Bar bakery where Coco Brew used to be, and it's very quietly VEGAN. Twist aren't shouting about it as they don't want to put the non-vegans off, but stepping into a café and bakery where every croissant, Danish and patisserie is dairy and egg free is a unique experience in Dublin.   One of the owners is dairy intolerant, while head pasty chef  Marija Lacic i s vegan (she ran vegan bakery Cake My Day ), but another owner and their head baker eat all the foods. They felt there was a gap in the market for an inclusive bakery, making exciting pastries and cakes without traditional ingredients. Is there seating? Very little. You'll be lucky to get a perch, but if you don't you could take your goods and sit in Central Plaza, or head to Trinity for some green space. What did you have? We kind of lost the run of ourselves - it all looked too good. There were two pistachio pain au chocolats, and after much soul-searching we picked the 'double-baked' (€5.50). They use a butter substitute made from shea butter, coconut oil and vegetable oils, and while we've had better butter-based pastry, we've also had a lot worse - this is so impressive for vegan lamination, as is that pistachio filling. A firm favourite was the coffee hazelnut Danish (€5.20), with a praline filling and coffee cream. Despite its richness we couldn't stop lifting it for one more nibble.   A sole savoury option of focaccia with vegan herb yoghurt, fennel, tomatoes and radicchio (€5.95), would make for the most gloriously summery lunch on the go, the crunchy, creamy toppings sinking into the chewy bread with each bite.   An almond croissant (€4.95) did have us pining for real butter, with a lack of pastry crispness, but there was no talking down that intense almond paste filling. Would we eat another? Definitely.   A polenta, almond, orange and cranberry cake (€5) was dense and syrupy, citrus bursts against a cloud-like vegan cream topping, while a 'Ferrero Roché' wouldn't have been out of place in a Parisian patisserie, with nothing giving away its vegan secret. Instead of eggs they've developed "egg alternatives" for each recipe, depending on the structure, texture and richness needed. Once again we were dazzled. Presumably the drinks are vegan too? Yep, with just oat and coconut as alt milks when we visited, built into the price. They blend and roast the spices for their oat chai latté (€4.50) in house, and this one sets a bar for chai in Dublin. A house blend Americano (€3.60) was faultless too. Why should we go?   They might not be shouting about it but the word on the vegan (and non vegan) street is out. Twist is just an excellent bakery, doing everything the hard way, and did we mention their 'sunshine in human form' staff, standing by to give the warmest of welcomes? The fact that they're vegan doesn't even really come into it - goal achieved. This is the kind of place we can see other wannabe vegan bakeries across Europe coming over to study, and it's all ours. Twist Bakery 5 Bedford Row, Dublin 2, D02E393 twistbakerydublin.com

What's the background on Cora in Lucan?   Lucan's newest café opened on main street in February, from the people behind East Village in Clondalkin and Urbanity in Smithfield. It initially opened as another East Village, but somewhere along the line changed names to Cora . Their feed of out of the ordinary, eye-popping dishes looked right up our street, and the addition of a spritz or two to the menu only added to our hastiness to visit.

The middle of the month only means one thing around here - nine more chances to be an ATF Insider winner! Once you're signed up to ATF Insiders , you’re automatically entered into our monthly draws , with nine brilliant prizes each month from some of the best restaurants, hotels, food and drink businesses around. April's winners will be drawn on Saturday 18th , with the winners announced on social media and contacted directly by email. If you’re not an Insider yet, just sign up before midnight on Friday 17th to get your name in there. Along with other benefits like getting access to exclusive content, weekly insider intel, invites to the best restaurant events in Dublin and more. Here’s what you could win this month… 1) A trip to the five-star Park Hotel in Kenmare, including a wine pairing dinner worth €675! On Sunday 26th April the five-star Park Hotel in beautiful Kenmare are hosting a celebration of fine art and fine wine in their art-filled Landline restaurant , with a dinner paired with organic and biodynamic wines from Château La Coste . Wines will be introduced by their head winemaker, and paired with dishes full of seasonal, local ingredients. We're sending one of you down to Kenmare for this very special event, including an overnight stay at the Park with breakfast the next morning. Talk about a proper switch-off. See more about the event here . 2) Two weekend tickets to the Ballymaloe Festival of Food with Sunday lunch at Brawn's pop-up restaurant The Ballymaloe Festival of Food in Cork has long been one of the most interesting weekends in the Irish food calendar, drawing some of the world's best chefs, producers, sommeliers and journalists to the site of one of the most globally renowned cookery schools and dining experiences. There's so much to do, from cookery demos and panel talks , to tastings and pop up restaurants , and we've got a sensational prize to give away of two weekend tickets for the festival PLUS Sunday lunch at the Brawn pop-up , featuring thoughtful, seasonal cooking from one of East London’s most loved restaurants. See more and get tickets here . 3) The Supper Club menu for two at Hera with cocktails and Lambrusco Hera ’s midweek Supper Club is right up our alley — Michelin guide cooking, standout Irish ingredients, and a price that makes going out for dinner all too tempting. At two courses for €33 or three for €39 from Monday - Wednesday, and dishes like cured Goatsbridge trout with cucumber and dill , and seafood paella with saffron aioli , it's the midweek treat we all deserve. We've got a supper club for two to give away this month including three courses, cocktails, and a bottle of Lambrusco , which sounds like a VERY good evening. Check out the menu here . 4) Two tickets to the Chef’s Table at Pitt Bros BBQ Pitt Bros ’ new Chef’s Table events are fully leaning into the theatre of BBQ. These intimate nights with their pitmasters feature a multi-course BBQ tasting menu , a welcome beer cocktail, Hope Brewery pairings, and the stories behind every dish. Expect live fire, smoke, and a menu with flavour at the fore, and with a small group format, this is the perfect gathering place for a group of barbecue enthusiasts. We've got two tickets to give away for a Chef's Table date of your choice (worth €190), and you can see all the details and upcoming dates here . Go hungry. 5) €100 voucher for The Sauce Series at The Washerwoman The Washerwoman ’s Wednesday Sauce Series is the kind of weekly commitment we can get behind. From 5pm every Wednesday you can get unlimited wings for just €20 , with a rotating line up of sauces each week (there's already been spicy Korean and Irish whiskey BBQ, and we can't wait to see what's next). We've got a €100 voucher for The Washerwoman to give away this month which will get you and three pals unlimited wings plus some drinks to wash them all down with. Just leave the white clothes at home. 6) A pizza party for four at Deano's in Walkinstown We'd been getting messages from you guys about Deano’s in Walkinstown for MONTHS before we visited , and it was even better in reality than in the DMs. This dream of a local pizza spot is serving top tier dough with extra special Italian toppings, and going the extra mile with absolutely everything they do - you'll taste the difference, we promise. We've got a pizza party for four to give away from Deano's this April, featuring four pizzas, both sides, all the dips and desserts. All you'll have to do is pick the lucky three to go with you. Check out our review of Deano's here . 7) Gourmet Irish Food Hamper from Fallon & Byrne worth €160 Fallon & Byrne ’s fancy as F food hall has always been the most reliable place to pick up the good stuff in the city centre, and incredibly it's their 20th birthday this year!? To celebrate we've got a gourmet Irish food hamper worth €160 to give away - essentially a greatest hits of Irish producers. There's a mix of pantry staples like Wildwood Blackberry Balsamic Vinegar , to treats like Achill Island Sea Salt Fudge , and it makes a great gift if you’re feeling generous — but you probably won’t be. Check out Fallon & Byrne 's hampers available for nationwide delivery here . 8) €100 voucher for Riggers South's take home meals Since our pandemic era ended, so many of you have bemoaned the lack of restaurant quality food available for taking away and eating at home . Sometimes you can't get a babysitter; sometimes you don't want to move; sometimes you just can't be arsed cooking. Riggers South  in Glasthule has heard your call and has started a line of   take-home meals , like beef bourgignon , and creamy Italian Parmesan chicken . These are proper portions, good ingredients, and none of your own elbow grease needed in the making. We've got a €100 voucher to give away for Riggers South  this month so you can work your way through the lot. 9) Four tickets to the Alsace Rocks! wine fair One of the most under-rated wine regions in the world is getting a Dublin showcase at the end of April, and you're invited. Alsace Rocks! is coming to Bewley's on Monday 27th April from 18:00 - 20:00 , and the €30 ticket (€25 for ATF Insiders, ask us for the code) will allow you to try over 60 wines , from crisp Pinot Blancs and zippy Rieslings, to aromatic Gewurztraminers and fizzy Crémant d'Alsace We've got four tickets to give away for the event, and if you win, we guarantee that 2026 will be the year you discover your new favourite wine. Get tickets here . Want to be in the draw for all of this, just sign up to ATF Insiders  by midnight on Friday 17th April . We’ll be picking winners on Saturday 18th April , so keep an eye on your inbox, and if you’re not an ATF Insider yet, what exactly are you still waiting for?? If you are an ATF Insider , then send winning vibes out into the universe - this could be your lucky month.

What’s the story with Deano's Woodfired Pizza?   Tucked beside the CherryTree pub in Walkinstown, Deano’s Woodfired Pizza has built a fiercely loyal local following since opening in 2022. Owner and head chef Jordan Grossman brings serious credentials to the hatch, having trained in Naples with renowned pizzaiolo Enzo Coccia , owner of La Notizia 53 – one of Italy’s most celebrated pizzerias.   Jordan told us that the flour, meats and cheeses all come from Italicatessen , a Wicklow-based company importing directly from Italy, while the sauce is made in-house from tinned Italian San Marzano tomatoes. Is there seating/toilets? Yep you can sit in the CherryTree's beer garden or take your food inside and order drinks. What did you have?   The Margherita (€12.50/€10 on Wednesdays) with San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil, Grana Padano, Fior di Latte and extra virgin olive oil was simply perfect. The tomato sauce classically tangy with a smooth sweetness, while the chewy, leoparded crust delivered exactly what you want from Neapolitan pizza, its floppy middle best folded in on itself.   Our standout was the Piazza Dante (€14) – a bianca base where the silky fior di latte and made in-house pesto melted into the peppery bite of rocket, salty black olives and sweet sun-blushed tomatoes, toasted pine nuts bringing crunch and texture to every bite. This was the one we kept reaching back for.   The Spaccanapoli (€15), with San Marzano tomatoes, basil, Grana Padano, Fior di Latte, spicy chorizo, Ventricina salami and sweet teardrop peppers is like an elevated Diavola. The salami's intense chewy bite immediately signalled quality, bringing sweet-spicy depth, while the chorizo added more richness, the teardrop peppers cutting through it all with bright bursts of sweet, pickled freshness.   On the side, garlic pizza bread  brushed in melted Kerrygold butter, chilli flakes, oregano and extra virgin olive oil  (€6) , was made even better with the €2 add-on of Fior di Latte. Generously grated garlic gave it plenty of punch.   Nduja and rosemary tatties (€6) were on our order sheet thanks to Deano’s socials , arriving with all the golden edges and fluffy centres we'd imagined. Cooked with herbs, garlic and rosemary, before being tossed in nduja butter and topped with parmesan, these were giving spicy bacon notes in the best possible way. We tried all four dips (€2 each) - lemon garlic aioli, pesto, nduja, and chilli honey, each clearly homemade and entirely bottleable. We'd struggle to pick a favourite.- just get all of them. We were hoping for tiramisu, but it's only available from Thursdays onwards. Instead it was a gooey, deeply fudgy Belgian chocolate brownie (€3), and a Belgian chocolate woodfired cookie (€3), so irresistibly chewy, sweetness balanced by flaky sea salt. Why should we go?   Because this is not your average local pizzeria. From the imported Italian ingredients and house-made sauces, to standout sides and desserts, everything here feels deeply considered and highly skilled. Each part of the menu stands confidently on its own, while working in perfect harmony with everything else, and we left wondering why isn't this isn't a fully fledged sit down restaurant. "Food truck" does not do Deano's justice.   Deano's Woodfired Pizza Walkinstown Cross, Walkinstown, Dublin 12 instagram.com/deanoswoodfiredpizza

What’s the story with Volumes?   “ He literally wrote the book on coffee! ” is the clear pitch for Volumes , and what volume it's been pitched at since Dublin Coffee Guide  author Paddy Kirk teamed up with As One  owner Mark Cashen, and ex- Bastible and Delahunt  chef Fionn Dwyer Hyland to give us this new Scandi-chic café. It’s the must-have Insta-backdrop du jour  – but is it any good?   Well?   On this team’s well-documented desire  to deliver a Copenhagen-style community vibe, their space delivers, coffee accoutrements bathed in the light of the floor-to-unfinished-ceiling windows like a modern art museum – solemn nodding punters and all. And why wouldn’t you nod with a cup like this in hand, via Belfast’s Bailies Roasters .   Punters are snapping the bagels like they’re rare exhibits too, with the more sustainable smoked trout twist on a classic lox living rent-free on feeds the city over. She’s pretty alright, though for €14 she’d want to be. Goatsbridge fish and Hayes Farm cream cheese go part of the way to explaining the premium over others we’ve had of late , and if you’re willing, it’s worth it.   Even more an icon of NYC cuisine is the BEC (€10), served here on a "house roll". This bodega-beloved breakfast item even came up in a recent mayoral debate - maybe Mamdani won for his jalapeños versus his opponents' no-salt. He’s right and they’re wrong for the same reasons Volumes’ BEC is, with its slick of gochujang mayo a needed spice shock to cut through the excess - the overly-sweet bacon forfeits the saltiness it needs to really sing.   But the bread! More than in the bagels, Dwyer Hyland’s big bakery back there shows its promise in the rolls, crisped to blisters but so soft. It’s just the right vehicle for the slow roast pork special (€14), with wafer-thin slices draped over pickled fennel and radicchio in blood orange vinaigrette. As it stands, they’ve rolled this one out week after week - shake it up a little more and there’ll be every reason to return.   Especially once you’ve got your teeth into the pastries. A sausage ragu bun (€4.50) is the stuff of slow-cooked daydreams, soft dough spewing juicy clumps of pork and fennel. Hash browns (€6.50) present more a pale straw than the golden hue we expected, but the crisp factor's there in force, with a chunky chip shape giving all the right edge-to-innard ratio. The house harissa apricot sauce is an sweet and spicy inspiration - if one that could use a little thinning of texture. Sweeter options don't let things down either, with sesame seeds coating the white chocolate and miso cookie (€4) bringing crisp texture to well-balanced taste. Value and variety are much more assured on this side of the menu. Why should we go?   As early, easy beats yield to more pulsing melodies by lunch, a winding queue of bagel cravers begins to bisect the room – and the vibe. A little more order would go a long way. Plan for an early arrival when the countertop confections are steaming just as much as the perfect coffee, to get a real measure of the place and its potential.   Volumes George’s Quay, Dublin 2 instagram.com/volumesdublin

From a new spot to soak up the sun that’s surely coming soon, to a monthly menu we want to eat all April long; a Spanish-Irish take on a favourite spring ingredient, to a Indian-Italian lesson in community spirit; a new Sunday lunch hot-spot to a pop-up opportunity to try one of the country’s best concepts, here’s everywhere we’re eyeing up for April's eating...   For the good weather that might, maybe, arrive: The Linen Yard, Harold’s Cross   After a series of soft-launches throughout the month of March’s, Harold’s Cross’ Linen Yard is officially open for business. Rise Nordic Spa are at the heart of the offering with a wood-fired sauna, hot tub and plunge pool, but it’s the food court with ample outdoor space that we’re as eager to get out to – if the weather plays ball (there’s indoor space too, but where’s the fun in that). Shaka Poke  and Bak’d Pizza  are on hand for savoury needs, with Sweet Churro  and Brew Brothers Coffee at the ready with sweeter options. With a bar to boot and a dog-friendly policy, this one is gonna be hopping.   For pastries worth a journey: The Rock Bakery, Skerries   One of the best parts of April is knowing that even if the heat isn’t there, the odds of bright blue skies all over Dublin just get better and better. It’s the ideal time of year for a road or rail trip, and what better reward at the end of it than The Rock ’s latest drop. Their April menu counts confit garlic sausage rolls, and tea and honey custard-covered lemon drizzle danishes among the five specials added to their old favourites. If ever you needed a reason for an early outing to Skerries, there it is.   For the best new Sunday lunch in town: Margadh RHA, Ely Place   Eighteen months on from pulling down the shutters on his much-missed Skerries site Potager , ex- Chapter One  chef Cathal Leonard has taken over the reins at Margadh RHA - a flurry of feet to Ely Place is sure to follow. Mamó  owners’ Jess D'Arcy and Killian Durkin's city centre concept ditched à la carte for a (great value) set menu a while back, but with Leonard at the helm (and no doubt exhausted diners in mind), it’s right back to a mix-and-match with truffle bon bons, smoked duck, celeriac pithivier, and rotolini pasta among the new treats in town. We expect a new Sunday lunch service here to be the real draw, with beef wellington and stuffed guinea fowl among the weekly specials we've already seen.   For a steal of a deal on the best chicken fillet roll around: Chimac, Aungier Street   It’s as much for the necessary lesson in local provenance and premium ingredients, as the exceptional value of this one-week offer, that we’re all eyes for Chimac ’s chicken fillet roll price match. We know well the scepticism that cash-strapped punters greet higher costs with – we hear it every time we try to preach the difference between price and value. Here’s a rare chance to really taste the difference, with one of the city’s best chicken shops slinging them out at the same €6.25 price as their local deli all week long. If you can still genuinely say the taste difference isn’t worth the extra few quid, well – no harm, no fowl.   For the best of white asparagus season: La Gordita, Montague Street   We sounded the alarm   on an unusually early appearance of white asparagus way back in February this year, with choice treatments from Richmond  to Comet  to Forest Avenue  cropping up all over the city ever since. But as Spargelzeit  proper really kicks into its April high gear, nothing’s grabbed our attention as much as what the gals at La Gordita have cooked up. They’re serving spears straight from Spain alongside our own Lough Neagh eel, and we’ve never wanted to eat our veggies more. All that’s left to decide is what to drink it with – ours is a txakoli.   For a high-end taste of West Africa’s best: Ibile @ The Devlin, Ranelagh   We won't rest until Ibile  get their own space – run, is our advice any time these guys pop up, especially with the immortal prawn akara on the menu. They’re back in the capital with their fine dining spin on West African flavours at The Devlin this weekend after an initial Easter Sunday appearance that looked just incredible. You can go the whole hog on four courses, two sides and three cocktails for €75, or just rock up and help yourself to their first-come-first-serve bar menu from 9pm, with drinks and DJs going all night. We’ll bet good money the whiskey suya sour is as good a cocktail as you'll get all month.   For the Italian-Indian fusion you never knew you needed: Rascals x Kari, Inchicore   There are good neighbours and then there’s this. Inchicore icons Rascals and Kari  have joined forces for the former’s April specials, and if it’s as good as it sounds, Italian-Indian just might be our new favourite fusion food. The Kari Gold (nice) is the product of some special schooling  of Rascals’ chefs by Kari’s, a lesson in layered Indian spicing and creamy textures that’s resulted in this butter chicken pizza. And for the veggies, Green Day pairs a creamed spinach base with mozzarella, paneer and beetroot cream. As big fans of both businesses we’re all for this co-operative collab.

We've got seafood on the brain this week, just in time for a rise in the mercury; there's a new b ánh mì on the block that we want to get to know better; and the pizza/Indian collab we've got to get our hands on before the end of April... 1) Bánh Mì , Babble Deli Babble Deli in Lucan appeared in its aesthetically pleasing form in Lucan at the end of last year, and they've been slowly building quite the grid of beautiful looking sandwiches, sausage rolls and açaí bowls. The Bánh Mì is the current special (available until the end of today!) with grilled lemongrass pork, pickled Asian veg, cucumber, red chillies, fresh coriander and Maggi-seasoned mayo in an OakSmoke ciabatta. If you miss it, consider the meatball marinara an excellent back up. 2) Seafood paella , Hera Usually when diving into an early bird/pre-theatre/set menu you're dealing with smaller portions and/or cheaper ingredients, but not so at Hera in Drumcondra. Just look at the seafood paella, which is part of their Monday - Wednesday supper club with two courses for €33 or three for €39. It's positively packed with prawn, squid, mussels, white fish, saffron aioli and a bisque foam, and with the words "seafood" and "value" rarely found in the same sentence, this is one to take advantage of. 3) Fish finger sandwich , The Woollen Mills One of life’s great joys is an A-grade fish finger sandwich - soft white bread, perfectly crisp (but never greasy) batter or breadcrumbs, the flakiest white fish, and homemade tartare sauce. For us that’s where it stops, but the kitchen at The Woollen Mills have gone one step further and added minty mushy peas. It looks like they've nailed everything else, so we are nothing if not intrigued. 4) Butter chicken pizza , Rascal's Brewing x Kari We're loving the sound of this Italian/Indian collab, which came about after two of Rascals Brewing 's pizza chefs spent time with the owners of neighbouring Inchicore restaurant Kari , learning the basics of Indian cooking. Their love child was this butter chicken pizza, the “Kari Gold”, featuring a multi-spiced base with red onion, butter, garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, turmeric and chilli, finished with cream. They top it with marinated chicken, mozzarella and fresh coriander, and you can find it in Inchicore until the end of April. 5) Pecan, date and Earl Grey bun, Volumes Volumes doesn’t need to do much innovating to keep their daily queue intact, but that hasn’t stopped them adding a new thirst trap of a pastry to the menu. At first glance it looks like a cinnamon bun, but look a little closer – it’s actually date, pecan and Earl Grey. And we thought the bagels were fancy.

You know how much we love Volpe Nera , and you know how much we love ATF Insiders , so when they ask/beg/plead with us to do something, we do our best to make it happen. We've had so many readers ask us to do an event that they could bring their children along to (lucky kids), so the launch of Volpe Nera 's new Sunday lunch menu, designed with families in mind, is the perfect opportunity. Volpe Nera 's   new Sunday à la carte menu  will also feature a " chef's choice menu ", costing €49 for adults and €24 for children  aged 5-13, with Barry Sun's selection of bites, starters, pasta, dumplings, sharing mains, sides and starters brought to your table, and that's what we're showcasing on Sunday 19th April . ATF Insiders  and their families are invited to a very special launch event , where you'll get to try ALL THE FOOD . Each table will get to try almost every dish on the menu in smaller portions, and you'll just have to pick a sharing main and a dessert. The adult experience is €49, with the kids price €24. There's a vegetarian option too with a larger pasta course for €42, and kids under 5 eat free (just specify when booking which menus you'd like). This is an ATF Insiders  only event, with bookings starting at 2pm, and you'll be able to book a table for up to six people for your family . If you're not already signed up you can  do so here  for €6 a month. You don't have to have children to come along, but you're not allowed to complain about them if you do . Here's the menu you're going to be treated to... Bookings for our family friendly Sunday lunch at Volpe Nera will go live on Tuesday 7th April at 8pm . Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders  will receive the booking link directly to their inbox.

Did somebody just cut a VAT rate in here or what? After a long, cold winter, where only stray dribs and drabs of new openings gave us anything to look forward to sinking our teeth into, since February there’s been a glut of new openings cascading across Dublin. While many of these may be existing operations expanding their footprints from the safety of a solidly bankable base, there are enough new and novel concepts cropping up to give you faith for better times ahead in 2026 – on our plates anyway, if not our news feeds... Kin Dee, Leeson Street Upper   A sister site to Leeson Street’s Little Kitchen  just three doors down, itself spun-off from The Vintage Kitchen  now all a decade ago, Kin Dee  sees the chefs who staffed Indo-Chine on the same site break from former owners Townhouse Leisure to deliver something different. Named for the Thai for “eat well”, the menu shifts focus from the Vietnam-centric prior operation, though still making space for some stops off there and in Malaysia across its purported thirteen signature dishes. Thai-style scotch egg with isan sausage, and beef rendang with sweet potato fondant are some of the more eye-catching options, while a keenly priced lunch menu with all starters for €9 and all mains for €18 is sure to grab attention in these value-strapped times.   Boco, Clontarf   Closing for a “mental health day” right after opening weekend goes to show the fevered anticipation awaiting the second sit-down site for BoCo , who wrapped up their fire truck hatch in Harry Byrne’s in Clontarf almost a full two years ago with promises of bigger things soon to come. Soon they were not, but bigger they are, and the old Pigeon House location has given way to a spacious second site for the popular pizza joint. Warm wall tones, wraparound banquettes, all-organic wines – it’s a much more grown-up affair than the Bolton Street original with its regular student crowds, but much of the menu has made it into the suburbs untouched for all your Neapolitan needs.   Tábla, Mount Merrion   Slotting into the space previously occupied by Little Mike’s in Mount Merrion, Tábla  is a return-to-roots venture for Frenchmen Tanguy Gros Daillon and Thomas Loisel, who first met working in Piglet before the former moved to Allta  and eventually Entrecôte – the less said about all that the better. While waiting for a wine licence that’s since arrived, the new bistro kicked off daytime café, takeaway, and Sunday roast service with various French favourites like cornichon-studded jamon beurre, bechamel-stuffed cordon blue, and Loisel’s Blasta Books -featured French onion soup. Dinner will kick off shortly now the cellar’s unleashed, and with suppliers like O’Reilly’s Butchers and Tartine Bakery on board we’ve got fingers firmly crossed.

Fancy Easter eggs have always been a premium commodity, but as recent horror stories of spiking cocoa costs pushing penny-pinching companies to sub palm oil for cocoa butter in what they now legally need to call “chocolate-flavoured” products, the real deal is starting to seem more prestige than ever. Still, our survey of top-tier options this year shows that the higher end of the market is generally doing their level best to keep price inflation down – compared to the mass-market players. Treating yourself to something extra special this Easter has never seemed like better value... Bon Chocolatiers   They’re shifting ‘em quick at Bon Chocolatiers , whose Mikado, honeycomb crisp, and hazelnut rocher options have already sold out. There’s still plenty left to choose from though, from the 210g cacao nib crunch (€26.50), to the 350g range including Dubai chocolate and mint crisp (all €43), to mini filled half-eggs with strawberry-rose pate de fruit or caramel, peanut butter and marshmallow (€11). Each year we try to steer away from the Sweet & Salty but we just can't stop ordering it.   Clo Artisan Chocolates   Ex-Joel Rubichon pâtissière Clotilde Rambaud has been running Clo Artisan Chocolates  out of Sligo since 2022 with a commitment to ethically sourced cocoa, palm oil and preservative-free production, and an all-natural ethos. The 150g 71% dark chocolate egg with Knockarea honey and Donegal sea salt (€24.95) is our pick of this year’s batch, but the 135g dark chocolate egg bar studded with pistachio and sea salt (€10.95) deserves special mention too – not least for being suitable for vegans.   Bean and Goose   It’s eggs you’re here for, we know, but we’ve gone all googly-eyed for the hares and geese (all a wonderfully specific €30.50) they’re slinging over at Bean and Goose . The 180g single-origin treats also come packed with a postcard from Irish artist Anne O’Hara, to remember it all by after you’ve scoffed the lot in one sitting. Traditionalists can get their 120g milk or dark chocolate sea salted eggs (also with postcard) for €27.50. Tara Gartlan Chocolate You wouldn't know whether to eat these eggs or hang them on the wall. Tara Gartlan 's Easter range is on the pricier side at €48 a pop for a 320g egg, but they're all on the prettier end of the scale too, with picture-perfect hand-painted finishes. Our pick of the pack has to be the passion fruit-filled 63% dark chocolate, but double fudge and raspberry white chocolate are among other options if that's not your jam. Koko Kinsale   There’s no shortage of reasons to get giddy about Koko Kinsale ’s Easter egg offering, but the vegans among us will be going full sugar high to see a 70% dark chocolate option all for them. The 175-190g eggs made from French chocolate range from €22 for plain milk, dark or white, to €30 for hand-painted milk or dark, to €35 for options flavoured with orange zest or hazelnut.   Hazel Mountain Chocolate   You'll want to act fast - Hazel Mountain Chocolate , the popular bean-to-bar Galway chocolatier, has already sold out of their chocolate pistachio wreath, but their 160g pistachio and raspberry and painted Wild Atlantic Way eggs (all €34.95) are still available to order. Their premium pricing is down to top-quality cacao from Cuba and Ecuador but cheaper tastes are available via their 70g Henrietta hen (€11.95) or four salted caramel bunnies (€19.95).   Grá Chocolates   If you’re treating yourself, you can hardly treat yourself any better than with an egg from Grá – it literally means love! The high-end, small-batch Galwegian chocolatier puts as much effort into flavour as it does into its hand-painted decoration. From salt-flaked 70% dark chocolate stuffed with chewy caramel and fudge to (ofc) a Dubai chocolate “pistachio emerald”, these are indulgent in every way. Prices range from €25 –  €55 for 200g – 470g options. Temptation Chocolates   The thriftier types have beaten us to the prize at Temptation Chocolates ,  where all the €5 filled mini-eggs have already sold out. If you’re willing to part with €48, their luxury hand-painted full size range are all still available – for that price they fill them with all sorts of goodies, including loose truffles. Flavours range from banoffee and passion fruit, to pistachio crunch and sea salt caramel.   Lorge   Lorge ’s site leads with a note that they’re very sorry tariffs mean they can no longer ship to the US – we’re not, more for us. The Kenmare-based business from French chef Benoit Lorge churns out hand-made and hand-painted marvels in 100g (€11.50), 300g (€27.50), and 800g (€49) sizes, with hollow or filled options available. Skelligs   Plenty of chocolatiers out there aren’t doing delivery for fear their delicate confections will be damaged in transit – that makes all the more impressive the fact Kerry-based Skelligs are doing free delivery all through to the end of the week. That’s a great reason to consider their range, from the 40g milk chocolate Puffin egg (€5) to the 175g white chocolate and mint option (€15).   The Proper Chocolate Company   It’s a bean-to-bar philosophy at Dublin’s Proper Chocolate Company , where they compare the thought that goes into picking theirs to the care a winery puts into grapes – as if we needed an excuse to indulge in this alongside a good glass of red. They’ve got two flavours (milk chocolate and caramel, and 70% dark chocolate with Achill sea salt), each available in eco-friendly packaged 150g (€24.95) for delivery. or 700g (€75) for Friday and Saturday collection from their market locations in Glasnevin and Sandyford.   Zaeire Artisan Chocolate   South African chocolatier Leigh Kelly has been selling and shipping premium Belgian chocolate confections under her Zaeire  artisan brand from first her kitchen, and later a store in Bridgetown, Wexford since 2013. The chocolate-covered honeycomb pieces that seal together the eggs here (€17.95 – €37.95) delight us to no end, and the ability to mix-and-match your halves is such a lovely touch. Filled small half-shells for a very decent €9.25 are a real attraction too.   Chez Emily   The audible gasp out of us at Chez Emily’s Rocky Road Egg (€22.50) is the sound of an inner child unleashed – if ever there was a way to feel young again. If you’re not so sweet-toothed there’s a 180g gold-dusted dark chocolate and cacao nib option (€15) available too. We reckon getting the pair to appease both sides of yourself is the way to do it.   Buíoch   Kildare-based Buíoch ’s owner Daryl credits his grandfather’s years working at Cadbury for his love of chocolate – who wouldn’t with a childhood like that. His 125-150g options (all €12.95) stud mini eggs, crispy pearls, or a pistachio-cranberry mix through the egg for a flavour-texture feast in every bite. If that’s all faff to you, an all-milk chocolate 200g bunny (€16.95) looks like the purist’s pick.   Áine’s Handmade Chocolate   We can’t but respect the input of anyone who’s selling via chocolates dot ie – Cavan’s Áine’s Handmade Chocolate  has been in the biz since all the way back in 1999, and their (count ‘em) twelve easter egg option reflect the years of taste-testing that have turned this into one of the most recognisable premium brand around. 80g hen eggs (€4) sound like the loveliest little treat but you can go all the way up to 500g for €25. Bakeology (collection only)   By god, Bakeology . Meath Street’s Argentinian bakery always makes the cut on our Easter hit lists but they’ve outdone themselves this year with their raspberry effort. If fruit ain’t doing it for you, chocotorta and alfajor are also available. They’re doing medium (€15) and large (€22) sizes with pickup from the café all Easter weekend when you book in advance by Instagram DM.   Sugarloaf (collection only)   Brazilian bakery Sugarloaf  on Dorset Street are back at it again with a choice of eleven filled full or half-shells ranging from bonbon-stuffed Belgian chocolate and passion fruit truffle, to strawberry cream and carrot cake (!). Prices range from €15 – €35 for 300g – €500g, or if you’re indecisive (or just greedy) you can get three filled 150g half shells (€30) or four filled mini halves (€40).

What's the background on Cinnamood?   Viral German cinnamon roll brand Cinnamood has landed on O’Connell Street after months of teasing , bringing queues , hype and talk of “ iconic ”, “ next level ” buns. Founded in Cologne in 2022, the brand has franchised rapidly across Europe , with its Irish debut operated by Vertex Horizon Holdings , who claim to " create obsession-worthy products that outlast trends and compound in cultural relevance ". Just what we look for in a bakery. The concept is oversized, heavily topped cinnamon rolls, all wrapped in a loud, lifestyle-obsessed brand, whose energy feels more Love Island than local bakery. Can you sit in? It's a compact shop, but there's a few low-seater couches and high-top seats at the back. Up front the focus is on the buns, the flashy digital menus, and all the branded merch. What did you have? A box of four for €22.50 (usually priced €5.20 - €6.20 a piece). All are built from the same vegan dough base, made with a Stork brand butter substitute, and finished with Cinnamood’s “Cinnawhip” (a vegan alternative to frosting containing palm oil). Variations come from the toppings.   From the “classic” range, the cinnamon roll (vegan) was decent - soft, pillowy and freshly baked, it hit the expected level of cinnamon with none of the raw dough horrors we've seen others post. It didn’t scratch the cinnamon roll itch though - we wanted proper cream cheese, with the vegan frosting barely making a cameo, sinking into the dough like it had somewhere better to be.  From the “next level” menu, the red velvet roll (vegan) was OTT on the sweetness scale, with vividly coloured dough and a mascarpone-style topping that leaned more manufactured than indulgent. The dough was under-baked, and while it tried to impress with colour and frosting, it left an artificial aftertaste.   The “most wanted” pecan maple roll (non-vegan) cranked the sugar dial up to 11/10. Topped with mascarpone-style cream, maple syrup and chopped pecans, the non-vegan topping somehow out-sweetened its vegan cousin - impressive. Also from their “most wanted”, the white chocolate raspberry was the most balanced of the lot. Raspberry compote and crunchy raspberry topping helped cut the white chocolate richness, giving it jam-doughnut vibes. The cream cheese frosting was barely there, but this was still the best of the loaded options. A massive glowberry “wellness” smoothie (€9) with strawberry, vanilla, coconut cream and collagen, was thick and heavy, coconut dominating to the point that strawberry was hard to find. Chunks of coconut couldn’t make it through the straw, and it felt more meal replacement than refresher. An equally sizeable iced strawberry matcha splash (€7.50), made with Cinnamood’s ceremonial grade matcha, was more milky and sweet than earthy, leaving the matcha struggling to assert itself. An oat flat white (€4.40) swooped in like a hero – perfectly brewed and balanced using Brazilian beans, finally rescuing us from the sugar chaos. Why should we go?   If you’re chasing full-on “mood” energy – photogenic branding, holographic boxes, and sugar that doesn’t quit – this is your stop. These buns are unapologetically sweet, and best tackled as a one-time novelty, not a regular rotation.   Cinnamood 32 O'Connell Street Lower, Dublin 1 instagram.com/cinnamoodireland

The world feels a bit mad at the moment, and it seems to be seeping into menus too. We're talking butter chicken benedict for breakfast, a black garlic aioli bánh mì for lunch, and a wavy, upright tiramisu for dessert, but food-based madness is something we're on board with... 1) Butter Chicken Benedict , Cora We love an unexpected breakfast option (there are only so many pancakes, granola bowls and 'full Irish's anyone can tolerate), so this butter chicken benedict has put Cora in Lucan firmly on our mind's map. There's buttermilk fried chicken, organic poached eggs, Makhani hollandaise, house mango chutney, 'onion bhaji' dukkah, pickled cucumber, all sitting on a house-made naan. Don't know about you but we NEED. 2) Pastiera Napoletana , Grano This is a thing we want to eat this week, because we ate it last week and can't stop reliving the taste. Grano 's Pastiera Napoletana is a traditional Easter dessert from Naples, infused with wheat berries cooked in milk, ricotta, and fresh and candied citrus. They serve it with a fennel infused, cinnamon and white chocolate cream, and trust us, one slice won't be enough - you could always ask for another to take home. We wish we had. 3) Guinness and Gochujang braised beef cheek , Slice Down the road in Slice , this week's special flatbread is an Irish/Korean mash up we'd like to mash into our mouths. They're topping it with Guinness and Gochujang braised beef cheek, a poached egg, pickles, green goddess dressing, a fresh herb salad, and spiced cashews. Isn't she lovely... 4) Bánh mì , Geno's Deli We love a good bánh mì, but it's very hard to find a quality version in Dublin, with most falling sadly short of our Vietnamese-styled expectations. Little Geno's however always shows up with the goods, and their version of the crusty French baguette sounds even better than the Hoi An standard. They fill it with Vietnamese spiced pork sausage, sticky lemongrass pork belly, shredded carrot, daikon radish, cucumber, black garlic aioli, jalapeño vinaigrette and coriander. Not 100% authentic maybe, but we'd bet any money it's 100% delicious. 5) Tiramisu, Berri Lab We get countless requests from readers on where to order special occasion cakes from, and loads of you are sleeping on Berri Lab (collections from Donnybrook). Tiramisu isn't known for being the most aesthetic dessert, but they've turned that on its head with this stunning wavy creation, a dream dessert for the coffee/chocolate lover in your life. They come in three sizes, from €35 - €55, and think about all the time and work they could save you.

Just think how much better your (hopefully long) St Patrick's weekend will be if we drop into your inbox with one of these brilliant prizes this Wednesday . If you're already an Insider , you’re automatically entered into our monthly draws , with nine prizes handpicked by us, from some of the best restaurants, hotels, food and drink businesses around. March’s draw happens on Wednesday 18th , with the winners announced on social media and contacted directly by email. If you’re not an Insider yet, you can join before midnight on Tuesday 17th and you’ll be in the draw too! Along with other benefits like getting access to exclusive content, weekly insider intel, invites to the best restaurant events in Dublin and more. Here’s what's up for grabs this month… 1) Tasting menu for two with wine pairings at Forest Avenue Forest Avenue in Dublin 4 was the big Dublin success story at this year's Michelin awards, one of only two restaurants in the country to get a new star for 2026 . We visited last week to assess things in their starry new world, and thought the food was easily the best it's ever been in the 12 years since they first opened. We're thrilled to have a tasting menu experience for two to give away this month, including one of the most exciting wine pairings we've seen anywhere ( worth €380 ), to give away to one very, very lucky ATF Insider this month. 2) €150 voucher for Boco, Clontarf Boco finally opened their second permanent site in Clontarf on Friday, after three years of trading from their food truck outside Harry Byrnes. It's on Vernon Avenue, and if osso bucco pizza with gremolata, and focaccia wrapped in lardo don't get you excited, we're not the same people. We're also intrigued by the lightly battered seafood cones (cuoppo), available inside or at their hatch for takeaway, and we've got a €150 voucher to give away to one of you this month which should see you through most of the menu. Book Boco Clontarf here . 3) €100 for the brand new Chongqing Hotpot  in Ranelagh Chongqing Hotpot  is coming to Ranelagh, next door to (and from the same owners as) China Hunan . This one focuses on authentic Chongqing-style hot pot , with curated combinations to make it easier if it's your first time. Chongqing hot pot originates from southwest China over a century ago, when dock workers on the Yangtze River cooked meats and vegetables in a bubbling pot of chilli, Sichuan peppercorn, and spices to keep warm and energised during long days of work. Over time, it evolved into one of China’s most iconic communal dining traditions, where friends and family gather around a shared pot to cook together, and the team promise that one bite is all it will take for you to be hooked. We're got a €100 voucher to give away this month, which will get you many bites. 4) Two tickets to Sebastian Skillings x Polish Wine Fest x Sarah de Brún Sebastian Skillings (aka The Hungry Fishmonger ) and Sarah de Brún are on fire with their seafood pop ups right now, and next they're teaming up with Maja and Maggie from Polish Wine Fest for a night of bold seafood and punchy Polish wines . They're cooking three modern seafood dishes, which will be paired with four vibrant bottles from Poland’s exciting cool-climate wine scene, that are bright, expressive, and a little rebellious. It's on Thursday 14th May at The Fumbally , from 18:00 - 20:00, and tickets are €80 (plus booking fee) for food and drinks, but we've got two tickets to give away this month FOC ! Get your own tickets here .  5) Overnight stay with dinner at The Club Hotel Club Kitchen , in The Club Hotel just off the N7, is a local favourite serving an all-day menu of breakfast, lunch and the classics done right , from crispy Irish fish & chips and seafood chowder, to spicy Korean wings, Irish sirloin steak with bottomless fries and sauces, and homemade desserts. There's Afternoon Tea and Sunday roasts too, and on Friday nights you can head in for their Supper Club - a three-course dinner for two with a bottle of wine for €100 (or €80 for the Early Bird). We've got an overnight stay with dinner for two to give away this month, for the perfect 24-hour breather close to Dublin . Check out The Club Hotel and Club Kitchen here . 6) A Nespresso Coffee Prize Pack Nespresso  and award-winning BAR 1661 are hosting coffee experiences across Dublin and Belfast this St Patrick's Day weekend, from Saturday 14th to Tuesday 17th March. Taking place at Nespresso on Duke Street in Dublin and Victoria Square in Belfast, the four-day event will showcase a menu of non-alcoholic coffee cocktails, including the Belfast Coffee, a pistachio Nespresso Martini, the classic Irish Coffee, and a Carajillo. As part of the celebrations, Nespresso is giving one lucky ATF Insider a prize pack including a Nespresso coffee machine , a selection of Nespresso coffees including the limited-edition Pistachio Vanilla Over Ice, Nespresso Barista ice cube trays , Nespresso glass coffee mugs and a Nespresso travel tumbler . Coffee lovers can book a Coffee Masterclass at the Nespresso Duke Street Boutique in Dublin at 1pm, 3pm or 5pm across the four days via the Nespresso website . For more follow @ Nespresso.uk . 7) €100 voucher for Fayrouz in Dublin 8 Fayrouz on Cork Street has been serving up the tastes of Lebanon in Dublin for the past six years, with flavour-packed Arayes Lahme, freshly made falafel and vine leaves, and fattoush salads to name a few of our favourites. The mezze, grilled meats and baklawa are sensational value, and the room feels like you've stepped out of the city into a calming, Middle Eastern sanctuary. It's also a hot tip for food before a gig at Vicar Street - it's a 12 minute walk away - and there's a brand new brunch offering coming in April! They're still taking bookings the old fashioned way, by phone on 01 5560404, or you can get it delivered via their website . We've got a €100 voucher to give away this month which you can use however you like! 8) A month of dinners from Gousto If dinner time's a drag and you need recipe inspiration, Gousto have over 150 recipes each month for delivery across Ireland, with healthy, convenient meals to help households eat well with no compromise on flavour. Each box includes ingredients and easy-to-follow recipe cards, making dinner quicker and simpler. From Fakeaways like the Spice Bag Chicken Burger, to high-protein options like Warm Ginger Beef Noodle Salad, and prices from €5.13 per portion (or €2.57 with an introductory discount), Gousto is helping households eat better with less food waste. For more information visit www.gousto.ie or download the app. One lucky ATF Insider will win a full month of Gousto recipe boxes this month - that’s four weeks of delicious dinners for a household of four. Imagine... (T&Cs apply) 9) Hamper of Boatyard's new bottled cocktails worth €150 When it comes to cocktails, sometimes you've got to step back and let the experts take over.  The Boatyard Distillery have just launched three new bottled cocktails - a Wet Martini, a Dry Martini and a Negroni - each one batched, balanced, and bottled by a team who know their ratios better than anyone. Built around  Boatyard's Double Gin, these are cocktails made with precision, meaning you don't need to second guess the amount of vermouth, or how many seconds to stir for. The Dry Martini is a clean, pared-back classic; the Wet Martini offers a softer balance with more vermouth in the mix; and the Negroni has that bittersweet hit - bold and balanced. We've giving away a hamper of bottled cocktails worth €150 this month, and for more information you can visit 22 . If you want to be in the draw you know what you have to do - sign up to ATF Insiders  by midnight on Tuesday 17th March . We’ll be picking winners on Wednesday 18th March , so keep an eye on your inbox, and if you’re not an ATF Insider yet, this is your sign to jump on board. If you are an ATF Insider , then keep your fingers crossed - this could be your month.

Two weeks ago we were asking if the weather apocalypse was over yet. This week it's the same question but about the world's latest war. It's too easy to go into a dark hole of " what is going on in the world/how did these sado masochists get into power/will I be able to afford to drive my car next month ", but 99.9% of us are helpless to change literally anything, so the best thing you can do is try not to let it get in on yourself, and maybe turn off the news once in a while. The other thing that helps take our mind off impending doom is eating all the delicious things, and we can always help you find the best on offer this week... 1) Pork and prawn rosti, Note There's a new chef in town, and he's taken over the kitchen at Note, causing a bit of a stir in the process. Exhibit A: Sam Kindillon's pork and prawn rosti served in a milk bun topped with furikake and spicy pickles. Ever since Irish Indo food critic Katy McGuinness called it " tasty and fun, the kind of Insta-friendly quasi-burger dish Note will find impossible to take off the menu ", it's been loitering around our brains without moving on. Also, have you seen their new batch bread course ? That's two swoons for the price of one... 2) Bagún agus cabáiste , Tír Deli Tír Deli are permanently bring their A game with the monthly specials, and in honour of the one and only St Patrick, March has brought the 'bagún agus cabáiste'. There's braised Winetavern Farm ham, braised Irish savoy cabbage, and wild garlic and parsley sauce made with the ham and cabbage braising liquids (claps). It's all served on Oaksmoke Bakery's ciabatta, and you've now got the choice of two queues to get in, with their second location now open in the CHQ Building. 3) Gochu Twigim , Space Jaru We think calling Korea's street food snack of stuffed green chilli peppers a St Patrick's Day special might be taking the proverbial, but it is giving us throw backs to our much missed jalapeno popper days. The mild green chillies are filled with minced meat (usually pork or beef), then battered in panko, deep-fried and served with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce and some Asian slaw. They do sound like the perfect parade-watching snack to be fair. 4) Sai's butter chicken burger, Bujo Bujo 's new limited edition burger comes courtesy of their Indian Operations Manager Sai, who dreamt of a burger based on his Mum's Murgh Makhani (i.e. Butter Chicken). They've double dredged the chicken, coated it in a rich, creamy sauce made with ginger, garlic, cumin, chilli and garam masala, and topped it with pickled red onion, roast garlic aioli and crisp lettuce. We're also now dreaming of a burger based on Sai's Mum's cooking. 5) Tiramisu Danish, The Rock Bakery The March specials at The Rock Bakery are a go, and it's this Tiramisu Danish that made our mental monthly hit list. Coffee, mascarpone cream, homemade Lady Fingers, and cocoa powder make up this extra special pastry, merging two of the world's great desserts into one. Finally.

What’s with all the buzz about Tribe Coffee?   Founded by friends Simon Lambert and Finn McGarry, Tribe Coffee opened in 2021 at St. Enda’s GAA club in Ballyboden, before opening a café proper in Rathmines in 2022. Their latest and third opening in Rathgar village answered a request from regulars - more seats. The new space keeps their signature pastel palette and has been designed with social media snaps in mind – look at that purple La Marzocco coffee machine. Natural light floods the front, with high tops and window seating, while the back has plenty of tables with benches, individual seats and a cosy booth. Tribe already has a loyal following for their build-your-own açaí bowls , but we were here for their new bagel collab with micro bakery Fat Baby Bakes , whose bagels have up to now only been available for collection from East Wall.   What should we order?   With a Canadian at the table missing “proper” bagels, we went in with expectations set to high. The bacon, egg and cheese (€11.50) arrived cold (unexpected), but the flavours were there - thick streaky bacon, free range eggs, cheddar and cream cheese - rich and ultra savoury, lifted by spring onion freshness. The bagels are coated with everything seasoning (sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, onion, salt), adding a savoury, salty wallop of flavour, but they leaned a little dry - a quick toast would have brought them back to life. Homemade cream cheese was lightly whipped and tangy - we’d have liked a tub to go. The smoked salmon and cream cheese (€11.50) would have benefited from more salmon. The lemon-dressed rocket was nicely seasoned but felt heavy-handed compared to the modest amount of fish - we've seen a more generous ratio on their socials. While we’re dreaming, how about some capers, the advertised but not included red onion, dill? Hot honey on the side added flavour, but we weren't transported to NYC. Known for classic toasties, the nduja (€10) did what it needed to. Mozzarella, spicy Calabrian sausage, fresh chilli, hot honey and balsamic glaze, on Tartine sourdough, served with cheese and onion crisps. Good hangover fare, if not quite ooze central. A pear and black pudding sausage roll from Pieman (€5.50) was well-seasoned, filled with Irish pork and black pudding, though we couldn't detect the pear. We found the baked goods mixed. A Nutella cookie (€4) arrived fridge-cold, but after a few hours had softened into a chewy, sweet and salty, chocolate-studded treat that we genuinely enjoyed. An almond croissant (€3.50) however was stale. The filling was good, but we're not in the same league as places like Una or Elliot’s baking them fresh. Tribe continues to serve some of the best specialty coffee in D6, using Never A Days Trouble . Both the oat flat white (€4.30) and chai latté (€4) were 10/10 no notes, with the chai landing nicely on spice rather than sweet. Why should we go?   Go for specialty coffee, a buzzy space and a menu with enough hits to justify the queues. We’d return for the bacon, egg and cheese bagel (toasted this time please), and a lazy weekend coffee and catch up in an aesthetically beautiful setting.   Tribe Coffee 107 Rathgar Road, Dublin 6 instagram.com/tribe_coffeeco

Muslim or not, anyone who’s ever attended an iftar dinner won’t wonder why UNESCO added the Ramadan fast-breaking meal to their list of intangible cultural heritage, alongside the Mediterranean diet and the French baguette. It’s everything we love about food - hungry people coming together to share plates piled high. With almost half of Ireland’s growing Muslim population living in Dublin city and suburbs, there’s never been a better time to experience the broad array of cuisines and cultures this growing diaspora is gifting us. And while going without food from sunrise to sunset will surely help build up an appetite, you don't need to partake in the fast to experience the joys of iftar – as the first entry on this list puts it, “you don’t need to share a religion to share a meal”... (Ramadan runs through to March 19 th this year, so you've got nine more days to get involved) Shaku Maku, Rathmines   That spirit of shared experience sums up the joy of Shaku Maku , who’ve leaned hard into the cross-community potential of iftar (and have been booked out constantly because of it - plan this one in advance). They’re charging €30 on weekdays or €35 on weekends for an all-you-can-eat Palestinian buffet, and with the never-misses quality here we tend to eat a lot. Ramadan-specific desserts and jalab, a fruit syrup we don't see nearly enough of in Dublin, are all the more reason to rush in to this one. Between huge spreads of mezze, rice-stuffed veggies and okra stew, this one makes for a particularly good pick for vegetarians too. Book online .   Zouq, Blanchardstown   Outside of the more-than-half of the Muslim population that’s Irish, Pakistanis make up the biggest group here by far, and there’s plenty of places that cater to their specific tastes. Zouq in Blanchardstown is one of the best (and best value), with a €25.99 buffet serving up samosa and pakora starters, biryani and karahi mains, and plenty of chai and kheer to finish. With kids welcome at half the adult price, it’s an ideal family pick. Book by phone on 01 8128714.   Sofra, Liffey Street Upper   Get a taste of Turkish iftar with Sofra ’s set menu for €35. The chilli oil-slicked çorba soup to start still lingers in our memory, and the ample appetite it whets will be needed to get you through their mixed grill platter and the many mezzes it comes with. The only downside is you’ll have no room left for our beloved içli köfte – but a couple to take away for breakfast the next day never hurt anyone. Book by phone on 01 5586902.   Ruchii, Blackrock   Given its aim to represent the full culinary diversity of India, it’s no surprise Blackrock’s Ruchii   have wheeled out an iftar special, taking in some of the Persian-influenced tastes of the country’s northeast, where the majority of the Muslim population is concentrated. The €25 a head set menu starts with dates and mango lassi before taking you through a platter of tikka and seekh kebab, thick mutton curry and saffron-scented chicken biryani mains, and a choice of dessert. Book by phone on 01 4444432.   Southern Spices, Sandyford   Muslims in India may be most commonly associated with Northern states’ foods, but there’s a rich heritage down south too, from maritime Arab trade – who better to celebrate it than Southern Spices . The Sandyford spot is offering a €24.95 prepared platter with plenty to eat your way through - dates and grapes to start; royal chicken biryani, chicken 65, lamb kofta, and cucumber raita to follow; and bread halwa to finish. Book by phone on 0877117707.   Mehfil, Blanchardstown   A hyper-localised Indian iftar tradition is Hyderabadi haleem - whole bubbling cauldrons of which fill the city’s streets with scents all through Ramadam, and even do a bustling trade in worldwide exports. But no need to file an order - the meat and lentil stew is the centrepiece of Mehfil ’s special for €22.99, also including a chaat starter, saffron syrup-soaked dough ball dessert and the rose cordial Rooh Afza to drink. Book by phone on 0870373889.   Rotana, Parnell Street and Temple Bar   We’d worried Rotana ’s shuttering of their original Portobello site last year was a bad sign, but it seems like they were just reallocating resources to the heart of the action. The long-time Lebanese grill has just set up shop in Temple Bar right beside the Central Bank building. Their iftar experience (just the à la carte with a bit more of a buzz) is running in both locations with dates on the door. Book by phone on 018148751.    Moenjo, Rathmines   Billing itself a tribute to the ancient Indus Valley civilisation that shaped much of Pakistan’s Sindh province’s culinary traditions, Moenjo  opened in Rathmines early last month. Their €25 iftar buffet starts with sweet spiced bowls of fruit chai alongside more of that Rooh Afza, before taking in piles of pakoras and samosas, vats of karahi and biryani (though not the specialty Sindhi variety with spuds and plums – you’ll need to go à la carte for that), and finishing up on kheer and chai. Dada, South William Street   Chebbakia is one standout reason to make a beeline for South William Street and Moroccan mainstay Dada – the sweet sesame pastry is a classic iftar treat across the Maghreb. At €39, the set menu here is the priciest we’ve found but one of the punchiest too, with earthy harira soup, nutrient-dense sellou, and honey-drenched baklawa bulking up the choice of any tagine or couscous. Book online .   Le Gazin, Dorset Street   Across the other side of Africa you’ll find Somalian food – we have that now on the other side of the city too. Dorset Street’s Le Gazin  aren’t doing any specific set menu or specials for iftar, but the complimentary dates and spiced tea they’re offering across Ramadan are great tops and tails to the menu of samosas and suqaars that define the unique fusion cuisine of this maritime nation. Afanti, Cavendish Row   Unique fusion cuisine again in the form of Ireland’s first Uyghur restaurant Afanti , an ode to the Sino-Turkic influences that shaped the food of this Chinese Muslim minority – given the intense ongoing efforts to stamp out such distinctions, it’s a culture worth celebrating. There’s no Ramadan specials but plenty to expl ore à la carte . Samsa, manti and kawap all deliciously showcase the Silk Road synergies, and adventurous eaters should make right for the spicy bean jelly and salted milk tea.   Al Khair, South Circular Road   Starting out as a community canteen for the Dublin Mosque’s underserved congregation all the way back in 1985, Al Khair  opened to the wider public in 2007 and has done stellar IYKYK trade ever since. They’re running daily iftar specials alongside their regular à la carte menu of Indian and Pakistani classics – the €1.80 samosas are the stuff of legend, but everything here is exceptional value. Book by phone on 014535087. Like this? Get our Dublin restaurant news, guides and discoveries straight to your inbox every two weeks.

Following on from our recent roundup  of all the best sit-down options for Dublin’s veggies and vegans, it’s time to take stock of the more casual bakery, café, takeaway and on-the-go options around. While plenty of specialty spots have folded over the last few years, increasingly more places are waking up to the need to offer more than mere afterthought options to the city’s meat and dairy-free eaters. Here’s our pick of the best...   *Anywhere that caters particularly well for vegans has a (V) next to it*   Cafés   Twist Bakery, Temple Bar (V)   Vegan baker Marija Lacic  recently closed up her home delivery Cake My Day business with promises of bigger things to come – it doesn’t get much bigger than prime real estate in Temple Bar. Brand new bakery Twist has all the usual croissants, focaccias and breads, alongside far fancier fare like coffee opera and matcha marble cakes – every last bit of it vegan. There’s a major focus on GF treats too.   Tang, various locations (V)   Tang has long been a location of choice for veggies and vegans to lunch and brunch to their hearts’ content, between the growing number of outposts and its Middle Eastern-influenced plates. The hummus here is some of the best around, while their smart salad selections and broad bakery counters make special effort to give vegans a real choice – they even do plant-based pancakes. Their Thursday and Friday night dinners in the Abbey Street branch are a top tip for value.   Honest to Goodness, Liberties   We could have cried on tasting the properly-seasoned side salads at Honest to Goodness  – bland handfuls of loose leaves begone! – so just imagine how good their full bowls can be. The Cobb and (vegan) Kitchen Sink are packed with good stuff galore, and we’re particularly big fans of the hash brown-studded breakfast burrito.   Fairmental, Grand Canal Street Upper   In its three years since opening a sit-down site, fermentation biz Fairmental has gotten better and better at bulking up veggie choices beyond just one lunch option – there’s now regularly meat-free rice bowls and mushroom broths galore. Add in a new breakfast menu that’s almost entirely meat-free, and you’ve got a real destination for gut health goodness.   Sando Paradiso, Blackpitts (V)   In a side-by-side taste testing we found Sando Paradiso ’s karaage cauliflower wings infinitely superior to their chicken, and their recent menu revamp would seem to agree. Their vegan breakfast sando is likewise a delight, with smoked vegan bacon and Clonakilty vegan white pud leaving us ill-able to tell the difference. Szechuan corn ribs sound right up our street too.   Toca Tapioca House, Temple Bar (V)   We’ve thankfully come a long way on from the meat-forward image of Brazilian cuisine the earliest openers enforced – places like Toca Tapioca House  have done a lot of the heavy lifting. There’s plenty of vegan options among their açaí bowls especially but tapioca/crepioca wraps too and they always keep at least one sweet treat plant-free. If you’re doing dairy, their pão de queijo is a treat of cheesy, chewy goodness.   Brother Hubbard, various locations (V)   There are teenagers on TikTok today whose parents might well have had their first date over a Brother Hubbard  brunch. Since 2012, the Middle East-inspired café chain has been bringing people together over brimming bowls of seasonal hummus, Turkish eggs and batata harra, and vegan eating is very easy.   Bang Bang, Phibsborough (V)   Bang Bang is among the coolest cafés in Phisborough, with consistently good coffee, sweet treats and sambos, and they're always thinking of their meat and dairy-free customers. Each day they have different veggie and vegan options that are always killer, like falafel sandwiches and veggie brunch burgers.   It's a Trap, Aungier Street (V)   One of the capital’s hottest vegan spots, It’s a Trap ’s famous cinnamon rolls have built up such a giddy fandom they’re constantly coming up with seasonal and regional variations – dulce de leche, lotus biscoff, spiced apple, you name it. Their Korean BBQ wrap with house seitan isn’t far behind in the viral vegan stakes.   Urban Health, Ranelagh (V)   Cold-pressed juices and nutrient-dense salads are all in the name at Urban Health , just off the triangle in Ranelagh. This health-forward café is bursting with options for veggies and vegans, with their smoked tofu vegan BLT, vegan Snickers slice, and cinnamon roll protein pancakes among the things keeping a loyal clientele coming back again and again.   The Fumbally, Liberties   A food-centric community space since its opening back in 2012, The Fumbally remains one of the liveliest rooms to lunch in anywhere in the city. Premium produce is more of a focus than ever since a pandemic pivot saw them add a grocery in, and their circular kitchen’s chefs are given full encouragement to put these great ingredients to use in all manner of creative ways.   Kerb, Foxrock   A feast of flavours picked up over years of travel inform Shona McCabe’s Kerb , with decidedly ungreasy kebabs at the heart of the action. Middle East, Mexico and Mozambique all feature heavily across the menu, with house corn tortillas, za’atar fries and sumac-spiced eggs among the many treats you’ll find here.   Street Food   Sushi & Go, Montague Street   With its celebration of onigiri’s Edo-era origins as an on-the-go snack, Sushi & Go  burst onto the scene back at the turn of the year with no shortage of wild acclaim. It lives up to the hype. Pescatarians will have much more choice here, but there’s plenty among the stuffed sushi rice triangles, puffed tofu boats and assorted norimaki to keep most veggies more than satisfied.   Tacos Lupillo, Inchicore   Insufficient veggie options was about the only downside we noted when we first visited Tacos Lupillo  back in 2024. The two years since have seen not only a move further up into Inchicore inside The Saint pub, but also development of a vegan chorizo we’ve yet to hear a bad word about. Have it piled high in any of their tacos, tortas, gringas, or volcanes, and don’t skimp on the spiced fermented pineapple tepache to wash it all down with.   Mushroom Butcher, Portobello (V)   As well as supplying the city’s top-tier restaurants and grocers like Evergreen, ex-Veginity chef Mark Senn dishes up delicious mushroom meals out of his South Circular Road food truck every weekend. Mushroom Butcher ’s recent menus have honed in on India, New Orleans, Scotland and Singapore – the only constant here is the sense of invention. Fresh fungi are on hand if you want to get inventive yourself, too.   Dosa Dosa, Grand Canal Street & Rialto (V)   Newly opened in a bricks and mortar location in Rialto as well as their long-time Grand Canal Street market hub, Dosa Dosa  have come a long way since their ill-timed Feb 2020 beginning. Veggie options are as extensive as you’d expect of South Indian street food, with plenty of their dosas and uttapams available in veganised versions. If you’re not in a hurry, settle in at the Rialto branch for their fully veggie Tamil thali.   Janet's, Drumcondra   Teriyaki tofu and Szechuan aubergine are the heart of the veggie offering at food truck Janet’s , parked up inside Eatyard at the Bernard Shaw – where many concepts have proved their mettle before moving on to bigger and better things. Their gyoza, gua bao and rice bowls all have various veggie options, while vegans will have to make do with spinach gyoza.   Shaka Poke, Blackrock & Baggot Street (V)   We've been big fans of Shaka Poké  since their festival and food market stall days, so we were thrilled when they set up permanent shop in Blackrock Market before expanding to Baggot Street. Somewhere specialising in Hawaiian raw fish might not be the obvious place to look for veggie and vegan food, but beetroot, avocado and marinated hoisin tofu toppings give a lot of choice. For the month of March their fully vegan Tahiti Tofu bowl is only €10 too.   Fast Food   McGuinness's, Camden Street (V)   You can’t talk about vegan food in Dublin without talking about McGuinness’s , the Camden Street chipper that debuted a vegan menu back in 2016 and has held the hearts of plant-based patrons ever since – it walked so many others on this list could run. Their seitan and cashew-based Philly cheese steak is regularly held up as the one to try.   Hawker, Rathmines (V)   Excitement was high as the Hang Dai  team found a permanent base for their takeaway side hustle Hawker  in the latter half of last year, all the more so when they went all-in on a veggie menu. Shiitake mushroom mapo tofu; mushroom dumplings in chilli oil; spicy smashed cucumber we’d eat by the fistful: it’s a long way from afterthought tofu spice bags we are here. Throw in a few of their bottled house cocktails to really make a night of it.   Chiya, Dame Street   Breaking the mould on typical kebab shops, Chiya opened back in 2024 with as many veggie as meaty options, great news for anyone sick of a single falafel option. But that’s no disrespect to them – the müjver here are like a grated courgette twist, and by far our fave against the mixed veg and halloumi that’s also on the go. Whatever you get, pile it high with those house pickles.   The Saucy Cow, Temple Bar (V)   Its name born out of frustration with how often vegan foods in Ireland were desperately dry, The Saucy Cow  goes all-in on oozing cheeses, garlic mayos, and their infamous Buckfast BBQ – all ingeniously plant-based. Just about everything here is a treat but it’s the sriracha mayo and chilli crisp-topped hash browns we think back on again and again.   BuJo, Sandymount & Terenure (V)   With culinary director Grainne O’Keefe of Mae  fame putting a serious focus on sustainability, it’s little surprise BuJo ’s menu makes more space than most of its competitors in the premium burger stakes for veggie and vegan diners – by which we mean, y’know, any space at all. Their Beyond Meat options have all the same care and attention gone into every aspect as the beef, and occasional specials like a miso garlic butter-stuffed panko portobello are worth running for.   Chimac, Aungier Street   There’s none of that standalone special nonsense going on over at Chimac  – they’ll swap in panko tofu for chicken in any of their burgers, from the dripping KimCheese to the spicy-sweet K-BBQ - and you’ll well believe cauliflower can fly on the strength of their wings here. Vegans haven’t been forgotten about either, and are advised to ask staff to get the best sense of their options.   Like this? Get our Dublin restaurant news, guides and discoveries straight to your inbox every two weeks.