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Char siu buns, pork puffs and Cantonese style egg tarts are some of the very inexpensive, very delicious reasons to visit Hong Kong taste bakery on Eden Quay. Owner/chef King Liu and his team start baking at 5am each morning and replenish supplies of sausage buns, milk bread and pandan swiss rolls throughout the day. Hong Kong Taste Bakery Website @hongkongtastebakery Address 21 Eden Quay, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Char siu buns, pork puffs and Cantonese style egg tarts are some of the very inexpensive, very delicious reasons to visit Hong Kong taste bakery on Eden Quay. Owner/chef King Liu and his team start baking at 5am each morning and replenish supplies of sausage buns, milk bread and pandan swiss rolls throughout the day. 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 city's (maybe the country's) foremost dining experience. Formerly head chef at The Greenhouse on Dawson Street, Mickael Viljanen went into partnership with Chapter One owner Ross Lewis in 2021, taking over the stoves of the one-Michelin starred kitchen, and just months after reopening they were bestowed with a second. A meal here is a rollicking rollercoaster of tastes, visual feasts and pure joy from first bite to last, and while the dining room has had a makeover, the famous Chapter One service is as warm and inherently Irish as ever. Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen Website chapteronerestaurant.com Address 18-19 Parnell Square North, Rotunda, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The city's (maybe the country's) foremost dining experience. Formerly head chef at The Greenhouse on Dawson Street, Mickael Viljanen went into partnership with Chapter One owner Ross Lewis in 2021, taking over the stoves of the one-Michelin starred kitchen, and just months after reopening they were bestowed with a second. A meal here is a rollicking rollercoaster of tastes, visual feasts and pure joy from first bite to last, and while the dining room has had a makeover, the famous Chapter One service is as warm and inherently Irish as ever. 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

Pi opened quietly in June 2018 and within weeks was being touted as the best pizza in Dublin. Original owner and pizziaolo Reggie White left after a few years to open Little Forest, followed by pop ups of his own, but Pi remains as popular as ever. Toppings feature a mix of Italian and Irish ingredients, and desserts are simple but perfect. Pi Website pipizzas.ie Address 10 Castle House, 73 - 83 South Great George's Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Pi opened quietly in June 2018 and within weeks was being touted as the best pizza in Dublin. Original owner and pizziaolo Reggie White left after a few years to open Little Forest, followed by pop ups of his own, but Pi remains as popular as ever. Toppings feature a mix of Italian and Irish ingredients, and desserts are simple but perfect. 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

CN Duck Roast meats in Ranelagh straight out of Southeast Asia Posted: 28 Jun 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story? CN Duck opened quietly enough on Ranelagh's thoroughfare in February, and apart from one (copied and pasted from their website) article on Lovin' Dublin, and a review in the Sunday Independent, they haven't had a whole pile of coverage, but on a recent visit to Ranelagh in search of somewhere to eat, their online reviews stuck out like a bullet oven in a Dublin suburb. It's a lazy, false stereotype that because people of a similar ethnicity as the restaurant are eating there it must be the best around - people of every colour, race and background eat bad food, and what if it's just the best of a bad lot? - but what stuck out most from all the praise was the steady stream of Asian diners gushing about the quality of the roast meats, and how it was the taste of home they'd been sorely missing. One read: " The best roast duck you could expect to have - it is as best as a 5-star hotel in Hong Kong. This is amazingly delicious. Absolutely worth for the value. Will be visiting again! Salute to the Chef!!! Thank you CN Duck! It effectively heals my homesick. " How could we not after that. Cities like Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai are famous for their juicy, crispy-skinned roast meats, cooked in special bullet ovens shaped like torpedos, and hung up in windows and street stalls across town. These ovens circulate heat evenly around the meat, rendering the fat and crisping the skin, and while these aren't the first ones in Dublin, we've never found a source of Chinese roast meats that we thought could compete with the ones we've eaten in South East Asia. Multiple attempts at contacting the restaurant to get more information about who's behind it went unanswered, but one online report claimed they're connected to the Zakura Japanese restaurants. If we ever find out we'll let you know. Where should I sit? This is fast casual dining, with two long tables for sharing with fellow diners, a table for four, two high tables for two, and one outside table that can seat four. The roadside seating isn't the most comfortable and you'll probably be wary of your belongings, but it is nice sitting in the sun (on the rare occasions it shows up). None of the seating has been designed with lounging in mind, so just pull up wherever's free. What's the food like? You're here for the roast meats and we'll hear no more about it, but there is quite a large menu in case you have a heathen in your midst who wants to break ranks (or you just want to get a selection of different dishes - far more reasonable). There are also enough vegetarian dishes to bring any meat-free friends too. We asked which starters were made on site, and were told the spring rolls and the Shao Mai dumpings, so got one of each. There was no doubt the duck spring rolls were made fresh, with uneven wrappers giving up extra crispy bits, and a filling full of fresh, crunchy vegetables, and rich chunks of meat. With a side of sweet chilli sauce for dipping, these are spring rolls the way they should be, yet so rarely are. The Shao Mai (also called Siu Mai) dumplings were stuffed with a pork and mushroom filling so juicy you will want to eat these in one mouthful, the thin pastry pleats holding it all together, and a whole prawn on top. They come with a soy based dipping sauce and are utterly delicious, but heavy. Perfect for sharing, but a whole portion as a starter and you might be done for. For the star attraction, there are a few ways of doing it. The four roast meats on offer are roast duck; crispy pork belly; BBQ char siu pork; and Cantonese soy chicken. You can either order portions of the meat by itself, plumping out your meal with rice and other sides, or you can order it as part of a rice bowl. You can also order combos to try two at once, and because we had to try it all, we got a meat-only combo of roast duck and crispy pork belly, and a rice bowl combo of BBQ char siu pork and Cantonese soy chicken. And oh my this meat. If you've ever eaten your way around those bustling Asian cities this will take you right back there. Too often you find duck in this style with too much fat under the skin, making for unpleasantly chewy mouthfuls, but this was flawlessly rendered down with a slightly sticky marinade, showing what those ovens are capable of in the right hands. You can pay an extra €1 to have it deboned, and if you don't do that just be careful as little shards of bone can sneak into your mouth when you least expect it. The crispy pork belly is cooked in a way that will make you never want to cook it at home again (or eat it anywhere else). By its nature it has more fat than the duck and in more places, but the cracking belongs in the all-star leagues, and the sliver of fat underneath would give fat on meat a good name. There were pieces towards one end that were all fat and crackling, but some people like that too, and there was a lot of meat to get your chops around. The BBQ char siu pork and Cantonese soy chicken were the combo for our rice bowl, and once again, the soy chicken is the best we've had anywhere here. Often slippery, with rubbery skin and no flavour, this skin is made for eating, with the chicken melting underneath it. Again it's on the bone so bear that in mind when jamming it into your mouth. Thin slices of char siu pork had a vivid barbecue flavour, and the portions of meat felt very generous. The rice bowls come with half a jammy, soy-cured egg (as good as the best ramen bars serve, anywhere). stir-fried greens, steamed pak choi and edamame beans, and for €15 for the meat combo this is a hell of a bowl of food. On the table are duck sauce (very hard to find good versions outside of Asian and this is a good version) and chilli oil that tasted like it was based on fermented shrimp paste. Great condiment game. The only downside to these delicious meats is a lack of provenance information. The website says they use "locally sourced meat" but that doesn't mean much, and we would have loved more information on where they're getting it. Outside of the roast meat bonanza there's ramen, noodles, fried rice and stir fries, and while we tend to look at these as filler items, it's hard to imagine the standards dropping from the rest. There's also a good value daytime menu served from 12:00 - 17:00, with a selection of dishes for €9.95 - hard to argue with. We're pretty desperate to go back and try more, and have spent the week quietly cursing Ranelagh residents for having such easy access to it. What about drinks? Soft drinks or beer only - Tiger, Asahi or Tsing Tao, but they also do BYOB at the bargain price of €1 per beer or €6 per bottle of wine. This would be a great place to break out some special bottles, and the food's not spicy enough to overpower anything. How was the service? Very pleasant and to the point. You order at the till and they'll bring your food to you. As you'd expect everything comes when it's ready, so if you want to spread it out we'd advise asking if they can do this when you order. And the damage? €44.95 for a generous amount of food for two with leftovers to take away. For food of this quality we think the value for money is in the city's top tier right now. The verdict? For our money these are the best Chinese roast meats in Dublin right now, and an itch is finally being scratched to complete satisfaction. We hoped CN Duck would be decent, we didn't know it was going to be this good, but maybe we'll take more notice of those gushing Google reviews more often. Hopefully they've got their eyes on other sites so more people can experience the joy, but maybe it's best kept as one solo special spot for soy chicken and char siu. Either way, we're coming up with all sorts of excuses to get back to Ranelagh. CN Duck 12 Ranelagh, Dublin 6 www.cnduck.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Rush lucked out with 2023 opening Noisette, serving pastries and sourdough loaves from Vaarsha Baugreet (previously head baker at Bread Naturally in Raheny), and partner Jérémy Pastor (formerly at Tartine and Bread 41). You can expect long morning lines for their hand-kneaded and rolled croissants, danishes and ciabattas, but the staff make it all worthwhile when they hand over the good stuff with a smile. They serve Imbibe coffee and Belgian hot chocolate, and have free plant milk on offer - a major plus for the normally-penalised dairy-free drinkers. Noisette Website @noisetteartisanbakery Address 3 Upper Main Street, Rush, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Rush lucked out with 2023 opening Noisette, serving pastries and sourdough loaves from Vaarsha Baugreet (previously head baker at Bread Naturally in Raheny), and partner Jérémy Pastor (formerly at Tartine and Bread 41). You can expect long morning lines for their hand-kneaded and rolled croissants, danishes and ciabattas, but the staff make it all worthwhile when they hand over the good stuff with a smile. They serve Imbibe coffee and Belgian hot chocolate, and have free plant milk on offer - a major plus for the normally-penalised dairy-free drinkers. 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

Frank's Small plates and all the wine on Camden Street Posted: 23 Jul 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Unless you've had your head under a rock for the past two months you've probably heard of Frank's , the new wine bar serving small plates around a communal table, from the guys behind Delahunt a few doors up. Industry chatter for months before they opened was about how they were going to bring a better value wine offering to Dublin, and that the inspiration came from London wine shop and bar P Franco in East London, which has a similar set up. Where they differ, is that Frank's don't really want you sitting at the communal table unless you're eating, so in effect it's only a wine bar if you're happy to perch on the ledges either side of the window (or maybe if it's not busy - we certainly wouldn't attempt it at peak times on Friday or Saturday night). And if you were planning on pitching up and snacking on olives and almonds your plans might be scuppered too - you can only order their smoked almonds with a glass of amontillado sherry, as apparently people were coming and just ordering those. Smoked almonds and sherry are a great match, but it seems like an oddly constraining rule to come up against on a night out. The other thing it's really important to know before going is that you can't book, it's walk-in only, and they won't take your name and let you go off for a drink (there's no phone), so you just have to hang around. This wasn't filling us with joy when we arrived just after 19:30 on a Friday evening to be told there was a two hour wait for seats. There's also no wait list, so you're just counting on the staff to remember who got there first, which seems unnecessarily anxiety-provoking (and will surely end in a scrap one night). We decided to have a drink (sherry, because we were starving and needed those almonds), and thanks to at least one waiting couple giving up and leaving we were sitting down after an hour, which goes by fast if you've brought someone with good chat. Where should we go for a drink first? The queue here is where you will be having your drink, because no one wants to risk an hour long wait for food while already tipsy, and they have good wine. Where should we sit? You'll likely have no choice unless you're first in, but if you do it's the dilemma of whether to go close to the action where the chef is cooking and risk leaving smelling like your dinner, or back away and sit closer to the window, standing a better chance of keeping your perfume/cologne on. Either way communal dining won't be for everyone, but if it's your thing you'll love it. What's good to eat? We can vouch for the wait snacks of almonds and gordal olives, and after that we just told them to bring everything - blame the queuing time. The menu has been changing a lot, and every review we've read has featured different food, so it could be totally different by the time you get there, but we imagine they'll settle into some favourites after a while. Head (and only) chef Chris Maguire had previously been the head chef at Locks , and before that worked at two-Michelin starred The Ledbury in London, so you know you're in good hands, and the same over-riding focus on quality produce is the main driver for the menu. From the six main small plates (not including cheese or dessert) the standouts were the chargrilled squid with a padrón pepper sauce and violet artichokes (a pretty perfect plate of food, in flavour and texture), and the hen of the woods mushrooms with charred corn and smokey chicken wing meat, which we would have ordered another of if we'd had enough time. What a dish. Burrata with heirloom tomatoes and pickled onion was simple but obviously made with quality ingredients, including tomatoes that tasted like they were grown on sunnier shores, and mackerel with gooseberry and horseradish would give that unfairly judged fish a less stinky reputation, just barely fried and still pink in the middle, lifted by the tart gooseberries, although we couldn't taste the horseradish. We'd been eyeing up the whipped chicken liver with pickled strawberries and brioche on Insagram all week, and while it was pleasant we felt like the chicken liver needed the flavour turned up, or maybe a bit more seasoning. It was hard to imagine the pickled green strawberries or the brioche getting any better. The only plate we didn't love was the morcilla with salt-baked beetroot and cherry, whose flavours seem to fight against rather than compliment each other. Dessert and cheese ended things on a high, as all meals should. We'd been daydreaming about the peaches, ricotta and brown butter crumb, and we're still daydreaming about it. The peaches were like none we've tried here before (maybe we're going to the wrong fruit shop) with an almost cartoonish, over-exaggerated flavour, smooth, creamy ricotta mellowing out the sweetness, with the brown butter crumb adding a rich savouriness and texture. It's already on the "best things we've eaten this year" list. Cheese was a perfect rectangle of Shepherd's Store from Tipperary, with a vivid looking and tasting purée of dried raspberries, which beats any chutney we've tried recently by a long stretch. What about the drinks? If you like wine you will not go thirsty in here. There's an extensive selection of sherry, sparkling wine, white, red and dessert wines at very reasonable prices, which is one of their hooks. We spotted wines that are €9/€10 on other city centre wine lists on here at €6.50-€7. You will probably end up drinking more rather than spending less, but the wines are great with that minimal intervention slant that tends to result in less of a hangover, so that's okay. The serious value seems to be in the glass selection, but they do have an additional few pages of bottles (including magnums that we could see ourselves having some group fun with) and we'd advise just telling the staff what you like and letting them make suggestions. You're unlikely to go too far wrong - we tried a lot of different glasses and there wasn't one disappointment. One thing you should be aware of is that you'll be holding onto the same glass for the night, so if you're switching from sherry or red to white or fizz you might want to ask for a rinse. And the service? Pretty to the point at queuing stage but warmed up considerably once we managed to sit down. Staff were happy to chat and recommend wines, despite being run off their feet, and dishes were delivered by the chef, although we would have liked a bit more chat in terms of what we were about to eat - to be fair he's pretty busy in that solo kitchen so we get it. This is a very lean operation and they have to be given credit for keeping things running as smoothly and calmly as it was when we were there, and keeping smiles on their faces throughout. The verdict? Frank's has brought a lot of things to Dublin that it was in desperate need of - somewhere that you can always (attempt to) walk in without a booking, non-gouging wine prices allowing us to drink better while spending the same money, and the kind of counter, communal dining that's so popular in other cities but which we're lagging behind with. We would love to see things loosen up a bit to the point where you can just go in for a bottle of wine, but at the same time understand that priority needs to be given to people who want to eat, so for now there's the ledges on either side of the window. If they can improve their wait list system it will do much to alleviate any queuing-related anxiety you may experience while trying to eat and drink there, but once you sit down all is likely to be forgiven. Frank's 22 Camden Street Lower, Dublin 2 www.instagram.com/franksdublin New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Modern café from sisters Domini and Peaches Kemp in a beautiful basement attached to the MoLI museum, just across from St Stephen’s Green. A simple menu of eggs, toasties, soups and salads, with a hot dish or two and all the treats for afterwards. The terrace out the back is a particularly lovely place to escape the city centre crowds. The Commons At MoLI Website moli.ie/cafe-gardens/the-commons Address 86 St Stephen's Green , Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Modern café from sisters Domini and Peaches Kemp in a beautiful basement attached to the MoLI museum, just across from St Stephen’s Green. A simple menu of eggs, toasties, soups and salads, with a hot dish or two and all the treats for afterwards. The terrace out the back is a particularly lovely place to escape the city centre crowds. 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

Gertrude Website gertrude.ie Address 130 Pearse Street, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin 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

Another café-turns-evening wine bar from the team at Dublin 8's Two Pups, with a menu of spirited small plates that triumph on seasonality, colour and flavour. Irish produce is used to full affect with their treatment of vegetables a highlight, and the short but effective menu could be mostly covered between two. A colourful natural wine list, smiley staff and outdoor tables complete the perfect wine bar circle. Notions @ Two Pups Website instagram/twopupsgetsnotions Address Notions, Francis Street, The Liberties, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Another café-turns-evening wine bar from the team at Dublin 8's Two Pups, with a menu of spirited small plates that triumph on seasonality, colour and flavour. Irish produce is used to full affect with their treatment of vegetables a highlight, and the short but effective menu could be mostly covered between two. A colourful natural wine list, smiley staff and outdoor tables complete the perfect wine bar circle. 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 Galway-born burger restaurant, once named the best burgers in Ireland, opened their first Dublin city location in summer 2024. There's beef, chicken and vegan beyond burgers on the menu, as well as plain or loaded fries, and a basic drinks menu. Indoor seating is limited but people tend to eat fast and move on. Handsome Burger Website handsomeburger.com Address Handsome Burger, Chatham Row, Dublin 2, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The Galway-born burger restaurant, once named the best burgers in Ireland, opened their first Dublin city location in summer 2024. There's beef, chicken and vegan beyond burgers on the menu, as well as plain or loaded fries, and a basic drinks menu. Indoor seating is limited but people tend to eat fast and move on. 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

Opening at the end of 2022, D'Olier street is a collaboration between Mr Fox's Anthony Smith, and formerly US-based couple Jane Frye and James Moore. Moore was previously head chef at two-Michelin-starred Atera in New York, before Smith convinced them to open their first solo restaurant together in Dublin, and New York's loss is our gain. The ten-course tasting menu featuring spellbinding breads and desserts from pastry chef Mina Pizarro, and this iconic room in D'Olier Chambers has never looked so good. D'Olier Street Website dolierstreetrestaurant.com Address D'Olier Chambers, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Opening at the end of 2022, D'Olier street is a collaboration between Mr Fox's Anthony Smith, and formerly US-based couple Jane Frye and James Moore. Moore was previously head chef at two-Michelin-starred Atera in New York, before Smith convinced them to open their first solo restaurant together in Dublin, and New York's loss is our gain. The ten-course tasting menu featuring spellbinding breads and desserts from pastry chef Mina Pizarro, and this iconic room in D'Olier Chambers has never looked so good. 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

Breakfast and lunch are served Monday - Friday in this modern, paired back café near Connolly Station. Homemade cakes, huge sandwiches and daily lunch specials have local office workers queuing up. Laine My Love Website @lainemylove Address 38 Talbot Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Breakfast and lunch are served Monday - Friday in this modern, paired back café near Connolly Station. Homemade cakes, huge sandwiches and daily lunch specials have local office workers queuing up. 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

Grass-fed, chargrilled burgers that many would argue are Dublin's best, and with Gráinne O'Keefe (Mae) as culinary director they're taking things seriously. Juicy meat, brioche buns and a commitment to sustainability has meant Bujo is reason enough for a trip to Sandymount. Bujo Website bujo.ie Address 6A Sandymount Green, Sandymount, Dublin 4 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Grass-fed, chargrilled burgers that many would argue are Dublin's best, and with Gráinne O'Keefe (Mae) as culinary director they're taking things seriously. Juicy meat, brioche buns and a commitment to sustainability has meant Bujo is reason enough for a trip to Sandymount. 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

Fellini's All about the pizza in Deansgrange Posted: 12 Nov 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Let's get one thing off our chests. The only reason we made a pilgrimage to Fellini's in Deansgrange near Blackrock is because the anonymous ' Pizzas Of Dublin ' Instagram account said it was the best pizza they'd had in the city so far. If that's not enough to have us whipping out the phone to make a booking what is. Fellini's is very much under the radar when it comes to Dublin's restaurants. It seems like your typical neighbourhood Italian, and apart from one (albeit glowing) review from Lucinda O'Sullivan in the Sunday Independent in 2015, they haven't exactly managed to clock up the column inches since being opened by Emilia Macari and Paolo Di Adamo in 2014. We set off like voyagers to new lands, hoping for the discovery of a lifetime. Where should we go for a drink first? There's one pub nearby called The Grange which we did not frequent but looks like old-man central. Apart from that you're in between a pet shop and a car garage so it's not exactly rife for cocktails. Have a drink at home or wherever you're coming from. What's the room like? Compact and cosy with only 28 seats. Definitely make a booking as it fills up fast. It's not the most luxurious of surroundings, which means you're unlikely to settle in for the night, and that's probably how they want it. If you have a choice opt for a window table. You won't be looking at canals but still... What's good to eat? Clearly we were here for the pizza, but wanted to take the rest of the menu for a test drive too. We started with homemade arancini, and were pleasantly surprised at how good they were - perfect rice with a bite, oozing cheese and a crispy shell. We were expecting meat inside too, but then after two out of three had been eaten they brought a small plate of bolognese that they said should have come on the plate. It was bland and muted and didn't add anything to the dish, so it wasn't much of a loss. The garlic mayonnaise that came on the plate (however unorthodox) was better dipping foil. Bruschetta had good bread and olive oil but the hunt for ripe, sun-drenched tomatoes continues (they also needed salt), and if you're wondering where all the balsamic glaze from the 1990's went, they have it in Fellini's. We tried three pizzas, and left kicking ourselves for one of them not being a margherita. The base on all of them was perfect, expertly cooked, great crumb and good chew. For a more in depth analysis on topics including hydration see what Pizzas Of Dublin had to say here . The tartufato with mushrooms, truffle, sausage meat and parmesan had tonnes of well-married flavour but was very rich. One to share or take some home, or you might end up with the late night truffle sweats. The 'vegetariana' showed the quality of the bright tomato sauce and creamy mozzarella to full effect, hence post-eating margherita-missing regret, but at least we got some of our five-a-day. Then came the curveball. We'd ordered the 'Caprese DOC' thinking it would be similar to a margherita, but it was more like a flatbread with caprese salad on top. Once you get past the "where's my delicious tomato sauce and melty cheese!" shock and reframe your thinking, it was excellent. The tomatoes tasted riper than those on the bruschetta, the mozzarella was first rate and so was the olive oil drizzled over the top. And no balsamic glaze, winning. On a summer's day at an outside table this would be hard to beat. We tried a token pasta 'Norcina', with minced Italian sausage, tomato, cream and parmesan cheese, and while it was enjoyable (if again very heavy) it wouldn't be the thing drawing us back, and we imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to make something similar at home. There were other specials on the night which also sounded appealing, so if returning we'd be tempted to give those a try. Dessert of tiramisu was of the 'child-friendly' i.e. no alcohol variety, and was as good as any in this category we've tried. Properly soaked sponge, creamy and chocolatey, but we do miss the Marsala in these teetotal versions. Another dessert of canoli, tube shaped shells of fried pastry dough filled with sweetened mascarpone cheese, was slightly less successful. The tubes had either been pre-filled (a cardinal mistake) or weren't fresh enough, and lacked the essential crispness that make canoli so addictive. The best we've had here are found in Dolce Sicily if you want to try the real deal - but always ask for one to be filled fresh when you order. What about the drinks? The wine list is mostly suburban central but there are some very respectable bottles on there so you won't be stuck for something to drink, and the prices are the type rarely found on wine lists these days. We drank a very acceptable catarratto for under €25, and also tried a glass of nero d'avola. Both tasted like really good house wine, with prices to match. A limoncello brought with the bill was a lovely touch, but it wasn't cold enough, which made drinking it more of a hardship than it should have been. And the service? Lovely. Polite, welcoming, helpful. Couldn't fault it. The verdict? Italian food is still an Irish favourite judging by our mailboxes and the amount of message that come in looking for recommendations for "a nice Italian". Fellini's is a nice, neighbourhood Italian, and while there are more exciting places to eat regional Italian food in the city (who threw the balsamic glaze in the bin long ago), they have the pizza nailed. For this and a bottle of decent Nebbiolo or Etna Rosso we'd be back. Fellini's 35 Dean's Grange Road, Kill of the Grange, Blackrock, Co. Dublin fellinisdublin.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Open since 1999, Dunne & Crescenzi is still family-owned and run. Antipasti, pasta and daily specials use the best Irish and Italian produce, some imported just for them, and it's a great pick for family dining. Dunne and Crescenzi Website dunneandcrescenzi.com Address 16 Frederick Street South, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Open since 1999, Dunne & Crescenzi is still family-owned and run. Antipasti, pasta and daily specials use the best Irish and Italian produce, some imported just for them, and it's a great pick for family dining. 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

One of the more authentic Chinese restaurants in the city, with a focus on dishes from the Szechuan province. All the reliables are there, but steer away towards the chef's recommendations for the real deal, like sliced whelk with scallions and soft shell crab in egg yolk batter. The green beans are one of the city's must-try dishes, as are the homemade dumplings and the deep-fried seabass. M and L Chinese Website mlchineserestaurant.com Address 13/14 Cathedral Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story One of the more authentic Chinese restaurants in the city, with a focus on dishes from the Szechuan province. All the reliables are there, but steer away towards the chef's recommendations for the real deal, like sliced whelk with scallions and soft shell crab in egg yolk batter. The green beans are one of the city's must-try dishes, as are the homemade dumplings and the deep-fried seabass. 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

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Bistro One Website bistro-one.ie Address 3 Brighton Road, Foxrock, Dublin 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

Portobello favourite Bibi's could exist solely on sales of their Turkish eggs, but their brownies are almost as famous. Breakfast, brunch and lunch are what they're known for, but recently you'll find natural wines and sharing plates there several evenings a week. Bibi's Website bibis.ie Address 14b Emorville Avenue, Portobello, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Portobello favourite Bibi's could exist solely on sales of their Turkish eggs, but their brownies are almost as famous. Breakfast, brunch and lunch are what they're known for, but recently you'll find natural wines and sharing plates there several evenings a week. 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

Ranelagh's favourite neighbourhood restaurant serving sharing plates with a mostly Italian influence. Vibrant, modern food and a sleek, minimalist restaurant design. Book well in advance. Host Website hostrestaurant.ie Address 13 Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Ranelagh's favourite neighbourhood restaurant serving sharing plates with a mostly Italian influence. Vibrant, modern food and a sleek, minimalist restaurant design. Book well in advance. 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

Michelin recommended gastropub near Grand Canal Dock. Cosy décor, upmarket dishes and a great Sunday roast. The drinks are taken as seriously as the food with a huge list of cocktails, beer, cider and wine. The Old Spot Website theoldspot.ie Address 14 Bath Avenue, Beggar's Bush, Dublin 4 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Michelin recommended gastropub near Grand Canal Dock. Cosy décor, upmarket dishes and a great Sunday roast. The drinks are taken as seriously as the food with a huge list of cocktails, beer, cider and wine. 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

A ‘pub with a restaurant’ in the Liberties from the same owners as The Pig’s Ear – chef Stephen McAllister and wife Andrea Hussey. Beef cheek and oxtail Parker House rolls, Iberico pork schnitzel, and a huge cock-a-leekie pie for two make the food at Spitalfields a cut above the average gastropub. Spitalfields Website spitalfields.ie Address 25 The Coombe, Dublin 8 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story A ‘pub with a restaurant’ in the Liberties from the same owners as The Pig’s Ear – chef Stephen McAllister and wife Andrea Hussey. Beef cheek and oxtail Parker House rolls, Iberico pork schnitzel, and a huge cock-a-leekie pie for two make the food at Spitalfields a cut above the average gastropub. 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

Octopussy's Ultra fresh fish with a sea view Posted: 12 Jun 2018 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? For such a picturesque coastal village, Howth has always suffered from a surplus of mediocre eateries, and we feel for tourists in particular trying to navigate the deluge of similar looking restaurants along the west pier, searching for the one that's going to live up to their Irish seafood dreams. King Sitric is the place to go for a blow out, and Aqua and Deep , also in the fine dining category, seem to have a loyal (if instagram deficient) following, but when you want something a bit more casual it can be a struggle to find something that doesn't disappoint. Octopussy's has always been talked about by those in the trade as the one to head for, and we've been impressed in the past, so we thought a sunny day in June was a good time to give it another once over. Where’s good for a drink beforehand? The Bloody Stream around the corner is great for a pint and has a sizeable outdoor terrace at the front if it's warm enough to sit outside. We quite like Wrights Findlater too, especially in Winter when the fire's on and it feels like a cosy respite from the harsh Howth winds. If you're up for a ten minute walk, we'd recommend walking up to The Abbey Tavern , one of Ireland's oldest pubs, which dates in some form to the 16th century. What’s the room like? Cosy. There are high tables and a couple of snugs inside, as well as counter dining at the window, but on a sunny day, the in demand seats are at the five outside tables. Whether outside or inside you should probably prepare for a wait, but food comes fast, so even though we were initially told it would be 40 minutes to get seated, it ended up taking only 10. Wherever you are you're likely to be sharing a table with strangers, so it's not the place to go for privacy and intimate conversation, but good if you like making new friends. Mercifully there is no smoking allowed at the tables outside, so you can enjoy your seafood in the sunshine without a side of cigarettes. What's good to eat? The shellfish platter is the must-order item, and great value at €19 for one, or €30 for two. The mussels in a cream and white wine sauce are genuinely some of the best we've had in Dublin, and the crab claws and Dublin Bay prawns taste like they were caught that morning. Gambas were fried with what tasted like paprika, and it's worth sucking the shells as that's where half the flavour is. On the platter for one you get three each of the Dublin Bay Prawns and crab claws, four gambas, a bowl of mussels and brown bread, so that alone would be enough to sate a non-greedy eater. If you're into oysters, the Carlingford served with lemon and tobasco are reliably good, as is the dressed crab, which comes on brown bread, and is a perfect example of something so simple being so delicious. If you feel like something deep-fried, calamari and scampi are both excellent, coming in light, crisp batters, rather than the ones that have the batter to fish ratio way off. We haven't had the lobster but we'd put money on that being great too. Sides don't overly excite, but the focus here is on fish and we've found in the past that they end up being superflous (with the exception of chips, obvs). We also tried a special of prawn and chorizo salad, with chilli pecorino cheese which just didn't work. The chorizo overwhelmed everything else and the cheese was rubbery. If that's all we'd had we would have run for the hills of Howth, but luckily it was just a blip in an otherwise excellent meal. What about the drinks? A serviceable if unexciting wine list with a large selection by the glass, and no other alcohol is served, so prepare any beer/spirits drinkers in advance. We've had a few dud glasses in here, but you'll be safe with Italian Verdicchio for white, and we spotted an open bottle of Viña Illusion's brilliant Rioja Joven as we were leaving, which we hadn't spotted on the menu. Glassware is awful, but you'll just have to get over it. And the service? Something that again has been mixed in the past, but on this occasional couldn't be faulted. Both of our servers were completely welcoming and helpful, making recommendations and having the chats. To be as rushed off their feet as they were and still come off that relaxed and friendly is no mean feat, so credit where it's due. The verdict? The best place in Howth for ultra fresh seafood in a casual setting, and if you can bag an outside table on a sunny day you'll be beaming (and possibly sunburnt) for days. We might not choose it for a special occasion when we want all the good wine, but after a walk on Howth Head or when we just want to be reminded about why Irish seafood is so fantastic, there are few places we'd rather be. Octopussy's Seafood Tapas Bar 7-8 West Pier, Howth, Co. Dublin octopussy.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

The newest addition to the Mamó Howth empire is this lovely wine bar hidden behind St Stephen's Green, with possibly the best value evening tasting menu in town. The Cantabrian anchovy toast with preserved lemon aioli became an instant hit, and the olive oil aged in sherry barrels is one of the best things you'll taste there, or anywhere. The wine list is in the upper echelons of delight, and staff are as charming as in every other site from talented partners Jess D'Arcy and Killian Durkin. Lunch is a simpler affair of sandwiches and salads. Margadh RHA Website margadh-rha.ie Address RHA Gallery, 15 Ely Place, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The newest addition to the Mamó Howth empire is this lovely wine bar hidden behind St Stephen's Green, with possibly the best value evening tasting menu in town. The Cantabrian anchovy toast with preserved lemon aioli became an instant hit, and the olive oil aged in sherry barrels is one of the best things you'll taste there, or anywhere. The wine list is in the upper echelons of delight, and staff are as charming as in every other site from talented partners Jess D'Arcy and Killian Durkin. Lunch is a simpler affair of sandwiches and salads. 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

A Do Pop's potato curry has them lining up in Malahide Posted: 31 Aug 2021 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? There are approximately 50 places to eat in the small, seaside town of Malahide, but approximately 40 of them have more or less the same menu - if you want burgers, fish and chips or seafood tagliatelle you've come to the right place. On the other hand, if that makes your eyes glaze over, you need to know about A Dó , which opened from a hatch on New Street in April, serving potato curry boxes, filled rotis and chicken salad with mustard slaw, and immediately stood out, because it was like nowhere else around. This is a proper family affair, with brother Krishna out front, sister Anna Maria in the kitchen cooking their father's Indian recipes, and another sister Róisín helping out too. They were busy from day one, with coffee, porridge and pastries in the morning, and the Indian influence kicking in from lunchtime, and the smells alone will draw you to their window if you're close by. Where should we sit? As the world (and Fingal County Council) got on board with outdoor dining, A Dó went from being a hole in the wall takeaway to having six or seven tables for outdoor dining throughout the summer. New Street in general is a really atmospheric place to soak up some sun over breakfast, lunch or dinner, but with the pedestrianisation of the town's main thoroughfare due to be reversed in Autumn, they may be back to takeaway only until 2022. If that's the case when you visit, grab your food and head for the newly redeveloped green at the Marina, one of the benches overlooking the sea along the coast or estuary, or head into Malahide Castle for acre after acre of green space. What's the food like? It's one of those small but perfect menus. No fillers, no crowd-pleasers, just the food they want to serve. It's so real and unapologetic, even before you get your food you know it's going to be good. Their 'Pop's potato curry' box is a mainstay, and come with a freshly made roti, Asian slaw, green chilli chutney and yoghurt sauce. You know those perfect plates/boxes/dishes where every single element is a knockout, nothing is an afterthought, and everything works so beautifully together you could almost weep with joy? That. Pop knew what he was doing in the kitchen. There are no shop bought pastes or powders here, you can see and taste the freshly ground and whole spices in everything. On weekends you might find specials like a beef curry box or a butter chicken one (just as good), but the potato is there all week. You can also get one of those freshly made rotis stuffed with potato curry and yoghurt, topped with carrot and green chutney, and eating it as a whole bread between two hands shows off its buttery, flaky magic to maximum effect. It's also got to be one of the best fivers you could spend on food in the entire capital. At the weekend you might find other curries stuffed in rotis also, like their beef version, and we've yet to be disappointed with anything. But we're not done with Dad's potato curry yet. In one of the most impressive showings of carb on carb action we've seen in years, they also stuff it into lavash bread from Tartine to make a potato curry sandwich. Admittedly this did initially cause us to raise eyebrows, but like everything else that comes out of this kitchen, it just works (and is an incredible hangover helper). The other pillar of A Dó's menu is their chicken salad, which comes either in a box or in a sandwich. It looks and sounds so simple but the additions of mustard mayonnaise, apple and pomegranate make it pop, and even makes the celery palatable (sorry celery lovers). Cakes and cookies are predominantly vegan from Oh Happy Treats , and we loved the chocolate banana bread which was so dense with banana and didn't suffer in the slightest from non-dairy chocolate. A brownie was a bit too thin and fudgy for our liking, but that's being picky. They have other more mainstream treats like those mini doughnuts you see all over the place, vegan power balls and muffins, but we're sending you here more for the savoury than the sweet. What about the drinks? Standard café fare - coffee, tea, soft drinks and sometimes slushies. Coffee is from Ariosa and often we've found it quite bitter, but that might be a matter of staff training rather than the beans being used. It's definitely on the stronger side of coffee blends. And the service? Staff are always very pleasant, but you'll get the best interactions from the owners. Customers love to tell Anna-Maria how much they loved her food, ask if they can buy her chutneys by the jar, tell her never to change a thing, while her brother jokes about not giving her a big head. This is the antithesis of a chain café or restaurant, and eating here will make you feel so much better than if you went to the Starbucks down the road, on a lot of levels. And the damage? We've eaten here a few times but the last visit comprising of two mains, two cakes and an iced coffee came to €23. We almost felt we were ripping them off. The verdict? A Dó café is the most interesting thing to happen to Malahide's main thoroughfare in years (and we're include the 'Save Malahide Village' protests in that). Go for the homemade rotis, stay for the potato curry, beg for some chutneys to take home. You'll feel revived. A Dó Café 2 New Street, Malahide, Co. Dublin www.instagram.com/ado_coffeetogo 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

Bang Bang in Phibsborough is the space that every community should have. Sister and brother Grace and Daniel have created a place that's as much a social movement as a local café, and are constantly raising money for charity and campaigning for causes they believe in. Coffee is from Silverskin, sandwiches are made using Arun Bakery sourdough, and the brunch burger is now famous citywide. Bang Bang Website bangbang.ie Address 59A Leinster Street North, Phibsborough, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Bang Bang in Phibsborough is the space that every community should have. Sister and brother Grace and Daniel have created a place that's as much a social movement as a local café, and are constantly raising money for charity and campaigning for causes they believe in. Coffee is from Silverskin, sandwiches are made using Arun Bakery sourdough, and the brunch burger is now famous citywide. 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

Allta Winter House Back in the city and soaring above the rest Posted: 23 Nov 2021 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Niall Davidson's Allta opened on South Frederick Street in November 2019 in a rush of excitement. The formerly London-based chef who'd led the kitchen in Nuala , after time spent in Chiltern Firehouse and St. John, had critics and diners almost in a frenzied state with talk of handmade pasta, home-cured charcuterie and a menu with almost everything sourced from Ireland, and it didn't let them down. It felt fresh, different, like it had been picked up in a city far cooler than Dublin and dropped in the centre, and we loved it . They blazed away for a few months, and then in early 2020 the unthinkable happened and they, like everyone else, were shut down. They never reopened the original site, even when lockdowns were lifted, saying they couldn't make enough profit with the social distancing restrictions in place, but instead focused their energies on Allta Box , which was the smash hit, at home kit of the pandemic. Most of us have memories of the brown, Allta-emblazoned box arriving on a Friday afternoon, the sourdough and shiitake miso butter, the pickled veg palate cleanser, the perfectly labelled and colour-coded pots of pasta, sauces and crunchy toppings, the cookie dough, we'll stop... We were (im)patiently awaiting news of the restaurant reopening, but instead, in June 2021, they announced they were popping up in a huge tent in the grounds of Slane Castle on the banks of the river Boyne for the summer. When the book of Irish food post the year 2000 is written, 'Allta Summer House' will probably have a chapter in itself, and we left as thunderstruck as everyone in front of and behind us. It ended in September with diners already trying to book for the following summer, but there was surprise and all round awe when the team announced that their next move would be to the top floor of Trinity Street carpark, for 'Allta Winter House'. Davidson also announced that he had split with his investors, and now he and head chef Hugh Higgins were out on their own. How do we get up there and can we have a drink first? Enter the dingy carpark entrance from Dame Lane and head for the lift - there are no signs anywhere, don't panic. Hit level 5, and when you get out all will be okay. Here you'll give your name, have your vaccination certs and ID checked, use a fancy automatic hand sanitizer, and then be brought to your table. You'll walk through Glovebox, their bar/art gallery which will be serving drinks and small plates and is due to open soon. There's going to be a DJ too - major London/New York rooftop party vibes. Once open you can have a drink here before or after, or head straight up to the main space, which is up a ramp (level 6). Where should we sit? All of the tables are the same long table set up seating four or six people, and are assigned in advance, but you might want to request being close to the kitchen if you like to see the action, or at the other end of the space if you don't want to be surrounded by other tables on all sides. Despite being in a tent it's not cold - every table has a heater above it, and we had full arms out in November. What they've done up here took real vision and we're sure a lot of painstaking toil to get it ready. It's very hard to believe you're in the same city carpark off Dame Street when sitting on a sheepskin rug under a floral installation eating off Fermoyle Pottery. What's the food like? It's a set menu for €95 which is good because you don't have to make any decisions and get to try ALL THE FOOD, but potentially bad because it's a lot of money and you might struggle to get another three or five people to go with you. We've had a lot of messages from annoyed readers wanting to go as a two, but because of the table set up it just wouldn't make sense for them financially, and they can't mix you with strangers at the moment for obvious reasons. We've been busy trying to match up some of our ATF Insiders who wanted to go but didn't have enough spenny pals to go with them, but honestly this is worth calling up old school pals, the couple who used to live upstairs, your rich uncle - anyone who might join you for what could be yours and their meal of the year. The menu is going to change often, so we're not going to spend too much time detailing every single course - also it would be a eulogising, adjective-filled overload - but you can see the menu above for the night we visited, and you can expect some dishes (or variations) to show up again and again. You'll start with a broth - our was a sweet and smoky grilled aubergine, with droplets of oil giving it a silkiness. Next you can expect the softest Cromane oysters from Kerry, which Davidson has been using since he put that mural of the fisherman on the wall at Allta. Ours came with a dressing made with sea buckthorn - a coastal berry that's in season in Ireland right now, and tastes sweet, sour and citrusey. Next came a crunchy buckwheat cracker with the freshest crab meat, tomato and sea urchin foam (leading to many questions around the table of exactly how one makes a sea urchin foam). This was followed by one of the dishes we have vivid taste memories of from Allta Summer House - the fermented flatbread with Bán goat's cheese from the Boyne Valley and black garlic. Chewy, creamy, tangy, sweet - if Carlsberg did flatbreads... And that was just the snacks. For our first larger plate we saw the resurrection of Allta's sweet and juicy scallops with gooseberry beurre blanc and hazelnuts. It was stunning then, and it's stunning now. Particularly with the added ribbon of kolhrabi for extra texture. Then came Jerusalem artichokes with Cais na Tíre (a Tipperary sheep cheese) sauce and artichoke crisps, like something fondue dreams of being when it grows up. Also, why are Jerusalem artichokes not on more menus? We're starting a petition. Also for this to be the new definition of 'comfort food'. You can keep your burgers and ribs - we're choosing cheese covered artichokes every time. Then, just as we were wondering whether we should cover each other with coats to lick the plates, they arrived with that sourdough to mop it all up, and a bowl of the shiitake miso butter. If you haven't seen someone taste it for the first time, sit back and enjoy - the ooohs, aaahs and omgs are quite entertaining. When you're feeling nicely full your sharing mains arrive. First up we tackled a striking side of ocean trout with sea herbs, mussels and goat's milk whey. You should gently peel off the crispy skin before dividing it up, scooping up the sauce and flavour bursts with a suitably large spoon. After a few bites of the fish, the attentive staff told us we shouldn't leave the Tamworth pork sitting around, and you don't have to tell us twice. We had this dish in Allta Summer House, with the pork coming from the Rock Farm pigs in the adjoining field, and we presume this has the same provenance as Tamworth pork is not easy to find here. The sweet, soft meat is topped with sweet, crispy skin, and it was sitting in a pool of tangy fermented pumpkin. If you're of the "eat better meat less" camp, it's hard to imagine it getting better than this. Unexpected sides arrived (maybe they didn't have enough space on the menu) of romanesco and cavolo nero on romesco (we wished we'd saved some sourdough), and lightly dressed potatoes with herbs, and we had to take a few leftovers home in a lunchbox because we were close to being defeated, but also can't abide food waste. A semi palate cleanser arrived as the first dessert, of apple cider jelly made with the good stuff from The Cider Mill in Slane, apple ice and apple ice-cream, before the most scandalous mini doughnuts with brittle crème brûlée toppings, like the outside of a well made toffee apple, filled with a sort of thicker c rème anglaise . We now understand why people used to queue for 90 minutes to get into the Allta Bakery . What about the drinks? The wine list is extremely well curated and has so many of the best wines on the Irish market right now, but prices are high - those high end tents and dried flowers don't pay for themselves. We love Tuffeau's champagne style sparkling wine (€50 on the list here), as well as the Spanish Ubé from Bodegas Cota 45, and the Portugese Prazo de Roriz from P + S (both €60-€65), but there was so much we would have loved to drink - especially if we had deeper pockets. Wine glasses are Riedel too - what else would you expect. And the service? So personable and friendly. Everyone seems to really enjoy being a part of this, and we can't blame them. It feels like a rocket ship on the ascent. And the damage? €168 a head for the set menu, three bottles of wine between four, four after dinner drinks and service charge. Pricey? Yes. Value for money? 100%. The verdict? What the Allta team are creating and delivering, whether in a tent on the roof of a carpark or if they move into a bigger, less edgy space next year, is undoubtedly a defining event in Irish food. Ambitious projects like this set new standards for the industry as a whole, show others up, show diners what they could be experiencing, instead of another lacklustre meal of goat's cheese salad and chicken supreme. A chef from another restaurant joked recently that restaurants and chefs lacking in creativity wouldn't bother copying Allta, because who would put that much work into each dish, and you can taste the weeks and months of curing, fermenting, aging, planning, tasting - flavours like this don't come from packets or bottles or chefs lacking in skill. There are no shortcuts here, no cost cutting measures. Their only goal is to make their ingredients taste as extraordinary as possible, and shake things up while they're doing it. There's a relatively small cohort of restaurants and chefs across the country pushing the industry to new heights, but their importance on the larger scale of defining what it means to cook and serve 'Irish food', or even just 'food cooked in Ireland', can't be underestimated, both at home and abroad. Either can their ability to turn out the next great chefs in the country. Allta Winter House is as impressive a definition of Irish food as you'll find anywhere in Ireland in 2021, served in an atmosphere crackling with talent and drive, in a space that took major vision to bring to life. If you do one nice thing for yourself in the next few months, get a booking here, and experience it for yourself. Allta Summer House Trinity Car Park, Trinity Street, Dublin 2 www.alltawinterhouse.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Modern Chinese Hakkahan lit up Stoneybatter like the flames in their kitchen when they opened with dishes like basil Silverhill duck, black pepper shortrib of beef, and six different types of housemade dumplings. The narrow, pink-fronted restaurant is eternally busy so make sure to book ahead, and we advise not skipping the salt and pepper fresh squid and the pork yuk sung - both best in class. Hakkahan Website hakkahan.ie Address 32 Stoneybatter, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Modern Chinese Hakkahan lit up Stoneybatter like the flames in their kitchen when they opened with dishes like basil Silverhill duck, black pepper shortrib of beef, and six different types of housemade dumplings. The narrow, pink-fronted restaurant is eternally busy so make sure to book ahead, and we advise not skipping the salt and pepper fresh squid and the pork yuk sung - both best in class. 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

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