We didn't think the team behind BIGFAN could usurp themselves, but what did we know. Their collaboration with Fidelity Bar and Whiplash beer at 'Fidelity Studio' was a smash hit from night one, and God knows where the crowds are coming from, but they keep on coming. The menu has a lot of crossover with BIGFAN, but the big draw here is the use of spent grain and brewery products in Sister 7-only dishes. Sister 7 Website fidelitybar.ie/food Address Fidelity Studio, Queen Street, Smithfield, Dublin 7, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story We didn't think the team behind BIGFAN could usurp themselves, but what did we know. Their collaboration with Fidelity Bar and Whiplash beer at 'Fidelity Studio' was a smash hit from night one, and God knows where the crowds are coming from, but they keep on coming. The menu has a lot of crossover with BIGFAN, but the big draw here is the use of spent grain and brewery products in Sister 7-only dishes. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

The Seafood Bar The perfect little restaurant to gorge on the best of Irish seafood Posted: 25 Jul 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's should we know about The Seafood Bar? It's the second restaurant from the team behind neighbourhood favourite Wood Fire Café just off Dorset Street. Owner Joe Oualadi is half Italian, half Moroccan, and says he's "mad about seafood" and loves to cook it. He couldn't understand why an island surrounded by fish doesn't have more places to eat great seafood (Amen Joe), and with a loyal clientele already on Blessington Street, he decided to take the site left vacant by Veginity (and briefly vegan deli Pretend) and get to work. Despite Wood Fire Café 's many D7 fans, we've visited in the past and didn't leave with a need to return - maybe we caught them on a bad day - so we weren't expecting to be first in the queue for this one, but between strikingly good reviews on Google and the total lack of a website/social channels for information, we thought it needed a once over stat. Can I book? Nope, and this is the one real drawback. With only 10 indoor seats we get it, but it's not very conducive to travelling across town or booking a babysitter. If it's dry and/or sunny you might be able to pull up at a barrel outside with some olives and a glass of cold white wine while you wait, which wouldn't be the worst way to pass the time. Where should we sit? There are three low tables of two, which can be put together for a four or a six (but you'd be lucky to find all three free at the same time, especially once the good word travels about this place). There are also two high tables at the counter, seating two at each. This is where we'd pick if we had the choice, to see all that seafood being prepped and cooked in front of you. Outside has another four tables of two (which again could be made into a four, possibly a six with some pushing and pulling), and a couple of barrels you could stand at. It feels very Spanish, and if we ever get sunshine again we can see this having a cracking atmosphere on a summer evening, those waiting for a table standing around with some olives, almonds and a glass of Loxarel Cava. What should we order? The menu has a strong Spanish slant to it, but with other cuisines like Italian and even Hawaiian (poke) thrown in. There's a cold section to start featuring peel and eat gambas with cocktail sauce, oysters, tuna salad and more, but our hearts fractured a little to hear that Ensalada Rusa with Cantabrian anchovies wasn't available, and that they're taking it off the menu. The rest of the menu features 12 starters and six mains, and expect to agonise over what to order, because this is a hell of a menu, with Porupine langoustines, Irish native shrimps, and a whole lobster with fries for €34 among the dishes you might feel the need to try. Getting over our Ensalada Rusa disappointment, we started with crab on toast - three pieces of thick, chewy, very lightly toasted bread covered with a mildly curried, lemon-scented, sparklingly fresh white crab meat mixture, topped with finely sliced radish. Adding unadvertised curry in here is a (possibly risky) curveball, but we loved the fresh, mildy spiced flavours, the contrast between the sweet flaky crab and the chewy bread, and the generous hand in plating this up. You can't come to a Spanish seafood restaurant without ordering fried fish, so deep-fried calamari and Native Irish Shrimps with tartar sauce were up next. According to the Irish Times , only 200 tonnes of these prawns are landed each year, and all (until now) are shipped to top restaurants in Spain and Portugal where they're sold at very high prices. That might explain this dish's €18 price tag, and why you only get two of the shrimp, but we loved it all the same, and it's a novelty to try something so rarely seen here. The batter was perfectly light and crisp, the tartar clearly homemade, and while a couple of calamari rings were chewier than we would have liked, there was no debating the freshness yet again. If you order one thing in here, make it the clams with garlic and salsa verde (€14), which has dive-bombed onto our "best things we ate this year" list. A sizzling cast iron dish arrives with bubbling olive oil (the good stuff) filled with caramelised, chewy, sweet garlic slices, clams floating above dressed with a generous spoons of zesty salsa verde. If sharing, expect to lose the run of yourself trying to dig out each little piece of fish, dunking it in the garlicky oil and smearing some salsa on top for one of the most perfect mouthfuls you could imagine. We had to ask for bread to mop up the sauce, and you should do the same. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/79af6f_4bd025a6af6b48299535a4615a9082e7/720p/mp4/file.mp4 The paella (€26) was another knock me down dish, the saffron-scented rice with a perfect bite, seafood lavishly dispersed across it. Prawns, monkfish, mussels, and clams were not in short supply, and the roasted peppers and dollops of aioli pushing the perfection level even higher. It was missing the slightly crispy base, but from other reviews online we can see some people's did have this, and with or without it, it's as good a paella as we've tasted (here or in Spain). The portion is also huge - you could easily share one between two. Seafood linguine is yet another knockout, again with the generosity of seafood feeling almost shocking in comparison to other restaurants. Simplicity is often the hardest thing to get right, but this simple sauce of garlic, white wine and cherry tomatoes let the flavours of the gambas, clams, squid and mussels gleam, and it almost felt like more seafood than pasta. How often can you say that? At €26, you could not complain about value for your euro. Sides were a low point and we'd skip them next time and just focus on the fish. Hand-cut chips didn't look or taste like they were done in-house, and weren't crispy enough, while patatas bravas came with that delicious aioli and a roasted red pepper sauce, but the potatoes tasted more confited than deep-fried, and weren't remotely crispy. Desserts are a total mismatch with everything that's come before: 'Classic Tiramisu'; Crema Catalana; and a chocolate brownie with vanilla ice-cream and caramel sauce - is there anyone in the country who wants a chocolate brownie after a seafood feast? Please raise your hand so we can see you. The only acceptable choice was the Crema Catalana, but our hearts broke once again to be told they didn't have it, but had a cheesecake with red berry sauce in its place. They told us all desserts were made in the Wood Fire Café, and it did taste homemade, but it was a dull, heavy ending to a dazzling meal. A silky-smooth, flan-like Basque cheesecake would have been a far better fit. What about drinks? Wines are a mixed bag, with some decent bottles on there like Zarate's Albariño, Domaine De La Pépière's Muscadet, and the brilliant co-op Les Vignerons d'Estezargues' Southern French red blend, 'Cuvee des Galets', for €32. It's a bit muddled though with no theme or thread running through it (e.g. Mediterranean), and they're in desperate need of some sherries/Vermouths/aperitivo offerings. By the glass options are very limited, but we tried the Jurtschitsch Grüner Veltliner which was a nice easy drinker served very chilled, and a perfect match for the seafood. There are also some beers on tap, and flavoured San Pellegrino as well as the usual soft drinks. How was the service? Lovely, friendly, and the food came out at a good pace. They didn't charge for the extra bread, or a juice they poured from their own staff stash - a nice touch. And the damage? €128 for a generous feast for three (who rolled out after lunch and could barely face dinner that night), with one glass of wine. We'd throw it at them every day of the week. What's the verdict? We love The Seafood Bar. We can't stop thinking about The Seafood Bar. We want to move into The Seafood Bar and have Joe feed us all day - crab on toast for breakfat, clams for lunch, that big dish of paella and a cold glass of wine for dinner. It's not an inexpensive place to eat, but there's a big difference between cheap and value for money, and we thought that what we got for our spend was remarkable. Sometimes places open with a serious generosity of spirit (and ingredients) and then reality (and bills) hit and everything gets pared back. We really hope that doesn't happen here, because right now it's the perfect little restaurant to gorge on the very best of Irish seafood. The Seafood Bar 1 Blessington Street, Dublin 7 seafoodbardublin.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Forêt The Wyers do it again with fine dining French bistro cooking at accessible prices Posted: 26 Nov 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope Tell us about Forêt? It's the new French bistro from Sandy and John Wyer in the upstairs room formerly home to The Sussex gastropub, which quietly closed a few months ago. The couple opened Forest Avenue next door on Sussex Terrace in 2013, and the more wine bar leaning Forest & Marcy around the corner three years later. The past decade has seen some chopping, changing, moving and closing, with Forest Avenue at one point moving into the old Forest & Marcy space after it closed, and the original turning into " Forest Avenue Wine Bar ", but eventually it moved back to its first home. (Forest Avenue) The Wyers are also behind bakery Una in Ranelagh, which opened earlier this year, and became an instant queue generator, with their bacon jam escargot , pain au chocolates promising 50% more chocolate, and quiches the size of a baby's head. (Una Bakery) They don't put many feet wrong when it comes to food, so when whispers started a month or two ago that their next adventure was going to be a fully fledged French bistro in the old Sussex site, the ooohs and aaahs were heard in every corner of the industry. It's one of Dublin's major culinary gaps, with nothing to rival Paris's or London's best - was Forêt going to be the change-maker? What's the room like? They've done remarkably little to the room, and yet it delivers all the French bistro vibes. Dark wood, green walls, an open fireplace, and wall-mounted metal sconces with exposed bulbs, give the room a warm, cosy feel, that was especially lovely to step into on a baltic winter evening. There's nothing stuffy or uptight about Forêt - it gives the vibe of somewhere you could just as easily pop in for a glass of red and a terrine de campagne, as a multi-course French feast spanning a few hours. In an environment where more and more diners are being priced out of dinner, it all feels refreshingly accessible. As you walk upstairs and through the door you're met with the bar on your right, and a few tables straight ahead to your left. A narrow corridor joining the front and back rooms has three high tables for two, with a bird's eye view into the kitchen and pass. The room at the back is the cosiest though, and one you might have to be surgically removed from later. The leather seats, the low lights, the candles, the gentle hum of people having a lovely time - you might find your two hour dinner slot insufficient. A drink while deciding? There's a nice opening menu of aperitifs, cocktails, beer, cider, sparkling wine and non-alcoholic options, all designed to make you part with your cash while browsing the menu, and why not. As far as fizz, Albert Mann's Cremant d'Alsace (€17 a glass) is an good an opening gambit as we've had in a while, and not at Champagne's break the budget prices either. What's the menu like? Here's where the problems start. Have a good long look at the menu before coming in because you're going to want it all. There are eight snacks before you even get to starters, and if you have the willpower to skip them, well you need to live a bit more. In an effort to try as much as possible we kept it to one main, and then suitably over-ordered to make up for it with four petites assiettes, three entrées, and two desserts. Here's what we (happily) over ate... The order... Egg mayonaise with celeriac rémoulade - You'll find oeuf mayonnaise on nearly every bistro menu in Paris, but what's usually a basic boiled egg with homemade mayo has been given the John Wyer treatment. A half soft boiled egg comes tossed in and on top of a gribiche-like sauce, snowed under with crispy breadcrumbs and chives. Sometimes the old ways aren't always the best. Fish cake with sauce ravigot - A perfect square of breaded, deep-fried fish sitting in a puddle of sauce ravigote, which is like a mayonnaise without eggs. Instead Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar and other additions like capers, shallots and herbs make a beautifully acidic, creamy accompaniment. Leeks vinaigrette - This is not a classic leeks vinaigrette, it's basically the egg mayonnaise dish but with leeks instead of egg. Very delicious, the leeks not remotely stringy, but not the usual preparation. White anchovy, ratte potato, fresh cheese - A beautiful combination of ingredients, perfectly prepared and balanced, that will have all of your taste receptors firing. Rillettes of trout, cucumber, horseradish - A delicate, dill-laced dish (albeit not a looker on the fish side thanks to gelatine), with crunchy vegetables, horseradish yoghurt, and that Forest Avenue sourdough bring every conceivable texture to the plate - so lovely to eat. Chicken liver parfait with fig chutney - We nearly didn't order this because once you've had 100 chicken liver parfaits, can any really stop you in your tracks? It turns out the answer is yes. This is knock you down good, so silky, so richly flavoured, the toasted, buttered sourdough and fig jam such incredible bedfellows you might have to muffle your moans. Steak tartare - Missing the bright red colour of a made to order steak tartare, the meat having more of a grey tinge, presumably due to an earlier preparation. This was all forgotten however from the first bite, and we're still mentally retasting it trying to work out exactly what combination of cornichons, capers, egg yolk, shallots, chives, mustard, Worcestershire sauce (?) is in there. Top of the class. Chicken au Vin Jaune with riz à la paysanne - Forêt: making chicken cool again since 2024. A wow way to serve the often all too boring bird. That juicy flesh, that shatteringly crisp skin, the depth of flavour in that Vin Jaune (a nutty, oxidative wine from the Jura) sauce with cream, morels and chunks of wild mushrooms. Spell-bindingly good. Recipes for riz à la paysanne don't seem to exist outside of a couple of old French cookbooks, and you won't find one on Google. We gather the rice is cooked with bacon, onion and tarragon pilaf-style, and the fragrant end result is served with more tender chunks of chicken on top. Croissant pudding, Calvados ice-cream, custard - Can it get better? Yes it can, with the pudding made from Una's leftover croissants. So chewy, so caramelised, even when sitting in custard with soft, melting ice-cream on top. A modern day miracle. Warm chocolate mousse, vanilla ice-cream - A replica of the one from The Sportsman in Kent's cookbook , which later found its way onto the menu at Noble Rot in London (there with a milk sorbet). It was a divine ending in both of those places, and it is here too. After all that we couldn't venture into cheese, but they're all French, and always will be - like it should be. Tell us about the drinks? The wine list is all French (we do love when they fully commit), with glasses ranging from €14 - €22 (or €34 for Champagne). There's no glass size specified but we hope it's a 175ml for those prices. Bottle prices seem average for the city, with a good range of regions and styles, and we drank a silky, spicy Chénas (Beaujolais, made from the Gamay grape) from Anthony Thevenet (€58), which was light enough to work well with everything. How's the service? Very welcoming, warm and chatty, with dishes coming in twos at most so we were never overwhelmed. It was all just very relaxing, and while we had a two hour eating window we never felt rushed - it was midweek though, can't guarantee the same for peak weekend. What was the damage? €197 before tip for three snacks, three starters, a main, two desserts, a glass of Crémant, a bottle of Beaujolais, and a coffee to finish. If you're not as greedy and stick to two starters, two mains, a shared dessert and one of the least expensive wines you could have a very nice meal for closer to €130, which in today's market feels like exceptional value. What's the verdict on Forêt? How soon can we go back? With approximately zero dining low points we've now made it our mission to taste everything on this menu. There's nothing not to like about Forêt , from the food, to the room, to the prices, to the feeling of everything just coming together, and while it's definitely on the fine dining side of French bistro cooking (there's no slapped out slow-cooked stews, or redundant salad garnishes), we've got no complaints. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Eleven All the potential in this roadside restaurant with wood-fired food and great cocktails Posted: 18 Apr 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Eleven? Named in tribute to its roadside position just off the N11, the latest addition to John Farrell’s portfolio of Dublin diners (Dillinger’s. The Butcher Grill, 777, Amy Austin, and the late Luna are among the others) opened above Whelehan’s Wines in Loughlinstown late last month. Farrell’s MO is well-established by now, offering up conceptual dining experiences fronted by his own painstaking attention to interior design detail. At Eleven , it’s a smart-casual neighbourhood vibe they’ve gone for, with two distinct relaxed spaces set either side of a zinc-topped wraparound bar with counter dining. The Butcher Grill ’s Atish Bhuruth has been drafted in to design the menu in an Executive Chef capacity, and the wood-fired grill as well as a couple of other menu items clearly bear his mark. Where should we sit? The bar’s 20-or-so seats make a good choice for solo diners or duos who delight in watching the magic of cocktails in the making - more on those later - while the main open dining space is saved for four-top tables. The combination of deep red walls, warm wood tones and geometric rugs make this main area an especially welcoming first sight as you walk through the door. Down the back, there’s another area with two high tables that seat ten each, and are tailor-made for bigger groups or those who don’t mind sharing. Both areas are bright, open spaces by day and more intimate lamplit affairs by night - in the evening, there’s an ambient slide guitar soundtrack provided by a house musician tucked away in the corner. What’s on the menu? It’s a simple and streamlined menu neatly divided into small plates and mains, with standalone sections for the wood-fired grill and sharing steaks and fish dishes. The small plates mostly skew cold and cured, with seafood a recurring theme. We started with a hamachi ceviche bathed in blood orange, red onion, ginger and tapioca pearls. While the firm-fleshed fish was flavourful and well-textured, the salsa was more mush than fresh, with overly assertive ginger spoiling the balance. Between that, the fridge cold temperature of the fish, and the sad puddle on the plate, we couldn’t help but wonder if this had been assembled earlier rather than being made to order. We were surprised to see a summery dish like heirloom tomato, peach and burrata salad on offer in April, blue as the skies outside may have been. Neither the multi-coloured tomatoes nor the peach - served in both lightly-salted slices and a concentrated gel - at their very best this time of year, but the more muted flavours still played well off the mild bitterness of black and pink radish and lightly pickled lengths of fennel. Amidst all that colour we almost missed the measly mound of burrata, less the centrepiece ball we expected than a subtle spoonful. We couldn’t fault the flavour, but the serving size did seem to take the idea of a small plate a little too far, especially at €14 a plate. There were no notes needed for the sourdough on the side, with its crispy-chewy balance, and irresistible whipped smoked honey butter - a smartly sweet match for all of the small plates’ acidic overtones - keep this one on hand to balance out all the citrusy sauces. Bhuruth’s a noted fan of the flavours wood-firing brings, so be sure to order at least one of those options for the table. We found the prawns the most tempting of the bunch (there's also tuna and steaks), and our expectations of "grilled prawns with lemon and herb oil" came true on the plate. The blackened antennae speak to the high and dry heat of the grill, caramelising the meat to emphasise the natural sweetness of the shellfish, and a zippy lemon and herb dressing complemented the smoky-sweet meat for a dish that really gets across what Eleven is trying to do. We thought the same about the wolffish, definitely one of the menu’s standout attractions for us. You don’t see this ugly bottom-dwelling monster on Dublin menus all too often - more’s the pity, as its imposing size and diet of scallops and crabs make for sizeable and delicately sweet fillets. They’re given excellent treatment here, grilled to a perfect crust and bathed in a bonito butter so tasty we ate it by the spoonful. It's a great pairing of quality ingredients cooked in a simple style that let's it all sing. On the side we went with the parsley-buttered heritage carrots and smokey beans. Your choice of the six options is served with the wood-fired grill plates, while the other mains come unaccompanied - a distinction that left the wolffish especially feeling a little short-changed, especially with the €30 price tag. Both sides satisfied but neither were overly exciting - most of the choices have been brought over from The Butcher Grill’s menu and there’s a sense that these are meant more as supporting players than standout dishes in their own right. Also imported over from that menu is the Sauternes crème caramel, the only dessert option on offer (an unspecified selection of cheese for €14 is also an option). It’s a pretty and unpretentious plate, with the sweet wine-soaked golden raisins bursting with beautiful, boozy flavour, and the simple custard flan offsetting the rich intensity of the caramel sauce. What about the drinks? Wine is supplied by Whelehan’s downstairs, with bottle prices starting out reasonable and heading sharply upward from there: if there’s an occasion to celebrate, you can definitely do it here. By-the-glass options are fairly middle-of-the-road, though the earthy and fruit-forward Château Beauchene Côtes du Rhône we tried worked well with the smoked sweetness of the prawns. If you're there for a long lunch from Wednesday - Friday and the wine list doesn’t take your fancy, they also allow you to bring in anything from downstairs for €10 corkage. That got our attention. What caught our eye more were the cocktails. The bartender who’s developed them has previously been in 777 and Dillinger’s and was enthusiastically training up colleagues on his creations while we were in. He’s just as keen to walk you through what’s in them and tailor them to your tastes, right up to very considered non-alcoholic twists - an essential skill in a location likely to play host to plenty of designated drivers. The concoction he crafted for our non-drinker was a well-balanced tart-sweet blend of yuzu juice and pineapple shrub, finished with a liberal misting of orange blossom water from a perfume bottle - as much a performance as a pour. From the alcoholic options we tried a brown butter-washed bourbon, sage and celery bitters short-serve, with a delicious depth of nutty flavour. It wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world to skip dessert altogether and drink it instead. How was the service? Friendly and informal, nicely grounding the atmosphere - a room like this might easily feel stuffy if the staff weren’t as warmly welcoming and ready to chat. Bar seats are best to get the full experience if you want to explore the cocktail options, while the main area has a slightly more formal feel with suited servers mainly keeping a low profile. And the damage? Our bill came in at €138 before tip, a little on the steep side for a feast that didn’t quite fill and three drinks (one N/A) - but we feel like we're saying that about everywhere these days. You could easily go beyond €100 per person with a few more small plates and another round of drinks. There’s €2 oysters with €2 off cocktails from 17:00 - 19:00 Wednesday - Friday if you wanted to make it a little more budget friendly - or head in for the Sunday roasts, ranging from €23 to €27 and served with all the trimmings, to try it out for less. What’s the verdict on Eleven? There’s all the potential in this roadside restaurant, even if it might need a little more time to seek out and settle into its own niche. For a location like this to work, it’s going to need to become something of a destination - landing the Sunday roasts and making the most of the back terrace through the summer months might just make it that. We’d love to see the same attention and unique personality put into the small plates, but for now we're betting the cocktails, top-quality mains and those Sunday roasts will be enough of a draw for the curious to keep Eleven buzzing for the foreseeable. Eleven Bray Road, Loughlinstown elevendublin.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Volpe Nera Barry sun's stunner in the suburbs Posted: 21 Jul 2020 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? When news broke last November that Etto head chef Barry Sun was departing stage left, it was met with shock and surprise from the industry and the Merrion Row restaurant's regulars, but it was short-lived once it transpired that he was opening his own place in Blackrock. We weren't sure what to expect from his first solo outing - Etto's food is somewhere between Irish and Italian, something Sun clearly excels at, but being originally from China would we see more Asian influences when he went it alone? The original menu looked very much in tune with Etto's Mediterranean sensibility, with a couple of well-placed Asian touches, like oysters with chilli oil and mushroom dumplings in an aged soya broth, and after a PR-fuelled blaze of publicity the critics descended one after the other. Reports were glowing, locals were flocking, and all was right with the restaurant world. Then 'you know what' happened (cue: Doomsday music). They were quick to launch Volpe Nera at home, which was one of our favourite lockdown food experiences , so we knew where we were heading once restaurants reopened. Where should we sit? Originally the restaurant was a 50-seater spread over two floors, with table and bar seating, but some of the tables have been taken out and the bar seating is now gone, so we'd estimate it to be more of a 28-30 seater. Both floors feel snug and intimate, and though the grey palette probably won't be to everyone's taste, we found it quite calming. There's slightly more action downstairs where you can see into the kitchen each time the door opens, but upstairs feels a bit more private if you want to have a 'D and M'. What's the food like? If you love Etto (does anyone not love Etto?) you'll love Volpe Nera, as the underlying sensibility around ingredients and how they're put together (with taste as the number one priority) is very similar. There are lots of familiar looking dishes on the menu, so much like Mamó felt like Etto by the sea, Volpe Nera feels like Etto in the suburbs - and there are few greater compliments. Our favourite menus start with snacks (any excuse to order more food) and there's five to choose from here, including bread and cep mushroom butter ( we had it , you need to), oysters, smoked almonds and olives. We went for the salted hake and preserved lemon croquettes (is there a more perfect summer snack?) and the unusual sounding Ossocollo Reale al Brulé, which is a type of cured meat made from the neck of the pig. A light hand with a little olive oil and lemon dressing took the delicate, silky meat to the next level, with the house pickles ideal for cutting through the fat. We're not sure what they did to make the chargrilled crostini with olive oil taste so much better than any other chargrilled bread we've had before, but we've made it our mission to find out. The stracciatella in Etto has always been a city benchmark for how the Italian soft, stringy cheese should taste, so we couldn't resist it on the menu here. Sun serves his with in-season tomatoes, including a slice of pineapple tomato underneath, basil (fresh and oil), balsamic pearls and crunchy discs of bread, and it's about as perfect a summer plate of food as you can imagine. There's a new stracciatella contender in town. Our other starter has become something of a Volpe Nera signature (read: take it off the menu at your peril lads), and is the main dish showing Sun's Chinese background (we're quietly hopeful there will be more from this canon over time). Handmade mushroom dumplings come in an aged soya broth with pickled fennel and lovage, and if you're a fan of umami in high doses, this needs to go on your must-try list. You'll be tasting it for days afterwards. For mains we'd been ooohing over the spinach and ricotta malfatti (dumplings, whose name means 'badly formed') in various incarnations since the opening menu, and on the night we were there it came with confit egg yolk, courgette gremolata, pine nuts and sage. It lived up to its billing, and while the dumplings are dense, the vinegary diced courgette, crunchy pine nuts and silky egg yolk made this dish worth the months of waiting and thinking about it. Our other main was sucking pig with morcilla, braised endive and romesco, and while meat and veg dishes can all too often be all too boring, this was in a league of its own. If we could cook pork like this at home - pink and perfectly tender - we might never go out again, with the vegetables just cooked, and the morcilla and smoky, nutty romesco adding welcome interest to the plate. Desserts were enjoyable but slightly less exciting than what had come before. A Granny Smith sponge came with dehydrated apple slices and Calvados ice-cream, and another of poached peach came with roast white chocolate, pistachio and PX sherry. They were both perfectly nice dishes, but you get the feeling that this chef's passion lies more in savoury than in sweet. What about the drinks? The pre-dinner drinks list is excellent, which is a good thing as you won't be going to a pub beforehand. Vermouth and soda, white port and tonic and five different types of sherry all feature, as well as Bellinis and Kir Royales. The wine list is very nicely curated with plenty we wanted to drink on there, like Blankbottle's Moment of Silence, Rijckaert's Jura Savagnin, and Raul Perez' Ultreia St Jacques Mencia, but we would have liked to see a few more interesting options by the glass - presumably they're catering for the local market. We tried the Saint-Veran Chardonnay from Domaine Simonin and the Albarino from Bodegas Alto De Torono, and both were lovely - the Saint-Veran in particular was dynamite with the cured meat and pickles at the start. They also serve Fritz-Muller's very drinkable non-alcoholic Riesling if you're driving from across the city and don't want to be left out. And the service? Staff were all masked, but it had no bearing on their warmth and hospitality, and it's amazing how quickly you forget about them. The lack of loud music probably helped too, as we had no difficulty hearing anyone or communicating back and forth. Food was perfectly paced and we never felt in a rush to move (although presumably if there had been someone waiting for our table we would have known about it). This feels like an operation that's very much together, and when a waitress mortifyingly managed to drop a load of plates on the floor, it was met with humour and sympathy as opposed to any type of scolding. The verdict? Stick Volpe Nera on your bucket list, and make it a point to get here fast. The city is in a very strange place right now, and while the suburbs may appear to be holding up better than the city centre, this is exactly the type of place we want to survive the coming months and spiral ever upwards once things (eventually) get back to normal. We are eminently envious of anyone who has this as their new neighbourhood restaurant, but it's one of those rare ones which makes driving from the other side of the city completely worth the effort. Volpe Nera 22 Newtown Park, Newtownpark, Blackrock, Co. Dublin volpenera.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

The second outpost of Sprezzatura to join their first site in Dublin 8. Fast, casual, inexpensive pasta and small plates, with almost every ingredient sourced in Ireland. Irish twists on Italian classics with a big focus on sustainability - all drinks are on tap, all packaging is compostible and they’re fully paperless. Sprezzatura Website sprezzatura.ie Address 221–223 Rathmines Road Lower, Rathmines, Dublin 6 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The second outpost of Sprezzatura to join their first site in Dublin 8. Fast, casual, inexpensive pasta and small plates, with almost every ingredient sourced in Ireland. Irish twists on Italian classics with a big focus on sustainability - all drinks are on tap, all packaging is compostible and they’re fully paperless. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

A visit to this Argentinean bakery in The Liberties is not complete without trying their alfajores and empanadas (both benchmark level for the city), but then how to fit in the medialunas, canoncitos, and coconut and dulce de leche pie. A few visits will be necessary to eat your way through Bakeology’s range of ‘alfies’ alone - the dulce de leche stuffed cookie sandwiches that they seem to make in unending varieties - but that’s unlikely to be an issue as once you’ve discovered it you’ll want to come back again and again. Bakeology Website @bakeology.treats Address 43 Meath Street, Dublin 8 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story A visit to this Argentinean bakery in The Liberties is not complete without trying their alfajores and empanadas (both benchmark level for the city), but then how to fit in the medialunas, canoncitos, and coconut and dulce de leche pie. A few visits will be necessary to eat your way through Bakeology’s range of ‘alfies’ alone - the dulce de leche stuffed cookie sandwiches that they seem to make in unending varieties - but that’s unlikely to be an issue as once you’ve discovered it you’ll want to come back again and again. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

You would be forgiven in thinking the must-order at Yoi Ramen is ramen, but for us it's sushi, with the Spider Roll (with spider crab) an ATF favourite. All the Japanese restaurant boxes are ticked here with gyoza, donburi and katsu curry, and there's hot and cold sake to wash it all down. Yoi Ramen Website yoiramen.ie Address 9 Barrow Street, Dublin 4 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story You would be forgiven in thinking the must-order at Yoi Ramen is ramen, but for us it's sushi, with the Spider Roll (with spider crab) an ATF favourite. All the Japanese restaurant boxes are ticked here with gyoza, donburi and katsu curry, and there's hot and cold sake to wash it all down. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Juno Forget the pints, get into Juno for brilliant bar food Posted: 13 Jun 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story with Juno? Juno is from the same people behind Happy's Bar & Street Food (formerly Happy Endings) on Aston Quay, and Brian McCarthy from Bedlam Events, who also owns The Fourth Corner in Dublin 8. While takeaway, casino and bookie-filled Dorset Street may not seem like the most obvious place to open a very of the moment bar and restaurant, the area has been the subject of urban renewal talks for years now, with a large flat complex due to be demolished to build new homes and community spaces and lots more regeneration plans - even if it's all moving a bit slowly - so getting in on the ground early could be a very smart move, and a sign of more good things to come. Juno pitch themselves as a bar, restaurant and event space, but it's not often you see a bar menu this interesting - battered sausages, pepper sauce smash burgers, and cheese and onion chips all had our interest piqued - and the word on the street (i.e. from ATF readers who are great for the intel) was that the food was exceptionally tasty. It sounded like it needed a visit. Where should we sit? It wasn't clear from their website or social feeds but they have some quality outdoor seating here, with early evening prime time for sun-downers and dinner bathed in a warm (possibly sweaty) glow - we'll take all and any rays whenever we can get them. There's plenty of seating inside too over a couple of rooms, with loads of space for whatever size group you're going with. Decor is a mix of "old man pub" with a new paint job and some eye-popping art. It's clear it was a fit out on a budget but we think they've done a decent job of updating the space. What did you eat? This is not your average pub menu, and like sister restaurant Happy's it's a mash up of "global flavours", with a nice injection of Irishness (see their crispy fried Gubbeen and bacon & cabbage arancini). The sourcing is also above and beyond for a bar, with fresh fish from Sustainable Seafood Ireland , free-range chicken from Rings Farm in Kilkenny, and breads from Oakesmoke Bakery . We've had multiple messages from readers about their black pudding and thyme battered sausage, and this is some dirty delicious bar food. Where your local chipper's is greasy this is crisp, while theirs is a sad rubbery length of meat this is soft and fragrant, pork speckled with black pudding rather than it taking over. The black garlic mayo and crispy onions take it up another couple of levels on the flavour scale, and we can see what all the fuss is about. It's obviously heavy though so one of these followed by a main and your digestive system probably won't thank you. This, some (excellent) chips and a pint? Stick a fork in us, we're done. Crispy fried Gubbeen is an upgrade on the 'fancy starter' deep-fried brie of yesteryear (it's actually still everywhere), and comes drizzled with hot honey and sesame seeds. We'd take this over the original any day, but the cheese needed a bit longer in the frier as it was still semi-solid inside. We love a good Irishing up of a non-Irish dish (as a country we don't exactly have a repertoire of recipes that went global) so loved the idea of the bacon and cabbage arancini, and loved it on the plate too. It's more ham than bacon, and spring greens than cabbage, but it all works, and the Cashel Blue fondue it's served with deserves icon status. They do a really nice job in here of lifting fatty/carby food with high acid sauces and spice, and they're big on pickled onions, designed to pull your palate back from the cliff face. It's a balancing act and they're skilled at the fatty food tightrope. The mains are more in line with standard pub grub - burgers; nachos; fish and chips; sausages and mash - except nothing is standard in here. The Hot Fish Sandwich came with a giant slab of spankingly fresh hake, jalapeño tartare, pink pickles, American cheese and iceberg lettuce on a sourdough bun. When the fish is this pristine and juicy, with a shatteringly light batter, it almost makes a burger feel like a health food - almost. There was debate in parts over whether it had enough flavour, but we think that was more to do with some slightly uneven spreading of the tartare. It's a great fish burger. We tend to stay away from chicken when eating out in casual places as the provenance is almost always pants, but the sourcing from Rings Farm (as well as the fact we don't think we've ever seen the Italian/US dish on a menu here) made us order the Vodka Chicken Parm, with smoked provolone, basil mayo, Parmesan and lettuce on a sourdough bun. It's a hell of a hybrid, with a perfectly pankoed, flattened chicken patty, the perfect amount of rich vodka sauce bursting with sun-ripened tomatoes, bit of cheese, bit of herbs, bit of greens, lot of delicious. The chips at Juno need a moment. On the menu as "twice-cooked rustic fries", they're clearly hand cut, clearly par-boiled, and are a chunky, crispy, fluffy sensation, drained properly and tossed in what looked like paprika. The "cheese and onion chips" come with pickled onions, crispy onions, and that Cashel Blue crema again, and while we can't say they tasted like Tayto, they didn't last long. The crema was pretty scarce though - we could have asked for more but dipped them in the leftovers from the arancini. We also tried the "smokey pep chip" with three peppercorn sauce, smoked provolone and those two types of onions again. We couldn't taste any provolone (and in retrospect don't think there was any on there), but the peppercorn sauce was clearly not from a packet, and had some serious heat alongside its pungency/sweetness/fruitiness. More than once we had to reach for the water to cool down, before sticking the fork back in. They also do this sauce on their beef burger - the "peppercorn smash". For added veggies we tried the fennel and mint slaw which was mistakenly brought with the small plates, and by the time we got to it was limp and watery. Dessert is a one choice affair, an "affogat-oh Jeaysus", billed as brown bread and Baileys ice-cream, brown bread crumble and an Irish coffee pourover (virgin version available). It's a very basic offering from a kitchen where dessert is clearly not high on the agenda, and came missing the brown bread crumble - the server tried to tell us it was in the ice-cream, hmmm... It was all fine, if a liquidy mess by the end. What about drinks? Cocktails and beers are where it's at here, with craft breweries like Kinnegar and White Hag alongside the more commercial operators. The cocktail list is a good one, and there were no complaints about a blood orange and rosemary margarita, or a not-too-sweet strawberry lemonade as an N/A option. Wines are basic, but will satisy your average bar crowd. How was the service? Ropey to start with, but got better with the arrival of more staff. We'd gone back to the bar after ordering to ask that the small plates come out first, with the big plates and sides afterwards, after having a panic that everyone would come at once and we'd end up eating half of it cold - is there anything more irritating? Despite this being noted and sent to the kitchen, the side of fennel slaw arrived in the middle of the small plates. We told the server about the error, she looked confused, then said okay and took it away, before returning with both portions of chips. We nearly had to lie down. After a detailed conversation about wanting the chips to arrive with the burgers, and not before them, they were taken away, but there wasn't anything resembling an apology and it was a tension point that shouldn't have happened. As two dedicated floor servers arrived in addition to the staff behind the bar things improved a lot, with suddenly people there to take plates, ask questions to and check if we needed anything else. And the damage? Around €105 for three smalls, two bigs, three sides, one dessert and three drinks - easily enough to feed three. We thought the quality to price ratio was excellent. What's the verdict? Juno might be pitching themselves as a bar but to come here for drinks and overlook the food would be a big mistake. There's very little in this neck of the woods just outside town, and very little in this fast food genre that would make us want to go back and eat it all again. If more bars did food like this we might spend less time in restaurants. Juno 58 Dorset Street Lower, Dublin 1 junobar.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Part of coffee roaster 3FE's café canon, with their standard menu featuring dishes like pancakes, avocado toast and salt beef hash. The coffee is predictably consistent, and they open from morning to mid-afternoon seven days a week. 3fe Five Points Website fivepointshx.com Address 3fe Five Points, Harold's Cross Road, Harold's Cross, Dublin 6W, County Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Part of coffee roaster 3FE's café canon, with their standard menu featuring dishes like pancakes, avocado toast and salt beef hash. The coffee is predictably consistent, and they open from morning to mid-afternoon seven days a week. Where It's At Nearby Locales Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra

Dak @ Bar Anam A cursed corner of Capel Street tries cut-price wine and Korean fried chicken to break the spell Posted: 19 May 2026 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What’s the story with Dak? 1a Bolton Street hasn’t seen a bar last longer than a couple of years, since Dolly Fawcett ran a not-quite-a- brothel out of the address almost a hundred years ago. In the last two decades alone we’ve seen independent craft outlets Underdog and Beerhouse, Galway Bay Brewery efforts Paddle & Peel and Taco Libre, as well as Rúta, O’Byrne’s, and The Last Waterhole… Sorry, since who ran a what now? Look, that’s a whole other story, and one worth reading in full once you’re safely settled in her latest successor Bar Anam . The point is that you’d be wanting steel nerves or a proven track record to have a crack at this site given its history – just as well the owners of Liberties local Dudley’s have no shortage of both, with five years under their belt in what was once Baker’s Lounge. Maybe it’s that heritage and the chance/threat of wayward Yanks straying beyond the bounds of Temple Bar that have kept Dudley’s menus squarely in a play-it-safe pub grub space that’s never thrilled us, but co-owner Rossa O’Reilly offering up the space at the back of Anam to his Korean fried chicken-crazed brother Kelan had us hoping Dak might be different. How’s the bar out front? At opening time on our first Friday visit, the light streaming through two walls’ worth of windows would nearly have you thinking you’re in a city where summer actually arrives. As an early afternoon crowd of solo sippers snuggled up with a book, yielded to increasingly loose-tied office hordes, whose third and final “just one more” eventually freed their seats, for a college-aged crowd in for DJ sets that take off on weekend nights, we got the sense of a space smartly set up to ride the waves of passing trade that have washed over this place’s prior inhabitants. That’s the key to nailing an awkward corner of the city – giving curious customers who fall in the door a reason to stay, while building up a destination rep with over-and-above add-ons. The speaker setup, sending such throbbing bass down through the banquette we thought we'd parked on a massage chair, tells you enough about how seriously the music’s a part of that picture, but it’s a quick scan of the natural wine list that really perked us up. You'd nearly spit-take in shock at some of the prices here – and waste a lot less money doing so than at most wine bars around town. We spotted several bottle and BTG options going for 8-22% (!) cheaper than places like Cellar 22 , September and Etto . That alone makes this one of the most exciting new places to drink good wine in the city. So can we order from Dak to the tables in Bar Anam? We wish. Having to give up our prime seating to get fed struck a sad note, especially when emerging afterwards to find not a seat free – they’d have a hit on their hands if those office escapees could call in an order and stay put for a few more "one more"s afterwards. Dak's contained space has four tall two-tops and three low four-six seaters, allowing the kitchen to keep pace at this early stage - we can only hope it expands out in time. Walk-in waits are short at quieter times, but book ahead for peak hours – especially now word’s getting out. What are we eating? It’s not just slipping into a space that’s been the graveyard of many a publican’s dream that might look like a brave move here – Dak are slinging Korean fried chicken as if lunch counter White Rabbit up the street didn’t already have the local market locked down. In that sense the name, Korean for chicken is playfully direct – it would want to be good. Reader, we’d marry it. We’ve got a lot of loving loyalty to White Rabbit, but many a fan will be tempted up this end of Capel Street with a competitor like this in the frame. The first standout is the coverage - thick, syrupy sauces cling to the chicken’s crisp crags with a drip-free dedication we’d wager took no end of diligent test cooking to achieve. Up against their cheap and cheerful neighbour’s delish but often puddle-piled mounds, and Space Jaru ’s drizzled yangnyum stacks, this comprehensive coating really stands out. Jaru using Ring’s Farm chicken is the one reason we’d have still said they have a slight edge, but since our visit we’ve learnt that Dak has pivoted to Feighcullen free-range birds . Consider our one caveat null and void. Solo diners might sulk at how much better value the double (€26) is than the single (€16), but a dosirak platter (€25) that adds rice, banchan and a tteok skewer should soften that cough. This is a place made for sharing though – we doubled up with dakenjeong and garlic honey butter. Skip the first one in favour of the "classic red" if you’re spice-averse, but we wouldn’t wish missing these spicy-salty-sweet notes on anyone. Bear in mind the latter’s in-your-face allic tang will be revisiting you all evening - keeping yer mouth shut is a small price to pay. Expect to see the elastic absurdity of the corn cheese (€6.50) all over Instagram, with a mozzarella pull that’s nothing short of silly, stringy fun. Dunk the drenched chicken and have at it – the dry-coated "Dak’s hot dust" fried chicken option would be especially good with this. If it’s a touch under-seasoned in its own right that’s only in anticipation of all the dipping to be done - get the kimchi pancake (€11) twist if a little added salty sharpness is non-negotiable. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/416aaa_a2be60b26ba64119a3f85ae4085f0ecd/720p/mp4/file.mp4 We didn’t find anywhere near enough of it in the banchan (€6), with modest muted flavours ill-able to hold up against the assertive intensity of the chicken – balance is key, these just felt brushed aside. Spinach was the worst offender with distinctly more sog than spring, but the beansprouts and julienne daikon could stand to bring more than just crunch. Look to the pickled pink radish dished up with the chicken for how it should be done. Jhol mandu (€12) feels a strange swerve as a sole Nepalese note on an all-Korean menu, and not one that did much to course-correct our sceptical first impression. There’s tangy, zesty life to spare in the chunky achar base, but this fleeting flash of chef’s favourite personality comes at the cost of a cross-continental detour that’s just a little jarring. Anything for dessert? Not yet anyway. The Dak team have teased sweet things to come, but there’s no sign yet. Well, what about a digestif then? Now you’re talking. Bar Anam ’s wine might have caught our eye but it’s the cocktails (all €15) that got our hearts thumping. The mango and elderflower-spiked Bangkok is a signature spicy marg that takes on Fidelity ’s premium specimen, while a cold brew and chai Oaxaca's deep smokiness from palo santo could give Bar 1661 ’s Belfast coffee a run for its money. Don’t miss them. A rum-based Kingston’s pineapple and white port notes are like the cross-section of a white negroni and a Jungle Bird, and should land solidly for fans of either. Only in Athens are we on shakier ground, with this longform Mediterranean martini’s various vegetal flavours too busy to be anything but a completist’s curio. How’s the service? As tight-run but light-touch as you’d expect for a hospitality group in the making looking to hit the ground running. Table service prevails at quieter times with keen eyes swooping in to take orders at just the right moment – it’s hard not to hang around. Despite clearly sectioned schemes the two spaces feel seamless, with bar staff floating between to lend a helping hand to O’Reilly running the room solo. He has hospitality in his bones, with wide-eyed "I know right" excitement at every cheese pull, and a magician’s “ta-da” theatricality as he points out the concealed cutlery drawers tucked beneath the tables. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/416aaa_5a9f3fa15ab643b093a037605d634bf1/720p/mp4/file.mp4 What’ll it cost us? The dosirak’s €25 is smart pricing – you’d struggle to spend more than that a head for the food. All we ate, and bulging tummies with it, came to €45.50. Wash your KFC down with an Albert de Conti Pet-Nat and head back to the bar for a nightcap cocktail after and you’re talking the mother of all date nights with change from €50. What’s the final verdict? Many have come and gone on this corner of Capel Street since Dolly Fawcett’s day, but none have had the same staying power of her nod-and-wink trade. Between Bar Anam ’s keenly-priced wines and the calibre of KFC Dak are slinging, we have here the best chance yet to break the curse. They may not be running a brothel back there, but it’s something worth whispering about. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Explore All The Food Dublin: the ultimate guide for Dublin's top restaurant news and reviews. Guides What ATF Insiders will win in August A five-star hotel stay, a Hawksmoor burger feast for four and loads more! Read More Where to Eat & Drink in Dublin All the Food Join 15,000 Dublin food lovers • Reviews, new openings, where to eat, twice a month Join free • No spam • Unsubscribe any time Subscribe Guides Mark Moriarty Studio: A Preview Last week ATF Insiders got a special preview of Mark Moriarty Studio, and its restaurant that opens just one night a week with 40 covers over two sittings. Here's what we ate, drank and thought of the place... Read More Reviews The Bah 33 Once Over All you can eat steak for €63? In this economy? It almost sounds too good to be true... Read More What's New News and recommendations. More >> ATF Insiders The Best Seat in the House Unlock exclusive content as an ATF Insider. Join Us Insider Features Special news, events, and features. More >> Insider Perks See all ATF Insider perks More >> Bako by Amai 15% off food and drinks at Bako by Amai, the new underground speakeasy from Amai by Viktor Lottie's Complimentary snacks (dumplings nduja and potato skins) when ordering drinks on the terrace (one drink per person) Ely Wine Bar Free upgrade to bottle of premium organic wine with Ely's bottle and bites experience for two - €79 for wine and five small plates Bar Italia Complimentary glass of sparkling, white or red wine when dining at Bar Italia. Available all day Monday - Thursday until end of May. Insider Perks Recent Reviews Mark Moriarty Studio 11th August '26 Bah 33 11th August 2026 Yibu by Janet 28th July 2026 Little Canton 14th July 2026 Where to Drink Right Now More Guides >> See the Sights. Eat the Food. Travel guides and inspiration. Start Exploring Dublin Guides Explore the best of Dublin. More >> Shop for Swag Our Shop >> 3 for 2 The Eat Brilliantly Collection Price €59.99 4-day Itinerary How to eat brilliantly in Turin - 2026 edition Price €29.99 4-day Itinerary How to eat brilliantly in Málaga - 2026 edition Price €29.99 4-day Itinerary How to eat brilliantly in Rome - 2026 edition Price €29.99 Last few 'Sláinte' Card Price €4.00 Last few 'We Going On The Sauce' Card Price €4.00 Last few 'Roses are Red, Violets are Blue' Card Price €4.00 Last few 'We're The Perfect Mix' Card Out of stock Last one! 'Grá' Card Out of stock ATF Insiders Yearly Gift Subscription - Digital Price €65.00 ATF Insiders Yearly Gift Subscription - Posted Price €65.00 New stock! 'Where's The Food' Tote Bag Price €12.00 New stock! 'There's Probably Food In Here' Tote Bag Price €12.00 Low stock! Notebook - People who love to eat are always the best people Out of stock Last one! Notebook - First I eat the food, then I do the things Out of stock

Liath Damien Grey raises the game to a different level Posted: 19 Mar 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Heron & Grey opened in Blackrock Market in 2016, and after winning a Michelin star within their first 10 months, the 22-seater restaurant, only open three nights a week (with one sitting per night, so 66 people per week), was soon the most sought after reservation in the city. It only became more difficult as time went on and word got out, and each month when the seats for the following month were released they sold out in minutes, leaving tranches of disappointed Dubliners virtually sobbing on social media. When owners Andrew Heron and Damien Grey announced in December that they were going their separate ways, it came as a shock - why would anyone give up on such a good thing? - but Andrew wanted a more balanced family lifestyle, and Damien wanted to change the feel of the restaurant, so they decided the time was right for them to part, and Damien to morph Heron & Grey into Liath (meaning grey in Irish - a name his daughters came up with), alongside kitchen team Róisín Gillen and Josef Radacovsky. They closed at the end of January for a two month refurb, and rumours of white tablecloths and an ambition for a second Michelin star started to abound (Grey has technically lost his star with the change, so needs to win it back with the new format). When the first block of tables for the March reopening were released on the 1st of February, 3,500 people tried to book a table simultaneously at 10am, leading the website to crash, and once again leaving lots of disappointed wannabe diners in their wake, but we were lucky enough to bag a table for night two, purely so we can tell you all about it. Where should we go for a drink first? We'd be tempted to say just don't, as why muddy your palate with anything else before sitting down in here, but if you insist, the best boozer on the main street in Blackrock is probably old-man style Jack O'Rourke's , there since 1897. Where should we sit? The new restaurant configuration has one table for six, three tables for four, and two tables for two, and lets face it, you'll be doing well to nab any of them, but we always like being closer to where the action (i.e. the kitchen) is, so you could request it when you book. Otherwise the two-seater at the far end looks very cosy and as private as you'll get in such a small space. What's good to eat? The menu consists of a ten-course tasting menu for €78 (they will cater for allergies but not dietary choices), and despite the fact you will leave with a hefty bill when drinks are included, it really does feel like excellent value - there are non-Michelin starred restaurants in the city with more expensive tasting menus whose food isn't at this level. This is boundary-pushing, sometimes head-exploding stuff, and often while eating here we've found ourselves shaking our heads in amazement at how someone's brain even begins coming up with ideas like these. Our 10 courses were a rollercoaster of tastes, textures and striking visual compositions, and there wasn't so much of an instant of boredom or a dish that didn't work, just a succession of wows from beginning to end. If absolutely forced to pick favourites, we'd single out the celeriac, the smoked eel cone, the pork and pineapple and the kaffir lime meringue, but you can see everything we had below in all its glory. Chicken broth with wild peas, cabbage and mushrooms Celeriac cooked on the yakatori grill with sheep's yoghurt, pesto and rosemary powder Pigeon with fermented beetroot and liver Textures of lemon with rapeseed oil Mackerel, sprouting broccoli, kimchi, lardo Feuille de brick with smoked eel, shallot, aged parmesan and fennel pollen Pork, allium, pennywort, pineapple - a riff on Grey's favourite dish from his Chinese take away, pork yuk sung An idea of a mango Rhubarb, kaffir lime, meringue Dark chocolate, preserves, raspberries What about the drinks? Most people at Heron & Grey used to go for the wine pairing, of either six or nine courses, with Andrew Heron showing up at the table throughout the meal with another white or red option once your glass had run dry. Liath is starting off with a six wine pairing for the time being, and there's been no major changes as of yet to the killer wine list, featuring tonnes of interesting wines (lots of them from the minimal intervention canon). We went for the pairing on this occasion and unfortunately a few of them didn't work (despite them all being very good wines in their own right), but we're putting it down to the fact that they'd only gotten into the space 24 hours earlier and didn't have the usual amount of time to painstakingly try each dish with a variety of wines. We're confident that this will sort itself out over the next few weeks once they have time to bed in and get back into their regular routine, but the á la carte list is full of great bottles at non-gouging prices if you want to fly solo. And the service? As poised and professional as always, without the formality that can often hang around Michelin-starred restaurants making everyone a bit uptight. Long-standing floor team member Ailish had slotted into Andrew's old place on the floor when we were there and was typically warm, welcoming and generous of time. The chefs also delivered a couple of plates to the tables, which we love because we get to quiz them on exactly how some of these mind-boggling dishes were born. The verdict? When we heard Grey wanted to make changes to his restaurant, like adding tablecloths, we didn't really get it. We thought it was pretty perfect as it was. But on walking in we realised that by doing what he's done, he's raised the game to a whole new level. This doesn't feel like a sparsely decorated corridor in Blackrock market any more. With the etched glass on the windows, the wooden slats, the black banquettes and the wall of wine, it feels more like Copenhagen or Stockholm than SoCoDub, the type of place that culinary tourists get on a plane for. The food scene in Dublin has never been as vibrant and fast-moving as it is right now, from street food trucks to fine dining, but we've never really had a restaurant to put us on the global culinary map. We only have one two-starred Michelin ( Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud ), haven't had a contender in the World's 50 Best Restaurants since Thornton's was included in 2003, and the main Michelin Instagram account doesn't follow any Irish restaurants and just one Irish chef (Martijn Kajuiter at Michelin-starred House at The Cliff House Hotel ), but things are moving fast, and we can't shake the feeling that Liath could be the one to change the game. We have no doubt that Grey's going to reclaim his star when the 2020 Michelin guide is released in October this year, but it's the very real prospect of a second that's just made things a whole lot more interesting. Liath Blackrock Market, 19a Main Street, Blackrock, Co. Dublin liathrestaurant.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Oh no! We can't find this page. 404 It could be worse though. You could be at a rubbish restaurant waiting two hours for a table. Back to Homepage

Oh no! We can't find this page. 404 It could be worse though. You could be at a rubbish restaurant waiting two hours for a table. Back to Homepage

Allta's more casual operation next door focuses on great cocktails and an even greater burger, with a laid back vibe and good tunes. Sit at the bar or kick back at low seating over Cromane Bay oysters, Wood Town jersey steak, and roast potato ice-cream. Allta Bar Website allta.ie Address Allta Bar & Bottle Shop, Three Locks Square, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Allta's more casual operation next door focuses on great cocktails and an even greater burger, with a laid back vibe and good tunes. Sit at the bar or kick back at low seating over Cromane Bay oysters, Wood Town jersey steak, and roast potato ice-cream. Where It's At Nearby Locales Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road

Vietnamese fusion food truck in the beer garden of the characterful Glimmer Man pub in Stoneybatter. Milly Murphy and Alex Gurnee starting serving their banh mi and Saigon tostadas in early 2018 using local and organic ingredients, and the menu is predominantly vegetarian, vegan and gluten free. And utterly delicious. Vietnom Website @vietnomdublin Address The Glimmer Man, 14 Stoneybatter, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Vietnamese fusion food truck in the beer garden of the characterful Glimmer Man pub in Stoneybatter. Milly Murphy and Alex Gurnee starting serving their banh mi and Saigon tostadas in early 2018 using local and organic ingredients, and the menu is predominantly vegetarian, vegan and gluten free. And utterly delicious. Where It's At Nearby Locales Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road

Micro bakery Fable were given a rarely found opportunity when Sprout announced they were offering the front of their Dawson Street site to an up and coming food entrepreneur. Fable’s pitch won out, and within weeks there was a steady supply of almond buns, cinnamon knots and fruit danishes circulating around the city centre. There’s a decent amount of Sprout seating which they also share, and a coffee from Imbibe is the perfect add on. Fable Bakery Website fablebakery.com Address 3 Dawson Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Micro bakery Fable were given a rarely found opportunity when Sprout announced they were offering the front of their Dawson Street site to an up and coming food entrepreneur. Fable’s pitch won out, and within weeks there was a steady supply of almond buns, cinnamon knots and fruit danishes circulating around the city centre. There’s a decent amount of Sprout seating which they also share, and a coffee from Imbibe is the perfect add on. Where It's At Nearby Locales Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road

Charming local wine bar filling a big hole for glasses of the good stuff with nice nibbles. Bread comes from sister bakery Arty Baker, dishes are simple but effective, and pours are on the larger side. The petit space is always busy, so go early and be prepared to wait. Le Petit Reynard Website instagram.com/lprwinebar Address Le Petit Renard, Sundrive Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Charming local wine bar filling a big hole for glasses of the good stuff with nice nibbles. Bread comes from sister bakery Arty Baker, dishes are simple but effective, and pours are on the larger side. The petit space is always busy, so go early and be prepared to wait. Where It's At Nearby Locales Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Kaizen Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure 3fe Five Points Bujo Terenure Southbank Allta Bar Ruchii Reggie's Pizzeria Brighton Road

Time Out This page isn’t available right now. But we’re working on a fix, ASAP. Try again soon. Go Back

Time Out This page isn’t available right now. But we’re working on a fix, ASAP. Try again soon. Go Back

Time Out This page isn’t available right now. But we’re working on a fix, ASAP. Try again soon. Go Back

Time Out This page isn’t available right now. But we’re working on a fix, ASAP. Try again soon. Go Back

Time Out This page isn’t available right now. But we’re working on a fix, ASAP. Try again soon. Go Back

Time Out This page isn’t available right now. But we’re working on a fix, ASAP. Try again soon. Go Back

Time Out This page isn’t available right now. But we’re working on a fix, ASAP. Try again soon. Go Back

Café by day, contemporary restaurant by night, Hen's Teeth is about snacks, sharing plates, and very good drinks. Their events programme is unparalled with visiting chefs and cookbook authors regularly flying over for special dinners. Hen's Teeth Website hensteethstore.com Address Blackpitts, Dublin 8 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Café by day, contemporary restaurant by night, Hen's Teeth is about snacks, sharing plates, and very good drinks. Their events programme is unparalled with visiting chefs and cookbook authors regularly flying over for special dinners. Where It's At Nearby Locales Baan Thai Mosaic Wines Little Washer Suertudo Hera Forêt Chiya Doom Slice Hong Kong Wonton The Orange Goat Killester Surge Coffee Pickosito Sprout & Co Camden Street Caribou Harry's Madame Pho Parrilla Handsome Burger Sultan's Grill Floritz Coppinger Lotus Eaters September Achara Le Petit Reynard

Gerry Godley’s home-based micro-bakery started in lockdown and has blossomed into so much more than just sourdough. It’s become a pillar of the Rialto community, with orders for breads, brioche boxes and basque cheesecakes taken in advance, and a ‘middle aisle’ to tempt visitors further on collection. Seasonality is second nature around here, and some customers bring produce from their own gardens and allotments, which Godley is more than happy to barter for. Get your order in early, or brave the queue on Saturdays. Breadman Walking Website instagram.com/bread_man_walking Address Rialto, Dublin 8 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Gerry Godley’s home-based micro-bakery started in lockdown and has blossomed into so much more than just sourdough. It’s become a pillar of the Rialto community, with orders for breads, brioche boxes and basque cheesecakes taken in advance, and a ‘middle aisle’ to tempt visitors further on collection. Seasonality is second nature around here, and some customers bring produce from their own gardens and allotments, which Godley is more than happy to barter for. Get your order in early, or brave the queue on Saturdays. Where It's At Nearby Locales Baan Thai Mosaic Wines Little Washer Suertudo Hera Forêt Chiya Doom Slice Hong Kong Wonton The Orange Goat Killester Surge Coffee Pickosito Sprout & Co Camden Street Caribou Harry's Madame Pho Parrilla Handsome Burger Sultan's Grill Floritz Coppinger Lotus Eaters September Achara Le Petit Reynard

Portugese specialties like enormous meat-packed Francesinha sandwiches, seafood rice and Portugese stew arrived in Dundrum when Alfama opened its doors in late 2022. Named after Lisbon’s oldest neighbourhood, it’s a casual spot whose blue and white tiled exterior has brought a slice of the Riviera Portuguesa to SoCoDub. The pasteis de nata are some of the best in Dublin so no skipping dessert. Alfama Website alfamarestaurant.ie Address Irwin Court, 39 Dundrum Road, Farranboley, Dublin 14 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Portugese specialties like enormous meat-packed Francesinha sandwiches, seafood rice and Portugese stew arrived in Dundrum when Alfama opened its doors in late 2022. Named after Lisbon’s oldest neighbourhood, it’s a casual spot whose blue and white tiled exterior has brought a slice of the Riviera Portuguesa to SoCoDub. The pasteis de nata are some of the best in Dublin so no skipping dessert. Where It's At Nearby Locales Baan Thai Mosaic Wines Little Washer Suertudo Hera Forêt Chiya Doom Slice Hong Kong Wonton The Orange Goat Killester Surge Coffee Pickosito Sprout & Co Camden Street Caribou Harry's Madame Pho Parrilla Handsome Burger Sultan's Grill Floritz Coppinger Lotus Eaters September Achara Le Petit Reynard

Grafton Street - Kildare Street Our Take Walk east from the capital's famous shopping street for private dining rooms, quality steak and sensational salads. Where to Eat Aperitivo Dolce Sicily Dunne and Crescenzi Featherblade Library Street Lotus Eaters One Pico Tiller And Grain