Search Results

As you may know by now, at ATF we're partial to a little splurge . We can get easily carried away when we find that special something that hits a bit different, and often end up with less in our wallets at the end of the month than we had planned for due to that extra pastry (or five) that we definitely did not need but absolutely don't regret . Because of this we've also become adept at pouncing on a good old fashioned bargain when we spot one, so behold 10 great things to eat in Dublin for under €10. Think of this as something to have up your sleeve when you're stuck for cash but need a treat. It may also serve as a map of that bumpy middle ground between you and that miserly mate you've remained friends with over the years, despite many a heated debate about the pleasures of dining high on the hog. Tenners at the ready! 1) Spaghetti Al Limone, Fasta - €9 An unassuming location, nestled neatly in the basement of Connolly train station, Fasta is fast pasta made fresh and served simple. The majority of the menu is under €10 but we have a particular soft spot for the Al Limone, with spaghetti in a sauce infused with lemon zest, a hint of nutmeg and finished with fresh parsley and pecorino cheese. 2) Lanzhou Hand-Pulled Noodles, Lee's Charming Noodles - €9.20 Lee's Charming Noodles have a somewhat legendary Instagram account , featuring everything from weekly pop quizzes on what various Chinese symbols mean, to videos of Shrek dancing on the roof (superimposed - Shrek wasn't actually on Parnell Street). The small team is indeed charming, and it's a great place to pop into for a warm welcome and a spicy dinner. The hand pulled noodles (available in six different thicknesses) with clear beef broth are perfect for a rainy afternoon - silky, umami and hot if you add the homemade chilli oil. €9.20 very well spent. 3) Pecorino Pizza Portofoglia, Southpaw - €9.90 We've quickly become big fans of Southpaw 's folded pizza, and it's €9.90 we're happy to part with on the go. The dough is perfectly puffy, and the toppings (or fillings) beautifully judged. The 'Pecorino Portafoglio' is topped with crushed tomatoes and folded and finished with Pecorino Romano, Oliveiri's extra virgin olive oil and Achill Island sea salt. They're also open until 22:00 so it's a perfect pitstop for a late evening bite. 4) Double Smash Chipotle Cheeseburger, Dash - €9.95 A small independent smash burger joint inspired by the legendary 'Burger Scholar' George Motz, Dash Burger 's pattys are made from aged Irish beef sourced by Pat McLoughlin Butchers, and they are ultra juicy and bursting with flavour. The double smash Chipotle cheeseburger is smoky, a little spicy and oh-so-cheesy - in other words, a very tasty burger. You can also take away rather than sitting in to save yourself the glutinous temptation of tripling your patty which would send you marginally over your €10 budget. 5) Tenner Tuesdays, Salt & Vinegar - €10 Salt & Vinegar opened its doors in January and was a very welcome addition to the neighbourhood. It's worth a spin out to Rathfarnham Village for their tenner Tuesdays where, save for the scampi, every main costs just €10. We're partial to a fish finger butty but the real bargain here is the fish and chips, battered and cooked to order. The winning formula: fresh ingredients, a simple menu and traditional techniques. 6) Chicken Gyros, Yeeros - €7.95 Yeeros' authentic gyros pack a punch of flavour and are deliciously filling for just €7.95. Chargrilled chicken is wrapped in a soft and pillowy pita that's filled with fresh tomato, lettuce, red onion, mayo mustard and curly chips. Their vegetarian options are also excellent, and we have a particular penchant for the Athens wrap with zucchini, feta fritters and tzatziki. They're the perfect bang for your buck when you're craving Santorini skies. 7) Chettinad Chicken Dosa, Dosa Dosa - €9.99 This regional dish from Chettinad in Southern India is made with an abundance of spices in the marinade - fennel seeds, black pepper, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and red chillies, to name a few. The dosa (dosa) itself is similar to a pancake but is made using fermented rice and lentil batter, which turns crispy and crunchy as it's cooking, then is stuffed with it's chicken filling. Dosa Dosa open Wednesday to Sunday at their Grand Canal location, and Thursday to Sunday at Hynes Bar, Stoneybatter - but beware, the great drinks list at the latter location may well throw your €10 budget out the window. 8) Baja Prawn Taco, Los Chicanos - €8 Having travelled extensively through Mexico and worked in some of the best restaurants in the world (including Arbutus in London and State Bird Provisions in San Francisco), Scott Holder is more than qualified to dish out Mexican tacos with the spirit of Los Angeles running through them. Los Chicanos is energetic and delicious truck grub, with the Baja Prawn tacos a case in point. Chili morita, red cabbage, spicy mango salsa - close your eyes and you just might convince yourself you're in Cabo and not outside a cash and carry off Camden Street. 9) Bahn Mí, Vietnom - €9 Food trucks are definitely the way forward for budget friendly dining, and there's a plenitude popping up across the city. This casual style of street food has been woven into the fabric of other major cities for a long time, and we want more. One of the OG Dublin food trucks is Vietnom , who popped up in The Glimmerman in Stoneybatter in 2018 and have been bossing the neighbourhood ever since. Their Bahn Mí are sensational - super fresh ingredients treated with care and respect, and while they change the fillings regularly they're always under €10. We love the Teriyaki Paneer Bahn Mí with crispy shallots, carrot pickle and smoked paprika aioli for €9, but you might need to Bahn Mí from ordering more than one… 10) Carnitas Burrito, El Patron €9.35 It's near impossible to find a burrito in this city that you'd actually want to eat, unless you throw your taste buds out the window in one of several sub par chains that mar the metropolis. Fret not friends, we've gone on the hunt and found a little donkey that's legit. El Patron serves freshly made Mexican street food in a relaxed, vibrant setting, and the Carnitas Burrito is our go to, leaving your wallet just €9.35 lighter. The 12-inch tortilla comes with slow cooked, marinated pork belly, rice, beans, cheese, lettuce and pico de gallo of your desired spice level (beware - we once tried the super spicy and there were actual tears). Do you have a sub-€10 dish in Dublin that you love? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie or sending us a message on social.

More than a few reservations are made in Uno Mas purely on the basis of their flan. The wobbly, caramel covered custard has reached legendary status amongst Dublin diners, and at this stage it should probably have its own fan (flan?) account. Flans feel complicated, like there's a bit of kitchen magic needed to turn out the perfectly round, sweet, set dessert, and many of us are too intimidated to try it at home - so we go to Uno Mas instead. We wanted to see if we could get close to it in our own kitchens, so we asked chef and recipe developer Beth O'Brien to try nine different recipes, and give us her verdicts... Before attempting to recreate the legendary Uno Mas “flan de queso”, I first had to figure out exactly what a flan is. This brought me down a flan-shaped rabbit hole, in which I discovered the following... Origins Flan as we know it originated in Rome, and was adopted by many European nations, including the Spanish (who added caramel, and brought flan to the Yucatan peninsula). French flan is typically baked in a tart crust, and the custard usually includes cornflour, while the Spanish/Latin version is an egg-based custard baked in a water-bath, with a layer of caramel on the bottom (which ends up on top when you turn it out). Variations on a flan theme have been adopted by many countries including most of Central and South America, China, the Philippines, Germany, Japan and Vietnam. Ingredients Flan usually calls for multiple types of dairy products (milk, cream, evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream cheese etc.). There are also many flan-adjacent desserts which involve some form of baked egg-based custard. Crème caramel, for example, has a layer of caramel on top, and uses only whole milk or cream, eggs, and sugar. Crème brulée is similar but the sugar is baked on top so that it forms a hard caramelised layer which shatters when you eat it. Textures Crema Catalana seems to be very similar to a crème brûlée, but originates in Catalonia. Leche asada (literally “roasted milk”) is similar to a flan, but instead of being baked in a bain-marie, it is baked normally in the oven, so the texture ends up a bit firmer/tougher. There’s also clafoutis and Far Breton which are also baked custards, but usually with fruit (in my experience, Far Breton normally has prunes). The Experiment For the purposes of this experiment, I decided to focus on Spanish/Latin style flans, and chose to order them by country: Vietnam, Venezuela, Chile, Philippines, Cuba, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil - and finally, a crème caramel (just to compare). I'll do a brief rundown of each one, and then give a few tips from my flan-tastic (sorry) day of recipe testing. 1) Food 52's Vietnamese Flan This was made with condensed milk and whole milk, and flavoured with coffee and vanilla. It took a long time to bake, but the flavour was great - very into the coffee/condensed milk combo. Fine the recipe for Food 52's Vietnamese Coffee Flan here . 2) Venezuelan Flan (Quesillo) Also condensed milk and milk, flavoured with vanilla. This one was delicious - very light and smooth, with great texture. It didn't have the best structure though, could have probably done with a longer chill in the fridge. Find the recipe for Venezuelan Flan here . 3) Chilean Leche Asada This one used condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla. It had a really interesting, almost sticky texture and great flavour - sweet but in a bitter, caramelly kinda way. Excellent jiggle. Find the recipe for Hispanic Kitchen's Leche Asada here . 4) Filipino Leche Flan Used condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream cheese. I really liked the texture of this one, and structure was spot on - came out of the ramekin perfectly, held its shape well (nice and tall). Find the recipe for Filipino Leche Flan here . 5) Cuban Flan de Queso Also used condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream cheese which seems to be a winning combo. Loved the flavour of this one, and it was probably the prettiest - so smooth and perfect structural integrity. Find the recipe for Cuban Flan de Queso here . 6) Mexican Flan This flan used milk and cream, as well as eggs and a yolk, which was a fun addition. The flavour of this one was lovely (chamomile, à la Susan Spungen ) and the texture was great. Find the recipe for Susan Spungen's chamomile flan here . 7) Argentinean Dulce de Leche Flan The no-holds-barred flan. It used milk, cream, condensed milk and dulce de leche and was flavoured with cinnamon and vanilla. Loved the flavour of this one and it had really nice texture and structure. Find the recipe for dulce de leche flan here . 8) Brazilian Flan (Pudim de Leite Condensado) No extra flavourings but it did keep its structure very well and the texture was nice - just took ages to bake! Find the recipe for Brazilian Flan here . 9) French Crème Caramel In comparison, much simpler - just milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla. This was lovely, not too sweet, held its shape v well and had a good wobble. Much lighter and more refined, but I think my sugar-crazed brain at this point missed the texture you get from condensed/evaporated milk. Find the recipe for crème caramel here . Lessons Learned - There's no need to butter the molds when pouring in the caramel, but I do think it adds to the flavour, and also strongly believe that the addition of butter can only ever a good thing. - I baked all in a bain-marie at 165C,and found that it was best not to cover them with tin foil. No matter how tempted, do not remove from the bain-marie until baked - the texture starts to do weird things when you get impatient and pull them out of the water bath early (I would never). They took between 40 and 80 minutes, but you do need to check them regularly and bake until they wobble a little in the centre, but don't jiggle across the whole surface. WOBBLE, don't JIGGLE. - When making the caramel for the bottom, you can take it pretty dark - it won't get any darker during baking, and the contrast between the bitter caramel and the custard is pretty lovely. Don't put too much in though, because it will not stick to the flan, it will stick to your ramekin and stay there for a long time. - The best texture, in my opinion, came from a combination of evaporated milk and condensed milk, with the additions of cream cheese and dulce de leche also welcome. - For flavouring, you can't go wrong with vanilla (vanilla bean paste, or a bean if you can get one). Coffee is nice too. - When taking them out of the moulds, loosen around the edge with a knife and then put a plate on top and flip it over with FORCE. You have to kind of hurl it to make sure it comes out in one go (it also makes the most satisfying "whoomph" sound which is fun). - It's v important to let these chill overnight before turning out of the ramekin, so definitely bake them the night before! My joint favourites, and the ones that I feel come closest to the Uno Mas flan are Cuban and Filipino. Both of these incorporate a small amount of cream cheese, which feels appropriate given that the Uno Mas flan is a "flan de queso". I think the combination of condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream cheese is perfect - really smooth, holds its shape well, sweet but relatively complex from the variety of dairy products. I would recommend adding vanilla though, both for flavour and the lovely black flecks you get from bean paste/pods. Enjoy!

The Costa del Sol is not generally thought of as one of Spain's food destinations - it certainly doesn't get gourmet travellers hyped up in the same way that San Sebastien, Madrid and Barcelona might - but there's plenty of good stuff there, you just have to weed it out amongst the tedious tapas bars and full English breakfasts. We've been going there for years and have some favourites, both pre and post covid, so if you're one of the many people headed to the costa this summer, bookmark these seven places to eat and drink. Los Marinos José, Carvajal In the sleepy seaside village of Carvajal, two train stops from Fuengirola, Los Marinos José is somewhere seafood lovers (from Spain and abroad) go on pilgrimage to each year. You can end up with a hefty bill here - most seafood is charged by weight, and the grower Champagnes, about half the price on the wine list that they would be at home, are very hard to turn down - but it's a holiday blowout worth allocating budget to. If being entrusted to pick your own fish, and having a price per 100g makes you anxious, there's enough on the menu at a set price to ensure you avoid bill anxiety at the end. Late spring/early summer is tuna season, and the tuna tartar and tuna 'rib-eye', fresh off the boat from Cadiz, will probably be the best versions of the oily fish you've ever tasted. The massive, bright red Carabineros (gambas rojas) are around €24 each, but you only live once. Bookings are essential but you can usually get them the same week. Bodega Charolais, Fuengirola We spent many years lamenting the lack of a go-to restaurant in tourist-thronged Fuengirola, until we found Bodega Charolais - the only restaurant in the town listed in the Michelin Guide . Everything about this place is pure joy - the large sun-trap terrace where everyone wants to sit, the cheerful staff (bring your baby along for free kisses), the modern take on Spanish food, the fact you can simply order red or white wine by the glass knowing what you get will be a world away from house wine everywhere else - it's somewhere you'll obsess about once you're home. A lot of plates come in racions or half-racions, but you'll want a large plate of the Cantabrian anchovies with tomato, avocado and spicy olive oil, the Russian salad, and the aubergines with honey (more like treacle). We're also dedicated fans of the pluma iberico with potato 'risotto' and chestnut, and the whole stuffed Spider Crab, and sherry nuts will swoon at the by the glass selection here. Bookings are essential, and specify if you want outside. If you show up at 8pm don't be surprised to see the place empty with a "reservado" sign on every table. Things don't kick off in here until after 9pm, when the Spaniards come out to play. It's also a great place for a long, lazy lunch. Café Costa del Sol, Fuengirola Spanish breakfasts mean one of two things to us - churros con chocolate or pan con tomate y jamón, and we've finally found a go-to place for both. Café Costa del Sol does the best homemade churros, and the thickest, velvetiest chocolate for miles around, and it's packed with locals from first thing in the morning until late at night. The bread roll with tomato, jamón, excellent olive oil and plenty of salt is another grade A start to the day, but a surprising recent discovery (thanks Google reviews) has been the 'Mechuga' sandwich (meatloaf), which is more like braised, marinated beef than some kind of congealed meat slice, with peppers and mayonnaise. Excellenté. Coffee is good and while staff aren't falling over to help they're very efficient. Your bill will be embarrassingly low. La Encina, Fuengirola Jamón comes in many forms and grades, and when in Spain you want the best. If you're self-catering, or more importantly stocking up for home, head for La Encina off Fuengirola's main square. The best stuff is the 100% Iberico Bellota and usually seems to come in black packaging wherever you go. The red packaged (50% Iberico) is still good, but the nutty, melting fat on the black labelled won't be beaten. La Encina is also brilliant for chorizo, salchichón, Manchego, crackers, and the lovely staff will give you tastes as you chat. Distinto Vinos, Los Boliches You might think in a country so famed for wine, that getting served killer bottles everywhere you go would be standard - not so much. Commercial, factory-made wines blight the majority of restaurant wine lists in this part of the country, which is why finding somewhere like Distinto Vinos is all the more sweeter. The owners' passion for the good stuff is clear from the second you walk in the door, and they'll open any bottle on the shelf if you want a glass of it - so the selection changes every night depending on who's in there. It's all the good stuff and never boring - you want Brancellao from Valdeorras, old Albariño, Malaga Pinot Noir, they've got you covered - and the prices are so good you'll probably drink more than you planned, and buy more bottles to take away with you. Food is simple and for snacking alongside the wine, with cheeses and meats cut as they're ordered, and if you luck out and find yourself being served by one of the owners, expect to have stories of winemakers, growers and vineyards peppering your evening. Martirio Limon, La Cala Down the coast towards Marbella lies the beachside town of La Cala. There are lots of places to eat here, but there's never been much of note (unless you count Elliott Wright's Olivia's - we don't), but last year Martirio Limón opened on the main street, and chef Ángel Urzay had clear intentions to do something different. The patatas bravas are worth the trip on their own - cubes of deep fried potato with aioli in the centre, and a dropper on the side to add as much hot sauce as you dare, but we love the spankingly fresh tuna tostada too. The terrace outside is perfect for a post-beach lunch or a relaxing dinner as the sun goes down, and staff are lovely. Malaga Malaga needs a whole other article (and we promise we'll do it) - there are just too many fantastic places to eat, and it's forever a source of bemusement that so many people just use it as an airport and never wander into the city to fall in love with it's food, wine and charm oozing from every wooden doorway and winding street. For drinks you've got to start at Antigua Casa de Guardia , the oldest wine bar in the city (there since 1840), with drinks served straight from the barrels, and gildas plucked from glass cases at a wave. El Pimpi is another prime drinking destination, with a cavernous inside and a terrace complete with views of Malaga's striking Alcazaba. The food and drink isn't ground-breaking but the cava, sangria and beers are all perfectly acceptable. Antigua Casa de Guardia | El Pimpi | Mercado Atarazanas Another great place to stand around with a sherry in your hand and fried fish at the end of your fork is Malaga's Mercado Atarazanas . We love the 'Café Bar Mercado Atarazanas' for a fino and some fritto mixto, but we doubt there are any duds in here. Some restaurants have outdoor seating with table service, and there's an abundance of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and cheese if you've got food shopping to do. Mesón Ibérico is somewhere else we loathe to miss out on. Either jostling for space at the bar, standing outside with your plates perched on a ledge, or sitting in the more formal dining room, the food is simple, delicious and local, the drinks top notch, and the staff ever gracious. For something more casual and louder head for La Tranca , where staff and customers spontaneously burst into song (always Spanish, often rock), and tapas and vermouth are totted up with chalk on the bar. If you're a cheese fiend like the best of us, make a beeline for Picnik , a covid-opening and the only place in the city to find the most vast array of Spanish and European cheeses - most places are Manchego or die. Think of it as the Sheridan's of Spain, and you'll uncover goat's, sheep and cow cheeses that have never travelled outside the country before. When it comes to Malaga chefs, Dani Carnero is the darling of the city, and we can never pass up a meal at his original restaurant La Cosmopolita (the high end tasting menu focused Kaleja , and more modern tapas bar a La Cosmo have also been added to the fold). This is classic Malaga cooking, with dishes like Russian salad with jamón, baby squids from Fuengirola, and the most incredible panna cotta with olive oil and sea salt. They're big on sherry in here and staff love to offer an off the cuff pairing for each course. Do you have a favourite place to eat on the Costa del Sol? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie.

Ah yet another ATF anomaly - our glad rags are on, we're in the mood to celebrate (do we even need an excuse anymore?) and our never-ending urge to eat out is palpable, BUT inflation's going up faster than mms of rainfall in June, and we're still trying to find that money tree in the garden centre. We're spoilt for choice at either end of the spend-spectrum in Dublin, from cheap eats to spendy splurges (getting spendier by the week), but the middle ground sometimes feels like a vast, lonely no man's land awash with stale restaurants, average service, mediocre wine lists and, let's face it, boring food. We've been busy researching the best restaurants where there is value to be had whilst still feeling like you're dining high on the hog. From newcomers to mainstays, here are some of the best places worthy of a special occasion that won't give you heart palpitations when the bill lands... Early Birds & Set Menus Needless to say, the rarely spotted (these days) early-bird/pre-theatre menu seems like an obvious solution to our predicament, but there are some brilliant value set menus around town too, for those evenings when you don't want to be constrained by the limits of time. Margadh RHA, Ely Place There's a definite sense of quiet confidence about Margadh RHA , the newish city centre wine bar from the same team as Mamó , with their recently expanded kitchen. The tasting menu here is €38 per person for 8 plates (you can add cheese as an extra) which change seasonally, and at the moment includes things like a market cheese and onion croquette with tarragon aioli; fresh burrata, asparagus, garden peas, hazelnuts and summer truffles; and a fennel sausage ragu with tagliolini and pecorino. With lots of wine choices under €35 we can see this becoming a go-to celebration spot in the city centre. Read our once over here . Charlotte Quay, Grand Canal Is there any better view on a summer's evening than the one from Charlotte Quay overlooking Grand Canal Dock? Yes, the view of your healthy bank statement after a pre-theatre menu in Charlotte Quay overlooking Grand Canal Dock. Treat yourself to two courses for €32 or three courses for €38 between 17:00 - 19:00, Tuesday - Saturday, and expect locally sourced, fresh Irish produce, and for every stool in their bar to be filled before sundown. 777, George's Street The mere mention of those two little words 'Margarita Mondays' conjures up debaucherous images of late night dancing and candle wax shape-shifting over the course of too many cocktails in the alluring cave that is 777 . Go there on a Sunday and you may not have the same intensity of merrymaking as on a Monday, but you will have a budget friendly feast with selected dishes and cocktails costing, you guessed it... €7.77. Lucky Tortoise, Temple Bar Lucky Tortoise opened the doors of their second location just over a month ago in Temple Bar, serving family-style modern Dim Sum. Their 'All In' Menu will set you back just €28, with vegan and vegetarian options available too. We won't be very slow or steady getting ourselves there to taste our way through it. One Pico, Molesworth Street Sometimes there's just nothing better than a swanky lunch to mark a special occasion, especially one that doesn't bankrupt you. One Pico 's lunch menu offers two courses, canapes & bread for €55, or throw caution to the wind with a third course for another €10. With glasses of wine starting at €10.75 you can get in and out for a very civilised, well-executed, first-rate lunch for approximately €70 per person. Not cheap, but considerably cheaper than dinner. Wine-Focused By now you probably know we have intense feelings about a good food menu accompanied by a mediocre (at best) wine list. Here are a handful of our favourites offering quality wine at the heart of what they do, that won't have your chin grazing the floor when your bank statement comes through. Piglet, Cow's Lane Piglet straddles the line between 'wine focused' and 'set menu', offering a three course menu for €39 that won't have you breaking your piglet bank. You're guaranteed both French flair and classic fare here. Perhaps not to everyone's taste, we are somewhat obsessed with the confit duck gizzards, but there are plenty of reliable classics to choose from as well, like the Piglet ragu, oven baked scallops or steamed mussels with smokey bacon. The mammoth wine list can be intimidating upon first glance but is very user friendly, and staff are adept at finding exactly what you want to drink, whatever your budget. Fish Shop, Benburb Street Cast your wine net wisely in Fish Shop and you won't be shell shocked by the bill at the end. With their white-washed brick walls, high stools at the bar and some of the friendliest service in town, this is a spot we're all too willing to spend our hard earned cash in whiling away a special occasion, perusing the wine list and lusting after other people's plates. We usually play it one of two ways: a couple of small bites, like the anchovy and Russian salad on toast (€5.50) and the cockles with chorizo and sherry (€10.50) followed by the fish burger (€15.95), or dive straight in with fish and chips (€15.95) depending on our appetite and how hard our wine choice is going to hit that bill. There are always a couple of very decent bottles just under the €40 mark so your average bill for two here can range from €70 - €100. Winedown, Montague Street Tucked away on Montague Street, Winedown is the self-professed older, more sophisticated sister to Meltdown , serving dishes like chermoula-marinated half chicken with mango salsa (€17.50), and a wine menu with choices for every palate, whether natural or classic, and at a fair range of prices. You can spend around €85 for two small plates, two large plates and a bottle of house wine, which sounds like pretty good value to us. Amy Austin, Drury Street The menu at Amy Austin reads like a romantic date night dream with dishes like roast bone marrow (€12), hard hay crust baked potato (€9), and torched fennel (€11) flirting with us at very reasonable prices. The menu is concise but varied and you could easily have five plates shared between two with a bottle of wine for around €95. For groups of 6+ they also do a €40pp 7-plate tasting menu, meaning minimal decision making, maximum food tasting. Suburban Spend Perhaps it's the slightly slower pace of suburban surrounds, the neighbourhood vibe that can't be replicated in restaurants in town, *sings the theme tune to Cheers*, or maybe its just the good old fashioned value-for-money that has enticed us to these suburban spots, saving us rambling the streets in search of a suitable celebration restaurant that won't leave us in the red. Grano, Stoneybatter It's no secret that we're massive fans of Grano and will find any excuse to book here, all in the name of our lifelong pursuit of cheese and carbohydrates (and cheesy carbohydrates). We can hear those pillows of fresh silky pasta calling us now... A nibble, starter, pasta and dessert for two with a bottle of house wine will set you back about €110 and you'll feel like you've spent the evening in Southern Italy without having to step foot near any dreaded airport queues. Little Forest, Blackrock We often find ourselves in Blackrock, post Seapoint swim, the odd bit of seaweed in our hair, craving a restorative meal (read carbs) that is a notch or seven above Papa John's, but a price tag or seven below Michelin star. Enter, Forest Avenue's suburban sister restaurant, Little Forest . We're not saying you can turn up here in your soggy togs but you could certainly spend a post-swim evening here feeling smug about your pizza/life balance. Expect to spend anywhere between €30 for two pizzas to €80 for a snack, an antipasti, pizzas and a cocktail each. Or, depending on the tide and your swim of course, you could try their lunch menu for €39 a head. King Sitric, Howth King Sitric is another seaside spot smashing out quality seafood at reasonable prices. With something on the menu to suit all budgets from seafood chowder (€9) and fish burgers (€12), to Dublin Bay prawns in garlic butter (€26) and whole lobster with chips (circa €40). Keep the wine spend low with a bottle of Hugel Pinot Blanc (€30) that they import directly from Alsace, and have a feast fit for a King (Sitric). There's also a lovely outdoor seating area and it's great for kids, with mini mains €8 and plenty of colouring equipment. BYO A foolproof way of keeping your spend down is by bringing your own booze, and there are a host of good restaurants who will allow you to do it at a fair price. M&L Szechuan Chinese, Cathedral Street M&L is our go-to spot for Sichuan food and a great shout for a large group celebration with a private room that can seat 10-12 people, but even with a large group the menu is so big it's impossible to try everything. We usually order from the Chef's Specialty section on the menu and both the stir fried French beans (€11.80) and the deep fried sweetcorn with egg yolk (€11.80) always make their way onto our bill. Corkage is €6.50 per bottle of wine and if you allow €50 per person you'll be leaving very full, probably with leftovers. Lee's Charming Noodles, Parnell Street Although they don't advertise it, Lee's Charming Noodles will allow you to bring your own if you ask them charmingly. They charge €10 corkage per bottle of wine and we've been to two birthday celebrations here recently, spent less than €50 both times and had a really fun and tasty meal. As spice lovers, the Szechuan Spicy Lamb Noodles with their famous hand-pulled noodle is our first port of call, but there's plenty to choose from on the menu for all tolerance levels. Book ahead for any large groups. Full Moon Thai, Parliament Street Serving “authentic Thai street food and classic Thai favourites” in the heart of the city centre, we went to Full Moon Thai last August and three of us left having had plenty of food with leftovers to take home, and one beer each for €99 - read our once over here . They launched their new wine list in December, but if you do fancy bringing your own wine there' a €10 charge per bottle of wine (€15 for sparkling). Dada, South William Street Dada is an old favourite of ours. Serving traditional Moroccan cuisine on South William Street with the option to BYO for just €4 per bottle of wine (€1.50 per beer and €7 for Champagne), and an early bird menu that's three courses for €27.95. Their lamb tagine is €22.95 and with a side of cous cous for €3.95 you're looking at serious bang for your buck whether you choose to go early-bird or not. Where are your favourite restaurants offering great value for money in Dublin? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie

So many new bars, so many expensive drinks, so little time (and budget) to see where's worth spending your spondulicks. That's where we come in. We'll be doing the heavy lifting on the city's new bars and telling you whether the drinks, food, surrounds and service are worth dedicating a pre or post dinner drink, an office night out or a night catching up with that friend you haven't seen in an age... Electric Circus, Talbot Street What was formerly Le Bon Crubeen on Talbot Street has morphed into Electric Circus , with the brightly coloured, eclectically decorated bar opening up at the end of April. You guys were very keen for us to go and check it out, and we weren't sure what to expect from this one (Talbot Street isn't somewhere we generally think of going for drinks), but it was rocking when we arrived on an early evening midweek. There's an ideal for a sunny evening outdoor (yet enclosed) section out front, with a myriad of seating spaces inside, each feeling like a different bar to the last. There's a 10-foot high metal robot outside the door, a lot of silk draped from the ceiling, a jar of sweets as you enter, a semi-private booth with your own Space Invaders machine, a Moroccan-styled section with tassled chairs and Arabic-style lights and art - there's a lot going on, but it works in a slightly headachey way. Cocktails (€9 - €13 or two for €14 on Monday and Wednesday) taste like cocktails used to taste before Ireland knew what cocktails could taste like. This is no Bar 1661 . We didn't partake in their shot boards or cocktail trees, but you get the idea. Beers, ciders and spirits are as standard, and the fast food-style menu focuses heavily on chicken (wings or 'tendies' with no hint of it being free range), with burgers and messy fries too. We tried the 'Puff Puff Pass' tenders with a Piri Piri cheese sauce, jalapeños and crumbled cheese puffs, and prison food must taste better than this. It's been a while since we described a plate of food as 'offensive', but here we are. The ATF verdict: Electric Circus is more about fun than the food and drink. If you're looking for somewhere atmospheric and eclectic to grab a drink on the Northside head on over, and that terrace is very pleasant in the evening sun. Personally we're long past shot boards, but each to their own. Amy Austin, Drury Street Wine bar Amy Austin is part of restaurateur John Farrell's 777/Dillinger's/Butcher Grill family of restaurants, and opened about two weeks before we went into full on Covid shutdown - imagine. They've opened and closed more times than a barn door at this stage, but they're now up and running at full speed (despite we're sure chronic staff shortages). There's a couple of tables outside, a lot of counter seating inside, and a few tables to gather around. Seats at the window are prime for people watching and this would be a very easy spot for a solo dinner, but it's all high seating so not wheelchair (and small child) friendly. They serve wine only so there's no use bringing friends who don't partake (unless they're happy with water), and most is on tap but there's a small bottle list too. Prices feel good by current Dublin standards (ranging from €6 - €13 for a 125ml glass), although the two we tried from the tap needed a few minutes and a bit of swirling to come into their own. The small plates menu feels like sweet relief in a city of set and tasting menus, and there's enough to keep meat-eaters, pescatarians and veggies happy (we know a lot of you have friend groups that make eating out awkward). The best thing about the black cod fritters was the zingy lime leaf dip, the fritters themselves having a somewhat gloopy consistency, and the flavours in the roast bone marrow with chilli oil, chimichurri and hazelnuts were immense, but the marrow itself was too firm. We liked the seabream crudo, and you guys have told us you love the cheese and meat plate, so we'd try it again. The ATF verdict: A supremely central wine bar with prime people watching, good wines and a menu that should satisfy all tastes, bank balances and hunger levels. The Sitting Room At Delahunt, Camden Street The Sitting Room cocktail bar, upstairs from Harry and Megan's restaurant of choice, Delahunt , has a lot of fans - we lost count of how many love heart emojis we got when we started posting about it on Instagram. It was opened to function as a waiting/pre-drinks area for the restaurant downstairs, and on the night we visited a lot off people were going down to dinner afterwards, but it's also open to anyone who climbs the stairs and finds a free upholstered seat. It's very "the good room" vibes, and if you can grab the seats in the bay window you'll be sipping a drink whilst floating over Camden Street. It's quite hushed so perhaps not the place for intimate conversations you don't want others to hear, but it's calm and relaxing, and feels like quite a grand setting for a cocktail. And these are proper cocktails. We loved the Toreador and the White Lady, but it was obvious there was talent at work here so we would have tried anything from their cocktail shaker. There's wine too, and with the restaurant downstairs we'd imagine you'd have access to their drinks list if there was something else you really wanted. There's no food in here, so eat before you come, or make sure you have a reservation for after. Those cocktails are potent. The ATF verdict: A glam, sophisticated spot for a pre or post dinner drink. Somewhere you might take visiting friends when you're trying to show our fair city in her most flattering light. The Beer Market Galway Bar Brewery have been quietly cranking out the bars, with a total of 15 island-wide so far, and probably more to come. They claimed The Beer Market near Christchurch Cathedral was Ireland's first "beer only bar", but they've since diverged into serving pre-mixed Craft Cocktails too. About half of what's on tap is from Galway Bay Brewery, and there's a bottle and can list too. We tried a wheat beer and a Belgian sour and enjoyed both, but would have liked to see a bigger range of beers from different countries and breweries across the board. They have a pub style food menu which we were too late to try, which has all of the nachos, burgers and sweet potato fries you might expect, and readers have told us it's decent. There's plenty of seating areas, from long tables to gather your mates around, to nooks for a bit of privacy, to tables overlooking the street outside, and there's a few tables outside in case summer 2022 ever decides to show up. The ATF verdict: A good pub to visit for beer lovers looking for something more than the Diageo roll call. We'd love to see them go further with the variety on offer, but it's a big step above the majority of the pubs in the capital when it comes to interesting beers on tap, by the bottle and in cans. What bars would you like us to visit on our next bar crawl? Send us at email at info@allthefood.ie, or shoot us a message on social.

Covid has brought many benefits to our lives. We slowed it down, made less plans, spent less money on trying to look good because we had nowhere to go, and with petrol prices at frankly laughable levels we've never been so grateful for the hybrid and remote working models that have become the norm. But one unexpected effect of Covid has been the number of restaurants pivoting to tasting and/or set menus, forcing a minimum spend and maximum stomach space. Sometimes we just want all the small plates, a lengthy debate on what to order from many, many choices, or aren't particularly ravenous (okay that's probably not us but maybe it's you). When that's the case we're going à la carte all the way, and here's 10 places happy to oblige... Orwell Road, Rathgar Recently opened Orwell Road in Rathgar (from the owners of Charlotte Quay and Coppinger Row - RIP) has a menu with snacks, starters, mains, sides, desserts and cheese. Do it all, do some of it, you do you. The only problem is going to be whittling it down to a healthy amount of plates for one meal, because with dishes like mackerel tart with chilli ponzu; beef tartare with Hegarty's cheddar and pesto; and BBQ monkfish on the bone with smoked mussel and caviar sauce, you're going to want all the food. Note, Dublin 2 Note 's bistro menu is off to the races, and while they do have a chef's menu requiring no brain power on your part, you can pick and choose from dishes like ceviche, Vitello Tonnato, handmade pasta and a hunk of a pork chop. They're getting busier by the day but if you've nothing booked it's always worth throwing an eye in and seeing if you can sidle up to the bar for some small plates. Read our Note Bistro once over here . Forest Avenue Wine Bar, Dublin 4 Forest Avenue Wine Bar 's menu was designed for sharing, meaning you can share a little or a lot depending on who you're with and what your budget/stomach allows. Play it safe with charcuterie and a comté tart, or mix it up with Cantabrian anchovies "matrimonio"; potato paillasson with vadouvan mayonnaise; or duck and foie gras terrine with black fig and celeriac. Read our once over here . Loretta's, Phibsborough The menu (and photography) at Loretta's seems to have gone up a gear recently, and we've been greedily eye-balling their tomato gazpacho with dressed crab and pickles; Skeaghanore duck with plum szechuan, scallion & cucumber salad; and lemon posset with raspberry frozen yoghourt, meringue & buckwheat. The space is big and airy, the vibe is totally laid back, and you could make it fit into everything from an unplanned Wednesday night bite, to a special occasion Saturday. Osteria Lucio, Grand Canal Dock Ex-Chapter One Don Ross Lewis is now firing the stoves at Osteria Lucio , his other restaurant, so there's never been a better time to visit. There's a good-sized Italian-style menu to choose from with all the antipasti, pastas and pizzetes, secondis and sides, and you can mix and match. There's a fully Italian wine list, plenty of Italian cocktails, and on a summer's evening you could fool yourself that you're in Grimaldi rather than Grand Canal Dock. Oliveto, Dun Laoghaire Oliveto at Haddington House in Dun Laoghaire, with its "Italian heart, Irish soul", has a pretty extensive menu of small plates, pasta, pizza and mains of meat and fish. If you love the sweet torture of agonising over what to order, this one will keep you busy for a while, and there are so many options it's guaranteed to work for anyone with a stomach. Order all the small plates, plump for handmade pasta, or go all out with a whole grilled lemon sole for two. Hang Dai, Camden Street Ain't no party like a Hang Dai party, and the Camden Street Chinese is still going strong - book in advance or you'll be stuck with very early, or very late. They can thank their menu of crispy squid with chilli and lime; Typhoon softshell crab with lemongrass mayo; and duck heart rice with summer truffle, and there's a separate menu for vegetarians. Pull up a tube carriage, order a 'Kick In The Eye' cocktail, and order as much as or little as you want - but you'll probably want a lot. Crudo, Sandymount Crudo in Sandymount has the kind of neighbourhood-focused menu that will keep everyone happy. Snack on marinated olives and tinned fish, gorge on 'spaghetti a la crema di scampi', or work your way through plates of parma ham with melon and burrata; gambas with burnt lemon aioli, and courgette crostini with sheep's ricotta. The €10 kid's menu also makes it very appealing to anyone with a little one in tow. Glovebox, Dublin 2 Want a piece of Allta without the price tag and required hunger levels? Make a booking at the cocktail bar just below the restaurant. Glovebox has a small, frequently changing menu full of "snacks", but some are definitely more starter sized. Perfect for the person who always wants all the starters instead of a main. They're known for their cocktails but there's a short, beautifully done wine list too, including sweet wine to go with dessert. Bonsai Bar, Dublin 2 Dylan McGrath's Bonsai Bar , above Rustic Stone, is back open, with snacks like deep-fried crispy pork skin; tempura like crispy rice cakes with truffle mayonnaise, sesame and chives; and bao including pork and tofu. There's plenty to choose from, a good proportion of the menu is vegetarian, and the cocktail menu is "an ode to the culture, taste and aesthetic vision of Japan". The stuff of date night dreams.

It's back! Our list of the most talked about restaurants in Dublin right now, based on column inches, Insta love and the general pain involved in getting a booking. It started at 20, increased to 25, but post pandemic we struggled to get it under 30, so here they are, in alphabetical order, with four new entries...

In a cone, on a stick, or sandwiched between cookies, there is no wrong way to eat ice-cream, and we're going to make sundaes while the sun shines. Here’s our guide to 16 of the best ice-cream spots in Dublin right now. Three Twenty, Drury Street Dublin is lacking in lots of things - affordable accommodation, accessible childcare, a functioning airport, but most despairing is the absence of decent dessert-only options. Three Twenty to the rescue with their Drury Street lab dedicated to all things ice-cream. From Bakewell tart to lemon meringue and the signature crème brûlée, you could probably have a different one every day for a month and still not try everything. Chimac, Aungier Street Hands-up if you love Chimac . Hands-up if you regularly do an ice-cream sandwich-only Deliveroo order just to have these icons in your freezer. We’d raise our hands but it takes two to hold these monster sammies. Seasonal flavours often feature, but our hearts will always be with the OG- salted caramel, malty chocolate chip cookies, and salted caramel ice-cream. Chi-mazing. Cream of the Crop Combating food waste by eating ice-cream is some seriously futuristic schizzle. Cream of the Crop create artisan gelato and sorbet from surplus food to save it from landfill. Not only does it taste really, realllllly good, the flavours are constantly changing depending on what the COTC crew can get their hands on. Caramel popcorn, chocolate and pumpkin seed, and banoffee pie are some recent offerings, and you can find them at stockists around Dublin, or order for home delivery. Check out their Insta for all the info. Leamhain, St. Stephen's Green Vegan, gluten-free and nut-free, Leamhain makes ice-cream that’s as delicious as it is accessible. On top of their scoop shop in St. Stephen’s Green shopping centre, they’ve expanded to supermarkets and delis across Ireland so you have lots of opportunity to get a hold of tubs or sandwiches packed with flavours like lemon curd and strawberry shortcake. Two Pups, Francis Street Two Pups in The Liberties covers a lot of bases - fantastic coffee, great brunches, dog-friendly outdoor seating, and the cutest little miso caramel and brownie soft-serve sundaes in the city. Cold Boi, St. Anne's Park & Online When it comes to ice-cream, the wackier the flavours the better. Strawberry limeade, tiramisu, and pineapple cheesecake with white chocolate are just some of the combos Cold Boi are sandwiching between blondie cookies. Lots of vegan options here too. Catch them in St. Anne’s every Saturday or have a look on the website for delivery options. Le Chocolat de Frèd , Dún Laoghaire If you’ve been on Instagram even once in the last five years, you’ve probably seen a hot chocolate or galette from Le Chocolat de Frèd in Dun Laoghaire. Lovely as those are, the real pull here is the ice-cream. Tubs of soft-serve vanilla with strawberry shortcake, or pecans with whipped cream and an embarrassing amount of chocolate are what we’re after. Add a waffle and maybe plan for a long walk on the pier afterwards to get the heart, and blood sugar levels, going again. Betty's, Tallaght Originally operating out of Arnott’s, Betty’s has moved to the multiplex in The Square, Tallaght. Sad news for those of us who needed a city-centre pick-me-up, but great news for D24 move-goers. Kahuna Pops Less “cream” more “pop” from Kahuna Pops who do the park rounds throughout the summer (currently Bushy and Tymon on Saturdays, Herbert on Sundays) with their handmade popsicles. Flavours like watermelon, Oreo, and raspberry ripple for dessert on the go. Sorrento's, Arbour Hill Our frustration with the phrase “hidden gem” is well-documented, but this one is sailing pretty close. You’d walk past Sorrento’s thinking it’s just another run-of-the-mill chipper, but stick your head in and you’ll find fresh sourdough and focaccia, and enough house-made gelato to make you super glad to have a second dessert stomach. Scrumdiddly's, Dún Laoghaire and Donabate Have you been to Dún Laoghaire on a sunny day if you haven’t queued with a bunch of teenagers outside of Scrumdiddly’s ? Have you really had an ice-cream if it doesn’t come with your choice of loads of sauces and sweets on top? No, so just make peace with it and get in that queue. With any luck, one of the teens will be blasting out some modern new music, like Kate Bush. Sicilia in Ireland Gelato-stuffed-brioche, people; this is not a drill. You’ll find them from Sicilia in Ireland ’s food truck every Saturday in St. Anne’s Park, and Sundays in Herbert Park. Arctic Stone, Blackrock Market Does food taste better if it's made right in front of you? It really does. Rolled ice-cream from Arctic Stone is just that; your fruit or chocolate of choice is mangled onto a freezing cold metal plate by someone we can only imagine has really well-managed anger issues, then mixed with a creamy custard. The resulting ice-cream is then spread and rolled into a cup, with even more topping and sauces. They also have full tubs retailing from stockists across Dublin, or you can order from their stand in Blackrock Market. Cloud Nine, Bachelor's Walk We tend to raise a collective eyebrow when a new opening describes themselves as “the most Instagrammable pink ice-cream shop in Ireland”, but we’ll park any preconceptions we have to give Cloud Nine ’s Kinder Bueno and strawberry sundaes a go. Teddy's, Dún Laoghaire There’s probably some law against compiling a list of the best ice-cream spots in Dublin and not including Teddy’s . It’s the Granddad of Dublin ice-cream and its legacy is well-deserved. We’re not sure if it’s the quality of the ice-cream, or just the massive nostalgia element, but we defy anyone to walk past Teddy’s and not immediately want a '99. ... and one to watch- Tuck, Howth Since opening last year, Tuck hasn't maintained much of an online presence, but we've spotted this reel from a fan promising homemade gelato, and now we absolutely need to know more.

In the past few years, Dublin has seriously upped its bakery game, thanks in no small part to a group of entrepreneurial flour-obsessives who have moved us away from sub-par pastries and firmly into the house-made camp. While we all know the icon places to go, this is the ATF guide for what you need to get order while you’re there, because being Insta-famous doesn't mean it's the most delicious thing in the window. Bread 41, Pearse Street What you think you should get: Morning Buns and Cruffins What you should actually get: Custardos No surprise that we’ve put Bread 4 1 first on this list as it’s the place that comes to mind when most people think about fantastic Dublin bakeries, and for good reason. You’re probably all about the Cruffins and Morning Buns and we do love them but hear us out - lemon and vanilla flavoured pasteis de nata that you won’t have to brave Dublin Airport to get your hands on. Scéal Bakery, Fumbally Stables What you think you should get: Twice-Baked Almond Croissants What you should actually get: Demerara Sugar Kouign Amann Originating in Brittany, we’ve seen Kouign Amann pastries pop up in some Dublin bakeries over the last year or so, and we’re sad and amazed that they don’t get more love. Layers of buttery, sugary, laminated dough under a caramelised top should get top billing more often. Scéal describe theirs as “butter bombs”, and it's not hard to see why. No Messin' Bakery, Smithfield What you think you should get: Cardi B What you should actually get: Hun Bun We love a Cardi B - sticky, spicy deliciousness from No Messin' is never not on our list of things we could eat at any moment - but for something full of elegance (and decadence), we're all about the cream choux of a Hun Bun. Flavours change with the seasons, natch. Il Valentino, Grand Canal Dock What you think you should get: Raisin Danish What you should actually get: Madelines One of our favourite people-watching spots, Il Valentino is known for its long counter full of fresh pastries and colourful cakes, but we recommend going a little low-key for once, and getting your hands on their fresh Madelines. The shell-shaped sponge is light, sweet, and the perfect addition to a coffee when you want something, but not something OTT. Strudel, Dún Laoghaire What you think you should get: Fruit Brioche What you should actually get: Babka Walk into any Jewish bakery in New York and you’ll come out a babka convert. Sweet bread layers with chocolate or cinnamon, it’s comforting and very hard to stop eating. While Strudel doesn’t have their mini-babka every day, get there early on Friday or Saturday and you should be in luck. Bread Naturally, Raheny What you think you should get: Cinnamon Swirls What you should actually get: Choux Buns While not always on the counter thanks to Bread Naturally constantly changing things up to keep everything seasonal and fresh, when they have choux buns, you need to make sure you’re getting as many as you can carry. Smartbear Cakery, Liffey Street Upper What you think you should get: Mille Crepe Cake What you should actually get: Shokupan We’ve had the mille crepe cake from Smartbear Cakery and loved it, but for something a little different you need to keep an eye out for their Shokupan, a traditional (and usually square) Japanese milk bread that’s fluffy and perfect for really thick toast, or sandwiches. Dolce Sicily, South Anne Street What you think you should get: Cannoli What you should actually get: Fruit Tarts In what may be a controversial move because we really do love a Dolce Sicily cannolo, we’re suggesting you have a very Parisian moment with a cute glazed fruit tart while sitting in the upper floor window of an Italian café, looking out onto the streets of Dublin. They're as good as any you'll find in France. Camerino Bakery, Capel Street and Merrion Square What you think you should get: Cookies What you should actually get: Stacked Cookie Cake This one will take a bit of forward-planning and ordering ahead of your visit to Camerino Bakery , but why have a cookie when you can have a cake made up of two 6” sugar cookie rings with vanilla buttercream and fresh berries? The Pepper Pot Café. Powerscourt Town Centre What you think you should get: Victoria Sponge What you should actually get: Bacon, Pear and Cheese Sandwich… followed by the Victoria Sponge While the Danish pastry version of this monster sandwich isn’t currently on the menu (but can be ordered a day in advance for collection), The Pepper Pot Cafe ’s bacon, pear, and cheese sandwich is too iconic to pass up. But then again so is the Victoria sponge that’s so big it should have its own Eircode. There’s only one thing for it - go hungry. Queen of Tarts, Cow’s Lane What you think you should get: Scones What you should actually get: Baked Raspberry Cheesecake Cheesecake in Dublin can often be a sad, over-sweetened, moussey affair but the New York style baked version from Queen of Tarts is firm, creamy, and full of tart, punchy raspberries. Scone schmone. Artybaker, Dalkey What you think you should get: Twice-Baked Stuffed Croissant What you should actually get: Classic Croissant Seeing a classic so well executed is an art form in itself and the croissants from Artybaker are like the Mona Lisa - if she was smiling at a pastry (which, let's be honest, she could be). Airy, buttery, crumbly and so very far away from those 2 for €3 grease-bombs from your local convenience store, sometimes the original is the best. The Cupcake Bloke, Rialto What you think you should get: Cupcakes, obvs What you should actually get: Tea Brack While Dublin has benefitted hugely from an influx of ideas and recipes from across the world, there’s nothing like an Irish classic, and The Cupcake Bloke ’s tea brack is a traditional bake that still endures - especially when it's done this well. Owner Graham Herterich has a book called Bake coming out in September and we’re really hoping this recipe is in there. Bakeology, Meath Street What you think you should get: Empanadas What you should actually get: Alfajores Alfajores, or “alfies” are a traditional Argentinian treat with two crumbly biscuits surrounding fillings like thick dulce de leche, and then dipped in chocolate. They’re as much a speciality of Argentinian café Bakeology as their fame-hogging empanadas, and their selection is unparalled. Gorditas, various suppliers across Dublin What you think you should get: Alfajores What you should actually get: Montecitos More Argentinian baking thanks to Gorditas who have a seriously strong alfajores game, but they also do the only montecitos we’ve seen in the city, so we recommend you give them a go. They’re similar to alfies, but it’s one biscuit heaped with topping, and dipped in thick chocolate. Personally, we think they have a better biscuit to topping ratio. The Cake Café, Pleasants Place What you think you should get : Afternoon Tea What you should actually get: Trio of Cake Bites We know what it’s like, you’re surrounded by cake and want to try all of it, so you end up going for Afternoon Tea. It’s a solid decision, but not one that’s entirely practical all that often, so we were very happy to find out that The Cake Café do a selection of 3 mini cake tasters along with a hot drink for €14.50. Practical, purse-friendly and very satisfying.

Grano 's new wine bar A Fianco opens this Thursday, and we'd wager that these 16 seats are going to be some of the most sought after in Stoneybatter - scratch that, in the whole city. Their "little Italian vineria" will have a special focus on Calabrian wines, and a menu of small plates using seasonal ingredients from Italian and Irish producers, and owner Roberto Mungo says he wants it to be "a relaxed and comfortable space for people to enjoy new wines and share a selection of small plates". In other words right up our street. A Fianco means beside or next to (it's next door to big brother Grano), and they say they've created the food to make the wines shine. The opening menu features dishes (including some Grano classics) like aubergine caponata; anchovies marinated Calabrian style with toasted bread; wild sea bass carpaccio, tuna tartare; scaldanduja (spreadable Calabrian sausage); polpette; and all the Calabrian black pig charcuterie, as well as cheese, and tiramisu for dessert. Expect different types of Mediterranean style crudo fish dishes throughout summer, paired with different natural wines, and before you ask, there's no pasta - we imagine they're working with a very small kitchen. When it comes to wine, glasses range from €7 - €10, with a decent amount on the bottle list under €40, but there's plenty of big hitters too. It's a who's who of Italian winemakers from "the south", "the centre", "the north" and "Calabria", and we would be a long time getting bored of drinking options in here. A Fianco opens this Thursday 28th July at 17:00. It's currently walk in only but bookings are coming soon. Get in line. A Fianco 6 Norseman Court, Manor Street, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7 Open: Tue - Thu 17:00 - 22:00, Fri 17:00 - 23:00. Sat 12:30 - 00:00. Sun 12:30 - 23:00. instagram.com/afianco_dublin

One day recently while walking along St. Andrew Street we looked across the road and saw a big blue and white hoarding, looking pretty Portugese. What was this now... A snap and a story later and you guys were all a fluster at the promise of Dublin's first dedicated pasteis de nata shop. We went looking for them on social media and found accounts for not only @lisboadublin but also @cafelisboa_dublin . We were hardly getting two were we!? Yes reader, we were... Lisboa Pasteleria, St. Andrew's Street After some digging we found out that Lisboa Pasteleria is owned by the people behind The Port House Tapas Bars (we knew that branding looked profesh), and it's going to be for takeaway only, serving coffee, pasteis de nata, breads and sandwiches. There's also going to be Francesinha - The Porto classic ‘hangover’ sandwich with steak, ham, sausage, chorizo and cheese topped with a rich secret Port sauce) and breakfast, lunch and dinner options to take away. They're promising their pasteis de nata will be the best in Dublin, which are BIG WORDS. They say it all started with a trip to Lisbon, where they decided that the city's best foods deserved to be enjoyed in the Irish capital. Both chefs have come from The Port House, who say they have spent over 16 years sourcing and importing Spanish and Portugese produce for their restaurants, and that this is a natural progression from their night time brand. Lisboa Pasteleria is due to open in September and we'll be first in line to tell you if it's the real deal. Café Lisboa, Little Mary Street So what about the other one? There's no expensive branding or a high footfall location here, but there is a Portugese owner who travelled home to Lisbon to train in making those magical custard tarts. Café Lisboa is just off Capel Street (in the former Little Dumpling site), and are currently making only pasteis de nata (oh we love a bit of specialisation), alongside Portugese roasted coffee and tea, coming from the only tea plantation in Europe in the Azores. In a couple of weeks breakfast and lunch will start, and by the middle of October they hope to be serving wine and tapas in the evening. Owner Sergio Fernandes owns a small Portugese wine company here, as well as being employed as a hotel manager (he's currently on holidays to get the café up and running - if you want something done ask a busy person), and bakes the tarts himself each morning. He says he opened Café Lisboa because Irish people love Portugal but there was no good food offering here, and the plan is to move into the café full time in the next few months - the more pasteis de nata we can all eat the sooner he'll be able to do this. Café Lisboa is open now, and the race for the best custard tart in the city is on...

It's a wicked week out there, but if you can bear to leave the house, here are five things we think will bring you added cheer, on IWD, Taco Thursday, and focaccia Friday (it's a thing okay)... 1) IWD Cookies From Bakeology Liberties-based Argentinean bakery Bakeology are being uber cute today by giving out these wonder women cookies for International Women's Day. Only for the girls obvs, and you'll want to stock up on all the alfajores while you're there. 2) Sea Salt & Dark Chocolate Cookies From The Morning In other cookie news, we're almost sorry to show you these sea salt and dark chocolate ones from The Morning , because like us you'll probably spend a good portion of the week thinking about little else. 3) Freshly-Made Focaccia From Toonsbridge Toonsbridge are cranking out their homemade focaccias in George's Street and Serpentine Avenue, and one of our all time favourite dinners is a slab of this, a load of antipasti and dips (their basil feta is non-negotiable) and all the cheese. 4) El Milagro Tacos At Love Supreme W e went cuckoo for El Milagro's tacos when we first tried them, and now Dublin 7 residents are getting a chance as they're popping up in Love Supreme each Thursday in March. Beef birria FTW. 5) Côte de Boeuf To Share At The Butcher Grill It's hard not to feel ill at the rising menu prices around town, wondering how we're going to sustain our eating habits of yore, and one thing that's been creeping up is the sharing côte de boeuf - we saw one for €85 last week. So we were pleasantly surprised to see that The Butcher Grill are serving theirs with smoky beans and onion rings for the relative bargain of €55. Next steak trip sorted.

Babka, breakfast sandwiches, and carnage nachos for brunch - this is what we most want to eat in Dublin this week... 1) Babka From Fable + Stey There is not enough babka in this city, that is just a sad fact, despite the good percentage of us who are wholly obsessed thanks to Bake Off. Fable + Stey in Blackrock are saving the day with this babka/cinnamon bun hybrid, filled with chocolate, espresso and cinnamon, and topped with spiced syrup and pistachios. 2) The Breakfast Menu From Tír Deli Tír Deli have just launched a full breakfast menu in their Hatch Street café, and while we're not huge breakfast meat people, when we're talking about Donabate Dexter sausage and bacon, homemade beans and Bretzel Bakery brioche buns, we'll happily make an exception. 3) Nachos Con Carnage At Mad Yolks Mad Yolks recently opened their first permanent site in Smithfield, and while they're known for their hangover-busting egg sandwiches, we're eyeing up their 'Nachos Con Carnage', with smoked chilli con carne, applewood cheddar, a fried egg, scallions, fresh chilli and sriracho mayo. 4) Victoria Sponge Cake At Slice There are few things more beautiful than a perfect Victoria Sponge - fluffy sponge, a generous amount of jam, the cream to cake ratio just right - and this one from Slice in Stoneybatter will be consuming our thoughts all week. 5) The Savoury Croissant From The Pepper Pot Bakery Shopping centre pitstops at La Croissanterie for their cheese and ham filled extravaganzas formed a substantial part of our childhoods. It seems to be easier to find sweet croissants than savoury around town these days, so our faces lit up when we saw this sun-dried tomato, comté cheese & béchamel sauce version from The Pepper Pot Bakery in George's Street Arcade, who as we all know can do no wrong.

From upgraded chip butties to spice bag burgers, fried gnocci to French onion soup that's half cheesy toast, here are the 5 carb-laden things we want to eat in Dublin this week... 1) Cais Na Tire Tortellini In Onion Broth, Orwell Road Orwell Road , the new restaurant from the owners of Charlotte Quay with ex-Mister S chef Daniel Hannigan in the kitchen, looks like it's gotten off to a flying start. We've already got our order picked, and these Cais na Tire tortellini in an onion broth are right at the top of our wish list. 2) The Spice Bag Burger From Cluck Chicken We'll admit to not being spice bag aficionados, but when you involve free-range chicken and ex-Greenhouse chef Mark Moriarty, we're definitively more interested. The latest special from Cluck Chicken is covered In Mark’s spicy coating, with curry mayo, pickle chili & red onion, spring onion, and of course crispy chips, all in a steamed brioche bun. They're calling it a "beast of a burger", and we're up for the challenge. 3) Chip & Curried Crab Butty, The Woollen Mills Speaking of chips, what's better than a chip butty? A chip butty with curried Irish crab. Add some beet & apple relish, and The Woollen Mills have taken a guilt-tinged carb fest and turned it into the food of the Gods. 4) Fried Gnocci With Arrabiatta, Pasta Pronto If you've never made gnocchi at home, you're probably intimidated by it, even though it's way more idiot-proof than pasta. Whether or not you've given it a spin at home, this fried potato gnocchi with arrabiatta sauce from Pasta Pronto at Eatyard comes topped with pesto and mascarpone, and goes the extra mile we probably wouldn't bother with after all that kneading and rolling (there's really not much kneading or rolling). 5) French Onion Soup, East Village Is there anything worse than a bowl of French onion soup with a scabby little circle of toast on top, barely covered with a sprinkle of cheap cheese? Think of this version from East Village Café in Clondalkin, which is half soup, half floating cheese on toast, as the right to all of those wrongs.

We love how when the days get brighter the plates do too. Salads, rainbow veg everywhere, ice-cream in a multitude of colours and flavours - good weather means good food times. Add into this dripping chicken sandwiches, midweek deals and cookies either side of that ice-cream, and you've really got our attention... 1) Fried Chicken Bun, Spatched It feels like we have been waiting an eternal age for free-range fried chicken joint Spatched to open its doors and wave us inside, and they're still teasing us with pictures of their fried chicken buns, with optional drip. Next week you say... 2) Crispy Sea Bass With Sweet & Sour Sauce, Double Happy The guys behind Hakkahan are opening a new Chinese takeaway in Dublin 14 and their Stoneybatter based chefs are helping to get things off the ground. ' Double Happy ' will have a much smaller menu that the average takeaway, use the same noteworthy suppliers as Hakkahan, and will eventually hold tasting events for up to 14 inside, and if this 'Sang Shu Yu' crispy sea bass with house sweet and sour sauce is anything to go by, it's going to be good. 3) Buddha Bowl, Juanito's Even if the sunshine is lacking, Juanito's are determined to bring it to our plates. On Wednesday lunchtime any of their 'mindful bowls' are €9.95 (usually €13 - €13.50), and this buddha bowl with butternut squash, broccolini, quinoa, mixed leaves, tomato pepper salsa, radish, kalamata, tomatoes and baba ganoush has enough goodness to fully cancel out the weekend's chocolate fest. 4) Bao, Bao Bun Street Food Bao is never a bad idea. Hot or cold weather, daytime or nighttime, elated or downright depressed - those cheerful little pillows stuffed with meat, pickles and varying mayonnaise have rarely been known to cause diners regret. And here's another reason for them to make you happy. Bao Bun Street Food (on Bao/Aungier Street) are offering 15% off your entire order when you click and collect on their app from Tuesday - Thursday. 5) Salted Caramel Ice-Cream Sandwich, Treathouse Treathouse in Rathmines, by Irish vegan brand Nobó , might be a dairy free zone, but that's not stopping us lusting after their Salted Caramel ice cream sandwiches for even a single second. The coconut milk/avocado based ice-cream is sandwiched between two Treathouse chocolate chip cookies, that aren't just vegan, they're also grain-free.

Spring is in the air and so too are all things seasonal, foraged and fresh. With last week's splash of sunshine and the clouds now clearing after the long weekend we're finding ourselves craving continental dishes with a seasonal Irish twist. We're dusting off our sun glasses and going in search of places that make us feel like we're in bright and sunny climes - lying by a Ligurian lake, fingers in Sicilian sand or eyes on a Spanish sunset. Failing that, sunglasses can mask any foggy heads after a cocktail crawl , and these five things look like they would satiate our ever-hungry tums... 1) Pujada Solana, Margadh RHA We anticipate great things with the relaunch of Margadh RHA , and this Pujada Solana looks set to deliver. Cantabrian anchovy toasts and lemon aioli - sometimes it's best to keep it simple and let the product speak for itself. Given its location at the mouth of the RHA , it's no wonder this dish looks like a piece of modern art - minimalist yet mouth-watering. 2) Porchetta Pizza Portafoglio, Southpaw Recently opened in centre of Temple Bar, Southpaw serves Neapolitan style pizza, proved for two days, cooked in an Italian gas-fired oven, and then folded for those on the go. This porchetta slice with nutty comté, unpeeled garlic, rosemary, baby gem and, wait for it, *wild Tuscan fennel*, that has been slow roasted for six hours has us more than tempted to traverse the threshold of Temple Bar. 3) Buttermilk Ricotta Ice-Cream With Flowering Currant Granita, Frank's We could not be more excited to try the concise, self-assured menu from the recently reopened kitchen at the top of Frank's sharing table, and this oh-so-pretty and pink dessert caught our attention straight away. Buttermilk ricotta ice-cream with poached rhubarb, and a granita made from flowering currant sounds almost other-worldly. Pair with a glass of low-intervention wine, nab yourself the window seat and bask in the late afternoon sunshine. 4) Asparagus Pansotti, Burrata and Lemon, Grano Mamma Roma i s back in Grano rolling out her legendary pasta, and this week it's asparagus pansotti with burrata and lemon. These little half-moon pockets sound pillowy but fresh, and we think of authentic Italian Burrata as liquid gold - so basically everything we could ever dream of in a spring pasta dish. Asparagus season is also a rather short one, so make the most of the few tables still available this week. 5) Wild Garlic Sourdough Focaccia, Bread Man Walking Gerry Godley's microbakery in Dublin 8 serves sourdough, brioche and pastries, and if you're anywhere in the vicinity next weekend we would definitely advise pre-ordering this Wild Garlic Focaccia for collection on Saturday. DM Bread Man Walking on Instagram to place your order, or pick some up in Nobó in Ranelagh. After all, it's our civic duty to consume wild garlic for breakfast, lunch and dinner during its short Irish season.

There was a definite lack of the Sunday Scaries at ATF this week, possibly due to that glorious sunshine at the weekend and the seasonal affective disorder lifting, or maybe it's because of the kaleidoscope of textures and flavours bursting onto summer menus across the city. Either way we're sun-kissed, salivating and sprinting towards the five things we want to eat in Dublin this week... 1) Sautéed Potato and Onion Bread, Gopan Any self-control we professed to having went straight out the window when we saw these lightly sautéed potato and onion breads with butter and fried mayonnaise from Gopan . They're the first Japanese owned bakery in Ireland and have a zero waste policy so preordering is essential, and can be done through Instagram . 2) Peach Mille-feuille, Bread 41 A thousand times yes to this peach mille-feuille from Bread 41 . We doubt we'll be the only ones oogling the caramelised puff pastry, white chocolate mousse, orange roasted peaches and mint, so make your way there sharpish. 3) Squid, Courgette and White Asparagus, Allta This new dish from Allta sings of a squid-filled summer - delicate, light, seasonal, 8 legs - it's got it all going on. The all too short seasoned white asparagus makes us weak at the knees so this was never not going to make the cut, and there are still some bookings for this week if you want to eat this as much as we do. 4) Charred Spring Onion and Ballymakenny Mayan Gold Potato Slice, Pala Pizza We can barely wait to try a slice of this carb-meets-carb potato pizza pie . Those new season spring onions alone are enough to get us to Pala Pizza in Foxrock, and if you've never had a Ballymakenny Mayan Gold then you're missing out on a very special spud. All in all a solid reason to head southside. 5) Tiramisu French Toast, The Cake Café This Tiramisu French toast from The Cake Café practically jumped off our feed s , and by the time you're reading this we may have devoured those gargantuan doorstopper slices with espresso cream cheese and chocolate like the proud gluttons that we are. *Pastry chef's kiss*

We're loving the miscellany of summer fare that's filling up our feeds this week. From buratta to berry topped buns, lemongrass pork salad to summery-styled gnocchi, these are the five things we want to eat in Dublin this week... 1) Burrata with confit tomatoes, Kalamata olives & sourdough crumb, Spitalfields Our ideal kind of starter from neighbourhood gastropub Spitalfields - light, creamy, oozing burrata with an umami olive tang, a carby crunch and those sweet confit heritage tomatoes to tie it all together. We'll be pairing it with a glass of cava so the bubbles can work their magic on that rich ball of creamy goodness. 2) Lemongrass Pork or Tofu Salad, Two Pups The Liberties are having a moment this week, and just a short waddle down the road from Spitalfields to Two Pups you could be scoffing this colourful addition to their weekday menu - lemongrass pork or tofu salad. Knowing how busy Two Pups gets we'd recommend getting there early for this one. 3) Custard Buns, Bruni Bakery These custard buns from Bruni Bakery have been officially added to our must-bake list. We've always held a special place in our hearts (read: stomachs) for custard buns, whether of the steamed, Portuguese or Polish variety, so we feel obliged to try our hand at any and all recipes we stumble across. Subscribe to Bruni Bakery for unlimited access to recipes like this one and advice from the bakers behind the buns, Gosia and John. 4) Kimchi Beef Lasagne, Jaru Dissatisfied by the lack of Korean food in Dublin, Jaru began trading in 2016 and has gained a loyal following ever since, bringing their "new tastes of modern Korea" to Ireland. We consider the humble lasagne a dish for all seasons and occasions, and Jaru's slow roasted kimchi version is a twist that should satisfy traditionalists and radicals alike. Pre-order via the website before 12:00 for next day delivery in Dublin (or collection from their kitchen in Nutgrove ) or before 12:00 on Sundays and Tuesdays for next day dispatch nationwide. 5) Gnocchi with romesco and courgettes, Warehouse Food Market Tucked away on Greenmount Avenue in Harold's Cross, Warehouse Food Market is a food market, café and event space which started life in September 2019 as a quality fruit and vegetable delivery service, Weekl.ie . They host workshops by well known Irish chefs and cooks, and they've just launched their summer menu . There are some familiar favourites like eggs florentine and spanish omelette, but we've got our glad eyes on the homemade gnocchi, with romesco, courgettes and pine nuts (pictured on the top left).

Summer!? Where are you!?!? Usually by now we're well into salad plates, seafood platters and ice-cream, but God laughs while you're making plans, so instead we're eyeing up twice fried chicken popcorn, melting beef toasties and spicy curries, while we wait for Junior Cert weather to show its face... 1) Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken & Chips, Kakilang Twice-fried just sounds better than fried doesn't it? Especially when it's in reference to Taiwanese popcorn chicken with chips drizzled in sriracha mayo from Kakilang . Driver, take us to the quays... 2) Kid-Sized Everything, Daata We love when restaurants treat children like miniature humans rather than processed food trash cans, so felt all warm inside when we saw that Daata do half portions of some of their favourite dishes for your little restaurant lovers. Samosas, chicken tikka skewers, and prawn coconut curry are all available in kids sizes at an exceptional value €10 for three courses, and there isn't a goujon or bottle of ketchup in sight. 3) The Beef & Brie Melt, 147 Deli The only thing better than a 147 Deli sandwich, is a 147 Deli sandwich with a side of jus. This week's beef and brie melt special comes with red wine braised brisket, Brie cheese, confit plum tomatoes, roasted red onions, Dijon mustard, rocket, and that all important side of roasted garlic and beef jus. And if you've never had a toasted sandwich with a side of jus for dipping or pouring, get in here ASAP and see what you've been missing. 4) Raspberry Tart, Richmond Parisian patisserie or Portobello? We'll be very tempted to head for Dublin 8 next week if this raspberry, chocolate and hazelnut tart makes it onto the menu at Richmond . 5) The KimCheese Burger, Chimac A pandemic may have delayed them, but Chimac are teasing us about their long awaited second location coming soon. It's reminded us of how good their KimCheese burger is, with s samjang & cheddar cheese sauce, spring onion kimchi, and gochujang mayo, and that it's been way too long since we had one.

We're just about to hit the halfway point of 2022 and, while the first few months were mainly spent inside, we've definitely noticed an increase in group activities this summer. Whether you've hit Pride, fan-girled to Harry Styles, or spent a gazillion hours queueing in Dublin airport, it's safe to say that you're probably feeling a little peopled-out right now. To celebrate solitude, here are five things we want to eat in Dublin this week that you won't have to share... 1) Tomato and Comté Sandwich, Daddy's "Give me a bite of your tomato sandwich" is nothing any sane person would ever say, so you needn't feel bad about keeping this one to yourself. Plus, Daddy's heirloom tomato and Comté sandwich on Tartine sourdough is packed with bagna càuda (an Italian dip featuring an obscene amount of anchovy and garlic) meaning that you won't be top of anyone's up-close-and-personal list for a while. 2) Smoked Fish Caviar Wonton, Hang Dai Smoked fish, caviar, wontons; some of our favourite things in one perfect bite. Find it on the snack menu in Hang Dai , and if anyone asks to share, just make them order their own. 3) Fupiloco, Fuppindelish Look, we're not saying that the gang in Fuppin Delish , a taco and Mexican snackfood van that's resident in the beer garden of Humphrey's Pub in Ranelagh, have been inhaling too many exhaust fumes, but it's the only possible solution we can come up with for their Fupiloco. A bag of Doritos (or Hunky Dory or Tayto, if you're into fusion food) topped with cucumber, apple, pickled onion, peanuts, fruity-spicy chamoy sauce, and Tajin chili. Oh, and Gummy Bears are scattered on for a finish. Is it weird? Yes. Do we want to try it? Definitely. Do we think we might be alone in that? Very possibly. 4) Kimchi Mussels, Soup and Soup 2 The Soups (the original in Dún Laoghaire and Soup 2 in Smithfield) have launched their summer menu and it includes these mussels cooked in chipotle chili and a kimchi sake cream, and served with chargrilled bread with garlic oil. Thanks to decent window counter space, and just a generally relaxed buzz, we love Soup for solo dining, and the best way to avoid having to share is going full-hermit occasionally. 5) Tiramiwho Ice-Cream Sandwich, Cold Boi Is it socially acceptable to ask someone for a bite of their ice-cream sandwich? There are exceptions (mainly small children, and cute dogs) but we very much plan to keep this one from Cold Boi to ourselves. Two blondies stuffed with coffee, chocolate, and vanilla ice-creams with a coffee ripple, and some crunch from Savoiardi biscuits. Find them in St. Anne's park on Saturdays, via the website , or at various stockists across Dublin.

After months of us all screaming for it like a fishwife, summer has finally arrived, and across the city it looks like kitchens scrambling to up the colour, up the freshness, and up the sunshine feels. These are the 5 things we want to eat while basking in the sun this week... 1) Pineapple Tomato & Pickled Clams, Clanbrassil House It's been all change at Clanbrassil House since ex-Hen's Teeth chef Killian Walsh took over, and he hasn't hung around making his mark. If this chickpea wafer with pineapple tomato and pickled clams is just the first bite, imagine what else is coming up. 2) Pickled Eggs, Table Wine Eggs have been served as bar snacks since at least the 1800's, and Table Wine are keeping the tradition going with these bright as sunshine pickled eggs with house mayo and crispy shiitake. A few plates of these and a bottle of natural Riesling and you'll feel much happier than when you arrived. 3) La Perla Pizza, Wallace's Taverna Pizza but make it summer. Wallace's Taverna in the city centre top their w hite 'La Perla' pizza with scamorza cheese before it cooks, adding fresh burrata, mortadella, pistacchio and truffle oil once it's out of the oven. Eat it inside, on the terrace or get it to go and head for the park. 4) Poached Rhubarb & Coconut Rice Pudding, Bresson Who says rice pudding is just for eating after being soaked in a December downpour? Bresson have summered it up with swagger, by flavouring it with coconut and topping it with poached rhubarb, pistachio and strawberry ice-cream. 5) New Patisserie Selection at Goat In The Boat Skerries ice-cream and coffee favourite Goat In The Boat has gone very fancy with their new patisserie selection. We're not sure which we want to try first, but the rolled coffee cake and mango pineapple cloud are currently front-runners.

This temperamental weather currently has us craving comfort food one minute and light tapas-style dinners the next, and while we're still making the excuse that “it’s too hot to cook”, we may as well continue to treat ourselves (sure what else would we be doing). From fruit-filled pastries to pintxos, here are the 5 things we want to eat in Dublin this week.... 1) Maritozzi, Oxmantown, Phibsboro Oxmanstown dropped a teaser for their new bakery in Phibsborough this week, and we couldn't take our eyes off these fruit, pistachio and cream filled maritozzi. We also spied cinnamon knots, Basque cheesecake and plenty of sourdough. Race you to 330 North Circular Road. 2) Blueberry & Brown Butter Tart, Scéal Bakery, Dublin 8 Scéal Bakery are the masters of the seasonal pastry. This week’s Saturday special uses Irish grown blueberries from Malone fruit farm in Carlow, on top of a crisp pate sucrée shell, with blueberry jam and brown butter frangipane. Find a good hiding place and devour this all to yourself with a very good coffee. 3) Vieira Gratinada, Las Tapas de Lola Looking to change up your regular tapas order? *We still love you patatas bravas* Enter Vieira Gratinada, or scallops au gratin – a summer staple at Las Tapas de Lola . Scallops baked in their shell in a rich creamy sauce covered in melty cheese. The perfect hybrid of summery seafood and a wintery hug in a bowl, for the July that doesn't know what it is. 4) Morcilla Pinxto, Eivissa-Ibiza Tapas What do Irish and the Basque people have in common? We LOVE our black pudding. Evissa-Ibiza Tapas are serving up a new pinxto menu and the morcilla with toasted pine nuts is right at the top of our list. Grab a few plates to share, wash down with a jug of sangria and we practically guarantee a good time. 5) Pineapple Mille Feuille, Volpe Nera, Blackrock You had us at “Sichuan pepper ice-cream”. Summer desserts can be somewhat predictable, but the new addition to the Volpe Nera menu is definitely not that. Pineapple Mille-feuille contrasted with Sichuan pepper ice-cream mean we think Volpe Nera are onto a winner here.

This week we have a lot of questions - How is it August already? Is it safe to remove #LoveIsland from our muted list on Twitter yet? What’s that big fiery yellow thing in the sky? If you’re going to keep cool this week, there’s only one thing for it and that’s to eat wisely (and stay hydrated, keep shaded yada yada yada). This week we’re focused on five things we want to eat in Dublin that will make you admit you can’t stand the heat, so are getting out of your kitchen and heading to the nearest restaurant, café, bar, or food stall... 1) Savoury Tart from Fable Bakery, Phibsboro Good news Northsiders, there’s a new bakery on the block. Fable Bakery trades every Friday at the Phibsboro Market in Royal Canal Bank Park and a little walk down there to grab a savoury tart like this recent nectarine, pickled onion and feta version, and eat it while sitting in some cool grass is basically the best idea you’ll ever have. Also, there probably will be dogs, so basically best day ever. Tor those south of the river, Fable has also started trading in Herbert Park Market on Sundays. 2) Razor Clam Ceviche, Note On a sunny day, most normal people head to the beach, maybe get a surf in, build a sandcastle, frolic. We’re not normal people, we’re food people, and so we’re more seafood than see sea. The razor clam ceviche from Note is served with radish and a lime jalapeño aguachile so you know it’s going to be punchy, and because it’s Note, you know it’s going to be delicious. More amazing seafood please, Dublin. The sea is *sweeps hand* right there. 3) T-Bone Steak and Lettuce Parcels, Rustic stone The trick for most people in surviving global climate meltdown, eh, we mean a heatwave, is to eat little and often, but who are we to tell you how to live your life? If the meat-sweats are more your style, compromise by ordering the T-bone with parcels of lettuce, pickled vegetables, cucumber, spring onion, garlic and crispy shallots from Rustic Stone on South Great George’s St. The veg will keep your meal light, and that jumbo steak will remind you that Fred Flintstone never complained about Bedrock being too stuffy in summer. 4) Oysters from Circa If you are heading out for dinner, plan ahead and aim for a menu that’s light and won’t mean your legs are plastered onto the faux-leather taxi seats on the way home. Circa in Terenure’s new summer menu has been launched and it’s a) available à la carte (hurrah!) and b) packed with dishes like seabass ceviche and summery vegetables. The one that’s really caught our eye is the Connemara oyster with ponzu and dill sorbet from the snack menu, and while we love the sound of those flavours, the real draw here is marvelling at how they do such tiny quenelles. 5) Bulgogi Taco Fries from Jaru Despite the heat, you are going to have to have dinner at home at some stage so you may as well reduce cooking time and go with a ready meal. We’re not talking some sad meal deal with a free garlic bread here; a rise in temperatures doesn’t mean a drop in standards. Jaru deliver homemade Korean food nationwide and their range has just been updated. While kimchi mac & cheese and Korean fried chicken platters will definitely make it into our online basket, there’s a new item on the menu and we’ve never wanted anything more - bulgogi taco fries. Serving two, triple-cooked fries are loaded with bulgogi beef, cheese, corn, peppers, miso-fermented jalapeno, and gochujag mayo. Hot, in every sense of the word. Menus and delivery info is on their website .

Chocolate stuffed brioche buns, butter chicken wings, and freshly fried doughnuts are just some of the ways we'd like to distract ourselves from energy bills, climate change and general impending doom this week. WBU? 1) Doughnuts From Flower & Bean We're loving the look of everything from new Dublin 8 café Flower & Bean , and with Marta from Cakebox behind it there was never any doubt. Her bakes are as beautiful to look at as they are to eat, and our latest crush is her freshly fried and stuffed doughnuts. We spy lemon meringue... 2) Butter Chicken Wings, Happy Endings Happy Endings are bringing a new brand of 'fusion' to the capital, and it's one we can actually get behind. Their latest creation is Butter Chicken Wings - Sean Ring's free range chicken wings covered in a butter chicken sauce made from toasted spices, garlic, ginger, onions, tomatoes and of course, butter. They landed at the weekend and we're not sure how long they're going to hang around so we'd advise a prompt visit if they sound up your sráid. 3) Gyoza & Gherkins, Table Wine Not the combination we were expecting to see on a dreary Monday, but if Table Wine think gherkins and gyoza go together we're willing to test it out. Stuffed with lion's mane mushrooms and cabbage, you can find them on their set dinner menu from Wednesday to Saturday. 4) The Double Chocolate Frankie, No Messin' Honestly, we hadn't realised that double chocolate Frankies had ever left the No Messin' menu, and it's probably for the best, as when we spotted them on Insta with the tagline "making a comeback soon" we felt both panic and relief in the same split second. Happiness is chocolate brioche laminated with the best Irish butter and stuffed with Valhrona chocolate, and while you'd think it could be chocolate overkill, you would be wrong. 5) Bahubali Thali, Ruchii If food was a mood, Ruchii 's Bahubali Thali looks like euphoria, on happy pills. €42 will get you starters, curries, rice, naan, gulab jamun for dessert and a glass of beer or house wine, and we're not sure whether we want to stare at it or eat it more.

The number of new openings in Dublin is still running at breakneck speed, with rumours of another 25 to come before Christmas. We're particularly giddy about Uno Mas , a new Spanish opening from the guys behind Etto , Gertrude - all-day dining on Pearse Street from Colin Harmon of 3fe , and Missus - Vietnamese food from the guys behind Lucky Tortoise , but with new openings tend to come closures, as there are only so many restaurant-going bums to sit on all of these seats. Last week's casualty was Farmhill in Goatstown, which closed quietly after just under three years in business. They'd gotten off to a great start, securing Anita Thoma (formerly of Il Primo) as head chef, and gaining positive reviews across the press, but Thoma announced on twitter in June that she was moving on, and in recent months the restaurant had been offering free corkage in an attempt to attract customers. No word yet on what's going to happen to the site. But enough of the dreary news. Here are four new openings to get your teeth into. Crow Street Described as "Irish soulfood with an American twist", Crow Street opened in Temple Bar at the end of August in the site formerly occupied by Nick Munier’s ill-fated ‘ Avenue ’. From the guys behind The Sussex on Leeson Street and The 105 Café in Clonskeagh, Crow Street's menu includes buttermilk fried chicken, monkfish scampi and seafood cobbler. There's also a taproom upstairs serving small plates, craft beers and cocktails. They’re open for dinner 7 days a week from 5-11pm, and brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 12-4pm. crowstreet.ie Tang The Middle Eastern inspired, healthy-eating café opened its second site on Lower Abbey Street a couple of weeks ago to much excitement . The Dawson Street site is about the size of a small shoebox, and popping in for a takeaway salad can involve much bodily crushing, although bagging an outside table on a sunny day can feel like winning the lottery. The Abbey Street site has a lot more square footage so there's a much better chance of getting a table, and the menu has the same spin as the original. www.instagram.com/tangfood Fable and Stey This new café in Blackrock is from the same team behind Laine, My Love , Fia and Little Frieda's , which is pretty much all you need to know. They're open from 8am - 4pm Tuesday - Friday, and 10am - 4pm at the weekend, all of the cakes are made in house and much of the produce is coming from McNally Farm in North Dublin. *checks Dart timetable* www.fableandstey.ie Bread 41 Opening this Friday, Bread 41 is an organic bakery and café on Pearse Street from baker Eoin Cluskey and his business partner Stephen McKenna. Cluskey trained at Ballymaloe house and was involved in the set up of the infamous Firehouse Bakery in Delgany, and has been supplying the trade with bread and pastries for the past three months through their wholesale arm, Bread Nation (including new café Daniel on Clanbrassil Street and Fable & Stey , above). Bread 41 will open from 7am - 3pm Monday - Friday for breakfast and lunch and will sell bread and pastries to take away. They're hoping to expand to takeaway pizzas in the evenings from October. Loads more hunger inducing details in this Irish Times article . www.facebook.com/bread41

Four new openings to feast your eyes on this week, and more in the works... Bearmarket Coffee The "coffee lovers not coffee snobs" have just opened their fourth site on George's Street, and had all the press yesterday over their announcement that they've gone cash free. The jury's out but they reckon it's going to speed up service for everyone and make their staff more efficient. Coffee, pastries and treats can be paid for by contactless, apple pay or the Bear Market digital loyalty card. So futuristic. The Carrot's Tail Another week, another vegan eatery, this time in Rathmines. The Carrot's Tail , set up by couple Yeniree and Sebastian, opened at the end of last week and is selling vegan meatball subs, 'zalmon' bagels and vegan cheese, from cheesemaker Little Green Leaf in Cork. 30 Church Street The former Big Blue/Boqueria building on Church Street in Howth has been been taken over by the restaurant group that own Mulberry Garden in Donnybrook and Brookwood on Baggot Street. 30 Church Street opened last week serving seafood, steak and pizza, with some great sea views. As One New health food café and restaurant As One opened yesterday in the Grant Thornton building on City Quay (just down from Tara Street station), and is promising food from scratch to improve your well-being and gut health. There's a big focus on Irish ingredients, a strong 'food-to-go' offering, and sustainability-based business practices, like compostible packaging and a move towards zero waste. Ones to watch - We're eagerly anticipating the opening of John Farrell's new wine bar on Drury Street, due to open at some point this month - And there's another wine bar coming - even more excitement. Little Mike's is coming to Mount Merrion from the dream team behind Michael's , and you just know it's going to be the southside hangout of summer 2019 - Fine dining is coming to Skerries, with Potager due to open at the end of the month - The Townhouse Leisure Group (Farrier & Draper, La Cucina, The Green Hen) will open Le Perroquet on Leeson Street at some point this month, featuring "French inspired dishes with an Irish twist" - Dawson Street's getting a new spot for Sushi as Maneki are moving into the old Dolce Sicily site More when we get it.

Jam Park , the new "multi-sensory adult playground" in Swords from Bodytonic , will open to the public next Friday, the 24th May, but a series of soft opening events have already started. In what was formerly the Wright Venue, Jam Park will host weekly rooftop terrace parties, a Sunday market, movie and sports screenings, and bottomless brunch. The building has three levels and seven spaces, and gaming will be a running theme, with a "Tokyo-style arcade", disco crazy golf and ping pong, as well as shuffle board and "escape rooms" - we're still waiting on an explanation for that one. The first floor will host concerts, comedy, parties and exhibitions, with a capacity of 1200, three bars and an outdoor terrace. Food will be available at "Eatery Park" on the rooftop, with street food on the lower two levels in a similar style to Eatyard , Bodytonic's outdoor food market at the side of The Bernard Shaw. You can check out all of the food and drink options here . Pre-opening soft events include Bingo Loco - "Ireland's only bingo rave", a screening of the season finale of Game of Thrones, and a Spice Girls bottomless brunch, with bookings no w open on the site . It's fair to say that North County Dublin has seen nothing like this before, and we'd say it's set to be the social hub of the summer for all of those people who can't face the Swords Express to get into town. Jam Park opens on Friday 24th May at 11:00, and pre-opening events are on now. Jam Park Airside Retail Park, Swords, Co. Dublin Wed - Sun 11:00 - close www.jam-park.com

The new openings keep on coming, with three in the past two weeks and another this Friday. Read on for the details... Potager, Skerries North County Dublin has a new fine dining destination, as Potager opened last week from ex- Chapter One head chef Cathal Leonard and partner Sarah Ryan. It's in the same building as the long-standing Red Bank restaurant, which closed in January of this year after chef/owner Terry McCoy retired. The five-course set menu is €55 and features dishes like lobster choux bun and potato bread, ricotta, lovage and chive, but they say it will change regularly depending on what's available. Read more about Potager here . Nunki Tea House This new Chinese tea house in Dun Laoghaire has some pretty special cake game, and serves regional specialities like "Crossing-the-bridge noodles" (rice noodle soup), "Tangbao" (soup-filled buns), and Cong You Bing (scallion pancake). They say it's been set up by a group of Chinese young people in Dubin who were struggling to find really good tea made from fresh tea leaves, so you won't find any Lyons or Barry's in here. We are seriously eyeing up the the dumplings with chilli and black rice vinegar and the chiffon cake made from paper thin crepe layers. Check out Nunki Tea House here . Social Fabric Café The Stoneybatter food boom continues with the opening of Social Fabric Café , in the old post office on Manor Street. Opened by couple Karolina (chef) and Monika, and Karolina's brother Tomek, they're focused on making everything from scratch, with free-range eggs from Magners Farm , bread from The Bretzel Bakery and coffee from Cloud Picker . They say they want to provide a friendly, comfortable space for the community to gather in, and are open seven days a week for breakfast, brunch and lunch. Follow Social Fabric Café here . Also check out Chimac which opens this Friday serving Korean fried chicken on Aungier Street. Read the full story here . Ones to watch - We're still waiting for details on the opening of John Farrell's new wine bar on Drury Street. Hopefully soon - The Townhouse Leisure Group (Farrier & Draper, La Cucina, The Green Hen) will open Le Perroquet on Leeson Street at some point this month, featuring "French inspired dishes with an Irish twist" - Things seem to have stalled with Forest Avenue 's new Blackrock Italian, Little Forest. More when we get it

* Updated 19th September to include menu details Spitalfields , the much awaited "pub with a restaurant" from the owners of The Pig's Ear will open this Thursday at 5pm, with lunch and dinner served six days a week. Owned by chef Stephen McAllister and wife Andrea Hussey, with Declan Maxwell (ex- Luna ) in place as manager, they're describing the food as "traditional, classical restaurant cooking in a pub setting", with dishes like devilled eggs, grilled bread with anchovies, and beef cheek and bone marrow parker house rolls. Spitalfields was formerly home to Shanahan's pub, and takes its name from the street just behind it. Since whispers started circulating about it at the start of the summer, we've heard comparisons to Michelin-starred pub The Harwood Arms in London time and time again, and the idea from the get go seems to have been high quality food in a casual setting. There's seating downstairs at the bar where the open kitchen is, and the main restaurant is upstairs on the first floor. Spitalfields opens its doors at 5pm this Thursday, and will serve lunch and dinner from Monday - Saturday (no Sunday roast, sorry), but the pub will be open all day serving a snack menu. Opening night menu below, and it looks good. Spitalfields 25 The Coombe, The Liberties, Dublin 8 Open: Mon - Sat from 12pm www.spitalfields.ie

Closings, openings, it's the circle of restaurant life, but while there are most certainly more closings ahead this year, you can also count on plenty of exciting openings too, as the food scene continues its rise up the ranks of European eating. Here's four that have just opened (or are about to) that we think you should know about. Glas, Chatham Street Glas is a new vegetarian/vegan restaurant (there is cheese but no meat or fish) in the old Chatham Brasserie site off Grafton Street. It's owned by Paul Rooney (former owner of The Green Hen ) and Dualta Woods (Woods Wines), with Sam Moore (ex- Old Street , The Ice House and Bart's ) as head chef. They're calling it "‘innovative vegetarian and vegan dining that’s to everyone’s taste", and say they think Dublin needs more seasonal, sustainably-sourced food, particularly in the city centre. The opening menu features a lot of things we want to eat, like sweetcorn & jalapeno fritters with avocado, lime and crushed goji berries; beer-battered shimeji mushroom with herb salsa, lime glaze and umami sesame seeds, and smoked aubergine with buttermilk sauce, baby kale, quinoa & pomegranate. We're also intrigued by the polenta and chickpea fries with fermented black garlic mayo and the homemade agnolotti with salt baked celeriac, pickled carrots, carrot top pesto and goat’s cream. Glas will be open for lunch and dinner seven days a week with brunch at weekends, and they're promising "great cocktails and innovative wine". It's due to open next Monday 4th November. glasrestaurant.ie Lenehan's, Rathmines Rathmines' hardware store Lenehan's , which was open for over 70 years, has been taken over by Fallon & Byrne and turned into a neighbourhood restaurant with two terraces. They're calling it a "bar and grill", with four different indoor spaces and big screens in the bar for sport or events. The food is definitely of the "something for everyone variety", but with a definite focus on Irish producers. The opening menu includes Achill Island lamb meatballs with tzatziki; Roaring Water Bay Mussels with ‘nduja, tomato, olive and potato crisps, and Clogherhead monkfish on the bone with boulangère potatoes. They also do sharing boards, free-range chicken wings and a 35oz Wagyu Angus tomahawk for two. Lenehan's is now open for dinner seven nights a week, with lunch and brunch from Friday - Sunday. Sunday roasts start this weekend and they also have a full vegan menu. www.lenehansbarandgrill.com Woodruff, Stepaside Woodruff in Stepaside opened a couple of weeks ago and there's two things you should know about this new southside neighbourhood restaurant. Firstly, head chef Simon Williams takes sourcing very seriously, and was just starting to garner attention at The Gables in Foxrock last year before he left for other opportunities, with Gillian Nelis in her Sunday Business Post review saying "I can’t say enough about this chef’s attitude to sourcing; it’s a real joy to see such a commitment to supporting small food producers." Secondly, the wine list has clearly been compiled by someone who knows (and loves) what they're talking about, which is still a rarity, particularly outside of the city centre. Manager Colm Maguire has come from Pichet , with sous chef Francois Jacusse formerly the head chef in The Pigeon House in Delgany, and the suppliers name-checked on the menu include Higgins beef, Andarl farm pork, Kilmullen farm lamb, Beechlawn organic vegetables, Mooncoin beetroot, and Velvet Cloud yoghurt, with breads, butter, crème fraîche & vinegar made in house. The menu changes daily depending on what's available, but recent dishes have included house cured halibut with burnt aubergine, house cremé fraiche and rye cracker, and confit Skeaghanore duck leg with carrot & cardamom purée, cavolo nero, fondant potato, orange & duck sauce. House chips and kimchi mayo sounds like a must order. Pair it all with a bottle of the electric Spanish white UBE from Cota 45 or the haunting 7 Fuentes from Tenerife producer Suertes Del Marqués and we think you'll be very happy. woodruff.ie One Kinda Folk, Ranelagh One Kinda Folk is Ranelagh's newest coffee shop (and the only one behind an ivy-covered wall as far as we're aware) and officially opens its doors today. Irish owner Rachel moved to Byron Bay in Australia with her fiancé ten years ago and fell in love with their outdoor café culture. Ever since she says she wanted to move home and recreate it here. One Kinda Folk is attached to Yoga Dublin and the stone shed that it's situated in formerly stored yoga mats. For the past few months they've been working on turning it into "a Byron Bay inspired oasis", and they want the space to feel like a community garden where people can sit and chat. Coffee is from 3fe, their sticky loose leaf chai is handmade in Melbourne, and their raw matcha comes from Matcha Ninja, which they serve with their homemade lavender syrup. 'Treats' include vegan tracker bars, peanut butter and sea salt bites and caramel crispy squares, and come from local caterer Rua Food . In the nature of inclusivity babyccinos and dog treats are also available. In case you were wondering, the name is taken from a quote from Harper Lee's 'To Kill A Mockingbird': "There is only one kinda folk, folks." One Kinda Folk is open from 08:00 - 15:00 Tuesday - Saturday. www.instagram.com/onekindafolkcoffee