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*Updated 8th December 2020* We’ve had to cook a disproportionate amount of our own meals this year and we’re tired, probably a little emotional, and hungry… always hungry. For a lot of people Christmas is the time to make reservations before the onslaught of New Year’s resolutions but, like everything in 2020 this one is shaping up a bit differently. The one upside to this *sweeps hand* whole situation is the fact that restaurants are making it so easy for us to eat quality meals from their kitchens in our kitchens. These are some of the Christmas meal boxes that have caught our eye so far, and we’ll keep this list updated as more make their way onto our feeds and wish lists. Christmas Roast Kits From Michael's If your idea of cooking on Christmas Day is to do as little actual cooking as possible (and it really should be), Michael’s has come to the rescue. Their Christmas roast meal kits are designed so that all you have to do is place trays into the oven and sit back with a glass of wine to actually enjoy your day. There are four roast options: turkey with sausage meat stuffing, confit shoulder of lamb, roast duck, or overnight daube of beef, and all are served with fondant potatoes, potato gratin (because Christmas dinner needs at least two types of spud), roast veg, Austrian-style red cabbage, stuffing balls, pigs in blankets and gravy. As we’ve come to expect from Michael’s, the menu is focused on quality local Irish produce including suppliers like Ballymakenny and Rick Higgins, and you can also add on starters, a cheese course, wine and even a baked ham. Collection slots are open for December 21st to 24th, with collection from the restaurant in Mount Merrion or from Higgin’s Butchers in Sutton. See here for details of menus and how to order. The Cali Kitchen's 'Everything But The Bird' Box If you’re looking for a stress-free way to add some serious oomph to your turkey, or want to make sure that the vegetarians and vegans in your life are catered for, The Cali Kitchen in Dún Laoghaire has it covered with its ' Everything But The Bird ' box. Starting at €55 for two people, it’s a cleverly curated box comprising starter, all the trimmings and dessert - all you need to cook is a nut roast, turkey, or whatever else you’re having as a main. All sides are vegan and there’s an option for vegan desserts also. The starter is Goatsbridge smoked trout so ask any vegans to bring their own alternative and reward yourself with a double portion. Boxes need to be pre-ordered for collection on December 23rd , and all info is on their website . The Christmas Dinner Takeaway From Uno Mas If you find yourself unable to look at turkey and ham after the year we've had and badly in need of something different, Uno Mas are planning a Christmas eve takeaway that looks ideal. The r oast suckling pig feast for four comes with a PX sherry glaze and red wine sauce, morcilla de Burgos with apple mustard, a chorizo and arrocina bean stew, sprout tops with mustard dressing, roast carrots in brown butter and patatas bravas. Feliz Navidad all round. They're not on sale yet (keep an eye on their social media for release dates) but there's a sneak peak here . Avoca's Christmas Feast Avoca have an enormous Christmas feast menu, with both pre-prepared and uncooked options. From the "do all the work for me" section there's starters like smoked duck, prune & armagnac pâté or white onion and parmesan soup, and mains including mustard glazed ham, turkey pies and lentil loaf. There's tonnes of trimmings and a vast array of desserts, and while it ain't cheap, if you've got the cash it will certainly be stress free. Browse the full range here . Everything In Between From Allta Delivered nationwide on December 23rd and 24th, Allta’s Everything in Between box is designed to provide ample food for three - four people on the big day, or enough for two to graze on over those bleary days straight after Christmas. House charcuterie, rye bread, smoked salmon, potted crab, terrine, THAT shiitake miso butter, plus plenty of glazes, gravies, sides and desserts are all included. The box comes with a bottle of JM Gobillard Premier Cru Champagne, and you can add on extra drinks including cocktails and Cockagee Boyne Valley cider. Priced at €195, get your Everything in Between box here . Forest Avenue's Christmas Dinner Box We picture Forest Avenue ’s Christmas Dinner Box arriving wrapped up in a huge bow because it sounds like an absolute gift. A four course meal for four people with a choice of goose or Châteaubriand for main, plus starters, bread, veloute, sides and dessert. Available for collection, with some limited Dublin delivery on December 21st, 22nd and 23rd. All of that with a €200 price tag sounds like excellent value, and wine can be added on. Find more details and order here . Volpe Nera's Christmas Supper Box Packed full of cured meat, Irish cheeses, bread, cep butter, almonds, crackers, panettone, poached pears, Cocoa Atelier chocolates and two bottles of wine, the Christmas Supper Box from Volpe Nera has everything for a Christmas Eve supper, or to graze over on St. Stephen’s Day. Priced at €150, it will be available to order online from December 1st for collection from the restaurant on Christmas Eve. The Christmas Hamper From Dermot Staunton Since October, chef Dermot Staunton (known on Instagram as Derry Beau Downs ) has been selling homemade Guinness brown bread from his window in Stoneybatter, as well as giving loaves to elderly and vulnerable people locally. His range expanded with smoked salmon and pies and profits going to charity, and for Christmas he’s upped his game again, selling hampers feeding four or eight people starting from €260. Everything is included for a very indulgent Christmas day, from chicken liver parfait to turkey breast and stuffed-leg with all the sides, plus a boozy rhubarb trifle and cheese. After all of that you won’t want to move off the couch for a good 24 hours, so it’s no harm that the hamper includes a smoked ham and leek pie for the following day. Best of all, 33% of profits will be going to local charities, and there’s a plan to allow customers to buy hampers that will be donated to families in need. Keep an eye on his Insta for more info. The Gobble Box From Rock Farm In addition to organic turkeys, hams, pork, beef and breakfast packs, Rock Farm in Slane have added the Gobble Box to this year’s line-up, created by new resident chefs Keith Coleman and Aisling McHugh of Roots . Containing a brine for your turkey, soy and whiskey ham glaze, a paprika, brown butter and honey glaze to elevate your sides from mere vegetables, herb butter for your stuffing (and leftover sandwiches, obvs), and a gingery cranberry sauce, it’s available for €39, or €35 when added on to a ham or turkey order. This one has to be collected but there are several ways to order including from the McNally Family Farm Shop , Neighbourhood Food Slane , or directly from www.rockfarmslane.ie with collection from Honest to Goodness Market in Glasnevin, Naomh Olaf producers’ market in Stillorgan, or Temple Bar Market. Hugo's Moveable Feast Hugo’s Moveable Feast is available to order from December 13th, with collection from the Merrion Row restaurant on December 23rd and 24th. Starting at €50 per person, the meal boxes are very adaptable with turkey, beef and duck available for two, three or four people, plus you can always double or triple up for a bigger crowd. The menu is impressively large and luxurious and comes with smoked salmon, spiced beef, butternut squash soup, lots of sides, Christmas pudding, mince pies, Valhrona chocolate brownies, and an Irish artisan cheese course. We feel full and happy just reading that. Order here . Richard Corrigan's Virginia Park Lodge Hamper When were heard that Richard Corrigan’s Virginia Park Lodge will be delivering their Christmas Day Hamper to Dublin, Cavan, and Meath addresses on Christmas Eve, we thought it’d come with a Michelin-starred price tag, but a full hamper to feed up to six people for €285 is pretty impressive. The main course is turkey wellington (the addition of pastry to anything is ATF-approved), with mustard-glazed ham hock and all the sides, plus smoked salmon, duck rillettes and a Corleggy cheese and beetroot salad to start. Desserts include Corrigan’s Christmas pudding with brandy custard and mince pies. One lucky hamper will also contain a winning ticket for an overnight stay at the Lodge. That’s some next level Willy Wonka stuff right there. The order book closes at 18:00 on December 17th, but we can see this one selling out early. Details are here . Poulet Bonne Femme's Christmas Feast If you’re not looking for a full dinner but would love to have someone else take the turkey and ham hassle off your hands, Poulet Bonne Femme have a great solution. Boned and rolled rotisserie cooked turkey (from €75 to feed up to 10) and hams (serving up to 15 and costing €85) are available for collection from Monkstown, or delivery within 7km, on Christmas Eve. For the full Christmas box experience, you can add sides like potato gratin, stuffing, mash and gravy which are priced from €5, and there's also handmade homemade plum puddings up for grabs. Order details are on their website .

Sprezzatura was easily one of the most successful openings of 2019, when talk of a handmade pasta bar had critics and consumers running to Grantham Street to check it out. Its combination of great pasta, worthy ingredient sourcing and no plate costing more than €10 has had people lining up all week every week, so it will be very welcome news that Sprezzatura number two opens in Rathmines next week. The new Sprezzatura will have the same menu as the Grantham Street site for December, and its own menu with new items from January. Until then you'll find Toons Bridge stracciatella, Ard Mhacha shiitake arancini, bucatini all'amatriciana, mafaldine with Cashel Blue, gnocchi with sage and Toons Bridge butter, and all of the other small plates and pastas gracing your Instagram feed for the past year. The new site is in an old bank building on Lower Rathmines Road, a listed, red-brick that's largely been unused since AIB's departure in the 1990's. It was first built to house the Belfast Banking Company in 1901, became the Royal Bank of Ireland in 1922, then AIB in the 1960's. It's been renovated to house the new Sprezzatura, but loads of the original features are intact, like sash windows, tall French doors, high ceilings, columns and cornices. The entrance is cut in sandstone, with carved friezes of griffins and stained glass windows underneath a terracotta turret and flagpole. You'll also find the Belfast city coat of arms and the Belfast Bank (BB) logos carved into the stone and brick on either side of the entrance, so have a peek when you're going in. Wine and cocktails are on tap, and as with site number one their partnerships with Mossy Earth on off-setting your meal by planting trees, and glint glass studio to reuse glass bottles as glassware, will operate in number two. They're also announcing a partnership with the Dublin Simon Community later this month. And now what you really want to know - how to book. The new Sprezzatura opens on Thursday 10th December, and bookings will be released on Sprezzatura's website on Tuesday the 8th at midday. Set your alarm now. Sprezzatura Rathmines 221-223 Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 6 Mon - Sun 12:00 - 22:00 www.sprezzatura.ie

Recently we asked on Instagram what the best places in Dublin for hot chocolate were, and we were not expecting to be deluged with so many enthusiastic responses. It seems this is a topic that generates many, many opinions, and we look forward to making our way through this list over the next few chilly months... Butler's Butler's easily won on number of responses, and hands up - we had no idea how many flavours they do. Dark hot chocolate, praline, mint, black forest gateaux, cranberry and ginger... It's going to take a while to work our way through these but we're committed. Insomnia Coffee chain Insomnia also got a lot of love, with plenty of you citing the fact that they use real melted chocolate, as opposed to powder. Their signature hot chocolate is made with a Belgian chocolate sauce and steamed milk, and topped with chocolate flakes, marshmallows or whipped cream, and they've just launched two Christmas specials - ' S’mores' with s'mores syrup, whipped cream, marshmallows, chocolate flakes and gold dust, and 'Red Velvet', with red velvet syrup (no clue) and whipped cream, topped with a mini chocolate Christmas tree. Three Twenty Ice-Cream Lab Three Twenty Ice-Cream Lab do a mean hot chocolate topped with torched marshmallow fluff, and surprisingly this one's vegan - don't knock it till you've tried it. Their almond milk and Valrhona vegan chocolate ganache version also makes for a great hand warmer if you've forgotten your gloves. Le Chocolat de Fred Who knew Dun Laoghaire had its own chocolate café? Turns out even half of Dun Laoghaire didn't know about Le Chocolat de Frèd and their crêpes, waffles and hot chocolate. Made with 72% dark chocolate, a lot of you feel very strongly that this is the best hot chocolate in town. Cocoa Atelier Cocoa Atelier hold cult status in Dublin for their hot chocolate, and although their Drury Street shop closed in 2018 you can still pick one up in Dollard & Co. on Wellington Quay. We also strongly recommend buying their bags of chocolate drops and marshmallows and making it at home. You need a few more layers in winter anyway. Clement & Pekoe Clement & Pekoe on South William Street give you a stick of Aine's handmade chocolate to stir into textured, organic milk from Carlow, and it's the same deal with their mocha, which comes with a double shot of Brazilian coffee. Vice Vice on Abbey Street have a legion of fans for their Malteaser hot chocolate - which is literally steamed milk and malteasers. Simple, yet effective. Ladurée Ladurée was most cited as the death by chocolate option, with the suggestion that one between five would be sufficient. V alrhona chocolate is mixed with cream, milk, sugar and water (we're guessing mostly chocolate and cream) and for complete overkill have some chocolate macarons on the side. Urbanity Urbanity is where to head for serious hot chocolate in Smithfield. Their current version takes Hazel Mountain Chocolate and blends it with Village Dairy organic milk, before dehydrated citrus is added in and it's topped with freshly zested orange. Arctic Stone Rolled ice-cream experts Arctic Stone have branched out into "deluxe hot chocolates", and their first trio consists of a Kinder Bueno, a Nutella, and a Milky Way version. The base is Belgian milk chocolate and you can find them at their stand in Blackrock market. 57 The Headline 57 The Headline on Clanbrassil Street are bringing the booze to the party, topping their salted caramel hot chocolate with Bailey's cream and marshmallows. We can think of few better ways of getting in the festive mood. L Mulligan Grocer Also upping the ante with alcohol are L. Mulligan Grocer , whose hot chocolate is made with Powers Whiskey, Valrhona chocolate, Village Dairy Milk, Highbank Orchard syrup and a brûlée meringue topping. Brother Hubbard Brother Hubbard is a firm favourite for hot chocolate in the city, with their jug of hot chocolate milk on the side of a cup of chocolate ganache, letting you mix to your perfect consistency. Il Fornaio Il Fornaio pride themselves on a rich Italian hot chocolate so thick it would almost stand up without the cup. Serious stuff. Dolce Sicily Last but definitely worth waiting for, Dolce Sicily do two types of hot chocolate, a "regular", and their Italian " Cioccolata Calda", which they describe as "luxuriantly thick, swooningly dark and impossibly rich ... the closest thing to having pure chocolate directly injected into your veins." Take our money and give us those calories. Do you have a favourite hot chocolate in Dublin? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie

They keep getting knocked down but they keep coming back swinging. Here's the latest at home restaurant experiences to add to your eating list... The Crab Pasta Kit From Michael's Michael's just keep thinking of new ways to get us to Mount Merrion, and the latest is the crab pasta kit from their pop-up shop - Little Lockdown. Born out of the fact that the fishermen who catch their crab had ended up with a large surplus and no restaurants to sell it to, owner Gaz Smith came up with some new ways to get it to the public. The kit comes with handmade pasta, fresh crab meat, a chilli and lime cream sauce and fresh herbs, and costs €18.50 for one. Pick one up from Little Lockdown, and add on a bottle of Meinklang's orange wine 'Graupert' for maximum enjoyment. The Legal Eagle/Winding Stair At Home The Legal Eagle / Winding Stair is now available in the comfort of your own home, complete with treacle brown bread, bacon and cheese crisps, and bread and butter pudding with whiskey caramel sauce (epic is the word). For mains there's a choice of Châteaubriand, olive-fed pork belly, fish or vegetarian options, and the Toonsbridge goat's curd panna cotta with fresh figs, onion marmalade and hazelnuts is worth an order alone. Currently available Friday and Saturday with more days to come. Order here . Food For Thought's 'Live With Love' Box Mister S head chef Daniel Hannigan has been raising money for the charity 3Ts (Turn the Tide of Suicide) with his Food For Thought events for the past three years, and not one to let a pandemic stop him, the next event takes place virtually on November 21st in your own home, with their 'Live with love' box. Taking part in this one are Chapter One's Eric Matthews, Allta's Kevin Burke, Mr Fox's Anthony Smith, Marcus O'Laoire, and Jacob and Jack from cheese toasty truck Griolladh, and boxes go on sale this Monday 16th November. Keep an eye on their Instagram for more details. Tomahawk's Roast Kits Tomahawk in Temple Bar have just launched new roast kits, with a choice of butterflied leg of lamb (€69) or rib of beef (€99). Both feed four-six people and come with d uck fat roast potatoes, thyme and honey parsnips and carrots, buttery mashed potatoes and gravy. The beef also comes with yorkshire puddings and herb stuffing, while the lamb comes with homemade mint sauce. Roast kits are available from Wednesday - Sunday and can be delivered across Dublin for €5 or collected from Dollard and Co. Order here . Back To Dine Back To Dine is a new chef collaboration project promising to " elevate the dine-at-home-box". The first iteration brings together San Lorenzo's head chef Temple Garner and Masterchef: The Professionals finalist Yann Florio (also of Kriedel , London), for a seven-course meal featuring bread, canapés, a shared starter, choice of mains, desserts, mignardises, and a duck liver parfait for the following day. Boxes are €99 for two people are will be available Thursday - Saturday until the 23rd December. Presumably the chefs (and menu) will change in the New Year. The first week goes on sale this Sunday 15th November, and you can see the full menu and order here . The Bresson Box Bresson in Monkstown have launched their new 'Bresson box', featuring some of their greatest hits. For €60 for two you get a Pissaladière, Coquille St Jacques & Sticky Toffee Pudding, with optional wine pairings for an additional €55. Sounds like our kind of night in. Available Wednesday - Sunday and must be ordered at least 24 hours in advance here . The Luxury Feast Box From Green Man Wines If all that cooking sounds too much like hard work, head to Green Man Wines for one of their luxury feast boxes, which include s Italian Cinghiale (wild boar), sausage & truffle salami, cheeses, c rackers, olives, pesto, hummus, tapenade, almonds, quince and a wine pairing - obvs. It's €55 and delivery is €7.50 in Dublin or you can collect from the shop. Order here .

We miss restaurants. The getting ready to go out music, the pre-dinner cocktail, having your coat taken and being shown to your table. The thoughts of getting back to our former reality have us on the verge of giddy, but in the meantime we’re coping through much restaurant food at home. Though we’re locked into a 5km radius until December, the consensus is that you can break it to collect a takeaway, but if you’re a sticker for the rules or just can’t be bothered driving across town for dinner, here are 12 places that will deliver anywhere in Dublin. (Note that all have a little bit of work to do preparing or reheating.) Baste X Sprezzatura This is currently a one-off, limited to this weekend, but Baste plan to continue the collaborations so keep an eye on their social media. This week they’re bringing the BBQ with Italian/Irish pasta place Sprezzatura , and their €50 meal for two includes small plates of straciatella with charcoal salt, smoked gaucho sausage, grilled pears with caciocavallo, smoked vine tomatoes, and a main of fresh pappardelle with oak smoked beef cheek ragu. Delivery (Saturday only) is €10 anywhere in Dublin, or you can collect from Baste on Clanbrassil Street from Friday - Sunday. Order here . The Crudo Kit Crudo in Sandymount’s ‘Crudo Kit’ has five courses of snacks, a starter, main, dessert and a cheese course for €60, to bring the Crudo experience to your own home. Last week’s menu included grilled flat bread + semolina ciabatta with hazelnut romesco, clogherhead crab raviolone, and roast porchetta with smoked black pudding, and this weekend's menu should be going live very shortly. Both deliveries and collections are on Fridays, and you can order here . Uno Mas Uno Mas ’ gildas, tortilla and flan de queso are on every Dublin food to-do list, and now you can have them delivered to your door – you can even buy the perfect tortilla making pan to make sure it’s just right. They don’t always feature in each week’s set menu (available for one or two people), but can be added on – and you really should add them on. Other optional extras include cured meats, tinned fish and olive oil, as well as sherry, wine and cocktails, so enough to set you up for a very nice weekend. Available for delivery Friday and Saturday, costing €32 for one or €62 for two. Order here . Tang We love Tang ’s healthy, Middle-Eastern vibe (and their nut butter, never forget the nut butter), and their dinner box for two is excellent value at €45. You get four nibbles, a main with three sides, and a dessert, and this week features lovely things like McNally Farm Crown Prince Pumpkin hummus, Sean Ring’s organic roast chicken with cardamom and caramelised onion, and a chocolate torte with sweet tahini. Deliveries Friday and Saturday. Order here . The Allta Box Allta were one of the quickest off the block when it came to not only Dublin-wide, but nationwide delivery of their Allta boxes. Each week we see people in takeaway starved parts of the country excitedly Instagramming their shiitake miso butter, house charcuterie and crab macaroni, and it makes a great gift for anyone who’s stranded far from a decent restaurant. Orders open each Monday at 12:00 with deliveries Friday and Saturday, and you'll need to set your alarm for this one as it sells out fast. An Allta box for two with a wine pairing costs €75, and you can order here . Mister S Another early adopter to the citywide delivery game, barbecue spot Mister S has been making locked down people in all corners of the capital very, very happy. Their Bo Ssam feast is supposed to feed six but we comfortably fed eight with a lot of leftovers, and their meals for two, like the Curragh lamb taco box, or the porchetta with fermented potato focaccia and Ballymakenny spuds with seaweed butter will be the eating highlight of your week. Order here . Mamó's Supper Club Mamó in Howth have just launched their “supper club”, which features four courses that you finish at home. There are meat and vegetarian options (including venison wellington and their famous côte de boeuf), and you get snacks, a starter, a main and a dessert. This week's menu includes g ruyère & cep gougeres, pecorino culurgiones (a stuffed pasta), and Irish pork cheeks with apple & Hazelnut, and o rders go live on Monday evening for delivery Friday or Saturday. Order here . The Cake Café For some serious escapism, The Cake Café will deliver afternoon tea to your door, with prosecco cocktails as an optional add on. It costs €49.80 for two and includes mini sandwiches, cakes, scones and teas, and they deliver anywhere in Dublin for €10. Order here . Bujo We have a lot of love for Bujo ’s perfectly crafted burgers, and this is another one for the nationwide delivery list. Their masterpiece kit comes with everything you need to make four doubles and four singles, so you just need to round up some friends and family (if allowed), or commit to multiple days of eating burgers, which won’t be an issue. Kits are €40 and can be ordered here . Also keep an eye out for limited special boxes. Delivery is every Friday, with the cut off the day before at 12pm. Featherblade More burgers from Featherblade , and these are for the extra-hungry. Their real bacon cheeseburger box costs €30 for four burgers, packed with their own smoked Applewood bacon, cheddar cheese, black garlic mayo and pickled onions on a brioche bun. Beer and wine can also be added on. Order here for delivery Friday or Saturday. Uno Pizza Uno Pizza ’s at home kits are probably the closest you’re going to get to wood-fired pizza made fresh at home. The clever frying pan/oven method produces a surprisingly good result, and they provide everything you need for a margarita or diavola. You can also add on prosecco, wine or beer. Order here . Jaru's DIY Kits Korean food producers and street food stall Jaru have four DIY kits that can be ordered on their website and delivered Dublin-wide on Fridays. You can pick from soba, kimbap, Korean fried chicken or Ddukbokki – the famous Korean hot and spicy rice cake dish - and they come with everything you need plus instructions. For maximum enjoyment, add on some kimchi, soy-cured eggs or ‘death sauce’ to your order. Delivery is €3.95 and you can check out their shop here . Know anywhere else delivering Dublin-wide? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie

This summer has not been kind to us (weather wise or in any other way), but it’s hardly a shock given the fact that, well, it’s Dublin, and Ireland. Good weather is not something that we've come to expect, making summer swims for the less hardy amongst us all the more tricky, but the word on the street is that we can expect at least two dry days this week. The kids have also gone back to school meaning much emptier beaches, so we suggest packing up the towels and sunscreen (just in case) and heading to one of these spots for a reviving, late summer dip followed by a well-earned feast once you've thoroughly defrosted. The Forty Foot Followed By Rasam, Mad Yolks or 64 Wine A swim at the ever popular Forty Foot is a rite of passage in Dublin and you'll have earned your reward by the time you drag yourself from the freezing water and haul your bedraggled self through Rasam 's shiny doors. In leafy Glasthule it's a popular choice for locals (and Chris de Burgh ). We loved the spinach dumplings in a creamy tomato sauce on our last visit but you can’t go far wrong with anything on the menu. Not feeling Indian? Mad Yolks have set up shop at The Eagle House with very hearty looking sambos, coffee from Cocoa Brew and sweet stuff from The Rolling Donut, and if wine and small plates appeal more than any of that, head for 64 Wine , which has one of the best wine selections in Dublin. Balscadden Bay, Howth followed by Mamó, Póg or Nora's Langos The classic after-swim pairing is of course fish and chips, and Howth certainly has plenty on offer, but since Caffé Caira closed we've yet to find a new favourite. For a more upscale take on a classic head to Mamó for the cod chip and whatever else has come off the boats that day. If you're out early and want breakfast/brunch newly opened Póg is the only place to go - protein pancakes with 28 toppings for the win. And if you want something all round dirtier (in the best way) head over to Noras Làngos in Howth Market (weekends only) for the one of the best Hungarian exports since Harry Houdini. The deep fried discs of puffy dough brushed with garlic water, slathered with sour cream and topped with cheese are delicious with a captial D, but like most good things in life, best kept in the occasional pile. Skerries Beach Followed By Olive Deli Or Potager Let’s be honest, the Irish Sea can be a harsh playmate and chances are you will be in serious need of warming up by the time she is finished with you, and what better than with a steaming hot toastie from Olive Deli . They also get daily deliveries from Mud Bakery, like doughnuts with Rush strawberries and lemon meringue. If you've packed your glad rags then it’s got to be Potager for an early dinner or Sunday lunch. Potato with broad bean, smoked halibut and red sorrel sounds like the post swim snack of royalty. (c) Lasma Kerve Seapoint Followed By Lobstar, Cinnamon Or That's Amore We really like everything at Lobstar in Monkstown, but for the perfect post-Seapoint swim snack it's got to be a lobster roll. A more casual alternative is Cinnamon where the open coronation chicken sandwich is a meal in itself, ideally followed by a wedge of cake and a strong coffee, or if you want to warm up with pizza and pasta head for That's Amore . Portmarnock/Malahide Followed By Honey Honey, Griolladh or Old Street Portmarnock beach is one of Dublin's best and equipped with shelters, toilets and a 99 ice-cream stand. There's also excellent Bailies coffee, cake and lunch nearby from Honey Honey in the village. If you fancy a more intimate swim spot, head up the coast towards Malahide, where you'll find cove after cove of sheltered sandy and stony beaches. Once you're suitably cold head for cheese toastie truck Griolladh (where you'll find more great coffee from Imbibe) and hopefully stumble on one of their specials, like this week's 'Lasagner' with shortrib ragu, pasta bits, ricotta, parmesan bechamel and even more parmesan. If you're looking for somewhere to sit down and relax head for Old Street in the village who've been using lockdown to cure their own charcuterie and age their own steaks. Colour us interested. The Vico Baths, Dalkey, Followed By The Dalkey Duck, Grapevine Or Pepper Laine If you've never swam in the Vico Baths have you really ever lived in Dublin? Once you've climbed back up Hawk Cliff head for Dalkey village and if it's a nice day go straight to the beer garden in the Dalkey Duck for some gambas in nduja butter or seafood linguine. For wine and small plates it's got to be Grapevine - ideally on a Wednesday when corkage on anything off the shelf is only €1 - or if decent coffee and a cinnamon bun is more appealing, Pepper Laine have coffee from Full Circle Roasters and plenty of treats to replenish your energy stores.

Whisper “cookie sandwich” into the ear of anyone raised in 80's/90's Ireland and they’ll immediately do one of three things - i) step away from you because you’re being creepy, ii) correct “cookie” to “biscuit” while accusing you of having notions, and iii) instantly think back to summer afternoons spent cementing Digestives together with butter. Good times. Thankfully Dublin has seriously upped its cookie sandwich offerings if you’re looking for the ultimate in portable snacks (and we always are). Mud Bakery's Cheesecake Cookie Sandwiches from Griolladh If you’re like us, you couldn’t have made it through lockdown without regular deliveries from Mud Bakery . While enough suppliers have now reopened (yaaah!) to no longer merit home deliveries (booo...) we will look back on our time spent working from home fuelled by a stack of Mud Bakery cookies with fondness. In what some (okay we) are calling *the collaboration of the year*, they’ve teamed up with Griolladh , the grilled cheese toastie truck in Malahide, to offer cheesecake cookie sandwiches in two flavours - dark chocolate with pecan, or white chocolate with cranberry - and we're not sure we've ever seen anything more beautiful. Nutella Cookie Sandwich From Queen Of Tarts Bringing out the cookie monsters in all of us, these new offerings from Queen of Tarts are packed full of hazelnuts and chocolate. Us sitting alone in our garden eating a stack of these is classed as a picnic, yes? Rice Krispie Ice-Cream Sandwiches from Three Twenty Ice-Cream Lab For something a little different, Three Twenty ’s ice-cream sandwich doesn’t use traditional cookies, but two chewy Rice Krispie marshmallow rectangles to corral the homemade ice-cream. The trick is to eat it fast enough to avoid marshmallow fingers. Chimac's Cornflake Ice-Cream Sandwiches The OG of Dublin ice-cream cookie combos, this one from Chimac is pretty much a meal in its own right thanks to two huge malted Cornflake cookies surrounding a generous helping of chocolate chip ice-cream. We would highly recommend grabbing a few to bring home as they keep really well in the freezer. Sure, your neighbours may have secure pensionable jobs unaffected by a global pandemic,but do they have unfettered access to some of the best cookie sandwiches in town? Nope. Sucks to be them... Storyboard's Ice-Cream Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich We’ve never encountered a situation that couldn’t be improved with the addition of ice-cream to chocolate chip cookies and now, thanks to Storyboard , we now don’t have to worry about that happening. Tahini Cookie Ice-Cream Sandwich from Two Pups Coffee They had us drooling when they first made an appearance in Two Pups Coffee a few weeks ago, and the great news is that they’re back in-café from September 2nd. Homemade strawberry ice-cream sandwiched by two tahini cookies with white chocolate and sesame seeds make this one of the best flavour combos we’ve seen. Bujo's Double Chocolate Ice-Cream Sandwich Life is all about balance. Ying and yang, hot and cold, burgers and ice-cream. If you’re going to click and collect your dinner from Bujo , you may as well get an ice-cream sandwich for the drive home, if only to rebalance your cookie chakra. Double chocolate and white chocolate chip versions are available.

The days are getting shorter, darker and colder, and inevitably our diets are going to start shifting from brightly coloured salads, sandwiches and tarts to all things warming and rib-sticking, but lets not wish our lives away. In this transitional period pork is popping up everywhere and we think it's the perfect Autumnal food. We're just waiting for someone to pair it with blackberries for the ultimate dish we want to eat this week - maybe next time. 1) Suckling Pig Ragu, Gnocchi & Sheep's Cheese From Bistro One We really loved Bistro One when we last visited, and pictures like this just make us desperate to book a return visit. Their new menu addition of suckling pig ragu with gnocchi and Creeny sheep's cheese from Corleggy, involves a whole pig cooked down with house-made Tuscan style 'Salsiccia' with fennel, garlic and pepper. It's available as a starter or a main course, and we'd happily order it for both. 2) Heritage Tomatoes And Lardo On Toast From Fade Street Social In the best fusing of summer and autumn we've seen this week, Fade Street Social are serving heritage tomatoes chopped and glazed with rosemary oil and basil on sourdough toast, topped with thin slices of warmed lardo. We're there. 3) Morcilla On Sourdough From Two Pups It's official, Two Pups can do no wrong, and this latest menu addition of morcilla sausage with pickled shallots, white beans in a sun-dried tomato sauce and poached eggs on lightly toasted Le Levain sourdough just solidifies their culinary prowess. 4) The Chipotle Pork Belly Sandwich From Junior's Junior's in Beggar's Bush are really hitting it out of the park these days with the sandwich combos (and the pictures), and the latest is this slow roast chipotle pork belly with crispy tortillas, tomato, rocket, chipotle mayo and avocado. We want. 5) Scallops, Squid And Guanciale From Michael's Never ones to sit still, Michael's in Mount Merrion have come up with a new surf and turf combo, featuring seared scallops, Donegal squid and housemade guanciale with bacon butter. Has ever a more attractive sentence been uttered...

*Updated 1st September 2020* Restaurants have reopened and we're high on life, but some people are still understandably cautious about being trapped in an enclosed space with others for an extended period of time. We know that your chances of catching Covid-19 are greatly reduced in outdoor settings, so dining outdoors will be the key factor in attracting some people back to restaurants again - just expect those tables to be very in demand. Here's where you can eat outside in Dublin - newly updated. Shouk Our love for Shouk runs deep. The food, the staff, the prices, the food. They were lucky to already have an outdoor space pre-pandemic but they've since extended it further into their Drumcondra yard, which means you can have all the arayes, mezze and shawarma without any indoor-related risks. Mamó Mamó reopened a couple of weeks ago to whoops and cheers across the city, and it's no surprise that their outside tables are very popular. This is one we'll be enjoying well into Autumn - côte de boeuf + those crispy potatoes + red wine + blankets = a very happy situation. Glas Vegetarian and vegan Glas have a very Parisian vibe going on outside their Chatham Street restaurant. The three tables are covered with an awning so you and your sweetcorn & jalapeno fritters will even be covered in case of rain (just maybe not the sideways type). L'Gueuleton L'Gueuleton on Fade Street have a considerable outside space, prime for people watching, and their new small plates menu looks like another good excuse to visit. Busyfeet & Coco Café Sometimes you just want a simple sandwich and a coffee (and a city centre place to sit whilst watching the world go by), and that's when eternally jammed Busyfeet & Coco on South William Street comes in very handy. Upgrade your usual ham and cheese toastie to 'The Billy', with St Tola goat's cheese, bacon, onion marmalade and mayonnaise. Two Pups A life without Two Pups and their French toast barely seems worth living, so all the claps to them for getting as many tables as humanly possible outside their Francis Street site. Brioche French toast with caramelised greengage plums, sour cream chantilly, rum cream and crumble in the sunshine is weekend goals right now. Brother Hubbard North & South Brother Hubbard have lovely terraces at their Capel Street and Harrington Street locations, with plenty of space for the oul social distancing. They're open for brunch and lunch in both sites, with dinner in Brother Hubbard North, and there's also tonnes of space inside in the latter in case the cold/rain/sleet/storm defeats you. Pog, Howth Newly opened Póg in Howth has three nice tables outside looking out onto Howth harbour, so you can enjoy their breakfast board, acai bowl or nduja scrambled eggs with a side of fresh sea air. We're not sure if seagulls like protein pancakes but probably best to keep an eye out just in case. Urbanity Al Fresco Smoothie bowls, Vietnamese noodle salads and fried chicken sandwiches are all available at Urbanity 's new outdoor space in Smithfield. Open Monday - Sunday for breakfast, brunch, lunch and very good wine. Takeaway's still available too if you'd prefer to take it to a park or back home. Book by emailing hello@urbanitycoffee.ie or calling them on 01 8747288. Saba's Secret Garden Saba on Baggot Street have added a secret garden out the back (currently open air but awning to follow) with holiday style lighting and art by Subset. It's open from 12:00 Tuesday - Saturday serving food all day, including black pepper squid, Thai beef salad and Pad Thai. There's also a pretty extensive cocktail menu with €7 cocktails before 19:00. Book online or call them on 01 5631999. Piglet Piglet might be cosy inside but outside on the terrace is as close to a Mediterranean holiday as most of us are going to get this year. Order a white port and tonic and some prawn pilpil and indulge in some prime people watching on Cow's Lane. Book online or email oink@pigletwinebar.ie . The Commons At Moli The Commons Café in the Museum of Literature, run by Domini and Peaches Kemp, reopened yesterday and has a beautiful courtyard out the back just screaming for a sitdown in the sunshine. They're open Monday - Friday from 11:00 - 15:00 (for the moment), serving lunch and cake, and it's a little slice of paradise in the city centre. Baste Andy Noonan's outdoor barbecue space on Clanbrassil Street started with mid-pandemic takeaways and has developed into a full sit down area in the evenings. They've just launched new dinner events at €50 a head from Thursday - Sunday for a sharing menu of BBQ bites, meats, sides, salads and sauces, with ice-cream cannoli for dessert, and you can book on their website . Click and collect is still available but just for takeaway. Coppinger Row Mediterranean-inspired Coppinger Row off South William Street reopens on Wednesday 8th July with reduced capacity, and you know the outside tables are going to be the ones to nab. There's an awning too in case our typical July weather takes hold. Book via their website or by emailing info@coppingerrow.ie . Charlotte Quay Coppinger Row's sister restaurant Charlotte Quay has also reopened with ample outdoor space overlooking Grand Canal Dock. Crab & crayfish croquettes, tuna crudo and gambas pil pil with a chilled glass of Saltatempo Verdicchio overlooking the water are what summer dreams are made of. Book on their website or by emailing info@charlottequay.ie . La Maison Old-school French bistro La Maison 's outdoor seats have always been in demand, but expect that to take a leap under the present circumstances. If you do get lucky enough to bag one you'll be able to enjoy moules frites, sole on the bone and tarte tatin from your terrace table while judging everyone drinking from plastic pint glasses on Castle Market. Book on their website . Bresson French fine dining restaurant Bresson in Monkstown has plenty of space and a few sought after tables on the terrace, so you can enjoy your seafood cocktail, duck á l'orange and cheeseboard with a side of seaside air. Book on their website . King Sitric Seafood specialists King Sitric in Howth have a good sized outdoor space which is usually mobbed with tourists, but we won't be seeing many of those this year so your chances of getting one have never been better. They've merged with East Café Bar, the more casual downstairs outpost, and have one menu going forward across both floors and outside. Book by calling 01 8325235 or email reservations@kingsitric.ie . Lenehan's Lenehan's in Rathmines is back open, along with two outdoor terraces. There's a large selection of small plates (just remember, no sharing you guys), and a lot of the food is cooked on their grill. Perfect for a humid summer evening in the city. Book on their website . Michael's Michael's in Mount Merrion is gearing up to reopen at the end of July but in the meantime you can feast on seafood at their 'garden tables' outside. They're open from 13:00 - 20:00 (along with takeaway) and the menu includes oysters, charcuterie and the infamous seafood platters. Just show up or call them on 01 2780377 to check if there's a free table. Suesey Street Suesey Street 's terrace is one of the best in the city and has a retractable roof for that inconsistent Irish weather. They're open for lunch and dinner from Wednesday - Friday and dinner on Saturday. Book on their website . The Terrace At The Shelbourne The Terrace in The Shelbourne Hotel is one of those city centre secrets that you'll be very smug you're in on. The limited food menu features salad, open sandwiches and platters, and it's a lovely way to while away a few hours, ideally with cocktails or wine in front of you. Book through The Shelbourne . Yarn The upstairs pizza place from The Woollen Mills is back open, with a very spacious roof terrace overlooking the Liffey and the Ha'Penny Bridge. Open from 16:30 - 22:00 seven days a week. Book on their website or by calling 01 8280835. Angelina's Angelina's outdoor tables are the ultimate in goals on a sunny day in Dublin 4. They're open seven days a week for lunch and dinner with brunch at weekends. Book on their website or by emailing book@angelinas.ie . Circa Circa in Terenure are back at it with a new chef, and are in the process of revamping their outdoor space. The new look terrace at the back will feature a roof and heaters, so the weather won't get in the way of your booking, and it should be open in the next week or two. Book via their website . Fade Street Social The rooftop at Fade Street Social has a flatbread and bar bites menu, with things like duck spring rolls, padron peppers and chiffon squid, and lots of cocktails to wash them down with. Book a table on their website .

In the Irish Examiner this week Leslie Williams is having quite the non-Peruvian sounding meal at newly opened Peruvian restaurant Zampas , in the Hard Rock Hotel in Temple Bar. Duck croquettes, chicken wings and ribeye steak aren't exactly straight out of Lima, but he does say it's more "bistro classics with a solid Peruvian twist’. They did have a white fish ceviche with a "fresh lime flavour" but no chilli heat, an Asador Peruvian roast chicken marinated in aji verde green chilli sauce (the best of the mains), and Alfajores for dessert, but it sounds like the type of Peruvian restaurant you'd expect from a tourist-orientated hotel, rather than the ceviche and pisco bar we're impatiently waiting for. Read his review here . In the Sunday Times Niall Toner is as surprised as the rest of us at how much he liked Layla's in Ranelagh (part of Press Up 's empire). Baring an unexciting main of sea-bass in a herby broth with potatoes, they did pretty well, with "bloody gorgeous" oysters from Co. Down, a prawn linguine that was worth the journey up to the fourth floor to eat it, and a baked lemon tart that he might have "raved" about had he gotten it in a rustic tearoom somewhere. There was also a side of green beans with almonds that his guest inexplicably ordered as a starter (no comment given on that one and it doesn't deserve one), and he says that while Layla's wouldn't be their usual hang out ("too slick, too concepty"), there were made to feel so welcome that they couldn't hate the place, as much as his inner snob wanted to. Read his review here . In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness is hoping food trucks are here to stay, after visiting Niall Sabongi's Salty Buoy , at the Roe & Co Distillery in Dublin 8. It was a home run for the food, with Flaggy Shore oysters dressed with torched harissa, lime and sumac and topped with crisp shallots and coriander delivering "full-on flavour load", a shellfish steamer with clams, mussels, prawns and langoustines in a broth rich with Old Bay spiced butter, sumac and burnt peppers "mouth-puckeringly savoury", and a panko-breaded hake Kiev oozing with parsley garlic butter delivering the sentiments "what a dish". She gives the food, ambience and value 9/10 calling it the "food truck fish fans have been waiting for." Read the full thing here . In the Irish Times Corinna Hardgrave was at Dede in Baltimore, Cork, from former Michelin-starred Mew head chef Ahmet Dede. She calls his food "a joy to eat", but says her only gripe is that she was expecting more spice - based on Instagram stories of him wandering around Istanbul bazaars and food stalls. A "beautiful" tomato dish (which had evolved from Mews) had "a whisper of exotic Turkish spice", rounded ripe flavours and gazpacho “spuma”, hake topped with green seaweeds in a lobster sauce with a touch of spice was "robust, with big flavours", and a take on Turkish lemonade for dessert with citrus ice-cream and wafer on top of marinated strawberries with lemon and strawberry juice was "a deliciously zesty and palate cleansing" end to the meal. She gives it 9/10, calling it "beautiful food with Turkish promise". Read her review here . (c) Corinna Hardgrave In the Irish Daily Mail Tom Doorley has what sounds like the meal of the week at 1826 in Adare. We want everything he ate, including scallops with apple purée, chicken butter, a confit de-boned chicken wing and crisp Granny Smith apple; crispy bread-crumbed chicken livers with pickled vegetables and piccallilli; wild halibut with butter, shrimps, capers, a deep-fried Dooncastle oyster and crisp Jerusalem artichoke; and roast cod with coco beans, Gubbeen chorizo and saffron mayonnaise. A chocolate tart for dessert was "stunning ... profound ... almost savoury", and he calls it an "outstanding meal" with "eminently reasonable" prices. (Read his review via 1826's Facebook page here ) In the Business Post Gillian Nelis was amazed to go to Connemara and find it wasn't raining, and a stop off at The Sea Hare in Cleggan for lunch just topped things off. A broccoli and courgette tart was "rich, delicious", poached salmon was "cooked beautifully", and both came with locally sourced salads of chard, rocket, sorrel and purple cauliflower. She says they weren't complaining after lemon drizzle cake, chocolate cake and almond and raspberry cake, and praises the quality of the local producers on the menu. Read her review here . Finally in the Sunday Independent , Lucinda O'Sullivan's reviews are back, starting with "lunch with the girls" at newly opened Blue in Wicklow town. She did not like: the unisex toilets, the fact that staff were wearing visors but not masks, the "tacky mini chips baskets" her panko prawns and calamari came in, and the fact that Wicklow's friendly seal Sammy was no where to be seen. She did like: her "on point" smoked haddock risotto with asparagus, peas and pancetta, pappardelle with mussels, prawns and sugar snaps, and a "very nice" vanilla and yoghurt panna cotta with honeycomb and strawberries. So overall a win. Read her review here . More next week.

Lucky Reyna on Dame Street, who've landed two reviews this weekend, from Corinna Hardgrave in the Irish Times and Katy McGuinness in the Irish Independent . The kebab shop (formerly Iskanders, site of many a 4am doner for the millenials) seems to be a bit of an industry hit right now, which appears to be what led them both in, and while they agree on the quality of the kebabs, they don't on the chips. Corinna Hardgrave thought the mezze plate was "generous" with "nicely made" falafel, and the mixed doner had lamb "with good depth of flavour", chicken that's "juicy rather than woolly", and "addictive garlic sauce". A shish kebab needed a bit more flame on the cubes of lamb, but she calls the chips "a lovely indulgence – skinny, super crispy, lightly dusted with mild red pepper". She gives it 7.5/10 (which doesn't quite line up with the subs headline of "is this the best Turkish doner kebab in Ireland?") and says it's "worth a visit". Read her full take here . Katy McGuinness on the other hand chalks the chips down as her low point, calling them "disappointing", but she did take her food home rather than sitting in so maybe they're not the travelling type. She loved the marinated lamb chops ("succulent and juicy with just the right amount of char"), the lamb shish "full of flavour", and the Mediterranean salad with pomegranate and barley "all crunch and freshness". She says "Reyna's kebab game is on another level", and gives them 9/10 for food and value. Read her review here . In the Irish Daily Mail, Tom Doorley says serendipity (i.e. other restaurants not getting back to booking requests) led him to Ananda in Dundrum, and how glad he was that it did, saying that head chef Karan Mitral has taken "an already excellent restaurant to the next level". You'll want to eat everything he did, including Achari paneer fritters ("brilliantly meaty"), lamb seekh kebab ("from a different planet"), and a tiny cone of crisp rice pancake filled with spiced creamy lobster and toasted coconut ("sublime"). He says there's nowhere else like Ananda in the entire country right now and you should "beat a path". (Review not currently online) In the Business Post Gillian Nelis was at Seasons restaurant in the Intercontinental Dublin, and forgot to tell her two mates about the cardinal reviewing rule of ordering different dishes. They overlapped on starters and mains (unforgivable), but that Lambay Island crab cake with coriander and lemongrass butter that they doubled up on does sound good. The duplicated main however sounds like something from weight watchers - grilled organic salmon with pak choi, broccoli and peppers in a courgette, ginger and orange sauce - but she calls it "tasty". A peach crumble with vanilla ice cream for dessert was "top notch", and you can read about the rest of the food here . In the Sunday Times Niall Toner gets all poetic about a bicycle trip across the Liffey to new opening Kitchen 101 in Terenure (something about two-wheeled citizenry and the pandemic's dirty shoe). It sounds like he was trying to make the best of a not particularly exciting situation, with baked beetroot, goat’s cheese mousse and candied hazelnuts unsuccessful, pan-fried cod on romanesco sauce and lemon potatoes "underwhelming", and grilled jalapenos with marinated feta and pumpkin seeds too hot to finish. He does give a "lovely" for a scallop starter, an "excellent" for grilled celeriac with barley, peanuts and salsa verde, and says the best thing he ate was a coconut custard with pineapple compote and lemon crumble, but he calls it a work in progress and the whole thing sounds like a lot of effort. Read that here . In the Irish Examiner Leslie Williams is feeling all nostaglic about the pub (remember those?), with a two-pints-for-one review featuring barely pre-pandemic opening Anti-Social in Dublin 8 & Ryan's of Parkgate Street . The €9 toasties at Anti-Social were "gooey gorgeousness" with "fine quality Bretzel bread" and "Irish farmhouse cheeses", but no surprise that the diverse craft beer range gets high billing. He calls it one of the "coolest pubs" in Ireland, saying they "loved it". He calls Ryan's (part of the FX Buckley group) "a gorgeous Victorian pub", and the pub food they were after living up to billing, with maple and sesame chicken wings "sticky, sweet, and meaty", chowder "properly creamy and packed with shellfish", and a his steak sandwich came "correctly cooked" with a side of fat, crispy, beef-dripping chips that were "so good". They finished in the most un-pub way, with crème brûlée, lemon tart and a glass of Sauternes, and he says the Irish pub is a "precious, glorious thing", and "every one we lose creates a wound in a community and in our very souls." Deep. Read that here . In the Sunday Independent it looks like there's been a little miscommunication when it comes to Lucinda's latest round up (God willing we'll be back to real reviews soon). Entitled " The best gastro bars to visit across the country " (stars?), it's actually about "destination dining", with a list of some of the most highly rated restaurants across the country. In a week for errors, Aimsir (below) is lumped in with Dublin (we'll take it), with the others named in the capital being Ananda, Chapter One, Dax, L'Ecrivain, Liath, Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, The Greenhouse and Volpe Nera. Read the full list here . (Note: the online title of this feature was changed after this article was published) More next week.

Life is a struggle right now. Our former joie de vivre to get up and run out the door at the first sign of new food on the scene is being severely dampened by virus anxiety, mask-wearing and a general lack of enthusiasm for leaving the house and venturing out into the big bad world. However, few things make us happier than eating really good food and knocking back really good drinks, so here are three options to (hopefully) get you out of the house this week. Aoife Noonan's Cakes At Cloud Picker Dessert Queen Aoife Noonan (formerly head pastry chef at Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud and Glovers Alley) is collaborating with Cloud Picker on Pearse Street where she'll be popping up every Tuesday and Thursday to make cake. They'll be available from 11:00 until they sell out, with last week's inaugural bake including a raspberry lemonade cake, a chocolate and Harry's nutbutter cake, and a Cloud Picker coffee cake. They're €7 a slice and look worth every cent. Kinara Kitchen's Tandoori Sharing Plate And Cocktails Ranelagh's Kinara Kitchen is giving you a reason to plan a mate date with the introduction of their 'Tandoori Khas' sharing plate and cocktail offer. It's €36 for two people including the sharing plate of sizzling tandoori chicken, lamb, jumbo prawns and aloo tikki, and a cocktail each, like a Bourbon Old Fashioned, an Elderflower Daiquiri or an Espresso Martini. It's available from 16:00 - 18:30 Wednesday - Saturday and from 13:00 - 18:30 on Sunday, and you can book by phoning 01 4060066 or emailing info@kinarakitchen.ie . Salty Buoy at Roe & Co's Cocktail Village Klaw 's Niall Sabongi has been unable to reopen either of his city centre restaurants yet, but you can't keep a good man down, so he's back with Salty Buoy , a seafood food truck that's popping up across the city and beyond. For the next six weeks (at least) you can find their lobster rolls, grilled prawns and hake kiev at the Roe and Co Distillery in Dublin 8 on Thursday and Friday evenings, in the distillery's new cocktail village. They're also hosting mini-cocktail masterclasses and whiskey tastings, and there's a selection of Roe & Co cocktails to enjoy in the sun/rain/wind. Food costs €20 for a single grilled prawn with either a lobster roll or hake kiev for your main, and you can get three paired cocktails for €25, or just order from the menu. Book here .

You’ve given up on baking banana bread, spend half of your day touching everything in your house as you search for the washable mask you know you have somewhere, and you’ve finished Netflix. If you’re ready to start getting back out there, there’s no end of Dublin restaurants who want (and seriously NEED) your business, and thankfully, many are making it easier to see your long-lost friends and families thanks to their private dining options. Here’s our pick of 15 places to go with a group of up to 20-ish people. As ever, guidelines are subject to change and what restaurants can offer might vary from their usual MO, so we’d recommend you contact them directly for a chat if you're interested in booking anywhere. We’re sure they’d only love to help you tailor the lunch or dinner you need when you want to go out, but stay in a tighter group. 1) Allta Allta 's downstairs family room is perfect for 5-8 people who want to experience their tasting menu at €65 a head, with no one else breathing near them. They reopen on the 20th of August and are now taking reservations on Thursdays and Fridays from 17:00 and Saturdays from 15:00. 2) Locks The team at Locks have pretty much written the book on how to keep a restaurant open during a global pandemic. Over the past few months, they’ve done take-away from their hatch, at-home dinner kits, and now they’ve reopened their dining room. They have two private dining options, The Gold Room and The Bewick Room, and both have had their capacity reduced to cater to gatherings of up to 8 and 16 respectively. 3) Little Mike's The snug in Little Mike’s has been reinvented as a private dining area for 8-10 people, complete with a personal waiter and dedicated chefs. Sadly, this means you’ll probably have to share the seafood platters with your family and not snaffle the whole thing for yourself. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. 4) The Yarn Pizza Making great use of a roof terrace off their private dining room, The Yarn Pizza is worth checking out for laid-back gatherings of up to 20. 5) The Woollen Mills While The Yarn Pizza is more laid-back, sister restaurant The Woollen Mills has private dining in elegant surroundings that would be great for a small wedding or a formal get-together for up to 30. 6) La Bodega La Bodega , the tapas restaurant in Ranelagh, has a lovely outdoor terrace for private group bookings of 10-12 people. All we need now is the weather. Who are we kidding, it’s 2020 - nothing’s going to go right. 7) Chapter One For smaller groups of up to 14, Chapter One has a few choices for private or just more secluded dining. The Chef’s Table, in the kitchen, seats up to 6. 8) The Bank Bar And Restaurant The Bank Bar and Restaurant on Dame St. has a dedicated space for small groups with The Bank Manager’s room seating 5-8 people, but we reckon that booking out the mezzanine level for a larger group would work really well too. 9) The Brookwood The club room is located on the top floor of Brookwood on Baggot Street. Catering for groups of up to 14, they focus mainly on steak with some seafood options. Also gets our votes for one of the prettiest chandeliers in Dublin. 10) Clanbrassil House Not only can Clanbrassil House offer a private room at the back, you can even have two tables set-up so you can see friends and their families from a suitable distance while you keep to your own pod. 11) M&L Chinese Sick of sitting round your living room with a take-away and the same faces every Friday night? Go wild and move all of those faces to a new venue. Upstairs in M&L Chinese , there’s a private room that seats 10-12. 12) The Saddle Room At The Shelbourne For groups of up to 20, The Saddle Room offers privacy and elegance if you and your friends feel like splashing out after months of solitude. 13) Hugo's Hugo's on Merrion Row has always been one of those places that covered everything - lunch, dinner, pre-theatre, corporate gatherings and celebrations. Their private dining room accommodates 30, but we think it’s the perfect spot for a smaller group too. 14) The Pig's Ear While not back until September, The Pig’s Ear has several private rooms for bigger groups of up to 50, but The Library on the 3rd floor seats 12, so ample room for your nearest and socially-distanced dearest. 15) L'Ecrivain The news that L’Ecrivain ’s imminent departure has been pushed back to December 23rd is probably a sign from the universe that you should get in there before it leaves us for good. There are several private dining areas catering for small and larger groups, but our pick is the Salon Privé, which has access to the roof terrace and seats up to 20. Next time we’re taking a look at more restaurants that can cater for bigger groups of up to 50 … or whatever the guidelines will be in two weeks. Watch this space.

Cheese, we love the stuff, but feel it just doesn’t get enough love in return. Sure, mention “ Sheridan’s ” in the right company and you’ll easily spend an hour waxing lyrical about the joys of a great Comté, or competing over the strongest blue you’ve ever had, but when’s the last time you heard a song dedicated to Gruyère? Or a little poem about Brillat-Savarin? No recognition. Here's five cheesy things we want to show some appreciation to (and also eat) this week. 1) Broccoli with Smoked Gubbeen from Loretta’s Cheese and truffle are a classic combination, and this one has smoked Gubbeen cream and summer truffle in quantity. This new plate from Loretta’s is also packed with broccoli and almonds for a healthier way to eat all the cheese. 2) Lasagne Pizza from The Yarn When things go wrong in the world, it’s not unusual to turn to food for comfort. Given what we’re currently going through, we’d suggest doubling-down on the comfort food with the addition of lasagne to pizza, otherwise known as 'the lasagne pizza', from The Yarn . 3) Grillades from San Lorenzo’s Grits, traditionally made from cornmeal, have gotten a cheesy upgrade in San Lorenzo’s , with the addition of parmesan. Served with smoked beef brisket, paprika-laced gravy and fried eggs, it’s basically three meals in one. 4) Double Cheese Jambon from Storyboard What’s better than cheese? Two types of cheese. Make it all melty, add pastry, and we pretty much have our ideal meal. Will crawl to Storyboard to get one of these Parmesan and smoked Gubbeen jambons seasoned with sumac and fennel if necessary. 5) Tomato, Spinach, and Cream Cheese Tart from Daddy’s Here’s a great reason to get out from the space between your laptop and your couch for lunch. Stroll, bike or drive to Daddy’s in Rialto for a slice of their savoury tart. This one is tomato, spinach, and cream cheese. Don’t worry, your comfy dent will still be on the couch when you get back.

For anyone wondering if the critics were ever going to step outside Dublin again, you'll be glad to see a particularly wide spread around the country this week, but as always we start with the capital... In the Sunday Times Niall Toner was at Junior's in Beggar's Bush, but spends the first half of the article reviewing a dubious sounding book about how we eat, which appears to offer nothing new (unless you count 'salt might not be as bad as we think' and 'processed yoghurts are bad' as brand new information.) He was drawn into Junior's by Instagram pictures of chef Fiachra Kenny's (ex- The Old Spot ) new dishes, including the pork chop and pickled cherries , but didn't order it! They were on a small plates only diet, which included a "brilliant combination" of grilled peach, parma ham, walnut pesto, rocket, basil and bufala mozzarella, "generous ... unctuous" hispi cabbage with blue-cheese dressing, and mussels cooked in cider, which he thinks beats white wine. He says the food is well-thought out and skillfully executed, and you can read the whole review here . In the Business Post Gillian Nelis was at newly madeover Jaipur in Dalkey, unfondly remembering the days when Indian food in Ireland was "stuff to wolf down" with "grim and gassy" beer. The almost 20 year old restaurant has a new interior and new menu, and she thought their tandoori jumbo prawns were "elevated" by the addition of salted lime, pickled gooseberries and avocado raita, the Malabar fish wrapped in a banana leaf was "moreish", and the Wicklow lamb 'moore ghosht' was ideal for anyone who likes their Indian food "spicy and creamy at the same time". A pineapple upside down cake was "exciting", and she says after 20 years they're still looking well. Read her review here . There must be something about Cashel at the moment, as Katy McGuinness in the Irish Independent makes it two weeks in a row for Mikey Ryan's to bag a review. Like Tom Doorley last week , the food doesn't sound particularly groundbreaking, with vegetable soup, sriracha chicken wings (free-range though) and a burger with bacon and Cashel Blue cheese on the menu - although she calls it "a magnificent, juicy humdinger". Chips impressed too and they got extra points for homemade mayo, but a lemon dill sauce that came with hake was over-salted. She gives them 8/10 for food and says its "as sophisticated a gastro-pub as you'll find in Ireland." Read her review here . In the Irish Examiner , despite the food team coming to the consensus that they wouldn't stick ratings on restaurant reviews for the foreseeable future, Joe McNamee can't resist saying new opening 51 Cornmarket in Cork city centre might be deserving of "a perfect ten". Eggs Royale with Goatsbridge rainbow trout was "a triumph", brisket with pickled onion and celeriac remoulade on toasted ciabatta was "a sublime example of doing simple things perfectly", and a Ballycotton fish pie was one of the best he's had "in many a moon". A sample tasting (off menu presumably) of sticky toffee pudding with bourbon was "extraordinarily exquisite", and he reckons if he was scoring there would be 9's in abundance - if not that perfect ten. Read his review here . In the Irish Times Corinna Hardgrave was in Galway at Loam , finding all is well at the Michelin-starred restaurant off Eyre Square. High points from the seven-course tasting menu included new season tomatoes in a cold tomato broth, with a small oyster, horseradish cream and fermented gooseberries; squid cut into noodles with a slow-cooked egg yolk and shiitake broth; and a beef sirloin tartare with "ethereal squiggles" of smoked bone marrow butter and dehydrated onion for texture. Pointed cabbage came with "redundant" scallop, but lamb loin with turnip purée, broad beans and mint sauce was "clever cooking that catches a moment in time". The wine pairing sounds worth the €41, and she gives it 9/10, calling it "delicious, precise cooking using exemplary produce". Read her review here . In the Daily Mail Tom Doorley was at Cistin Eile in Wexford town having an "excellent lunch", but thinking it could be even better if the food was stripped back a bit. Owner/chef Warren Gillen's CV includes L'Ecrivain, and starters of vine tomato and oregano soup, and a salad of black and white pudding with pickled, mustardy cabbage and apple both got the thumbs up, but Kilmore hake was slightly over-complicated, with paprika, green beans, hazelnuts, and orange and rosemary beurre blanc - exhausted just reading that. Plaice came with choucroute, green beans and homemade tartare sauce, and a "delicate, delicious" beetroot panna cotta came with rose hips, vanilla and spicy honeycomb. He calls Cistin Eile "very good", but with the chef's "outstanding skills", less might be more. (Review not currently online) In the Sunday Independent , not even Covid can stop Lucinda's round ups - this week it's gastropubs. Making her top 20 in Dublin are Davy Byrne's , Ryan's of Parkgate Street , The Church , The Legal Eagle and The Old Spot , and this week all of them are open, which is good. Read that here . More next week.

It seems that even mid-pandemic the critics can't resist a new opening, with three out of seven reviews this weekend of places brand new to the social distancing scene. In the Irish Times Corinna Hardgrave is first in the door of Kerala Kitchen 's second outpost in Stoneybatter. She thought the pani puri were "a load of fun to eat", lamb seekh kebab had good depth of flavour, and a vegan chana saag could "recruit hardened carnivores" to their cause. A traditional fish curry (meen manga) was the dish of the night, and she says leaving without having the kulfi for dessert would be a mistake. She calls it "great Indian food", very reasonably priced and in a relaxed setting. Read her review here . In the Sunday Times Niall Toner was at another new opening, The Pier House in Howth. He says he went in hopeful that the opening of Mamó across the way ("a seismic event") would "rise all boats", and he left very happy after beautifully fresh Achill oysters, joy-inducing charred aubergine with romesco, hazelnut and kale, and the charred ray wing with brown butter, cauliflower and cockles. Read his review here . In the Irish Examiner Leslie Williams took a dive into the deep by going all the way to Skerries to eat at Potager (turns out it only took an hour from the southside and wasn't the scary experience he'd envisioned). No surprise that he left just as impressed as everyone before him (including us ), praising the "lovely attention to detail in the cooking ... from the bread to the dessert". He loved the "succulent and flavourful" Ring Farm chicken with Alsace bacon and swede, the creamy yet delicate red mullet with cauliflower and a brown butter caper and raisin dressing, and the Chocolate Marquise with Velvet Cloud Sheep’s Yoghurt Sorbet, cocoa crumbs and sour cherries - "tasty, layered and beautifully constructed". He calls the kitchen's cooking skills "legendary", saying he intends making the epic journey back soon to try it again. Read his review here . In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness is the first critic back at Sage in Middleton since they moved from fine dining to something a bit more casual. She doesn't think it's done them any harm, with Ballinrostig cheese and Gubbeen croquettes "nicely oozing", ale-brined chicken skewers with fermented cabbage "one of the tastiest things that I've eaten in a long time", and IPA salt and vinegar onion rings in a "perfect, crunchy batter that dissolves to nothing as you bite into it." Lasagne was a bit dry, but it's the only complaint for "food that feels right, for right now." She calls it a "reinvention without compromise", giving it 9/10 for food, atmosphere and value, and the outside dining area sounds particularly appealing in the current circumstances. Read her review here . In the Irish Daily Mail Tom Doorley was at Cashel gastropub Mikey Ryan's , eating chicken wings, burgers and chips. Although it might not be breaking the mold on the food front he says it has "great charm", and it's easy to see why locals and travellers flock there. Sriracha chicken wings were "moreish", hake with green beans and salsa verde was "well cooked", and the burger was "pleasant if a little dry". Thankfully the chips were "first-rate", and a pear and frangipane tart was "exquisitely buttery" with a moist, rich almond filling. He calls it "good to know about" if you want to break up a motorway journey or have a family meal. (Review not currently online) In the Business Post it's another new opening for Gillian Nelis - Blue in Wicklow town (where The Lighthouse used to be). It's from the ex-head chef and general manager of Marlfield House , so early signs were good, and she was suitably impressed with "masterfully cooked" scallops and turbot, a salmon tartare and gravadlax cut nicely by a lime crème fraîche, and John Dory with pappardelle - her dish of the night. A baked Alaska with coconut ice-cream and passion fruit purée was "gorgeous" and she says the team have "hit the ground running". Read her review here . Finally in the Sunday Independent Lucinda O'Sullivan says we've all been dreaming of "sucking our fingers after a big, buttery lobster", which is the precursor to her "where to eat seafood" round up. Only four in Dublin make the top 20, two of which are currently closed ( The Seafood Café and Cliff Townhouse ) so that's helpful, but there's still Aqua and Michael's (below) to get your fingers greasy. Read her round up here . More next week.

2020 was the year we all became staycationer experts, and while Donegal, West Cork and Connemara are great and all, there's a LOT to be said for staycationing in your own city. There's something particularly luxe about holing up in a plush Dublin hotel and acting like a tourist in your hometown, and it's ideal for when you can't afford to take an extended break from work, or have small children you can't leave for too long. With Dublin currently devoid of tourists, this summer is the perfect time to take advantage of one-off offers in some of the city's best hotels, many with dinner included so you don't even have to leave your hotel. Here's some we'd like to treat ourselves to before summer's over. The Shelbourne, St. Stephen's Green Every self-respecting Dubliner needs to experience a stay in The Shelbourne at least once in their lives. Situated at the top of Grafton Street overlooking St. Stephen's Green, it's one of the top hotels in the city, with dining options including the very well-regarded Saddle Room restaurant, the No. 27 Bar which is now serving an all-day dining menu, or for something more casual you can also dine on their mezzanine-level terrace , which is made for curling up with a bottle of Champagne, a cheese and meat platter, and knowing our weather, a blanket. Their 'Escape' package includes an overnight stay in a deluxe guestroom for two people, a full Irish breakfast in The Saddle Room, and overnight parking for €299, and you'll be glad to hear that the residents bar is open for a pre or post dinner drink, as is the spa. Check availability and book through their website . The Devlin, Ranelagh Press Up have some really greats deals on until the end of August. A one-night stay in any of their Dublin hotels will get you a €50 voucher to be used in any of their restaurants, bars, cinemas or pubs, while a two-night stay will get you a €100 voucher. They've also just launched a midweek deal in The Devlin in Ranelagh where you can stay "9-5 for €95" - that's checking in at 09:00 and out at 17:00 the following day - so much time to lounge around. Outside of that rooms start at €159 per night (with The Dean, The Clarence, The Mayson from €179), and if you stay three nights you'll get one free - five nights and you'll get two free. All the offers . They're also encouraging people to discover more of Dublin and have arranged complimentary access to IMMA's Bharti Kher exhibition , and 30% off tickets to the Guinness Storehouse. You can also add on experiences like their ' Picnic in the Park ' - grab a bike from the lobby and set off with a picnic basket, blanket and a sweet and savoury picnic - or the ' Netflix & Chill ' - freshly popped popcorn, cocktails from Sophie’s, a box of Stella Cinema sweets and your choice of dessert delivered straight to your room. Rooftop restaurant Layla's is open for dinner, the Americana cocktail bar on the ground floor makes peanut butter and jelly cocktails, and Dime coffee bar serves coffee and pastries, so there's literally no reason to leave. Check out all of their offers and book here . The Radisson Blu, Golden Lane Another lovely deal just for ATF readers from the Radisson Blu Royal on Golden Lane, who've just opened their new Dyflin garden terrace at the top of the hotel. They've put together a summer 'Picnic in the Sky' experience, with overnight accommodation for two, breakfast and a picnic box to be enjoyed in the rooftop garden, with all the fun of a picnic and none of the hassle. They're also serving cocktails with herbs grown on the terrace, as well as wine and spirits. The Radisson is just off George's Street meaning you're right in the centre of a lot of food and shopping action, or if you want to eat in the hotel and retire to your room The Chancery Grill serves flambéed chicken livers, Clogherhead crab and steaks, with the Horseshoe Bar there for your pre or post-dinner cocktails. The 'picnic in the sky' offer is available exclusively to ATF readers from €205.00 per room per night. For more details and to book, visit www.radissonblu.com/royalhotel-dublin , select your dates and enter promotional code ROYAL , or you can call the hotel on 01 8982900. The Intercontinental Dublin, Ballsbridge The Intercontinental Dublin in Dublin 4 is another hotel that should be on your five-star bucket list. They have a few offers on at the moment, including their ' Come Dine With Me ' package, which includes breakfast, a three course meal in Seasons restaurant, access to their 14m heated indoor pool and complimentary car parking, from €302 per night for a deluxe King room, or €392 for a Queen room which sleeps three. If you're feeling flush there's also the ‘ Suite Escape ’ from €448 per room per night, including a night in a luxury suite with separate living area, a chilled bottle of Perrier Jouet Champagne on arrival, breakfast served in your room or in Seasons restaurant, access to the pool and a late check out at 14:00 the next day. Don't miss their secret garden - an inner courtyard terrace ideal for a pre-dinner cocktail or general oasis-style lounging (if the sun co-operates). See their offers and book here . The Westin, D'Olier Street The five-star Westin on D'Olier Street has been drawing cocktail-loving Dubliners to the Mint Bar for years, but their summer reopening offers allow you to get the full hotel experience, and there are few more central locations for exploring the city's museums and galleries (or blowing them off and going shopping and eating). Their 'Capital Dining ' offer includes overnight accommodation in a deluxe room with a king sized bed, a three course dinner in Morelands Lounge and Grill, and breakfast the next morning from €309. They're also offering a reduced accommodation rate of €177 per night to 'healthcare heroes', including local health authorities, medical personnel and frontline responders - ID is required. See their offers and book here . King Sitric Howth Does the sea appeal more than the city? Head for King Sitric restaurant and rooms in Howth, where B&B starts from €130 per night. It includes breakfast in the dining room overlooking Balscadden Bay, and there's always fresh fish and smoked salmon on the menu. The eight nautically decorated guest rooms have sea views, and the restaurant downstairs ( King Sitric and the more casual East Café have merged for the time being) is the ideal place for outdoor dining - but there are indoor tables too in case of a downpour. A post-breakfast Howth cliff walk will be just what you need to burn off all that food, and if you get lucky with the weather, beautiful Balscadden beach is one of the most under-rated n the city. Book on their website or email reservations@kingsitric.ie . This is a promotional article paid for by the hotels featured, but always chosen by us.

Here at All The Food, we’re fans of cafes and restaurants that can accommodate families of all shapes and sizes, including members of the four feet and waggy tail variety. While Covid continues to dominate the ways that restaurants are operating, we’ve updated our list of dog-friendly spots, but would always suggest that you check directly with the venue if you’re hoping to eat-in, as some are understandably restricting access day to day due to social distancing demands. We’ve also highlighted some that aren’t open for eat-in just yet, but recommend putting them on your list for when they’re back in action. Happy Out, Bull Island Serving coffee, toasties and treats from their beach-side container with ample outdoor seating, Happy Out is the perfect spot to get a bite before a brisk walk with your furry friend. Bread 41, Pearse Street Croissants + great coffee + that bread + pizza + custardos + dogs = the ultimate café. While dogs are normally welcome inside, Bread 41 hasn’t open its indoor area yet, but it’s nice to have some fluffy company in the Saturday morning queue before grabbing an outdoor bench. Bear Market, Various Locations Bear Market was set-up by two architects and you can feel it the second you walk in to any of their locations. The shops are beautifully decked out with hardwood flooring, exposed copper pipes, and lots of light. What’s more beautiful though is how you have a really good chance of finding a dog to chat to, from a distance, while waiting for your coffee. While not all Bears are out of hibernation yet, they’re keeping Instagram updated as they reemerge. Note: The IFSC location gets really busy so doesn’t let dogs in for now. The Orange Goat, Ballsbridge Located on Serpentine Avenue, The Orange Goat has indoor and outdoor seating and a warm welcome for those visiting with their dogs. It’s also right near the DART, for dogs on the go. Gaillot et Grey, Clanbrassil Street While you can’t currently bring your dog to Gaillot et Gray on Clanbrassil Street to sit-in, they are doing delicious wood-fired pizzas and lunches to go. We’re looking forward to seeing them back open in full, and would suggest you put it on your list when it does. You’ll also be a very short walk from dog-friendly pub MVP if your party animal wants to go out-out. The Old Spot, Dublin 4 There’s nothing nicer than the whole family around the table for dinner with the dog snoozing at your feet. Thanks to The Old Spot , you can do this without having to be the one to cook or wash-up afterwards. Dogs are allowed in the bar at the front so be sure to ask for a table there when booking if you’re bringing the pooch along. Blas, Kings Inns Street Fresh and seasonal food is the focus in Blas and your dog can join you for breakfast, lunch, or weekend brunch; plenty of pupportunity (sorry) for some bonding time. It’s a big spot so we’re hoping that well-spaced tables mean that dogs can be accommodated as easily as they were before, but there are external benches and lots of grab-and-go food options if you want some fresh air. Storyboard, Islandbridge Some dog-friendly spots fall into the “look, we’re letting your dog in so don’t expect too much from the food” category, but Storyboard is very much not one of those thanks to their seasonal food and great coffee. Currently, they’re operating take-out only plus have lots of lovely dips, cheeses, and pastries on sale, so pop in before hitting the Phoenix Park and head for a picnic with your pooch instead. Urbanity, Smithfield Great for groups thanks to a menu with plenty of meat, vegetarian, and vegan options, your dog won’t go hungry for food or attention thanks to the treats and puppy love dispensed generously by staff at Urbanity . Plus there's plenty of lovely shaded outdoor seating. Click here for more dog friendly spots, as picked by Taurean Coughlan from Two Boys Brew . Know any other spots that are paricularly great for dogs? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie.

If the last few months have taught us anything it’s that life is too short to be unhappy. Buy the impractical shoes, talk to strangers' puppies, and eat all the desserts. It’s also taught us that if left to our own devices, we’ll happily forego our five-a-day in favour of carbs and coffee, but these five fruity desserts give us the best of both worlds. While we can’t promise that all of these are 'healthy', we’re pretty sure that eating them will make you 'happy', and really what else matters right now. 1) Cherry Frangipane Tartlets from Tiller + Grain Cherry season is sweet but short so we’d suggest taking every opportunity you can to get your mitts on them. These almond and cherry frangipane tarts from Tiller + Grain are like a little burst of sugar and sunshine in the middle of all the wind and drizzle our weather app is predicting. 2) Sweet Mezze From Brother Hubbard North Mezze-style is one of our favourite ways to eat, mainly because we’re greedy and want to try as many things as possible at each meal. The new sweet brunch mezze from Brother Hubbard North has pretty much every angle covered thanks to the inclusion of chia overnight oats, roasted peach, caramelised brioche with labneh, sweet dukkah, and a tahini-honey sauce, and there’s even a little berry smoothie on there. It's practically a fruit salad. 3) Cherry Tart From The Joy Of Cha There was only one response when this sour cherry cheesecake from Joy Of Cha in Temple Bar appeared on our Insta feeds - swoon. We're not sure we'll be able to get through the week without diverting in for a taste. 4) Roast Banana and Coffee Mille Feuille from Woodruff Woodruff in Stepaside is back with a bang with pre-order and collection services on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and the dining room reopening for weekend dinner and lunches. Their new menu is pretty much a list of all the things we like to eat, but we would 100% start with this mille feuille of roasted banana, coffee, dark chocolate, caramelised walnuts and all the layers of crisp puff pastry. 5) Ice-Cream Sandwich From Two Pups When this popped up on Two Pups ’ Insta, it caused gasps across the ATF team. Yes, we’re a dramatic bunch, but we do love a good ice-cream sandwich. This one has homemade strawberry ice-cream sandwiched between two tahini cookies, with white chocolate and sesame seeds, and looks about a million times more delicious than anything in our fruit bowl or freezer right now.

In the Sunday Times this week Niall Toner is telling it like it is after a visit to new "art diner" Dig In , and major respect for not using this pandemic of ours as an excuse to gloss over the meal's less than perfect elements. It's the first bit of negative commentary we've seen since reviews started back, and while we all have sympathy for the industry (and many others), this is a public service after all, and where we spend our money/covid payments/redundancy (delete as applicable) has never been more important. In a nutshell, the new incarnation of Green 19 has several dishes remarkably similar to the former menu, and the new ones include some "ungenerous mushrooms" on beetroot hummus that was "employed in the torture — and eventual murder" of a piece of sourdough, prawn skewers that weren't a patch on ones he'd bought in Howth a few days previous and cooked himself, and a prawn salad that was "fine". Beef tacos were a success, and the fries were as good as he remembered from Green 19, but it's unlikely to have you running there, unless the art is more important to you than the food. Read his review here . In the Irish Daily Mail it's yet another rave for Canteen at The Marlin from Tom Doorley - possibly the raviest one yet. He says James Sheridan's (who they call Sheehan - whoopsie) cooking is as "enthralling" as he remembers from when Canteen was in Blackrock, and that there's "magic" going on there. He loved every bite, from an amuse bouche of onion and brie tart, to a starter of mackerel tartare with oyster emulsion, to a main of barbecue pork jowl topped with "the best pork crackling in Ireland". Desserts of strawberry tart and chocolate cremeux were "sensational" and "exquisite", but he wished the wine list was as interesting as the food (review not currently online). In the Business Post Gillian Nelis was having martinis and "succulent classics" at Wilde in The Westbury Hotel, including crab tartare with avocado purée, Dover sole on the bone, ribeye steak with chunky chips and bearnaise, and crème brûlée. She says it's not the place to come for "cutting edge-cuisine" or if your budget is tight, but for elegant surrounds and classic dishes. And don't miss The Sidecar 's martini cart. Read her review here . In the Irish Times Corinna Hardgrave reviews soup, sambos and cake at The Hazel House in Rathfarnham, "a café with a carpentry workshop". She calls it "a charming outdoor space for a casual bite", with food that's "unfussy, generous and well-priced". Their bites included vegetable soup with porridge bread ("good, fresh flavours"), a veggie bowl ("hugely generous"), and a spicy chicken melt ("a hefty sandwich ... nicely toasted golden"), as well as cakes with a "delicious home cooked taste". She gives it 7/10 and while it's unlikely to make your "must eat in" list, it might be a handy one to have in your back pocket if you end up at the foot of the Dublin mountains and hunger strikes. Read her review here . In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness is at Baste , or more accurately Lil Portie 's Caribbean pop up at Baste. She gives the food 9/10, which included "simple and fresh" Cuban chicken wings, 24-hour marinated and 10-hour smoked pork shoulder, proper jerk chicken cooked over Irish whiskey barrels, and "gorgeous" mango and chilli ice-cream in a biscuit shell for dessert. She calls it "great cooking", with "top-quality ingredients" and "an outdoor space that's perfect for pandemic dining." Read her review here . In the Irish Examiner Joe McNamee uses the excuse of needing comfort and reassurance to justify a return visit to Farmgate Café in the English Market in Cork, only 18 months after last reviewing it. All was as it should be, with cottage pie "a fruity, rich stew of beef and mushroom with buttery mash", house pate of duck and Longueville brandy "creamy" and "balanced", and Toonsbridge ricotta with tarragon roasted cherry tomatoes on sourdough "lovely". He says on any given day Farmgate can be his "favourite place to dine in the world", but now "it is an especially comforting treat, a treasured link to another, less fraught time." Read his review here . Finally in the Sunday Independent , she's only back and already ditching the reviews for those summer round ups. This week Lucinda O'Sullivan's telling us about the best shacks, trucks and yards for al fresco dining. Getting a mention in Dublin are Baste (so hot right now), Happy Out in Clontarf, Riba in Stillorgan and Nightmarket in Ranelagh (below). Read that here . More next week.

Welcome to a new and slightly condensed version of the critics' reviews. Our last one was back in March , before the world as we knew it was turned on its head, and within days there was nothing to review as everywhere had shut. The reopening has been slow and, for many, painful, and the critics haven't been entirely sure how to deal with criticising an industry repeatedly said to be on its knees, but this weekend they're all back. What we can tell you is that we're unlikely to see an ounce of criticism (in the negative sense) for the foreseeable future, making the whole category that bit less interesting, and you potentially won't get the full story on a meal, as none of our newspapers give their critics enough time, or budget, to visit multiple restaurants if the first wasn't all that interesting - although if somewhere was really bad you can be sure it will be put on ice and you're not going to hear about it, not until there's a vaccine. There's also the not-so-small issue of another potential lockdown on the cards if the reproductive rate keeps rising, so who knows how long this version of normal will even last. So with all of those qualifications in places, here's who went where this week... In the Irish Times it's new restaurant critic Corina Hardgrave's third week on the job. There's been much mumbling about the fact that the IT didn't take this opportunity to make their critic anonymous, and make the whole thing a bit more interesting (is anyone ever going to do it?), but if you've spent the last few years complaining about Catherine Cleary reviewing wine bars and not uttering a word about the wine, you'll be glad to know that it's likely is feature strongly from here on in. This week she was at Andy Noonan's Baste , which she says is serving "the best barbecue in the country", singling out the sugar-pit-cured shorthorn beef rib - "incredibly good" - and the tangy Alabama white barbecue sauce - "so good" with the pork and chicken. She gives them 8/10 calling it "seriously skilled cooking", and if you're a regular IT restaurant review reader, you'll be thrilled to hear that the verdict on the music has been substantially upgraded from "nice" to actually telling us what it was - in this case "really good 70's funk". Read her review here . In the Irish Examiner Leslie Williams is back with his first post-lockdown review, and it's one of the more informative and entertaining reads this week. He chose Monty's of Temple Bar (including the disclaimer that they go back quite a while), and anyone anxious about eating out will be soothed by the extensive post-Covid measures put in place here. Along with an overview of what Nepalese cuisine actually is and the couple behind Monty's, he calls the Poleko squid "simply joyous", the Nepali dumplings (momos) the food of the Gods, and the garlic and coriander naan "probably ... the best in the country". The Examiner have decided to do away with the scoring system for the time being, but he says they left "sated and fully restored". Read it here . There's clearly nowhere else to eat in the city right now except Canteen at The Marlin , as both Niall Toner and Lucinda O'Sullivan review it this week, following Corina Hardgrave and Gillian Nelis in the past few weeks. In the Sunday Times Niall Toner liked the food more than the "trendy Instagrammable tropes" all around the hotel. All the adjectives are out to describe what they ate, including "beautifully constructed" amuse bouches, and "unctuous" lobster canneloni, and he says it was delicious, fun and they loved it. Read his review here . In the Sunday Independent Lucinda O'Sullivan broke with tradition by arriving in on Canteen's first night open. Luckily for them the food was "sublime", "perfect", "classic", "divine" and even "luscious works of art", and she calls the pre-theatre menu at €29 or €34 "the steal of the year". Read her glowing review here . In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness had the perfect Sunday at Aimsir's new lounge , after declaring she doesn't like "boring" brunch, traditional Sunday lunch ("better at home") and afternoon tea ("too much sugary stuff and not enough wine"). Highlights from the no choice, €45 menu included, deep-fried Dexter beef tenders, meaty ray wings with wild garlic, ramson capers and foaming brown butter hollandaise, and a whole Ballylisk Triple Rose cheese between two (if you've had it you know), grilled and served with lavender and honey. She calls it "unpretentious and chilled ... perfect for us Sunday curmudgeons." Read her review here . In the Irish Daily Mail Tom Doorley reckons he's found somewhere decent to eat in Killarney (which is kind of a big deal - waits for the backlash from Kerry people). He ate at the Celtic Whiskey Bar & Larder , which as well as spirits had an "absolutely brilliant wine list", and he thought their foie gras on toast topped with poached eggs and buttery hollandaise (€11) was "one of Killarney's great bargains". A local charcuterie platter was "outstandingly good", a complicated sounding tarte tatin was "a sweet, toffee-ish treat", and he had much praise for the great value wine and sherries. (Review not currently online). Finally in the Sunday Business Post Gillian Nelis was on her holidays at the Tannery in Dungarvan, where she was impressed at the covid-related measures including visor-wearing staff and ample hand sanitiser. She was equally impressed with the food, including a Young Buck panna cotta, a baked artichoke filled with niçoise salad, and confit pork with a gooseberry confit and choucroute. She says the service was "delightful", the food "a joy", and that it's good to see the "twenty-something year old star of the Irish restaurant scene shining as brightly as ever". Read that here . More next week (hopefully).

*Updated 21st July 2020* Restaurants have reopened and we're high on life, but some people are still understandably cautious about being trapped in an enclosed space with others for an extended period of time. We know that your chances of catching Covid-19 are greatly reduced in outdoor settings, so dining outdoors will be the key factor in attracting some people back to restaurants again - just expect those tables to be very in demand. Here's where you can eat outside in Dublin - newly updated. Urbanity Al Fresco Smoothie bowls, Vietnamese noodle salads and fried chicken sandwiches are all available at Urbanity 's new outdoor space in Smithfield. Open Monday - Sunday for breakfast, brunch, lunch and very good wine. Takeaway's still available too if you'd prefer to take it to a park or back home. Book by emailing hello@urbanitycoffee.ie or calling them on 01 8747288. Saba's Secret Garden Saba on Baggot Street have added a secret garden out the back (currently open air but awning to follow) with holiday style lighting and art by Subset. It's open from 12:00 Tuesday - Saturday serving food all day, including black pepper squid, Thai beef salad and Pad Thai. There's also a pretty extensive cocktail menu with €7 cocktails before 19:00. Book online or call them on 01 5631999. Piglet Piglet might be cosy inside but outside on the terrace is as close to a Mediterranean holiday as most of us are going to get this year. Order a white port and tonic and some prawn pilpil and indulge in some prime people watching on Cow's Lane. Book online or email oink@pigletwinebar.ie . The Commons At Moli The Commons Café in the Museum of Literature, run by Domini and Peaches Kemp, reopened yesterday and has a beautiful courtyard out the back just screaming for a sitdown in the sunshine. They're open Monday - Friday from 11:00 - 15:00 (for the moment), serving lunch and cake, and it's a little slice of paradise in the city centre. Baste Andy Noonan's outdoor barbecue space on Clanbrassil Street started with mid-pandemic takeaways and has developed into a full sit down area in the evenings. They've just launched new dinner events at €50 a head from Thursday - Sunday for a sharing menu of BBQ bites, meats, sides, salads and sauces, with ice-cream cannoli for dessert, and you can book on their website . Click and collect is still available but just for takeaway. Coppinger Row Mediterranean-inspired Coppinger Row off South William Street reopens on Wednesday 8th July with reduced capacity, and you know the outside tables are going to be the ones to nab. There's an awning too in case our typical July weather takes hold. Book via their website or by emailing info@coppingerrow.ie . Charlotte Quay Coppinger Row's sister restaurant Charlotte Quay has also reopened with ample outdoor space overlooking Grand Canal Dock. Crab & crayfish croquettes, tuna crudo and gambas pil pil with a chilled glass of Saltatempo Verdicchio overlooking the water are what summer dreams are made of. Book on their website or by emailing info@charlottequay.ie . La Maison Old-school French bistro La Maison 's outdoor seats have always been in demand, but expect that to take a leap under the present circumstances. If you do get lucky enough to bag one you'll be able to enjoy moules frites, sole on the bone and tarte tatin from your terrace table while judging everyone drinking from plastic pint glasses on Castle Market. Book on their website . Bresson French fine dining restaurant Bresson in Monkstown has plenty of space and a few sought after tables on the terrace, so you can enjoy your seafood cocktail, duck á l'orange and cheeseboard with a side of seaside air. Book on their website . King Sitric Seafood specialists King Sitric in Howth have a good sized outdoor space which is usually mobbed with tourists, but we won't be seeing many of those this year so your chances of getting one have never been better. They've merged with East Café Bar, the more casual downstairs outpost, and have one menu going forward across both floors and outside. Book by calling 01 8325235 or email reservations@kingsitric.ie . Lenehan's Lenehan's in Rathmines is back open, along with two outdoor terraces. There's a large selection of small plates (just remember, no sharing you guys), and a lot of the food is cooked on their grill. Perfect for a humid summer evening in the city. Book on their website . Michael's Michael's in Mount Merrion is gearing up to reopen at the end of July but in the meantime you can feast on seafood at their 'garden tables' outside. They're open from 13:00 - 20:00 (along with takeaway) and the menu includes oysters, charcuterie and the infamous seafood platters. Just show up or call them on 01 2780377 to check if there's a free table. Suesey Street Suesey Street 's terrace is one of the best in the city and has a retractable roof for that inconsistent Irish weather. They're open for lunch and dinner from Wednesday - Friday and dinner on Saturday. Book on their website . The Terrace At The Shelbourne The Terrace in The Shelbourne Hotel is one of those city centre secrets that you'll be very smug you're in on. The limited food menu features salad, open sandwiches and platters, and it's a lovely way to while away a few hours, ideally with cocktails or wine in front of you. Book through The Shelbourne . Yarn The upstairs pizza place from The Woollen Mills is back open, with a very spacious roof terrace overlooking the Liffey and the Ha'Penny Bridge. Open from 16:30 - 22:00 seven days a week. Book on their website or by calling 01 8280835. Angelina's Angelina's outdoor tables are the ultimate in goals on a sunny day in Dublin 4. They're open seven days a week for lunch and dinner with brunch at weekends. Book on their website or by emailing book@angelinas.ie . Circa Circa in Terenure are back at it with a new chef, and are in the process of revamping their outdoor space. The new look terrace at the back will feature a roof and heaters, so the weather won't get in the way of your booking, and it should be open in the next week or two. Book via their website . Fade Street Social The rooftop at Fade Street Social has a flatbread and bar bites menu, with things like duck spring rolls, padron peppers and chiffon squid, and lots of cocktails to wash them down with. Book a table on their website .

Remember the things we used to believe? We believed our employers when they said we had to be in the office eight hours a day to get any work done, we believed our landlords when they said they had to put rents up because there was a shortage of housing, not because they could make more money on short-term lets, and we believed that the only good food in jars was available in places like Spain and Italy, which made a mockery of our shelves stacked with Dolmio. But how times have changed, and so have our jars. Here are five we want to stock our pantries with this week.. 1) Rhubarb and Raspberry Curd from The Cupcake Bloke f there was a fruity beauty competition, this jar would be wearing a bikini and telling us about how it longs for world peace. Raspberries, rhubarb, free-range eggs, and Irish butter are packed into this beautiful pink curd from The Cupcake Bloke , available for a limited time only. 2) The BBQ Sauce Collection from Chimac Oh Chimac , you do spoil us. These mega 500ml bottles of their famous K-BBQ, Korean Hot Sauce, and Sriracha Caramel pack a serious punch, and the quantity means you can pretty much add them to everything. We’re currently working our way through the sriracha caramel and it is just as amazing as it sounds. 3) Dulce de Leche from ALMA Yes, we love ALMA for their range of salads and sandwiches, but can never resist the pancakes and banana bread, mainly due to the fact that they’re bathed in homemade dulce de leche. It’s now available to buy by the jar and unsurprisingly proving to be a best seller. Get more than you need to allow for all those times that you’re going to dip a spoon into the jar as you pass the fridge. 4) The Alabama White BBQ Sauce from Fowl Play We were delighted to see that Fowl Play now sell their house BBQ rub and hot sauce to go, but the one we’re most excited about is the more unusual Alabama white barbecue sauce - a tangy marinade or dip with mayonnaise, vinegar and horseradish, that's amazing on chicken wings, barbecued meats and veggies. 5) Strawberry Red Chili Hot Sauce from Fia We’re big fans of sweet and spicy combos but haven’t had a strawberry and chili fermented sauce before, so we’re really keen to remedy that with a trip to Fia . They’re also selling their house made peanut butter and we’re convinced that both together on toast could be a ticket to success.

Usually by this time of the year, we’re either on holiday abroad stuffing ourselves with local food and wine, or we’re fervently researching local websites to help decide where’s first on our list when we get off the plane. This year however it's a time to follow advice, avoid non-essential travel, and use the time to explore our own lovely, albeit rainy, country instead. While we know Ireland has no end of great local spots, not everywhere has fully reopened, and not everyone is keen to spend as much time in cafes and shops as usual, so there may be some additional planning needed to make sure you’re eating all the best things, even if it means bringing some of them with you (note: this is particularly relevant for that isolated Air BnB in the middle of nowhere. Peace and quiet is great but being stuck for decent food is not). Here are 10 things you can stock up on before you leave Dublin to make sure you eat well when you get there. 1) The Chef's Menu From Host Host at Home has been one of the highlights of our year. At the start of lockdown they had to close the restaurant and re-open as a grocery store, selling their own signature plates to have at home. We’ve eaten our way through most of their menu at this stage (for research purposes obvs), and the duck ragu has gotten us through some of our darkest lockdown days. For the ultimate in holiday extravagance at your home away from home go for the chef’s menu featuring a 600g salt-aged rib eye on the bone, a pasta dish, starters, sides, and dessert for two for €60. It’s the ideal meal for the first night in your new surrounds as all that needs to be cooked is the steak and fresh pasta - everything else just needs to be heated or plated. 2) Cookies From Bread 41 If you were lucky enough to be able to get to Bread 41 easily during lockdown (guilty), it’s probably safe to say you have a dependency now and there’s a real risk that going a day without their fresh breads and pastries could cause serious withdrawals. We can’t have that so would highly recommend that you stock-up big time before getting in the car. Their salted chocolate cookies are legendary and they’re the ultimate in portable. Pro tip: take more than you think you’ll eat; while they’re best eaten on the day of purchase five mins in a hot oven will bring a day-old cookie back to life beautifully. You can also freeze them. 3) Agnolotti from Forest Avenue When you think of Dublin, what images come to mind? The Poolbeg Towers? Yes. The Spire? Possibly. A plateful of cheesy agnolotti under a blanket of parmesan eaten in the minimalist calm of Forest Avenue ? Definitely. They may have been the first Dublin restaurant to pivot to a grocery shop and they’ve had a queue of people lining-up for their signature pasta to cook at home ever since. It’s the ideal holiday food, cooks in five minutes, and the addition of butter and sage elevates it to a level of culinary excellence that your AirBnB has probably never seen before. 4) A Pizza Kit From Toonsbridge Dairy If you’re going to be driving all day and hate the thought of having to prep and cook a meal as soon as you arrive at your holiday rental, especially if you have hungry kids to feed, we would highly recommend you grab a pizza kit from Toons Bridge Dairy on George's Street. There’s a choice of margherita or chorizo, and each kit makes two pizza, complete with Toons Bridge’s own special pizza mozzarella. We’d recommend you leave space in your boot for lots of olives, cheese and charcuterie too. Plus, you’ll need some cannoli for the road; theirs are some of the nicest we’ve tried recently. 5) The Bacon Cheeseburger Box From Featherblade While it’s not BBQ weather, we’re nothing if not optimists. If you don’t have the foresight to make sure the house you’ve booked has a BBQ, even a frying pan will help you make the most of a burger kit from Featherblade . You’ll thank us when you’re tucking into some of the tastiest burgers we’ve found, and we did a LOT of research. Order for Dublin/Maynooth/Celbridge/Leixlip/Wicklow via www.stuffuneed.ie , or nationwide to anywhere via Featherblade themselves if you don’t want to have to find room in the car. If you do have room in the car you can also collect. Boxes are €40 plus €5 for delivery and feed six hungry people. 6) A Lunch Hamper From Mamó This one will ideally be eaten on the day it’s delivered, but what better excuse to stop halfway to your destination for a picnic. Plan ahead, order your Mamó lunch hamper to be delivered on Saturday before you set-off, and you could be digging in to Tartine sourdough, olives, soused herring, prosciutto, and lamb en-route. Beats service station sushi any day. Pre-order on their website . 7) Sugar Pit Cured Beef Rib from Baste Baste , Andy Noonan’s outdoor dining and take-away BBQ spot on Clanbrassil Street, has been flexing from just pick-up to outdoor mini-festival venue. If you’re not going to be sticking around you can pre-order an extra-large Shorthorn beef rib that’s been cured, cooked over smoke and vacuum-packed for you to reheat at your holiday destination. It’s exceptional value at €20, and there’s also 500g of cooked pulled pork for €18. Of course, there’s nothing to stop you buying a full hot BBQ box with sides and scoffing them in your car before you even leave the city. We don’t judge. Order and availability info is on www.bastebbq.com 8) Dulce de Leche Pancake Kit from ALMA There’s nothing like waking up on the first morning of your holiday when your brain snaps into gear, reminding you that you have a break from work and a whole week or two of freedom, so it’s important that you start as you mean to go on with a delicious breakfast. The dulce de leche pancake kit from ALMA ticks all the boxes - fast to prepare, luxurious, and supremely tasty thanks to the additional toppings of fruit, brandy orange mascarpone, and THAT dulce de leche to smother the fluffy pancakes in. See www.alma.ie for pre-order info. 9) A BoSsam Feast From Mister S We loved Mister S ’ weekly offerings during lockdown, and while they’re now open again for eat-in, they’ve kept the BosSam Feast on the menu, for collection or delivery in Dublin and parts of Wicklow and Kildare. Featuring a giant Andarl pork shoulder with flatbreads, pickles, brown butter roasties (which reheat surprisingly well), salads, sides and sauces, it’s a monster of a meal that would easily stretch to feeding 6-8 adults, for €80. We’ve had it, we loved it, and think it would be a great option to bring on holidays to let everyone graze at over a few days. 10) Allta Box Stocking the car to bring lots of lovely food with you is fine, but what if you’re not organised enough? Or, worse again, what if you get to your destination to find that lots of local shops and restaurants haven’t reopened yet or have erratic hours? Allta to the rescue. They ship their classic AlltaBox (plus a new shellfish box), all over Ireland so you can get bread, cured meats, pickles, pasta and wine delivered right to your holiday home door. Boxes go on sale every Saturday for delivery the following week. Details are on www.alltabox.ie .

With pub reopening dates paused for now, finding a decent bar to prop up while spending €9 on food has suddenly become very important. When it comes to pub grub, disappointment can be the order of the day, so we've picked a few of our favourite places to sink a pint without eating something you'll immediately regret. Mary's Bar In Mary's Bar on Wicklow Street, a ham and cheese toastie and a pint will only set you back €8 from Monday - Thursday (usually €5 for the toastie), so you may need to double up to reach the required spend. It won’t be a hardship, they're good and cheesy and the perfect vehicle to soak up a cold beer, so munching your way through two of them over a few hours shouldn't present any issues. If you're after something more substantial a cheeseburger from Wowburger downstairs runs at €6.45 and a side of onion rings are €3.95. FXB's At Ryan's Of Parkgate Street The downstairs bar at Ryan's is a great Dublin pub, retaining its olde worlde atmosphere without venturing into twee territory. €10.50 will get you a very generous plate of devilled lamb's kidneys with smoked bacon, mushroom and brioche, or if you go on a Sunday the roast rib of beef (€17.50) with Yorkshire pudding, creamy mash, duck fat roast potatoes, confit shallots, roast carrots & tenderstem broccoli puts carverys to shame. The Bloody Marys are excellent and good value at €8. L. Mulligan Grocer Venturing into more gastro territory, the starter plate from L Mulligan Grocer has a haggis wonton, apple and pork rillettes, black pudding croquette with Arun bakery sourdough, piccalilli and stout ketchup at €11.50. If the budget allows, the moules frites (€15) with triple cooked chips and Hoegaarden mayo are excellent. Paulie's Pizza at Slatterys, Beggars Bush The first of the pub/pizza combo’s is Slattery's in Beggars Bush who have teamed up with neighbours Paulie's Pizza to provide all the food. Truffle arancini with tomato fondue & parmesan are within budget at €9.50, or split a Zoe pizza with buffalo mozzarella, tomato sauce, nduja, pepperoni, spicy salami and fresh chili for €17. An extra topping could push this to the required €18 for two. Booking is essential online as walk-in’s will not be accommodated. Taphouse, Ranelagh In Ranelagh Taphouse wins for a great selection of nibbles within budget. A plate of Irish cheeses is €9 on the nose and both tacos and sliders are €4.50 each or 3 for €12. If you're in the mood to share, a charcuterie and cheese sharing plate is €18 for two. Book on their site . BoCo Pizza At Harry Byrne's Another pizza and beer collaboration where Harry Byrne's in Clontarf are celebrating a new found friendship with BoCo pizza and their wood fired pizza truck. In a strange move Harry Byrne's are adamant that they will not be taking reservations, but according to all the positive feedback on their social media they are allocating strict timeslots to those who risk just showing up and being ultra-responsible when it comes to covid guidelines. Pizzas start at €13. Doheny & Nesbitt An old school bar with a menu to match, Doheny and Nesbitt are back in business. Your €9 goes a long way in here (food wise anyway) with a toasted special for lunch at €4.95, leaving enough in the budget for a plate of chips on the side or a slice of apple crumble with fresh cream. For a completely retro experience, a sharing platter for two gives you sliders, chicken goujons, spring rolls, cocktail sausages and chips for €21, making it only slightly over the €9 per person budget (not recommended - unless your main priority is soakage). Book online . Blue Bar, Skerries If chicken wings are your thing then head for Blue Bar in Skerries. The large portion is €14.95 but is more than generous and would easily feed two. Add a portion of rustic fries at €4.95 and hope for good weather to soak up the seaside atmosphere. If wings aren’t your thing then a chowder is €9.95 or lemon pepper squid is also €9.95. Book online . The 108, Rathgar Part of the Galway Bay Brewery company, The 1 08 in Rathgar has reopened with quite a few options to help you part with your €9. Wings, buttermilk fried chicken and caesar salad are all €9, and halloumi fries and cauliflower wings fall just below budget, so you'll need both. Being a brewery pub there's obviously a good selection of beers on draft and if you want the party to continue after your allotted time has run out then you can take home a growler of any of their draft beers. Call them on 01 4906044 to book or email the108@galwaybaybrewery.com .

Restaurants were officially allowed to reopen three weeks ago, but many have decided it's just not viable to open their doors yet with such reduced capacity due to social distancing. Others have taken a bit longer to get up and running and figure out how to make their business work in "the new normal", and these are the latest places in the city to swing their doors back open. Gertrude After months of total silence from Gertrude we'll admit to feeling a tad concerned, but the lady is back - for Saturday and Sunday brunch only. They reopened at the weekend with reduced seating, a maximum stay of one hour and 15 minutes, and reservations are advised. They're taking details for contact tracing, if you're more than five minutes late you'll need to rebook into the next available slot, and yes the fried chicken and buttermilk pancakes are still on the menu. Fish Shop Benburb St Fish Shop Benburb Street are back as of last Thursday with a reduced capacity of eight people (ouch) and a maximum group size of two. Walk-ins are welcome but bookings are strongly advised as you'll no longer be able to wait for a seat on site - and with those eight seats likely to be very in demand you want to make sure you haven't braved the Luas for nothing. Takeaway is also available online or in person. Email 76benburb@fish-shop.ie to book. 147 Deli There are sandwiches, then there are 147 Deli sandwiches. We had our first "Dublin dip" just before lockdown and spend most of it wondering when we'd be able to have another one. The good news is they reopened yesterday, and the Dublin Dip is first up as a special. RUN don't walk. The menu is the same as before but they're adding a new toastie menu next month, and for now it's takeaway only from 08:00 - 15:00 Monday - Saturday. L. Mulligan Grocer The guys at L. Mulligan Grocer in Stoneybatter have been undertaking some epic work to make their premises as safe as possible to return to. They've taken out tables, have sanitiser on each table, staff are wearing visors & masks, there's no-touch door handles, sensor taps, new partitions, cleaning protocols and new sanitise-able upholstery. Menus can be viewed on your phone via QR codes and they've staggered bookings so you won't arrive at the same time as a load of others (so be on time please). They're starting with dinner Friday and Saturday and Sunday lunch, and they're promising lots of scotch eggs, fish and chips and craft beer. Book by emailing table@lmulligangrocer.com or calling 01 6709889. Click and collect for growlers of draught beer is still available. One Pico One Pico reopened last week on their 23rd birthday, promising social distancing and strict procedures but the same warm welcome, wonderful food and great service. They're open for lunch from Thursday -Saturday and dinner Tuesday - Saturday. Reservations must be made on their website . Clanbrassil House Clanbrassil House is back open for dinner from Thursday - Saturday with Gráinne O'Keeffe in the kitchen dishing out hot smoked trout on sourdough and hash brown chips. They're doing the family style menu only for now (no complaints here) which is €55 a head for eight dishes to share (see their website for the full menu). They're also offering 'pod dining' so you can round up a gang of mates and take the whole room at the back. Book on their website or email reservations@clanbrassilhouse.com. Bun Cha The bun cha and fried spring rolls at Bun Cha on Moore Street have been right up there with our most craved dishes during lockdown, so we almost did a happy dance when they posted that they were back open. They have plenty of protocols in place including asking people to use hand sanitiser before entering and during your meal, to book in advance, and to provide full contact details for potential contact tracing. Tables have been removed to make more space, 15 minutes is being allowed between bookings for sanitising dining areas, and staff will be wearing masks, having their temperature checked daily and be working in teams. Impressive. Email info@buncha.ie to book or call them on 01 535 8881. Junior's Junior's in Beggar's Bush had just nabbed Fiachra Kenny (ex-head chef at The Old Spot ) before we went into lockdown, so he barely had time to show us what he's got, but they're back open for dinner from Wednesday - Saturday and raring to go after having plenty of time for a menu revamp. In a very exciting development the Kilkeel crab risotto with garlic, chilli and mussels that we loved so much at The Old Spot has made the move with him, and we're also very interested in the crab stuffed courgette flower and pressed smoked pork with pickled cherries, baby turnip, roast onion and homemade BBQ sauce. Book on their website . Bang (With A New Wine Bar) Bang on Merrion Row have reopened with a new wine bar, featuring special wines at €25 a bottle from Wednesday - Friday and a snack menu featuring Iberican croquettes, anchovy with wild leek oil and a "toasted cheesy’ truffle & taleggio", which we imagine is like a cheese toastie but will stand corrected. The restaurant's available for bookings too with a new summer menu . Book on their website . Loretta's, Phibsborough Loretta's in Phibsborough is back with a new menu featuring dishes like warm duck leg salad with kohlrabi, grapes and walnut, and jerk chicken with coconut rice and mango salsa. The locals menu is €26 for two courses or €30 for three, and they're open for brunch and dinner from Wednesday - Saturday with brunch on Sundays too. Book on their website or by emailing info@lorettas.ie . Voici, Rathmines Voici Crêperie in Rathmines will reopen later this week after an expansion of their downstairs area, and will start with a few tables downstairs. Apart from sweet and savoury crêpes they also do salads, charcuterie and cheeses, as well as lots of wine. Collection is still available too. Call them on 01 5350540 to book. The Commons at Moli The café/restaurant attached to the Museum of Literature runs by sisters Domini and Peaches Kemp reopened yesterday, as did the museum, so there's another thing to stick back on your Dublin to-do list. Grilled cheese, chicken focaccia and reuben sandwiches are all on the menu, as well as coffee from Roasted Brown and plenty of cake. Open from 11:00 - 15:00 Monday - Friday (for the moment). Book a table here .

It’s official, restaurants are open and back in business. Saturday night now has meaning again and a weekend meal out with friends gives some semblance of structure to our week, but it’s not for everyone. Whatever the reason for staying in this week, whether it’s by choice or just because your babysitter is busy catching up on their own social life, here are eight new places to try at home. Tiller + Grain's Salads Last week saw the reopening (for take away) of Tiller and Grain on South Frederick street, just as some long awaited life has been injected back into the city. Online ordering is due to go live this week but in the meantime you can expect grab and go salad boxes, Imbibe coffee, matcha lattes and tahini brownies. Drop them an email if you are planning a get together and they'll look after the food while you get on with the important tasks like catching up on just how little everyone achieved over the past four months. Bibi's Dinner Boxes On Emorville Avenue, Bibi’s café remain closed for sit in for now, but you can still enjoy some of their most popular dishes. While brunch boxes have been available for a while, bake at home dinner boxes for two have recently been introduced into the fold. Available on Fridays and Saturdays, the menu changes weekly but you can expect goodies such as chicken, leek and cider pie with Hegarty’s cheddar and hazelnut crumble. The lemon squares are also top notch. Rice We Irish do love a Chinese takeaway, and newly opened Rice from the Press Up group is the latest kid on the block for your Chinese takeout needs. With a variety of old favourites (yes, there is a spice box is on the menu) along with some classic Cantonese and Sichuan favourites, we're curious to try the dandan noodles and that Sichuan staple, fried long beans. Spitalfields' Date Night Boxes Following on from the success of their picnic boxes, Spitalfields have recently launched date night boxes that are proving just as popular. Priced at €70 for two you can expect dishes such as smoked almonds and Nocellara olives, vichyssoise with smoked bacon crumb, and The Pig’s Ear lamb shepherd’s pie (the restaurant, not the animal off cut). The price also includes a side dish, dessert and a bottle of wine, making it excellent value, and the menu changes weekly. Clanbrassil House's Meal Kits For some time now we have been impatiently stalking the Clanbrassil House social media channels in the hope that meal kits or takeaway would soon be coming our way. After lots of hints dropped by head chef Grainne O’Keefe via her insta page, our wishes were finally granted with meal kits now available for collection. Menus are released weekly and the recent barbeque spatchcock chicken with chimichurri, hash brown chips and grilled broccoli with pickled walnut dressing looked very special, with nibbles, starters and dessert for €30 a head - and you can order for just one. There's also the famous Teelings whiskey aged cote du boeuf for €28.50 which will require full cooking at home, and yes, you can order extra portions of the hash brown chips. Order on their website . Allta's Shellfish Boxes When Allta revealed their Allta Box for delivery mid–pandemic, the critics were all a flutter. Not much has changed and the newest member of the Allta family, the shellFISH box will no doubt be as difficult to get our hands on. €95 buys you enough restaurant grade shellfish for four that they say would otherwise be exported, including porcupine bank langoustines, native lobster, spider crab claws, allta fish butter and allta fish sauce, along with a bottle of wine. Rick Stein would definitely approve. Order here . Kinara's Outdoor Barbeque Festivals may well be a distant memory this summer but outdoor food is still on the cards. In Clontarf, Kinara have launched an outdoor barbeque from 13:00 - 18:00 Wednesday – Sunday, weather permitting. What’s not to like about chicken tikka on naan and a mango lassi as you stroll by the sea and mentally relive the festivals of bygone days, i.e. last summer. Flip's Vegan Burger Kits Nothing says summer quite like a burger (except perhaps ice–cream) and Flip Burger in George's Street Arcade have made excellent vegan burgers at home a possibility with their new Flip @ Home box. The kit contains everything you need to make four vegan Flip burgers in your own kitchen and all the condiments you could need. Order here .

Like us, we’re sure you don’t want to needlessly over-complicate your life, but if the last four months have been an incoherent mess of work, home, parenting, and trying to stay sane, you might want to restore a bit of order. Here’s our list of 5 thing we want to eat this week, featuring sweet foods in comforting orderly layers to help you pretend that you’ve got everything under control. 1) Alfajores From Gordita's If you’re not familiar with alfajores, you need to sort that ASAP. South-American in origin, crumbly short-bread style cookies are sandwiched together around a thick layer of dulce de leche and often coated in other loveliness such as coconut, chocolate, or a crispy meringue shell. Gordita’s are currently selling online through their Instagram page, but we’ve also spotted them in Olive’s in Skerries. 2) Vegannetta From Token Vienetta truly was the queen of 80’s desserts (unless you were really posh and had Romantica), and we still hold the mint version very close to our hearts, and freezers. Token on Queen Street have created their vegan and gluten-free take on our childhood favourite with chocolate, candied walnuts, and a spiced rum chocolate ganache, and we want. 3) Hazelnut Croissant from Medialuna Croissanterie Unfortunately, we might have to wait until after this week for Medialuna Croissanterie to open for orders near Merrion Square, but they’ve been seriously teasing us on their Instagram page and we’re refreshing at an alarming rate to see when we can get our hands on the flaky pastry goods. Top of the list will be this crunchy croissant with a Nutella cream, hazelnut praline, and coconut flakes. Just. Look. At. Those. Layers. 4) The Cardi B from No Messin' Bakery In the middle of such a turbulent time for so many Irish food businesses, we’re thrilled to see yet another new addition. No Messin’ Bakery , which describes itself as “the buttery lovechild of Proper Order Coffee Co ” (everyone’s favourite kind of child) sells a range of freshly baked cookies, buns, and tarts from Proper Order in Smithfield, and focuses on using the very best of Irish ingredients. The Cardi B. (because what else would you call a cardamom bun in 2020) is made from layers of soft brioche infused with cardamom, laminated with cardamom butter, and then glazed with a cardamom syrup. We've already tried it, and we want more. 5) Cookies From Batch Cookies Let’s face it, cookies are the original layered food because it’s not like you’re going to eat just one, so save time and grab a stack. Taking orders through Instagram, and also available from Happy Out , Batch Cookies make huge cookies with a serious chocolate to biscuit ratio. Keep an eye out for the ice-cream cookie sandwich, for even more layerage.

If it’s hot in Dublin and you’re not posing with an ice-cream on your Insta, was it really even summer? While the temperatures may have dipped, our ice-cream capacity hasn’t, and we’re making a point of seeking out as much of the good stuff as we can, while we can. Here are five we want to eat this week. 1) BuJo's Ice-Cream Cookie Sandwich We do love a bit of hype (if for nothing more than distraction purposes right now), and when we spotted that BuJo are launching ice-cream cookie sandwiches that have been five years in the works, we could immediately think of nothing else. Available from this week in white chocolate and raspberry, and double chocolate chip flavours. Consider us intrigued. And hungry. Always hungry. 2) Espresso Soft Serve From 3fe Soft-service ice-cream that packs a serious 3fe espresso kick, topped with brownie crumble is pretty much the only way we can see to combine our daily walk with our need to beat the work-from-home afternoon slump and our love of ice-cream. Give the kids a Choc Ice and save this one for the grown-ups. 3) Chimac's Limited Edition Ice-Cream Sandwiches We’ve long waxed-lyrical about Chimac ’s malty, cornflakey OG ice-cream cookie sandwiches and have been known to add an additional one (or six) to our delivery order to ensure our freezer remains a happy place. A new limited edition flavour, caramel swirl ice-cream with malted pretzel and dark chocolate cookie, has been launched this week and we’re counting down the hours until we can get our paws on one. 4) Cookie Dough And Brownie Batter From Three-Twenty Ice-Cream Lab When it comes to dessert, sometimes you want a nice scoop of grapefruit sorbet, and sometimes you want enough sugar to give a small child heart palpitations. We don’t judge - you do you. Available for collection, Three Twenty Ice-Cream Lab on Drury Street now have trays of cookie dough and brownie batter to bake at home. They come with 500ml of ice-cream and sauces, proving that more is very definitely more. 5) Little Bird's Ice-Cream Sundaes As much as we’re fond of a 99, ice-cream in tubs offers maximum potential in terms of loaded toppings. These cute sundaes from Little Bird on South Circular Road come in chocolate cookie crumbs or unicorn raspberry vanilla flavour and look like an instant mood boost.

One of the biggest bummers about the current situation has been not being able to celebrate those special occasions in restaurants, with family, with friends and all the beers. We can't fix that (although every few weeks there's another sliver of relief), but in the meantime here's some options for when you need a special occasion dinner at home, and want someone else to do the cooking... Etto's Collection Menu Big news people. Etto is officially back. Their "food for collection" menu starts this Thursday and features a set menu for two people for €60. There's olives and almonds, cured meats and sourdough, then a weekly changing starter, main and dessert (although if they try to change from this week's red wine prunes and vanilla mascarpone there will probably be an uprising). The food comes cold with minimal assembly at home, and collections are available from Thursday - Sunday. See the menu and how to order here . Rosa Madre At Home Also launching this week, Temple Bar's Rosa Madre have designed a new at home menu with the most minimal of prep involved. There's a choice of three starters (straciatella, foccacia with pesto and cured meats and cheeses), then you pick a pasta (gnocchi, tagliatelle or ravioli) and a sauce (tomato and basil, puttanesca, nduja ragu or parmesan), and either tiramisu or chocolate mousse for dessert. There's also a lasagne for two, and because all of the sauces only come in two person portions (and they're very reasonably priced) you may as well order another one and save yourself cooking the next day. It will be available for collection and delivery (Dublin 1 - 24) from Thursday to Sunday, and we'd advise keeping an eye on their website and social channels this week if you want to be first to know when they go live. Bresson's Classic Collection Menu Upmarket neighbourhood French menu Bresson in Monkstown are doing a 'classics' collection menu at the very reasonable price of €24.50 for two courses and €29.50 for three. As the name suggests it's classic all the way, with seafood cocktail or Roquefort salad to start, tuna niçoise salad or daube of beef to follow, and lemon posset or strawberry pavlova to finish. Light some candles, open some fizz, job done. Collections available Thursday - Saturday. See here for all the info. Circa At Home Circa have been in and out of the takeaway game, but they're back, with a new head chef. Gareth Naughton has departed and Darryl Haynes, who had been working with him in the kitchen, has taken over. There are no starters so maybe pick up some antipasti, then choose from their famous game pitivier, wild mushroom wellington, braised lamb shoulder or pork belly confit for mains. Desserts include Cashel Blue cheese with quince jam, rye crackers and truffle honey, chocolate cremeaux with toasted hazelnut, or if you want to really destroy yourself you can have their 'Snickers' French toast with chocolate ganache, peanut butter caramel & vanilla mascarpone. Collection only from Thursday - Sunday. Order here . Potager At Home Potager is one of the restaurants we most look forward to visiting once the current nightmare is over, but for now, Potager at Home is a worthy substitution. Rarely has a takeaway menu caused so many people to exclaim "I want everything!", but when you're faced with dishes like onion and potato bread with ricotta and lovage pesto, haddock and brown shrimp croquettes, roasted chicken broth with foie gras sausage dumpling, and Jerusalem artichoke with smoked almonds, crispy bacon and truffle dressing, you'll understand why. As if that wasn't enough there's dessert, cheese and petit fours to choose from, and we think it's really excellent value for this level of food. They're taking this week off due to an incident , but will be back next week. Order here . Grano A Casa Few places in Dublin make people feel like they're in Italy the way Grano in Stoneybatter does, and after a few weeks of planning they've launched ' Grano A Casa ' so you can enjoy their olives, pastas and tiramisu at home. We're big fans of their Amatriciana Maiale Nero with black pig guanciale, tomato sauce and pecorino cheese so that would be high on our order list. Click and collect here from Thursday - Saturday. Craft At Home The residents of Harolds Cross rejoiced when neighbourhood bistro Craft reopened for takeaway, and with dishes like Toonsbridge ricotta with beetroot, asparagus and truffle honey, or crab and leek arancini with courgette, chicory and apple salad, it's not hard to see why. Collection only from Thursday - Sunday. See the menu and book a slot here . Mulberry Garden At Home Mulberry Garden in Donnybrook have come up with a five course menu where only the main requires heating. It's €65 for two and includes bread, starters, mains, desserts and petit fours, which by city standards is a good deal. There's no choice but last week included a terrine of Wicklow pork, confit salmon with a tomato and gubbeen chorizo cassoulet and a dessert of chocolate, blueberry and popcorn. Collection or delivery within a 10km radius. Get involved here . La Maison's Click and Collect Classic French haven La Maison on Castle Market are making their coquilles Saint-Jacques, côte de bœuf and tart au citron available for collection, along with baguettes, flatbreads and frites. They're also selling wine at up to 50% off menu prices, and you can collect from Wednesday - Sunday. Order through their website . Check out more options for fine dining at home in our articles on new places to collect food from , new restaurants now delivering , and new food experiences to try in Dublin .