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Our bi-monthly list features the most talked about restaurants in Dublin right now, and things are hotting up so much we've had to increase it from 20 to 25 this month. This is where the reviewers are reviewing, the instagrammers are instagramming, and where getting a Saturday (or any) night table can take military planning, in alphabetical order... 3 Leaves Where: Blackrock Market The tiny Indian in Blackrock exploded in 2018 with zero PR attached - just word of very satisfied mouths. Soon it was being called "outstanding" by Tom Doorley and "a revelation" by Katy McGuinness and it was firmly on the Dublin food map. Expect very tasty, very good value food, and the fact that you can BYOB is another reason it's difficult to get a table in. Read our 3 Leaves once over here . Alma Where: Portobello The Argentinean café opened in mid-January with slick imagery and a very different menu to what's currently available on the food scene, and seems to have had a queue since day one. You have definitely seen the dulce de leche pancakes on social media and have probably stood on the SRC waiting for a table. Catherine Cleary called it "very special", while Katy McGuinness said it's a "small restaurant with a big personality".. Read our Alma once over here . Bastible Where: South Circular Road Always a cornerstone of the Dublin dining scene, Bastible has been catapulted back into the limelight with the news that ex-Noma chef Cúán Greene is back in Dublin and their new head chef. Catherine Cleary was swiftly through the door, calling it "the start of something truly bloody exciting". Expect a stampede. Check out Bastible's hunger-inducing Instagram feed here . Bread 41 Where: Pearse Street Did cruffins even exist before Bread 41 opened last September? What did we have as a 'treat' breakfast? What did food bloggers pull apart for insta story videos? It's fair to say that Real Bread fanatic Eoin Cluskey's Pearse Street bakery burst onto the scene and shows no signs of slowing down. Watch the sad faces pile up around 10am when they find out that everything's gone and the next bake isn't till 11. Check out Bread 41 here . Chimac Where: Aungier Street Korean Fried Chicken fever hit the capital at the start of summer when Chimac finally opened after a year of rumours. Queues down Aungier Street became the norm, and for the first week they couldn't keep chicken in stock for more than a few hours. Katy McGuinness in the Irish Independent praised their commitment to free range chicken giving the food 9/10, and they've just added brunch. Read more our Chimac once over here . Circa Where: Terenure The new neighbourhood restaurant from four industry friends won a Michelin Bib Gourmand within six months of opening, and has given diners across the city reason to get on a bus to Terenure. Leslie Williams in the Examiner saying Circa's "future looks bright", and Ernie Whalley in the Sunday Times calling chef Gareth Naughton's cooking "stylish with inspirational touches". Read more about Circa here . Clanbrassil House Where: Clanbrassil Street It's always a bit of a tie between who's getting more love - OG Bastible (above) or newer sibling Clanbrassil House, but between Cúán Green heading up the kitchen in Bastible and Clanbrassil head chef Gráinne O'Keeffe being named "best chef under 30" at this year's Food & Wine awards, we'd say they're pretty even right now. Read more about Clanbrassil House here . Crudo Where: Sandymount Dunne & Crescenzi 2.0 is from the owners' two sons, who've given the Sandymount site a serious face lift. They burst onto Instagram in January with multiple images of food that made us want to run for the Dart, and as we know, provide the excellent images and the critics will come. So far Lucinda O'Sullivan , Tom Doorley and Ernie Whalley have given it their stamp of approval and we'd say there's more to come. Check out Crudo here . Etto Where: Merrion Row Etto has been dream dining since opening mid-recession in 2013. One of the most highly rated, consistent restaurants in the city, no one was surprised to see them take home best restaurant in Ireland at last year's Restaurant Awards . Katy McGuinness reviewed them for a second time last February giving out a very rare 10/10, and saying she wouldn't change a single thing about it. Read more about Etto here . Fish Shop Benburb Street Where: Smithfield Simple seafood, sherry and natural wines have been drawing the crowds to Smithfield since day one, and it's one of the food & drink industry's favourite hang outs . Catherine Cleary likened it to "a world class tapas bar", Katy McGuinness called it "perfection", and their Monday Wine Club is without doubt the best value place to drink quality wine in the whole of Dublin. Champagne for €7.50 a glass anyone? Read more about Fish Shop Benburb St here . Frank's Where: Camden Street When Frank's butcher's shop on Camden Street became vacant, the owners of Delahunt a few doors up decided to take it over and turn it into a wine bar, leaving the butcher's frontage as is. Catherine Cleary in the Irish Times called it her "new favourite restaurant", and Aoife Carrigy in Food & Wine compared it to a cocoon, calling the food "top-class". Read our Frank's once over here . Grano Where: Stoneybatter We don't remember a new Italian restaurant ever having the impact Grano had in just a couple of months of being open. By January this year they were booking out weeks in advance, and on the two occasions we ate there, countless people were turned away all evening. Catherine Cleary called it "terrific", and Lucinda O'Sullivan said if she lived locally she'd be there every night. Read our Grano once over here . Host Where: Ranelagh Host opened in Ranelagh in 2017 and was like a corridor of London transported into a street in need. Soon the neighbourhood had a new favourite hangout for handmade pasta, sharing steak and great wine, and more than one critic complained about not being able to get a table. Host is still killing it in the popularity stakes and their fans frequently travel across the city to eat there. Read our Host once over here . Le Perroquet (New) Where: Leeson Street Nick Munier and chef Chris Fulham's French "bar and comptoir" have been whipping the Champagne-loving ladies of D4 into a frenzy over their small plates, and it's gone down well with the critics too. Catherine Cleary in the Irish Times called the food "truly enjoyable", and Lucinda O'Sullivan in the Sunday Independent said she "couldn't get enough" of it. Check out Le Perroquet here . Liath Where: Blackrock When Damien Grey split from Heron & Grey business partner Andrew Heron late last year it was a big shock, but Grey revamped and reopened as 'Liath', and reviews soon confirmed it was better than ever. All eyes were on the Michelin awards last month to see if they'd regain the star they effectively gave back on closing the restaurant, and of course they did. Read our Liath once over here . Little Mike's Where: Mount Merrion We didn't think it was possible for Michael's in Mount Merrion to be overshadowed, until little brother and wine bar Little Mike's opened a few doors up. It's left a clean sweep of critics swooning ( us included ), with Ernie Whalley describing the seafood small plates as full of sincerity and generosity, and Tom Doorley calling it "a delight". The counter seats with a view of the kitchen are the ones in demand, and the wine experience is at the same level as the food. Read more about Little Mike's here . Mamó (New) Where: Howth The reaction to Mamó would make anyone think it was Howth's first ever restaurant, and their snack take on fish and chips - taramasalata on confit potato - has already reached cult status. Tom Doorley in the Irish Daily Mail loved the "jewel-like explosions of flavour", while Catherine Cleary in the Irish Times called it "a breath of fresh sea air." Read our Mamó once over here . Mister S (New) Where: Camden Street When the guys from Featherblade said they were bringing real open-fire barbecue to Camden Street we were cautiously optimistic because of everything that's come in that genre before, but Mister S surpassed all expectations. Leslie Williams in the Irish Examiner called it "one of the best openings of 2019", we had similar sentiments, and wait times of two hours on Saturday night have been reported. Read our Mister S once over here . Potager Where: Skerries There was a lot of excitement in the industry when it was announced in January that ex-Chapter One head chef Cathal Leonard was taking over the old Red Bank in Skerries. He and partner Sarah Ryan opened the doors in June and unusually Catherine Cleary from the Irish Times was the first in. She called the evening tasting menu "the best money you'll spend on food in Dublin", and after eating there we'd be inclined to agree. Read our Potager once over here . Spitalfields (New) Where: Dublin 8 The revamped pub in Dublin 8, taken over by the owner's of The Pig's Ear, hit the ground running, with SIX critics in the door within a couple of weeks of opening. Catherine Cleary in the Irish Times called the beef cheek and bone marrow parker house roll "one of the best beef dishes in town", Niall Toner in the Sunday Times called it "lovingly crafted comfort food", and the place is hopping. Read more about Spitalfields here . Sprezzatura (New) Where: Grantham Street The story on Dublin's newest pasta place where every plate costs less than €10 has been one of our most read this year so far, and while only one critic has been in so far, our timelines have been flooded with diners partaking in cacio e pepe and nduja 'tyres' with an Irish ingredient twist. Tom Doorley said they're serving the best ragu he's found in Ireland, which is quite the compliment. Read more about Sprezzatura here . The Greenhouse Where: Dawson Street Both Irish and international food critics have cried for years that the The Greenhouse was a two-Michelin starred restaurant with a one-star rating, and last month in London no one seemed more visibly relieved than head chef Mickael Viljanen when Michelin finally made the dream real. It's now one of only two two-starred restaurants in the city and the team seems to be stronger than ever. Read more about The Greenhouse here . Two Pups Where: Francis Street Casually going about their breakfast, lunch and brunch business since 2016, Two Pups is still one of the most sought after brunch spots in Dublin, and if you go on weekends prepare to queue. They're single-handedly responsible for one of the world's greatest pairings - avocado and garlic peanut butter, and the French toast with plum compote and white chocolate reached legendary status. Read more about Two Pups here . Uno Mas Where: Aungier Street The second, Spanish-influenced opening from the guys behind Etto almost kept us waiting as long as Gertrude, but from the day they announced they were opening at the end of November there's been a steady stream of critics, bloggers and just breathing humans coming out awestruck at the gildas, the mussels, the flan. It also has some of the best bar seating in town and some is saved for walk-ins. Jackpot. Read more about Uno Mas here . Variety Jones Where: Thomas Street The first solo opening from chef Keelan Higgs has given the Liberties in Dublin 8 its first Michelin star, and Dublin's only new one for 2019. They opened just before Christmas last year, got the fire going in the hearth at the back and started cooking, and pretty soon reports were coming in about some of the most exciting cooking in the city. It was hard to get a table before Michelin took notice, now it's almost impossible - but keep trying. Read our Variety Jones once over here . Ones to watch... - Chef Niall Davidson 's Allta (Irish for 'wild'), opens next week, and it's already a given that this will be on the next list - Amy Austin , the new wine bar from 777 and ex-Luna owner John Farrell is taking an ungodly amount of time to open - Press Up's next opening, MacKenzies, opens soon on Hanover Quay. Not sure that's going to make any hot lists but in case you wanted to know - Little Pyg are talking a big talk about their "Michelin guide pizza" coming to Powerscourt Townhouse this week. Of course a new restaurant can't be in the Michelin guide, but the chef/partner behind it has quite the rep in Naples, where his pizzeria is. Whether this one follows suit remains to be seen... - Little Forest, the new Italian in Blackrock from the guys behind Forest Avenue and Forest & Marcy is delayed due to building issues, but we're eagerly awaiting news of an opening date

This week's reviews are a pretty good illustration of the general divide between the capital and everywhere else right now, with Dublin operating on the frisson of fresh pasta, French small plates and temples to tea and cakes, and everywhere else having a sole focus on Irish produce and three course dinners. Novelty vs substance? Innovation vs sitting still? We won't get into a Twitter spat about it... In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness took a real-life French person to Le Perroquet , to size it up for, well, 'French-ness'. They won a point for having legit French music on the stéréo, another for a vintage lollipop stand, and a few more for dishes like "properly tasty" beef tartare with sour cream and sheep's cheese, and "full of flavour" scallops with cauliflower and pancetta. Roast leg of lamb with seaweed potatoes and pickled pear had a "deliciously sticky" jus, but a cassoulet divided them due to a lack of the traditional sausage or duck - the second time a reviewer has passed comment on those meat-free beans. Parmesan Aligot (the cheesy potato of your dreams) lacked the "essential stringy pull", and the 'Cinema' dessert with popcorn, caramel and ice-cream had "unwelcome" cola jellies. She says she'd like to know a bit more about the provenance of the food, but she enjoyed Le Perroquet's "unpretentious ways". The French friend gets the last word, calling it "good modern French food", and they get 8/10 for food and value. Read her review here . In the Irish Daily Mail Tom Doorley discovers "a temple to real tea" in Dun Laoghaire with "splendid oriental cakes", at recently opened Nunki Tea House . It's wasn't all cake and tea though (but it was a lengthy diatribe on why stale, plastic-filled teabags are the actual devil). Gyozas were among the best he's tasted: "delicate, thin wrappers and proper savoury fillings", Kung Pao chicken was "stickily, savourily, saltily good", and "crunchy, salty" deep-fried green beans concluded a "lunchtime feast". He calls it "excellent value for money", saying he suspects they'll be regulars. (Review not currently online) For the last of this week's Dublin reviews Niall Toner in the Sunday Times hated El Grito on Mountjoy Square, but a late night trip to new pasta place Sprezzatura made everything right with the world again. Perfectly cooked pasta trumps dry, tired tacos for the record. Read his review(s) here . In the Irish Times Catherine Cleary thinks the whole country needs to visit Farmgate Café in Cork's English market, saying it "sets a standard for cooking any Irish restaurant should be proud to follow." Freshly shucked oysters from a stall downstairs with shallot vinegar, lemon, soda bread and Glenilen butter was "one of the best Irish food experiences money can buy, while lamb stew was "like it should be", with "generous chunks of gnarly soft brown meat". Steamed potatoes had "such an exuberance of flouriness" it was "almost comical", and an apple tart to finish was "ground zero for all apple tarts". She says nothing innovative but everything important is happening here, giving it 9/10 and calling it "a perfect lunch". Read her review here . In the Sunday Business Post there's similar patriotic rhapsodising from Gillian Nelis who was at Brunels in Newcastle, Co. Down. She was pleasantly shocked to find someone rocking the goat's cheese and beetroot boat, serving her "gorgeously creamy" goats' cheese mousse with a pumpkin gel, toasted pecans and peppery mustard frill leaves. She doesn't think she's ever tasted a smoother parfait than their one of smoked duck liver with spiced plums, walnuts and balsamic, and slow-roast Mourne lamb shoulder and belly with organic carrots and dukkah was "superb" and "magic". Braised shoulder of venison with celeriac and mushroom purée (above) was "packed with flavour" but they can hold the roasted coffee beans next time, and in an epic feat of customer plamasing it came with two types of potatoes - champ and roasties. They enjoyed their desserts of espresso crème brûlée and "top-drawer" Armagh apple crumble, and she says she couldn’t fault anything they'd eaten, calling the service "flawless". Read her review here . In the Irish Examiner Joe McNamee was delighted at the "vibrant yet intimate" Pigalle Bar & Kitchen , which has had a few iterations but according to Joe has finally found one with staying power. He says head chef Mark Ahern has a "serious commitment to sourcing the very best of local produce", like his "plump fleshy" mussels in a creamy sauce of seaweed and Little Fawn IPA, with nduja pork salume. Chunky, fresh monkfish fritters came with squid ink aioli and a "cracking" in-house shichimi chilli pepper condiment, "tasty" battered cauliflower came with "tender, carmelised" Crown Prince squash, pickled cauliflower and sautéed kale, and his Carrigcleena duck had "already superb flavours" maximised with some dry-hanging, before being cooked medium-rare and served with pumpkin, kale, and a puff pastry tarte tatin (phwoar). The wine list was "tidy", the service had "genuinely friendly charm", and he ends by saying: "Ahern’s cooking is smashing: consistently superb produce is always honoured and delivered with a maturity and humility, his adroit hand and keen palate forever seeking an elemental purity of flavour over any need to showcase his own ego", calling the food "as authentic a strand of contemporary modern Irish cuisine as any out there." Read his review here . Finally in the Sunday Independent, Lucinda O'Sullivan was living it up at Kim and Kayne's honeymoon destination - Castlemartyr Resort in Cork. She says through the boom and the bust head chef Kevin Burke has been delivering "stunning food", and a terrine of rabbit, ham hock and foie gras was "top notch", while Union Hall smoked salmon with beetroot and radish was "fabulous". Skeaghnore duck with parsnip purée and blackberry port jus was "wonderful", and her all time favourite thing to order, sole, was lightly chargrilled, with ratte potatoes, leek, mussels and lemon oil. Their signature dessert of Castlemartyr honey and camomile parfait, with honeycomb and milk purée was "superb", and she thought the sub-€150 bill was reasonable. (Review not currently online) More next week.

All Dublin again this week, bar a trip to Lough Erne (*sits back and waits for capital-induced outrage to ensue*), and some happy, medium happy, and ever so slightly ripped-off feeling reviewers doing the rounds. In the Irish Daily Mail Tom Doorley is first in with his verdict on new pasta place Sprezzatura , and proclaims they're serving the best ragu he's found in Ireland. The meaty oxtail sauce came with "perfectly al dente" ribbons of pasta, "impeccable" gnocchi came with sage butter, and penne with nduja and Toonsbridge ricotta was "a simple triumph". He was surprised to find an Irish tomato salad "jumping with sheer flavour", and Toonsbridge straciatella was "rich, creamy and almost buttery". He calls Sprezzatura "a breath of fresh air, not just in terms of sustainability and local produce, but also in putting it up to the so-called trattorias of Ireland" - meow, but also, fair - who serve "rubbish pasta with an Irish accent". He reckons it's as close to Bologna as you'll find in Ireland, and says he hopes the low prices (and presumably tight margins) can be sustained, so get in there and support them. (Review not currently online, read more about Sprezzatura here ). In the Sunday Independent Lucinda O'Sullivan liked new Dublin 8 addition Spitalfields , but had issue with some of the prices like Gillian Nelis a few weeks ago, peppering the review with shocked sounding dialogue like "How much did you say Biddy? In a pub? Are they mad?" You get the drift. They stuck to the small plates (how very 2019) and thought the yellow-tail tuna fillets with burnt orange and soy were "delicious". Half an avocado with crab meat and trout caviar was also "delicious" but she took umbrage with the €13 price tag, and Poulard clams with nduja were "tasty" but "again a tad petite" for €14. Coffee and orange creme caramel for dessert was "divine", and she calls Spitalfields "very good, Biddy, but pricey". (Review not currently online) In the Irish Times Catherine Cleary is way more impressed with the Commons at Moli than Katy McGuinness was a few weeks ago, calling it "a new city favourite". She says it's "a different level" to what's happening in sister cafés Hatch and Sons , and her two favourites dishes were "properly delicious" roasted carrots with radicchio leaves, dukkah and a yoghurt-thick sauce, and the "beef tea" with spiced beef in a clear broth with carrots and horseradish crème fraîche. She says the Commons is still finding its voice, but "a few more tweaks and we’ve got a classic on our hands". She gives them 8.5/10 calling the provenance "fab", and you can read the full review here . In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness seems lukewarm about Frank's on Camden Street, saying it feels "just a little too cool for school". They liked a dish of purple sprouting broccoli, hazelnut, parmesan and anchovies, but pumpkin with kale and curd was "nut hugely flavoursome" with "bland" curd. 'Salsify, walnut, pear' had flavours that were subtle ("perhaps too much"), but they did have a favourite in the form of the "most flavoursome" dish, quail, plum and chanterelles, although they would have liked some bread to mop up the tasty sauce. Not much comment about a dessert of chocolate, banana and peanut, other than that there was "good" ganache, and she wasn't a fan of an onion marmalade-smeared potato farl that came with a piece of 16 month old comté. She gives Frank's 7/10 for food, ambience and value and you can read her review here . In the Irish Examiner it's another lukewarm-ish review from Leslie Williams of newly opened Cava on Camden Street from The Port House group. Apart from a complaint about the lack of hot padrón peppers, most of it was "as you would expect", with highlights including torreznos (crunchy fried pork belly pieces), morcilla with fried quail's egg, and jamon croquettas (but he does recommend side-stepping the chicken and spinach versions), and the best thing thing they ate were courgettes stuffed with chorizo and cheese in a light batter served in a ciabatta bun. Chorizo in wine was not worth the €8.50 price tag, but pastel de natas for dessert were "excellent", and he calls it "a great addition to this busy restaurant-filled street". (Review not currently online but should be soon here ) In the Sunday Business Post Gillian Nelis ended up at at FX Buckleys in Monkstown after a failed attempt to eat at what sounds like Kerb in Foxrock, blaming the wrong opening hours on their website (now fixed). She says she's still dreaming about the kidneys in a bacon and mushroom sauce, and both a fillet steak and a ribeye on the bone with grilled bone marrow, shallot purée and watercress and were things of "meaty beauty" and "full of flavour". Beef dripping chips and creamed spinach were "top notch", but a chocolate and orange mousse with hazelnut cream for dessert was "terrible" with a "grainy" mousse, "cheap tasting chocolate" and no flavour of orange, but despite the disappointing end they left happy. Read her review here . Finally in the Sunday Times Niall Toner took a trip outside Dublin to Catalina in the Lough Erne resort in Eniskillen. He was suitably impressed with chef Noel McMeel's obsessive local sourcing, resulting in an eel dish of ecstasy, and in a Sunday Indo style development, the food pictures look like the critics own, rather than the usual polished sort we've come to expect from the ST. Tough times out there... Read his review here .

All the cheese and all the meat at a charity event in Loam , Galway, after a spell-binding day one of Food on the Edge (if you work with food or just consider it a very important part of your life and you're not at this every year what are you doing!) The meat and cheese were from Sheridan's and we were fawning over a massive hunk of Delice de Bourgogne and the Spanish cecina - like Bresaola but 100 times better than any we've had in recent memory. Earthy, funky, floral, does beef-based charcuterie get better than this? - Lisa Sausage rolls from Pie Man in Temple Bar (left - pork, black pudding and pear) and Greenville Deli (pork, pancetta and fennel) near Tara Street - research for our definitive list of the best sausage rolls in Dublin. It's a tough job but someone's gotta do it. Both good, but Pie Man is riding high at the moment - Helen A date and apple scone from Avoca in Malahide - also research for our definitive scone list. Always large, always well baked with a good amount of filling, but 45p extra for jam is taking the proverbial. Pro tip - leave the takeaway section and head into the restaurant to score all the free jam you can load on before running back out hoping no one's seen you - Lisa Porridge from Gertrude . We've long been fans of Gertrude’s porridge with strawberries and homemade Nutella so were sad to see it go, but it’s been replaced with this very autumnal version featuring plum compote, whipped yogurt, cinnamon sugar, and hazelnuts. It’s tasty, but we're hoping the Nutella makes a return - Helen Fish fingers at Kai , Galway. Food on the Edge also provided a long overdue opportunity to visit Kai, and these fish fingers make a mockery of all others. Bright, flaky fish in a crisp breadcrumb coating with tartare sauce meant many hands were reaching into this bowl - Lisa Crab on toast at Klaw Temple Bar. A Klaw classic and the crab is always fresh, but €16 felt punchy - Lisa The Kimcheese burger in Chimac . It was worth braving the waiting list on a rainy bank holiday Friday for this chicken and kimchi fix. Loaded with Ssamjang and cheddar sauce, gochujang mayo, and kimchi it packed just the punch. The prosecco frosé is also the only acceptable way to drink prosecco in 2019 - Helen A custardo from Bread 41 . While popping in for weekend cruffins and coffee one of these crumbly, flaky, creamy custard tarts was shoved into our hands, and it's the nicest we've had in Dublin to date. All hail the custardo - Lisa Chargrilled lamb with blackberries and elderberries at the Sunday Lunch Roots pop up at McNally Family Farm . OMG levels of flavour and swooning over this one. Read the full Roots once over here .

The dating scene in Dublin has changed. Firstly, it’s now called “dating”, and secondly, the source of most of these dates seems to be app-based. While we here in ATF HQ are more likely to swipe right on a pizza, we do know some of the best spots for meeting the potential new person in your life. We have some base criteria. The food must be great so if the date is awful, at least you’re left feeling somewhat satisfied, the prices must be reasonable to avoid any awkwardness when it comes to splitting the bill (nobody wants to pay for half of a stranger’s fillet steak), decent alcohol options are a must, and it needs to be easily accessible so you can get out of there if things go awry. The "I haven't been on a date for a while" date You’ve taken some you-time and now you’re ready to get back out there. It’s going to be tough to pull yourself away from Netflix but heading somewhere new and chilled will ease you back in. Where to go: Meet your date near Camden Street and stroll down to Mister S for some chats while you wait for a table. What to eat: The smoked Angus short rib and the brown butter and miso roasties. If things go well, share the salted caramel Bubble Pudding. If things don’t go well, order it anyway, but refuse to share. The "maybe I should have used a more recent profile picture" date We all have our favourite photos with that great light that exist forever as social media profile pics as if we have escaped the ageing process. Yours is from 2003 when you spent a summer tanned and hungry on a J1 in the States, but that’s fine - your date will love you for you. Eventually. Where to go: Dim lights and loud music are your friends here. Head to Hang Dai on Camden Street Lower. What to eat: The côte de boeuf for two - it’s never too early to establish if a potential boyf or girlf can behave themselves when it comes to sharing food. If things go well and you’re ready to commit, maybe now’s the time to book a table for the following week and pre-order the whole duck in advance? The "I don't really fancy them but I hope I make a friend" date You’ve gone through all of their profile pics numerous times, and while they’re not 100% your type, you’ve been messaging back and forth for a while and this is definitely a person you want to get to know, even if it doesn’t lead to anything romantic. Where to go: Chimac , Aungier Street. because friends who eat Korean chicken together are the best kind of friends. What to eat: The Kimcheese burger. It’s messy, you’ll get your hands covered in sauce, but your new bestie won’t care. The "I'm here for the belly rubs" date You swiped right because they have a dog in their profile picture and that’s pretty much 90% of what you look for in a future spouse. If you’re clever, you’ll be able to engineer a date location that combines great food with the ability for them to bring the pooch along. Where to go: The bar of The Old Spot on Bath Avenue. What to eat: It’s you, your date, and the dog; opt for the huge roast every Sunday for that instant family feel. The "I've just broken up with my ex and can't go to any of 'our' places" date This is a tough one. You’ve been part of an established couple and have lots of spots where you both go regularly but you’re not a couple anymore and you’re not ready to be seen there with someone else, or worse - bump in to your ex and their new partner. The adult thing to do would be to sit down together with a map and a red marker and agree who gets where but, until then, stick with somewhere new that neither of you have been before, and hope for the best. Where to go: Still pretty new, Le Perroquet on Upper Leeson Street is likely to be unclaimed territory. Get there before your ex does. What to eat: The menu is French-themed but there’s lots of choice between small plates and larger dishes so you can feel out our dates food preferences and decide if you want to take this any further. Go for the duck croquettes and the savoury French toast, and save room for a French/Irish cheeseboard. The "fake it till you make it" date You’re not feeling confident. You’ve been down this road before, and are feeling a little delicate from the knocks that dating has thrown at you. You need to get dressed-up and get a cocktail in your hand pronto. Where to go: Peruke and Periwig on Dawson Street. It’s beautiful inside and out, just like you. What to eat: Stick with small plates like the patatas bravas or pork belly, and ask the staff to pair the cocktails so decision making is at a minimum. The "this is my third tinder date this week" date Despite starting out eager and sliding in to more DMs than Rebekah Vardy, the law of diminishing returns is quickly becoming evident and you’re getting through first dates at a rate of knots. You can’t keep meeting, or eating, at this rate, so need to keep it light. Where to go: Pang on Kevin St. Lower. It’s casual, affordable, and ideal for a light meal where you want to avoid alcohol. What to eat: Bánh mì- a Vietnamese sandwich loaded with spiced meat or tofu and pickled veg. Don’t forget to add a side of the yellow curry lentils - it’s one of the best things to eat in Dublin and a steal at €3. The "I'm pretty sure I'm going to be catfished" date It’s all going well, maybe a little too well. Your prospective date is perfect but there’s a little niggle at the back of your head wondering if it’s all too good to be true. You want to meet them, but you think there’s a chance that they’re going to bail while you’re on the bus. Where to go: Anywhere on our Where To Eat When You’re Dining Solo guide would fit the bill here but we’d start with Loose Canon . Worst case scenario, you’re left alone surrounded by cheese. What to eat: Cheese. All the cheese. The "I'm double-booked" date Dates are very like the 46a. You wait ages for one that inevitably disappears off the screen when it's one minute away, and then two come along together. Hey, you’re a busy person and it can be difficult to fit it all in so, if you’re in the enviable position of managing to book yourself two dates in one day, brunch is the best way to start the eating without peaking too early. Where to go: Head for San Lorenzo’s on South Great George’s Street. What to eat: The Coco Pops French Toast will keep you going until dinner. Plus, if date number two turns out to be disappointing and you need to cut it short, at least you’ve already had dessert today. The "my date's a fussy eater" date Nope. Not happening. Block and get yourself a take-away. Where to go: Nowhere. What to eat: Whatever you fancy. Add a tub of decent ice-cream while you’re at it.

We don’t want to alarm you, but there’s approximately 90 days left in this decade. Just let that sink in for a minute. 2019 is hurtling past us and we’ve barely eaten any Halloween-appropriate food yet, but let that panic dissipate. We’ve pulled together a list of five things you can eat in Dublin this week that will help you ring in the seasonal change, and make you forget that we’re six months away from summer. 1) Barmbrack From Brother Hubbard North If there’s anything we love more than a spicy, fruity cake, it’s a spicy, fruity cake in miniature. This one from Brother Hubbard North is adorable and the perfect size to keep you going right through Samhain. You won’t find a ring, but you will find a whiskey buttercream, which is obviously better. 2) Pumpkin Risotto From Delahunt Poor pumpkin sometimes gets a bad rap in Ireland, where we tend to just see the huge, tasteless varieties used for carving, but it's one of our all time favourite vegetables. This week we have our eyes on this pumpkin risotto from Delahunt on Camden Street who are using sage and hazelnuts to take it to the next level. 3) Apple Tart Tatin From Chapter One Nothing is more evocative of Halloween than a good game of “bobbing for apples”. Thanks to Chapter One , you can now bob for those apples between buttery layers of pastry and caramel. The puff pastry is spiced, and served with a brown butter ice-cream. Sounds frightfully good. 4) Pumpkin Cappellacci From Host There was never going to be a list on ATF featuring Halloween-appropriate food without mention of the handmade pumpkin-stuffed cappellacci with sage from Host , was there? Not on our watch. 5) Pumpkin Bread With Maple Butter From Laine, My Love We can always count on Laine, My Love to bring the big guns and this year one of their many pumpkin based treats is this pumpkin bread with maple salted butter. Beats toast and jam any day. *BONUS* Something we want to drink While we don’t normally feature drinks in Five Things We Want to Eat, a pumpkin spice latte wouldn’t raise any eyebrows so we think a pumpkin beer deserves the same treatment. We’re big fans of independent Irish breweries and Trouble Brewing ’s special pumpkin beer is sold at various bars throughout Dublin, including The Legal Eagle .

Barely a bad word this week from Dublin to Dingle - with the exception of some stringy beef and watery cauliflower, but all was forgiven. Two critics gush about seaside-situated Mamó this weekend. In the Irish Dail Mail Tom Doorley hopes they never take the "delightful" cod chip (confit potato with taramasalata) off the menu, saying he could have eaten "vast plates" of them. A starter of tarragon gnocchi with king oyster and shiitake mushrooms was "silky and delicate", while another of seared bonito, avocado, sesame and yuzu was "simpler but not less lovely". He thought that in comparison to the "jewel-like explosions of flavour" in the snacks and starters, the main courses showed "a reluctance to mix things up", but "commendably so." Black pollack with romesco, charred courgette and razor clams had sharpness, sweetness and salinity, while pork belly with sobrassada and coco de paimpol beans (the bean of the moment) had "exquisitely tender" meat and a deeply savoury broth. Blackberry parfait with crunchie like shards of Howth honey "tasted properly of itself" (another phrase for the list ), and he calls it "an excellent meal", while also thinking that the kitchen is only getting into its stride, and the really dazzling stuff is still to come. (Review not currently online) It sounds like Niall Toner from the Sunday Times was there within a day or two of Tom as they had an almost identical meal. He claims the clams with drinkable olive oil, garlic and chargrilled toast made him so emotional he knocked over his glass of wine, and heaps similar praise on the tarragon gnocchi, brill with romesco, charred courgette and razor clams and that blackberry parfait. He says it's the best restaurant in Howth and worth the outing wherever you live (and we agree ). Read his review here . In the Sunday Business Post Gillian Nelis says the Andarl pork tomahawk at Mister S "will blow your mind" if you grew up with an Irish mammy who incinerated pork chops - "Who knew it could taste this good?" Gambas in a bisque butter on flatbread had "an incredible amount of flavour", the smoked Angus shortrib was another example of "great cooking" and the brown butter and miso roasties were "peak potato". The salted caramel bubble pudding for dessert was too rich for her, but another of strawberries, elderflower, sponge and yoghurt was "great". She says it makes her weep to think of the money people are paying for mediocre food in Dublin when you can eat this well for €50 a head including drinks (Amen to that), and that they're dolling out "superb food, great value, a really warm welcome from the young staff and a buzzing atmosphere". Read the full review here . Read our Mister S once over here . In the Irish Times Catherine Cleary is heaping yet more praise on a new opening - this time Spitalfields in Dublin 8, summing it up with one of our favourite lines of the weekend: "the leap from a packet of dry-roasted peanuts ripped from the cardboard strip beside the till (if you’re lucky) to an €18 bar snack of grilled bread, Perle Imperial caviar and sour cream is audacious." She says she rarely eats meat these days, but the "less is better" beef dish of cheek and bone marrow Parker House roll is "the best in town", while a brother with shittake mushrooms, sweetcorn and an egg yolk was "a miso laced bowl of warmth". A juicy fillet of slip sole with grapes, potted brown shrimp and rainbow radishes was jazzy, Crown Prince pumpkin wedges with cooked burrata (controversial) and dukkah was "as satisfying as meat", and the only disappointment was some watery roast cauliflower. A hazelnut and chocolate mille-feuille for two was "a Mannings Bakery close-of-day scale shoebox of a portion with hazelnut and chocolate creams piped between layers of freshly baked pastry", and she gives them 9/10, calling it "a Dublin pub with deliciousness squared." Read the full review here . In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness was trying to coax out an overdue baby (not hers) with a meal at Pickle on Camden Street. It sounds like they thought the amount of food rather than the spiciness would do the job as this was a feast and a half, but she says they took enough home for a substantial lunch the next day. She calls the food "delicious, considered, distinctive", like the sharing chaat ki rehdi - a pick-and-mix of vegetarian street-food dishes - with deep-fried kale leaves topped with coconut and green chilli yoghurt, semolina 'bubbles' (pani poori) filled with potatoes, pomegranate and mint and coriander-infused spiced water, and aloo tikki chaat - potato cakes served with chickpeas, sweet yoghurt and date and tamarind chutney. Some of the other dishes in the procession included a Khatti fish curry with stone bass, onion, green chilli, tomato, preserved lemon, fresh coriander and house-made lime pickle; farmer's butter chicken with fenugreek, ginger, green chilli and cardamom in a tomato sauce with garlic, coriander and onion; a lamb and bone marrow curry complete with a piece of bone full of marrow to be sucked out, and a slow-cooked black lentil dahl - "the ultimate comfort food". Desserts were "a revelation" and she gives them 9/10 for food, value and ambience. Read the full review (and get extremely hungry) here . In the Sunday Independent Lucinda O'Sullivan was in Kinsale at newly Michelin-starred Bastion , reminiscing about all the restaurants who've come before. She calls it "classic Michelin French-fine dining territory, with exquisitely prepared elegant food". The eight-course tasting menu featured dishes including a whole carrot with crumble and Velvet Cloud yoghurt, roasted cod with Jerusalem artichoke purée, Iberico ham and apple matchsticks, and a "superb" rabbit and foie gras roulade with golden raisins, Sauternes and violet mustard. She "wasn't wild" about some "stringy" beef fillet but the accompanying pickled girolles, candied hazelnuts, shallots and bay oil were "to die for". Dessert of French toast came with "mouth-watering" Frangelico-soaked medjool dates, salted caramel ice-cream and mascarpone, and as it often the case she ends without a wrapping up or final thought, but it all sounds lovely. (Review not currently online) Finally in the Irish Examiner Joe McNamee was in Dingle at another recently Michelin-awarded Land to Sea - this time for a Bib Gourmand. A seafood appetiser plate of Dingle crab, home-smoked salmon, Glenbeigh Mussels and a Cromane oyster showed that the chef was "sensible enough to allow quality produce do the heavy lifting", and a charcuterie plate, with everything from saucisson sec to chorizo made in-house, was the best he's had in any Irish restaurant. A butternut squash and Cashel Blue pithivier was "deeply comforting", and John Dory with roasted lemon and caper butter was "excellent produce, superbly cooked". He says Land to Sea are serving "excellent food delivered with earnest, utterly heartwarming sincerity and an honesty of endeavour that is palpable", giving the food 8.5/10. Read his review here . More next week.

When it was announced that the Bernard Shaw was closing last month it's fair to say the city went into mourning, but the good news is it's coming back - and so is Eatyard . The new Bernard Shaw opens in the old Whitworth/Porterhouse site on Cross Guns bridge, in between Glasnevin and Phibsboro on Friday 15th November, with Eatyard hosting some new food vendors. Joining the line up this season are La Cocina Cuevas , who've had people trekking to the Naul this year in search of tacos, raw and vegan specialists My Goodness who've gained a serious following in cork for their fermented foods and loaded nachos, and The Saucy Cow with vegan comfort food like "saucy spice bags" and deep-fried PB&J sandwiches. The Big Blue Bus is back and will be pulling up outside to serve their stonebaked pizzas, and Buttercream Dream will be returning with their vegan cupcakes, traybakes and brownies. Eatyard's days and times will be the same as the original site, opening from Thursday - Saturday from 12:00 - 22:00, and Sunday from 12:00 - 20:00, and there's a full programme of events planned. More details coming on those soon. Eatyard @ The Bernard Shaw Cross Guns Bridge, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 Thu - Sat 12:00 - 22:00, Sun 12:00 - 20:00 the-eatyard.com

The owners of Fish Shop in Smithfield have announced that they're closing their Queen Street location and opening a new restaurant in Tramore. Before mass panic sets in, the more casual Benburb Street location will remain open, so there will still be somewhere in Dublin to have fish and chips with natural wine. Owners Peter Hogan and Jumoke Akintola said on Instagram that they're looking forward to opening a bigger restaurant by the sea, with Peter originally from the Waterford seaside town. The Beach House in is due to open in Spring next year. Fish Shop opened in Smithfield four years ago, after initially starting as a fish and chips shack in Blackrock Market the previous year. Their second location, a fish and chip shop/wine bar on Benburb Street followed. They were seen as part of a wave of exciting new restaurants in Dublin that started during the recession, along with others like Etto, Forest Avenue and Bastible, and seemed to universally impress critics and diners, with Katy McGuinness saying she was "in food heaven" after a visit there in April. At this year's Irish Restaurant Awards they took home 'Best Seafood Experience in Ireland'. Fish Shop Queen Street will serve their last service on the 21st December, and you can book tables before then through the Tock system on their website . To check on progress with the Beach House Tramore follow them on Instagram here .

A full run of Dublin reviews this weekend which is selfishly our fav. Sorry to anyone outside the capital feeling neglected, but there are many reasons below to take a trip soon. In the Irish Times Catherine is as taken with Mamó in Howth as we were , calling it "a breath of fresh sea air". Bread with vadouvan butter was like a "version of curry and carbs chipper pleasure", ceviche of monkfish with orange and pickled cucumber was "a beautiful plate of food", and clams with lime juice, olive oil and garlic was "the dish of the night". Comeragh lamb had "gorgeous meat flavour", brill was "as fresh as you'd expect", and their Howth honey tart turned "seaside village terroir into spoon licking pleasure". She says Mamó is "a clever, kind restaurant that manages to be both fresh and comfortingly familiar" and gives it 9/10 - quite the opening score in their first week. Read her review here . Read our Mamó once over here . In the Irish Examiner Leslie Williams comes over all priest-like after a pilgrimage to Bastible in Dublin 8, quoting Jesus himself and saying the food made him "feel humble in the presence of genius and with my spirits exalted". It started with some of the best bread he's had "all decade", followed by breaded chicken thighs topped with a pickle - "utter deliciousness". After that came the "peasant favourite" swede which was elevated to "royal status" by being baked in ginger oil and served with pickled girolle mushrooms and mole sauce made from pulped roasted pumpkin seeds, Marmite and kelp stock - "2-star Michelin level flavour-layering" apparently. Mains of barbecued mackerel and braised lamb neck were "a triumph", while dessert of fluffy milk chocolate mousse encasing roasted yeast ice cream was made "other-worldly" by a sweet-sour syrup with fermented malt and beer. He says what head chef Cúán Greene and owner Barry Fitzgerald are doing "needs to be experienced", and it was "as close to a religious experience as I’m ever likely to have". They get 9.5/10 for food and drink and you can read the full thing here . In the Irish Daily Mail Tom Doorley was back at Delahunt looking for any reason to justify them losing their Michelin Bib Gourmand a few weeks ago. He couldn't find one. Beef tartare was "perfect", Jerusalem artichokes with blue cheese and walnuts were "perfectly in tune with the season", and skate wing was "cooked perfectly". Lamb with sheep's cheese and romesco (below) was "creative and clever" and a dark chocolate mousse with peanut foam was "more than the sum of its constituent parts" - which is going on our list of 'most hated critic phrases' - more of those below. A baked Saint-Marcellin cheese with rosemary honeycomb and sweet and sour chutney was "ace", and he describes the whole meal as "flawless". (Review not currently online) In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness was in Stillorgan at neighbourhood restaurant Riba . It's safe to say she enjoyed it judging by the score but there's lots of constructive criticism in there. Fritto misto was "a little dull" with garlic aioli needing "more oomph". A Rick Higgins rib-eye was "cooked impeccably" but the accompanying salsa verde was "more like a pesto" and needed more punch. Roaring Water Bay mussels were "luscious", despite the redundant sourdough shards on top, and chocolate tart suffered from pastry that was too thick and "filling-threatening" honeycomb. She says Riba is "treading the line between being a neighbourhood restaurant that is all things to all people, while being interesting enough to satisfy us food nerds", giving them 8/10 for food, value and ambience. Read her review here . In the Sunday Independent Lucinda O'Sullivan seemed to like Mister S on Camden Street, despite a slightly trepidatious Instagram post about the "bum-numbingly hard wooden benches". She calls the food "as refined and elegant as any high-end fancy pants spot" with the "plumptious" gambas (another adjective for that list) described as "lick-the-plate-clean stuff", and her skate in dashi beurre blanc "delicious". She says they regretted the lamb skewers with the "greasy" lamb belly keeping her awake that night (TMI perhaps), but they enjoyed the tender, smoked Angus short rib, and she's still dreaming of the hispi cabbage with feta and sobrasada. Review not currently online but you can read our Mister S once over here . In the Sunday Business Post Gillian Nelis says she can still taste the Irish black sole she had at Little Mike's in Mount Merrion, part of the seafood sharing platter which also included John Dory, swordfish, Lambay Island crab claws, lobster fishcakes, Clogherhead prawns and mussels, as well as "top-drawer" chips - a "plate of fishy perfection". Sixteen-hour slow-roasted ox cheek arancini with hollandaise were "divine", monkfish fritti were "crispily delicious" and wine was "gorgeous". She says she'd encourage everyone to eat in places like Little Mike's , who actively support Irish suppliers and love to answer questions about their food, and Tomás Clancy calls the wine list "a wide-ranging delight". Read her review here . In the Sunday Times Niall Toner loved the gloriously hip Soup Ramen in Dun Laoghaire, where he found an apple and honey lemonade that was "way more than the sum of its parts" (oh look there's that phrase again), ramen that teetered on the divine, and an umami salad that was a delight. Read his review here . Read our Soup Ramen once over here . And if you were hanging on the edge of your seat waiting to hear where Joe McNamee was last week we can put you out of your misery - he was in Malarkey in Killarney where he found "big, booming flavours" and "fine, comforting fare". Read that here . More next week.

The week started in London with Monday's Michelin awards (more on that here ), where many, many delicious things were eaten - there is no city in Europe as exciting to eat in as London right now. Highlights included jalapeno cornbread with scrambled eggs at Rovi , and 40 day aged beef with Taipei butter rice at Bao in Borough (after Padella was closed, the stuff of nightmares). Also worth getting on a flight for - the LiangPi (cold skin) noodles at Master Wei in Bloomsbury, and the straciatella with fragola grapes and olive oil at Flor . If you are heading over soon check out some of our favourite places here - Lisa Back on home turf there were two appearances in Bread 41 in a 12 hour period (said as if that’s an unusual event). First stop was Friday night for their evening pizza service and a margherita with both the kimchi mayo (nice) and parmesan fondue (very nice). As you’d expect, the crust was excellent with a real sourdough tang, and hours for pizza are being extended on a phased basis so get there before word gets out and the crowds gather. After the pizza coma it was back in the Saturday morning pastry queue for the limited edition Tiramisu croissant. This monster filled with espresso-soaked sponge fingers and mascarpone cream, topped with curls of dark chocolate was completely worth the wait - Helen After three days of stalking Gertrude’s Insta stories, a walk to the office was finally timed just right in order to grab a still-warm apple crumble scone to eat al-desko. The picture doesn’t do it justice. It’s approximately the size of a small family car. Chunks of sweet apple are dotted throughout, and it’s topped with a sweet, buttery, cinnamony crumble - Helen The new dessert cocktails at Old Street in Malahide. We left with a grá for the tikki one with rum, falernum, passion fruit purée, orange syrup and limes, with a pineapple and ginger tequila jelly and a slice of peanut crunch. A “quick” Sunday lunch in Little Mike’s turned into a three hour affair ending in a (shared) seafood platter later. There were no regrets - Helen Garlicky, herby razor clams with a macadamia nut crust at Mamó in Howth. Read our full Mamó once over here - Lisa A star-studded invite to dinner in Ox in Belfast on Sunday night where Alain Passard (chef/owner of three Michelin-starred L'Arpège in Paris) was cooking, turned out to be one of the best meals of the years so far. Too many highlights to name but if in gun-to-head situation would give it to a gougère filled with Irish Coolattin cheddar, Lobster in a Vin Jaune sauce with smoked potatoes and cabbage, and a pre-dessert of sheep's yoghurt, blackberry, liquorice and olive oil. Already planning a pre-Christmas festive return and the last train home after lazing away the evening in Ox Cave - Lisa.

Searching for a sausage roll in Dublin is like looking for a sockless barista with a beard - you’ll find loads but unfortunately not all are created equally, and the overly flaky, greasy ones that came out of a giant box in the freezer are best avoided. Yes the option of buying three for a euro in your local deli may be tempting but we would encourage you to resist the mass-produced rolls of questionable content, and present to you five alternatives that are on our list to seek-out this week. NB: This is not a definitive Dublin sausage roll list. These are just some that we currently have our eyes on. A definitive list is on the way after some more taste testing... 1) Alma, Portobello Sometimes feels like the team in Alma don’t just feed us, they educate us. Before they came along,we didn’t realise we had a loaded batata-shaped hole in our lives, nor did we realise that the humble sausage roll could be elevated to new heights with the addition of chimmichurri. A revelation. 2) Greenville Café, Tara Street When we heard that Tara St was getting a new café, we raised an eyebrow. Greenville Deli is within strolling distance of Shoe Lane Café, Póg, and Bread 41 so lots of competition from established names with loyal followings, but seeing these pork, pancetta, sage, fennel seed, and onion sausage rolls shot it to the top of our detour list. 3) Strudel Bakery, Dun Laoghaire Strudel tried calling these hot dogs, but customers started referring to them as 'Frankfurter Thingies', so it stuck. They’re sausages with mustard baked in flaky pastry so we’re calling them sausage rolls. 4) Green Bench Café We’ve long been fans of Green Bench Café and their gigantic sandwiches, but are very open to mixing it up in this cooler weather in favour of these meaty mouthfuls when they’re hot out of the oven every Friday. The start every October weekend needs. 5) Love Supreme We couldn't discuss Dublin's sausage rolls without mentioning Love Supreme . They’re huge, beautifully misshapen, and the varieties on offer are varied and imaginative. If you’re looking for a pasty all-pork filling, you won’t find it here, but you will find pork with pear & cardamom, red bean with chilli and coconut, or lamb with cranberries, sumac, and sriracha. Consider this to be the official launch of our petition to get the turkey, ham, stuffing, and cranberry sausage roll back on the menu in time for Christmas.

Beau-Vino , a new wine bar from the owners of The Lo-cal Kitchen , has opened in Castleknock Village. Husband and wife Stephen and Jenny Connolly say they thought the area desperately needed an alternative to "traditional boozers and family restaurants", and that they wanted to scratch their own itch for somewhere to go locally for wine and small plates. Beau-Vino is in a new retail development beside Lidl, and during the day operates at The Little Lo-Cal, serving coffee, breakfast, lunch and cake, but from 7pm Friday - Sunday it turns into a wine bar serving small plates and sharing boards. They say they want the focus to be on the wine, with all house options on tap and a rotating bottle list displayed on their 'wall of wine'. They're also selling wine 'en vrac' in refillable glass bottles to take home. Beau Vino is open now with table and counter seating inside and more seating outside under a heated awning. They're walk in only, but will take private party bookings from Monday - Thursday. Beau-Vino Lidl Neighbourhood Centre, Castleknock, Dublin 15 Fri - Sat 19:00 - 00:00. Sun 19:00 - 23:00 www.instagram.com/beau_vino

Yes, we know it’s only October, and it’s not even Halloween yet, but you can’t hide from the fact that there's less than ten weeks until Christmas (cue screaming) and the venue recommendation requests have been sliding into our DMs recently. If you haven’t booked your office Christmas party yet, or are planning to head out with a gang of friends but don’t know where to go, now’s the time to start seriously thinking about it before you’re left with nothing but a plate of dry turkey in the function room of a dodgy hotel - or Milano's. If you love food, but dread Christmas gatherings for the aforementioned reasons, here are some alternative party venues. Eatyard's Cheese And Wine Festival Is it even Christmas if you don’t really know what day it is and spend half your time in a cheese coma?We have just the place for you. The Eatyard team are bringing a Winter Wine and Cheese Festival to Jam Park in Swords from November 21st to December 14th . Entry is priced at €15 each (or €100 for a table of 8), which is great value considering you’ll get wine and cheesy treats on arrival, and then access to pop-up wine bars and cheese shops, music and entertainment. Groups can add other options such as a wine masterclass, games packages, or Christmas karaoke if you’re feeling brave - who doesn't like cheese with their cheese? See www.wine-n-cheese.com for details and booking info. Christmas Afternoon Tea At Póg There’s no shortage of afternoon tea spots in Dublin, the only limitation is availability and budget. Póg’s Tara Street location is offering an afternoon tea that will cater for pretty much everyone in your group. The vegan option features sourdough with a range of dips and toppings, a vegan burger, acai and magik smoothie shots, and a selection of vegan desserts like mini Christmas puds, vegan cheesecake, and Christmas tree-shaped cookies. For meat-eaters, the vegan burger can be swapped out for the epic turkey, ham, brie, and stuffing sandwich and features non-vegan versions of the desserts. It's available 14:00 - 16:00 Monday to Sunday and is priced at €30 per person or €37 with a glass of bubbles - it’s a no-brainer. Booking is required, and groups of up to 60 people can be accommodated. Reservations can be made by contacting bookings@ifancyapog.ie. A Yard Of Pizza At Pizza Yard, Ranelagh Get the gang together and get down to Pizza Yard for a pizza that’s … you guessed it. A yard long. Pile on plenty of toppings and there’ll be something for everyone. The menu also includes pasta, starters, cocktails, and individual pizzas for anyone who doesn’t like sharing - although feel free to not invite them. For bigger groups, upgrade to the two yard version. That’s basically the length of Nicholas Cage. See www.pizzayard.ie for all the deets. Private Dining, The Shelbourne If your budget is on the more generous side The Shelbourne has a range of private dining options that will allow even the most discerning guest to host an unforgettable event. Four private dining rooms (The Constitute Suite, The St. Stephen’s Suite, The George Moore Suite, and the Adam & Deirdre Suite) offer dining options for groups of 8 to 80 and, as you’d expect, bespoke food and wine options. White glove service, fine china, and opulent surroundings is exactly how we’d like to kick off our festive season. Contact the hotel for more details. If your wallet doesn’t quite stretch to a private dining suite, The Shelbourne’s Christmas Afternoon tea is always one of our favourites (despite that pesky 90 minute maximum stay per table), but be warned that you need to book early. It’s everything you’d expect - extravagant, delicious, and eaten while listening to soothing piano music. If we ever needed an opportunity to get dressed up to eat cake, this is it. Bookings can be made online here . Food, Drinks And Dancing In The Well Since opening during the summer, The Well has been drawing in Gen Y and X in their droves. From dedicated co-working and collaboration spaces, hosted events, Dublin Pizza Company on site, and late-night DJs, we reckon this would be an ideal spot for a work outing that’ll suit those who are rushing for the last bus as well as those who want to stick around and dance into the small hours. Check out www.thewelldublin.ie for information and bookings. All The Mezze And BYO In Rotana Café While Christmas has always been a pretty significant holiday in Ireland, a lot of the more traditional aspects don’t lend themselves easily to organising festive nights out for more multicultural groups. One of our favourite spots with this in mind Rotana, a Lebanese restaurants offering mezze platters, Lebanese flatbreads, halal grilled kebabs, and ample vegetarian and vegan options. It’s BYO so a great way to keep costs down, while suiting everyone’s needs and preferences. Menu and booking details are available at www.rotanacafe.ie. Taste Of Dublin Festive Edition, RDS Proving that festivals aren’t just for the summer, the Taste of Dublin Festive Edition is coming to the RDS, kicking the season off early from November 28th to December 1st with a weekend of festive eating and drinking and cooking demonstrations. While outdoor festivals are great, very often the risk of rain can put a dampener on things, so we're welcoming the chance to keep warm and dry indoors, and because Taste of Dublin tends to bleed your bank account dry faster than an expensive drug habit, this is a great one for when work is paying - the Champagne packages obviously. Individual and group tickets are available from www.dublin.tastefestivals.com with bespoke private packages on offer for groups of 50-250. Vaulted Elegance At Stack A Restaurant, CHQ If a traditional sit-down meal is more your scene, Stack A Restaurant in the CHQ building is a pretty breath-taking place to do it. Part of Urban Brewing , Stack A is located downstairs and diners are seated in the network of vaults which can make even big groups feel like they’re in an intimate environment. The two-course lunch menu starts at €25, with three-course dinner options ranging from €45 - €55. Details are available by emailing welcome@urbanbrewing.ie

As much as it goes against our international reputation, not drinking is fast becoming "a thing", and it's no longer the vestige of the pregnant, in recovery or on antibiotics. Pubs like The Bernard Shaw , The Square Ball , and MVP have led the way in Dublin for non-alcoholic drinks options you might actually want to drink (with the latter hosting " sober Sundays "), but while mocktails and 0% beer are nothing new to Dublin, non-alcoholic wine is (and we're not talking about the brutally sweet supermarket grape juice). Turns out the Germans have been making the stuff for over 70 years. 'Eins Zwei Zero' is a range of alcohol free Riesling, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon from award-winning German winemaker Johannes Leitz, using new technology that allows the alcohol to be vacuum-distilled at low temperatures, allowing the wine to keep more of its wine-like characteristics. We're not going to say that non-alcoholic Riesling tastes exactly the same as regular Riesling, but it's a major step forward. Interest sufficiently piqued? Here's where to plan your next lunch or dinner when you're on the dry. Coppinger Row Coppinger Row serve the whole Eins Zwei Zero range, and the smell of their garlic mussels with chargrilled ciabatta wafting out of the restaurant has been known to draw zombie-like diners in off the street (guilty). Pair them with the Pinot Noir rosé on the terrace when the sun's shining for all the Mediterranean vibes with none of the associated tipsiness. China Sichuan China Sichuan in Sandyford still feels like something of a secret outside food circles (or Sandyford), but those in the know make the journey for the waltip dumplings, ma po tofu, and man and wife beef slices. Food with any level of spice is notoriously hard to pair wine with, but the usual recommendation is something with a little sweetness to balance the heat. Try the sparkling Riesling with the chilli chicken - and you can drive home afterwards. Kerb Foxrock New Middle Eastern Foxrock spot Kerb wanted to serve a healthier take on the late night kebab, so everything from flatbreads to dips to falafel are made in house and ingredients are sourced locally. Sparkling Pinot Noir rosé and the mezze platter is a win. Ananda Ananda head chef Karan Mittal's tasting menu is a journey through electrifying Indian flavours carried by some of the best Irish ingredients. After we had his roast Roscommon goat leg with fermented rice patties and three different chutneys we thought of little else for weeks, and the Leitz non-alcoholic Riesling would be the perfect accompaniment for the fruity, spicy flavours. Shelbourne Social When Dylan McGrath's Shelbourne Social opened in Ballsbridge earlier this year it was the hot curd bread menu (as well as the sharing steak) that had everyone talking. Try the warm, buttery bread with chicken liver parfait, pickled grapes, crispy shallot and shaved foie gras with a glass of Pinot Noir rosé. Crow Street Crow Street 's pre-theatre menu is one of the best deals in town with two courses for €19.95 and three for €24.95. Some of their popular dishes include buffalo mozzarella with beetroot, orange and pistachio pesto, and braised pork shoulder tostadas with cabbage, avocado & pineapple salsa, but we'd be going for the maple & bourbon glazed short rib of beef with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. You can also try the Eins Zwei alcohol-free wines in Beo Wine Bar , Pichet , Ely Wine Bar , 57 The Headline , Fade Street Social , Lao Chinese and Korean BBQ , Osteria 99 i n Monkstown, The Green Hen , Sweeney's D3 and loads more places outside Dublin, like Two Cooks in Sallins. If you're looking for a bottle to take home you can find it in practically every good specialist food and wine shop in the city, including Avoca, Lotts & Co, Redmonds in Ranelagh, Deveney's in Dundrum, Martins in Fairview, 64 Wine, The Vintry in Rathgar, Baggot Street Wines, Mortons in Ranelagh, Drinkstore in Stoneybatter, Blackrock Cellars, D-Six Harold's Cross, Donnybrook Fair, Thomas's in Foxrock, and McHugh's in Kilbarrack and on the Malahide Road. You can also order online from drinkstore.ie and wineonline.ie . Leitz non-alcoholic wines are distributed in Ireland by Mackenway Wines .

Portion size gripes, badly disguised digs and headache inducing playlists this week. In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness has some issues with the newly opened Commons at MoLI (Museum of Literature Ireland), calling the noise "cacophonous", the portions "stingy" and the prices "bullish". She could see its potential in dishes like the "excellent" Burren Smokehouse smoked salmon with fermented potato bread scones, horseradish crème fraîche and trout caviar, and the roast heritage and Iona carrots with organic buttermilk, dill and hazelnut dukkah - "perfection - balanced, nuanced, full of texture and flavour", but butternut squash soup was "bland and under-seasoned" and a braised beef blaa with Gorgonzola and pickled mustard greens had "the meerest smear of cheese". Despite the criticisms she gives the food 8/10, saying it's early days and she's sure the wrinkles can be ironed out. Read her review here . In the Sunday Times Niall Toner dissects the "contentless blather" at this year's Michelin awards ceremony, before dissecting new opening and former "proper boozer" Spitalfields . He liked the food, he liked the service, he didn't like the different music being played on two different levels - "an unintended mash up too far", and despite calling the food "lovingly crafted" he couldn't bring himself to a full four stars out of five, hovering at three and a half. Read that here . In the Sunday Business Post Gillian Nelis reckons she scored a coup by being the first person to pay for dinner at newly two-starred restaurant The Greenhouse on Dawson Street, after craftily booking the first table she could get post awards, and then rushing to summon the card reader before anyone else had a chance. If you weren't bothered about eating there before, you will be after reading this, with the canapés alone enough to make your eyes pop: "little globes of beetroot caramel filled with a cabernet sauvignon jelly; aged Parmesan custard tarts topped with preserved lemon; and gorgeous Flaggy Shore oysters from Clare with a cucumber emulsion, oyster chantilly and Champagne-pickled shallots." They soaked up "every drop" of "perfect, angular" sea bream with a langoustine farci, chanterelles, Jerusalem artichoke purée and brown butter sabayon, and also loved the hare with celeriac, sauce poivrade, pear and Timut pepper - "a crunchy, slightly sweet, smoky delight". Dessert of "perfectly-made" chocolate mousse with praline and coffee ice-cream was the best her friend had ever eaten, and she says the customers are going to be lining up behind them. Read the full review here . In the Sunday Independent Lucinda O'Sullivan L-L-Loved Lignum in Galway, calling it "the most impressive and important restaurant, showcasing Irish cuisine, to have opened this year" (in the worst veiled dig at Aimsir/Michelin/who knows in any media publication this year). To be fair, it sounds like a meal worthy of epic proclamations with dishes like raw seasoned shrimp in a hay-smoked bisque, ember-cooked plaice with juniper, seaside foraged herbs and XO sauce, and the one that's currently driving us to distraction - lamb shoulder on a vinegar based set smoked cream, with egg yolk jam. Pre-desserts and desserts were "stunning" and "spectacular", and she calls it "fine dining at its very best". Only 11.5 months until we find out if Michelin feels the same. (Review not currently online) In the Irish Times Catherine Cleary is on fine literary form in describing her solo trip to Everett's in Waterford: "The river flowed the money into this small city and the merchants built their houses on the hills rising up from their income stream." Although prices were "steep" she says it was exactly the type of "hearty cooking" she needed. Brown bread made with macroom flour was "terrific", Andarl Farm pork belly with coco de Paimpol beans, smoked barbecue sauce and a gooey poached egg was given maximum flavour with some bacon salt, and Kilmore Quay cod came with a "beautiful" prawn bisque and local buttered queens. A blackcurrant sorbet with candied hazelnuts and a lightly poached pear was a nice reminder that we're into Autumn, service felt like "a welcome hug", and she gives it 8.5/10, calling it "another delightful reason to visit Waterford". Read her review here . In the Irish Daily Mail Tom Doorley was at The East Room Restaurant at the University of Limerick, and wasn't quite as enthusiastic as Lucinda back in August was at who described it as "Michelin-level food". Tom calls it "excellent in parts", with a kitchen that's "skilled and ambitious ... when it's firing on all cylinders." The "excellent" included cured salmon with grapefruit jelly, cucumber, Doonbeg crab, fennel and smoked crème fraîche, and slow-cooked rib of beef with savoury barley, toasted hazelnuts, Jerusalem artichoke and herb butter. Other dishes showed a "lack of judgement", like pork belly with scallops gussied up with finely diced pineapple and chorizo, and a risotto of wild mushrooms and summer truffle with a crisp (not actually crisp) hen egg, under-cooked rice and "negligible flavour". Desserts of white chocolate bavarois and passionfruit tart were "ace", and he said it was unusual to find such careful judgement in some dishes, and a lack of it in others, but that there's "some excellent cooking going on here". (Review not currently online) No Examiner this week as it wasn't in the shops and it's not online. The digital desk must have taken the weekend off. It's Joe McNamee's week so it's most likely somewhere in Cork. More next week.

Never has a Michelin awards ceremony been filled with as many tense Irish people as last night's in The Hurlingham Club in London, but the palpable anxiety in the room was rewarded with the news that Ireland has two new two-starred restaurants.  The Greenhouse on Dawson Street was elevated from one to two stars, while  Aimsir in Kildare went straight into the guide at two stars - something that rarely happens. Before yesterday  Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud was the only two-star in the country, since Thornton's lost their second star in 2005 (they lost the remaining one in 2015 and closed the year after.) Mickael Viljanen, head chef at The Greenhouse almost combusted following the announcement, a mixture of disbelief and total relief on his face as he walked towards the stage. He lifted Raymond Blanc into the air with elation, which ended in them both falling to the ground - luckily no chefs had to be hospitalised in the making of this award. He was so overcome that he forgot to pose for his official photograph, and had to be called back after being interviewed on stage by cringe-inducing presenter Amanda Stretton. There probably would have been a revolt if Aimsir in Kildare hadn't gone straight in at two stars but luckily no one had to storm the stage. Chef Jordan Bailey, formerly head chef at three-starred Maemo in Oslo, and wife Majken Bech-Bailey appeared genuinely stunned, with Bech-Bailey in tears. The other big Dublin winner last night was  Variety Jones  who were awarded a star for their open-fire cooking on Thomas Street just nine months after opening (you can read our VJ once over here ). The team only got the call telling them they were invited last Wednesday, and rumours were circulating on Twitter yesterday that they had cancelled all reservations for the start of this week. It also transpired that Irish Times food editor Marie-Claire Digby's teasing tweet earlier in the day referred to the Variety Jones team. The whole team celebrated later at The Laughing Heart in Bethnal Green.  There was confusion amongst the Irish media and some watching at home when Damien Grey from  Liath wasn't announced as a new star holder. The assumption had been made that Liath was a new restaurant, and therefore would be announced as a new one (or two) star, but when the awards ceremony ended with no mention of them there were a few minutes of panicked messages and glances, followed by a run outside to grab the guide, which confirmed that the team had been awarded a star. It was classed as a retention from Heron & Grey which is why it wasn't announced on stage. New stars were also awarded to The Oak Room in Adare Manor, Bastion in Kinsale and The Muddlers Club in Belfast. There were no starred deletions from the guide this year, meaning that Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud has held onto their two stars, while  Chapter One  and L'Ecrivain held on to their one. Enda McEvoy from Loam in Galway won a new Michelin award for sustainability, while Jurica Gojevic from Adare Manor took home a new sommelier award. The Michelin guide 2020 is undoubtedly going to further help put the spotlight on Ireland and Irish food as something worth travelling for, and if things keep going the way they are expect more stars next year. In Dublin we'll be keeping a close eye on Potager , Bastible and Niall Davidson's Allta , and would like to see Liath elevated to two stars, but 12 months is a long time in restaurants. Who knows where else could be a contender by next October.

In a week where tensions are high and Michelin-related rumours are rife, once again this weekend's reviews are all about the new openings - and at least a couple have the potential to be at the centre of next year's rumours. We'll be posting live from the Michelin awards in London tomorrow so head over to our social media channels from 16:00 for all the goss. In the Irish Examiner Leslie Williams is the third critic to give their verdict on  Spitalfields  in The Coombe, despite it only opening two weeks ago. Like Gillian Nelis last week he also comments on the prices, calling some dishes "a little steep" - like the devilled eggs with two halves of an egg for €6 - ouch indeed. He very nicely says that it was only the third night and that often portion sizes end up getting tweaked, but paying punters might not be so forgiving. He calls everything from the pastry section "outstanding", especially the warm sourdough with dried leek powder Cuinneog butter, and that beef cheek and bone marrow Parker house roll starter was "the dish of the evening" - although the cock-a-leekie pie for two was a close second. He bravely asked for off-menu chips and they obliged - he recommends everyone does the same as they were "chunky but crispy and fluffy". Crème caramel was "wobbly and creamy-rich", while coconut & lime sorbet had "a perfect balance of flavours". He calls the meal "almost perfect ...particularly impressive so early in their run", giving the food 8.5/10 and value 7/10. Read his review here . In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness calls the food at Potager "delectable", saying it's made Skerries "a destination". She praises the "hyper-seasonal approach", and the fact that they're using "some of the best growers in the area" to make dishes including "exemplary" bread with fresh ricotta and kale pesto. "Iridescent-skinned" cured mackerel with greenages and cucamelon was "art", wood pigeon "paired beautifully" with beetroot, blackberry and chocolate, and a tangy Velvet Cloud sheep's yoghurt sorbet with figs, lemon curd and honeycomb was "delightful". She calls it "a sophisticated food experience without appearing to try too hard", and gives them 9/10 for food, ambience and value. Read her review here . In the Sunday Independent Lucinda O'Sullivan is lamenting Dun Laoghaire's deteriorating main street and "general air of down and out", calling new opening Caspar and Giumbinis "a very welcome addition", but you might call it a meal of two halves. Starters bombed, with a prawn cocktail containing "mushy, watery and overcooked" prawns and a "dreary Marie Rose sauce", while dressed crab was not classic dressed crab, but two "quenelles of a flavourless crabmeat" on sourdough. After that things improved with "beautifully cooked" Dover sole, "excellent" steak frites and a dessert of lemon curd, raspberry sorbet and pink peppercorn meringue which was "really lovely", while service was also "excellent". (Review not currently online). In the Sunday Times Dara Flynn (deputy lifestyle editor) is in the restaurant reviewer's chair this week, and does a decent analysis of Le Perroquet on Leeson Street. Apart from the too dim lighting and the OTT mock-vintage posters covering the walls she liked most of the food (just don't mention the poor carrots). Read her review here . In the Sunday Business Post Gillian Nelis was in new Italian  Ripasso in Bray, where "value abounds" and food was "generously sized". Highlights included squid with chargrilled fennel, rigatoni all’amatriciana with guanciale, and a satisfyingly wobbly burrata which produced "distinctly orgasmic sounds from across the table" - SBP apparently not so PG. A Nutella and ricotta cannolo with pistachios was too good to share but the chef's selection of desserts was a mixed bag, with a tiramisu custard tart "okay" and a vegan chocolate mousse "very good". Between the value, the friendly service and the other things on the menu she wished she'd ordered, she says she can see herself eating there regularly. Read her review here . In the Irish Daily Mail Tom Doorley says the arrival of  Goldie - Fish and Ale in Cork is "one of the most exciting things to happen in food in the city for a very long time." He calls it "a very cool contemporary restaurant run by young, cheerful people", and says they're succeeding "superbly" on delivering a short, local seafood based menu with "no cheffy faffing about". A nibble of prawn cocktail, crisps, cultured cream and seaweed "set the tone for the meal", and was followed by seared, devilled sardines "as fresh as the morning dew" (below), while whole roast Dover sole with caper noisette and kale was "first rate fish cooked perfectly". A dessert of mascarpone and espresso mousse with a chocolate marquise brought out all the superlatives, including "considerable brilliance", "decadent" and "utterly indulgent", and the only thing he bemoans is the "perfunctory" wine selection. (Review not currently online) Finally in the Irish Times Catherine Cleary calls The Muddlers' Club in Belfast "one of the city's best restaurants", with food that over-delivered from the "terse list of bare bones words" on the menu. 'Seatrout, caesar, broccoli' tasted "so deliciously of river and sea" with Caesar salad sauces and swirls, meaty, savoury, smoked broccoli, and anchovy cream for "tang". Crab bisque had "sweet threads of the freshest crabmeat", and a courgette plate featured more iterations of the vegetable than we could imagine. A plum, white chocolate and coconut ice-cream dessert (below) brought everything "to a lovely end" and she says that The Muddlers Club owner and former Ox chef Gareth McCaughey has "learned from the best to do his own very impressive thing." She gives it 9/10 and you can read the full thing here . More next week.

The entire menu at Double 8 in Bray. The handmade dumpling shop only serves four varieties (for now) so easy to have it all, and all four were demolished, but the Kung Pao chicken and randomly the banoffee were the standouts - Lisa The Burrata from Crudo. It’s huge, dotted with hibiscus leaves, and served with a fennel and coriander marmalade that cut through the creaminess of the cheese beautifully - Helen A pumpkin spiced doughnut from Minetta deli in Sutton. Crunchy, sugary and pretty huge, but could have done with a bit more spice - Lisa The Crème Brûlée ice-cream from Three Twenty Ice-Cream Labs. After walking off a lunchtime sandwich we engaged our dessert stomach (the one that stays empty for dessert, no matter how much food you’ve already consumed) and went for one of our favourites, the crème brûlée that’s finished with a torched sugar top. Would have liked a little more crunch on this one - Helen A raspberry and almond financier from The Garden House in Malahide . Dense and fudgey, but at €5.95 you won't have much change from a tenner after adding on a coffee - Lisa Taiwanese chicken from Only Oriental Bakery on Middle Abbey Street. After a tip off from food writer Mei Chin, we made a beeline in here and enjoyed the juicy, spiced chicken, the posh chicken sandwich and the boba teas - Lisa S’mores from Kelly Lou Cakes. We popped in to the Intercontinental hotel this week to mark the launch of Taste of Dublin Festive Edition which is taking place in the RDS from November 28th to December 1st. The s’mores cookies and cupcakes, and the marshmallow toasting station went down a treat. Kelly Lou Cakes has two retail shops in Portlaoise, but you can also find them at events throughout the country - Helen

We did a straw poll amongst our friends and family and unsurprisingly established that there are two types of people when it comes to eating alone; those who love the peace and solitude and would happily luxuriate for hours at a table for one, and those who see it as an introvert’s nightmare, only to be undertaken when necessity (i.e. extreme hunger) dictates. Eating alone has some up-sides though; you’re more likely to nab a space without a reservation, you can spend as long as you want staring at your phone, and you get to order exactly what you want. Any restaurant can accommodate a solo diner (how willing they are is another story), but some are that bit more suited to eating alone than others, whether because of the layout of the room, the menu, or the seating options. These are some of our favourites. Little Mike’s, Mount Merrion One of our favourite things to do while eating alone is to sit on a high stool, and watch the world around us, and the counters at Little Mike’s offers views out onto the street or into the kitchen to see the chefs at work. The menu features small and big plates so you’ll plenty to suit all appetites, there’s a decent choice of wines by the glass, and you’ll be welcomed so warmly that you’ll feel like you’re amongst friends. Pro tip: get the seafood bowl. Rarely will you have the opportunity to save something so delicious all to yourself. Gertrude, Pearse St With a selection of books available for anyone to pore over while they eat, Gertrude is the perfect spot to take a bit of you-time. The big communal table along the middle is regularly occupied by individuals and small groups, and the menu comprises a mix of snacks and full meals so you’re covered whether you want a quick bite or something more substantial. Another big plus is the desserts, all priced at €6 or under and the perfect portion for one. They've stopped opening in the evenings (we're not sure if that will return at any point), so breakfast, brunch or lunch are your only options for this one. Read our Gertrude once over here . Laine My Love, Talbot St Laine My Love on Talbot Street features some of the most adorable tiny tables designed for you and you alone. Perfect for when you don’t want to feel in the way, but still want really great coffee and food. It’s also right near Connolly Station so ideal if you’re catching a train and can’t face a pre-packed sandwich. Queen of Tarts, Dame Street and Cow’s Lane Both Queen of Tarts locations have plenty of little nooks so you can retire to a quiet corner, or sit outside on the Cow’s Lane terrace to soak up some buzz on a sunny day. The soup option changes regularly, the salads are fresh, and the cakes are famously good. Just make sure you order enough for the whole table. L. Mulligan Grocer, Stoneybatter It seems the whole word is in love with Stoneybatter right now, with Timeout recently calling it Dublin's coolest neighbourhood. L. Mulligan Grocer has long been setting out the D7’s neighbourhood’s stall as a destination for Irish food, and dining alone will be no barrier. The vibe in LMG is laid back and friendly, with a carefully curated drinks menu, and lots of food and drink options. Have a scotch egg in the snug, or chat to the friendly bar staff if you want a bit of interaction and an education on all things beer. Cirillo’s, Baggot Street Cirillo’s is ticking a lot of boxes for us lately with their freshly made pasta and pizzas that are up there with the best in Dublin. We recently discovered that they also have a pizza menu for take-away, so if you’re home alone and heading over there to pick up a pie, we'd suggest sticking around and enjoying it from a counter perch overlooking Baggot Street instead. Soup Ramen, Dún Laoghaire Soup Ramen in Dún Laoghaire is ideal when you want something fast, casual but above all tasty. There’s always an eclectic mix of diners, long table seating by the huge windows or counter seats looking into the kitchen, lots of great food and interesting cocktail and kombucha choices. Best of all, if you go alone, you won’t have to share the deep-fried kimchi with anyone. Read our Soup Ramen once over here . Loose Canon, Drury Street You’re never alone when you have cheese, and adding a glass of wine pretty much makes it a party. Eating for one means you’re more likely to elbow some space at Loose Canon ’s window, or grab the lovely bench outside on warmer days and watch Dublin stroll by. The vibes in here make it very conducive to making new friends. Mister S, Camden Street We love new arrival Mister S and would take any opportunity to go there and down a Fred Flintstone portion of the Angus shortrib without any help. Plus, we’re suckers for window seats and the ones here are some nicest in town. Read out Mister S once over here . As One, City Quay With a menu and space designed around wellbeing and gut-health, it’s no surprise that As One is the ideal place for you to sit back, relax and take your time over a bright plate of seasonal salads, or a hearty beef bone broth and think about what delightful company you really are. 777, South Great George’s Street Dining alone but not in the mood for peace and quiet? Head to 777 , get a seat at the bar, and tuck in to diverse Mexican dishes like pig's head carnitas and yellowfun tuna tostada's. Ask for the tequila list, strike up a conversation with your neighbours, and it could be the start of something special. Read our 777 once over here . Etto, Merrion Row & Uno Mas, Aungier Street No list on solo dining in Dublin would be complete without Etto , the go-to for many a solo diner over the years thanks to their lovely bar counter, excellent wine list, and great value. They’ve also replicated this in sister-restaurant Uno Mas on Aungier Street if you’re looking for a little Spanish flair. Mamó Howth newcomer Mamó has only just opened its doors but one of the first things we spotted was the lovely counter wrapped around the bar. It's a pretty idyllic place to sit having a few small plates of cod taramasalata on confit potato chips and lobster croquettes, sipping on lovely wines and gazing out at the harbour.

Like every food-obsessed person living in Dublin in 2019, we love the variety of different cuisines now available across the city. From Vietnamese to Japanese, Italian to Ethiopian, the city is constantly growing and diversifying its food options and we are 100% here for that. That said, there’s no denying there are certain dishes that are part of Ireland’s culinary story and deserve to be immortalised, and recently we've been seeing a lot of places incorporate some of Dublin’s traditional (and not-so-traditional) favourites into some new and delicious sounding dishes. 1) The Piggy Bag from The Legal Eagle The humble spice bag gets The Legal Eagle ’s signature 1970’s treatment. Their 'Piggy Bag' has chips with bacon dust, battered sausage, smoked black pudding, and a brawn fritter with apple ketchup and piccalilli. Offal may not be something we see on many Dublin menus, but this is a great way to incorporate it into your diet. 2) Confit Potato with Taramasalata from Mamó Mamó opened in Howth last week and even at this early stage we reckon this is the destination restaurant the seaside village has been waiting for. Jess D’Arcy (ex-Etto) and Killian Durkin (ex Chapter One/Thornton’s/Charlotte Quay) are serving contemporary European food with a solid focus on fresh seafood in a stunning location, and this confit potato topped with taramasalata is their grown-up take on fish and chips. 3) Crab and Grilled Cheese Toasted Sandwich from Klaw Interesting fact: you’re never more than two metres away from a toasted sandwich in Dublin. Okay, that’s (probably) not true, but toasties have definitely earned their place as one of Dublin’s most iconic dishes. However, familiarity breeds contempt and we’ve all been on the receiving end of a soggy plastic cheese and watery ham number on occasion. Klaw ’s crab and cheese version looks like it would restore your faith in the classic. 4) Apple Crumble Hotcakes from Two Boys Brew Nobody likes to miss an opportunity to eat apple and blackberry crumble and thanks to Two Boys Brew there's now another way to squeeze it into your day. Their all-day brunch menu always features hotcakes and they've just been updated for autumn with this version incorporating everyone's favourite dessert. We need. 5) Peanut Râyu Brownies from The Bakery A potentially controversial one, but we think peanut râyu deserves a place on our list of Dublin’s favourite foodstuffs. While it may not be a traditional staple, Katie Sanderson’s salty, spicy, peanutty condiment arrived with such a bang when it was launched a few years ago that we will fight to the death that it deserves a place among the greats. While we usually eat it with fish, steak, or eggs (or directly from the jar using a piece of leftover pizza as a spoon- don’t judge us) we’re very grateful to The Cupcake Bloke for combining it with our other great love - brownies. These squares of nutty, spicy, chocolatey loveliness are available in the Cupcake Bloke’s ' The Bakery ' in Rialto.

Sprezzatura, a new pasta bar making fresh semolina pasta daily opens tomorrow on Camden Market, where Grantham's café used to be. Open seven days a week from 12:00 - 22:00, none of the dishes will cost over €10, so whether you want a quick, inexpensive lunch or dinner, or want to order all the food, it sounds like it's going to tick the box. Sprezzatura say they're focusing on Italian ideas using the best Irish ingredients, and their extensive suppliers list reads like a who's who of Irish food. Amongst the names listed are Killenure Dexter beef, Andarl Pork, Kilkenny Rose veal, Achill lamb, Skeganore duck and chicken, Goatsbridge trout and caviar, Harty and Kelly oysters, Lough Neagh smoked eel, Mooncoin beetroot, Ballymakenny broccoli and potatoes, and cheeses will come from Durrus, Toonsbridge or St Tola. They're going big on sustainability, with all drinks on tap (meaning no glass or plastic bottles), all packaging compostible, and only renewable energy being used. They're also completely paperless, with menus written on blackboards, no receipts and no kitchen dockets, and they're using Wicklow rapeseed oil instead of importing olive oil, something that may prove controversial to the anti-rapeseed brigade. They're also planning on keeping food waste to a minimum by selling 'trash pasta' at lunchtime, made using any off cuts and extras. Sprezzatura opens tomorrow at 12:00 and their website should be live by the end of the week. Sprezzatura 5/6 Camden Market, Dublin 2 Mon - Sun: 12:00 - 22:00 sprezzatura.ie

Chameleon in Temple Bar has announced they're closing this week after 25 years in business. Owners Carol Walsh and Kevin O'Toole shared the news on their social media channels yesterday, which came as a shock to many in the industry, as well as to their customers. Chefs, restaurateurs, critics and diners sent their best wishes throughout the evening, with the restaurant saying that some customers had been on the phone crying. Their statement said: "It is with great sadness that we announce the closure of Chameleon restaurant after 25 years. We did everything we could to create a unique restaurant in Dublin, a special place, with heart and soul and we did everything we could to prevent it from closing. Special thanks are due to our wonderful teams, front and back of house, past and present. You’ve been like family. In a quarter century of service at the heart of Temple Bar we’ve had our highs and lows. We have introduced new flavours to Dublin’s dining scene and we’ve made a lot of friends along the way. We’ve always believed that this is what hospitality is all about - showing and sharing - and we would be delighted to share with our patrons for one last time." Earlier this year Chameleon underwent a brand refresh to coincide with being 25 years in business, changing the restaurant's facade from black to bright blue, and having a brightly coloured mural painted on the shutters. The chatter was enough to draw two restaurant critics back in (Katy McGuiness in the Irish Independent and Leslie Williams in the Irish Examiner ), both of whom wrote very positive reviews of the food and atmosphere. Kevin was also named "chef of the year" by John and Sally McKenna at the end of 2018, who said he was "a chef at the top of his game". They're inviting diners in for their last week of service from Wednesday to Saturday this week, before finally shutting up shop. Tables can be booked by emailing book@chameleonrestaurant.com

All about the new Dublin-based openings this week, and the poor guys at Spitalfields barely had the curtains open without two critics barging through the door in search of cock-a-leekie pie and bone marrow parker rolls. Their takes on the new "pub with a restaurant" in The Coombe" however were slightly different... Tom Doorley showed up on night two and spends most of his review apologising for it, issuing many, many caveats about how early it was to be judging a new opening - something that doesn't appear to bother some of his fellow critics. He says Spitalfields has "lots of character and charm", and that there's "nothing average" about it, but that not everything was perfect. Something that was perfect was a simple dish of Poulard clams with 'nduja and parsley served with toasted sourdough - "brave, refreshing and simply lovely", but a hollowed out avocado shell with crab, guacamole and trout caviar could have had more flavour. Iberico pork schnitzel with smoked eel and gremolata was "juicy, intensely flavoured acorn-fed pork", which he "loved every scrap of", but a slip sole with girolles, grapes and brown butter still had pin bones in it, which was "pretty unforgivable". Apart from that it was "a decent dish". Crème caramel for dessert was "rich and smooth", while aged comté was "a generous slice", and he calls it "an impressive performance given how early our visit was". (Review not currently online) Gillian Nelis in the Sunday Business Post also liked the "spruced up" pub, but had a few gripes with some numbers on the menu. She calls the food "tasty but pricey", saying a starter of beef cheek Parker House roll with bone marrow gravy was "a nice dish", but she's "not sure it was 14 quid nice". Four smoked purple potatoes at €6 fell into the same category. She "loved" the Old Dublin gravadlax, the "delicious" pork iberico secreto schnitzel, and the cock-a-leekie pie to share was "the standout dish of the night". Desserts were "good", with a sharing millefeuille stealing the show, but she thinks the pricing and portion sizes of some dishes needs to be tweaked. Despite this she says their "great" cooking and "warm welcome" will ensure they're there for the long haul. Read her review here . A worse weekend for new Indian Doolally , whose food Lucinda O'Sullivan says "didn't deliver" - are you bored yet of this being the summary of every review of every new Press Up opening? Ground lamb cakes (below) were "dense, dry little patties", lentil dumplings were "chalky and hard ... like mini golf balls", and a bowl of broccoli, cauliflower, green beans and spinach tasted like "a 1970's country hotel". Lamb chops marinated with raw papaya was "the only saving grace", and Keralan veal fillet was "good", but a rice kheer pudding for dessert was "very light-weight". She ends by saying don't come here for the food, but if you're after "a fun see-and-be-seen night out" you might like it. An alternative to The Ivy perhaps. (Review not currently online) In the Irish Times Catherine Cleary says Soup Ramen in Dun Laoghaire is serving "the best ramen in Dublin", a sentiment we also made recently . She says their deep-fried kimchi is better than chips, cauliflower with peanuts and lime is "exactly as delicious as it sounds", and a halloumi spice bag "thrilled" a non meat eater. The ramen was the knockout, with bright flavours, a pork broth that was "milky and nutty", a "comforting broth" and a seasoned egg which was "fresh and funky". The only disappointment was a seasonal salad with peas, broccoli and pickled cucumber - "almost flavour free" - but a black chai ice cream affogato topped with candied pistachios was "a feel-great end to a gorgeous meal". She calls Soup Ramen "a stunner", saying it should be a destination restaurant, and you can read the full thing here . In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness finds Lilliput Evenings at Lilliput Stores in Stoneybatter "charming", with staff who are as "simpatico" as she's encountered in ages. Despite the plates of food arriving too fast, making them eat quicker than they'd like, it sounds like they ticked all of the seasonal/well-sourced/deliciousness boxes. She suggests pouncing on the Elmhurst tomatoes with aioli, sardines and black olive on bread, as well as the baba ganoush with pickled cucumelon and radish, and butterbeans with caramelised leeks, roasted fennel and gorgonzola. Baby potatoes with dill were the only "bland" downside, and dessert of poached pears with creme fraiche, orange custard and a ginger and cardamom biscuit had interesting flavours but "grainy" fruit. She gives them 8/10 for food and value, saying the food is good and the vibe is charming, and you can read her review here . In the Sunday Times Niall Toner reckons you're going to lick the plate clean at Mister S , calling it fine dining at its casual-est. Unusually they didn't order any meat, sticking to fish and veg dishes, but he says the gambas with flatbread and bisque butter induced involuntary pleasure sounds, and describes the sauce as "dreamy, sexy". Just gonna leave that one there. Read his review here . Finally in the Irish Examiner Joe McNamee was making a solo return visit to the Green Room Café in Springfield Castle, Limerick, after first discovering it on a food writers tour. He couldn't look past whatever was on the Agentinean-style Asado grill, which was the roast beef ‘mega sandwich’, with local "deeply flavoursome" Hereford beef, horseradish, gravy, "excellent" fresh leaves, tomatoes and earthy beets, but he wasn't impressed that it was served on batch loaf. He suggests sourdough might do the meat more justice, but "excellent" crispy chips somewhat compensated. Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake was "decent", beer and coffee was good, and he says although they're still finding their feet they deserve a leg up. Read his review here . More next week.

Mamó , the new restaurant from ex- Etto staff member Jess D'Arcy and ex- Chapter One and Thornton's chef Killian Durkin opens today in Howth. They describe it as "a contemporary European dining experience in a relaxed and friendly setting", and want to highlight North County Dublin produce, as well as lesser known fish, coming straight from the boats each day. The harbour-facing dining room has indoor and outdoor seating (prepare to fight for those next summer), and counter seating, so perfect if you want to pop in on your own for a few plates and a glass of wine. The opening menu features dishes including taramasalata on confit potato (their take on fish and chips), soused herring with candied lemon, lobster croquettes and forkbeard ceviche with crisps - a lesser known fish known as bycatch because fishermen find it harder to sell. There's also a Howth honey tart for dessert made from honey collected up the hill from the restaurant. The couple met 10 years ago while working for The Mermaid Café, and always planned to open their own restaurant, but in the meantime Jess worked front of house at Pichet , The Butcher Grill and Etto , while Killian went from fine dining in Chapter One and Thornton's to the more casual Charlotte Quay . This is the first solo venture for both. Mamó (pronounced Maaa-mo) is the Irish for Granny, and with Jess coming from a family of Gaelgoirs she wanted a name with an Irish connection. Mamó will open for lunch from Wednesday - Sunday, and for dinner from Tuesday - Sunday (long lunches or early dinners only on Sunday as they close at 19:30). Their website is due to go live this evening with online booking available, but if you can't wait until then you can book by emailing hello@mamorestaurant.ie or calling them on 01 8397096. Mamó Harbour House, Harbour Road, Howth, Co. Dublin Tue 17:00 - 21:30. Wed - Thu 12:00 - 14:45, 17:00 - 21:30. Fri - Sat 12:00 - 14:45, 17:30 - 22:00. Sun 12:30 - 19:30. Ph: 01 8397096 www.mamorestaurant.ie

This week, all the superlatives - one of the best restaurant openings of 2019, probably the best Middle Eastern food in the country, and a café that gives a glimpse of a better future, plus, food that's just a bit Doolally. In the Irish Examiner , Leslie Williams is as enthused about Mister S as we were , calling it "a joy", and "one of the best openings of 2019". Smoked chicken had "creamy, rich, smoky flavours", the Tomahawk pork chop was "a densely flavoured succulent wonder", and his favourite was the Angus short-rib - "a big meaty slab of ever so slowly cooked beef with complex smoky flavours." They liked both desserts, and the "gorgeous" wine, and he says that Mister S is serving "some of the best tasting and best-value barbecue food in the country". He gives the food and value 9/10, and you can read his review here . In the Irish Independent Katy McGuinness gives the new menu at  The Old Spot  the once over, finding "properly tasty" gambas pilpil, "impeccable" roast Texel lamb and pork belly with silky mashed potato, cabbage and morteau sausage - "all manner of savoury deliciousness". It wasn't all good news though. Monkfish was let down by under-seasoned pea risotto, and crispy hen's egg with smoked haddock brandade was "strangely bland", but a choux bun with praline, chocolate and salt caramel for dessert, and some gluggable, natural gamay got things back on track. She says The Old Spot is "exactly what a gastropub should be", giving the food and value 8/10, and you can read her review here .  In the Sunday Times Niall Toner is first in the door of new Press Up opening Doolally , and thought the mild curries, eye-wateringly expensive fit out, and the whole five prawns in his €24 jalfrezi was, well, Doolally (flashbacks to those Old Post Office Reviews). He does however heap praise on some bone marrow naan, the non-alcholic drinks, and a rose and pistachio rice pudding, comparing it to ambrosia (of the Gods, not of the Bird's Eye). Read that here . In the Sunday Independent, new opening Ripasso in Bray managed to impress  Lucinda O'Sullivan , who thought their alcoves were "snazzy", their calamari "looked cool", and their paccheri pasta with scampi and stracciatella was "a show-stopper". Burrata was "light and fresh", lamb cutlets were "deliciously tender", and a vegan chocolate mousse for dessert was "robust" - not sure if that's good or bad. Service from "bearded" (read: hipster) owner Gabriele Recchia was "welcoming and easy", she reckons the wine list has plenty for Italian wine buffs, and calls it "a good day at Bray all round". (Review not currently online) In the Irish Times Catherine Cleary thinks that Cork's Good Day Deli offers "a glimpse of a better food future", thanks to the sustainable ethos driving the café. She says it's easy to forget the flavour when you're focusing on virtue, but that's not the case here, with fresh, zingy fish tacos, nutty crisp chips, and a financier meringue with "the juiciest raspberries" she's had in decades. She says Good Day Deli is "full of these kinds of connections with Cork’s plentiful supply of gardeners, growers and makers", and is "a delicious education in sustainable food". She gives it 9/10, and you can read her review  here . In the Irish Daily Mail Tom Doorley makes the bold claim that Mezze in Tramore, Waterford, "probably has the best Middle Eastern food in the country". Chicken shawarma was nothing like that in fast food joints, with "succulent", "generously seasoned" meat, salads were "glorious", and falafel were the best he's had "outside of North Africa". Hummus was "excellent", quinoa "delightfully nutty", and zhug (green chilli hot sauce) "electrifyingly effective". He calls it "a splendid lunch full of flavourful surprises and new experiences", and says the falafel and salad plate is a bargain at €8.50. (Review not currently online) Finally in the Sunday Business Post , Gillian Nelis says don't go to The Olde Post Inn in Cavan looking for experimental cooking, but do if you’re after "the culinary equivalent of a great big bear hug."  A bacon and cabbage terrine with leek cream was salty, flavoursome and buttery, a herb-crusted loin of venison was "beautifully cooked", and Dublin Bay prawns in filo pastry with red onion marmalade and mango mayo were "a seafood triumph". A rhubarb baked Alaska was as good as her granny used to make, and she says that businesses in our border counties need as much support as they can get over the next while, so it's a good time to think about paying them a visit. Read her review here . More next week.

Beaufield Mews in Stillorgan, Dublin's oldest restaurant, will close at the end of the month, after 70 years in business. First bought as a derelict house in the 1930's, Beaufield has served everyone from sitting presidents to Bono, and hosted the wedding of author Marian Keyes. Third generation owner Julie Cox said it would be "difficult to step away", but that it was time to give more to her family, and wanted to bow out on a high after a great summer. She paid tribute to Paddy Rice, head waiter at Beaufield Mews for over 50, and head chef Colm Wyse, as well as their "gifted" staff and loyal customers. She described her 20 years in charge as "a great privilege and quite a roller coaster ride", but said that all good things must come to an end. Beaufield Mews 's last day of trading will be Sunday 29th September, so if you'd like to pay them one more visit, we'd advise making a booking as soon as possible.

In our never-ending quest for carbs, we frequently find ourselves craving pasta just like mama used to make. Not our mamas, because we were raised in 90's Ireland; a land where 00 flour didn’t dare to tread and our mammies relied on value bags of Roma, but these days we’re spoilt because there are plenty of Dublin restaurant kitchens turning out lovingly-made fresh pasta that we don’t always have the skills or time to do ourselves at home. We have a theory here in ATF: if a restaurant is taking the time and care to make their own pasta, a relatively cheap and easy to source ingredient, because they know they can do it better, they’re probably taking the same level of care with everything else they do too. So with that in mind, here's some of the best places in Dublin to eat freshly made pasta. Host, Ranelagh Did we even know what a cappellacci was before Host ? Nope. Did we even care? Nah. Do we care now? Absolutely. These pillows of fresh silky pasta stuffed with caramelised pumpkin and walnut are one of our favourite things to eat in Dublin - us and everyone else. They also turn out lots of other beautiful pastas, like the tagliatelle for their rump bolognaise. Read our Host once over here . Grano To be fair to Grano , we could probably dedicate an entire article to their pasta alone, such is the range of fresh varieties on offer from their kitchen in Stoneybatter. Recent highlights have included a rabbit ravioli, pig cheek rigatoni, and basil tortellino stuffed with burrata and tomatoes. There isn’t a dish on their menu that we don’t want to try, and seeing it hand-rolled in front of you at the pasta counter makes it taste all the sweeter. Read our Grano once over here . Osteria Lucio When two acclaimed chefs (Ross Lewis and Luciano Tona) come together to create a neighbourhood Italian, you know it’s going to be good. Osteria Lucio is a hug in restaurant form. A short stroll from Grand Canal Dock Dart station, it focuses on simple ingredients with maximum flavour like homemade squid ink fettuccine with Irish prawns and baby squid. The solid wine list and friendly service make it somewhere we're happy to linger, probably long enough to make room for a tiramisu. Read our Osteria Lucio once over here . Michael's Picture the scene; you walk in to one of the best seafood restaurants in the country, are handed a menu listing pretty much every type of fish that came within a 4km radius of the Irish coast that morning and you decide to order the pasta. To share with someone else who's ordering the seafood platter of course. You haven't gone completely crazy. Michael's owner/chef Gaz Smith's wife Rita makes their homemade agnolotti stuffed with mozzarella and parmesan, with as much love and care as the fish dishes, or you can pop down the street to Little Mike's and you might be lucky enough to find fresh tagliatelle with crispy pig cheeks. One Pico Ciaran McGill’s team in the kitchen of One Pico consistently produces food with great care and attention, so it’s no surprise their pasta is freshly made, like the lobster ravioli with crab bisque and lobster oil topped with a very generous scattering of fresh truffle. A version with parmesan that’s been aged for 36 months also features from time to time. If only every restaurant in the Molesworth Street/Dawson Street area was working their kitchen like this. Crudo The customers continue to flock to Crudo in Sandymount, and now it’s even easier to find thanks to the signage change over the door. Inside, you’ll find a menu of fresh pasta that changes frequently and sounds simple, but delivers a serious hit of flavour, like their summer truffle cacio e pepe. Dall'Italia Just off Camden Street, Dall’Italia has carved out a solid following in Dublin, thanks to the tasty food, but also the versatility of the menu. In addition to the usual suspects like lasagne, you can customise your preferred pasta, topping, and sauce. Spaghetti aglio e olio with aubergine and bacon? Nice one. Penne pesto with bacon and spinach? Sure, why not. Carbonara with chicken and mushrooms? You’ve pushed us too far now. It’s basically pick ‘n’ mix for pasta. Cirillo's Cirillo’s is just the kind of place we love - understated, under the radar and building a solid reputation through word of mouth. Anywhere that proves their pizza dough for 30 hours gets our seal of approval, but our main draw here is the pasta and gnocchi made on-site. Grab a glass of wine, a seat looking on to Baggot Street and feast on dishes like duck egg spaghetti carbonara, prawn raviolo with straccitella, and gnocchi with spring vegetables. Variety Jones Chef/owner Keelan Higgs has ensured Variety Jones is perpetually fully booked with his whole fish, venison and duck cooked over charcoal in a corner of the kitchen, but the handmade pasta, like comté ravioli and spaghetti al fredo proved to be an unexpected bonus. He perfected his pasta skills in a two-Michelin starred restaurant in Tuscany, and Dublin's all the richer for it. Read our Variety Jones once over here . Allta Wine Bar - Coming Soon We’ve been excited about Niall Davidson’s new opening Allta pretty much forever. We had hoped we’d see the wine bar open by the end of the summer, and while that hasn’t happened, the flurry of recent activity on their Instagram page is giving us some glimpses at what we can expect. If this hand-extruded bigoli with spider crab and a juniper-smoked egg yolk is any indication of what’s to come, it's going to be worth the wait. Also, tease alert: A new pasta bar is coming to Dublin very soon, and from what we know, we think it's going to be joining the hype train. More news when we're allowed to spill.

Seeya, summer. You’ve been a blast but wow, you’re a lot of effort. Sure, making the most of longer days, sunshine, and salads is great but the months now end in “-ber” and that’s our inner klaxon to think about slowing things down a little bit. We’re not quite ready for stews and chicken pot pies, but we do want to mark the move into cooler days, slightly longer nights, and the return of our favourite reality TV shows. These five dishes look like just what we need to eat our way into Autumn. 1) The Baked Swede From Bastible It’s no secret that Bastible is hitting it out of the park in recent months, particulary since Cúán Greene took over as head chef, and this art-like plate of baked swede, pumpkin seed mole and pickled girolles is exactly why. Simple ingredients beautifully prepared (and photographed) is everything we love about the Dublin food scene right now. 2) Yuzu Curd Doughnuts From Tiller + Grain These big on taste but bite-sized yuzu curd and mascarpone doughnuts from Tiller + Grain are just the perfect mouthful of citrus and sweetness when you want a doughnut hit but can’t face a wall of sugar and sprinkles, or a 30 minute queue in a Blanchardstown carpark. 3) The Blue Cheese Gougères From Craft All summer long Craft has been showcasing a range of bright plates on a menu that changes regularly. We’re interested to see what the shift in seasons brings, but we’d very much like to start with these gougères (a baked savoury choux pastry) filled with Cashel blue custard and topped with fig jam and even more cheese. It’s basically a cheese éclair stuffed with cheese custard. Dreams do come true. They're part of the snack selection which changes regularly so get in quick before they’re gone. 4) Knafeh From Shouk After a two week hiatus for a little facelift, Shouk is back and still drawing the crowds with their massive mezze plates, colossal cauliflowers and huge batatas. We figure there’s just enough heat left to merit grabbing a spot in the outdoor seating area to enjoy a piece of this syrupy knafeh stuffed with mozzarella and topped with pistachios. We’re shook. 5) Nachos from Loose Canon Cheese and Wine Craving the crunch of crisp autumn leaves? We’re not quite there yet, but Loose Canon ’s crunchy combo of nachos, Young Buck Blue cream, and a homemade tomato sauce will make you forget that summer was even a thing. New season, who dis?

We've updated our Monday night eating list, because it's probably the question that most regularly slides into the DMs (that and where to eat on Sunday night). Feel free to ask, but we've compiled this lovely list so we can avoid repeating ourselves 100 times a month. For those who work in the hospitality industry (or any others that don't shut down at the weekend), Monday is essentially their weekend, and after an actual weekend of working day and night, a lot of restaurants close on Monday to give their staff a break. For those with that night off, it’s easy to be stuck for somewhere to eat, so here's our guide to where to eat on Mondays, whether you're in need of sustenance on your day off, are looking for an early week excursion, or can't face saying goodbye to the weekend just yet... 1. Etto Etto must be one of the only restaurants in the city that regularly books out on Monday nights, so don't get cocky and just show up thinking you'll walk straight in, but those nduja mussels, that côte de boeuf and those crispy potatoes feel particularly indulgent on a Monday. Read our Etto once over here . 2. Uno Mas If Etto's booked out try their Spanish sister restaurant Uno Mas , which luckily for us also opens on Mondays. Gildas, squid á la plancha and gooey Spanish tortillas will alleviate all thoughts of the week ahead. 3. Mister S The capital's newest spot for food cooked over fire serves tomahawk pork steaks, slow-cooked shortrib and charred hispi cabbage with spicy sausage at Monday night prices. So you can afford to drink more wine. Read our Mister S once over here . 4. Osteria Lucio Grab a stool at one of the high tables in the front or sink into the cave-like space at the back for some handmade pasta, woodfired pizza or steak tagliata, and if you get there before 18:45 you can take advantage of the pre-theatre menu at €27 for two courses or €32 for three. Read our Osteria Lucio once over here . 5. Chimac Everyone's favourite Korean fried chicken joint Chimac opens seven days a week, serving kimcheese burgers, Korean barbecue wings and ice-cream cookie sandwiches. An excellent choice if you're still suffering from the weekend. Read our Chimac once over here . 6. Lucky Tortoise Lucky Tortoise on Aungier Street serve their €20 all in dinner deal from Monday - Sunday, meaning that gyoza, peanut kimchi and okonimyaki are never that far from reach. 7. The Seafood Café Niall Sabongi’s Seafood Café in Temple Bar is a welcome respite from trad music and pricey pints in the capital’s tourist trap. Reasonably priced with a menu suited for sharing, it’s a friendly, laid-back place to enjoy fresh seafood. 8. Pi It’s no secret that we think Pi 's Neapolitan style pizzas are the best in Dublin (see our once over here ). The classic margarita and zuccha are our favourites, and the salty-sweet desserts are as perfect as the pizzas. 9. Fish Shop, Benburb Street Fish Shop 's Benburb location is an easy spot for a seafood dinner and a glass of wine. The menu is short, simple and changes frequently, but the fish and chips and fish burger are always on. Interesting, natural wine list with one of the city's best selection of sherries, and Monday night is wine club night, meaning a limited number of bottles at stupidly good prices. 10. 777 If you’re looking for a more lively night out, 777 always comes with a buzz. The 2 margaritas for €14 on Mondays can be dangerous, but there are plenty of tacos, tostadas and tortilla chips to soak them up. Read our 777 once over here . 11. Loose Canon Cheese and Wine The city centre natural wine and cheese shop always planned to open on Monday nights to cater to the trade, and it's rare to find it not completely jammed. Being in the tiny shop feels like having wine at a friend's house, and it's perfect if you’re not looking for a full meal. They make charcuterie and cheese plates up from what's in the fridge that day, and also do daily changing small plates, like panzanella with grilled courgette, confit tomato and Toonsbridge sheep cheese. 12. M & L Chinese One of the few places in Dublin to get authentic Sichuan food, the dumplings and fried green beans with chilli at M&L have been the start of many addictions over the years. Corkage is €5 but go easy on the chilli oil if you're taking something nice. Read our M&L once over here . 13. Piglet Piglet ’s supper menu is easy going, with pasta, fish and côte de boeuf for the very hungry. It's a cosy spot for a plate of food and some great wine, and if you find yourself in Temple Bar surrounded by camera bearing tourists and “The Auld Triangle” ringing in your ears, it's a good place to run for cover. Try the tapas with goat bacon or duck gizzards, with whatever wine pairings the staff recommend. 14. The Pig's Ear Classic Irish, contemporary dining on Nassau Street from Chef Stephen McAllister. The Pig's Ear has bright, airy dining room overlooking Trinity College, and nostalgia-inducing desserts like hobnob cheesecakes in jam jars and homemade walnut whips. 15. Terra Madre Rustic country Italian food with no frills, basement level Terra Madre is hidden out of view but worth a trip downstairs. Charming service, seriously good pasta, and many of the wines and ingredients are brought over from Italy especially for the restaurant. 16. Pichet French style bistro Pichet has been a staple in Dublin for years. It’s always reliable for a good meal with a buzzy atmosphere, and has been awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand for the past nine years. 17. L'Ecrivain The only Michelin starred restaurant in the city open on a Monday, if you’re looking for a blow out. Derry and Sallyanne Clarke have held onto their star since 2003 and the standard of food at L'Ecrivain is always reliably good. 18. One Pico Classic cuisine from the same restaurant family as The Greenhouse , with head chef Ciaran McGill serving seasonal dishes like beef cheek with girolles, cep purée and truffle, and mackerel with greengages, almond and yoghurt. The pre-theatre menu is the more affordable option, with two courses for €30 or three for €38. 19. Ananda Fine dining Indian restaurant Ananda in Dundrum serves innovative Indian food from varying regions using the best Irish produce, like roast Roscommon goat leg with fermented rice patties and chutneys. Head chef Karan Mittal has wowed everyone since taking over the kitchen last year, and won 'Rising Star of the Year' at the 2018 Food & Wine Awards. The dining room is pleasant and service is always first rate. 20. Ka Shing Our current favourite city spot for dim sum opens seven days a week, so there's no restriction on your ability to get 15 different types of dumplings, barbecue pork buns and fried turnip cake. The wine's not up to much so perfect if you're trying to stay off the booze after a heavy weekend. Read our once over here .