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We have no actual data to back this up but if memory serves us correctly, Herbstreet in Grand Canal was the first Dublin restaurant really doing the modern Dublin brunch thing. In fact, standing in the 45 minute Saturday morning queue in 2013 was the moment we realised we were finally emerging from the recession. Lots of typical brunchy fare and the pancakes are really worth waiting for, but the French toast with caramelised banana, pecans and clotted cream is one of our favourite Dublin brunch dishes of all time. Herb Street Website herbstreet.ie Address 9 Hanover Quay, Dublin Docklands, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story We have no actual data to back this up but if memory serves us correctly, Herbstreet in Grand Canal was the first Dublin restaurant really doing the modern Dublin brunch thing. In fact, standing in the 45 minute Saturday morning queue in 2013 was the moment we realised we were finally emerging from the recession. Lots of typical brunchy fare and the pancakes are really worth waiting for, but the French toast with caramelised banana, pecans and clotted cream is one of our favourite Dublin brunch dishes of all time. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Neighborhood restaurant guides for Dublin, Ireland. Find the best restaurants, pubs, cafes, and fine dining in every area of Dublin. Dublin Restaurant Guides & Reviews Neighbourhoods Where to Eat Dublin doesn't have the same easy-to-navigate neighborhoods as say, New York - but we've tried to split the city up into easily manageable chunks so wherever you're headed you can find the best places around for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert. From Argentinean in Portobello, to Calabrian in Stoneybatter, to a raw seafood bar in Terenure, restaurants and cafés here have the ATF seal of approval, so wherever you find yourself in the city you can search for the best eating experiences around. North City Centre Parnell Street Capel Street Pearse St - Merrion Square Grand Canal Dock Temple Bar Dame Street / Wicklow Street Grafton Street - Kildare Street Creative Quarter St Stephen's Green Aungier Street - Wexford Street - Camden Street Portobello Dublin 8 Smithfield Stoneybatter Dublin 4 Rathmines Ranelagh Harolds Cross - Terenure Blackrock - Monkstown - Mount Merrion Dún Laoghaire - Sandycove - Glasthule - Dalkey Dundrum - Sandyford - Stillorgan - Foxrock - Stepaside Drumcondra - Phibsboro - Glasnevin Clontarf - Fairview - Killester - Artane Howth Join ATF Insiders Make the Most of Every Meal. Join Us

One of the city’s best vegetarian and vegan restaurants for over 30 years, Cornucopia is about casual, wholesome dining, just off Grafton street. We love the window seats on the ground floor but there's a large upstairs too. Cornucopia Website cornucopia.ie Address 19-20 Wicklow Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story One of the city’s best vegetarian and vegan restaurants for over 30 years, Cornucopia is about casual, wholesome dining, just off Grafton street. We love the window seats on the ground floor but there's a large upstairs too. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Family-run Afanti is Dublin’s first Uyghur restaurant - the cuisine of the Turkic group of 13 million people living in North-Western China’s Xinjiang province, that’s a blend of Middle and Far Eastern flavours. Sisters Eleanor and Halnur Halmurat run things, while their mother Dilana hand-pulls the noodles each morning. Try the samsas (a relation of samosas), the naan dipped in salted milk tea, and the aforementioned chunky, chewy udon-esque noodle dishes. It’s perfect for a quick stop, or a more lengthy dive into their unique menu. Afanti Website www.afanti.ie Address 3a Cavendish Row, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Family-run Afanti is Dublin’s first Uyghur restaurant - the cuisine of the Turkic group of 13 million people living in North-Western China’s Xinjiang province, that’s a blend of Middle and Far Eastern flavours. Sisters Eleanor and Halnur Halmurat run things, while their mother Dilana hand-pulls the noodles each morning. Try the samsas (a relation of samosas), the naan dipped in salted milk tea, and the aforementioned chunky, chewy udon-esque noodle dishes. It’s perfect for a quick stop, or a more lengthy dive into their unique menu. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

French bistro using Irish ingredients, open since 2004. Some modern takes on classic dishes and the menu changes with the seasons. Brunch is also big, with Eggs Benedict, morcilla hash and steak frites on the menu. l'Gueuleton Website lgueuleton.com Address 1 Fade Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story French bistro using Irish ingredients, open since 2004. Some modern takes on classic dishes and the menu changes with the seasons. Brunch is also big, with Eggs Benedict, morcilla hash and steak frites on the menu. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Shaku Maku is the less casual sibling of fast casual group Umi Falafel, focused on sit down, fun dining that's inclusive to all. They describe their dishes as "Middle Eastern soul food", with much cooked over the charcoal grill that you'll smell as soon as you walk inside. The long room is ideal for group gatherings, family meals and a quick bite before a movie in The Stella up the road. Shaku Maku Website shakumaku.ie Address Shaku Maku, Rathmines Road Lower, Rathmines, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Shaku Maku is the less casual sibling of fast casual group Umi Falafel, focused on sit down, fun dining that's inclusive to all. They describe their dishes as "Middle Eastern soul food", with much cooked over the charcoal grill that you'll smell as soon as you walk inside. The long room is ideal for group gatherings, family meals and a quick bite before a movie in The Stella up the road. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Sprezzatura Handmade pasta with an Irish accent Posted: 14 Jan 2020 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? The story of a new handmade pasta place coming to Dublin in October, where no plate would cost over €10, and practically all the produce was Irish, was our second most read story of 2019 , and we can't say we were surprised. There's actually quite a bit of fresh pasta to be found in Dublin (which we proved here ), but nothing in the fast, cheap, good (and exciting) category, so there was clearly a gap for a Padella-style operation here - and every Irish person who's ever set foot in London comes home talking about Padella so we were clearly primed and ready for it - see here for why. Sprezzatura say they're making Italian food with the best Irish ingredients - their suppliers list reads like a who's who of Irish food - and with their commitment to sustainability including no paper on site, compostable packaging and renewable energy, we're not sure it's possible to be any more tuned into the zeitgeist. The man with the plan was Thom Lawson, formerly of Lucky Tortoise , who split with his business partners at the end of last year to focus on new projects. He's known as someone who like a concept and is good at executing them - and we know he has a few other ideas up his sleeve so watch this space. He joined forces with the guys at Grantham's who had the space and Sprezzatura was born. They got off to a rocky start (not that you would have know by the amount of ' influencers ' and celebrities coming through the doors), and an initial visit left us disappointed, but after a change up in the kitchen and some new chef talent (one of whom was formerly at Forest Avenue), things were looking up. Reports seem to be getting better every week, particularly when it came to value for money, so we thought a few follow up visits were in order. Where should we go for a drink first? Around here your options are endless. For a pre-dinner cocktail head to the Sitting Room above Delahunt for a Cognac and orange or a pisco lemonade, and for wine the excellent First Draft is a 5 minute walk away. For a pint head to Devitt's down the street, or if you like your pubs a bit cosier try Bourke's next to Whelan's where getting a seat at the weekend feels like winning the Euromillions. Bonus: you can get through to Whelan's at the back if you fancy a quick dance before or after dinner - there will be many carbs to burn off. Where should we sit? The large communal table at the front seats up to 20 but is reserved for walk-ins (it's worth asking if you have a group though), and is a great place to sit if you're not concerned about private conversation or personal space. You can also have a drink here before moving into the main room, which has tables for two and four, as well as some booths which would fit six at a squeeze. What's good to eat? The beauty of Sprezzatura is that it's all such good value, with no plate costing over €10, so there's a strong justification to over order - and you can take any leftovers home in a planet-friendly cardboard box. The regularly changing menu is divided into plates and pastas, with the former consisting of small plates, cured meat and fish crudo. Castelvetrano olives to start are the real deal - bright green, grassy, juicy - and the potato focaccia from Bread 41 arrives in a pool of rapeseed oil. The bread is pillowy and chewy in all the right ways, but rapeseed oil is not not olive oil and never will be - we appreciate the ethos of using Irish though. The lamb shank croquette is a must, and at €3.50 it would be rude not to. The flavours are rich and deep, the meat thready and soft, and it's all wrapped up in a crunchy coating. You can taste the time that went into making them. We stupidly never asked what was in the accompanying mayonnaise dip, but it tasted mildly of mustard. A plate of Toonsbridge stracciatella was decent moppage material for the focaccia, but if your reference point for the Italian soft cheese is the original, generously topped with olive oil, this may seem a little anaemic in comparison, with a lack of the typical stretchy, stringy consistency. Another place of 'fish nduja brandade' (fish not specified) was punchier with salt and mild heat from the nduja, and a nice touch of fine, toasted breadcrumbs on top. You will definitely want bread for both this and the cheese. There's six or seven homemade pastas on at any one time, and they change regularly, but the tomato and basil, bolognese and cacio pepe with rotating pastas look to be permanent fixtures. We tried the cacio e pepe with pappardelle and spaghetti on separate occasions and thought the spaghetti won hands down. The sauce seemed to congeal to the larger sheets of pasta quicker, whereas with the spaghetti it was still possible to twist and swish the pasta around the plate towards the end. Again this is made with Irish cheese instead of Italian Pecorino so it's not by the book, but it's very good. Another highlight was the tagliatelle with wild mushrooms, which was a perfect plate of simple ingredients coming together beautifully. The pasta was al dente, the mushrooms buttery and the thyme and cheese brought it all together. We really enjoyed the gnocchi too, which came with chorizo, ricotta and pine nuts on the night we were there. It's light and fluffy as opposed to stodgy, and there was a really nice balance between the creamy cheese, spicy chorizo and crunchy pinenuts. The only dish we weren't crazy about was the ricotta and nduja tyres, which when we had it was head-blowingly spicy, and generally unbalanced, but that was on visit two so they may have tweaked the recipe by now. The only dessert option is a 'popcorn panna cotta', and while it's a very loose interpretation of a panna cotta (the lack of any gelatinous consistency made it more similar to a crème brûlée without the crispy top) it is very good, with a salty caramel layer above set cream, and fresh salty popcorn on top. Even the initially suspicious were using their spoons to scrape the last bits from the side of the cup. It's a simple, sweet, satisfying end, and at €3.50 you may as well try it. What about the drinks? Sticking with their sustainability ethos, all cocktails, wine and beer are on tap, and their beautiful tap installation has been the subject of many, many social media posts at this stage. The Aperol Spritz is very good for an opener with some olives, but we felt the espresso martini was a bit watery - saying that it is €6 so hard to complain. When it came to wine we particularly liked the lambrusco (dry, fizzy red) and the Les Tètes red from the Loire in France, which was juicy and vibrant and a perfect pairing for anything tomato based or with a hint of spice. Drinks, like the food, are very good value, with wines by the glass ranging from €6.50 to €9. They also have two beers, gin and tonic, vermouth and kefir. And the service? Over the course of three visits the young staff were friendly and helpful, and special mention to one smiling, charming staff member who served a large group of us on his first night and was the personification of hospitality, despite being petrified he would make a mistake or forget something. A case in point for hiring for personality and the ability to make your guests feel welcome above all else. The verdict? Over three visits to Sprezzatura it was better each time, which is a good sign that the only way is up. This certainly doesn't seem like a team that's sitting still, and every time we open Instagram they seem to be trying out to recipes and flavour combinations. It's not quite Padella London levels, but if they keep pushing they could get there yet. Sprezzatura 5/6 Camden Market, Dublin 8 sprezzatura.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Well-executed, carefully sourced Italian food from Ross Lewis (chef and owner of Michelin-starred Chapter One) and his friend, chef Luciano Tona, whose restaurant in Italy also held a Michelin star for a decade. Since stepping back from Chapter One Lewis himself has been cooking in the kitchen, and looks to be having fun with it. An interesting cocktail list makes for a perfect after work aperitivo. Osteria Lucio Website osterialucio.com Address The Malting Tower, Grand Canal Quay, Clanwilliam Terrace, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Well-executed, carefully sourced Italian food from Ross Lewis (chef and owner of Michelin-starred Chapter One) and his friend, chef Luciano Tona, whose restaurant in Italy also held a Michelin star for a decade. Since stepping back from Chapter One Lewis himself has been cooking in the kitchen, and looks to be having fun with it. An interesting cocktail list makes for a perfect after work aperitivo. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Bun Cha Vibrant Vietnamese on Moore Street Posted: 9 Jul 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Bun Cha opened on Moore Street in early 2018 and immediately stood out from the few Vietnamese restaurants in the city thanks to their slick website and professional food photography. We weren't the only ones who noticed, as they had Lucinda O'Sullivan and Tom Doorley through the door in the first couple of months. She hated it, he loved it, but slowly they seemed to be building a fan base for their eponymous bun cha and banh mi. Opened by the same people who own the oriental supermarket next door, we're told it's one of only three Vietnamese restaurants in Ireland that are owned and cheffed by Vietnamese people, and that bringing a taste of home to Dublin was the main goal. So far so convinced. Where should we go for a drink first? We recently made the welcome discovery that Wines Direct have a wine shop and bar in Arnotts with €7 corkage on anything off the shelf, as well as plenty of wines by the glass. It closes when Arnotts closes (from 7-9pm depending on the night) so would only work if you're in early, but it's your best bet for wine around these parts. If you're after a pre or post beer head for The Big Romance on Parnell Street for one of the most interesting selections in town, and if you fancy a caipirinha or a mezcal mule make your way to Wigwam on Middle Abbey Street Where should we sit? There's a Vietnamese canteen vibe that means you probably won't sit here all night, but it's perfectly comfortable for a quick bite to eat. If you're on your own there are a few counter seats looking out onto Moore Street, otherwise grab one of the benches against the wall. What's good to eat? From what we ate the unmissable dishes were the bun cha (grilled pork with noodles) and the bun nem (fried spring rolls with noodles). The chargrilled pork in the bun cha has an obscenely smokey flavour that has to be tasted to be understood (we're talking big green egg flavour), and the pork spring rolls must be up there with the most blisteringly crisp (and delicious) in the city. The balance in the dipping sauce with bits of carrot, kohlrabi and chilli is perfect, and we loved the amount of fresh coriander and mint jammed onto the plates, which is something other Vietnamese restaurants here can bizarrely be lacking. We also loved the wonton soup with shrimp wontons, char siu pork, egg, broccoli and spring onions, and a lemongrass paste to stir into the rich, deeply flavoured broth, that could only have come from hours of cooking. It's a huge bowl of food for €11.50 so only order if hungry or you're prepared to take some home (in their lovely cardboard boxes). Our waiter told us one of his favourites was the dry mixed noodles with roasted pork xa xiu, and it was a disarmingly simple bowl of what looked and tasted like super noodles, with slices of pork, crunchy pak choi, shallots and peanuts. Once we got past the super noodle prejudice we really enjoyed the mix of textures and flavours from the sweet pork, slippery noodles and crispy shallots, and it's a dish we're now actively craving. Summer rolls with prawns weren't the most exciting thing we tried, and could have done with a more amped up flavour, and "fried golden dough" or "quay" were just sticks of somewhat bland savoury dough, but will fill a hunger gap until the mains arrive. In Vietnam these are usually eaten with congee or pho, so that might improve things. We didn't try the banh mi but have it on authority they're as good as many in Hoi An, and will definitely be going back for the pho once the weather turns cold again (which should be any day now). What about the drinks? We'd been told to try the sugar cane juice which is freshly squeezed in the kitchen downstairs, but they were out of it, so instead tried a lychee and mint juice, greener than anything naturally occurring in nature. We wouldn't recommend this unless you like the idea of drinking lychee toothpaste. They do have a short wine list and it's predictably unappealing, but we've seen worse so if desperate you could find something, and randomly they do cocktails, including sex on the beach. Proceed with caution. And the service? Both times we ate here our server was so sweet and welcoming, and very happy to tell us his favourite dishes, both here and back home in Vietnam. For him this is the best Vietnamese food in the city, and when it comes to the bun cha and bun nem we'd find it hard to disagree. The verdict? We've always struggled to understand the lack of Vietnamese food in Dublin when it's so prevalent in cities like London and Melbourne, and such a vibrant, fresh cuisine that most people seem to fall in love with on tasting. It's easy to say that the best Vietnamese cuisine is going to be found in Vietnam, but if you can't afford a plane ticket Bun Cha's doing a pretty good job of bringing it to us. Bun Cha 11 Moore Street, Dublin 1 www.buncha.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Mamó A blast of fresh air for Howth Posted: 15 Oct 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? There are certain types of people residing in Dublin who frequently make grand statements such as "there's nowhere to eat in *insert suburban town/village/street here*", while others look on in confusion thinking, "but there's 36 restaurants there?" (We may or may not be guilty of such statements.) What this actually means is "I'm aware there are 36 restaurants there but none are exciting enough to make me get off my bum and pay someone a substantial amount of money to cook my dinner", and one of the postcodes that's fallen into this bracket over the years is Howth. Yes there are plenty of restaurants, yes there's a decent (could be better) amount of fresh fish, but it always felt like a trick was being missed, and the culinary dynamism that's been taking over the city centre at full force hadn't quite reached here. So when we heard that ex- Etto front of house Jess D'Arcy and chef husband Killian Durkin (ex-Thornton's, Chapter One and Charlotte Quay ) had signed the lease on a harbour facing site earlier this year we felt a shiver of excitement. They describe Mamó (Irish for grandmother) as "a contemporary European dining experience in a relaxed and friendly setting", and a showcase for North County Dublin's abundant produce, as well as lesser known fish that they can buy directly from the boats. With Jess coming from Etto we had high hopes for the wine list, and a quick look online showed sherries, lesser known producers and no prosecco. So far, so ticking all of our boxes. They opened the doors at the end of September, and initial reports suggested our excitement was going to be justified. Where should we go for a drink first? The good news is there's no shortage of pubs in Howth. The bad news is if you're looking for something other than beer or gin you may struggle. The Bloody Stream is a cosy place to huddle up with a pint if it's cold outside, the Abbey Tavern up the hill on Abbey Street claims to date from the 16th century, and if you're after a more "modern" selection of drinks head for Wrights Findlater . They also have a roof terrace if it's warm enough to sit outside. Where should we sit? The dining room is cosy and quite compact - be careful what you say as it's likely your neighbours will hear you. There are tables and counter seating (perfect for eating alone ) as well as four tables outside - we don't need to tell you how in demand these are going to be come spring. For the moment heaters have been ordered. The two tables at the window with a view of the harbour are the ones to plump for if you have a choice, or the counter's lovely for one or two. What's good to eat? The menu is divided into snacks, starters, mains, sides and desserts, and as seems to be the case more and more lately we're finding ourselves more drawn to smaller plates than larger ones - probably because it allows us to try more food. The menu is changing regularly depending on what's available but if they're on as a snack when you visit do not miss the confit potato chips with taramasalata - Mamó's take on fish and chips. Salty, vinegary, creamy, fishy, and exactly the type of culinary excitement we've been looking for from a restaurant by the sea. Herby, garlicky razor clams with a macadamia nut crust were perfection on a plate (the flavour still hasn't left us), and chicken liver parfait with chicken skin crisps and crispy onions was gone in seconds. Both are must-orders if they're on. Good sourdough bread comes as standard and they plan on varying up the butters. At the moment it's a Vadouvan butter (similar to a masala spice blend) with flakes of sea salt on top. It was whipped to the point of fluffiness, and the bread comes in very handy for mopping up the last few smears of chicken liver parfait. From the starters we had a mackerel tartare with orange and pressed cucumber, which was like a Peruvian ceviche cleverly served with crisps. We are very much here for the zing and freshness of a well-made ceviche and the accompanying crunch of salted crisps, and think that variations of this will be one of their signature dishes (read: please don't ever take it off). Another starter of tarragon gnocchi in a porcini broth felt like an ideal plate for a cold day, and managed to feel light despite the rich, savoury flavours. Killian is apparently known for his homemade pastas so we look forward to more of those hitting the menu over the coming months. A main of wild black pollock with sobrasada, Lambay crab and coco de paimpol broth was well balanced with a tingle of heat and excellent fish, but wasn't as memorable as some of the smaller dishes. They also do an Etto-style Côte de bœuf from Higgins Butcher to share with bearnaise sauce and crispy potatoes, so that's on the agenda for a return trip soon. We did have the crispy potatoes as a side and they're up there with Etto in terms of their ability to turn a table of adults into a pack of scrambling animals desperately fighting over the last few crunchy bits. Another side of carrot salad with tahini and pomegranate didn't really do it for us, and felt like it was lacking seasoning. For dessert the Howth honey tart with sea salt ice cream is another we're hoping is a permanent fixture. Honey comes from up the hill where there's also an allotment they're on a waiting list for, and it's hard to think of a more thoughtful, of-the-moment ending to a meal here. Another of dark chocolate ganache with blueberries and Italian meringue was luscious, but the portion sizes didn't allow either to feel overwhelmingly sweet. We're still regretting not ordering the Old Groendal cheese with poached pear and Guinness bread, so that's high on the list for next time. What about the drinks? We're big fans of small production/on the natural side wines, but have been growing weary of seeing the same names on every new wine list in town, so it was refreshing to see a lot of lesser known producers here, and Jess is more than happy to talk people through them and make recommendations. Anywhere serving sherry by the glass gets bonus points from us, and offering something sparkling other than prosecco by the glass gains more again - here it's a great value sparkling Chardonnay from the Loire called 'Tuffeau' from Domaine Plou. There are 13 wines by the glass and we asked them to bring what they thought would work for each dish. They were on the money every time, particularly a dry furmint from Tokaji in Hungary with the mackerel tartare. And the service? This is very much a family operation with Jess' brother helping her front of house and the rest of the crew calm and tight knit. Jess is very much the hostess making sure everyone is well looked after, and while we were there she had to graciously turn away guest after guest without a booking - but not without making sure they had the restaurant's card with booking details, and telling them they would love to welcome them another time. It's not often that people leave a restaurant this happy when they haven't been able to get in. The verdict? Mamó is a breath of fresh air in sleepy Howth and it feels like it's been a long time coming. We're looking forward to seeing it settle in and just hope that the tourists don't find out about it too soon or we may struggle to get a table forever more (especially in summer, picture the scenes). At the same time, we're excited about visitors experiencing this new iteration of Irish food in such a tourist hotspot and going home to tell everyone about it, so basically you can't win. A drawn-out, lazy Sunday lunch here would be just the way to end the week, or a midweek evening stroll along the harbour followed by ceviche, 'fish and chips' and all the wine sitting up at the counter would be as good an antidote to hump day as we can imagine. Mamó Harbour House, Harbour Road, Howth, Co. Dublin mamorestaurant.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

The northside's closest suburbs to the inner city are home to Middle Eastern food you'll want to shout about, breakfast sandwiches people travel a long way to eat, and a food market with constantly rotating vendors, and always something new to eat. Drumcondra - Phibsboro - Glasnevin Our Take The northside's closest suburbs to the inner city are home to Middle Eastern food you'll want to shout about, breakfast sandwiches people travel a long way to eat, and a food market with constantly rotating vendors, and always something new to eat. Where to Eat Bang Bang Blossom Artisan Bakery Borgo Eatyard at The Bernard Shaw Elliot's Hera Little Washer Mosaic Wines Shouk Sushi Sakai The Washerwoman Two Boys Brew Yeeros

The third opening in the Oxmantown empire, Elliot's landed quietly in Phibsborough in summer 2022 with maritozzi, damson doughnuts and Basque burnt cheesecake, and all was remarkably better in Dublin 7. It's a bakery first and foremost but there's a couple of benches outside if you want somewhere to perch while you tuck into your purchases. Expect a queue, and an early sell out, particularly at the weekend. Elliot's Website @elliots_dublin Address 330 North Circular Road, Phibsborough, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The third opening in the Oxmantown empire, Elliot's landed quietly in Phibsborough in summer 2022 with maritozzi, damson doughnuts and Basque burnt cheesecake, and all was remarkably better in Dublin 7. It's a bakery first and foremost but there's a couple of benches outside if you want somewhere to perch while you tuck into your purchases. Expect a queue, and an early sell out, particularly at the weekend. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Inexpensive, excellent Neapolitan style pizza, with a margherita coming in at under €10. The MacHugh brothers were inspired to open Sano after a trip to Naples, seeing how delicious, affordable and popular pizza is there, and it's loved by locals, tourists and students in equal measures. Unlike their original Temple Bar location bookings are taken all day. Sano Ranelagh Website sano.pizza Address 62 Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Inexpensive, excellent Neapolitan style pizza, with a margherita coming in at under €10. The MacHugh brothers were inspired to open Sano after a trip to Naples, seeing how delicious, affordable and popular pizza is there, and it's loved by locals, tourists and students in equal measures. Unlike their original Temple Bar location bookings are taken all day. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Bar Pez The Fish Shop team bring seafood small plates and all the wine to the city centre Posted: 8 Aug 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Bar Pez? It's a new wine bar on Kevin Street Lower (just after Aungier Street when you're walking out of town) from the same owners as Fish Shop in Smithfield and Beach House in Tramore. They are very keen to stress that this is a bar , with seafood-focused wine and small plates, and while there's no doubt that the wine list is the star attraction here, we (and everyone else) clearly had high expectations for the food, based on Bar Pez's siblings. Where should we sit? The interiors are reminiscent of a ski lodge, with timber-lined walls, faux oil lamps, and mismatched artwork. There are four solid tables for four (which can't be adjusted for smaller or larger parties), and counter seating on high stools. This is not a venue that's going to work for groups, unless some of the party are happy to stand, or be split across different areas. (Bar Pez) Counter seats either face into the basic kitchen, or onto a wall of wine. There's also a perch in the centre of the restaurant that two or three could stand at if you just wanted a quick glass and a plate of something tasty on route to somewhere else. What's the food like? There's been a bar and/or a kitchen menu depending on the day over the last few weeks, the kitchen menu appearing more towards the weekend. The bar menu is basic, with almonds, anchovies, gildas and a couple of toasts, while the kitchen menu adds some mostly fish-based small plates. A gilda to start is compulsory, and it's the same olive/anchovy/pickled green pepper one as you'll find in Fish Shop, but 50c more expensive at €3.50 (Fish Shop's are €3 each - the rents must be higher around here). On the gilda index it's cheaper than Uno Mas (€4) but more expensive than Row Wines (€5 for two), and it's a strong, salty, pickled mouthful to accompany your first drink. Anchovies on toast (€4.50) consisted of three, half, salty, Cantabrian anchovies, generously doused in good olive oil, with a piece of toast for spooning on top of and mopping up with. Simple but satisfying, and a great accompaniment for the UBE by the glass (more on that below). Lobster toast (€9.50 from the bar menu) was easily the best thing we ate here, with lobster meat, mayo and what looked like espelette pepper flecked through it, and chives on top, the little additions enhancing the lobster's flavour and not masking it. Peas, broad beans and ricotta was a light, summery combo, with mint tossed through it and deep green olive oil pooled at the bottom, but a bit more seasoning would have made it even better. Courgette, crab and basil was another of our favourite dishes - akin to a courgette sandwich stuffed with a perfectly seasoned mound of crab meat, and sweet, pungent basil. We noted on a second visit that it had increased in price from €12 - €13, and the portion was less generous - margins not stacking up perhaps. As you would expect from the people who gave us Fish Shop, the fried fish and aioli was battered and cooked to five-star standards, but it needed better draining, and we found ourselves blotting it with serviettes to take some of the oil off. We'd buy their smooth, ultra-garlicky aioli in jars if they'd do us the courtesy of starting a retail line. Mackerel with peach and fennel (€19) had exactly-cooked, clearly fresh fish, but missed a trick with the flavours. While the peaches were beautifully ripe, mackerel is better suited to a more tart companion, like gooseberries or rhubarb, and without the acid to cut through the fish, it tasted more flabby, and wasn't lifted up like it could have been. Expect one dessert, and when we visited it was a beautifully moist yet burnished apricot and almond tart (€9.50). The tart had deliciously short pastry and excellent flavour, but the fridge-cold, single cream poured around it felt lazy. This tart deserved a blood-temperature crème anglaise - even a whipped cream with vanilla would have been an improvement. What about drinks? The by the glass list features plenty to keep you occupied over a few hours, including electric ATF favourite 'UBE Miraflores' from Cota 45, the flinty, volcanic 'Trenzado' from Suertes del Marqués, and a couple of grower Champagnes, as well as rosé, orange and red options. There's a 125ml and 175ml price, so be sure to tell them what size you want, or you could end up with an unexpected €17 glass of wine on the bill. There's no sherry, by the glass or bottle, which feels like the missing link. Maybe they'll add it in time. If you consider yourself a wine devotee, the very lengthy bottle list may stop you in your tracks, with sections on 'Oceans', 'Rivers' and 'Mountains' to pore over. There's little under €50 though, and the same punchy margins as most other places around town. There did look to be better value in the very high end of the list, with some bottles not a lot more than retail prices (e.g. Etienne Sauzet's Puligny Montrachet 2020 which is €102 retail but €150 to drink here, or Arnuad Ente's Bourgogne Blanc 2018, which we found in Hedonism Wines in London for £298 but it's €360 to drink here - a relative bargain if you've got the desire and the funds). There's also a Coravin list for those wanting to try spennier wines without committing to a full bottle. We tried the delicious Vincent Dancer Bourgogne Blanc (€20 for a 125ml), but on our first visit glasses went as high as €70. How was the service? Great at the start when it was quiet (around 5pm) and generally very pleasant, but derailed as they got busier. They don't take bookings (it's just a bar remember), but every few minutes the door opened and faces walked in hopefully, to be told there was nothing available. They weren't taking names or numbers, prospective diners were just told to wait outside, and looking out the window at the growing, unmanaged crowd was anxiety inducing. As the bar filled up our wine glasses remained empty, and we had to strain and crane to get anyone's attention for anything. We sat there at least 30 minutes longer than we'd planned, due to delays in calling the bill, and then the card machine. Surely the growing crowd outside would encourage the quicker turning of tables, but no one seemed in a hurry, and we ended up feeling guilty that we were unwillingly hanging onto a table that other people really wanted to be sitting at. By the time we were leaving most of them had given up, with only two remaining. We couldn't blame them. What was the damage? €106.50 with two glasses of wine and a soft drink. Needless to say if you delve deep into the wine list you could double that bill pretty easily. And the verdict? We love that the Fish Shop team have managed to bring their skills closer to the city centre, and the wine list at Bar Pez is one of the best, most extensive around - if you've got the deep pockets needed to pay for a lot of it. The food isn't quite as impressive as their Smithfield sibling (which we paid a visit to the same week and found it better than ever ), and the service needs tightening at busy times, but we'd be very surprised if they don't get there considering the team behind it. Bar Pez Unit 3, College Court, Kevin Street Lower, Dublin 8 barpez.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Low-lit, narrow-roomed Aperitivo, with its waistcoat-clad Italian waiters and limoncello spritz on repeat, is like something lifted from Venice and dropped onto Nassau Street. The tiny room is made for intimate meals, where feet and forks are sure to touch, and the menu full of small plates, snacks and pasta is meant to be shared. For our money the fritti are the best things on the menu, and the cocktail and wine list are worth a deep-dive. Aperitivo Website aperitivo.ie Address 47 Nassau Street, Dublin 2, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Low-lit, narrow-roomed Aperitivo, with its waistcoat-clad Italian waiters and limoncello spritz on repeat, is like something lifted from Venice and dropped onto Nassau Street. The tiny room is made for intimate meals, where feet and forks are sure to touch, and the menu full of small plates, snacks and pasta is meant to be shared. For our money the fritti are the best things on the menu, and the cocktail and wine list are worth a deep-dive. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Bootleg Disco nights, vintage wine and Spanish/Asian small plates shake up Drury Street Posted: 20 Feb 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Bootleg? “Drink, dance, dine” is the motto-slash-mantra (if not the likely running order) of this new Drury Street arrival, a joint venture from the four people who’ve between them brought us Big Fan , Sprezzatura , and Bow Lane . That they’re bringing us Bootleg in a space that was previously a Starbucks is reason enough for us to darken their door – in a city where tenancies all too rarely change hands in that direction, this feels like a turning of the tide we need to support. If the thumping music and an all-day offering that looks set to lean heavily into brunch probably make Bow Lane the best proxy among its owners’ prior ventures for what to expect at Bootleg, the upmarket drinks selection and a more focused plancha menu signpost a more mature iteration is the general vibe. Where should we sit? That’ll depend on which combination of drinking, dancing and dining you want to indulge in. The large rectangular bar, fitted out with upcycled panels from the previous tenant in a nice hat-tip to prising back a piece of the city, has plenty of plastic seating for a quick drink and a snack; the right side of the room is studded with booths inviting you in for a slow evening of wine and small plates; the left has high tables temptingly close to the DJ booth. We have to assume the three unoccupied low tables also sharing this space on the midweek night we visited are cleared off to make way for a dancefloor, but it’s hard to imagine a full house with this layout wouldn’t seem a little cramped. What’s on the menu? Big Fan ’s Alex Zhang is among the four owners here and has taken on an executive chef role, with his colleague Wei Cai parachuted in to head up the kitchen. The loosely Spanish-style menu makes room for a whole variety of Mediterranean and Asian influences across its sections of small plates and sides, and there's a whole menu dedicated to gildas (even though the name gilda can only be applied to the classic version - the rest is poetic licence). We started with a generous wedge of thick-crusted sourdough, its flavourful near-black crust making up for a disappointingly dense crumb; a little more time to develop the dough might add an airiness to better balance the accompanying chicken skin butter’s salty richness. That the spread’s been whipped to a creamy consistency helped even things out, though more would be welcome – we found ourselves scanning the table for something to coat our final chunks of unbuttered bread in. Lucky then that we’d gone all-in with the flatbread snack plate too. Not least for the strand of rosemary perched atop, this crisp disc has a little of the touch of a focaccia about it, perfect for mopping up the trio of dips it’s served alongside. The best is muhummarah, the Middle Eastern red pepper and walnut paste that’s rarely done this well in Dublin – our leftover bread gratefully lapped the last of it up. Garlic scape chimichurri had an enjoyably intense flavour, while the tapenade ticked the box solidly if unspectacularly. Menus online had not been updated, and at least half the expected plates from the plancha section were not on when we got there - we’ll put it down to early days trying-and-testing. An addition that caught our eye was swordfish skewers, and this is one that ought to stay put - three neat cubes of grilled meat planted on a mojito yogurt and drizzled with harissa oil. The fish is superb with a charred surface yielding to soft flesh inside, smartly complemented but never upstaged by the contrast of cool yogurt and sharp harissa. A slightly too-thin yogurt is all that's holding this plate back from perfection. A duo of land and sea sliders with Wagyu beef smash and crispy prawn makes for a nice sharing pair, with standard but solid brioche buns largely letting the main events speak for themselves. The beef, oozing melted cheese and meat juice, makes for a satisfying mouthful, with the assertion of piquant pickles buried beneath the patties, while the prawn’s sweetness works well with the light tang of shiso leaf. These are nice bites, but we can't say the execution felt like it justified €17 for two tiny burgers. Wagyu doesn't tend to come cheap though. On the on-site but not online menu was a solitary concession to vegan diners, and was effectively a mushroom spice bag - albeit with no ordinary mushrooms. Garryhinch is one of three suppliers name-checked on the menu, and their lion’s mane has gone into this inventive offering – we’re sorry to say they deserve better. Not even these prime specimens, well-seasoned and served up in a light crispy batter, are enough to overcome the one-note spice of sliced chilies and bizarre blandness of an oat milk and sourdough purée. The picanha plate also sadly went down as a dud. This beef cut is having a bit of a moment about the city, thanks not least to a growing Brazilian influence, and for good reason – when given the right treatment it’s one of our favourite steaks. Here it was underdone, with none of the charring that brings out its best. Together with a just-done egg that quickly cooled, this added up to a dish that was unpleasant to eat. Kimchi rosti off the sides menu brought things back on track - these crispy, croquette shaped slabs of grated potato are a deceptively light feat of deep-frying, somehow held together despite the pockets of air throughout. In a menu not without its missteps, they’re a reminder of what the kitchen is capable of. What are the drinks like? A bit confusing. While the twelve negroni variations (you can add a gilda for €2 in a nice touch) and ten spritzes join in with the bassy soundtrack as a statement of intent, the €120 to €460 vintage wine menu had us wondering who’s looking to drink like that in a place like this - maybe there's a gap for Chambolle-Musigny and Italo-Disco nights that we didn't know about. There's plenty of regularly priced wine too, all from WineLab , and Whiplash is all that’s on tap, while we salute the very fair pricing of their solid non-alcoholic options – more of this, please. We kicked off with a classic Aperol spritz and white negroni – both passed muster without tempting us any deeper into their variations. Once the food arrived, we plumbed the slim BTG list and went with a chilled red in the form of Succès’ La Cuca de Llum. Earthy, dry and decidedly light-bodied, it played well off the majority of plates. How was the service? After getting in a round of drinks to survey the menu over, we had to put a little work in to get our order taken – the informal drink-dance-dine vibe means you need to make it known you’re here to eat. Staff are attentive and quick off the mark once you do flag them down though, and the quick pace of service left nothing to be desired. And the damage? Our full spread with two rounds of drinks came in at €125, with two of us satisfied but far from stuffed. The sliders are the clearest sense of where individual items can come in a little overpriced, but we’re all too aware of the cost pressures bearing down on city centre restaurants – nothing here is out of whack with what you’ll get anywhere else nearby. What’s the verdict on Bootleg? We left Bootleg not totally sure what kind of place it’s trying to be, and we could tell the mixed crowd of middle-aged couples in for a bite, and younger groups who tried it for a drink before heading off elsewhere felt much the same. Those excited to share in swordfish might find it a bit too lively; those who get peckish while in for a dance may find the food too fancy. Maybe it finds its groove in the wee hours. There are some ruthless calls to be made here to tighten up the concept, and a way to go yet on fine-tuning the menu, but both show ambition and a promise of more to come, and we'd expect no less from the team behind it. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Couple Sofie Rooney and Gareth Fitzgerald spent two years and several trips to Korea perfecting the recipe for their Korean fried chicken, and when the doors of Chimac finally opened in May 2019 they were overrun with hungry Dubliners eager to see if it tasted as good as it looked in the pre-opening images. It did, and for the next few weeks early closings due to selling out of food was a regular occurrence. Now things have settled down but you might still face a wait at peak times. Chimac Website chimac.ie Address 76 Aungier Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Couple Sofie Rooney and Gareth Fitzgerald spent two years and several trips to Korea perfecting the recipe for their Korean fried chicken, and when the doors of Chimac finally opened in May 2019 they were overrun with hungry Dubliners eager to see if it tasted as good as it looked in the pre-opening images. It did, and for the next few weeks early closings due to selling out of food was a regular occurrence. Now things have settled down but you might still face a wait at peak times. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

This sweet little Malaysian café in the middle of a housing estate in Palmerstown is one of our finds of 2025, with the best Nasi Lemak we've had outside of Kuala Lumpur. Avoid the non-Malay dishes, there for locals who can't move with the times, and focus on the curry puffs, homemade satay, and rice and noodle dishes. D'Lepak Website d-lepak.ie Address 34 Manor Rd, Redcowfarm, Dublin 20, D20 DY20, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story This sweet little Malaysian café in the middle of a housing estate in Palmerstown is one of our finds of 2025, with the best Nasi Lemak we've had outside of Kuala Lumpur. Avoid the non-Malay dishes, there for locals who can't move with the times, and focus on the curry puffs, homemade satay, and rice and noodle dishes. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Square Dish A Detroit-style disappointment Posted: 13 May 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Square Dish? It's Dublin's newest pizza restaurant (no we haven't peaked yet), with a fancy fit out on one of the capital's most desirable streets - St. Stephen's Green. While the combination of those elements initially made us think Square Dish must be from a big hospitality group with money coming out the wazoo, it's actually husband and wife team Andrew Eakin and Naomi Murtagh behind it. Eakin started London wine shops Bottle Apostle many moons ago, before moving into the wine industry in France, while Murtagh is a designer, most recently based in London. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Restaurant Manager < Back Restaurant Manager Hunan Apply Now Location Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Employment Full-time Date Posted 23 September 2025 Website chinatang.ie The team behind China Tang in Monkstown will open new restaurant China Hunan in Ranealgh late November/early December, and are looking to hire a Restaurant Manager . We are part of a large restaurant group behind well-known brands including China Tang , Little Dumpling , Hakkahan , Bullet and Biang Biang Hand-Pulled Noodles , so the right candidate will be joining an experienced and supportive team with plenty of opportunities for growth. This will be a mid-to-high end restaurant, and we are looking for someone with solid restaurant management experience (Michelin or 5-star hotel background preferred). Chinese language is a plus. In return, we offer: A supportive and collaborative team environment Competitive salary (to be discussed at interview) Opportunities to grow within a dynamic and expanding restaurant group Exciting challenges and rewarding career progression Application: Interested candidates can send their CV to info@hunan.ie .

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The Grayson Website thegrayson.ie Address 41 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

When Coppinger Row was forced to shut at the end of 2021 after their landlord decided to put their lease on the open market, the sobs were heard across the country. After a two and a half year battle (during which they opened Orwell Road and Row Wines), the Bereen Brothers finally got the premises back, and relaunched the newly renamed 'Coppinger' ready to take on 2024. The 2.0 version is a big improvement on the original, with a far sexier menu and room, and while much has changed, the gambas on sourdough, great cocktails and accessible prices have remained. Coppinger Website bereenbrothers.com/coppinger Address Coppinger, Coppinger Row, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story When Coppinger Row was forced to shut at the end of 2021 after their landlord decided to put their lease on the open market, the sobs were heard across the country. After a two and a half year battle (during which they opened Orwell Road and Row Wines), the Bereen Brothers finally got the premises back, and relaunched the newly renamed 'Coppinger' ready to take on 2024. The 2.0 version is a big improvement on the original, with a far sexier menu and room, and while much has changed, the gambas on sourdough, great cocktails and accessible prices have remained. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Just north of the river Liffey to the west of the city centre, Smithfield used to be home to inner-city farm yards and an open-air market, but is now home to fried egg sandwiches, Cardi-Bs, and one of Dublin's best places for seafood small plates and natural wine. Smithfield Our Take Just north of the river Liffey to the west of the city centre, Smithfield used to be home to inner-city farm yards and an open-air market, but is now home to fried egg sandwiches, Cardi-Bs, and one of Dublin's best places for seafood small plates and natural wine. Where to Eat Biang Biang Bonobo Fish Shop Mad Yolks Matsukawa No Messin @ Proper Order Nutbutter Smithfield Oxmantown Smithfield Sister 7 The Legal Eagle Urbanity

Casual Malaysian café serving authentic versions of Nasi Lemak, Rendang Chicken and excellent Roti Canai. Kopitiam Website @KopitiamDublin Address 53 Capel Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Casual Malaysian café serving authentic versions of Nasi Lemak, Rendang Chicken and excellent Roti Canai. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure Out of gallery

Bone fide Italian wedged between a car garage and a pet shop in Deansgrange. Homemade pasta, pizza and antipasti draw a steady stream of Italians, which is all you need to know. Fellini's Website fellinisdublin.com Address 35 Deansgrange Road, Deansgrange, Co Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Bone fide Italian wedged between a car garage and a pet shop in Deansgrange. Homemade pasta, pizza and antipasti draw a steady stream of Italians, which is all you need to know. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure Out of gallery

From the team behind Hakkahan in Stoneybatter, Nan Chinese is a more high end opening specialising in Huaiyang cuisine, which is subtler and softer than many other types, and usually reserved for banquets or special occasions in China. Don't miss the xiao long bao (soup dumplings), the crispy bottomed Shengjian bao, and the whole deep-fried seabass with sweet and sour sauce. There's also a private dining room downstairs that can seat up to 12. Nan Chinese Website nanchinese.ie Address Unit 1, Drury Hall, Stephen Street Lower, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story From the team behind Hakkahan in Stoneybatter, Nan Chinese is a more high end opening specialising in Huaiyang cuisine, which is subtler and softer than many other types, and usually reserved for banquets or special occasions in China. Don't miss the xiao long bao (soup dumplings), the crispy bottomed Shengjian bao, and the whole deep-fried seabass with sweet and sour sauce. There's also a private dining room downstairs that can seat up to 12. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Jean-Georges at The Leinster The celebrity chef adds Dublin to his empire with big flavours, €48 snacks and spectacular rooftop views Posted: 2 Apr 2024 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What do we need to know about Jean-Georges at The Leinster? The globally renowned chef, and self-confessed rule breaker Jean-Georges Vongerichten has been lured to Dublin by Paddy McKillen Junior ( Press Up Entertainment ), whose family he's known through the biz for 15 years. The Leinster Hotel now falls under ownership of The Dean Group, which Press Up set up to separate their hotels from the rest of the business. They sold a majority stake to a London based investment group in 2023, so it's kinda Press Up, and kinda not. JGV is one of the world's most successful chefs, with an empire stretching across 46 locations in North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Europe and The Middle East. His flagship New York restaurant Jean-Georges has two Michelin stars (downgraded from three in 2018), and the work involved in keeping this many restaurants operating at such a high level makes our heads hurt, but he and his team are amongst the world's best restaurant operators. (Jean-Georges @ The Leinster) As good as Press Up are at interiors and cocktails, they've yet to produce anything above mediocre when it comes to dining. Jean-Georges is a "partnership" with the main man, who is not going to put his name over the door lightly, so although he only visits his restaurants once a year, we expect other members of his team will be all over every detail. Executive head chef Ross Bryans has worked for Press Up for a couple of years, but don't let that put you off - he was head chef at Jason Atherton's Pollen Street Social for almost 10 years, and worked at restaurant Gordon Ramsay under Clare Smyth, as well as Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud. Is there somewhere for a pre-dinner drink? There sure is. Slot in an appetite sharpener at The Collins Club , the hotel's ground floor cocktail bar, named after Irish designer David Collins who designed restaurants for Pierre Koffman and Marco-Pierre White. He passed away in 2013, with British Vogue called him " London's great interior designer ", and the naming here is a lovely nod to one of Dublin's best design talents. The menu is unique for the city, with Collins Club versions of drinks you may already know, and brand new ones you won't, like the 'Chocolate & Yuzu' with chocolate tequila, sake and yuzu marmalade. The Abv is handily noted for each drink, so you can decide between a 9% Bellini or a 22% Martini depending on your tolerance/mood/stomach contents. The 'Kumquat' is their answer to the Martini, with gin, vodka, vermouth and pickled kumquat brine. What looks like two olives are actually brined grapes, plump and ready to pop - they make the drink. The first one that arrived wasn't cold enough, and when we asked for a couple of ice cubes to stir through and dump out they arrived back with a second one, freshly made and ice cold. We would have liked to see more appealing brands than Beefeater and Absolut, but others drinks feature more interesting spirits producers. The 'Palo Santo Paloma' was a very good version of a paloma, with Tequila, grapefruit, lime and grapefruit soda. Where should we sit? Into the lift and up to the rooftop, and despite the slight movement away from the Press Up brand, the room is in the same style we've seen in their other restaurants. We were particularly offended by the trees, but probably because they brought back bad memories . It's a long room with booths on either side and round tables in the middle. We will always pick a booth over a table in the centre of the room, and try to get one at either end for the best views. The most in-demand seats are going to be on the terrace at either end of the restaurant (not currently open), with views across the city as far as the Dublin mountains. What's on the menu? Dishes you could be eating anywhere in the world, with no obvious links to the city its found itself in. JG likes a raw bar/crudo/sushi, "light and bright" appetisers ( think Beverly Hills Housewives when they're forced to eat something carb-free on camera), and he loves big flavours, so there's plenty of truffle, chipotle mayonnaise and Champagne sauces. Asian flavours like fermented black bean ginger and green curry are also a running theme. Two of his signature dishes are caviar topped snacks, and both have landed on The Leinster's rooftop, but you'll have to empty your piggy bank to try them. The egg toast with herbs and caviar is on the menu at JG's flagship New York restaurant, two-Michelin-starred Jean Georges , among many others - see how its made here - while the crackling hash brown with caviar, smoked salmon and cucumber yoghurt can be eaten in his restaurants from Los Cabos , Mexico to São Paulo , Brazil to Nashville , Tennessee. Egg toast We tried the hash brown, and our thoughts went like this: "this hash brown could be a lot crispier; where is this salmon from?; mmmmm caviar; I wish there was more caviar; oh God, we've just eaten €42 in two bites..." Is this a must eat dish in Dublin? If you're earning anything close to the average salary, absolutely not. If you have money pouring out of your ears (or the person paying does) then kick back and enjoy this snack as status symbol. Onto appetisers and a plate of baby artichokes with rose saffron aioli and lemon showed what this group does best - simple ingredients supercharged with big, bold, flavours. The warm shrimp salad with avocado, tomato and Champagne vinegar dressing looked like something for diners on a diet, with a ratio of 9:1 leaves to everything else. The "shrimp" themselves came in a tangy sauce that was more beurre blanc than vinaigrette, and the whole thing was pleasant to eat, but once the shrimp are gone there's not a whole lot to keep you interested. The raw enoki mushrooms thrown on top were puzzling. Mains range from €24 for whole roasted cauliflower to €48 for beef tenderloin, and you'll need sides on top for €6 a piece. Wild turbot (€38) with crushed nuts and seeds came in a sweet and sour jus with lightly poached baby onions and tomatoes floating in it, and we've re-eaten it in our heads more times than the hash brown. Perfect, pristine white fish, which flaked away beautifully when hit with a fork, and not a drop of the broth it was sitting in went back to the kitchen - this is a killer fish dish. Charred, marinated duck breast (€40) comes with caraflex cabbage, herb salad and a coconut lime infusion (just like in Kyoto ). Caraflex is related to hispi, and to the best of our knowledge isn't available here -either it's imported or they're using its more common cousin. The breast was substantial, but a bit tough in parts - full marks for the crispy skin though. Oh but that sauce... Like a red curry paste ground by hand on a Thai beach met a juicy lime and throupled it up with a dash of cream from a just-picked coconut. The cabbage had char and bite and swirled around in that sauce was just perfect. An obligatory side of mash potato had a reassuring amount of butter, and easily slots into the "Michelin-level-mash" category. Desserts (all €12) are designed to be familiar and comforting as opposed to dazzling and intricate. A rhubarb trifle with lychee gelée and lime meringue came with plenty of the tart pink stuff to offset the sweetness, and delving deep brought up something new each time. A moussey butterscotch pudding comes with a layer of liquid salted caramel on top and a scoop of whippe d crème fraîche floating in it. There's a couple of shortbread biscuits on the side for dipping and scooping onto, and while we thought we'd find this Angel Delight throwback too sweet, if you like salted caramel there's nothing not to like. What about drinks? The wine list is pricey, not overly interesting, and is laid out in an order that makes no sense - not by price, nor country, nor style, so it's not an easy read. The by the glass list is their biggest downfall, with only three options each for white and red, and two whites and one red from Paddy McKillen's winery Château La Coste. Another red is almost €30 a glass, so for the average wine lover there's an embarrassingly bad selection. Plan on getting a bottle, which start at €45. We drank the Heinz W grüner veltliner (€45) which was crisp, fruity and an easy drinker that worked with everything. If drinking red we would have gone for Holzer's juicy Zweigelt (€55), which will also work well with this kind of food. How was the service? Not overly welcome on arrival, but our server was overflowing with smiles. She did however sound like she was reading from a document she'd been forced to practice for hours before being allowed onto the floor. We got the feeling that any question there wasn't a pre-prepared answer for might send her into a spin, afraid of accidentally veering off script. We were told in overtly enunciated words that all of the produce on the menu was "LOCAL and SEASONAL", and that's where the sourcing story ends. It's also worth pointing out that the dinky, dainty cutlery feels like it was made for diners with tiny hands. It takes a bit of getting used to. What's the verdict on Jean-Georges at The Leinster? Jean-Georges Vongerichten leads an impressive global empire, and it feels like we should be grateful he's added little ol' Dublin to his restaurant map , but despite some stellar flavours, we left feeling it's missing some magic right now - an Irish welcome, a wine experience worthy of the setting and the name over the door, and information about the ingredients on the plate. In a country where provenance is our biggest play, to completely ignore it feels like a huge oversight, especially at these prices. We wonder who's going to fill this restaurant seven nights a week (we visited on a Monday and were one of only three tables the whole night, and saw later on Instagram that one was a hosted journalist). Maybe the same set that fills up The Ivy day after day, who want to feel less ick about themselves. Dublin lacks great food in glam surroundings, it tends to be one or the other, with a lot of the city's best chefs and operators unable to conceive of spending this much money on upholstery and Costa Nova cutlery. It would be nice for someone to finally get it right, but celebrity chef led restaurants have notoriously bombed here - talk to the teams behind Gary Rhodes, Gordon Ramsay and even our own Richard Corrigan. We'd love to see Jean-Georges break the curse, because we'd very much like to sip another kumquat Martini on the terrace, while they pick a coconut for that duck sauce. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Vibrant, authentic Indian food packed with freshness and flavour, miles away from what most Irish people associate with the cuisine. Sunil Ghai ran the kitchens for the Jaipur group before going it alone, and dishes like tandoori guinea fowl, goat keema and wild boar vindaloo have had Pickle packed since it opened. Pickle Website picklerestaurant.com Address 43 Camden Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Vibrant, authentic Indian food packed with freshness and flavour, miles away from what most Irish people associate with the cuisine. Sunil Ghai ran the kitchens for the Jaipur group before going it alone, and dishes like tandoori guinea fowl, goat keema and wild boar vindaloo have had Pickle packed since it opened. Where It's At Nearby Locales D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet Daruma Malahide Lena The Pig's Ear Notions @ Two Pups The Rooftop @ Anantara The Marker Sofra Little Geno's Mama Shee Nutbutter Smithfield Shaku Maku Mad Yolks Rathmines Una Choux Bakery Parnell Street Bakery Baily Bites @ Kish Spice Village Terenure

Orwell Road The Coppinger Row guys go south Posted: 24 Jul 2022 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What's the story? At the end of 2021, the Bereen brothers who owned Coppinger Row (and still own Charlotte Quay), announced that the city centre restaurant where Queen Bey herself once ate, would shut its doors for good at Christmas, after thirteen years of trading. Rather than blaming bad business or anything pandemic related, a press release explained that the building was due to be redeveloped by the landlord, and the now familiar cries of "no more hotels" started to ring out. Memories were shared, the final Flo and Basys were ordered, and the doors shut, but soon rumours started to swirl about a follow up on the southside. They publically announced the details of Orwell Road in March, just five days before opening to Rathgar locals and anyone wanting to make the journey, and we were pleased to see Daniel Hannigan, formerly head chef in ATF fav Mister S , was leading the kitchen. They opened to plenty of positive reviews, but the prices were so punchy we reasoned we'd leave it for a special occasion. You guys had other ideas, and when we let our ATF Insiders choose the location of our next review, Orwell Road was the easy front-runner, so we set off for Rathgar for a weekend lunch. Where should I sit? It's a small room and we imagine it gets quite cramped when all of the tables are full. The booths at the window and along one side are by far the most spacious, and the bar seats look appealing too, with a view directly into the kitchen. What's the food like? The menu is à la carte, which will please you if you're tired of set and tasting menus, or the demand to order three courses each including a main course (always the most boring part, is it any wonder we just want all the small plates), but prices are high, and they feel like a shock in somewhere pitching themselves as a "casual neighbourhood restaurant". Some of the opening prices have risen even further in the four months since opening. Two croquettes have gone from €6.50 to €8. Côte de boeuf has gone from €70 to €75. A side of Ballymakenny spuds have gone from €5 - €6. Obviously inflation is high and food costs are rising, but consumers have never been more concerned about what's in their pockets. Meat and fish mains were €30, €34 and €35, and comparing this to other neighbourhood restaurants, in Locks, Spitalfields and Circa mains all stay below €30. In Volpe Nera the most expensive ones just hit €30. With all that in mind this level of pricing feels ambitious. A snack of mackerel tart (€5 for two bites) with chilli ponzu was a snappy start, with fish aged by Karl Whelan in Saltwater Grocery down the road, and plenty of citrus tang from the ponzu and heat from the chilli. The only problem was a very soggy bottom - perhaps they went OTT on the dressing or it sat for too long before serving. We were slightly disappointed to see that the Andarl pork croquettes we'd seen online had been demoted to "ham and cheddar", but they were very good, with spicy wholegrain mustard giving them an edge, and a cloud of more cheese on top. They worked out at €4 each though, which felt excessive. Onto starters and their signature seems to be the "chicken and scallops", served in two parts. On a top plate comes a deboned chicken wing stuffed with its own flesh - pleasant and richly flavoured, but added crunch like the version at Library Street would improve it. Lift that and underneath scallops swim in a chicken butter sauce, with slabs of the crispiest chicken skin imaginable scattered on top. We thought that the scallops would have been a stronger dish on their own without the distraction of the wing - perfertly cooked, plump and juicy, in a sauce so rich (and a little over-salted) you'll want to tread very lightly with your spoon. The chicken skin is a masterclass in how to do it. No weedy shards around here, this is some seriously crunchy business. We'd seen the new dish of kombu-cured cod with wakame and ginger on their social media feeds, and it's a visual delight, but we felt the flavours were too tame. While the wakame and ginger were pleasant and delicate, it was missing a punch of flavour that the meaty, ultra-fresh fish needed to cut through it. The Cais na Tire tortellini in a burnt onion broth is a beautiful dish. The pasta is on the thicker side, and a thinner one would let the flavour of that beautiful sheeps' cheese filling shine through a bit more, but the broth is deep with a smoky, allium-rich flavour, and cheese and onion are bedfellows for good reason. On to mains and this is where the prices really started to sting. A €34 plate of turbot with girolles, taramasalata and chicken butter sauce (the same as earlier), came with a piece of fish no bigger than a small child's hand, seven mushrooms, a few leaves of savoy cabbage, and taramasalata so salty it was unpleasant. You will most likely need a side (€6), meaning this is a €40 dish with potatoes. We know inflation is high but this was a hard one to swallow. The fish was cooked perfectly, snow white and flaking away, but for that kind of outlay we expect a lot more. The other dish, BBQ monktail with chorizo-stuffed razor clams and seafood bisque felt a lot more substantial for a euro more (€35), with the charred, meaty fish coming away in thick chunks and the baby courgette still al dente, but the razor clams tasted of chorizo and sodden bread, any fish flavour lost to the other ingredients. Monktail isn't something you see often, so it was nice to see it here and cooked so well. As a side we ordered the obligatory spuds - these ones from Ballymakenny in Louth, with a black garlic mayo that was more sweet than pungent. They were good, appearing to be fried multiple times, but some were crunchy while others were soft and/or chewy. The crunchy ones were excellent. Dessert is something that Hannigan has always excelled at (at one point during the pandemic he opened a dessert truck), so we presume at some (if not all) of the creations here are his. We tried his vacherin in Mister S, and it's gone up a notch again, this one with hibiscus on the outside, and strawberry sorbet and vanilla on the inside. Breaking it open with a spoon is very satisfying, as is eating it. Smooth sorbet, jammy strawberries and crunchy, scented meringue make for a delicately delicious dessert that's bang on season. A salted caramel tart was also excellently executed, but again there was too much salt in parts. A cherry sorbet was bright and deeply flavoured, with macerated cherries underneath, and together they made for a lovely combination. We hadn't ordered the third dessert, elderflower ice-cream with raspberry granita, but they brought it free of charge, saying we had to try it, and it was another perfectly pulled together plate - it's hard to imagine two more fitting desserts for an Irish summer than this and the strawberry vacherin. The flavours were pure yet punchy, the colour and taste of all the elements completely vivid. What about drinks? The wine list has plenty of interest, as well some less interesting crowd pleasers, and a large proportion is available by the glass, which is so nice (and relatively unusual) to see. We tried a Spanish blend from Cellar de Ruore, and the Sicilian Palmentino Rosso from Vino di Anna - the red won in the flavour stakes. The cocktails list reads well too, and the 'Bamboo' with dry vermouth, Lillet Blanc, Fino sherry, banana and black cardamom cordial, and bitters was pleasant to sip while waiting for snacks, but on the sweeter side. How was the service? Our server could not have been more full of warmth, smiles and helpful information, and apart from one grave suggestion of serving the Vino di Anna over ice because they didn't have one chilled, didn't put a foot wrong. Dishes came out at a perfect pace, but we were the only ones there so can't speak for a busier period. And the damage? A few euro short of €200 before tip for two adults and a child, which is into the realm of two-Michelin-starred Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen, where you could have lunch for two with a nice bottle of wine for the same price. The verdict? There's a lot to like about Orwell Road, but much that could be improved too. As noted in the Woodruff once over a few months ago, the lack of a good value lunch menu is a major turn off for customers, and just bad business (Woodruff have since introduced one ), and may explain why we were the only ones there for Saturday lunch. Dinner appears to be hopping and that night they were fully booked, but those weighty prices are easier to stomach in the evening. A good value lunch menu, an early evening menu, and more generosity in the plates of food would go a long way towards ensuring the longevity that Coppinger Row had. Orwell Road 48 Orwell Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 6 orwellroad.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>