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The prices of everything sky-rocketing are bad enough when you're just trying to live your life, but throw in the expensive hobby of dating and it can quickly turn into a financial car crash. Tiktokers have been complaining about the cost of dating in Ireland, and can you blame them? €180 for a first date you'll probably never see again - sure you'd be as well just staying home and giving up on love. While there are plenty of free/ultra cheap date options (a walk in the park, a gallery visit, a coffee in town), sometimes you want/need to make more of an occasion of it, so here are 12 places to take that (possibly) special someone for food that might stop you having to deleting the dating apps until next month... Hong Kong Wonton, Dublin 2 Hong Kong Wonton , from the people behind Asia Market , has a brilliantly central location on buzzy Fade Street, and with the most expensive dish on the menu €13, you can enter safe in the knowledge that you'll be able to leave with change from a fifty. Wontons are unsurprisingly the star dish, either on their own, in noodle soup or with lo mein, and it's soft drinks only, which also helps with the bill. Sofra, Dublin 1 Turkish grill house Sofra is just off Henry Street, so you can distract yourself with some window shopping beforehand if you're feeling nervous. You can go all out with a mixed grill platter for two with bread and mezzes for €55, or eat as you go with grill specials priced at €15-€18, and kebab plates €13.50. They don't sell alcohol and though it's been printed elsewhere that they allow free corkage, they've since confirmed that they don't. Read our once over here . Biang Biang, Dublin 1 Lovely little Biang Biang , just off Capel Street, is a true taste of the Xi'an region of China, amongst plenty of pretenders. It's walk in only but you won't be waiting long, and you could always go for a quick one in Bar 1661 around the corner if there's a wait. We're not going to say that their hand-pulled noodles, cold skin noodles, and beef dumplings are the most elegant things to eat, but if they're not into you with chilli oil dripping down your chin do you really want to spend any more time with this person? Mains are €11-€14, and basic beer and wines cost €6 and €8 a glass.

We've all been there. You're planning a special birthday or anniversary dinner, or need to book something good with that foodie friend who's back in town for one night only, and the penny drops: oh GOD, it's a Monday! While things have come on a bit from when the start of the week was a veritable dining desert, Monday's still the quietest night of the week by a ways - here's your cheat sheet for where to book ahead or try your luck with a walk-in, and all the best offers they're luring you in with... Bar Pez, Kevin Street Yelps of glee were heard all around the city when Bar Pez  recently announced a pivot to a 7-day service. The Spanish-style seasonal small plates joint from the brains behind Fish Shop  recently made us weak at the knees with boudin noir rarebit and scallop toast – not to mention the obligatory gilda and vermouth to start. You’ll get a walk-in if you’re lucky, but this one’s worth planning for. 777, George’s Street John Farrell’s flagship Mexican 777  makes an effort to lure in a Monday crowd with a 2 for €20 margarita deal all night long – reason enough for us. Be warned for summer outings that their outdoor “afuera” area doesn’t open this side of the week, and if there's less than six in your party it’s walk-ins only. Full Moon Thai, Temple Bar For that "I'm sitting on a beach on Koh Pha Ngan" feeling, you need a trip to Full Moon Thai for papaya salad, laab moo, and deep-fried whole seabass. The wine and cocktail list is better than you might expect, and there's some outside tables on buzzy Parliament Street.

This isn't continental Europe. Contrary to popular belief restaurants in the Irish capital do not close en masse on Sundays. It's true that almost everywhere serving a tasting menu shuts for a day of rest, but there are countless other options from tapas to steak to the very best of Irish seafood. Here's where to go when you need a serious feed of a Sunday in Dublin city centre (and within walking distance of it)... City Centre and surrounds Table 45, Hogan Place Chilean tapas are served six nights a week at Table 45 , and Sunday is one of them. Go for the Empanadas, stay for the Lomo Saltado, and don't leave without trying a Pisco Sour. Read our once over here . Coppinger & Row Wines, Coppinger Row Coppinger and sister wine bar next door Row Wines are both open on Sunday night, for prime city centre dining. The former is your best bet for a traditional three course meal; the latter if you want small plates and picky bits. Both have great outdoor seating on Coppinger Row and lots of lovely things to drink too. Pickle, Camden Street Sunil Ghai's Indian destination Pickle is continuously booked out at weekends, but you might get lucky on Sunday. The goat keema pao is the one, but you can't put a foot far wrong in here. There's a €90 tasting menu available on request, and a €120 slow-braised leg of lamb to feed 3-4 if you're going all out (needs to be ordered 48 hours in advance).

We all know that salad and sunshine go together like… well, tasty cold food and hot weather. We’re officially at that time of the year where eating salad for at least one meal a day stops being an unchecked item on your to-do list, and turns into an activity to plan your day, and Insta stories, around. In an attempt to appease the Weather Gods, here’s our (and your) favourite places to eat salad in Dublin... Sprout, various locations in Dublin Hands down, the most loved place in Dublin for a salad by our readers is salad bar Sprout , which now has seven locations across Dublin. The Bombay and charred chicken taco bowls get a lot of love, but the meat-free options also make Sprout stand out, with the tofu satay and chick-please bowls singled out as two of the best. Tang, three city centre locations Coming in a close second was Tang , whose selection of daily changing salads start at €8.95, and include a "fresh", "roast" and a "grain" option. You can do a protein add on with hummus, chicken, lamb or beans, and more extras like tzatziki and focaccia if you're feeling insatiable. Find them on Abbey Street, Dawson Street and Cumberland Place. Tiller + Grain Say salad in Dublin and someone will shout " TILLER + GRAIN ". Their daily changing salads are a riot of colour, texture and flavour, and you won't find any boring options in here. While known for being "not cheap" (a salad box with protein will set you back €16-€17), they are known for being very, very good. Tír Deli, Hatch Street Upper Seasonal Irish deli Tír exists to connect their customers with the farms and food producers they source their ingredients from. It's not just about the feelgood factor though - these guys know what they're doing when it comes to maximising flavour. They've always got two seasonal bowls on the go, usually one with Feighcullen free-range chicken, and the summer veggie option comes with Toonsbridge halloumi, smoked tomato pesto, summer salsa, marinated egg, roasted veg, hot honey and seasonal leaves. With both bowls coming in at €12 this is great value for premium produce. Caribou's Caesar Salad Caribou 's Caesar salad is a masterclass in the genre. Every element on the plate - Romaine lettuce, Grana Padano, Caesar dressing and thin, crispy croutons - is perfection, with just the right amount of everything. You can add grilled or fried chicken, but it doesn't need it. On our last visit it was €11, or €15 with chicken. The Old Spot's Caesar Salad Over in Dublin 4 there's another Caesar salad grabbing headlines at everyone's favourite gastro pub, The Old Spot . Theirs has roast chicken, crispy Parma ham, aged Parmesan and croutons, and while it's €20, this is a dine in and sit back affair. Fairmental, Dublin 4 Fairmental near Grand Canal Dock have replaced soup with panzanella-style salads for the summer months, and we're hearing all the positive noises. They're also serving a new prawn cocktail bowl, with wakame, sesame, confit almonds slow-cooked in garlic, and a marie-rose sauce containing prawn shell mayo and preserved lemons. That one we're gona need to try. The Fumbally, Dublin 8 There always a lovely salad line up at The Fumbally which changes day to day, but you can expect the most seasonal veg, local cheese, homemade bread, and veggie protein for €14.50 (on our last visit). You'll feel so good after eating one that you can totally justify one of their doughnuts afterwards. Honey Truffle Kitchen, Pearse Street Honey Truffle Kitchen  is a magnet for salad lovers, with their vivid bar capable of turning the heads of even the most ardent sandwich fans. Salads are as you would expect seasonal, with watermelon and feta a recent summer addition, but it's all health-filled and flavour-packed. Salad boxes come in different sizes with optional dips, toppings, seeds and cheese, and you can also add protein if you're not hitting your macros. Honest To Goodness, The Liberties Liberties Café Honest to Goodness are not phoning it in with the salads. Their "Legend Salad" started out as a special, but customers demanded it was on the menu every day. With all the veg, kalamata olives, feta, seeds, beans, honey-dijon dressing and your choice of either chicken or hummus, we can see why these events unfolded. There's also the 'Peruvian trout' with lentils, corn and tiger milk dressing, and chicken Caesar with roast thighs, Pecorino and a crouton crumb. Emer's Kitchen, Leeson Street The Emer's Kitchen salad bar is legendary around Leeson Street, with few cafés seeming to elicit such a dedicated, heartfelt following from customers. They change daily but you can get three salads (they say they use the term loosely) in a box with meat, chicken, salmon or frittata for €9.50, or €12.90 with protein. Shouk, Drumcondra The Shouk mezze is legitimately legendary, with nothing changing in the past few years, and nothing ever needing to - there would be a riot, and we'd be top of the queue. The aubergine and red pepper, the Morroccan carrot, the roasted cauliflower with tahini, the tabouleh... Not to mention the Shouk salad with sumac and fried pita bites - getting your five a day has never tasted so good. Nutbutter, Grand Canal Dock and Smithfield Nutbutter serve superfood bowls in super pretty surroundings in both of their locations, northside and south. It's very easy to be vegan or vegetarian in here, but just as easy to add chicken or tuna sashimi to their warm bowls. It's recommended we eat 30 plants a week - you easily get 10 in one bowl in here - and soon you'll be able to get their goodness in Dundrum too! As One As One on City Quay has a menu focused on gut-health as a way of improving overall wellness, and their salad bar serves local organic produce from McNally, Abercorn and Beechlawn organic farms (with properly seaonal veg) from Monday - Thursday. There's always three salads with house dips/hummus/kimchi/pickles/pesto, and the option to add protein like Goatsbridge trout and Rings Farm free range chicken. A small box costs €6.50, while a large will get you the lot plus protein for €13.50 - it's hard to argue with that value for this quality of ingredients. What are your favourite places for a salad in Dublin? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie

Despite the unpredictable weather (jokes, we all know July in Dublin = washout), there's all kinds of summer feels in the new dishes hitting menus across the city this week. From razzleberry pies to rosé jelly desserts, here's what we've been thinking about to forget the rain... 1) Razzleberry pie, No Messin' Bakery What's a razzleberry you ask? We did, and found out it's a mix of almost every Irish berry available to No Messin' Bakery in Smithfield from Malone's fruit farm in Carlow - raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and gooseberries. Add to that Irish wheat from The Little Mill in Kilkenny, free range eggs from North Wicklow and Irish butter (just LOOK at that flaky pie dough), and we think this would beat even your Granny's most impressive handiwork. It's €31 and only available through this special link sent to those subscribed to their newsletters. 2) Tamales with truffle, Suertudo Suertudo in Ranelagh are keeping us on our toes with new dishes seeming to hit the menu every week. The "Tamal con Trufa" has just arrived and get a load of this for a spin on a traditional Mexican snack food. Truffle butter, red pepper, goat cheese, macadamia nuts, salsa asada & courgette flower. Aye aye aye... 3) Lamb kafta slice, Mani All this week at Mani on Drury Street you can get this special Lamb Kafta slice as part of One Plate For Palestine , with 100% of proceeds going to charities working to provide food, water and relief in Gaza. They're topping their pizza al taglio with spiced and smashed lamb mince, housemade labneh, sumac onions and cheese, and even without the added charitable benefit we'd be queuing up for a slice. 4) French toast with labneh ganache and sumac strawberries, Slice There's another very special special on at Slice in Stoneybatter this week, also taking part in One Plate For Palestine . Their D7 offering is a French toast with caramelised white chocolate, labneh ganache, mejdool date caramel, sumac strawberries and pistachios. If you can't make it in you can still donate here . 5) Rosé and peach jelly, Canal Bank Café If summer was a dessert, it would be this rosé and peach jelly with peach mascarpone, raspberries, crushed amaretti biscuits and almonds at Canal Bank Café . A glass of pink bubbles on the side and some sun on our face and we'd be anybody's.

It's been a July heatwave so far, and we're turning up the heat even more with another nine brilliant prizes to thank our paying subscribers for keeping ATF operating. Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders goes automatically into the draw - you just sit back and enjoy the content, and a potential added bonus might be coming your way... As an ad and invite-free website, ATF Insiders is how we're funded, ensuring that every recommendation is made without influence, and you can trust that reviews are honest and unblemished by invites and freebies. Everyone who signs up for ATF Insiders by midnight on Thursday 17th July will be entered into this month's prize draw, and winners will be selected on Friday 19th July. Good luck :) 1) An overnight stay with breakfast at Fota Island Resort We're sending one of you on an overnight stay with breakfast for two people to the five-star Fota Island Resort in East Cork, to get away from it all with walking trails, an indoor swimming pool, the world class Fota Island Spa, the fine dining Cove Restaurant, or tee time on the stunning golf course, surrounded by picturesque forest and woodland. You can visit Fota Wildlife Park, Fota House and Gardens, Cork's English Market, Ballymaloe’s gardens and shops, the farmers market in Midleton, Ballycotton’s cliff walk, Cobh, the beautiful blue flag beaches nearby - the options are endless! Check out all their latest offers at  www.fotaisland.ie . 2) An overnight stay at The Heritage, Laois, with breakfast and Afternoon Tea We're sending another lucky Insider to The Heritage in Co. Laois this month, for an overnight stay with breakfast and their signature afternoon tea in the Galleria. The four-star hotel and spa in the pretty village of Killenard, County Laois, has loads of things to do, from golf on the 18-hole Seve Ballesteros course, to Elemis treatments in the award-winning spa, to walks and trails in the Slieve Bloom mountains. Check out their brilliant midweek breaks or summer escapes here . (T&C's apply, not valid on bank holidays) 3) Lunch for two with Bloody Marys at The Fitzwilliam Hotel The Fitzwilliam Hotel on St Stephen's Green has been known for its Bloody Marys since opening in 1998, and over 25 years later they've brought in a new Bloody Mary menu in a nod to their past. They're serving five different versions of one of the world's most distinctive cocktails, each day in the lounge from midday to 10pm, and there's a new food menu to go with it, featuring snacks, salads, sandwiches, small and large plates. We've got a three-course lunch for two with Bloody Marys to give away this month so you can settle into the lounge, sip on a "Five Star Bloody Mary", and decide what you're going to eat. Check out the lounge and menus here . 4) Three-course summer lunch for four with drinks at Hawksmoor This summer Hawksmoor are bringing the best possible value to meat lovers, with a steak and a side at lunchtime for just €21! And you can upgrade to a two course lunch for €24, or a three-course for €27 - pretty hard to beat prices for Dublin right now, particularly for 35-day dry-aged Irish rump . To celebrate this unreal steak deal in one of Dublin's most beautiful dining rooms, we've got a three-course summer lunch for four to give away, with either a cocktail each or a bottle of wine to share. Check out the summer lunch menu and book here . 5) Dinner from the pre-theatre menu for two at One Pico If the cost of literally everything is kicking your ass, but enjoying the finer things in life is just who you are, get yourself into One Pico for their early evening menu. The short menu (canapés, breads, starter, main course) is €48, and the long (all of that plus dessert/cheese and petit fours) is €60, and with dishes like lamb ravioli and butter-roasted monkfish, this is fine dining at a much easier to process price tag. It's available every day they're open (even Friday and Saturday!) with last orders at 6pm, and it's basically the same menu as the regular €78/€98 menu, with a €30-€40 saving. More money to spend on those mighty fine wines. Check them out here . 6) Six VIP Sunday Tickets to Big Grill Festival Europe's largest BBQ & food festival, Big Grill , is back in  Dublin’s Herbert Park from Thursday 14th - Sunday 17th August. Bringing dishes you'd usually have to travel the world to taste, from some of the biggest Irish and international names from the BBQ and grilling world, they describe it as " a food festival led by the finest ingredients, fed by fire ." We've got six Sunday tickets to give away this month with access to VIP area Rancho Relaxo , two complimentary drinks per person, guaranteed seating, garden games and a private bar. Visit www.biggrillfestival.com  for the full line up and tickets. 7) €100 voucher for Green Earth Organics The summer harvest is in full swing at  Green Earth Organics - the 100% certified organic family-run vegetable farm in Corrandulla, Co. Galway, and its nationwide organic grocery delivery service . Get chemical-free produce from their farm and those of other organic growers around Ireland, as well as over 800 organic grocery items, from cheese to bread to pantry items. Few things make us happier than an online shop from Green Earth, and our lovely boxes of organic food arriving on the doorstep, and one of you will be on the organic food buzz this month with a €100 voucher for the website. Check out the Green Earth range here . 8) A bumper beer delivery from Galway Bay Brewing Galway Bay Brewery , one of Ireland’s top independent brewers, have just launched their latest creation - Figo Pilsner (4.5%) . It's their indie take on the increasingly everywhere Italian Pilsner style, inspired by the crisp, modern lagers served in Northern Italy. They've brewed Figo to have a smooth, soft finish with delicate European hop aromas, for a bright, clean and always fresh summer lager. We've got a bumper prize pack of 36 beers from Galway Bay Brewery to give away this month, featuring the new Figo Pilsner and their Lush Extra Pale Ale, which should see you through to the end of summer (or to the end of your next barbecue). Find them in off licenses nationwide and all Galway Bay bars . 9) A six month jam subscription from Mór Taste Wexford-based  Mór Taste are officially the producer of “Ireland’s fruitiest Jams”, made from 85% fresh fruit and up to 70% less sugar than other jams. Founder Felix Oster thinks that more fruit means more flavour (and less sugar), and also keeps Mór's jams free of preservatives, artificial sweeteners and fruit concentrates. We've got a six-month jam subscription to give away to one ATF Insider this July, where you'll be sent five of their multi-award winning flavours to try each month, like Mixed Berry, Blueberry, Cherry and Raspberry, all of which have recently hit the shelves of Tesco stores nationwide. Buy online or check for stockists here . Everyone signed up for ATF Insiders in July (both new and old) will be automatically entered into the prize draw. You don't need to do anything. If you're not signed up yet, join here before midnight on Thursday 17th July. Your support promotes independent reviews and news in Dublin and beyond, and allows you to get answers to any dining questions directly from us.

With another heatwave (apparently) on the agenda, summer might well be saved. We're thinking California taco vibes, rooftop retreats, and the best gelato in town. Here's where we'd send you if you asked us where you should eat in July... For the potential new star in town: Comet, Joshua Lane It's been a much quieter opening that we anticipated for chef Kevin O'Donnell's Comet , where wine bar La Ruelle used to be off Dawson Street - more of an industry-only whisper than a public megaphone announcement that they were open. He cut his teeth in Bastible (who are backing this restaurant) before leaving Dublin seven years ago and moving to Denmark to work at two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Kadeau in Copenhagen, where he ended up as head of R&D. When chefs leave Michelin-starred restaurants to go it alone, rest assured that the inspectors won't take long to come knocking... Read our once over here . For the feel-good industry story of the year: Kaldero, Dublin Dreams do come true. After Press Up made yet another mess of yet another restaurant , the group's new owners (under new name Eclective), have made the first sensible food-based decision maybe ever, and given over Kaldero on South King Street to Bahay 's Richie Castillo (chef) and Alex O'Neill (marketing and branding) to work their magic. We've never had a dish from Bahay that was anything else than very exciting, and Dublin city centre having its first upscale Fillipino eatery is another reason to get in before it gets too busy. For all the LA vibes on the Northside: Chubby's Kitchen, Clontarf Barry Stephens’ is the man behind iconic sandwich shop 147 Deli (may she rest in peace) and taco truck Just Chubby’s , which parked up in Clontarf three years ago and has been delighting local taco lovers ever since. They took a longer than expected Christmas break this year, teasing a big new direction, and Just Chubby's has now grown into fully fledged restaurant Chubby’s Kitchen . We are obsessed with the Californina-style, eclectic fit out of this room, and what we've seen so far of the food looks obscenely tasty. Look out for our once over coming soon. For Dublin's first PROPER food court: Priory Market, Tallaght You couldn't possibly have missed all the buzz over the past few weeks about Dublin's first legit food court and market , and while we'd have preferred to have it in the city centre and more accessible to all, we will most definitely be schlepping out to Tallaght at our earliest convenience - lucky lucky them to have this on their doorstep. ATF favourites Bless Up, El Milagro and Coke Lane have moved in, and we're dying to get a taste of Venezualen Flavouritos, Lebanese Zaira, and Italian Buongousto. There's a brewery and tap room on site, as well as a coffee roastery, wine bar and cocktails, so leave the car at home if you can. For mainly wine, with snacks: Fion Eile Okay this is more somewhere you should drink in July, but olives, almonds and crisps are still food right? New Phibsboro wine shop Fion Eile have just started serving wines by the glass and a few nibbles from Thursday - Sunday. A great excuse to hang around rooting through the shelves a bit longer, or just sit and sip and ask about what bottles you should rehome. For the scarce few weeks you can eat on an outdoor rooftop: Kinara Kitchen, Ranelagh The clock is ticking for outside eating in the summer of '25, so get that lunch and dinnertime vitamin D while you can. Kinara Kitchen 's Ranelagh rooftop + their new summer cocktail menu + their Friday and Saturday night pre-theatre menu with two courses for €35 = precious summer memories. For what might be Dublin's best gelato: Parnell Street Bakery, Parnell Street You'd be forgiven for not having room for gelato after all the pastries, patisserie and sandwiches you may have ingested at Parnell Street Bakery , so you'll need to plan a gelato-specific visit this summer. The flavour list is compact but you won't be complaining when you taste their coconut gelato or chocolate brownie special - this is batting with the city's (probably the country's) best ice-cream options. The coffee from Imbibe is also flawless - DIY affogato?

What should we know about Bolt Burger? Returned to its former home in The Fourth Corner after an earlier eighteen month popup wrapped back in 2023, Bolt Burger  pitches a menu perfected over several festival stalls since. We’d been meaning to make it in here for a while when the launch of a summer special triple smash provided the final push. What’s on the menu? Not what’s online, be warned. We were wooed by deep-fried lasagna nuggs but alas they’ve been nixed since the site went live – mozzarella sticks couldn’t quite set our eyes alight in the same way. We took some solace in a legitimately punchy sweet chilli dip, nicely cutting through the oozing excess of sweet, stringy cheese - these aren’t Reggie’s level, but they get the job done. Wings are of a similarly solid standard. Despite the novel promise of Bolt seasoning, the dominant flavour here is all Frank’s – no bad thing, but nothing to rush for either. The dip needs a rapid rethink though. Listed only as “garlic”, it’s got the sweetened tang of roasted bulbs. If blue cheese ain’t broke… You haven’t clicked in to read about Bolt's Tacos but you’ll forgive a brief foray into the Thursday-only three-for-€10 deal when you hear about Beamish-braised barbacoa beef. As card-carrying advocates of the superior black stuff (not up for debate) we leapt in and lapped up, and this tender taco is one of the tastiest around. Shredded chicken and plant-based mince just can’t compete - our top tip is to order three of the beef and a pint to pair with it. Bolt’s burgers, which they’ve just begun sourcing from FX Buckley, are clearly made of superior stuff, indecently juicy from crisp edge to crisp edge – date night material this finger-dripping mess most certainly is not. While we’re not wholly convinced a third patty has any more than sheer indulgence to justify itself, the price point landing in at less  than a double smash with bacon almost makes this mandatory if your appetite can handle it. Proper quality skin-on fries come with all burgers, crisp and well-seasoned enough to eat without any add-ons – but moderation isn’t exactly among our virtues so we upgraded to a loaded chicken katsu. If the battered, bulky tender’s style didn’t quite live up to breaded, sliced expectations, the taste at least did. This is a helluva feed for a famished soul. With our well-aired (and not always shared) aversion to truffle oil we weren’t overly sold on the other loaded fries option, a thick-spiked aioli lashed with parmesan. Those less fussy about the in-your-face artifice of the flavour may enjoy these more. Likewise, non-meat-eaters will probably find favour with the mixed veg patty, but its rainbow stodge was a lot less interesting to us than the Beyond Meat-style smash offering we’d heard they had previously. Why should we go? Against tough local competition from Dash and Bunsen  down the road, Bolt isn’t likely to emerge everyone’s favourite, but its smart Fourth Corner colocation puts these burgers a cut above (and a cost below) other pub grub purveyors around. If you're out for a drink with food that's not filler, you'll be well served here - on deal days especially. Bolt Burger 50 Patrick Street, Dublin 8 instagram.com/boltburgerdublin

It's a July fruit extravaganza, there's melted cheese for days, and our favourite cocktail inspires the city's newest chicken wings . Here's what we really really want to eat in Dublin this week... 1) July Specials, Elliot's Who do Elliot's think they are coming up with specials like a fig leaf, raspberry and coconut croissant tart; a matcha and gooseberry choux au craquelin; and a kimchi laminated brioche. We have enough to be doing at the weekend without having to suffer this level of FOMO. 2) Triple Strawberry Bakewell , Mud Bakery They had us at strawberry. At triple strawberry bakewell we were signed, sealed and delivering ourselves to Mud Bakery at Glasnevin Market. Strawberry jam, roasted strawberries and fresh strawberries - the season's short, how better to make the most of it. 3) Melted Cooleney Cheese with Crispy Bread, Ely Wine Bar From sweet to cheese, we're shook at how good Ely Wine Bar 's melted Cooleney cheese looks. That crispy bread for dipping is a gamechanger. Find it on the small plates menu. 4) Margarita chicken wings, Chimac Never have we been more tempted to run for a plate of chicken wings, than when we saw these Margarita ones from Chimac . Twice-fried for extra crunch, they're finished with salt, lime, tequila and tajin - what genuis came up with this. Find them on special right now. 5) Tupa lamb ribs, Bahay Bahay have wasted no time ripping up Filipino flavoured trees since taking over the kitchen at Kaldero just last week. Early reports are fantastic, and we're hardly surprised looking at these Tupa lamb ribs. There's a humba glaze on the McLoughlin butcher meat (they describe it as Adobo's sweeter cousin), then they add fermented black bean and muscovado sugar, before finishing it on the Smokin' Soul grill. Pickled kolhrabi on the side is the crunchy icing on the cake.

With markups soaring across the city as restaurants struggle to close the ever-growing viability gap, we’ve noticed time and again fewer people enjoying a glass with their meal. For many that’s by necessity rather than choice (although the low and no alcohol movement is definitely another factor), and one of the most common queries we’ve had lately from our ATF Insiders is where can we BYO in Dublin.   So whether you’re looking to avoid punishing prices or just go all-out with a special bottle you’ve been saving at home, here’s the best options to bring your own along – and all the corkage charges. FREE CORKAGE Fayrouz, Cork Street A taste of Lebanon in the Liberties, Fayrouz has an authentic menu of mezzes and grilled meats, alongside like shawarma, shish and sumac chicken. Vegetarian options are particularly good, while their tabbouleh has a rightful reputation as among the city’s best. Corkage is free for tables of fewer than six, and nearby Molloy’s has Lebanon’s famed Château Musar wine in stock for a perfect pairing option. Rotana Café, Parnell Street   With the original Portobello branch shuttered last year after 16 years in the neighbourhood, longstanding Lebanese restaurant Rotana are giving it their all on the east end of Parnell Street with a selection of charcoal-grilled kebabs, falafel sandwiches and mezze platters at very good prices. Corkage is free when you have two courses. The Wine Pair, Clanbrassil Street   The Wine Pair  opens from Wednesday to Sunday for wine drinking and small plate eating, but Sunday is the day to visit when you can drink anything off the shelf with no corkage charge. Zero. That's around half price depending on the bottle. They're open from 13:00 - 18:00 - day drinking it is. Shaka Poke, Blackrock Market Picture the next mini heatwave in Dublin. Then picture yourself slipping into Blackrock Cellar , coming out with a cold bottle of rosé, and shoring up in Shaka Poke to enjoy it with an Ahi Tuna bowl and an Açai for dessert. This dream can be a reality at lunch every day, or at dinner from Wednesday - Sunday. Dada, South William Street Top-quality Irish meat gets the Moroccan treatment in Dada , with a menu full of with traditional tagines and couscous. Their harissa can make for some seriously spicy dishes, so be sure to pair wisely. Corkage is free from Sunday to Wednesday, or €5 per wine bottle and €2 per beer otherwise. You’ll need to clock up a minimum spend of €35 per person across two courses to avail. CORKAGE CHARGE Fallon & Byrne's Wine Cellar, Exchequer Street   The basement wine cellar in Fallon & Byrne  offers a corkage charge of €10 on any wines off the shelf from Wednesday to Saturday, which is already great value, but from Sunday to Tuesday it's just €1. That's at-home prices in the comfort of a wine bar. If ever we needed convincing of midweek drinking or a last ditch attempt to ward off the Sunday scaries... Pho Ta, Temple Bar   Delicious, flavour-filled Vietnamese food in Temple Bar with the friendliest staff. Try Pho Ta 's unusual looking (but amazing tasting) steamed rice paper rolls with prawn, the cold beef salad or the crispy fried rice noodles with chicken or prawn. Corkage is €5. Hawksmoor, Dame Street Hawksmoor ‘s popularity has scarcely let up since landing on College Green back in 2023, but a visit here won't come cheap (that €2 million fit out won't pay for itself). Make the most of your visit by going on a Monday where they'll let you BYO for just €5 (you can also do it Tuesday - Sunday for €25), and for maximum value you can bring a Magnum, Nebuchadnezzar or Balthazar for the same price. That's a corkage deal that won't be beaten. Arisu, Capel Street   Korean BBQ restaurant Arisu charge €6 corkage, but glasses are predictably unsuitable for fine wine. If you're not fussy you can wash down your barbecued bulgogi, pork ribs and lamb chops with a bottle of your choice (or bring your own glassware - we've done it). Best to go with something fruity and fleshy like a Riesling or Grüner Veltliner to pair with all the spice. Musashi, Parnell Street   Musashi now has six locations across Dublin, with sushi aficionados frequently mentioning it as one of Dublin's top spots. A hot tip is to go mid-afternoon when they've sold out of lunchtime stock and are making it fresh. Only the Parnell Street branch allows BYO and corkage is €6 per bottle. The Vintage Kitchen, Poolbeg Street There was widespread upset among our ATF Insiders when The Vintage Kitchen  dropped their BYO policy on reopening post-covid, with memories of great nights and special bottles flooding our DMs. Their own must have got the same feedback, as they’ve brought it back for Monday and Tuesday nights only. It’s a straight €7 per bottle charge. M&L Chinese, Cathedral Street   A mainstay of authentic Sichuan food in Dublin, the dumplings and fried green beans with chilli at M&L Chinese have caused many addictions to be formed over the years (raises hand). Corkage is €7 but go easy on the chilli oil if you're taking something nice. We have brought our own wine glasses here, and we recommend doing the same if it's a really good bottle. Pho Kim, Dublin 1   Some of the best Vietnamese food in the city with excellent savoury pancakes, pho and bun (rice vermicelli with a combination of meat, spring rolls, fresh vegetables and herbs). Pho Kim charge corkage of €7 on wine and €1.50 on beer.   Damascus Gate, Camden Street   Despite the name, Damascus Gate  goes well beyond Syria’s borders in a menu that stops off in Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen and more – fine by us. The mixed grills and Syrian cheese are among the top picks here, and it’s also the only place in Dublin we know of where you can get syadeih, one of the very best Middle Eastern fish dishes. Corkage is €7 per bottle. The Dog House, Howth Quirky décor and a dog-friendly policy (duh) make this charming spot beside Howth’s Dart Station a cosy place to kick back with a drink. The seafood offering at The Dog House  is as strong as you’d hope by the shore, with plenty of burgers, pizza and pasta alongside. It’s €7.50 corkage for wine and €1.75 per bottle of beer. Zakura, Upper Baggot Street, Wexford Street & Ranelagh Fancy some Chardonnay with your sashimi, Riesling with your ramen, Gewürztraminer with your gyoza? Three of Zakura ’s sites allow you to bring your own wine along to enjoy alongside their sushi and noodle-packed menus (the sake bar on Lower Baggot Street is an obvious exception). Corkage is €8 per bottle with beer also welcome for €1 each. Eatokyo, Temple Bar   Sushi, gyoza, katsu curry and noodle dishes are all on the menu at Eatokyo on Wellington Quay, although a couple of critics have recommended veering towards the hot dishes over the sushi. Corkage is €8. Asahi, Charlemont Street Sushi platters and a smattering of chef specials are the core of the offering at Asahi , though there’s plenty of teriyaki, curry and noodle dishes too. They’ll happily let you bring alone your own wine at €8 per bottle and also have the novel option of €8 per person beer corkage. Brother Hubbard, Ranelagh and Capel Street Alongside their own wine and cocktail menu, Yves at Brother Hubbard Ranelagh welcomes BYO with €10 corkage – with the great selection at Redmond’s right next door, that looks like  a fine option to us. The Capel Street has the same offer, though sadly not the same standard of off-licence in the vicinity. Green Man Wines, Terenure After a long hiatus, the wine bar at Green Man Wines is back open with small plates from chef Dan served Thursday - Saturday. There's an always brilliant wine list, but the real value lies in being able to pluck anything off the shelf for a mere €10 corkage. We're going for Grower Champagne, WBU? Did we miss a great BYO place? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie.

Summer Solstice; summer dining; summer series of our favourites return - there's a definite theme going on this week. From brand new pinxto lunches to special São João baking, here's what we've been daydreaming about eating in Dublin this week... 1) Chargrilled pork ribeye, l'Gueuleton Ribeye steak? How about ribeye pork. Chargrilled and served with a mustard and pepper sauce, fries and a watercress salad. l'Gueuleton have this show-stopping piece of meat on their lunch menu right now, and we won't rest until we've ticked that box. 2) Aged Parmesan agnolotti , Etto Etto do vegetarian food so well that we often choose that option over meat and fish when we're in there. If you needed convincing of that, just look at this week's aged parmesan agnolotti, with girolles, grilled corn, pickled courgette and a hazelnut dressing. 3) Hot Beef Sandwich, Crudo The new season of FX's The Bear drops tomorrow! And if you want to celebrate with a Hot Beef Sandwich, Crudo in Sandymount can hook you up. They've got braised Wagyu beef, Cashel Blue fondue, Tropea onions and 24 month Kilnalahan reserve cheese on Remus‘ sourdough baguette, with a side of beef broth for dipping. 4) Pinxtos, Old Town Wine Bar There's a new Mediterranean-style pintxo menu at Old Town Wine Bar , with one for €5, two for €8, or three for €12 at lunchtime from Monday - Friday. Pick from options like Dingle Bay crab with Basque pepper ragout, or Jamón Ibérico with pan con tomate, and if it's warm you can sit out in the city centre sanctuary of Le Pole Square, ideally sipping on a glass of rosé as you choose. 5) Cakes for São João, Toca Tapioca Those lovely Brazilians at Toca Tapioca in Temple Bar are celebrating São João season with some very special Brazilian baking this week. The midsummer (or midwinter for the Southern hemisphere) festival is a big deal in Latin American, Spain and Portugal, and these guys have brought out the big guns until Sunday 29th June, with Pamonha cake (made from fresh corn), Paçoca Brigadeiros (with peanuts), chilled coconut cake, and even a churros cake. Which one to try first...

We’ve always seen the new openings beat as a useful coalmine canary of the general state of things on the Dublin restaurant scene. Not long ago we’d have ample arrivals every month to fill a column, but last year we barely had enough volume to shout about once a season. Going by the fact this is our first of 2025, things are very slow indeed… It’s an exciting assembly at last though, with the return of three highly regarded chefs mingling with more questionable casual fare, and some very exciting early signs on the horizon... Comet, Joshua Lane It feels like an eternity we’ve been waiting for more solid news on Kevin O’Donnell and Laura Chabal ’s Comet . The Irish chef, who cut his teeth in Bastible  before gaining some New Nordic pedigree at Kadeau , announced a supper club concept with wife Laura this time last year as he set out to find a more permanent home. The softest of soft launches landed last week, with bookings now open for next Wednesday onward in Comet’s new Joshua Lane home – just off the Stephen’s Green end of Dawson Street, where La Ruelle used to be. As you’d expect of a chef with O’Donnell’s training, seasonal ingredients are front and centre with early sight of pea and broad bean plates setting our summery hearts aflutter. The roast quail on toast already looks likely to become one of the year’s most talked-about dishes. Chubby's Kitchen, Clontarf We’ve been drool-dreaming about this one for a while. Barry Stephens’ taco truck Just Chubby’s  did regular sell out business to a growing horde of fans since first parking up in Clontarf back in summer 2022. After shuttering his Parnell Street baby 147 Deli , and extending Chubby’s Christmas break a few months longer than planned, Stephens’ has been excitedly   teasing  something big for the brand. First looks at Chubby’s Kitchen emerged over the weekend via a family and friends launch , and it’s fair to say this looks like the glow-up of the year with a proper kitchen fitout and nigh-on fifty seats – a major step up. Bookings are expected to open any day now. Parmezza, Liffey Street No two words turn our heads quite like cheese wheel , so we practically got whiplash at first sight of Parmezza  – especially after being badly burned at Un’Altra  a few months ago. This new pasta bar has smartly plumped a whole parmesan forma down inside its Liffey Street window, the better for its sights and smells to lure in the tourist hordes passing over the Ha’penny Bridge and down the newly-pedestrianised street, where plenty of seating is set out. Between that and pasta made fresh in-house, we couldn’t get in soon enough. Alas, we couldn’t get out soon enough either – read our two minute review to find out why. Wagamama, Liffey Valley Caught up in the crossfire as Press Up imploded last year, Wagamama ’s franchise agreement with the hospitality empire (now insistently trying to rebrand as Eclective ) couldn’t be salvaged by the group’s receivers, leading to all three branches pulling down the shutters late last year. The South King Street site has since been given over to Kaldero with no movement in Blanch, but Dundrum is due to open back up in August alongside a sizeable new Liffey Valley operation that celebrated the brand’s return with 1,000 free meals given out over the last week. In line with its approach elsewhere around the world, the London-based chain has taken matters into its own hands and will run the new outlets directly. Strawberry & Co, William Street South We’re not entirely sure what the difference between “directly inspired by” and “copied from” is, but Strawberry & Co  are professing the former when it comes to their relationship to the Turnips  TikTok trend out of London’s Borough Market – despite RTÉ wrongly reporting it was the same business , and them being only too happy to share that without correction on Instagram. As you do. You’d be needing a bit of viral energy to sell that (starting at) €9.50 price point. The summer popup operating out of Powerscourt Townhouse (owned by the same people as Little Pyg and Pygmalion) coats Wexford strawberries in Swiss chocolate (versus the original’s Belgian) with various twists and toppings available to top up your strawberries – and your bill. La Strada, Aungier Street Rathmines’ neighbourhood Italian Manifesto was among the more high-profile casualties of the cost-of-living crisis when it closed its doors after two decades in early 2024. Owner Lucio Paduano hasn’t stayed down long though – new venture La Strada opened on Aungier Street last month with a cobbled terrazza fitout tucked behind its café counter window. Seasonality and slow food are themes here, with a rotating selection of small-scale artisan producers gracing the 9” lunch and 12” dinner pizza options – Sicilian black bee acacia honey and Cetara anchovies are two that got our eyes wide. Lunch pricing is particularly keen, with €7.50 to €13 looking like excellent value for the quality of ingredients on offer. There’s also an entire saltimbocca section at lunch that we’re very curious to work our way through. Coming Soon... Google's pub Hot on the heels of opening its new Factory arts space  in Boland Mills, Google has landed planning permission to add a pub to its campus. Animal Collective, the owner-operators of Bonobo , Kodiak and Caribou  as well as Cork city’s Impala, have signed on to run the new space – no word yet on whether or what food they’ll be serving, but here’s hoping it takes some of the Grand Canal Dock demand off Caribou’s weekend roasts. Allta Seafood Bar Our eyebrows arched to see Allta owner Niall Davidson teasing an impending seafood bar of late, with staffing calls one sign it might not be much of a wait. We’re wondering whether the Allta Bar  concept, for all its value, hasn’t quite delivered to expectations and this new venture might be taking over the space. Priory Market After months of tantalising teases, Priory Market  finally revealed tomorrow 25th June as the day it opens its doors in Tallaght. With an on-site brewery and theatre space joining the spacious seven-day street food hall, the social enterprise which will reinvest all profits in community initiatives is exactly the kind of thing Dublin has been demanding for years. See the inaugural stalls here .

The Dunnes voucher scheme has arguably been the biggest supermarket success story in decades, creating a "voucher cult" that keeps customers coming back to keep them active. Facebook pages , Whatsapp groups and even a full website are dedicated to sourcing vouchers for those in need, and the first rule of the Dunnes voucher club is - you do not shop without a voucher . The second rule is, you must spend in multiples of €25 to maximise your savings - a €25 spend with a €5 voucher = 20% off. A €35 spend with €5 voucher = 15% off and so on.... While many people switched to discounters Lidl and Aldi years ago for "the big shop" (or to " go full Lidl "), supplementing with unavailable or premium ingredients in Dunnes , Supervalu or Tesco , the voucher scheme means customers are pulled back to Dunnes within a set timeline to get that discount again and again, and lately we've been wondering whether it's all just a game that we've fallen for. Every time we set an anxious foot in the supermarket it seems prices have risen ( grocery prices are currently rising at double the rate of inflation ), and we hear constant grumblings that prices in Dunnes are at a minimum 20% more than the discounters to start with. The accusation is that in reality there is no saving with the vouchers, and couldn't they just reduce the price of everything permanently than sucking us into this escapade? At the same time, every basket or trolley from Lidl and Aldi also seems unreasonably high, so who's offering the best value for money? Curiosity (and our increasingly battered bank accounts) eventually got the better of us, and we decided we had to know whether the voucher scheme resulted in genuine savings, or whether we'd just fallen for some seriously good slight of hand. We spent most of a week and more supermarket trips than we'd like to admit price checking and rechecking almost 70 common supermarket items in Dunnes , Lidl and Aldi , and this is what we found out. What were the parameters?

Finally, FINALLY it's the summer weather week we've been waiting for. Get those beach bags packed and outdoor dining tables booked, and we're here to help all the summer feels along with another amazing prize line up that's sure to make nine of you very, very happy this June. Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders is going automatically into the draw, you just sit back and enjoy the rays! As an ad and invite-free website, ATF Insiders is how we operate, ensuring that every recommendation is made without industry influence, and you can trust that reviews are honest and unblemished by invites and freebies. Everyone who signs up for ATF Insiders by midnight on Tuesday 17th June will be entered into this month's prize draw, and winners will be selected on Wednesday 18th June. 1) A sharing platter, desserts and wine for two on the Terrace @ The Shelbourne The upstairs terrace in The Shelbourne Hotel is one of our favourite city centre summer hacks. The floral-filled sanctuary designed by head florist Mary O’Reilly is the dream for a pre-dinner drink or a lazy afternoon in town, with oysters, caviar, and sharing platters filled with seafood, meats and cheeses if hunger hits. We're sending one ATF Insider into The Shelbourne for a sharing board of their choice, desserts and a bottle of wine for two, in one of Dublin's most elegant outdoor spots. The terrace is open Wednesday to Sunday from 12:30 to 8PM, and you can book here . 2) The neighbourhood menu for four at Volpe Nera Volpe Nera 's new neighbourhood menu is the talk of the town right now, running on Wednesday and Thursdays from 17:00 to 18:45. At €38 for a four-course set menu, it changes slightly each week depending on seasonality and availability of ingredients, but will always starts with Flaggy Shore oysters, homemade bread and butter, and chef/owner Barry Sun’s favourite cep dumplings with aged soya, fennel and herb. This month we've got the neighbourhood menu for four to give away to one lucky Insider, and the rest of you less lucky people can check out the menu and book here .   3) An overnight stay for two with dinner at No. 1 Pery Square, Limerick This month we're sending one of you into the heart of Limerick’s Georgian Quarter for an overnight stay in No. 1 Pery Square , awarded a Michelin Key in 2024. A country house in the city, and a boutique hotel full of personality, food and wine are at the heart of No. 1 Pery Square , along with a commitment to supporting small independent producers and growers. The independent property describes itself as "grand but cosy", but this month's winner can be the judge of that, after they head down there for an overnight stay with dinner in The Long Room and breakfast the next morning. 4) A three-course dinner for two in The Garden Terrace with Malfy Gin at Intercontinental Dublin The five-star InterContinental Dublin  in Ballsbridge have been dying to unleash their alfresco dining space on the garden terrace, and this year they're inspired by the Amalfi coast, in partnership with Malfy Gin . Menus are Mediterranean, with dishes like Fritto Misto and Carpaciio di Bresaola, and desserts like gin limoncello spritz, and salted caramel ice-cream sandwiches. Weather rubbish? Not to worry, it can be covered for shade and has outdoor heaters. We've got a three-course alfresco dinner for two to give away at The Garden Terrace with Malfy Gin this month, with a cocktail to start. It's open seven days a week from 12:00 - 22:00, and you can book a table by calling 016654000 or emailing reservations@icdublin.com . 5) A hamper worth €150 from Lotts & Co. to celebrate their 10th birthday Lotts & Co. in Beggar's Bush are celebrating their 10th birthday on the 10th of July, and they have a big celebration planned. There's going to be cake, prizes, supplier and market stalls full of samples, and lots of promos and giveaways in the lead up! To celebrate their "decade of good food and community", they've given us an anniversary tote bag full of their favourite products worth €150, to give away to one ATF Insider this month. 6) A Roast your own coffee experience for two at Cloud Picker Cloud Picker Café on Pearse Street have just launched Ireland’s first hands-on coffee roasting experience -  Roast Your Own . The two-hour experience lets coffee lovers go behind the roaster and take control of the process, from green beans to perfectly roasted. There's only two participants at a time, so you're guaranteed a personal, in-depth experience, and you'll leave with a custom box of beans roasted and named by you, a Roaster’s pack, and a certificate to prove your newfound skills. The two-hour sessions take place on Saturdays at 08:30, 11:30 and 14:00, and cost €100 per person, and we've got a Roast Your Own experience for two to give away this month. 7) Six tickets to Sun Club's next summer party Sun Club i s back this Sunday 22nd June, and with the weather looking like it's going to top the mercury (for Ireland), what a week for a daytime summer party celebrating Irish food, drink and culture. Your €16 ticket gets you in the door with food, drinks and tasters from Irish brands like Zingibeer, Moyee Coffee, SynerChi Kombucha, and Cloud House Spirits, and they're expecting sunshine, sound people and a serious buzz. We've got tickets for you and five pals to head along to this weekend's event in As One, and you can find tickets here . 8) A month of family dinners from Gousto worth over €300 Gousto is a brand new recipe box for Ireland, with over 150 meals on offer every month. Whether it's a 10-minute midweek miracle, or you have more time to go the extra mile, whether you're dealing with fussy eaters or spice lovers, Gousto has it all covered. Prices start at €5.13 per portion, or €2.57 with an introductory discount, and every box is designed to produce 23% fewer emissions than a typical supermarket shop, helping to reduce food waste. We've got a month of dinners from Gousto to give away this month with an RRP of €328! Visit Gousto.ie or follow @Goustocooking to learn more. 9) A Dunnes Simply Better Saba hamper and a €100 Saba gift voucher There's been a LOT of chat about the Dunnes Stores ‘Simply Better’ range on our channels over the last few weeks, and one of the latest Irish companies to partner with them is Thai and Vietnamese restaurant Saba . They've created a range of 12 Thai products, from curry pastes to simmer sauces, coconut milk to condiments, and they're exclusively available at Dunnes Stores. We've got an amazing hamper to give away this month featuring the entire range PLUS a €100 Saba gift voucher so you can let someone else do the cooking. Everyone signed up for ATF Insiders in June (both new and old) will be automatically entered into the prize draw. You don't need to do anything. If you're not signed up yet, join here before midnight on Tuesday 17th June. Your support promotes independent reviews and news in Dublin and beyond, and allows you to get answers to any dining questions directly from us.

(Priory Market, Irish Times)

Last week an off the cuff Instagram story on supermarket pricing turned into a deluge of recommendations from you lot on your absolute favourite products from Dunnes , Supervalu , Tesco , Aldi and Lidl . We've already shopped and cooked and found new favourites we never knew existed, and as promised we've put them all onto spreadsheets for your shopping pleasure. We can keep these updated so please email info@allthefood.ie or DM us on Instagram with your finds!

It’s nearly a national sport at this stage to complain about the prices (for tickets and food) at Taste of Dublin , but starved for choice as the city is when it comes to food festivals and markets (thanks, heel-dragging DCC) we all know we’ll be flocking to Merrion Square this weekend regardless. In the festival’s favour (at least) is that prices are unchanged from last year, with every restaurant stall offering three “signature” dishes for €7 a pop and one “icon” item at €12 – as long as shrinkflation doesn’t rear its ugly head, that should be better value. You’ll rack up a big bill pretty quickly regardless, so here’s our guide on the dishes to beeline for to get the biggest bang for your buck (see all menus here ). Cacio e pepe, Bar Italia Ever since its post-pandemic Roman revamp, old stalwart Bar Italia  has become one of the best places in the city to go for classical pasta dishes done the real Italian way – we remain convinced their carbonara is the best you’ll get in town, by far. On-trend cacio e pepe is a simpler sauce of cheese and pepper only, but in Italian cuisine it’s the simplest stuff that really shows off skills. Oysters, King Sitric Oysters in summer, we hear you query, but the old adage to avoid ‘em in months without an R is out-of-date advice in a modern world of refrigeration and food safety practices. It helps that the Galway Bay waters from which Kelly Oysters farm are cool and sheltered, with limestone-lapping waves giving the shellfish their distinctive, delicious taste. So settle in and let the King Sitric team shuck you a few.   Chun Li dumplings, Big Fan The Big Fan  brand might make more sense to plonk down at Taste, but it’s actually Smithfield’s Sister 7  these chicken dumplings come from – they’re a treat either way. Stuffed with celeriac, pickled mushrooms and water chestnuts and spooned over with a Whiplash Beer dark sour vinegar, these crisp-skinned specimens are essential food festival eating. Daal, Daata We’re very fond fans of Pakistani restaurant group Daata , whose outposts along the south Dublin and Wicklow coastline are added reason to hop on the Dart of a sunny weekend. If you’ve never had the pleasure, here’s your chance to sample their highly-regarded house black daal - a 48-hour stewed sensation of urid lentils and gentle spice. Fish tacos, Parrilla We’re sorry not to see Parrilla ’s pina caramelizada among the Taste menu options – there are few things we ate last year we thought back on so often. Fish tacos aren’t a bad second choice though, with fat fingers of crisp-battered cod so smothered in top-quality house salsa and guac we struggled to keep it all in the corn tortilla. Their crab tostadas are terrific too. Veg Manchurian, Andhra Bhavan A new Uber Eats stall for this year’s festival will host a different restaurant each day, which makes the smart money on Sunday when Andhra Bhavan  are in town. Indian food in Dublin has gone from strength to strength in recent years and these guys are among the strongest. We suspect most will make for the Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani, but we’re here to say go veg Manchurian instead - the spicy-sauced, battered shredded veg are little flavour bombs we can never eat enough of. Po Boy, Little Geno’s Versus the super-strict "five choices only and no substitutions allowed" you’ll get from Little Geno’s  St. Stephen’s Green site, they’re bringing an all-new menu to Merrion Square – to test the waters, maybe? We’ll trust them to have these tried and tested, and will be making right for the Louisiana shrimp po boy. Cajun fried shrimp and a creole remoulade? Sold. Sriracha caramel chicken wings, Chimac Now such a mainstay of the Dublin dining scene, it’s easy to forget Chimac do serious business in the retail space too, with a mantlepiece-thronging array of awards catapulting their house sauces to sales worldwide. Their sriracha caramel is one of the best – doused over their chicken wings, it’s the kind of filthy, sticky treat we’re all about.   Gunpowder masala dosa, Dosa Dosa Well with a name like that… There’s nothing we wouldn’t eat from Dosa Dosa , but it’s no surprise to anyone where this team excel. Their gunpowder masala dosa is like a flavour grenade set off on your palate, pops of punchy spice from red chilies softened by the stuffed potato inside and the lovely lentil curry on the side. It’s vegan friendly, too. Literally anything, The Salt Project While they’re currently in the Roe & Co cocktail garden on Thomas Street every weekend until the end of July, nomadic food truck The Salt Project  is more often out on the road island-wide. We’ll wager most people won’t have sampled their zero-waste, hyper-local cooking before - now’s your chance. With every last supplier namechecked right down to the flour mill, you can’t go wrong with any of these dishes, each paying tribute to the four provinces’ best produce. Okay if you put a gun to our heads we'd go for Munster's Macroom buffalo churros with hot honey, or Connaught's Burren beef with hash browns and a peach habanero drizzle.

Go on a summer holiday via pizza, get your chops around a Scotch egg pie, and sink some cold spicy yellowtail while you're at it. Eating in this city just gets better by the week... 1) Greek lamb pizza, Bonobo It might not feel like summer holiday weather out there, but Bonobo are bringing us to Greece via pizza this week with their spiced lamb special. Topped with roasted red pepper, tzatziki and fresh mint, it's just missing a shot of ouzo on the side. 2) Samhradh h alloumi melt, Tír Deli Tír Deli features frequently in the 5 things we most want to eat on any given week, and can you blame us with off beat sandwich creations like this? This week's is a Toonsbridge halloumi melt with smoked tomato pesto, Irish summer salsa, pumpkin crumb, hot honey and summer greens on Oaksmoke Bakery's ciabatta. Yeowza. 3) Torched Yellowtail, Suertudo Suertudo are bringing the Mexican revolution to Ranelagh on the daily, and they've just added this incredible looking torched yellowtail (hamachi) to the menu. It comes on crunchy cubes of green apple, and gets fiery heat from salsa macha and chilli oil. The perfect hot/cold summer starter. 4) Scotch Egg Pie, Gertrude Scotch. Egg. Pie. You're reading that right. Those 3fe peeps at Gertrude have taken turkey and sausage, wrapped it around a boiled egg, then wrapped that in flaky pastry. They're serving this beautiful creation with mustard mayo and a pickle salad. Quick lunch goals right there. 5) Brownie-misú, No Messin Bakery Tiramisu? Overdone. Brownie-misú? Tira Mi-brownie? Now we're talking. We don't care what they call it, the new hybrid dessert from No Messin' Bakery (available at Proper Order) needs to be sunk stat alongside a special pour for max caffeine.

What should we know about Cluck Chicken? Starting out as the “Cluck Truck” in Walkinstown back in 2020, Ian Ussher’s free range fried chicken concept Cluck has leveraged a fun   and forthright   social media presence, and a smart suite of daily offers to carve a niche in a crowded fast food market. Five years later, the truck’s been parked in favour of permanent locations in Tallaght’s The Square (where we went) and the Walkinstown Mall. What’s on the menu? Ussher’s a former Euro-Toques young chef of the year, and it shows in Cluck's homemade twists: roast garlic mayo rather than something smeared from a bucket; house pickles, not mass produced gherkins; a dripping cheese sauce, far from the preservative-packed easy-squeeze unguent you’ll get elsewhere. And that’s before we get to the tenderness of the buttermilk brined thighs, craggily crisp and intensely flavoured from a house dredge. As brought together in the buffalo-basted Hot Clucker burger (€10.95), it’s a testament to things here - fast food, sure, but not as you know it. Competition is stiff on Korean fried chicken, with players like Chimac , Jaru and White Rabbit all very hard to beat – on the evidence of the wings (€10.60), there’s no threat of Cluck challenging their hold any time soon. On the meat itself we’ve no notes to offer, but the sticky-sweet sauce lacks the gochujang kick we crave. If you’re winging it, stick with buffalo instead. BBQ wouldn’t be a bad choice either as we saw from the tenders (€15.95 with a choice of pimped fries) – this thick-as-it-gets sauce has a smoky-sweet staying power we kept tasting all night. For us the burger’s juicy thigh makes for the better bet to enjoy a full flavour profile, but anyone here for meat above all will relish the thick breast batons. What will have us back the quickest is the Cluck gravy slathered over proper quality skin-on fries. There's a fortune to be made selling this by the bottle to those who’ve tried and failed to hit such heights from home drippings – nothing here showcases better how well-equipped this team is to make the most of a chicken. Classic mac (€6) was overkill after all that, more thanks to an over-extended appetite than the quality – the same rich cheese sauce that’s spooned onto the burgers hosts the pasta pieces here, topped with crispy onions and shavings of sharp spring onion. Shared with the table it goes down a lot easier. Ditto on an appreciably creamy Oreo shake (€6.50), one of six options. You’ll need a smaller order, a strong sweet tooth, or a young helper on hand to get through it all. Why should I go? Cluck’s superior quality is enough to cross the city for even before you factor in value, holding its own against far bigger competitors – especially with offers like free fries Fridays, wing Wednesdays, tender Tuesdays and Thursdays, and kids-eat-free Sundays to help you along. There are great savings to be had here if you time things right, and if you’re an ATF Insider you can get 20% off the bill in both locations all day Tuesday and Thursday.   Cluck Chicken Unit 136, The Square, Tallaght, Dublin 24 Unit 7, Walkinstown Mall, Dublin 12 instagram.com/cluckchicken_

How much did I love Bologna? So much that as soon as I got home from 48 hours in the Northern Italian city, I immediately booked flights to go back eight weeks later - the €24 Ryanair flights greased the wheels, but an obsession had begun. This is Disneyland for grown ups who think of little else but what they eat and drink. Every corner you turn sees another handmade pasta shop, charcuterie specialist, natural wine bar, Parmesan shop, award-winning gelateria - prepare to walk around with your eyes on stalks. As an aside to all of the monumentally memorable food experiences, there's also the 40km long Porticoes (deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Two Towers (Le Due Torri), the oldest university in the world, towering Basilicas and sprawling piazzas to make your way through. Emilia Romagna's capital is compact, walkable, and the centre is nine minutes by tram from the airport. Could you ask for anything else from a city break? Are you checking flights right now? Yes is the right answer... A reader told us that the Bolognesi argue about food the way other people argue about politics or religion, and it's impossible not to feel how seriously they take every meal, snack and drink while walking the streets. Despite this we're told you can very easily go wrong here if you don't do your research, with some of the formerly best restaurants taking the dumbed down tourist route. Lucky for you we do all the research , and had one smash hit after another. Here's how to follow in our very well-fed footsteps... Breakfast and coffee Caffè Terzi There is no better start to a morning in Bologna than a visit to Caffè Terzi , a narrow coffee bar with suave, suited waiters and what might be the largest coffee selection in existence (we didn't count but there were pages upon pages of coffee creations we couldn't have dreamt up). Join the queue, place your order (and don't skip all the local treats with cherries, chestnuts and chocolate to go with it), then grab a perch opposite the bar while they rustle it up. The only problem after going here is that you'll want to start every day the same, but that would not be a bad decision. Aroma The other don't miss coffee spot is Aroma , a speciality coffee shop that most likely also has a queue. It opened as a traditional Italian coffee bar in 1994 before moving to specialty coffee in 2001, and owner Alessandro has won multiple barista awards, as well as being a local coffee legend. Forno Brisa Born in Bologna in 2015, Forna Brisa now has five locations, each turning out some of the city's best pastries day after day. The bread is also in high demand, and the coffee is top level stuff, selected and roasted by the company in the city. Street food MO Mortadella Lab Is it too dramatic to suggest getting on an airplane for a sandwich? Try this one then come back to us. Have you ever eaten anything that you immediately know was one of the food highlights of your life? That you'll be trying to relive and recreate until the end of days? That's MO Mortadella Lab 's freshly baked, warm crispy roll packed tight with paper thin mortadella, straciatella cheese and chunky pistachio cream. We're talking last meal on earth kinda stuff. Don't let the queue put you off. It moves fast and there's a good system in place where your number flashes up when it's ready. Indegno La Crescentina You can't come to Bologna without eating the best cresentine, and you'll find it at Indegno (three locations). The fried in lard dough pockets are said to date back to the Middle Ages, when Northern Italy had abundant pig farms and a need to use up excess pig fat. There are loads of regional variations (like gnocco fritto in Modena and torta fritta in Parma), and they're usually served alongside cold cuts and cheeses, but Indegno stuff theirs with all kinds of fillings, from classics like Mortadella and Parmesan cream, to specials like porchetta, Provolone, potato croquette and caramelised onions. Food guide Gambera Rosso named it the best street food in Emilia Romana for 2024 , so it needs to be on your Bologna bingo card. Indegno.eu Pisamentuccia Sometimes in Bologna you're on your way to your next meal when you pass a window with a sign saying " 50 Best Pizzas In Italy " and you find yourself stopping for an accidental pre-meal snack. Pisamentuccia is a little takeaway serving crispy Roman-style slices heated to order, with a multitude of meat, veggie and cheesy toppings to choose from. At around €3 for one of the best slices of your life, it's an offer you shouldn't pass up. Ramaciotto We never made it to Ramaciotto due to time constraints, but this little shop is famous for serving handmade pasta to eat in, take on the go, or cook at home. Ideal if you're staying in a apartment and want to cook in, or just need another pasta stop. Lunch and dinner Sfoglia Rine Don't let the queue deter you - if you only had time for one meal in Bologna we'd send you to Sfoglia Rine . This handmade pasta shop and restaurant has been here since 1963, named after the matriarch who makes the pasta (the Sfoglia) and the current owner's Grandmother (Rine). It's stupidly good value, with generous plates of pasta priced from €13 - €14.50, and they all come with pickled veg and bread for "scarpetta". Order the tortellini with butter and sage, the local gramigna pasta with sausage, and all the specials, and let the Lambrusco flow. (No reservations) Trattoria da Me Trattoria da Me is on every Bologna food guide for good reason. It's a buzzing trattoria relaunched by chef and owner Elisa Rusconi in 2015 - her grandfather originally opened it in 1937 . She's famous for her cheese ice-cream antipasti, Bologna's iconic dish 'tortellini en brodo', and the Sunday lasagne, and this is another excellent place to feast on cresentine and cold cuts while you wait. The staff are warm, the wines are local, and when they ask if you want a bowl of ragu for the table, say "si, grazie". Ristorante Grassilli There's a collection of restaurants in Bologna that feel like they're from another time. At Ristorante Grassilli , opened in 1944 by a former opera singer, it feels like nothing has changed in 80 years, nor would we ever want it to. The walls inside the small space are covered with pictures of famous people who've eaten there over the years, and there are few dining rooms we've eaten in that ooze this much old-school charm. Calm, suited waiters bring simple, perfect plates of antipasti, handmade pasta, and cotoletta (breaded veal cutlet) from a short, well priced menu to eager tables, and the wine list is surprisingly modern and natural leaning - we had some of our best wines in Bologna here. Don't miss the plate of grilled vegetables - we saw this tip online and will forever be grateful to the writer. Never change Grassilli... Risorante Rodrigo Another Bologna institution that harks back to simpler (possibly aristocratic) times is Ristorante Rodrigo . It feels like a special occasion restaurant (with prices to match), and food comes out on trolleys before being given a snowfall of Parmesan, or served tableside. Weekends are full of families luxuriating in top quality ingredients over long leisurely lunches. The fried calamari and zucchini is the light, crisp version from your Italian food dreams, the tagliata steak with rocket and Parmesan will wipe the floor with any other you've tried, and the pastas have the power to bring a silence over any table, apart from the odd groaning noise. If you're in Bologna over winter the famous dessert is the "Mont Blanc" - chestnut purée topped with cream. We can't say we get the fuss. If you want some more theatre at the end, order an Amaro which comes in a bottle half the size of your waiter. Noi, Mercato delle Erbe If you're looking for a more casual setting, need to scale back your spending, or have noisy kids in tow, head for buzzy food market Mercato delle Erbe , whose collection of restaurants cater for groups of all sizes on all budgets. We found Noi on a few guides and loved it so much we went on both visits to the city - with antipasti starting at €4 and pastas starting at €10 it's too easy to go back again and again. Noi is all about fuss free Bologna specialities, with dishes like polenta chips and local squacarone cheese, lasagne verde, and more of those cresentine with cold cuts (we needed them at least once daily). Don't miss the pickled veg to start and the meatballs in tomato sauce (will any other meatballs ever do), and the lovely staff will happily recommend a glass of local wine to go with your order. Some others we didn't get to but were high on our list: Ragù - takeaway pasta shop with a few stools inside. Expect a queue but it moves fast - ragubologna.it Berberè Pizzeria - Sourdough pizza recommended by Roberto Mungo who owns Grano . Nuff said - berberepizza.it Di Via Serra - Trattoria a little out of town but an easy stop en route from the airport. We desperately wanted to visit after reading reviews online but couldn't make a reservation as they didn't respond to emails or answer the phone. You could wing it - trattoriadiviaserra.it La Prosciutteria - Now with 12 sites across Northern Italy, this is the place to pull up a stool and gorge yourself on cured meats and red wines. It gets packed with groups of friends and family catching up and chilling out - laprosciutteria.com Clockwise from top left - Ragu, Berbere, Di Via Serra, La Proscuitteria Gelato If you're not having several gelatos a day in Bologna, you're not doing it right. The standard here is incredibly high, the gelato incredibly luscious, but Cremeria La Vecchia Stalla is one of the best - just don't try to take pictures inside, they do not like. We also loved the flavours at chocolate shop Venchi . The don't miss ice-cream stop is Cremeria Santo Stefano , which has been likened to Michelin-starred restaurants but for ice-cream. Sadly we did miss it, as it wasn't open either time we tried to get there, but you might have better luck. Flavours change regularly and there's always some more unusual ones. Wine and cocktails Enoteca Storica If you're looking for somewhere to cosy up with all the natural wine, head for Enoteco Storica . The narrow, dimly-lit room is overflowing with some of the best organic, biodynamic and natural bottles from across Europe, and there's lots by the glass - they're even known to open bottles on request. You can buy wine to take home too, and there's a food menu if you want something simple to nibble on. Ruggine We escaped into Ruggine out of the pouring rain, and it felt like a warm oasis, the type of place where the bar staff know everyone's name and favourite drinks. They're known for their excellent cocktails, with nearly every addition made in house, and from a Bloody Mary with tomato and basil chutney, to their version of a Milano-Torino washed in hazelnut yoghurt, it's worth diverting for if you love a good cocktail. Bar Volare & Bar Senza Nome Another two bars that should be on your radar, Bar Volare is an old-fashioned homage to the Italian tradition of apertivo. It's another step back in time, with classic drinks served amongst all the style. Bar Senza Nome has been called Bologna's most unique bar. Owned and run by deaf people, they'll lip read your order, or you can try your hand at sign language with the help of pictures on the walls. There's a full selection of apertivo, beer and wine, and a simple food menu. Food shopping Did you check in a bag to bring home cheese? You're our kinda person. For an awe-inspiring Parmesan experience, make your way to Al Regno della Forma , where the walls are covered in wheels of the region's best. We recommend getting large chunks of the two year, three year and five year cheeses to bring home and compare (the most expensive is €3.20 per 100g - fill your boots). For a more wide-ranging selection stop don't miss a stop at Formaggeria Barbieri in Mercato delle Erbe, where charming owner Alberto (who took over from his father) will talk you through all types of Italian cheeses, from hard to soft, cow to sheep, flavoured and unflavoured. We didn't even plan to buy cheese here yet left with five. For charcuterie, Salumeria Simoni is a treasure trove of mortadella, salami, guanciale, coppa and everything else you can think of. In fact the whole street of Via Pescherie Vecchi is an epicurean dream, with every window selling handmade pasta, broth, brighly coloured vegetables and local cheeses. Salumeria Simoni, Tambourini Likewise Tambourini a few streets over has all of this plus cheeses, fresh pasta, antipasti and wine - be aware though that prices in the centre are higher than what the Italian Mamas pay a bit further out. The Parmesan here costs substantially more than in Al Regno della Forma , which is a seven minute walk from the central strip. One of the oldest shops in Bologna, Paolo Atti e Figli has stood in the same spot since 1886! They make bread, pasta, pastries, biscuits, and the most beautiful torta di risos (Italian rice cakes) in a variety of sizes. Take a single serve home for breakfast the next morning with a coffee - we guarantee it will be one of the most memorable bites of your stay. Stop at Fabbri on the main Via Rizzoli to stock up on their famous Amarena cherries in syrup, as well as candied strawberries and stem ginger. The sour cherries grow wild before being picked and candied, and every gelato shop in town has an option for vanilla topped with a spoonful of these. There's also cherry liqueur, syrups and spreads, and you can try a lot of it before you buy. Be warned though, those jars are heavy and will eat into your baggage allowance. For a lesson in balsamic vinegar without a trip to Modena, head for Giuseppe Giusti back on Via Pescherie Vecchie, who've been making the stuff since 1605. It's a vinegar lover's paradise, with different ages, flavours and uses for each type they make. Staff will let you try them all by spoon, and a drizzle over chunks of Parmesan once you get home will take you straight back to Bologna. We still regret not buying the one with truffle which they suggested drizzling over scrambled eggs, but we already had three in the bag. If this incredible city inspires you to start making your own pasta, be sure to stop at Anticipate Aguzzeria del Cavollo to stock up on tools that can be impossible to find elsewhere. From pasta cutters, rollers and stamps, to knives designed for getting paper-thin slices of parma ham, your kitchen will be all the richer (even if your bank account won't be). Anticipate Aguzzeria del Cavallo

We love a mini-break, a cheeky over-nighter, an escape from life for the weekend, but why does hotel food have to be notoriously pants! We find ourselves routinely searching for the best places to eat withing taxi distance of everywhere we stay, and on the rare occasions we do eat in the hotel we tend to regret it, BUT there are some hotels and guest houses around the country where food as much of a draw as the spa or the rooms, even if they're in the minority... The five-star ones with spas Fresh from their Michelin win last year, The Cashel Palace Hotel 's Bishop's Buttery restaurant is as much of a headline grabber as its five-star surroundings, with diners frequently taking Air BnB's nearby so they can go for dinner in Cashel without the overnight five-star price tag. Similarly two Michelin -starred Terre , in Castlemartyr Resort in Cork draws gastrotrippers from around the globe, and there are cottages on the grounds that work out much more affordable than the hotel's rooms, especially if you have a group. Top: Cashel Palace Hotel and The Bishop's Buttery. Bottom: Terre and Castlemartyr Resort In Galway, the Pullman restaurant at Glenlo Abbey has been reinvented by chef Angelo Vagiotis, who previously worked with Vincent Crepel at Terre , shooting the former Orient Express carriages high up the food lovers experience list. W hile in Kilkenny, chef John Kelly in the Lady Helen  restaurant in Mount Juliet , is a bit of a hospitality legend, with chefs from around the country frequently travelling to eat there, Top: The Lady Helen and Mount Juliet. Bottom: The Pullman restaurant at Glenlo Abbey In Kildare, Adam Nevin returned from working in some of London's best fine dining restaurants in summer 2023 to take up the head chef role at The Morrison Room in Carton House , and it's safe to say they're now firmly on the food map , hotel or no hotel attached. Down south at The Park Hotel  in Kenmare, Kerry, you can eat in the grand dining room that's home to Landline , their restaurant filled with Sean Scully paintings and the best of the local bounty, from chef James O'Sullivan (read the Irish Independent review here ). Top: Carton House and Head Chef Adam Nevin in The Morrison Room. Bottom: Landline at The Park Hotel, Kenmare Money no object? You'll be heading to Adare Manor  in Limerick to eat Mike Tweedy's signature tasting menu (€160) at The Oak Room , or to Ballyfin  in Laois, where former Michelin-starred chef Richard Picard-Edwards uses all the local produce and plenty from the estate's walled garden. Top: The Oak Room and Adare Manor. Bottom: Ballyfin and their restaurant The boutique hotels Head for Cork and you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to food-focused hotel stays. The Blue Haven Hotel is home to Rare , from Chef Meeran Manzoor, whose explorative, creative menu never seems to miss. Head west towards Clonakilty and you'll find Dunmore House , with its spectacular views and Michelin-recommended restaurant Adrift . Clockwise from top left: Rare at the Blue Haven Hotel; Adrift at Dunmore House Hotel; Ballyvolane House; the dessert trolley at Ballymaloe In the east of the county, Ballyvolane House (the birthplace of Bertha's Revenge gin ) has long been thought of as one of Ireland's best country house experiences, using ingredients from their walled garden and rearing their own rare breed pigs. Thirty minutes south you've got the iconic Ballymaloe House , with its 100 acre organic farm and internationally famous dessert trolley . If you're lucky you might spot Darina, Rachel or Rory in the flesh. In Connemara, Danni Barry , who won a Michelin star at Eipic in Belfast, took over as Executive Head Chef of The Owenmore  in Ballynahinch Castle  at the end of 2022, and is making better use of the local larder and produce from the walled garden than ever before. Neighbours   Renvyle House Hotel 's Rusheenduff restaurant , renouned for its local seafood, was named  " Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant " in Connacht for 2023 at the Restaurant Association of Ireland awards. Top: Ballynahinch Castle and Executive Head Chef Danni Barry. Bottom: Rusheenduff Restaurant and Renvyle House Hotel Pockets not deep enough for Adare Manor? Limerick is also home to the less assuming Mustard Seed , a four-star country retreat with its own orchard, serving unpretentious, very lovely food in the evenings. At Gregan's Castle  in Clare, former Bastible chef Jonathan Farrell has brought new, excited eyes on the restaurant , showing everyone just how good hotel food can be . Top: The Mustard Seed dining room and food. Bottom: Gregan's Castle and their food In Brooklodge & Macreddin Village , Co. Wicklow, The Strawberry Tree  is Ireland's first fully-organic restaurant, and has a supplier's list to make any food lover's head spin, while just south in Wexford, Kelly's Resort  has long been a family favourite, but since the opening of The Sea Rooms , with chef Chris Fullam  in the kitchen and the freshest of ingredients served in front of sea views, it's now drawing all kinds of gastro tourists too. Clockwise from top left: The Strawberry Tree at Brooklodge; The Sea Rooms at Kelly's Resort; The Mill Restaurant and dining room at Cliff at Lyons And in Kildare, chef Sean Smith (formerly of The Cliff Townhouse) is filling the Aimsir-sized hole left at Cliff at Lyons , and doing a good job of it by all accounts - when we asked readers recently where they'd had really good hotel food The Mill  came up repeatedly. The restaurants with rooms A gauntlet must be run to get a booking in MacNean House , with the restaurant and rooms frequently booked out a year in advance. The general advice is "take the next available date, then try to forget about it. When it eventually comes around it'll be a happy surprise". MacNean House & Restaurant Relatively easier to get a table in is Kildare's Alumni Kitchen Table , who are clearly hoping Michelin will recognise their "immersive culinary experience", feeding a four hour tasting menu to just eight guests a night. Paul and Márie Flynn's The Tannery is still going strong, with cookery classes an optional add on if you pick your dates right, and in Donegal, former Forest & Marcy head chef Ciaran McSweeney has put the Olde Glen Bar on the gastronome map, with rooms available in Clara's Cots . Clockwise from top left: Alumni Kitchen Table; Ciaran Sweeny at The Olde Glen Bar; Cr ab crème brulée at The Tannery The very special guesthouses "Headland hideaway" Breac House is an eco-friendly, adults-only dream, with up to date luxury, Atlantic views, and a breakfast tray delivered to your room that you'll be thinking about months later. The converted bungalow opened in 2017 and has been featured in the New York Times and CN Traveller to name a few, and while they don't serve dinner year round, The Olde Glen Bar, Fisk and The Rusty Oven are within 30 minutes. Breac House At the other end of the country, Pax House in Dingle was named ‘ Ireland’s Best Small Stay ' in the Irish Independent's Reader Travel Awards 2024 . They don't serve dinner but guests say it's worth the trip for the breakfast alone - just look at this line up - and those stunning views. Back in the west, Connemara country house Currarevagh House have " food and feasting" an integral part of what they do (as well as a boathouse sauna), with chef Lucy Hodgson cooking every element of her nightly four-course menu from scratch, and this is not your average Irish country cooking . Clockwise from top left: Pax House; Curraveagh House; Ghan House; Blairscove House & Restaurant At Georgian country house Blairscove in West Cork, the starter seafood buffet is the big draw of their (currently €85) set dinner - you can only take one plate so pile it high, and in Carlingford, another Georgian property, Ghan House serves local lamb and beef that graze nearby, as well as making their own bread, stock, ice-cream and sauces. Enjoy homegrown veg, shellfish from the Lough, and views out the windows of the Mourne Mountains. Where did we miss? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie

If there’s anything on earth more likely to inspire a weekend getaway than an Irish winter we can't name it - the endless energy-sapping trudge from dark mornings to grey afternoons has us in a permanent state of flight fantasy. Between cheap flights, a super-short haul and a guaranteed minimum five degrees in the difference, Lisbon is one of our top tips for reprieve at this time of year, and it helps that it’s bursting with great places to eat. Here’s some of our favourites for your next quick break, which you really ought to get booking... Breakfast & snacks   Alcoa Tucked amidst the warren of hilly shopping streets in Bairro Alta, patisserie Alcoa is stocked deep with a choice of decades-old winners from the annual Alcobaça International Exhibition – they take pastry very, very seriously here. Friendly staff will help you navigate the dizzying choice and find something to your taste, and the best-selling custard cornucopia and almond-intense coroa de abadessa were as good a start to the day as we could have imagined. Santo António The little scream we let out of us on spying a port croissant could have woken the dead – why aren’t these everywhere? Santo António is an unassuming spot set in one of the quieter corners of Alfama, the kind of place that even if you traipsed past it you might not think to pop in. Don’t make that mistake. Red ripples run through the dough just as the intense fruit flavour punctuates the sweetness - this is a great local take. A clotted cream doughnut was delicious too, and their picture-perfect pastéis are a textbook specimen. Pastéis de Belem For the  textbook specimen, though, you’ve got to traipse out to the western suburb Belém, where this tourist-thronged bakery stakes its claim on being the OG. They’re certainly top-tier, and so persistently popular you’re guaranteed to get one fresh from the oven, though branded sachets of icing sugar and cinnamon give it the feel of a franchise in the making. The Bifanas of Afonso Where pastéis have flooded the rest of the world, bifanas might be the most popular Portuguese food not often found elsewhere. These simmered pork sandwiches aren’t much to look at, but one bite of the stew-soaked soft bread, and tender, mustard-drenched meat makes appearances soon forgotten. This tiny cash-only, social media-free window hatch in central Baixa has built up enough of an IYKYK rep to sling them out by the dozen all day – plan an off-peak arrival if you don’t want to be queueing ‘round the corner. Lunch & dinner   Taberna Sal Grosso Extensive research is an absolute must for any sit-down meals in Alfama (you’re off to a good start here) with a plethora of hole-in-the-wall tascas, tabernas and cervejarias giving no real clues to discern which are the tourist traps and which the true treasures. Taberna Sal Grosso sits squarely in the latter camp and is the one entrant on this list we’d return to in the fastest fashion - this tightly-packed twenty-or-so seater has lived rent-free in our heads ever since we were in. Bacalhau à Brás is a Portuguese classic, matchstick-thin potato tossed with salt cod and onions and bound in egg – you will not find a better version than in here. Just as good were the cod tongues, dredged and deep-fried on a pea purée base and spooned over with salsa - this contrast of salty/crispy/creamy had us very close to calling for seconds. A garlic sauce-basted ray was every bit as simple and satisfying as the best treatments of this flatfish always are, while the traditional meringue-and-custard farofias dessert sent us stumbling out the door in ecstasy – no shortage of Algarve Alvarinho can only have helped there.   Andorinhas Belém isn’t the best part of the city to be when you’re famished, with the tourist hordes visiting its namesake tower and the Jerónimos Monastery making local eateries largely about turning a buck off the passing trade. Venture slightly off-course and you’ll find your way to Andorinhas , a little family-owned spot almost entirely frequented by Lisbon locals. Save time on skimming the sizeable menu and dive into the arroz de tamboril, a massive monkfish stew that shows off the best of Portuguese food’s peasant roots. It will take at least two to have any hope of finishing it. Griddled salmon steak and a veal and prawn dish swimming in glorious gravy are simplicity incarnate - for wholesome home cooking look no further. Tasca Baldracca Less likely to be dished up by a grandmother is the fare at Tasca Baldracca , a buzzy little nook offering on-trend twists on Portuguese petiscos, the local take on tapas. If there’s a mantra here it’s the “fine dining is dead xx” that graces their chalk-scrawled menu. They may hold for the atmosphere, but not for the food, plenty of which is fine as it comes. The blood sausage and apple plate wouldn’t look out of place in many Michelin-aspiring restaurants, with the flavours to boot. Tender squid rings take great heat and depth from the puddle of moqueca (Brazilian fish stew) they’re piled in, though like with the cod croquettes and crisps we wished they’d gone a little easier on the herbs – or just chopped them. Tartare is one thing you won’t want to miss, with a bold blast of flavour from anchovy mayo and the plumpest capers. Maçã Verde Fine dining really might be dead if Maçã Verde has anything to do with it. Another exceptional little family-run eatery, this is a place that doesn’t look like much at all but my oh my can appearances be deceiving. Forget booking a cheap flight, we’d charter a whole plane if we had to for another taste of their grilled cuttlefish, with generous chunks of sweet meat stirred through parboiled potatoes and onions, all lifted to the heavens with an olive oil and vinegar dressing we’re not ashamed to say we mopped up with a finger. The cinnamon-rich rice pudding is a traditional treat to finish on, and a great counter to the intense acidity of the cuttlefish we still felt flaring through our nostrils. If we’d had another few days to explore we would have gone back again and again. The ones that got away...   Prado   – just about every chef we trust in Dublin has raved about this Michelin-listed bistro, and we’re gutted we couldn’t make the times work Cervejaria Ramiro  – the gambas aguillo and spider crab are the stuff of legend, and allegedly well worth the lengthy wait that kept us from making it in Tapisco Lisboa  - a Michelin-starred chef’s more casual sister outlet that shows a lot of Spanish influence. We’ve heard a lot about their take on bacalhau à Brás Casa da India  – another unassuming tasca with an IYKYK rep – we’ve had a few hot tips about the tripe here Taberna da Rua das Flores  – fried sardines and mini-mackerel are just some of the seafood treats we really wish we’d managed to make it to in this one

Was Glasgow on our must visit list before Michelin decided to hold the 2025 award ceremony there? No it was not, but we knew they must have had their reasons, so all the research began. What we found was a hopping food and drink scene, well priced, with the nicest staff and the warmest welcomes literally everywhere. After endless hours of research, and then putting that research to the test, here's where we think should be on your Glasgow hit list... The Michelin-starred ones Unalome Unalome and its Chef-Patron Graeme Cheevers won their star just eight months after opening, and while it's the third Michelin-starred kitchen he's run, it's the first time winning it for his restaurant, in his home town. The evening tasting menu costs £135, but the three course lunch feels like a steal at £55, complete with canapés, bread and petit fours to finish. The food, inspired by Japanese cuisine and French technique, is above all else groan-eliciting, with the bold wine pairings another reason to visit. The room is soft and unstuffy, and staff are full of interesting tidbits about what you're consuming - don't miss the spectacle of a cheese trolley, complete with creamy Scottish cow's milk cheese "Minger", named after the cheesemaker's wife (there's another called "Fat Cow" named after his mother-in-law). Cail Bruich Executive Chef Lorna McNee took up her first head chef role at Cail Bruich (which means "to eat well") in summer 2020, and was awarded a Michelin star just over five months later. Her focus is on elegant plates highlighting Scotland’s seasonal ingredients, and the restaurant has its own kitchen garden. This is contemporary Michelin-starred dining, with star ingredients like West Coast brown crab, Isle of Skye langoustines, and Creedy Carver duck. The brilliant casual ones Margo You know when you're lucky enough to experience a restaurant at its zenith, when it's fully firing, when you think how can they possibly top this? That's Margo right now. Only open since October, Michelin awarded them a Bib Gourmand at last week's ceremony, and the UK and Ireland's top chefs were scrambling to get a table while they were in town. This seven days a week, lunch and dinner operation, works on volume, with the team saying they can do up to 500 covers a day, and with food like this, there's no wondering why Glaswegians are queueing up. The beef tartare with grilled onions and crispy potato; the chipsticks and taramasalata; the half Creedy Carver duck with liver parfait and marmalade - and we haven't mentioned the very fair wine prices and very lovely staff who seem delighted to be a part of it. It would not be over the top to hop on a cheap flight to Glasgow just to eat there. Crabshakk Go to newly refurbished Crabshakk for a celebration of Scottish seafood. You'll always find the classics like baked crab (with peppery garam masala running through it), Langoustines the size of your forearm with garlic butter, and deep bowls of mussels, but specials could throw up anything from whole mackerel in a honey chilli crisp, to red mullet in a herby green goddess dressing. Sit at the bar for a piece of the action or upstairs for some respite from the grey Glasgow weather. Gloriosa Mediterranean small plates and indie wines are the vibe at Gloriosa , where chef/owner Rosie Healey and team are known for restraint, simplicity, and never over complicating a beautiful thing. Try the sweet and sour roast pumpkin agrodolce, homemade pasta with chicken liver ragu, or a rich roast pork tonnato, all paired with classic cocktails and small production wines. The high-ceilinged, minimalist room is softened by floor to ceiling blue velvet curtains and candlelight, and whether you want a quick snack or a multi-course feast, Gloriosa delivers. Ga Ga Malaysia-inspired diner Ga Ga is a subway ride from the centre of town, but deep-fried prawn bao, Malaysian-style curries, and Sichuan-fried chicken will make it worth the trip. Pair will stellar cocktails from an Asian-inspired list, and relax in the bamboo and plant-filled space. Not ordering the crispy potatoes with curry leaf mayo would be a Scottish sin. Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch Tantrum Doughnuts This independent doughnut shop has a constantly changing roster of flavours in their three locations - those on the quest to avoid glucose spikes should probably look away. With flavours from crème brûlée to blueberry pretzel cheesecake to maple apple old fashioned, there's always a new reason to stop at Tantrum Doughnuts , and even Phil Rosenthal has heard of them - look out for them in the next season of Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix. Outlier We didn't have time to get to Outlier but an ATF Insider told us they had the best sausage roll of their life there, and that's good enough for us! The most beautiful pastries, cakes, breakfast and brunch dishes, with housemade syrups for coffee and doughnut days, Outlier is known as one of Glasgow's best for good reason. Sub 126 Another one we didn't get to, but the team at D'Olier Street did and said it was "unreal!!!!" Italian-American sandwich shop Sub 126 opened last year and immediately gained a loyal following for their icon-level subs, with fillings like short-rib, porchetta and salsa verde, and the classic meatball marinara. Sandwiches are priced from £6.50 - £8 so this goes in the bargain section. Piece You know what to do when you see a queue right? You join it. When we saw the one snaking through Piece and down the street at 12:30pm we were already on our way to Margo, otherwise we would have turned around and joined the crowd. Turns out this is Glasgow's fiercely independent sandwich shop, there since 2008, now with four locations. Combos like hot salt beef with gherkins and garlic mayo, and the vegan "Nottolenghi" with hummus, roasted cauliflower, pickled onions, chillies, and green sauce are what cause the daily frenzy, as are prices starting at £5.75. Cocktails Underneath Margo you'll find their even cooler, more casual sibling Sebb's , known for food cooked over fire and some of the most masterful cocktails to be found in Glasgow. You can come for food or drinks, and it's got diner vibes, with five-star smells. Try the chip shop martini with house pickle, or the miso and malt old fashioned, and sink happily into those leather seats. Up for an unknown adventure? Book a table at The Absent Ear , whose location is only revealed after you book. This award-winning cocktail bar is inspired by Vincent Van Gogh - his artistic legacy and his madness. Another must visit for cocktail tourists is the Devil of Brooklyn , with its grand bar the setting for cocktails like 'The Gorgon' with coriander and chilli tequila, or 'Hermes' with mint-washed Macallan double cask 12 year and house acid. Left to right: The Absent Ear, Devil of Brooklyn Over in Glasgow's West End, dive bar-inspired Westside Tavern serves 'taptails', "compounded and carbonated in house", as well as a 'New York Icons' menu, while Kelvingrove Café has become a hospitality hang out for brunch, lunch, cocktails and dinner, thanks to their 10:00 - 01:00 opening hours seven days a week. Clockwise from top left: Westside Tavern, Rascal, Kelvingrove Café On the other side of Kelvingrove Park, Rascal peg themselves as a neighbourhood cocktail bar serving specialty spirits, but their innovative creations have made this one of the most in demand places to drink in the city, whether they're in your neighbourhood or not. Wine While Glasgow is very much in it's cocktail era, the same cannot be said for wine. Ask anyone where there's a good wine bar and the same two names come up each time - Sylvan , a vegetarian restaurant specialising in natural wine which also has a bar and shop, and Malo Wine and Negroni Bar , which we tried to get into but it was shut despite Google telling us it would be open. Left to right: Sylvan; Malo Wine & Negroni Bar Coffee Coffee will not be the same issue as wine, with every corner seeming to sport a specialty coffee shop. We loved the minimalist, narrow room home to Level 11 , with their bubbly staff and iced cherry vanilla almond milk chai. Absolute Roasters was a reader tip which provided us with a couple of very fine flat whites for a walk to the West End, and another reader told us they had the best coffee of their life in Godshot Studio to the south of the centre. How's that for a testimonial? Clockwise from top left: Absolute Roasters; Godshot Studio; Level 11 Cheese If you're the kind of person who can't visit any country that produces their own cheese without bringing a sackful home (*waves*), you'll have to take a decent walk or hop on public transport to find Glasgow's finest. George Mewes Cheese has all the award-winning Mingers, Bonnets and Isle of Mull cheddars you could want, as do I.J. Mellis Cheesemonger in Hillhead, and Starter Culture down in Shawlands. Clockwise from top left: Minger at George Mewes Cheese; Cheese plate at I.J. Mellis; Gifts at Starter Culture The ones that got away... The Gannet - Modern Scottish fine dining that sounds like it could be bringing home Glasgow's next star Celentano's  - Ex-Robin Gill chef Dean Parker's first solo opening is intimate and all kinds of Italian-ish Fallachan Kitchen - A communal table in front of an open kitchen under a railway Brett - From the same owners as Cail Bruich. Simple dishes cooked on open grills showcasing everything Scotland has to offer the world of food Eighty Eight - Small plates and Mediterranean vibes at great prices Ka Pao - Electric South East Asian cooking from the same owners as Margo Clockwise from top left: The Gannet; Celentano's; Fallachan Kitchen; Eighty Eight; Ka Pao