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With Paddy's day done for another year we're hoping brighter days and warmer temperatures are in our near futures. Until then we plan on warming up with fried chicken, cheese-stuffed sandwiches, and smoky lamb belly, all new to the capital's menus... 1) Haddington Fried Chicken, Oliveto Oliveto in Dun Laoghaire are veering slightly from their Italian anima to join the premium fried chicken ranks. Their HFC sees boneless free-range chicken thigh marinated for 24 hours in buttermilk, then coated in a crispy crumb, flash-fried and finished in the oven, before being drizzled with hot honey (which improves absolutely everything). There's also some ‘nduja and peperoncino mayo on the side, and between that and a brisk walk down the pier, any cobwebs will be well cast off. 2) Spiced lamb belly, Green Man Wines We love a wine bar, and we love when their small plates are big and bold enough to stand up to all the wines we want to drink. Never one to expect customers to exist on cheese and charcuterie alone, Green Man Wines in Terenure are constantly adding to the menu, and their newest addition is this slow-cooked lamb belly with cannellini beans, sesame broth, and pickled Guindilla peppers. They promise it goes with practically all the wines by the glass, and that they've done copious research to make sure. Find it in the wine bar from Thursday - Saturday. 3) Smoked halloumi melt, Tír Deli Few people make veggie sandwiches look as sexy as Tír Deli , whose commitment to Irish ingredients is a citywide benchmark. Their " celeriac and hallou-mi" has left the building, to be replaced by the new "smoked halloumi melt", with Toonsbridge cheese, roasted Abercorn Farm greens, fermented hot honey, wild garlic pesto, pickled Irish mushrooms and toasted pumpkin seeds. It all comes on Oaksmoke Bakery ciabatta, and sounds like yet another knockout. 4) Orecchiette alle Cime di Rapa , Osteria Lucio Osteria Lucio has all the quiet confidence of somewhere that's not here for the Tiktok trends. This is classic Italian cooking letting prime ingredients do the talking, and this orecchiette alle Cime di Rapa with Italian sausage ragu, turnip tops, chilli, and Felsina 1st press extra olive oil looks like a case in point. 5) Belfast coffee Basque cheesecake How Elliot's keep coming up with one banger after another is more than our tiny brains can process. This weekend saw them join forces with Bar 1661 for a Belfast coffee Basque cheesecake, spiked with Ban Poitin, cold brew coffee, dark panela sugar and freshly grated nutmeg. Paddy's weekend saw its first debut, but if demand is there we can't see why this wouldn't be a permanent addition to the menu. Tell them we sent you.

What should we know about Mama Shee? Few of last year’s closures were as disappointing as Bless Up . The Tallaght opener lasted just six months, serving up a pan-African offering heavy on Nigerian favourites like jollof and efo riro. That’s why we jumped at the news that D24 was to get a second taste with the opening of a sit-down spot for Mama Shee . Edizemi Onilenla’s brand has done stalwart trade on Moore Street and other market locations since 2019, building a growing chorus of fans in the process. What should we have? The buffet-style setup gives you the option to mix-and-match, getting as much variety as possible. It's a little confusing though as the menu shows set prices for each dish, but we were charged €25 each for "all you can eat". We earned some side eye with a smile from our server at the “eclectic plates” we assembled, but found it a fun way to greedily gorge. Most other punters played it straight with one of the meats or stews heaped on a plate of rice, served with a side of fried plantain. Everything here has its distinctive merits, the rice chief among them. Jollof is a mainstay of Nigerian cuisine, long-grain rice cooked in a fragrant tomato sauce until soft, sweet and spicy. Mama Shee’s is a prime specimen, flavourful enough to devour without anything else on it – but where’s the fun in that? Fried rice has just as much taste, if a little less character - for us, it’s jollof all the way. Asoro is a yam porridge with varying mashed and whole chunk textures, and the subtle starchy flavours of the stewed tuber pair well with the jollof's light spice – it's a top tip for vegetarians. So too is the efo riro, with a welcome kick of heat giving the spinach stew staying power - a big bowl of this would make for a satisfying meal on its own. Egusi “soup” is thicker than the title might suggest, with the pounded melon seeds it takes its name from giving a creamy texture swaddling yet more yam. Carnivores will delight in the variety of meat here, with everything from smoked turkey to snails (!) among the dishes we spotted in weeks of Insta-eyeing. Against the idea of those, neither which were on the day we dropped in, tender chicken thighs couldn’t stack up, for all their juicy, charred-skin goodness. Beef in a sauce of roast red and chilli peppers was better, with fatty cuts dissolving into a rich broth. The same sauce plays host to a curious combo of goat and turkey, the former’s bone-in chunks beautifully tender. The more adventurous should single out the the ayamase, a distinctively black stew of boiled eggs and tripe that's a tasty treat for anyone into offal. Why should I go? For a crash course in the cuisine of Africa’s most populous country, you won't do better. Mama Shee ’s diverse dish array offers a welcome chance to dive headlong into a food culture heretofore not widely available in Ireland, and more’s the pity. We’re already keeping tabs on the rotating specialties and planning a return -those snails can’t come soon enough. Mama Shee 1 Belgard Square West, Tallaght, D24 instagram.com/mamashee

What should we know about Chiya? Opening in November, Chiya would look set to threaten the Dame Street dominance of Reyna in the kebab stakes, if not for the fact it’s the same family team behind both. This newer venture sits across from city hall in the old Beshoff Bros location - where we were briefly and tantalisingly promised popup 'Meyhane' before being landed with nondescript chicken joint Bird Box for a few months - and goes all in on “Berlin-style” döner sandwiches. What should we have? While bowls are also available, it’s all about the bread. Though the “Berlin-style” pitch speaks to this thicker-crusted kind’s popularity in the German capital, it’s a Turkish diaspora dish - why it’s only migrated here now to join its more common flatbread fellows we wish we knew. We're not gonna mince words - this bread is a sensation, light and airy inside, gloriously crusty on the outside. The diamond-shaped dough from a family recipe is grilled fresh to order before the puffed-up final product is pinched open and crammed full of filling, and its just-cooked crispness is a real weak at the knees moment - we’d happily eat this without anything inside. It's a bonus then that Chiya’s fillings are every bit as good as the bread, with 24-hour marinated mixed chicken and beef the star. Threaded on the rotisserie between layers of fat to allow it to crisp up without drying out, the thin-sliced, brown-edged meat is a marvel, and one they don’t shy away from piling high. Blissfully, veggie tagalongs have three choices, giving them more options than the carnivores. We tried the müjver, falafel-esque fritters of grated courgette (other options have halloumi and mixed veg), and the well-seasoned sweetness and golden coating make this a must-try. Played off the crisp comfort of the bread and you-can-feel-it freshness of the mixed veg, these fillings have all the makings to be our new go-to fave about town. The most important factor for many these days will be price, and here’s where Chiya really excels, with all four sandwiches giving change from a tenner (€8.90 - €9.90). This is incredible value for 2025 Dublin, not least when it’s among the best to boot. Bowls will leave a bigger dent in your pocket, but portions are substantial, with rice, barley, veg or fries forming the base in their curated or build-your-own options, but we can’t fathom a reason outside of strict dietary requirements why anyone would forego this bread. Curly fries have kicked up some early attention from social media punters, but after trying them we're no wiser as to why - they’re not much more than fine, with paprika-flecked crisp edges making for solid grazing alongside the glory of everything else. Save the stomach space for the main event, and pile high those house pickles sitting pretty on every table. Why should I go? Chiya is not the first sight of this kind of döner to Dublin - Richmond Street’s Berliner beat it by a few months - but its almighty lead on quality and price versus the local competition, mark an arrival in style. Late-night louts have never had it so good, but this is food worth making a trip for any time of the day. Chiya 71 Dame Street, Dublin 1 instagram.com/chiyadublin

Nothing says I love you like flowers, but nothing says I get you like an artisan cheese hamper. We’re always looking for gifts to send our fellow food-obsessed mates, whether the occasion is a birthday, a new baby, an engagement or a breakup, so we did some digging on the best places to order seasonal patisserie, Irish craft beer, and extraordinary tinned fish, and they're all just a click away from landing on someone you love’s doorstep. Toonsbridge Initially known for their cheeses, Toonsbridge branched out into provisions with their offshoot The Real Olive Company, and it's hard to think of a more perfect housewarming gift than their Food Box to Fill Your Pantry (€88.00). We’ve all had that moment late in the move where you’re faced with empty cupboards and not a huge amount of will to live - here's the antidote. Good tinned fish, pickled Cippolini onions, mustards, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, a cloth shopping bag, and even a bar of Provencal soap for beside your new sink - check out their hampers here . Toonsbridge deliver all over Ireland from Monday to Wednesday, with shipping free on orders over €85.00. Le Patissier We discovered Le Patissier during the pandemic, when staying indoors and eating became an international pastime. Their selection of seasonal patisserie can be ordered for delivery in most areas of Co. Dublin for a flat rate of €10.00, arriving as a box of perfectly rendered jewel-like cakes, tarts and mousses. Their current spring collection (€50.00) features an Alphonso mango mousse with a passion fruit curd centre; a pistachio tart; and a milk chocolate tonka bean cremeux with cherry gel; all as beautiful as they are delicious. Dublin delivery costs €10. Sheridan's Sheridan’s are the OG of Irish cheesemongers, their green and white striped branding recognisable the country over, signifying delicious things within. Their website is a wonderland for gifting, featuring old world wines, tinned seafood, jams, chutneys, and of course, cheese. We love the straight to the point Cheese, Chutney and Wine Hamper (€80), but for very special occasions there’s the Luxury Hamper (€250.00), full of characteristically assertive cheeses, wines, Pedro Ximenez sherry, aged balsamic vinegar, acacia honey and smoked almonds. Delivery anywhere in Ireland is €10.00, or €50.00 to anywhere in the EU. Check out their gifts here . Laudurée One for the bougiest amongst us, Ladurée ’s distinctive pastel boxes of macarons can be delivered nationwide for €10.00, along with bottles of Rosé Champagne, chocolates and teas. Available in boxes of eight (€33.00) to thirty five (€120.00) macarons, the website has a very cute feature allowing you to click on various flavours to populate your virtual box before adding it to your cart. Another adorable option is a mixed box of langue du chat biscuits (€24.00) with a charming cat illustration on the box which is giving both Wes Anderson and Marie Antoinette. Who doesn’t want to feel like an indie princess on their birthday? Nationwide delivery is €10. Gannet Fishmongers / eatmorefish.ie Gannet Fishmongers through their Eat More Fish website are on a mission to supply Ireland with sustainable seafood, and both their ethos and taste in gifts are excellent. They have one of the best selections of tinned fish we've ever seen, from Nazarena sardines in spicy olive oil (beyond good on sourdough toast) and hot smoked anchovies (ditto), to cockles with ginger and kombu and jarred sea spaghetti. Putting together your own selection to send to your seafood obsessed friend is the move here - maybe adding in one of their wooden handled oyster knives for good measure. Home delivery is only available for orders over €35.00 and it's a flat rate of €8.50. Indie Füde Indie Füde are going well beyond the typical wine-chocolate-teddy bear hampers with their range of lovingly sourced Irish-food-forward hampers delivering all over the country. Featuring producers like Burren Balsamics, Monto chocolates and Broighter Gold oils, they have a brilliantly curated hamper for every occasion. We love The Weekender (£58.95), full of biscuits, coffee and charcuterie for a relaxing weekend in, or the Incredible Irish Indulgence box (£169.95), featuring some of the best and brightest producers from across the country. Delivery costs £12.95 to the Republic of Ireland (£16.90 for chilled products), or £6.95 (£10.90) up North. Check out their hampers here . Naomi's Kitchen Sometimes it’s not always possible to find the time to cook, and it tends to be at those times when you most need a nourishing meal. The meals from Naomi’s Kitchen are pure comfort, exactly what you might need in challenging times, with wholesome dinners like beef bourguignon, lasagne, and chicken and broccoli crumble. Everything is handmade from scratch by Naomi and her team, and everything freezes, ready to be heated up as needed. An ideal and possibly sanity preserving gift for new parents, a friend going through a bereavement, or someone recovering from an illness. Naomi’s Kitchen is currently only delivering within Dublin for orders over €50.00, but collection is available Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from their Glenageary kitchen. Ardkeen Ardkeen specialise in artisan Irish foods and their gift section showcases all that expertise in a thoughtful range of hampers. We particularly like the Craft Beer and Snack selection (€59.00), with everything you might need for an evening in with friends - a selection of Irish IPAs, ales and stout with snacks like Keogh’s crisps and Blanco Nino tortilla chips. Some of their hampers are available for international delivery, like the Love Irish Food Favourites hamper (€50.00). Full of tayto crisps, Club Orange and even a soda bread mix, it’s an ideal gift for someone missing home. Hampers can be shipped throughout Ireland from €8.50, or over to the States from €25.30. Fallon & Byrne Most people will be familiar with Fallon & Byrne , but not everyone is aware that they deliver their range of food and wine hampers nationwide. We love their Ultimate Vegan hamper (€100.00), made to spoil the vegan in your life with Harry’s Nut Butter, Nobó Chocolate and Plaza Del Sol black truffle crisps - delicious products that are incidentally vegan without carrying the yoke of virtuousness that can too often tar the lifestyle. Nationwide delivery is free for orders over €100.00, or €10.00 for orders under. Urru Urru don’t do hampers, they do “ Urruboxes ” - a limited and thoughtful range of curated food gifts. Their taste of the year Urrbox (€170.00) is a round up of the Irish food products that have impressed them most throughout the year, with the 2024/25 edition showcasing Filligan’s Fiery Pepper Relish and Whisky Marmalade, Seymour’s Chilli Sable crackers and Shine’s Lobster Pate, among many other brilliant small producers. Send it to someone lucky nationwide for €10.00 (or free within Bandon town). On The Pig's Back Cork based On The Pig’s Back carries the best Irish and French charcuterie, and you can bless your friends with it via their seasonal gift store. This is one for meat lovers - whether you want to send one of their pre-made hampers or build your own selection, they're laden down with pork rillettes, Jack McCarthy’s pastrami, chicken liver pate with smoked bacon and port, and all of the extra bits to enjoy them with (Okina savoury biscuits, pickled gherkins, and red onion marmalade to name a few). Nationwide shipping is free on orders over €120. Otherwise it's €15 for orders under €50, or €10 for orders over €50.

Spring is in the air and on those plates, and the new openings are coming like a bullet train. From Peking duck to all the pies, here's where hot for March... For the buzziest opening of 2025 so far: Lena, Portobello Locks is dead. Long live Lena ! While locals (and many more) might have shed a tear at the thought of Locks no longer residing at 1 Windsor Terrace, in reality it's just had a major glow up. Liz Matthews and Simon Barrett, the restaurateur icons behind Etto and Uno Mas , have joined chef/owner Paul McNamara (also a partner in Uno Mas ) to bring us neighbourhood Italian Lena , and if you haven't had the sage leaf and anchovy fritti, lardo toast and Osso Bucco by the end of March, can you really call yourself a Dubliner...? Read our once over here . For the return of one of Dublin's greats: Assassination Custard, Dublin 8 After pulling the shutters down last summer (read about why in this great piece from the Irish Independent), Gwen McGrath and Ken Doherty's Assassination Custard is back - and this time you can book. There's still only around 10 seats, the menu's still written on a paper bag, and there are now two sittings at 12:00 and 13:30. They've also introduced a minimum spend of €25 - €30 to make it worth opening, but if you weren't already spending that you weren't doing it right (order it all). To book, call them on 0874701577. For the best value lunch in town right now: Coppinger, Dublin 2 We never fail to be impressed at those restaurateurs who innovate rather than capitulate, and what better way to get bums out of office chairs and into nicer ones than with a two course lunch for FIFTEEN EURO. IN A RESTAURANT. Or three courses for €20, with an optional glass of wine for an additional €5 (we don't endorse drinking on the job, but we don't not endorse it either). Coppinger are having to work smart with their "Menu del Dia" dishes, but we hear the chefs are loving the challenge, and the diners clearly love those prices. Available Wednesday - Friday, 12:00 - 15:00. For the slickest new Asian experience in South Dublin: China Tang, Monkstown The group behind Hakkahan in Stoneybatter and Nan Chinese in the city centre have just opened a fine dining Cantonese restaurant in Monkstown, and the pre-order whole Peking duck , sliced and served by the chef at your table, is right at the top of our want list for March. China Tang (no relation to the one at The Dorchester in London) has a suppliers list that includes Silverhill Duck, Andarl Farm and FX Buckley, and the menu is full of Cantonese dishes we've never seen in Dublin before. Get us in there. For pies to widen your eyes: Cellar 22 Dublin has never been somewhere that had its pick of the pies, but Cellar 22 are on a mission to change that and become the city's prime pie destination. Their 'Cellar Pie' changes daily so there's always something new to try, and we're very keen to get in here for one of these and a glass of red while it's still chilly outside. To save money on food and go bigger on wine: Monty's of Kathmandu Monty's of Kathmandu is best known for Momos (Nepalese dumplings), being a warm escape from tourists in Temple Bar, and for having a hell of a wine cellar. Their new set menu, running Thursday - Saturday at lunchtime, and all night Sunday - Thursday will let you dive even deeper into those bottles, with two courses for €32 or three for €37. Go for deconstructed samosa chat, and owner Lina's Achari chicken, and take your pick from that tome of a wine list, with margins well below the city's average. For when you can't be bothered to leave the house but want something nice: DropChef's collaboration with The Salt Project DropChef , the Irish-owned meal kit delivery service, have enlisted The Salt Project 's Caomhán de Brí for a special St. Patrick's Day collaboration. The chef, known for his hyper-local sourcing, has designed four new meal kits, available for delivery from the 16th March, all incorporating the best of Irish food, like an Irish Farmhouse cheese and onion tart; and pork fillet wrapped in bacon with Keeling's Black Apple Butter and Olly's Farm Hot Dublin Honey Glaze. Each kit comes with step-by-step instructions to cook and serve within 30 minutes, and it's the ideal delivery the next time you don't have the energy to flip through recipe books, but can't be arsed going out.

It's our favourite food holiday! Which means pancakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, amirite ? While our own pancakes pans are going to get a serious workout today, here's the ones we most want to eat around town... (P.s. don't come at us for how many of these are in Dublin 8 - we don't decide who kills it on pancake day) Alma, Portobello Alma can be depended on for their dulce de leche pancakes 52 weeks of the year, but there's a savoury special today too - the Jamon Serrano ones. We spy eggs, we spy pickled roasted chickpeas, we spy strawberry harissa, we spy limited numbers that won't last long in Portobello so don't delay. Space Jaru, Dublin 8 Miso. Caramel. Pancakes. We have no other details, and we need no other details. A Korean spin on an Irish tradition from Space Jaru will always get our vote. Flower & Bean, Dublin 8 Flower & Bean in Dublin 8 always go hard for our most special of food holidays, and this year as well as sweet pancakes with rhubarb and rose; protein pancakes with chilli, banana and bacon; and teddy bear pancakes for the smallies, there's also this ridiculously adorable baby pancake bowl with yoghurt, Harry's nutbutter, cinnamon, pomegranate and blood orange. Would you be well? Fallon & Byrne, Dublin 2 Former Allta head chef Hugh Higgins is serving fresh pancakes from 8am-6pm today in Fallon & Byrne 's Food Hall, where he's now the development chef. Traditional lemon & sugar are two for €5, and for the pistachio obsessives they'll have one with house-made pistachio crème & Irish strawberries. At lunchtime the savoury option features house-baked ham, Hegarty’s smoked cheddar and béchamel, and they're all made using Killadoon Farm milk. Slice, Stoneybatter Slice are bringing all the dessert pancakes to Dublin 7 this year. Their banoffee pancakes come topped with dulce de leche, banana cremeux and a biscuit crumb, while the apple crumble comes with caramelised apple, crumble, and cardamom custard. Two Pups, Dublin 8 and Fairview Two Pups have fluffy stacked pancakes on the go in Dublin 8 and in Fairview, with miso caramel, blood orange, homemade honeycomb and whipped ricotta. How's that for a combo. Hidden, Smithfield Hidden in Smithfield picked a good time of year to introduce their "Dubai chocolate pancakes to the menu", and they're reduced to €15 just for today. The whole thing is homemade, even the chocolate bar on the side, and their regular sweet and savoury pancake options are also reduced to €11 for one day only. Ango's, Dublin 8 If you like more of a simple life, without all those fancy ingredients and exotic toppings, and just want a plate of pancakes like your mammy used to make, head to Ango's in The Liberties for thin, cripsy crêpes topped with whatever you'd like. Go fruit, go jam, go honey, go nuts, or ask them to rock out the lemon and sugar if that's how you want to play it. The Bakery by The Cupcake Bloke, Rialto Not into pancakes? Celebrate with a pancake cupcake instead from The Bakery by The Cupcake Bloke . There are f our flavours available - vanilla, red velvet, oreo and chocolate, and each is topped with three mini pancakes, a chocolate drizzle and sprinkles. Happy Pancake Day to all who celebrate. At Home - Ottolenghi's fluffy stack and Nigella's crêpes Can't get to any of these places? Make the fluffy stacks served in Ottolenghi's cafés at home, and top with whatever you've got to hand. Find the recipe here . For crêpes Nigella's version never fails, and if you're more of a savoury person, this recipe for Okonymiyaki is one of the best.

We’re not sure we’ve ever felt as much sheer seasonal relief as on our first sighting of forced rhubarb stalks over the last week - the perfect pastel pink summons the sense of spring to our mind like little else, and tells us that – finally! – winter has come to a close. We’re looking forward to pigging out on all things rhubarb, blood orange and early wild garlic and white asparagus in the weeks to come, but here are the spring dishes already on our eat list... Granola with rhubarb-lime compote, Honey Truffle The drabness of an Irish winter giving way to the bright brilliant pink of rhubarb is one of the best bits of the year – we feel sorry for anyone who doesn’t love it. Honey Truffle have brought out the colour even more with a splash of lime (you don’t see that every day), and spooned the lot over their house granola. No better way to start the day, or the season. Blood orange, fennel and radicchio salad, Baa Baa Blood orange is another seasonal beauty that’s becoming increasingly common about town - once only the preserve of fancier restaurants, it’s made its way to more cafés and grocers the last few years. Baa Baa ’s salad treatment shines a smart spotlight, played off creamy burrata and bitter radicchio to bring out its sweet and juicy best.   White asparagus and sea bream, Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen We’re still scratching our head wondering what it will take for Michelin to dole out a third star to Chapter One - we’ve been to enough in our time to know Mickael Viljanen and co are operating at the top of the game. This white asparagus wonder is a case in point, partly for the perfectly-cooked stalk itself, but all the more so for the foam served alongside that had us almost erupting in tears of joy.   Rhubarb black sesame bun, Elliot‘s Elliot’s  are at it again with this deceptively simple-seeming seasonal specimen - you can bet plenty of time-intensive testing went into perfecting it. They’ve opted for black sesame to bring out the best of rhubarb, with a toasted seed sugar and crémeux balancing out the tart tang in a crème within, and poached batons atop.   Blood orange donuts, Flower ‘n’ Bean It’s just as well Flower ‘n’ Bean  are serving these doughnuts on Fridays only, or we’d be in every day of the week. For the day that’s in it  they’re doing a duo of blood orange and rhubarb pancakes today too, plus a first sighting of wild garlic in their weekly soup and sandwich special – it’s a seasonal feast.   Gnocchi with wild garlic, Coppinger Wild garlic has wound its way over to Coppinger  too, and just look at the colour they’ve teased out from the first shoots. Confit and BBQ King oyster mushrooms, and teasingly charred pan-fried gnocchi join the bright green puree on the plate, all lifted with lemon ricotta dollops and a pop of pickled shallot. Wipe your mouth there...   Rhubarb waffles, Urbanity We can always rely on Urbanity  to lean in hard to seasonal specials, and this weekend waffle dish is no exception. Ginger is a classic bedfellow of rhubarb for good reason - here they’ve doubled up with a ginger custard (genius) and a spiced ginger and oat crumble both working to balance the stewed stalks across the plate.   Blood orange and pistachio croissant buns, Bread Naturally “Homemade blood orange and vanilla marmalade” is a sequence of words guaranteed to stop us in our tracks. We’d welcome the chance to buy that by the jar, but until then, getting it within Bread Naturally ’s croissant buns will have to do. They’ve topped it with a pistachio mascarpone cream and pistachio crumb, plus a candied slice of blood orange to really show it all off.   Scallop and blood orange, Mamo We’re as much, if not more, excited to see savoury treatments of seasonal fruits as sweet, and Mamo  always accommodate with a seafood slant out in Howth. The sweetness and slight sharpness of blood orange accentuates and elevates the subtle flavours of scallop, not to mention just how very pretty it looks in the shell.   Rhubarb, tarragon and pistachio buns, Fable If it ain’t broke… This spring Fable have gone back to the well and put last year’s rhubarb recipe bun right back on the menu. Considering we tried and failed five times to get one before they’d sold out, that’s no bad thing in our book. The gorgeous golden hue of the buns plays off the perfect pink of the rhubarb for a very seductive snack.   Salmon with blood orange, The Seafood Cafe More smart seafood treatment of everyone’s favourite spring citrus from the folks at The Seafood Café – they really do what they say on the tin here. Cured organic salmon is another clever foil to play off the sweetness of the blood orange, while the kick of elderflower vinegar ties it all together – we can almost taste the freshness from here.   Blood orange pancakes, Two Pups We usually wouldn’t allow something so short-term on a rundown meant to last the season, but we can’t not spare a moment for Two Pups ’ pancake plate of the day. You rarely get to see blood orange heaped on a stack; we don’t think we’ve ever seen it paired with miso caramel and a homemade honeycomb. It’s just as well they say they’ve made a big batch. See more pancakes we want to eat in Dublin today here .

Chefs Victor Lara and Celina Altamirano have been ripping up cacti over in Ranelagh with their Mexico-city style plates at Suertudo , deeply inspired by their Jalisco and Oaxacan homelands. ATF's Ronan Doyle called the revamp of what was formerly Dillinger's " the kind of bold move we badly need more of around town "; the Irish Times noted its " flashes of brilliance "; and the Irish Independent said it's brought " the spark back " to a prime location. We're taking over Suertudo on the night of Tuesday 11th March, and the kitchen team are determined to show our readers what they're all about, with a liberal, nine-course menu featuring ceviche, pork, octopus, mole, tacos and more for the first-rate price of €68pp. They're even throwing in a welcome cocktail - 'The Jaguar Sip'. There will be two sittings on the night at 17:30 and 20:15, and Lara and Altamirano are going to ensure you leave with no Mexico-city stone unturned, after trying camotito, housemade tortilla chips, two types of mole and all the tacos. The chefs themselves will also be on site all night to serve the dishes and chat with diners. T his is an ATF Insiders-only event - sign up here  for €5 a month if you're not already part of the best food club in Dublin. Each Insider can book a table for two, and bring a guest with them.  If you're coming with friends who are also signed up and you want to sit together, just make a note on your booking. As this is a group dining event, you may be sitting at a table with other people. Unfortunately it's not possible to offer a vegetarian menu for this event, or make dish substitutions, but if you're someone who eats All The Food , then take a look at the feast we've got in store for you... Bookings for our Suertudo takeover on Tuesday 11th March go live tomorrow, Tuesday 4th March at 12pm. Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders  will receive the booking link in their inbox. If you're not already signed up you can do so below.

We're finally beginning to be spoiled for choice when it comes to Dublin’s bakery scene, rather than trekking for miles each weekend to stand in line because if we're doing pastry, we're only doing the best. Between new arrivals like Bold Boy and institutions like Bread 41 , it’s easy to get decision fatigue trying to figure out what’s going to go best with your morning coffee (or get you past an afternoon slump), so to help you out, here’s a round up of what we think are the flagship pastries from Dublin’s best bakeries - the one product that encapsulates what these heavy hitters do best... Scéal Bakery - Everything Croissant Scéal Bakery started back in the Fumbally Stables in 2017, but decamped to the seaside in recent years and have been very much missed. Lucky for all of the inhabitants of Dublin 8 and beyond, they've now returned, operating out of The Wine Pair on Saturday mornings only. Their Everything Croissant is indeed everything we want in a savoury breakfast situation - flaky croissant dough topped with a perfectly piped blob of their housemade cream cheese, sweet red onions and everything bagel seed mix. Equal parts crunchy, buttery, salty, creamy and rich, with a hyper savoury allium note. Bold Boy Bakery - PB&J Danish Bold Boy Bakery is the newest addition to the Dublin pastry scene, and we love everything from their tongue in cheek branding to their original range of pastries. The P&B danish is everything we want from a pastry moment - nostalgic and revelatory, it takes a well known flavour combination and works a textural magic. The almost-sharp jam is offset with a rich whipped cloud of peanut butter cream, on a raft of flaky buttery pastry, and finished with a shard of peanut brittle. Joyous. Fable Bakery - Cinnamon Bun Fable Bakery ’s focus is on perfecting and extending the concept of the Scandinavian style bun, with almond, chocolate and classic cinnamon versions, alongside savoury options like sundried tomato, an everything bagel, and a consistently delicious seasonal special. The cinnamon bun is the one to go for, and is the platonic ideal of its kind - sturdy but squidgy, sticky, spiced and deeply flavoured with little pops of texture from the sugar pearls on top. Una Bakery - Almond Croissant Una Bakery is everything you could ask for in a neighbourhood bakery - a well considered range of takes on classics, and a view into the kitchen where you can watch the bakers laminating and shaping the dough as you wait for your coffee. We loved their almond croissant when we visited in April , a prime example of the genre, realised with such skill that it felt a little like tasting one for the first time. Almond croissants can tend towards stodge, but this one is magically light with great almond flavour and shatteringly delicate layers. The Bakery by the Cupcake Bloke - Mikado The Bakery by the Cupcake Bloke is a haven in Rialto village, carrying a range of preserves, cheese and baking equipment as well as cupcakes, biscuits and brack. Graham Herterich is Ireland’s answer to Christina Tosi, injecting a distinctly Irish nostalgia into his recipes, and while his brack is a cult in its own right, the thing to get here is his version of the Mikado biscuit. Tangy jam, soft marshmallow and a crumbly biscuit will take you right back to childhood by way of a (slightly) more sophisticated adult palate. Bread 41 - Custardo Bread 41 was one of Dublin’s contemporary bakery first movers, and has firmly established itself as both a neighbourhood stalwart and a destination bakery for literally everyone from further afield. They like to keep things exciting with a rotating range of daily & weekend specials, and we almost don’t want to be prescriptive here. Getting out of bed early on a Saturday and rocking up to see what looks good is almost certainly the move, but on a weekday their Custardo is a perfect little bite every single time, showcasing both their buttery layered pastry and their attention to flavour in a rich vanilla custard. Elliot's - Pain Suisse There’s a sense of peace about Elliot's' two locations, even though they’re almost constantly out the door with customers. From the understated monochrome branding to their thoughtful range of bread and pastries, it’s very clear that they take what they’re doing seriously, and the proof is in the quality. Their viennoiserie is all top tier, but the one to go for is the Pain Suisse. Generous with good dark chocolate and vanilla pastry cream, the cross laminated shell is perfectly crisp, and the best bits are undoubtedly the sweet chewy edges where the chocolate and custard have oozed out during baking and caramelised on the tray. No Messin - Cardi B Characteristic of Dublin’s “third wave” bakeries, No Messin’ has little interest in interpreting the classics - you won’t find a croissant or pain au chocolat on the counter of Proper Order . Instead, No Messin's interest lies in creating their own brilliant hybrid creations. Their lineup includes cutely named inventions like the Almond and Chocolate Frankies, but we love the OG Cardi B - a twist of spiced filling and light and buttery brioche drenched in a syrup that keeps it moist, making it as good a decision in the afternoon as it is in the morning (if they haven’t sold out). Hong Kong taste - Bento Cake Hong Kong Taste is the place to go in Dublin for pillowy yeasted buns and airy delicate cakes, with the Hong Kong style of confectionary featuring cotton-light sponges filled with barely sweet whipped cream and fresh fruit. As the antithesis to the hurriedly purchased waxy and synthetic supermarket old reliables (no hate Colin), their personalised bento sized cakes are a beautiful option to take along to a birthday dinner or picnic date. Adorable and delicious Noisette - Cruffin Noisette ’s pastries are world class, and their preoccupation with good ingredients is more than apparent in the quality of their products. Made with Isigny butter and organic flour, their range of cruffins are standout - tall swirls of croissant pastry rolled in sugar and filled with a changing assortment of seasonal flavours, like pear and caramel, pistachio cream and Black Forest. Blossom Artisan Bakery - Tonka Bean Tart Lucky for North Dublin locals, Blossom Artisan Bakery set up shop in Buddy’s Farmers Market in Ballymun in 2023 . Their pistachio and tonka bean tart was supposed to be a seasonal special, but people ( waves ) went so crazy for it that they had to make it permanent. A flaky croissant base is filled with white chocolate tonka bean cream, and finished with a pistachio crumb. Tonka bean has has the profile of a more complex vanilla, nutty, spicy and floral, and while we’re surprised more bakeries aren’t taking advantage of this beautiful ingredient, we’re glad Blossom took the lead in this utterly perfect creation. Russell Street Bakery - Croissant Russell Street Bakery is the place to go for classic viennoiserie - they’re playing the hits and doing so perfectly. This is for the plain croissant purists, because Russell Street’s version is exemplary - delicate honeycomb layers housed in a shatteringly tender golden shell. There’s often an issue with some Dublin bakeries who shall not be named selling stale pastries, and a croissant lives and dies by the amount of time that passes between the oven and your mouth. Russell Street have never hit a bum note in our experience, and they bake throughout the day so there’s always something fresh from the oven. The Rock Bakery - Sausage rolls It's almost impossible to pick one must order at The Rock Bakery , because this micro bakery in Skerries change their endlessly creative menu every.single.month. Sausage rolls are one thing that are permanent, but they're never the same - this month it's garlic and herb, last month's was black pudding, the one before that was bacon and sage stuffing - and like everything else here, they're impeccable.

There's a spicy, fatty, energy dense feeling to our hit list this week, which probably says a lot about the never-ending winter we're going through. Plenty of time yet before the season of less clothes starts, so we'll be bulking up on this lot for the foreseeable... 1) Hot Pep Danish, Elliot's When two icons collide. Elliot's are tipping their hat to Bambino with the new 'Hot Pep Danish', named after the slice shop's most famous pizza . Croissant dough is filled with ricotta, pepperoni, jalapeños and finished with hot honey, and it sounds like a recipe for a long queue outside. 2) The Big Matt, Hawksmoor We're unapologetic food snobs, with no time for fast food chains serving additive filled, copy and paste food, using intensively reared meat and 56 ingredients in their most famous burger. However, when one of the world's best steakhouses  does their own version of that burger, we're here and hungry for it. Hawksmoor 's "The Big Matt" was named the world's best burger in 2023, and it's just landed in Dublin. Race ya. 3) Butter chicken ramen, Soup DL Soup in Dun Laoghaire are known for Japanese ramen, not Indian curry, but their latest special is bringing both culinary wonders to the seaside suburb. Their new butter chicken ramen has a base of 12-hour chicken broth, with Indian style butter chicken, Bombay mix, crispy shallots, diced kimchi, fermented red cabbage, and spring onion. And as if all that wasn't enough, it's served with a side of poori bread. 4) Biryani, Adda, Clanbrassil Street There are few things worse than a dry, tasteless Biryani, and Adda 's looks like the opposite of that statement. You could go for the classic chicken yes, but we're loving the sound of the veggie one with paneer cheese, and if lamb is on as a special, obviously you order that. 5) Croissant cheesecake, Medialuna We've had this croissant cheesecake from Medialuna once, and this pic brought the creamy, crunchy flavours crashing back in our brains. This one is spiked with a red berry centre, and you'll find us sniffing out their following list on Instagram to search for stockists.

It's that time of the month where we tell you about the nine amazing prizes we've rustled up for ATF Insiders to thank them for keeping the ATF wheels turning. As an ad-free, invite-free platform, ATF Insiders is how we're funded and operate, ensuring everything recommended here has been paid for by us . and you're only getting honest, uninfluenced appraisals of where we eat. Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders by midnight on Monday 17th February will be entered into the draw, and winners will be picked and notified on Tuesday 18th February. Here's what we've got for you this month... 1) A "LegenDerry" food experience worth over €300 One of our very lucky Insiders is going to win a gourmet getaway to Derry, to celebrate LegenDerry Food Month taking place throughout February. The winner and their guest will be heading to the Ebington Hotel to relax in stylish surroundings, before heading out for dinner at El Tapas Grá , where Irish ingredients meet Spanish flavours. The adventure continues the next day at  Walled City Brewery , where you’ll embark on a tasting experience sampling craft beers paired with delicious bites that celebrate the best of LegenDerry ’s food scene. It's the perfect chance to experience the best of Derry and soaking up some of its famous hospitality. 2) A midweek escape for two at Kelly's Resort Hotel & Spa The legendary Kelly's Resort Hotel  in Wexford on the stunning Rosslare beach has been the scene of many great Irish holidays since opening in 1895 (wowza!), and it's now firmly on the foodie travel map with four different restaurants to dine in. We've got a midweek escape for two to give away this month, for a relaxing overnight stay with dinner in the award-winning Beaches Restaurant , access to the Aqua Club  and spa, and breakfast the next morning of freshly baked pastries, homemade preserves, and all the hot dishes you might want to start your day off. Kelly's is the perfect escape from reality, filled with relaxation, gourmet dining, and coastal charm, and we're very excited to send one of our Insiders  off for some RnR! 3) Two tickets for the "Ganbei" duck and wine pairing at Hang Dai Chinese worth €260 On Sunday 9th March, Hang Dai  will host Ganbei - the ultimate duck & wine pairing experience. Each course of the five-course, eight-dish tasting menu will be paired with wines picked by their in-house sommelier Laoise Dempsey,  who be guiding diners through each pour, and you can expect pairings like hoisin sauce and juicy beaujolais, and Sichuan pepper with a zippy Riesling. There are two sittings on the night and tickets for all food with the wine pairings are €130, but we're sending one of you with a friend FOC. Tickets for Ganbei go on sale Sunday 16th February at 15:00. 4) €150 voucher for Bar Italia   Bar Italia  is one of those IYKYK places, where the carbonara , cacio e pepe and Roman-style pinsas have their own cult-like following, but next month they're changing it up. Their famous daily specials are moving to a monthly menu change, meaning more time to get your hands on those one off dishes, and joining the core canon will be Ossobuco with risotto; fettucine with Curragh lamb bianco; and house focaccia with Wagyu bavette steak - you'll need to bring a gang to get it all on the table. After an incredible 26 years in business, they're having their latest renovation at the end of March, and have given us a €150 voucher to give away so one of you can head in and check out the changes. Check them out here . 5) A cookery class for two at Howth Cookery School Howth Castle Cookery School has just gotten a brand new kitchen in association with luxury appliance brand Gaggenau, and they've given us a cookery class for two to give away to celebrate! The cookery school offers a wide variety of hands-on cooking classes, from traditional Irish dishes to international flavours, suitable for all skill levels. They also host bespoke corporate experiences, including a Catch & Cook  where you can fish for your lunch out the back of Ireland’s Eye in Dublin Bay - what a day that would be. Check our their upcoming classes including Japanese street food and gourmet pizza here . 6) €100 voucher for Featherblade Featherblade , one of Dublin's best (and best value) places to go out for steak, have been quietly collaborating with the Droimeann Cattle Society , which has played a vital role in bringing the beautiful ancient breed back from the brink of extinction just a few years ago. Soon you'll be able to get a taste of the premium, well-marbled beef at Featherblade ! The farmer supplying them rears his 56-strong herd on a tiny island on Lough Ree which is entirely organic, and which supplies his herd with enough food to graze on and forage for that the herd is totally self sufficient. How amazing is that? We've got a €100 voucher to give away for Featherblade this month so you can have a taste of rare breed beef for yourself. 7) A seafood prize pack from Kish Fish Dublin-based fine seafood experts,  Kish Fish , founded in the old Dublin Fish Market nearly 60 years ago, have just rebranded and announced a collaboration with Guinness. The family-run wholesale seafood business, with three retail shops in North Dublin as well as Avoca Dunboyne, have developed a new Guinness Smoked Salmon. To celebrate, they've given us a voucher for lunch in Kish Café in Howth, plus a seafood hamper filled with their Guinness Smoked Salmon, Hake & Prawn Curry, Luxury Fish Pie, Seafood Chowder, Organic Smoked Irish Salmon, and more. Check out Kish Fish here . 8) €100 voucher for Ruchii, Blackrock Ruchii in Blackrock have been steadily gaining a reputation as one of Dublin's best restaurants to experience "true Indian food", with dishes coming from all sides of the subcontinent based on the "six primary tastes" - sour, salt, bitter, astringent, pungent, sweet. They're celebrating after a great review in the Irish Times last week, which said they have " the potential to elevate this neighbourhood spot into a genuine destination for Indian food enthusiasts ", and have given us a €100 voucher so one of our Insiders can head out to Blackrock to try their Chetinaad beef rib, mango coconut prawns and six-taste thali. Check out Ruchii here . 9) Brunch for four with cocktails at Slice, Stoneybatter Slice in Stoneybatter is the café that doesn't miss, with regularly changing specials like Cáis na tire leeks on sourdough; and beetroot achar with Ballyhubbock haloumi on toast, using the best organic veg from McNally Farm in North Dublin. They've also got the best drinks menu (boozy and non-boozy) of any café we've seen, and did you know you can get Slice all to yourself? They do private and corporate catering , serving canapés, sandwiches, salads, cakes and more for 10 people plus, and you can also hire the café in the evening for groups of 15-30 people - sounds like our kind of group dinner. We've got brunch for four with cocktails to give away this month so one of you can check out the food before immediately wanting to book Slice for your next event. Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders for February (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 Monday 17th February. You'll be supporting independent reviews and news in Dublin and beyond, and be able to get answers to all of your burning questions about eating out, here and abroad, directly from us.

Ireland has three new Michelin-starred restaurants, and two new Bib Gourmands, after the 2025 guide was released this evening. The three new stars went to T he Morrison Room in Kildare, Lignum in Galway, and the restaurant at Ballyfin Demense in Laois. New Bib Gourmands, awards for good restaurants offering refined cuisine at an affordable price, were given to Daróg Wine Bar in Galway, Baba'de in Cork, and Mr Deane's in Belfast. A star was awarded to The Morrison Room in the five-star Carton House in Kildare, and t wenty-eight year old head chef Adam Nevin, who took over in September 2023, after returning home from London where he was Head Chef at The Grill at The Dorchester . They were added to the Michelin guide in 2024, with inspectors praising the " breathtaking room " with a " menu matches it for opulence with an abundance of first-rate produce " and " strong classical technique but some wildcard flavour combinations ". The dinner menu is currently €110, with the tasting menu €140, but that may jump after tonight. The Morrison Room, Kildare Lignum in Galway finally got their star, after a five year wait in which they made it very clear that was the end goal. Chef proprietor Danny Africano and partner Molly Keane, the restaurant's GM, opened Lignum in 2019, and have been tipped for a star since year one, with each new release bringing great disappointment for their die-hard fans. The guide called it " immensely likeable ", with the wood-fired cooking lending " a delicious smoky dimension to the creative dishes ". The 10-course tasting menu is currently €145. Lignum, Galway The restaurant at Ballyfin Demense in Laois (famous for hosting Kim Kardashian and Kayne West on their honeymoon) was the third Irish addition to the one star list. Inspectors called it " a spectacular, lovingly restored Regency-era manor house that screams luxury ", with opulence continuing " into the dining room, where the chefs serve fittingly impressive dishes ... with bags of flavour ", completing " the rather special picture. " As one of the most expensive properties to stay and eat in in Ireland, this is one for the moneybags, but at least the restaurant is now open to non-residents, with dinner at €105 - €125 depending on the menu. Ballyfin Demense, Laois   Daróg Wine Bar 's Zsokt Lukás was awarded the Sommelier of the Year award, for his Galway wine bar with small plates, as well as a Bib Gourmand. The guide praised their " huge amount of passion" , as well as Lukács' " infectious enthusiasm for wine ", and sharing plates that are " exactingly executed, deliver on flavour and provide brilliant value for money ." Zsolt Luk às, Daróg Wine Bar Irish chef Luke Ahearne , previously at Campagne in Kilkenny, Corrigan's of Mayfair and Luca, won a star for Lita , the London restaurant where he's head chef. Here's hoping for a return home at some point in the future. Luke Ahearne, Lita The rumour mill was rife this year that next year's awards are going to be held in Dublin. Watch this space...

What should we know about Bloom's Café? We’ll always welcome an independent business swooping in to fill space vacated by a chain - Bloom’s Café ’s arrival in the Redmond Hill site that was previously a Costa is the kind of changeover we love to see. With pristine white walls emphasising its floral colour pops, and a patisserie range that stopped our scrolling dead in its tracks, this one’s already on course for a lot of Insta and TikTok attention. What should we have? Certainly nothing savoury - Bloom’s is pitching itself a brunch destination as much as an eye-catching cake café, but we found everything outside of the patisserie range sorely lacking. The sausage roll (€3.40) was a sad sight, short of any side salad, and all the more miserable on tasting – a fridge-cold centre dulling any taste inside, even as warm pastry alluded to a meagre microwave spin. There went our appetite. At least the ham and cheese croissant (€6.50) was heated all the way through and had some greenery to cheer things up - praise be for small mercies. Flaky, buttery pastry at least put our expectations back on course for some baking prowess at work behind the scenes, though the dish as a whole could have come from just about any city centre café. Over-soaked brioche brought the French toast (€12.50) texture closer to custard than we’d ideally have liked – a case of over-egging it. Some will rejoice in the souffle-adjacent style, but for our part this was just too soft and sweet, with under-acidic fruit and a nondescript raspberry sauce offering little reprieve. But it’s less the brunch (thank god) that Bloom’s has staked its reputation on than its head-turning confections, a dainty selection of picture-pretty patisserie and photorealistic faux-fruit in the Is It Cake? mould. Here we’re on much firmer footing -the painstaking detail of the coconut’s chocolate shell (€6. 80) is as impressive as the assertive intensity of real mango within – this is where the talent is. The pear’s a similar showstopper (€6) with a glazed green shell yielding white chocolate cream within, and a hidden treasure cavity of super-sweet stewed fruit. Slathered over a shard of oat shortbread base, the textures and fresh flavours are a delight, and rendered the sorry savoury plates a distant memory. Maritozzi are having a moment in Dublin and Bloom’s (€6) have gone in hard with a fast-changing choice of the cream-loaded brioche buns. We were beaten to the last of the pistachio so settled for strawberry instead. The delicate dough is a sweet feast of airy indulgence, so light it might dissolve on contact. We’re keen to see what seasonal variations might be in store here. The layered matcha cake (€6) is a must-have for die-hard fans of the green tea flavour, so shot through with its intense earthy notes you hardly sense the sweetness. If a little less showy than its neighbours on the shelf, it’s just as much a showcase of a top new baker in town. Why should I go? Steer clear of the box-ticking brunch menu and Bloom’s Café ’s confections have plenty to merit a visit - their social feed-friendly patisserie picks are more than just pretty pictures. Bloom’s Cafe 13 Redmond’s Hill, Dublin 2 instagram.com/bloomscafedublin

A brand new bakery making peanut butter and jelly Danishes, a new (to us) Southern Indian restaurant making a thali we can't stop thinking about, and the bao they tried to get rid of but the customers were having none of it. Here's what we most want to eat in Dublin this week... 1) Peanut butter and jelly Danish, Bold Boy Bakery Well they kept that one quiet didn't they? Two Pups unleashed a brand new bakery on the city last week that will be supplying both of their locations in Dublin 8 and Fairview, and you could say we're excited to try Bold Boy Bakery 's peanut butter and jelly Danish, and the bread and butter pudding, and the salted chocolate chip cookie... 2) Dulce de Leche cheesecake, Bakeology There's a time and a place for dulce de leche, and it's not very often, so when you're gona do it you've got to make it count. Bakeology in The Liberties never get it wrong, and their dulce le leche cheesecake is so beautifully piped it's just begging for that golden spoon to glide through it... 3) Pulled pork bao with togarashi, Soup DL Soup in Dun Laoghaire say they tried taking their pulled pork bao bun with gochujang mayo, fermented red cabbage and togarashi off the menu, but it did not go down well with customers, so now it's back and we've never wanted a bao more. 4) Non-vegetarian thali, Southern Spices Have we been the only ones snoozing on Southern Spices in Sandyford? Yet another restaurant dedicated to Southern Indian food like dosa, idly and vada, since chef Meeran Manzoor mentioned it in this article we can think of little else but heading off down the M50. This "Non-Vegetarian Thali" with lamb, chicken, prawns, dal, Potato, pulao rice and buttery Malabar paratha looks like the perfect introduction, 5) Panna cotta with clementines and pistachio, Volpe Nera On oldie but a goodie, Volpe Nera 's barley malt panna cotta is back, and have you tasted clementines in the past few weeks?? Off the charts. Get in and get this into you.

What should we know about Hong Kong Wonton? The latest string in the bow of Eva Pau, Asia Market ’s second-generation owner, Hong Kong Wonton opened last month in the Fade Street spot previously occupied by Duck, before they shuttered following a damaging FSAI report . The menu here is Hong Kong classics, with a bustling kitchen to the rear shipping out dishes to the fifteen-seat space at lightning speed. What should we have? We started with spring rolls, crisp parcels of satisfying satay chicken elevated by the fresh crunch of beansprouts. The dipping sauce on the side has the character of a smoked ketchup – we were into it, but found it slightly overshot some of the spring rolls’ subtlety. Congee is where things kick up a gear. The rice porridge, a popular breakfast dish across east Asia with a history of wartime rationing, might be tempting to skip – don't. HKW brew theirs with a rich chicken stock, breaking the rice down to a soothing softness, stirred through with shredded chicken, fresh ginger and a fried dough stick on the side. No wonder it’s often prescribed for the sick - this comfort bowl is the perfect thing to kick a cold. Given the name and literal ton of wontons the place claims to have gone through in perfecting their recipe, there’s no shortage of pressure on the in-house dumplings to deliver. Through a very full mouth we can confirm that they do - the thin but strong wrappers yield to reveal a bulging feast of prawn and pork, in a sea of steaming soup. We reckon HKW’s website’s copywriter must have been paid by the adjective – the understated broth can’t live up to the breathless narrative of ten-hour dehydration and savoury complexity we were promised, but as a vehicle for top-notch wontons it does the trick. The egg noodles’ back story is just as loaded, only to be undone by the reveal that they’re not homemade. Save the faff and go for a plate of wontons in chilli sauce, all the better to let these standouts sing. Ever the canny operator, Pau has called out TikTok trends   as a must-follow for anyone in the food biz, and the Hong Kong French toast here is tailor-made for socials – not a table dared skip it. The artery-clogging club sandwich is spread with peanut butter and smothered in golden syrup, loose threads of crisped egg batter overspilling its edges - much like your gut might soon overhang your belt. If you’ve got a sweet tooth and a death wish, this is for you. What about drinks? The flagship Hong Kong milk tea had too much concentrated tannin taste for our poor Irish palates, only slightly offset by the stirred-through evaporated milk. Coconut red bean was an experience of its own, nutty sweetness shot through with the grainy texture of beans – it’s a different sensation, but plays well off chilli sauce. Why should I go? Quality, quick food isn’t always easily available in the heart of the city, and while Hong Kong Wonton’s pitch is simple, it delivers. Some of the menu could use more work, but t here ’s a lot of invention packed into this petite place. Hong Kong Wonton 15 Fade Street, Dublin 2 hongkongwonton.ie

Yesterday was officially the bluest day of the year, so we're going sweet treat and carb heavy in the capital this week to help get us through what feels like the month that will never end. Picturesque pastries, the prettiest tarts, and a crab sandwich destined to make you forget it's still very much winter out there.... 1) The specials, Blossom Artisan Bakery Ballymun bakery bastions Blossom have finally returned after what felt like the longest three and a half weeks ever, meaning that we're more jazzed than normal for their new specials. Can we have a moment of silence for how beautiful the blueberry matcha pain Suisse looks on the bottom right? See also the affogato Kouign Amann (top left), apple puff (top right) and macadamia nut and orange Danish (bottom left). 2) Black forest mikado, The Bakery by The Cupcake Bloke The Cupcake Bloke's Graham Herterich has reinvented a childhood classic with the Mikado part of their retro biscuit range, and the latest flavour is Black Forest (screams). A chocolate shortbread is topped with vanilla marshmallow, dark chocolate and cherry, all topped with chocolate vermicelli sprinkles. Find it at The Bakery by the Cupcake Bloke  in Rialto. 3) Rhubarb and pistachio tart, Sorn Although it might not quite be quite rhubarb season, that doesn't stop us fully swooning over Sorn’s latest Tart. The sweet pastry base is filled with a pistachio and rhubarb compote frangipane and topped with chamomile yogurt and rhubarb that's been poached in a hibiscus and spice blend. Bring on the pink! 4) Campfire cocoa indulgence, Amy Austin Yes it's another sweet treat, and you've clocked it, the second mention of marshmallow on this list, but it's dark and dull out there, we need it. Amy Austin's latest scroll stopper is made with a chocolate ganache, crème Diplomat (a lighter version of pastry cream), and marshmallow fluff. Could there be a more perfect dessert for a cold, blustery evening in the city. 5) Crab sandwich, Bar Pez Bar Pez’s  crab sandwich is the little slice of sunshine we all need to break up the January blues - enough so to break our sugar-filled run this week. Hand picked crab bound with an apple and celeriac remoulade is served on a hyper local Fumbally  sourdough, bringing a bright, zesty hit of summer to even the dreariest January day. Pair it with a glass of Jura Chardonnay, and for a moment, you might just teleport straight to Spring.

What a WHOPPER of a line up for this month's ATF Insiders giveaways to start the New Year off with a bang! ATF Insiders is ou r premium service which offers added extras for our readers, allowing us to operate ad-free and ensure everything recommended here has been paid for by us . Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders by midnight on Friday 17th January will be entered into the draw, and winners will be picked and notified on Saturday 18th January. Here's what we've got for you this month... 1) An overnight Ballymaloe dining experience at the 5-star Castlemartyr Resort worth €380 We're sending one of you off for a one-of-a-kind dining experience at the luxurious 5-star Castlemartyr Resort in Cork! On Thursday 6th February, Ballymaloe House Hotel ’s Executive Head Chef, Dervilla O’Flynn, will cook an exclusive dinner in the Canopy Restaurant, with a menu showcasing the simplicity and richness of Irish cuisine. There'll be farm-to-table seasonal cooking, as well as Ballymaloe House Hotel  classics, and you'll be staying overnight in 5-star surroundings with breakfast the next morning. See full details of the amazing value overnight package here . 2) Denim overall from Abito worth €240 We featured Abito 's Long Apron in our ATF Christmas Gift Guide , and it elicited all the love heart eye emojis from our readers, so we're pleased as punch to have one of their denim overalls worth €240 to give away this month. In a world of Sheins and Temus, this is a garment made to last generations - look after it and you'll be passing it onto your grandkids - how cool would that be? Its uses range from workwear, to gardening, to studio work, or just as the most stylish utility jacket on the market. Follow Abito on Instagram here , and shop the stunning range here . 3) Dinner for two with wine at Jean-Georges @ The Leinster Jean-Georges at The Leinster has two new dining concepts coming to Dublin in January, parachuted straight in from NYC. First up a menu from abcV , his plant-forward restaurant that was named 14th best restaurant in the city 2024 by New York Times critic Pete Wells. An abcV inspired menu runs from Wednesday 9th - Tuesday 28th January at lunch and dinner time. THEN from Wednesday 29th, a special Chinese New Year menus lands straight from The House of the Red Pearl - another of his NYC restaurants famous for a modern take on Chinese cuisine. To celebrate we've got a three-course meal for two with wine to give away this month, which can be used for either of the special menus, or for the regular à la carte. 4) €100 voucher for Berlin-style kebabs at Chiya   We've been spreading the good gospel about Chiya 's Berlin-style kebabs, that you all need to try STAT, and we're going to make that easier for one of you this month with a €100 to try the whole menu at your leisure. Marinated mixed chicken and beef for the win, and the courgette fritters are another must-try. Read our two minute review of Chiya here . 5) A fermentation class at Fairmental New Year, new food habits? We're sending one of you off to Fairmental to learn about the fascinating world of fermentation. They provide everything you need in their Saturday classes to make your own jar of ferments to take home, while learning the skills and techniques to increase the health benefits of your food, and how to use ferments in every meal. You'll also get to try lots of different ferments, as well as snacks and drinks. Check our Fairmental's fermentation class dates here , and follow them on Instagram here for updates. 6) Two limited edition pizza kits from The Dough Bros & Lucky Saint Alcohol free beer Lucky Saint has joined forces with The Dough Bros for a juicy January collab , with none of the hangover. Their limited edition pizza kits (€49.99) include everything you need to make four pizzas, with toppings including Gubbeen chorizo, nduja sausage, and Lucky Saint beer-braised onions, along with their signature pizza sauce, basil, mozzarella, parmesan, and a beer ranch dip. You'll find two cans of Lucky Saint  lager in there too - voted Trustpilot’s #1 alcohol-free beer - and it's sugar-free, at under 59 calories per can. The limited edition pizza kits are available to order until Tuesday 21st January for delivery on Friday 24th. We're sending two to this month's lucky winner - get one here before they're gone.   7) A Sunday roast for four at Searson, Baggot Street What we need in temperatures like these is to hunker down on a Sunday with a very large roast, some very nice wine, and all the papers (ideally in physical form, remember those?) Searson's on Baggot Street is set up for Sundays like these, and we're sending one of you plus three pals in for a Sunday Roast for four with wine, live jazz, and a choice of Hereford beef, rotisserie free-range chicken, or a nut roast. Does the day of rest get better than that? Check out Searson's here . 8) Tickets to an oriental-inspired cocktail class at Asia Market Asia Market always marks the Lunar New Year in style, and this year Dublin's go-to Asian grocery store has a series of experiences to celebrate the ‘Year of the Snake’. As part of the festivities, they've teamed up with Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin - a brand whose journey began in China - for a cocktail making experience on Thursday 30th January, and we've got two tickets to give away. The ‘Snake In The Glass’ class takes place in J.T. Pim’s, where you'll learn how to make two different Asian-influenced drinks with gin and whiskey, and after making, shaking and enjoying your creations, you'll be treated to sweet and savoury canapés. You'll then hand-pick your own botanicals, with your favourite flavours infused in a teapot and added to your gin for a personalised cocktail. Get tickets here . 9) €100 voucher for The Cow Pub and Kitchen, Ballsbridge What was The Chophouse in Ballsbridge has been taken over by new management and reopened as The Cow Pub and Kitchen . They're keen to keep things business as usual, with staff, chefs and suppliers remaining the same, and all The Chophouse favourites like seared King prawns, dry-aged rib-eye and slow-cooked lamb shank staying put. They're also planning renovations and upgrades for early 2025 to make the drinking and dining experience even better. Check out The Cow here . Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders for January (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 Friday 17th January. You'll be supporting independent reviews and news in Dublin and beyond, and be able to get answers to all of your burning questions about eating out, here and abroad, directly from us.

Whether you're doing Dry January or in it for the long haul, more and more people are embracing the low to no alcohol movement, and it looks like the sober life is only going to gain a bigger following in 2025. Lucky then that there's an ever increasing number of places in Dublin embracing the alcohol-free buzz, with really good N/A options for beer, spirits, wine and cocktails. With this line up now available on the town, there's no excuse to accept the sugary mocktails of sad days gone by... Peruke & Periwig, Dawson Street Quite frankly some of the best value non alcoholic cocktails currently on offer in the city, Peruke & Periwig  have released a special January menu for those on the dry this month. For a mere €7, they're shaking up a Berry Sour, a Peach and Coconut Cooler, and a Pistachio Iced Coffee, so no need to feel like you’re missing out when you’ve ditched the hooch. Featherblade, Dawson Street With a whole section on their menu dedicated to the non alcoholic beverage, Featherblade  have some very decent options including sparkling, white, rosé and red alcohol-free wines from Hollow Leg, along with beer, cider, mocktails, and even a CBD infused fizz. Finally there's no need to miss out on that glass of (alcohol free) red with your steak. Board, Dublin 8 Even if they did introduce alcohol to their menu back in November, Board  in Harold's Cross is still the flagship non alcoholic bar in the city. Celebrating the driest month of them all with Dublin’s only legal Happy Hour, they're serving €5 Guinness 0.0 and €10 non alcoholic cocktails (usually €6 and €12 respectively) for the month of January on Thursdays and Fridays between 17:00 - 19:00. Their impressive mocktail list features house made cordials and premium non alcoholic "spirits" from Lyre , Clean Co and Fire&5th . As an extra booze free bonus, they're hosting a dry-namic cocktail making class on the 15th. Tickets can be bought here . Bar 1661, Dublin 1 Swiftly moving from a predominantly non alcoholic bar to a very alcoholic bar, Bar 1661 shake up some of the best cocktails around, so you know you’re in good hands when it comes to perfectly made mocktails. We like the look of the Chez Nous, with mango, lemongrass, white chocolate and lime, and we can guarantee you won't miss the booze with drinks from bartenders this good at what they do. The Old Spot, Dublin 4 The Old Spot is a sober friendly spot. With one of the most varied selections on this list, they have Nozeco sparkling wine (geddit) , a solid selection of beers, and a whole non-alcoholic cocktail menu, that also includes low abv cocktails. Lots of options whether you want to dial things back, or skip the hangover altogether. No. 27 Bar & Lounge at The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin 2 Probably not on most people's N/A radar, No. 27 Bar & Lounge at The Shelbourne  is the ideal place for those off the grog. With a dedicated booze free cocktail list taking advantage of Lyre's   non-alcoholic spirits, Lucky Saint craft beer, and a couple of 0% wine options, this bougie hotel makes not drinking a breeze. D'Olier Street, Dublin 2 In one of the finest tasting menu restaurants in the city, you won't have to sacrifice the full dining experience if you've cut out booze. As part of their 13-course tasting menu, D'Olier Street offer a full non alcoholic cocktail pairing to complement each course. What a time to be alive. Variety Jones, The Liberties Dinner bills are always cheaper sans booze, so take the opportunity to try the non-alcoholic pairing with Variety Jones's six course tasting menu. Their family style menu is €95 a head, with the alcohol free pairing another €45. Sure, this place is more on the spenny side, but is worth every penny in our books. Just because you're on the dry, doesn't mean you can't dine out proper. Mamó, Howth If you find yourself Howth side, Mamó  not only have exceptional grub, but they've given the non drinkers proper consideration. With booze free spritzes, an N/A German sparkling wine, as well as proper alcohol free beers, there's no need to feel like you're missing out at lunch or dinner in one of Dublin's best. Hawksmoor, College Green We're starting to think "what don't Hawksmoor do well", because of course they have a full menu dedicated to delicious drinks without the proof. From pineapple sodas and Lucky Saint beers to a mocktail list that includes Nogronis, Maiden Mules, and a Cornflake Milkshake, who says not drinking can't be wild. Did we miss somewhere with a great non-alcoholic drinks list? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie .

It's safe to say a lot of people will have eating out way down the priority list this month, with all the over-spending, over-socialising and over-stuffing ourselves in December. If you're attempting to cut back on costs and calories, and cook more at home in January, we've pulled together 10 of our favourite, never fail recipes, that are inexpensive to make, fit in with a month of healthier eating, and massively over-deliver on flavour... Kimchi udon with scallions - Bon Appetit There are few recipes cooked (and loved) as universally among the ATF team as Bon Appetit's kimchi udon - otherwise known as one of the greatest recipes on the internet. This spicy, creamy, chewy creation topped with peppery spring onions and a raw egg yolk could not be improved upon, and we come back to it over and over. See why we're so obsessed here . Grill halloumi and mango slaw with coconut tahini dressing - Madeline Shaw If you're looking for a salad that will blow your tiny mind, here it is. We've been fans of Madeline Shaw's super-charged on flavour recipes for a long time, and this salad from her book Ready, Steady, Glow , will have every taste receptor in your mouth firing. The squeaky cheese, the sweet slaw, the Thai inspired dressing, the chilli and cashew nut toppings - the whole thing is inspired, and packed with good stuff your body will thank you for. The recipe says it feeds four, but we would split it between three as a lunch or dinner. Find it here . Lentils with caramelised onion aioli and crispy chilli oil - Ixta Belfrage Another recipe we lie awake at night thinking about is Ixta Belfrage's lentils with caramelised onion aioli from her book Mezcla . The onions are a bit of a pain, and involve standing over the hob for a very specific (and accurate) 22-26 minutes, but the rest is easy peasy, and just wait till you try the finished product (please don't skip any of the additions like lemon juice or crispy chilli oil, they're all vital). Find it here . Chicken and lentils - Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Sounds boring right? We first tried this from River Cottage Light and Easy as we had chicken thighs in the fridge, red lentils in the press, and a rosemary bush in the garden, and were not expecting what emerged from the oven. Who knew red lentils could get so crispy that we'd be fighting over the scrapings around the dutch oven. The juicy chicken with its crispy skin that stays above the stock is also key to its deliciousness, and it is one of the least laborious in our repertoire - just cook the onions, fling it all into the pot and into the oven for an hour while you get on with other stuff. We like it with a green salad. Find it here . Grilled courgette, tomato and bean salad - Riverford We first made this from one of veg-focused Riverford's brilliant cookbooks as a barbecue buffet side, and haven't stopped making it since. Griddled courgettes are the best courgettes, and between their smokiness, the juicy pops of tomato, the creamy beans and that lick your fingers basil dressing, it's also a perfect lunch or dinner in its own right when you're trying to up your nutrients with no sacrifice on taste. Add some chicken or fish if you want to increase the protein. Try it here . Braised aubergine with pork - Gok Wan You might not expect a former fashion stylist to be pumping out the best recipes, but we were bowled over by the dishes in Gok Wan's first and only Chinese Gok Cooks Chinese . Every one we've cooked has been knockout good, but one we come back to over and over is this braised aubergine with pork. It's cheap, it's fast, and we always make a double portion to have it over a few days - it seems to taste even better after a day in the fridge. Check it out here . Almost empty peanut butter jar overnight oats - Hazel Wallace We find it very hard to break the habit of Hazel Wallace's overnight oats from her book The Food Medic , made in an almost empty peanut butter jar (and while it's satisfying to use up a jar, y ou can make it in any container and swirl the peanut butter in the next morning). The recipe doesn't seem to be online but it's just 50g oats, 1 tbsp flax or chia seeds (we use plenty of both), 1 tbsp vanilla protein powder, 1 tbsp honey or agave (we use less if using sweetened protein powder), and 250ml of any milk. Top with banana, peanut butter, cinnamon, frozen fruit, nuts or anything else you want in the morning. It's up there with our favourite breakfasts, and ideal if you're running out the door in the morning and need something on the go. Gochujang-glazed celeriac with black beans & green salsa Celeriac season lingers on into April, and we've found few better uses for the root veg than this gochujang-glazed version from Rosie Birkett c/o BBC Good Food. It was an unlikely addition to our batch cook repertoire in 2024, with that fresh and punchy apple salsa giving it just the lift most leftovers lack. Roast chicken with sumac and red onions (Mussakhan) - Yasmin Khan The national dish of Palestine has become one of our most tried and trusted things for feeding a crowd ever since Cork's Izz Cafe left us *needing* to know how to make it. Yasmin Khan's relatively hands-off recipe's marinating time buys you the space to whip up some fresh flatbread, perfect to mop up every last drop of sumac-spiced goodness. Buy Zaitoun here , or get the recipe here . Caramelised shallot pasta - Alison Roman Sheer density of flavour keeps us coming back to this Alison Roman pasta in the NY Times, worth every second of the stirring the shallots demand. The pro-tip is to make a mountain and keep a jar or two handy in the fridge - when you've only got fifteen minutes to spare but want something truly delicious, you'll be glad you did. Check it out here .

Christmas and New Year's are done and dusted, and the bleakness of winter has finally set in. This week we're after comfort classics, fresh as we can get shellfish, and robust veggies to get the nutrients back into our souls. Here are the five dishes we most want to eat in Dublin this week.. . 1) Pumpkin Lasagna, Hera New kids on the block Hera are busy elevating Dorset Street's food scene - clearly seen here with this pumpkin and Toonsbridge scamorza “lasagna”, served with a hazelnut and cavalo nero pesto. Lord knows we need a few solid weeks of veggies after the past meat-filled month. 2) Dublin Bay Prawns, Fish Shop Fish Shop are kicking off 2025 with this mic drop of a dish. These Dublin Bay Prawns / Langoustines / Lobsterettes are on the menu for the foreseeable. Coming from the Porcupine Bank in the West of Ireland, they're grilled up and served with fresh basil, olive oil and a lemon dressing. At €14.50 for five halves, they suggest calling up in advance to reserve a portion for your booking, as no doubt they will sell like hell. 3) Melanzane Parmigiana, Gigi's In weather this cold we need food to warm up with, and we need it now. Gigi's in Ranelagh have the ticket with their Melanzane Parmigiana - shallow fried layered aubergine with tomato sugo, basil, fresh mozzarella and parmigiano. Another warming veggie dish to restore and reset us for a New Year where absolutely none of our habits will change. 4) Fidelity Fried Chicken, Sister7 Probably one of the most insulated rooms in Dublin thanks to their audiophile ways, we'd like to cosy up in Sister7 this week with their Fidelity Fried Chicken. Marinated chicken thigh is fried in a Whiplash and brewery grain batter, and served with honey mustard dip for a tangy finish. 5) Pork Belly Flatbread, Coppinger We loved everything Coppinger  put in front of our eyes in 2024, and 2025's off to a strong start with this crispy pork belly on a soft flatbread. Topped with fresh fennel slaw and zesty salsa verde, it looks like another winter warmer to knock the city chill from your bones.