Part of chef Joginder Singh's Irish empire, with other locations in Blessington and Terenure. A sit-in and takeaway operation above The Bird Flanagan pub, with dishes from a wide range of Indian states north and south, and a frill free room. They've clocked up all the buzz for their Keralan buffet lunch at weekends, with as much as you can handle of up to 20 dishes for a bargain price. Spice Village Website spicevillagerialto.com Address Spice Village Rialto, Above The Bird Flanagan Pub, South Circular Road, Dublin D8, County Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Part of chef Joginder Singh's Irish empire, with other locations in Blessington and Terenure. A sit-in and takeaway operation above The Bird Flanagan pub, with dishes from a wide range of Indian states north and south, and a frill free room. They've clocked up all the buzz for their Keralan buffet lunch at weekends, with as much as you can handle of up to 20 dishes for a bargain price. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Pickle chef/owner Sunil Ghai opened the more casual 'Street' in Clonskeagh in 2021, to satisfy a southside need for venison samosas, tiffin boxes and 36-hour black dahl. The attention to flavour is no less intense than in Pickle, and it's all available to go too, for a majorly improved Friday night take-away. Street Website streetrestaurant.ie Address 1 Bird Avenue, Farranboley, Dublin 14 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Pickle chef/owner Sunil Ghai opened the more casual 'Street' in Clonskeagh in 2021, to satisfy a southside need for venison samosas, tiffin boxes and 36-hour black dahl. The attention to flavour is no less intense than in Pickle, and it's all available to go too, for a majorly improved Friday night take-away. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Clontarf's wooden bridge would feel empty without café container Happy Out to grab an iced coffee and a toastie from. Queues can be lengthy but smiley staff keep things moving, and there are outdoor and indoor tables so it works for all weathers. Happy Out Website happyout.ie Address Bull Wall, Bull Island, Clontarf, Dublin 3 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Clontarf's wooden bridge would feel empty without café container Happy Out to grab an iced coffee and a toastie from. Queues can be lengthy but smiley staff keep things moving, and there are outdoor and indoor tables so it works for all weathers. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

North county Dublin suburbs Portmarnock, Malahide and Skerries are a bit lacking on the exciting restaurant front, but there's enough to keep visitors happy with sushi, handmade roti for 'Pop's potato curry', and a Michelin-starred experience we really rate. Portmarnock - Malahide - Skerries Our Take North county Dublin suburbs Portmarnock, Malahide and Skerries are a bit lacking on the exciting restaurant front, but there's enough to keep visitors happy with sushi, handmade roti for 'Pop's potato curry', and a Michelin-starred experience we really rate. Where to Eat A Do Daruma Malahide Harry's Honey Honey Kajal McNally Family Farm Café Noisette Old Street Póg Malahide The Rock Bakery Wasabi Portmarnock

The Big Romance describe themselves as an "audiophile bar", with a custom sound system, one of the best craft beer lists in the city, and pizza from neighbours One Society down the road. Cocktails and wines are good too, and the moody, dimly-lit space is perfect for first dates and nights that go on till late. The Big Romance Website thebigromance.ie Address 98 Parnell Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story The Big Romance describe themselves as an "audiophile bar", with a custom sound system, one of the best craft beer lists in the city, and pizza from neighbours One Society down the road. Cocktails and wines are good too, and the moody, dimly-lit space is perfect for first dates and nights that go on till late. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Bang A bang-on ode to Iberian flavours and hospitality Posted: 10 Feb 2026 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Bang? Many of us have been passing these doors for years without the temptation to darken them, as Joe Barrett’s old institution mopped up Merrion Street’s office crowd clientele and corporate lunches, but stayed firmly off the city's hot lists. After bringing the brand back from the (cr)ashes in 2010, he’s made the very good decision to pass the Bang baton onto son Richie and business partner Eric Matthews, who together cooked up quite the storm with Kicky's just over two years ago. It’s a shrewd move on the part of a place in need of a kicking, this time taking cues from the Iberian peninsula - a more homogenous area than the broad “Mediterranean” brief they brought to George’s Street. Barrett and Matthews have brought in Bang 3.0, a different kind of reinvention - this is less a rethink for tighter times, than a glow-up amidst a glut of increasingly good options. instagram.com/bangrestaurant_ Where should we sit? Swapping out cool blues for splashes of red with copper accents, the instantly warmer vibe registers all the more inviting on the kind of miserable mid-winter night it feels like we’re never going to escape. A few steps up from the street, the airy mezzanine has a livelier energy from a restored wall mural and high ceilings, a space to start the night if ever there was one. bangrestaurant.com Downstairs, dimmer lights and cosier crannies are all about finishing things off – you would need to be prised out of here even before the feasting that follows. Thoughtful acoustics and low lamps ensure that for all their relatively dense population, the two-tops have a set-apart sense. Groups will get the benefit of the two larger wraparound booths, all the better to sink into with each passing plate. What should we have? Make right for mussel escabeche (€9.50) to complete the relaxing effect – we practically slid from our seats at first bite. Slathers of stracciatella are pressed with the pickled shellfish, the toast so top-heavy it threatens to topple. There’s no such imbalance in taste, with onion teased to a pre-caramelised point and the herbal hint of fresh fennel tops tempering the tang. The Portuguese dub their steak sandwiches “prego” for the way garlic is studded into the beaten-thin meat like a nail. Bang's "Prego" (€16) hits it right on the head. Super-soft bread greedily sopped in the rare meat’s juices mingles with the nostril-flaring fire of a house mustard, to big up best-in-the-biz beef in the form of Peter Hannan’s 40-day aged fillet. Leaning hard into quality, Bang’s elevation makes every cent of this premium price tag tasteable. From one homage to another, in the instantly iconic tortilla tribute to Barcelona’s Cal Pep (€14.50), from whose owner Matthews says he teased the textural secret of glorious gooiness. Good news for Dublin that he did - this is the best take on an omelette española you’re likely to get without a boarding pass in hand. Gubbeen chorizo flies the flag for local produce, studded in small dice among wafer-thin spuds and sticky-sweet caramelised onions. The pungent potency of a house alioli that isn’t playing around is all that kept us collapsing into a coma with each added bite. It's a choice to have made the fideuà (€14.50), a Valencian pasta paella, sans socarrat – but not, we would argue, the right one. The crunchy crust layer best achieved by a cast iron pan and the confidence not to stir it may have been omitted here to better highlight the perfectly crisp skin of the red mullet perched atop, but in the absence of it the stock-soaked noodles feel a little stodgy. A simple fix in this case is not a quick one. Mains are more akin to Kicky’s than the rest of the menu, courtesy of the wood-fire grill. The sight of secreto (€29) among the options set our eyes wide – in Spain el gato may be long out of la bolsa on this prize cut of Iberico pork, but its rarity on Irish menus had us huddled in hope. Pairing the nutty sweetness of the acorn-fed pig with the lush, buttery tenderness of marbled fat, the cut comes to life with a suitably simple treatment – seared to a crisp and sprinkled with flaky salt. Only over-iced radicchio losing a little bitter balance held this plate back from perfection. Monkfish (€32) can’t bring the same nudge-wink novelty, for all the good the grill’s heat gets out of it. The zing of chimichurri lifts the butter-basted medallions still threaded to the bone, smoky charred skin and soft, sweet meat to the fore in every wrestled forkful. With turbot and red mullet also among the bone-in bounties of the sea gracing the grill since opening, seafood lovers will be thrilled. The battle of Ballymakenny has raged for years as Dublin’s chefs seek to make the best side of these superb spuds, from Coppinger ’s hash brown-style chunky cuts, to Hera ’s taramasalata-topped crisps. For all its menu largely resists the obvious choices, Bang couldn’t but do bravas (€7) with them. They readily yielded the requisite crisp crags, but the interiors were just a little too firm - a shame as our mains sauces were crying out for some mopping. Bang will make a popular date spot so assertive desserts matter – all that alioli will take plenty of masking. The one-two punch power of Jamón ibérico fat caramel and a tooth-clogging hazelnut praline rises to the task, a tableside splash of Pedro Ximénez helping to cut through the intensity of 85% chocolate mousse (€12). This is near indecent stuff, dessert that taps deep reserves of gastric pleasure. Burnt Basque cheesecake (€12) is a dessert so often done a disservice that we’re never inclined to order outside Euskadi for fear of pale and chalky imitations. We rejoiced three years ago to find San Sebastian’s La Vina in the capital by way of Mr Croqueta – Bang's is just as good and better again. Enhanced even more by a baked pear, both cheesecake and fruit are so velvety soft they practically slice themselves at the mere mention of a spoon. The only-in-Ireland creaminess of Ballylisk cheese, and the floral depth of a heather honey sum up the singular appeal of this Hiberno-Iberian hybrid. What’s good to drink? Other than an obligatory glass of Pedro Ximénez to wash down that mousse? The family-focused wine list abandons the all-Iberian theme in favour of some French fancy, but there's plenty of fine stuff on there. BTG options are limited with the better stuff to be had for those sharing a bottle, though Juvé & Camps Gran Reserva 2021 cava (€16) is a brut beauty, even at a hefty margin. This seems to be the case everywhere these days, but we did spot some names that (slightly) undercut Bar Pez , so that's something. House cocktails are on the punchier side at €15 a serve, though there’s enough novelty in the likes of Kerrygold-washed whiskey and onion syrup to turn heads. Happy to see Wicklow’s Móinéir wines in the running we sampled a 'Strawberry Silk Road', and found its Saint Germain pushed things just a little too sweet. How was the service? Parachuting the Kicky’s model into the Bang business brings the advantage of two well-oiled machines in perfect harmony – there wasn’t a hiccup here. With the staff keen to know everything is landing right in the first few weeks, we won’t begrudge the immediate check-ins after every (no, really every ) first bite. Despite the inevitable public transport hurdles at the first hint of rain holding one of us up well into our reservation time, we’d never have known from our unrushed treatment that time was ticking down to the next booking. In a city where such things happen a lot, a little understanding goes a long way. What should we budget? Wining and dining to your heart’s – if not your belt buckle’s – content will see you rack up a €150-€200 bill for a table of two easily, especially with a better bottle. On the dry, you could have a shared main and side, two of the small plates and that all-important escabeche for closer to €40 a head. But life’s too short to be spent staring longingly at the food you didn’t order. Our advice is to round up a gang and get as close to ordering the lot as you can. What’s the verdict on Bang? If you're anything like us your meal here will end with a defeated whimper rather than a Bang, as heavy-lidded eyes proven bigger than now bulging bellies look hopefully upon ice cold digestifs planted down before us to soften the bill's blow. In Spain they call the post-prandial lingering over drinks "sobremesa", meaning "over the table", and that's how you're likely to be sprawled after this Spanish feast. This new ode to the flavours and the fulsome hospitality of the Iberian peninsula is totally bang-on. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Breakfast and lunch are served Monday - Friday in this modern, paired back café near Connolly Station. Homemade cakes, huge sandwiches and daily lunch specials have local office workers queuing up. Laine My Love Website @lainemylove Address 38 Talbot Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Breakfast and lunch are served Monday - Friday in this modern, paired back café near Connolly Station. Homemade cakes, huge sandwiches and daily lunch specials have local office workers queuing up. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Un'Altra Pasta Bar A new fresh pasta bar for Blackrock, but we left deflated Posted: 4 Feb 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Un'Altra Pasta Bar? We're always banging on about restaurants not using their windows to full effect, so when we discovered a new opening in Blackrock (via the medium of OpenTable ), making fresh pasta right in the window (via the medium of Instagram ), we were in there like designer Italian swimwear. We could find scant background on Un'Altra (which means 'another') through the usual online stalking channels, but their takeaway pasta bar opened in Sallynoggin in 2021 to good reviews. This is their first sit down restaurant, and once we were sitting down, managed to prize out of our server that the owners are Romanian, with the chef of the two obsessed by pasta. He's worked in various restaurants here and in Italy, and owns a few cafés in Dublin, but this is the dream becoming real. The website (which looks more like a takeaway's, as does the signage outside) hypes up their Neapolitan pizza recipes, developed by " esteemed partner Antonio Carlos Garcia, a two-time Neapolitan pizza world champion ", delivering " mastery in every slice ". We met the champ himself, a Spaniard now living in the UK , and he told us he was just over to help out for the few couple of weeks, and was heading home to his own pizza business in Lincolnshire a few days later. Where are we sitting? As good as an idea it was to use that window for pasta making instead of tables, they didn't really think about the customers in the restaurant getting a view of the action. The best vantage points are at the counter overlooking the pizza oven and across to the pasta making, but it won't work for more than two, or three at a push, to sit side by side. Larger tables are lower, set further back, and blocked by the counter, so sit there and you're missing the chance to see any pasta or pizza making. You can get up and walk over for a look, but the restaurant could have been laid out so much more cleverly to maximise the live action experience. What's the menu like? Extensive, with some pretty out there flavour combinations. We did raise our authentically-inclined eyebrows at the inclusion of pasta with chicken, garlic bread, and Nutella-fried gnocchi on the menu of a restaurant pitching themselves as authentically Italian, but we wanted to give the benefit of the doubt to anyone putting that much effort into the pasta. Some of the flavours however feel very misguided, like the special pasta with steak, red peppers, carrots and garlic, lightly tossed in soy sauce (!?) and finished with Parmesan and mozzarella for a " fusion of flavours ". Or the carbonara finished with truffle oil, which will have one of our national food critics fulminating if she crosses the threshold. There aren't many starters, and we skipped doughballs, bruschetta (no tomatoes in January please), and an €11 rosemary and sea salt focaccia (no explanation for the price), for the Crocchette di Riso (€12), crispy rice croquettes stuffed with nduja and Provolone cheese. They arrived more anaemic than they should have been, with a dry, claggy filling, and barely a hint of what they were supposed to be stuffed with. They were inexplicably covered in what tasted like a marie-rose sauce - we still don't understand why anyone would do this to a croquette. A simple aioli or marinara would have been so much better. Nonna's Polpette (Grandma's meatballs, €12) were fine, like something you'd make at home in a hurry. They didn't taste of long and slow cooking, and we weren't going to be banging on the kitchen door begging for the recipe (like we were tempted to at Hera a couple of weeks ago). The blackened leaf of basil on top was unnecessary. There are 24 pastas to choose from, including all the staples like amatriciana, fettucine al Ragù , and lasagne, but we only had eyes for the flambéed tagliatelle with fresh black truffle and a crispy Grana Padano crust, finished tableside on a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano (€24.50). " A luxurious dining experience " apparently - consider us sold. We waited for the Parmesan wheel to be pushed over to our table and the show to begin, but then realised the action had already started over at the window, and we'd missed the flambéeing - we're still no wiser as to why you would flambée pasta, or what it was set on fire with. We asked what had happened to the tableside show, and they said there wasn't enough space to push the wheel over. They might want to rewrite the menu.... The pasta, cooked in the kitchen and tossed in sauce, is swirled around the wheel, then twirled up onto tongs and (for reasons unknown) placed into a heart-shaped casserole dish. It was then brought back into the kitchen, where we presume the truffle was grated on, and delivered to the table under a heart-shaped lid. By the time the palaver was over it was barely lukewarm, one note creamy, and had no sign of any " crispy Grano Padano crust ". A textbook example of over-promising and under-delivering, when the best restaurants do the opposite. From the stuffed pastas, capellacci with ricotta and spinach (€19.50) were a strange, over-sized shape, not the little hats we were expecting, and had little discernible flavour. We thought the Ragù Toscano might lift things, but it was over-salted and under-whelming. Good ragu takes time (see Marcella Hazan's recipe for the only one you'll ever want to make), and this didn't taste like an appropriate amount of time had been allotted. Maybe we'd do better with those award-adjacent pizzas. We went for the Un'Altra special with fior di latte, olive oil, stracciatella, mortadella, rocket and aubergine chips (€19.50). These are cold toppings on a warm pizza base, with the oily aubergine the dominant flavour, and while the dough was good, there was barely any sign of leoparding on the crust. They'll need to do better to poach customers from Little Forest , which is just a few doors down. You cut it with a scissors, for another TikTok touch . We wanted to give it a final spin with Tiramisu but it hadn't set, so we settled for an affogato. The coffee was good, but the ice-cream had none of the overt creaminess that makes this dessert so loved. It also had hard iced bits in it, like it had slightly defrosted and been refrozen. What about drinks? There is no information on the wine list about producers and vintages - just grapes and regions, which will cause frustration to anyone who likes to know what they're drinking. What is welcome though is the alcohol levels (on most). Watch out for those reds by the glass, two of which are 14% and 15% - too much of that is a recipe for a hard headache the next day. We tried the Corvina by the glass (€9, 12.5%) and it was passable, but seemed to get less so the longer it sat there, and a decent Aperol Spritz. We wouldn't have taken a chance on a bottle without knowing what we were buying, and you can ask them to bring you the bottles if you want to know more, but it's an unnecessary tension point during what should be a relaxing meal out. How was the service? Very friendly and pleasant, but there were a lot of questions about whether we liked the food, and how much we liked it, and isn't it all just amazing? When that hasn't been your experience you can either lie and get out of there, or watch their hearts break as you point out everything that wasn't amazing. We reluctantly got pulled into the latter, and they took any criticisms well, saying they were new and working to be better. What was the damage? €108 before tip for two starters, three mains, and two drinks (we took some food home and they left the dessert off the bill). Not a bad price for dinner, but we were in for lunch - they desperately need a lunch deal or daytimes will remain empty. We were one of only two tables over a full sitting. What's the verdict on Un'Altra Pasta Bar? Is this a bad restaurant? No. Is it Blackrock's answer to Grano / Bar Italia / Amuri ? Also no. Un'Altra seem to be angling to deliver "what people want" instead of "what people need but don't realise it yet", evidenced by the Irish crowd-pleasing additions that any Italian would go to war rather than cook (see the note on Bar Italia's menu stating " please DO NOT ask for chicken in your pasta! ") We have a lot of admiration for anyone putting in this kind of effort and making all of their pasta from scratch, we just wish that same effort had travelled through the ingredients, flavours and time spent perfecting dishes in the kitchen that any Italian Nonna would be proud of. While you don't need to be Italian to run a truly excellent Italian restaurant (see Trullo and Padella in London, and the late Russell Norman's empire ), you do need to have the soul of the boot shaped country running through your veins, and we couldn't feel it here. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Georgian bakery specialising in cheese breads, pastries stuffed with mince, chicken or potato, and fruit and nut filled sweets. There's Turkish coffee and hot food too, like Georgian dumplings and lamb stew. Don't miss the cheese piroshki, similar to Hungarian langos, and the Khachapuri breads topped with a raw egg yolk to swirl around into the mix. Ella's Heaven Website ellasheaven.ie Address 95A Talbot Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Georgian bakery specialising in cheese breads, pastries stuffed with mince, chicken or potato, and fruit and nut filled sweets. There's Turkish coffee and hot food too, like Georgian dumplings and lamb stew. Don't miss the cheese piroshki, similar to Hungarian langos, and the Khachapuri breads topped with a raw egg yolk to swirl around into the mix. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Storyboard Not your average brunch Posted: 1 Oct 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Storyboard opened in Islandbridge, Dublin 8 (near Heuston Station) in 2017 with chef Laura Caulwell (ex- Fumbally ) at the helm, and within months Catherine Cleary in the Irish Times had written that it was the best café food she'd eaten in Ireland. It was already busy, being in a good-food-starved part of the city, but it got busier. Caulwell quietly slipped out the following year, going back to help The Fumbally in their mission of changing school dinners in the The Warrenmount Canteen , but Storyboard continued their trajectory as one of the city's best brunch spots. We love a brunch with a difference and the images on their Instagram feed were causing serious cravings for kimchi pancakes , so we went to see how things were faring two years in. Where should we sit? It feels like a tight squeeze inside when it's busy so if it's in any way sunny we'd be trying to nab an outside table. Otherwise edge your way onto a table of two of four, and there may be a wait at the weekend. There didn't seem to be a queuing system when we got there, and while we got a table quickly we hope they have some way of telling who's first in line. There was a queue but we couldn't tell who was waiting to pay, who was just there for takeaway coffee and who wanted a table. What's good to eat? From the brunch menu we tried two of the Storyboard classics - the kimchi pancakes and the "spuds", and a new kid on the block - 'Beet & Figs' - which turned out to be our favourite. The beetroot and figs come served on a thick slice of Le Levain sourdough toast topped with sumac mascarpone with hibiscus, and lemon tea reduction (almost like a curd), with McNally's mixed leaves. A great and unusual combination of flavours and textures, although we would liked the pieces of beetroot to be a bit less enormous. You also only get one slice of toast for €10.50 so if you're very hungry this might not fill you. The kale kimchi pancakes are a nice savoury rework of a breakfast classic, and we rarely pass up an opportunity to eat the pungent, fermented cabbage in any form. These had a slightly chewy, slightly crumbly texture, and came with perfectly soft scrambled Wicklow free-range eggs on top, as well as sunflower shoots, scallions, house teriyaki sauce and homemade spicy mayo. Maybe we didn't read the menu properly as we were disappointed that the "spuds" was literally just a plate of spuds. They were well cooked with rosemary and salt, but neither the accompanying buffalo sauce, pea purée or minted frisee leaves leaves did much to amplify it much beyond a plate of potatoes. We wishes we'd added two free-range fried eggs or some Gubbeen chorizo from the sides, which probably would have made all the difference, but by itself it felt like an incomplete dish. The price tag of €10.50 added insult to injury. They'd run out of quite a few cakes/treats when we got there (but they'd been restocked by the time we were leaving), so we settled on a chocolate covered peanut butter ball (rugby not soccer), which was dense and extremely peanutty, dipped in excellent dark chocolate - what a snickers wishes it was. Perfect if you have a sweet tooth to satisfy but don't want a full on cake fest. What about the drinks? Coffee is excellent, as you would expect, and they had both Imbibe and Bonanza Coffee Roasters in stock when we were there. Other drinks are very limited, and if you were hoping for something other than kombucha, ginger fizz or sparkling water you'll be disappointed. And the service? Chaotic. They really seemed as if they needed more staff. We were passed several times while trying to figure out if there was a queue for seats without being acknowledged, and had to almost walk out in front of someone to get their attention to ask. They were very nice, but some seemed addled, others too relaxed. Once we did sit down we waited 25 minutes for a flat white to arrive, having asked after it three times, and watch customer after customer leave with takeaway cups in their hands. They took it off the bill but it's hard to recover from a start like that. The verdict? Storyboard is still one of Dublin's most interesting places for brunch, with an ever evolving menu and a thoughtful use of Irish produce. If you favour peaceful weekends you might want to get in early and hopefully beat the rush, but if you're not in a hurry and like a bit of buzz it's probably right up your street. A walk in the Phoneix park afterwards should help you work up an appetite for lunch. Storyboard Clancy Quay, Islandbridge, Dublin 8 storyboardcoffee.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Ethically sourced food, elevated to new levels of deliciousness by their clever staff have had Dubliners converging en masse to Dublin 8 since The Fumbally opened in 2012. High ceilings, mish mashed furniture and a “let’s all be friends” vibe make it feel like you’re in someone’s living room, in the best possible way. The Fumbally Website thefumbally.ie Address Fumbally Lane, The Liberties, Dublin 8 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Ethically sourced food, elevated to new levels of deliciousness by their clever staff have had Dubliners converging en masse to Dublin 8 since The Fumbally opened in 2012. High ceilings, mish mashed furniture and a “let’s all be friends” vibe make it feel like you’re in someone’s living room, in the best possible way. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Stoneybatter's go-to spot for brunch, cake, coffee and the rest. A menu championing local and Irish produce, with inventive dishes like hash brownies with maple cured bacon, and carrot and walnut pancakes with banana and citrus curd. Slice Website asliceofcake.ie Address 56 Manor Place, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Stoneybatter's go-to spot for brunch, cake, coffee and the rest. A menu championing local and Irish produce, with inventive dishes like hash brownies with maple cured bacon, and carrot and walnut pancakes with banana and citrus curd. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Southern Italian cooking with only the best Italian ingredients and wines, some of which come from family friends and their farms in Calabria. Owner Roberto Mungo's Mama flew over for the first month of opening to teach the kitchen some family recipes and proper pasta making and they've been packed ever since - she also likes to return every few months to check on things. A pretty perfect neighborhood restaurant, and we're eternally envious of everyone who gets to call it their local. Book well in advance if you want a hope of getting a table. Grano Website grano.ie Address 5 Norseman Court, Manor Street, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Southern Italian cooking with only the best Italian ingredients and wines, some of which come from family friends and their farms in Calabria. Owner Roberto Mungo's Mama flew over for the first month of opening to teach the kitchen some family recipes and proper pasta making and they've been packed ever since - she also likes to return every few months to check on things. A pretty perfect neighborhood restaurant, and we're eternally envious of everyone who gets to call it their local. Book well in advance if you want a hope of getting a table. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Nan Chinese A taste of East China in a great space for groups Posted: 10 Jan 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What's the story? Nan Chinese is a new opening from the team that previously brought us Stoneybatter success story Hakkahan and Double Happy takeaway in Rathfarnham. It hones in on Huaiyang cuisine - one of the “four great traditions” of Chinese gastronomy, and has a menu built around a selection of the main regional specialties. The kitchen team has been largely parachuted in directly from East China, and they say they're dedicated to serving up an authentic taste of a part of the world not currently represented in Dublin's food scene. Considering how much Hakkahan impressed us with its top-tier take on Sichuan cuisine - one of the most familiar of the Chinese culinary traditions to Irish palates - we were very curious to see what fresh new flavours Nan might bring to the city. Where should I go for a drink first? If you’re after wine, Nan is just a short stroll from Loose Canon or a slightly longer one from Frank’s : both have a great by-the-glass range to while away however long you’ve got. On the cocktail front, Drury Buildings and El Silencio are each a stone’s throw away and awash with great drinks; you could stick to the Chinese theme and start off in Hang Dai’s Gold Bar . Where should we sit? The room has been completely overhauled since the time of the last tenant, much-missed late-night café Accents, with low overhead lighting casting a welcoming glow across the tan leather seating and dusky pink walls fitted out with simple Chinese city maps. Apart from a pair of window tables up front with good people-watching potential onto Stephen Street, there’s not much difference between the two-and four-top tables spread comfortably throughout the space, flanked by soft cotton drapes and low hanging lights. There’s also a private dining space downstairs, with a grand chandelier-illuminated circular table that can seat up to twelve - perfect for your next group gettogether. What did you eat? Too much, most likely, but Nan has a broad and far-reaching menu that it’s hard not to want to get a wide selection from: bringing along a group is definitely recommended. We started off with soup dumplings because we can never say no to them, and here the paper-thin casing hides a delicately-flavoured pork broth and meat - a short and sharp umami hit and a welcome warm escape from the January cold. Next up, a minced pork meatball in broth had a surprisingly soft texture, with meltingly tender meat yielding under the lightest pressure and almost dissolving in the mouth. The sad, stray little mushroom and bok choi left swimming in the broth didn’t bring much flavour though - this isn’t the kind of leftover liquid any table is likely to come to blows over. More pork next - can you tell it's a speciality - in the form of the Shengjian bao. (We had meant to order these and forgot, but we'd been busted and then they arrived to the table FOC because we "had to try"). These plump little buns are pan-fried for a perfectly crisp bottom that complements the airy lightness of the dough, and inside, little discs of ground meat show off more of that tender pork texture. If you're opting for just one starter, this is the way to go. The Nanjing salted duck was one of the dishes the owners most keenly recommended as a particular regional delicacy, and one the servers took extra care to ensure we knew would be coming out cold - while the mostly Chinese diners in at the same time as us seemed to be going straight for this one, there’s clearly a fear that Irish tastes might not take to cold meat on the bone. It’s a uniquely-textured dish with the cooked and cooled duck notably less firm than more familiar servings after its salt treatment, but we found this a mixed bag. As the centrepiece of a salad this preparation could work really well; just served sliced in admittedly generous mounds, it can tend to taste a little one-note. Worth a shared plate among friends for a chance to give it a go, but again don’t expect arguments over who gets the last piece. “Lion’s head” meatballs are one of Huaiyang cuisine’s classic exports, and come with salted egg yolk inside, bathed in brown sauce (an oyster, soy and beef broth reduction, not your childhood Chef bottle). The yolk has a soy-cured character and almost grainy texture that plays well against the sweet softness of the meat, while the sauce is so thick it’s a race to lap it all up before it congeals. Near-raw broccoli brings a pop of colour if nothing else - the one bum note in an impressive plate. Seafood features heavily across the menu and we were disappointed to find no lobster on the night despite a dedicated section in the menu, so we made our peace with a pair of fish dishes instead. Stir-fried turbot came first, cooked with asparagus and bell peppers in a garlic chili sauce. It’s a well-presented plate framed with crispy fried noodles, which add needed crunch, even if they’re a little too tricky to get your chopsticks round. You won’t often see turbot on a Chinese menu in Dublin: we’re pleased to report this is one of the more interesting uses of the high-end fish we’ve seen in some time, although the chilli seemed to be more sweet than spicy. The deep-fried sweet and sour seabass is plainly the standout visual presentation in the place - more than one of our fellow diners almost pulled a muscle craning to get a look at the plate as it came our way. The deep-frying gives the skin a crispy kick, shattering on first bite and melting into the bright red sauce. It’s a great first mouthful, albeit a dish we couldn’t imagine anyone eating all to themselves - like a lot of the food at Nan, this is probably best shared amongst a crowd. On the side, we had a serving of claypot green beans with spicy mixed pork and a portion of Yangzhou fried rice. The egg, pea, and prawn-laden grains weren’t wildly distinct from anything you’ll get across town, and a little over-priced in our opinion at €18, but the green beans had us all clashing chopsticks for more, with the balance of fresh veg crunch, chili spice punch and a little hint of sweetness from whole roast garlic cloves. Like the rice, this is a dish you can find all over Dublin, but Nan's shows off the skill of this kitchen and this is something we would order every time. By this point we didn't have much room left for dessert, but we'd been told we had to try one of the sweet soups for dessert, and again it was brought by management FOC. The pumpkin and sweet wine soup with sesame rice balls is a light finisher after all the savoury plates, with a deep, mellow earthiness from the stewed pumpkin, with stringy flesh floating throughout just a little off-putting. The sesame balls are the star of the show, rich bursts of nutty flavour that leave you wanting more, no matter how full you might be. What about the drinks? The wine menu is serviceable and unspectacular, with a reasonable price range to suit most budgets. We started with the Le Comtesse sparkling rosé, whose strawberry notes held up well against the tender pork plates. A Vickery Watervale Riesling followed, with a crisp, off-dry acidity that handled the spicier mains nicely. Beer options are decent with some craft choices, and likely to be a popular choice. How was the service? Attentive and friendly, with no issues catching an eye whenever we needed anything, but a little trouble confirming exactly which wine we wanted - a little more training on the list might be needed. We ordered everything together and the arrival of dishes was well-paced, with welcome breathing space left between each wave, but never so much that we started looking around us. Staff are very happy to help you make the difficult call on what you want, but be sure to say you want a traditional taste, as a few (mostly chicken) dishes have been added to cater to the less adventurous Irish eaters. What was the damage? Around €75 a head with two bottles of wine between three, but as you can see we over ordered. They do have take away containers if you want to do the same and take some home. The verdict? The latest, welcome addition to the growing roster of quality Chinese restaurants in Dublin, Nan shines a spotlight on a lesser-seen cuisine with a diverse selection of dishes and simple, confident cooking. The flavours aren't as in your face as some other Chinese cuisines, but the whole concept of Huaiyang is supposed to be softly flavoured, simple and sophisticated. Its soft lighting and low-key background music make it an ideal choice for casual catchups, especially with friend groups who are happy to pass plates back and forth, but currently veggie options are thin on the ground - with two of the three dishes in the “vegetables” section not even meat-free, this might not be the best option if your group isn’t all sworn omnivores. Nan Chinese Unit 1, Drury Hall, Stephen Street Lower, Dublin 2 www.nanchinese.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Moenjo It's worth weathering the heat for this provincial Pakistani cuisine and house-ground spice Posted: 30 Jun 2026 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What’s the story with Moenjo? It takes us a minute to clock it. These aren’t snare drum remixes of Bollywood classics we’re hearing over the stereo, but the hit originals up against the backing track of spice grinders in full flow. On a day we later learn didn’t quite top the record heat for Ireland (but sure felt like it), there’s not much appetite out there for the heavily spiced meats that make up Moenjo ’s menu, so this quiet kitchen is making masala while the sun shines. That little touch is our first hint that something special’s afoot in this recent Rathmines arrival paying tribute to the Indus Valley civilisation. The who? It’s an ancient civilisation that was centred in modern-day Pakistan, active at around the same time as those better-remembered Egyptian folks. Their unearthed capital of Mohenjo Daro, from which the name and an awful lot of the wall décor in here comes from, is a marvel of early urban planning and especially plumbing infrastructure, but it isn’t the WC we’ve come here to check out. What are they cooking? Already a distinctly carnivorous cuisine compared to neighbouring India, Pakistani food doubles down on meat in the Sindh province that Mohenjo Daro sits in – think thickly-marinated chunks and slow-cooked curries. Versus Dublin’s more common catch-all menus that compress the world’s fifth-most populous country’s varied cuisines into familiar favourites, they’re leaning into regional heritage here with a focus on Karahi BBQ and Sindhi specials. On-the-way-to-stale poppadoms puncture the promise until the waitress gets wind and whisks out a shatteringly crisp fresh batch, far more worthy of these interest-piquing chutneys and raita. Syrupy-sweet mango and pungent red chilli hit all the marks, but it’s the green that has a note none of us can quite place, buried amongst the mint freshness and green chilli kick. Our server’s chipper skip to the kitchen to find out yields to a sad trudge back – the chef won’t tell. Secrets of Fatima would be easier extracted than these ingredients - if not for empty tables all round, we’d be tempted to think competitor restaurants were sending in spies. A second helping is sent out by way of appeasement -we gladly give in. The handsome wooden partition that’s gone up to block off the kitchen since we first poked a head in soon after featuring the place in our Ramadan roundup is presumably in answer to customer feedback on smoke levels, but it hides any sight of the charcoal grill and tandoor. Tasting does for believing - a shared platter for one (€24, ask them to swap out chicken wings for malai boti) is how you should kick-start things, with a quick-stop tour of the kitchen’s marinades and masalas. Here the yogurt tang and fresh-cracked peppercorn complexity of the boti, there the caraway-flecked warmth of seekh kebab, everywhere rendered fat floods as charcoal-charred edges give way to soft, sweet meat beneath. Expect to argue over the soaked sliced onion bed beneath, ripe for piling atop torn shreds of wholewheat roti. This is a hands-on affair, the only cutlery needed being the silver serving spoon you’ll practically snatch out of each others’ greedy mitts. Watch how it ladles up the Nihari (€16.50), the national dish of Pakistan and one rarely done justice in Ireland when it turns up at all (even Daata doesn’t do it). This is a dish that needs hours at low-and-slow, and the gelatinous gravy speaks for itself, melted fibre of mutton chunks and marrow fat as clear to see as they are to taste – rich isn’t the half of it. It’s only the bittersweet complexity of birista onions, like crisper caramelised, and slow-build spice layers that keep this from comatose territory. Sindhi Karahi with chicken (€20) is sharper still, the most spice-forward of the three takes on Karahi that they offer here. Sautéed onions and the thick tang of added yogurt set the regional variant apart, with extra oil infused with whole spice flavour – the more pillowy roghni naan is the choice to make with this one (most mains come with a choice of rice or any of the various breads). Staff are trigger-happy with a spiel on the trio’s varied flavour profiles, an education in itself ever before the full-flavoured dish is dropped down before you. They’ll just as eagerly extoll where Sindhi Biryani (€19.50) differs from the others you’re likely to have tried, namely yet more yogurt tang to offset the slight sweetness of dried plum. Steaming leaves the lamb more meltingly tender here than in the Nihari, practically puddled in the saffron and turmeric-scented rice - you can’t but slow and savour. On so meaty a menu you’d be forgiven for thinking the slim veggie section just a token touch – lifting the lid on the daal fry (€14.45) puts paid to that. Stewed split pigeon peas put up the lightest level of resistance to the bite in a sauce that’s creamy and complex from the tadka’s spice. Get a garlicky ghee-brushed naan from the tandoor to scoop it all up, with sharpness and structure to tease out its tasty layers. Anything to drink? Only on the N/A front – it's wholly halal in here. You'd be in need of some reprieve from such steadfast assault on spice tolerance even in the depths of winter. Muddling through as muggy a day as it gets, we practically inhaled our lassi (€4) in one gulp. Few won’t be all-in on the mango, ripe and refreshing with real fruit flavour, but braver sorts should try salt, with a savoury character that’s as much a complement to the curries as the coldness is a fresh foil. How’s the service? About as good as we’ve had all year – it’s easy to lavish attention with only one table to cover, but we felt utterly spoiled from the second we sat down. Deep-dive questions on recipes and regional variants were answered with as much enthusiasm as they were asked (by the floor staff if not the chef), and from subbing on the shared platter to the spread of spice levels across choices, we had the sense of a real keenness to share Sindhi cuisine. What’ll it cost us? Not much. Sharing a platter and doing your level best to keep others’ forks out of your main with a lassi in hand will see you spend less than €30. And even if outside isn't a sweltering summer's night, that'll be food enough to send you out the door sweating. What’s the verdict? The let down look on our server’s face as we assured her we couldn’t conceivably manage even free tea with the heat that was in it sums up the sense of hospitality here - they really want to share a comprehensive experience. In the sound of spice grinders going, in the scents they send sailing through the air, in the deeply-flavoured fruits of that labour, there’s an exceptional one waiting. Archaeologists at Mohenjo-Daro haven’t yet unearthed what it was that brought the Indus Valley civilisation down. After one evening’s indulgence we have to think they ate themselves to death. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Kicky's is the solo debut of former Chapter One head chef Eric Matthews, along with friend and former Bang GM Richie Barrett. Bright colours and in your face flavours are the name of the game, and you wouldn't want to pay them a visit if you're on a diet. Prices are on the higher side of eating out in Dublin, so it's likely to be a special occasion choice rather than a regular haunt for most. Kicky's Website kickys.ie Address South Great George's Street, Dublin, D02 WK13 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Kicky's is the solo debut of former Chapter One head chef Eric Matthews, along with friend and former Bang GM Richie Barrett. Bright colours and in your face flavours are the name of the game, and you wouldn't want to pay them a visit if you're on a diet. Prices are on the higher side of eating out in Dublin, so it's likely to be a special occasion choice rather than a regular haunt for most. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Table 45’s owners, Daniel and Daniel, lived above the restaurant when it was The Square Ball, but when that business moved out and they risked losing their home, they decided they’d take on the whole building instead. Inspired by the Chilean Daniel’s home country, they’re now serving tapas, cocktails and South American hospitality to an audience who are utterly endeared with them. They push the fact that they’re Queer and dog-friendly, and are a safe space for everything to enjoy good food and a warm welcome. Table 45 Website table45.ie Address Table 45, Hogan Place, Dublin 2, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Table 45’s owners, Daniel and Daniel, lived above the restaurant when it was The Square Ball, but when that business moved out and they risked losing their home, they decided they’d take on the whole building instead. Inspired by the Chilean Daniel’s home country, they’re now serving tapas, cocktails and South American hospitality to an audience who are utterly endeared with them. They push the fact that they’re Queer and dog-friendly, and are a safe space for everything to enjoy good food and a warm welcome. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Little Dumpling Website littledumpling.ie Address Drury Hall, 4 Stephen Street Lower, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

City centre café and pancake house Póg opened their third location in the seaside village of Howth, and took their natural, pampas grass-filled aesthetic with them. Brunch, lunch, coffee and homemade juices draw plenty of passers by, as does their vegan afternoon tea. Póg Howth Website ifancyapog.ie Address Island View House, 1 Harbour Road, Howth, Dublin 13 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story City centre café and pancake house Póg opened their third location in the seaside village of Howth, and took their natural, pampas grass-filled aesthetic with them. Brunch, lunch, coffee and homemade juices draw plenty of passers by, as does their vegan afternoon tea. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Neighbourhood wine bar with a wide-ranging small plates menu featuring antipasti, Spanish tapas and pasta. There's cheese and charcuterie too if you want to keep it simple, and the wine list mark ups are very fair. Harry's Website harrysofmalahide.com Address Harry's, Old Street, Malahide, County Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Neighbourhood wine bar with a wide-ranging small plates menu featuring antipasti, Spanish tapas and pasta. There's cheese and charcuterie too if you want to keep it simple, and the wine list mark ups are very fair. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

A go-to wine bar for those in the know. Interesting list of responsibly made wines, knowledgeable staff and creative, Italian influenced food from Enrico Fantasia (owner of wine import company Grape Circus) and his partner Thibault Harang (formerly of Pichet and Town Bar & Grill). Seats on the outdoor terrace complete with heaters are in demand year round. Piglet Website pigletwinebar.ie Address 5 Cow's Lane, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story A go-to wine bar for those in the know. Interesting list of responsibly made wines, knowledgeable staff and creative, Italian influenced food from Enrico Fantasia (owner of wine import company Grape Circus) and his partner Thibault Harang (formerly of Pichet and Town Bar & Grill). Seats on the outdoor terrace complete with heaters are in demand year round. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Specialty coffee roaster and restaurant in Smithfield, with brightly coloured plates of food aimed at making you feel good. The menu has influences from around the world, as well as home, and they're always coming up with new dishes for customers to try. Good brunch at the weekend and a nice natural wine list. Urbanity Website urbanity.ie Address The Glass House, 11 Coke Lane, Smithfield, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Specialty coffee roaster and restaurant in Smithfield, with brightly coloured plates of food aimed at making you feel good. The menu has influences from around the world, as well as home, and they're always coming up with new dishes for customers to try. Good brunch at the weekend and a nice natural wine list. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Square Dish Website squaredish.com Address Squaredish, Saint Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Note A new chef brings a fresh new energy to the Dublin wine bar and bistro Posted: 24 Mar 2026 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope Why are you back to review Note for a second time? Because there's a new chef in town, and it's created a whole new buzz about this wine bar and bistro near Merrion Square. Sam Kindillon has been gone from Ireland for the past 10 years, working at top restaurants in Copenhagen and Berlin, like Amass and Ora. He's the kind of Irish chef abroad we longingly look at through social media, hoping if we will it hard enough they'll eventually come home, bringing their globally-gained talents with them. He started out here in Michelin-starred L’Ecrivain, training under Forest Avenue's John and Sandy Wyer, as well as owner/chef Derry Clarke, but time abroad has formed a strong ethos around collaborating with farms and food producers, and keeping things simple and seasonal - it's all sounding very Scandi. Since their original head chef Essa Fakhry, whose food we loved so much , left for college and cooking in London, things here have been changeable and reports mixed, but Note's owners say they're excited about " this next chapter ". What seats do we want? Ours is always a window street, either looking out to people watch, or sitting back and scanning the room for what other people are eating/drinking/talking about. We're less keen on those tables that float in the middle of the room, and we struggled to get through them to get to the toilet a couple of times. There only seemed to be one viable path, with chairs splayed across others. If you're eating alone, the bar is calling your name, or as a two top it's an easy option for a laid back bite, even if there's no kitchen to peer into. These are the seats you're most likely to stumble on if you chance your arm on a walk in. So what's the new menu like? It's original, that's for sure, without a croqueta, gilda or burrata in sight. Dishes they can honestly claim to be the only ones serving abound, with pork and prawn rosti, venison and coffee tartare, and cuttlefish cavatelli sticking out like a neon sign in a candlelit room. Be aware though that much of the "smaller" dishes are very substantial (with prices to match), so don't treat them like starters. The absolute best way to experience this menu is with a few people who are all happy to share (i.e. the only people to go to dinner with). The "we don't do things like everyone else" statements start with the bread (€6) - instead of the ubiquitous sourdough, brown or brioche, Kindillon is bringing batch to the table, and we can't believe we hadn't seen this done elsewhere. So soft, so crusty, so very Dublin - you'll want a good inch of that salt rock butter on there. We started as strong as it gets with the dish that's been stealing the headlines - a pork and prawn rosti, coated in grated potato before being fried, served in a furikake milk bun with spicy pickles and mayo made from boiled eggs (€18). This minor miracle has all the flavours of the best dumpling you've ever had in the guise of a texturally immense burger, and it's without doubt one of the best things you can eat in Dublin right now. It's also quite a feed (which it would want to be for €18), and we can't see many people being able to eat a whole one before going onto a main. If you're not sharing, this is your main. We pulled it back with raw hamachi (€20) in a clementine sauce vierge, (usually made with olive oil, tomatoes, lemon juice and basil). Maybe it was the thickness of the fish, maybe the sauce, maybe it was what came before it, but no one at the table was jumping up and down for more. There are more invigorating crudo-style dishes on menus around town, like the wild seabass crudo with blood orange and rosemary at Lena , or the yellow fin tuna with blood orange and Japanese spinach at Forest Avenue , and we found ourselves pining for former chef Essa Fakhry's lime-juice and jalapeño spiked ceviches. We went back into hefty territory with a fresh cheese (homemade) and leek borek, a giant slab of filled filo that again no one should consider as a starter before diving into a main. Even between four we worried we'd over done it. We'd love this for breakfast or lunch, but as a wine bar "small plate" it didn't fit. At €18 we're also deep into silly price territory. We have an ongoing compulsion to order any tartare we see, and the pull is even stronger when there's Irish venison at stake. Who knew deer and coffee went so beautifully together, with earthy Jerusalem artichoke coming in as a cream below, and crisps on top (€22). Everyone loved their few bites of this, but agreed they wouldn't have wanted a whole one to themselves - those are some strong, salty flavours. They have four larger plates (one a fish dish for sharing at €80), with a veggie option of hispi cabbage stuffed with chanterelle risotto, and cured egg yolk grated on top (€28). Order this. Even if you struggle to stray from proteins, just do it. Every flavour, texture, component and acidity level is judged so beautifully - it's up there with the rosti. Same goes for the cavatelli pasta with cuttlefish, cockles, asparagus and monksbeard (€36). Forks clashed in the eating of this, diving in for the next bite of treasure, the rich, buttery sauce lifted by plenty of lemon, while we somehow convinced ourselves seafood = light. Winetavern pork from Wicklow (€34) is cooked pink (if you want it more well done we're sure they'll begrudgingly oblige), and is a different animal to anything on the supermarket shelf - you will not need a hand saw to cut through it, a butter knife will do the job. A teeny triangle of pork belly with crackling is the hardest thing here to share, while the white turnips and whey mustard burst through with tingles of added flavour. Beef tallow hand-cut fries (€8) arrived looking like they'd been cut from sweet potatoes (they're actually Ballymakenny Golden Wonders), and were easy to keep throwing back, but they softened as they cooled and we wouldn't have missed them if they weren't there. We tried both desserts, passing on cheese, because who can be bothered paying over the odds for the same assembly we can do at home. A Nica Brown chocolate cake had buckwheat for added texture, and cultured cream to balance the cake's bitterness, but we can't say it left a lasting impression. The other of blood orange portokalopita (a traditional Greek orange cake made with crumbled filo pastry instead of flour) was more of a standout ending, although there was an odd herbal note we couldn't place, and thought it would have been better without it. What are the drinks like? Cocktails have always been a reliable bet in here with five out of the ordinary options for €14 each. The wine list isn't short of interesting bottles, but you'll need plenty of cash to delve in - they lean heavily toward the expensive, with very little at the good value end of the scale. We can't help feeling gutted that what was supposed to be a wine bar enabling those of us who like the finer things in life to drink them at less painful prices, has gone to the other extreme of the scale, and there are scant options under €50, with prices rising very steeply from then on. We drank a sparkling, dry moscato, Mòz , from Italian winery Costadila, but €78 hurt for a relatively simple, very natural fizz. The only other option for a less expensive sparkling was a natural prosecco, or the low alcohol, sweet French sparkling "Cerdon" from Renardat Fache, which is more suited to dessert. Champagnes start at just under €100 for Gobillard, and a good crémant/ Penedès/Lambrusco under €70 is badly missing. The first white wine we ordered wasn't available, and staff happily brought tastes of anything open while we tried to decide on another, but we found the selection under €80 uninspiring so choosing was difficult. We eventually settled on a Rousette de Savoie from Bruno Lupin (€64), which we were confidently told is made from Chardonnay. It is not, but it was pleasant with honeyed pear and peach flavours, if not something we'll be racing to the shops to buy again. At the end we tried to order one each of the two dessert wines on the menu, before being told that one was out of stock and there was no substitute - two out of five wines we tried to order being unavailable aren't great odds. So it was two glasses of sparkling moscato, while we thought about how much better the Sauternes would have been with the blood orange portakalopita. How was the service? Note's new GM is a face many customers will be familiar with. Neil Kenna is the charismatic barman on First Dates Ireland , and is one of Dublin's longest-standing hospitality heads. He's managed Ely, The Old Spot, The Dunmore, Luna and loads more, and it's a bit of a coup by Note to draw him to Fenian Street. He's warm and charming, and must be sick of customers saying "are you the guy from the TV?", but he handles it all with a joke and a smile. Our main server was very pleasant and capable too, but other staff looked lost at times, and requests for more water, a drinks list, the bill went untended to until we flagged down someone else and asked again. What did the bill come to? Just over €98 per person before tip, for 11 plates, two bottles of wine and two dessert wines between four. We were very well sated. What's the verdict on this new iteration of Note? In a sea of sameness, Sam Kindillon's food feels fresh and novel, having more in common with somewhere like Comet than your average Dublin wine bar. While we still think the menu needs honing and refining (the chef is only in the job a matter of weeks), there are enough glimpses of greatness, like that pork and prawn burger, and the chanterelle-stuffed hispi cabbage, to make us want to go back. We'd love to see more wine variety at less nausea inducing prices, and would bet that would go some way to filing the few empty tables on the Friday night we visited, but everyone from couples, to giddy friend groups, to extended families (kids included) looked very happy with their pick and mix dish selections on the table. To get the best out of the new Note, go with a group, order it all, and fight over the last bites of your favourites. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Japanese bar with small plates, sushi and a robatayaki grill in Temple Bar, just off Dame Street. Daily sushi specials, plenty of vegetarian options, and more interesting small plates than most Japanese restaurants around town. They do a great line in sake, either in low alcohol cocktails or straight up, and it's worth walking in if you forgot to book somewhere for dinner. Daruma Website @daruma_dublin Address 13 Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Japanese bar with small plates, sushi and a robatayaki grill in Temple Bar, just off Dame Street. Daily sushi specials, plenty of vegetarian options, and more interesting small plates than most Japanese restaurants around town. They do a great line in sake, either in low alcohol cocktails or straight up, and it's worth walking in if you forgot to book somewhere for dinner. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Some of Dublin's best burgers can be found in one of Ireland's most sustainable restaurants. Bujo take their planet commitments very seriously, only using renewable energy, ethically sourced meat and dairy from Irish farms, and eco-conscious packaging. It's the only burger restaurant in Ireland and the UK to have achieved a three-star rating from the Sustainable Restaurants Association, and with Gráinne O'Keefe (Mae) as culinary director, they're one of the city's top choices for feel-good fast food. Bujo Terenure Website bujo.ie Address BuJo Terenure, Terenure Road East, Terenure, Dublin 6, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Some of Dublin's best burgers can be found in one of Ireland's most sustainable restaurants. Bujo take their planet commitments very seriously, only using renewable energy, ethically sourced meat and dairy from Irish farms, and eco-conscious packaging. It's the only burger restaurant in Ireland and the UK to have achieved a three-star rating from the Sustainable Restaurants Association, and with Gráinne O'Keefe (Mae) as culinary director, they're one of the city's top choices for feel-good fast food. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

This sweet little Malaysian café in the middle of a housing estate in Palmerstown is one of our finds of 2025, with the best Nasi Lemak we've had outside of Kuala Lumpur. Avoid the non-Malay dishes, there for locals who can't move with the times, and focus on the curry puffs, homemade satay, and rice and noodle dishes. D'Lepak Website d-lepak.ie Address 34 Manor Rd, Redcowfarm, Dublin 20, D20 DY20, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story This sweet little Malaysian café in the middle of a housing estate in Palmerstown is one of our finds of 2025, with the best Nasi Lemak we've had outside of Kuala Lumpur. Avoid the non-Malay dishes, there for locals who can't move with the times, and focus on the curry puffs, homemade satay, and rice and noodle dishes. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

Set in an iconic building overlooking the Liffey and the Ha'Penny Bridge, the same team behind The Winding Stair serve a varied menu featuring some of the best Irish produce from breakfast till late, seven days a week. The outdoor terrace is the place to be for people-watching when the sun shines. The Woollen Mills Website thewoollenmills.com Address 42 Ormond Quay Lower, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Set in an iconic building overlooking the Liffey and the Ha'Penny Bridge, the same team behind The Winding Stair serve a varied menu featuring some of the best Irish produce from breakfast till late, seven days a week. The outdoor terrace is the place to be for people-watching when the sun shines. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet

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Aussie inspired brunch and small batch coffee in a beautiful, bright space on the Northside. Dishes are beautifully presented and packed with flavour (hot cakes for the win) and just try to keep your hands off the cakes on the counter. There's often a queue but you can put your name down and come back when your table is ready. Two Boys Brew Website twoboysbrew.ie Address 375 North Circular Road, Phibsborough, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Aussie inspired brunch and small batch coffee in a beautiful, bright space on the Northside. Dishes are beautifully presented and packed with flavour (hot cakes for the win) and just try to keep your hands off the cakes on the counter. There's often a queue but you can put your name down and come back when your table is ready. Where It's At Nearby Locales Goat's Gruff Banco Bah 33 Mark Moriarty Studio Gaffe at Leonard's Corner Sano Pasta Yibu by Janet Little Canton Dak @ Bar Anam Mongoose Chongqing Hot Pot Boco Clontarf Bell Pesto Bang Gloria Osteria Cantina Valentina D'Lepak Pera Borgo Amai by Viktor Kaizen Chubbys Badam Table 45 Comet