Hatch’s Blackrock outlet opened mid-pandemic and quickly raised the bar for the village’s food offerings. Chef Emma Tarrant’s menu is so delicious that you might consider having her creamy tarragon mushroom toast topped with a fried egg for breakfast AND lunch. Sourdough is from Bread 41 and it would be plain wrong to leave without a cinnamon swirl. Hatch Coffee Blackrock Website @hatchcoffee Address 13 Main Street, Blackrock, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Hatch’s Blackrock outlet opened mid-pandemic and quickly raised the bar for the village’s food offerings. Chef Emma Tarrant’s menu is so delicious that you might consider having her creamy tarragon mushroom toast topped with a fried egg for breakfast AND lunch. Sourdough is from Bread 41 and it would be plain wrong to leave without a cinnamon swirl. 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

Chapter One The ideal underground escape from 2020 Posted: 1 Sept 2020 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Chapter One is one of the real success stories of Dublin's dining scene. Open since 1992, they were awarded a Michelin star in 2007, and have hung onto it easily (from the outside looking in anyway) ever since. They've been in and out of vogue over the years, but for the past few it's fair to say they've been riding high, thanks to an impressive kitchen team, some revamped branding and a stunning dining room. Chef/proprietor Ross Lewis runs the kitchen along with head chef Eric Matthews (he of Instagram's ' Cabin Fever Classics '), and with dessert dynamo Darren Hogarty turning out jaw-dropping cakes, tarts and petit fours day after day (and causing much sugar envy via his Instagram account ), the kitchen seems like it's never been in a better place. Chapter One is so many people's 'special restaurant', used for birthdays, anniversaries, and all manor of celebrations, so if ever there was a time to see how it's faring up, a global pandemic, general air of crippling anxiety, and impending second lockdown felt as good a time as any for a treat. Where should we sit? This is one of the most beautiful restaurants in the city - you may find yourself gasping if it's your first visit. There's a main dining room, a cave like space just off it with another five tables, and multiple private dining areas if you're out with a group (and you should really find a group just so you have an excuse to book one). There's also a lovely bar area for a pre-dinner drink - if you're going to do it, do it right. We were sat in the smaller cave-like space and loved the intimacy of it, but if you're a four or a six the main dining area is probably a better shout. (c) Chapter One What's the food like? Packed full of the best Irish growers, producers and suppliers, and entirely reflective of the seasons. For dinner you have the choice of the four-course menu for €85 or the premium for €120. When we were there the premium menu only had one extra course and no choice (but the same dishes on both menus - it seemed odd that it was termed 'premium'), so we stuck to the four-course, which had two-three choices per course. (FYI - The three-course lunch menu is only €50 and features a lot of the same dishes.) Like all good meals it started with bread, in this case a country style sourdough with creamy, salty butter, followed by snacks of a mushroom-filled cone (got to love a cone), and two savoury biscuits, one topped with ricotta and caramelised onion, the other with a Hegarty's cheddar mousse. All were utterly perfect palate teasers, and if you needed any reassurance about what was to come, snacks like these will do it. For the first course there was a choice of baby gem lettuce with Irish peas, white onion and Cáis na Tíre, or Irish sunstream tomato and cherry salad with basil, aerated yoghurt and pistachio. We had both and it would be difficult to pick a winner. This is definitely in the running for the tastiest lettuce dish in the country (although Cáis na Tíre would make an old tyre taste good), and tomatoes and cherries are the red-carpet couple we never knew existed. The basil, yoghurt and pistachios were a stunning supporting cast, and it was a clever Irish take on a Mediterranean-feeling dish. For the second course we struggled not to just order two of the crab pancake with smoked eel, yuzu, pickled seaweed dressing and cod roe cream, but it turned out that the mille feuille of Sean Ring chicken with black truffle and spruce vinegar was even better. Making what's usually a dessert pastry into something so powerfully savoury was another very clever take. The crab pancake was light, fresh, fluffy and fishy (in the best way), but we would have liked a bit more crab in the centre. Next up were the more classic main courses. Pink, tender saddle of lamb came with pickled garlic scape, smoked buttermilk potato (which could have been more smoky) and a full carrot with sweetbread stuffing, which alone would have been a knockout dish in itself. Stuffed rabbit was delivered with broad beans, Hen of the wood mushrooms, a smoked Shepherd's Store cheese sauce and parsley dumplings - a savoury, meaty, creamy, cheesey plate of perfectness. For dessert we couldn't sidestep the elderflower and gooseberry vacherin with lemon shortbread that we'd seen on Darren Hogarty's Instagram , but were slightly disappointed at how teeny it was in real life. Luckily it was a case of good things coming in small packages, but we would have liked one twice the size. The other dessert of Irish strawberries, baked honey custard, meringue, organic milk ice cream and sheep's yoghurt felt like a riff on their famous "textures of milk and honey" dessert, and had us clashing spoons to get the end of it. We ended with exceptionally good petit fours of cherry and white chocolate macarons, hazelnut and milk chocolate ganache truffles (serious swoon), ale choux buns with malt crunch and confit lemon cream, and one of the best decafs coffees we've had in a very long time. What about the drinks? The bottle list is extensive and impressive, so it was surprising to see a by the glass list playing it so safe. There was nothing we wanted to drink on it so asked if anything else was open, to which we were given the Coravin list, which was considerably better (and pricier, just FYI). Le Grappin's 2014 Saint-Aubin (€20) was drinking very well, and a delicate, floral 2017 Givry 1er Cru from Domaine Parize (€16.75) was a perfect pairing for the saddle of lamb and the rabbit. If you have money to spend and want to dive into their mainly European selection you'll have fun browsing the many bottles available. And the service? Delightful and completely charming from the minute we walked through the door, with smiles from everyone we passed - not the easiest of tasks when masked and keeping your distance. There's also a fancy iPad style temperature checker on arrival - green means go. Staff here cannot do enough to ensure your evening is everything you wanted it to be, and it's Irish hospitality at its finest. Our only gripe was the speed that the first few courses came at - we'd had bread, snacks and the first two courses within 30 minutes of sitting down - but once we asked them to slow down things came at a much nicer pace. The verdict? We can think of few better places to escape 2020 right now than Chapter One's cavernous, underground dining room. Yes the food is more classic than cutting edge, but as Michelin-starred meals go this is an experience that will leave you feeling warm and satisfied. Let someone else bear the brunt of life for a few hours and forget everything that's happening outside those doors - your only task is to sit back, relax and let yourself be wrapped up and taken care of. It might not be one for every week, but we couldn't recommend it more for your next treat, and it's very obvious why it's the special occasion go-to for so many. Chapter One 18-19 Parnell Square North, Dublin 1 www.chapteronerestaurant.com New Openings & Discoveries More >>

One of North Dublin's most detour-worthy bakeries with a monthly changing menu, The Rock Bakery originally operated out of a pub, but has now moved to a permanent home on New Street. There are more types of must-eat pastries than you'll reasonably be able to eat, but you should try. The Rock Bakery Website @therockbakery Address 17 New Street, Skerries, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story One of North Dublin's most detour-worthy bakeries with a monthly changing menu, The Rock Bakery originally operated out of a pub, but has now moved to a permanent home on New Street. There are more types of must-eat pastries than you'll reasonably be able to eat, but you should try. 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

What started as Dorset Street gastropub Juno has had one side reinvented as Hera (Juno is now the bar to the side). A very sleek and modern refurb is the setting for a bar food menu full of things you'll want to eat, like meatballs and focaccia, deep-fried Tallegio, and one of the best value steaks in Dublin. Drinks are at a similarly high level, with great options for beer, wine and cocktails, and there's a semi-private dining room just crying out for you to bring along five of your friends. Hera Website junobar.ie Address JUNO, Dorset Street Lower, Dublin 1, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story What started as Dorset Street gastropub Juno has had one side reinvented as Hera (Juno is now the bar to the side). A very sleek and modern refurb is the setting for a bar food menu full of things you'll want to eat, like meatballs and focaccia, deep-fried Tallegio, and one of the best value steaks in Dublin. Drinks are at a similarly high level, with great options for beer, wine and cocktails, and there's a semi-private dining room just crying out for you to bring along five of your friends. 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

Barry Stephen’s LA-style, smoke-generating warehouse was booked solid for two months almost immediately after opening, which tells you everything you need to know about how good the food and vibes are at Chubby’s. The former taco truck has grown into a far more sophisticated beast, with the 10-hour smoked short-rib, Massaman chicken wings and sticky toffee spring rolls bringing all the boys and girls to the yard. Chubbys Website chubbyskitchen.ie Address Chubbys, Clontarf Road, Clontarf West, Dublin 3, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Barry Stephen’s LA-style, smoke-generating warehouse was booked solid for two months almost immediately after opening, which tells you everything you need to know about how good the food and vibes are at Chubby’s. The former taco truck has grown into a far more sophisticated beast, with the 10-hour smoked short-rib, Massaman chicken wings and sticky toffee spring rolls bringing all the boys and girls to the yard. 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

Fresh, Irish lobster, served in a variety of ways, is the star of the show at Lobstar. From New-York style lobster rolls to lobster tail curry, this is one place it's worth going over your monthly seafood budget for. If crustaceans aren't your thing you'll also find local seafood, steak and chicken schnitzel. High end food in casual surroundings. Lobstar Website lobstar.ie Address 101 Monkstown Road, Monkstown Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Fresh, Irish lobster, served in a variety of ways, is the star of the show at Lobstar. From New-York style lobster rolls to lobster tail curry, this is one place it's worth going over your monthly seafood budget for. If crustaceans aren't your thing you'll also find local seafood, steak and chicken schnitzel. High end food in casual surroundings. 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

Cork-born Ciarán O'Regan and Diarmuid Connolly learnt their pizza making skills in Naples, before bringing them back to Ranelagh and fusing them with Irish ingredients like Toonsbridge ricotta and Cashel Blue. Their pizzas are heavy on the puns ('N'duja Think You Are' and 'The Fun Guy' are two of our favourites) and heavy on the flavour. Rita's Website ritas.ie Address 51 Elmwood Avenue Lower, Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Cork-born Ciarán O'Regan and Diarmuid Connolly learnt their pizza making skills in Naples, before bringing them back to Ranelagh and fusing them with Irish ingredients like Toonsbridge ricotta and Cashel Blue. Their pizzas are heavy on the puns ('N'duja Think You Are' and 'The Fun Guy' are two of our favourites) and heavy on the flavour. 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

That’s Amore looks quaint, but Monkstown locals know it as a place where you book a table of four and end up with a table of eight by the end of the night when the staff join your group - that's when you really feel the amore. Know that whatever you choose from the menu here is going to be the real deal, and trust whatever is on the specials board. If you spot the tonnarelli fresh pasta with lobster on the board, order it. That's Amore Website @Thats-Amore Address 107 Monkstown Road, Monkstown, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story That’s Amore looks quaint, but Monkstown locals know it as a place where you book a table of four and end up with a table of eight by the end of the night when the staff join your group - that's when you really feel the amore. Know that whatever you choose from the menu here is going to be the real deal, and trust whatever is on the specials board. If you spot the tonnarelli fresh pasta with lobster on the board, order it. 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 Do Pop's potato curry has them lining up in Malahide Posted: 31 Aug 2021 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? There are approximately 50 places to eat in the small, seaside town of Malahide, but approximately 40 of them have more or less the same menu - if you want burgers, fish and chips or seafood tagliatelle you've come to the right place. On the other hand, if that makes your eyes glaze over, you need to know about A Dó , which opened from a hatch on New Street in April, serving potato curry boxes, filled rotis and chicken salad with mustard slaw, and immediately stood out, because it was like nowhere else around. This is a proper family affair, with brother Krishna out front, sister Anna Maria in the kitchen cooking their father's Indian recipes, and another sister Róisín helping out too. They were busy from day one, with coffee, porridge and pastries in the morning, and the Indian influence kicking in from lunchtime, and the smells alone will draw you to their window if you're close by. Where should we sit? As the world (and Fingal County Council) got on board with outdoor dining, A Dó went from being a hole in the wall takeaway to having six or seven tables for outdoor dining throughout the summer. New Street in general is a really atmospheric place to soak up some sun over breakfast, lunch or dinner, but with the pedestrianisation of the town's main thoroughfare due to be reversed in Autumn, they may be back to takeaway only until 2022. If that's the case when you visit, grab your food and head for the newly redeveloped green at the Marina, one of the benches overlooking the sea along the coast or estuary, or head into Malahide Castle for acre after acre of green space. What's the food like? It's one of those small but perfect menus. No fillers, no crowd-pleasers, just the food they want to serve. It's so real and unapologetic, even before you get your food you know it's going to be good. Their 'Pop's potato curry' box is a mainstay, and come with a freshly made roti, Asian slaw, green chilli chutney and yoghurt sauce. You know those perfect plates/boxes/dishes where every single element is a knockout, nothing is an afterthought, and everything works so beautifully together you could almost weep with joy? That. Pop knew what he was doing in the kitchen. There are no shop bought pastes or powders here, you can see and taste the freshly ground and whole spices in everything. On weekends you might find specials like a beef curry box or a butter chicken one (just as good), but the potato is there all week. You can also get one of those freshly made rotis stuffed with potato curry and yoghurt, topped with carrot and green chutney, and eating it as a whole bread between two hands shows off its buttery, flaky magic to maximum effect. It's also got to be one of the best fivers you could spend on food in the entire capital. At the weekend you might find other curries stuffed in rotis also, like their beef version, and we've yet to be disappointed with anything. But we're not done with Dad's potato curry yet. In one of the most impressive showings of carb on carb action we've seen in years, they also stuff it into lavash bread from Tartine to make a potato curry sandwich. Admittedly this did initially cause us to raise eyebrows, but like everything else that comes out of this kitchen, it just works (and is an incredible hangover helper). The other pillar of A Dó's menu is their chicken salad, which comes either in a box or in a sandwich. It looks and sounds so simple but the additions of mustard mayonnaise, apple and pomegranate make it pop, and even makes the celery palatable (sorry celery lovers). Cakes and cookies are predominantly vegan from Oh Happy Treats , and we loved the chocolate banana bread which was so dense with banana and didn't suffer in the slightest from non-dairy chocolate. A brownie was a bit too thin and fudgy for our liking, but that's being picky. They have other more mainstream treats like those mini doughnuts you see all over the place, vegan power balls and muffins, but we're sending you here more for the savoury than the sweet. What about the drinks? Standard café fare - coffee, tea, soft drinks and sometimes slushies. Coffee is from Ariosa and often we've found it quite bitter, but that might be a matter of staff training rather than the beans being used. It's definitely on the stronger side of coffee blends. And the service? Staff are always very pleasant, but you'll get the best interactions from the owners. Customers love to tell Anna-Maria how much they loved her food, ask if they can buy her chutneys by the jar, tell her never to change a thing, while her brother jokes about not giving her a big head. This is the antithesis of a chain café or restaurant, and eating here will make you feel so much better than if you went to the Starbucks down the road, on a lot of levels. And the damage? We've eaten here a few times but the last visit comprising of two mains, two cakes and an iced coffee came to €23. We almost felt we were ripping them off. The verdict? A Dó café is the most interesting thing to happen to Malahide's main thoroughfare in years (and we're include the 'Save Malahide Village' protests in that). Go for the homemade rotis, stay for the potato curry, beg for some chutneys to take home. You'll feel revived. A Dó Café 2 New Street, Malahide, Co. Dublin www.instagram.com/ado_coffeetogo New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Family run, Argentinean café in Portobello, with steak and chimichurri, choripan and dulce de leche pancakes on the menu. The letters in ALMA stand for the initials of the four daughters in the family, who help run it alongside parents Alejandro and Lucrecia. Weekend brunch queues have been the norm since soon after opening, and the iced dulce de leche lattés should not be missed. Alma Website alma.ie Address Alma, Curzon Street, Portobello, Dublin 8, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Family run, Argentinean café in Portobello, with steak and chimichurri, choripan and dulce de leche pancakes on the menu. The letters in ALMA stand for the initials of the four daughters in the family, who help run it alongside parents Alejandro and Lucrecia. Weekend brunch queues have been the norm since soon after opening, and the iced dulce de leche lattés should not be missed. 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

From gut-friendly food on the quays to one of the city's coolest wine bars, with all the baked goods on Pearse Street sandwiched in the middle. Pearse St - Merrion Square Our Take From gut-friendly food on the quays to one of the city's coolest wine bars, with all the baked goods on Pearse Street sandwiched in the middle. Where to Eat As One Bread 41 Cloud Picker D'Olier Street Gursha Honey Truffle Il Caffe di Napoli Jean Georges @ The Leinster Note Tang Cumberland Place Vice

Agave Taquitos, pambazos and homemade nachos come to Dublin 2 Posted: 18 Aug 2020 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Dublin has never been the city to find legit Mexican food (something that causes us much dismay), and while there are some success stories (namely 777 , El Grito , and more recently pop up food truck La Cocina Cuevas ), what's on the market here would make most Mexicans shudder. The majority of it consists of questionable burritos and sizzling enchilada plates, and is more more Tex-Mex than Oaxaca - fajitas, chile con carne and even our beloved cheese-covered nachos all fall into this category (read more about the differences in this Thrillist article , or listen to this episode of Eater's Digest). So, any time a new Mexican restaurant opens we live in hope that this will be the one with the homemade corn tacos (wheat anything = not very Mexican), the mole (totally different to guacamole) and the infamous tacos al pastor (pork marinated in spices and cooked on a spit grill, served with pineapple, onion, coriander and salsas on the aforementioned homemade tacos). The latest addition to this hopeful hit list is newly opened Agave on Lord Edward Street. Do you remember Café Azteca ? Not many people do - they never quite made the mark on the Dublin dining scene that they were hoping for - but that's where Agave is now. It's run by Mexican couple Costel and Aldo, who was a chef in Azteca and is from Mexico city. Costel is a chef too, but for now he's running front of house. They say they wanted to bring new dishes and fresh ideas to the city, and images of more unusual dishes on their Instagram feed had us pulling on the comfy pants and setting off for Lord Edward Street. Where should we sit? It’s a small space with only six tables (they’ll possibly have more if Covid ever fecks off), and there’s a nice one for six people in the window if you’re planning on seeing friends at some stage this year. Otherwise tables are for two or four and the space is definitely more eat and leave than graze and linger. What's the food like? The menu is definitely trying to stay a little on the safe side, and it’s probably a bit too large as they try not to scare people by keeping dishes they’ll recognize (can we just make burritos die already), as well as introducing more authentic ones like chilaquiles (tortilla chips soaked in salsa), sopes (corn tortillas with various toppings) and pambazo (bread dipped in a red pepper sauce and stuffed with potato, chorizo, sour cream and lettuce). Okay so maybe loaded nachos aren’t the most Mexican of Mexican foods, but Agave’s are homemade ( 777 actually buy theirs from them), so we feel this gives them a major pass. They come with cheese, sour cream, excellent pico de gallo, jalapeños and either chile con carne or guacamole – we asked for half and half. It might not be what you’ll get in a Mexican Mami’s casa, but it was extremely tasty, and a huge portion – we shared one between four. The crunchy chicken taquitos - rolled and fried blue corn tortillas stuffed with chicken and queso fresco, and topped with pico de gallo, sour cream and lettuce - were another highlight. Crunchy, creamy, zingy - what's not to like. The aforementioned pambazo (traditional Mexican sandwich) had great flavour from the chorizo and potato but was a bit soggy. It tasted like it had been dipped in the red pepper sauce but not fried to crisp it up, which undoubtedly would have made all the difference. Also don't do as we did and forget about the salsa until the last bite. There's mild, spicy and very spicy - approach the last one with caution. There are six different types of tacos on the menu, with pork (including those legendary al pastor), chorizo, chicken, chili con carne (no comment) and prawns. We really liked the tacos de camaron (prawns) which came with pickled cabbage and chilli mayo, but the batter on the prawns could have been a bit more delicate and a bit less oily. Despite this they had a great balance of flavours, particularly when those salsas were added into the mix. The only truly devastating, soul-crushing disappointment of the meal was the tacos al pastor, which just weren’t. Granted it would be difficult to get a verticle rotating spit into such a small space, but catering style chunks of tasteless pork are not even in the same universe as the real deal. This is so far from what it should be it just shouldn't be on the menu. It also said we would get five tacos but we only got three - not sure if this was a typo or a kitchen error, but under the circumstances it was probably for the best. (For an in-depth look at what tacos al pastor should be, please watch the first episode of Netflix's Taco Chronicles and join us in this obsession) Also, not to get anyone (i.e. us) too excited, but we happened to walk past 777 later that day and saw what appeared to be an 'el pastor tacos' hatch - we'll even forgive them the wrong spelling. Watch this space for incoming news. There are no desserts on the menu but when we were there they had vanilla or chocolate 'conchas' (sweet bread in the shape of a seashell) and crème caramel (more commonly called flan in Mexico), both homemade. It turns out the conchas are not really a dessert (it literally is a slightly sweet bread roll), and more something to have with coffee in the morning. The crème caramel however was creamy, sweet and doused in caramel, and the cream and berries on the side were a nice touch. We initially thought it was a small portion but it turned out to be perfect. A must-order for anyone with a sweet tooth. What about the drinks? Fans of cult Mexican soft drink jarritos will be giddy when they see the number of flavours on the shelf here – from cola to guava, mango to mandarin – although not many seemed to be in the fridge, so you’ll probably need ice. They also have non-alcoholic pina coladas and ‘nojitos’, the latter of which, with cucumber, mint and lime, was very refreshing on a muggy Dublin day. As far as alcohol you’re limited to house prosecco, white or red wine, or tinto de verano (lemonade and red wine). And the service? Friendly, if a bit subdued, and the mortal sin of wearing mask over mouth but not nose was in full force. Kitchen staff weren't wearing masks, but there was sanitzer, tables were decently spaced and the door was open. The verdict? Agave is a good addition to Dublin’s Mexican food scene, and while it’s not quite the one we’ve been waiting for, it's a world better than most and definitely has the potential to go further. We’d like to go back and try a few more of the lesser seen dishes, like the chilaquiles and the sopes, and it’s very good value – we paid €20 a head for a lot of food. We would love to see them ditch a few of the more common dishes and focus more on what they eat at home in Mexico, because that's what's really lacking over here. And kill the burritos. Agave 19 - 22 Lord Edward Street, Dublin 2 instagram.com/agavedublin New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Sweet little café on Stoneybatter's thoroughfare that's become a favourite with locals for their honest cooking, weekly specials and warm welcome. Breakfast is a particular strong point, with fluffy pancakes, nduja Turkish eggs and breakfast burritos. Social Fabric Website social-fabric.ie Address 34 Stoneybatter, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Sweet little café on Stoneybatter's thoroughfare that's become a favourite with locals for their honest cooking, weekly specials and warm welcome. Breakfast is a particular strong point, with fluffy pancakes, nduja Turkish eggs and breakfast burritos. 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

Follow the sea north to Fairview and Clontarf, and suburbs Killester and Artane for some of the city's best Indian and Pakistani food, as well as brunch and toasted sandwiches by the sea. Clontarf - Fairview - Killester - Artane Our Take Follow the sea north to Fairview and Clontarf, and suburbs Killester and Artane for some of the city's best Indian and Pakistani food, as well as brunch and toasted sandwiches by the sea. Where to Eat Badam Boco Clontarf Chubbys Happy Out Kinara Kitchen Clontarf Surge Coffee Taza The Orange Goat Killester Two Pups Fairview

Wood-fired pizza in an industrial space on the north side. Traditional Neapolitan-style bases with New York and Irish influenced toppings. Bit of a student hub with DIT Bolton street across the road. Boco Website boco.ie Address 57 Bolton Street, Dublin 1 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Wood-fired pizza in an industrial space on the north side. Traditional Neapolitan-style bases with New York and Irish influenced toppings. Bit of a student hub with DIT Bolton street across the road. 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

Setting the bar for bar food in Dublin, the guys behind Caribou also own pizza-focused Bonobo in Smithfield and Kodiak in Rathmines. This is their first venture into a more comprehensive menu (only served day time) and they've managed to show up most of the other bars serving food in Dublin. The perfect steak-frites, a supreme Caesar salad, and a Sunday roast that instantly rose to the top of the charts, as well as a top class drinks list - is it any wonder it's drawing the crowds across the board, from friend groups to young families, dating duos to business associates looking for a laid back lunch spot. Caribou Website instagram.com/caribou_dublin Address Caribou, Stephen Street Lower, Dublin 2, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Setting the bar for bar food in Dublin, the guys behind Caribou also own pizza-focused Bonobo in Smithfield and Kodiak in Rathmines. This is their first venture into a more comprehensive menu (only served day time) and they've managed to show up most of the other bars serving food in Dublin. The perfect steak-frites, a supreme Caesar salad, and a Sunday roast that instantly rose to the top of the charts, as well as a top class drinks list - is it any wonder it's drawing the crowds across the board, from friend groups to young families, dating duos to business associates looking for a laid back lunch spot. 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

Bar Italia God-tier Carbonana, Roman-style pizza, and very special specials Posted: 7 Feb 2023 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What should we know about Bar Italia? Bar Italia opened in 2000, and has always been known as a reliable Italian around town, somewhere to lay down the shopping bags and refuel with a plate of pasta and a glass of wine, but it wasn't setting food messaging groups alight with chatter. This is a kitchen that must have seen many personnel changes over the years, but before Covid changed everything for all of us, owner David Izzo (formerly of the Dunne & Cresenzi group who also had a stake in the restaurant until a few years ago) convinced a childhood chef friend from Rome to move to Dublin and take over operations. He brought a predominantly Roman crew with him, and Bar Italia changed from a general Italian, to one focused on Roman cooking above all else, and we love a niche. While the timing of Covid couldn't have been worse, they used the time to practice and perfect a new menu, and o ne of the biggest changes has been to their pizza, or as they're called in Rome, 'Pinsa'. They claim to be the first in Ireland to make a 72-hour fermented dough from a blend of wheat, soya, and rice flour, and the result is thin, light and perfectly chewy. Pasta is handmade too, and word started getting around that their Carbonara could rival any in the Centro Storico. When we've talked to people about it post visit we often heard, "I wouldn't have thought of going there", so we're here to tell you why you should. Where's good for a drink first? The Clarence Hotel 's recently opened cocktail bar The Curious Mister is just a four minute walk away if that's what you're after. For a pint we love J McNeill's on Capel Street (hopefully you'll stumble on a trad session), and for wine they do a decent by the glass list in Wallace's across the way. (c) The Curious Mister Where should we sit? The dining room has had a big revamp over the past few years, and what was formerly a bit fusty and old-fashioned, is now all clean lines and contemporary design. Dark wood, yellow walls and antique chandeliers are out. Black walls, gold light fittings and tan banquettes are in. We'd rate this as one of the nicest dining rooms in the city right now, and we're using their pics instead of our covert ones, because it actually is this impressive in real life. (c) Bar Italia There are four counter seats up front if you're dining solo and don't want a table to yourself, otherwise we'd ask for a banquette. The views of Milennium Bridge and Temple Bar out of the large windows spanning one side of the room are quite lovely, but there are no seats to avoid. (c) Bar Italia There's also a lower level (the Graham Knuttel room) that can be booked for groups of up to 37. No surprise that the Irish artist's paintings cover the walls, and it's definitely got a cosy, hidden away vibe. What did you eat? We went once, were hit by a thunderbolt, and had to go back a second time before telling you about it. On the basis of two visits, we've come to the conclusion that you can't pick badly in here. The daily specials are as integral to Bar Italia as the à la carte, with at least eight additional options (many pop up again and again). Each sounds better than the last so it's likely you'll just want to order from these, but we tried to do a bit of both, and here's a brief(ish) summary. Starters mainly involve bruschetta and antipasti, or you can order a basket of bread and grissini and make the most of the top quality olive oil and balsamic on offer. Bruschetta with fresh Irish calamari was a piece of chargrilled La Levain sourdough, topped with tender pieces of squid in a tangy San Marzano tomato sauce, and if fresh fish ain't your dish you can choose from tomato and basil, burrata or proscuitto. A special of fresh, wild Atlantic scallops came on mini pinsas with a puttanesca sauce on top and basil oil dotted around, and the flavour of the mini pizza, the scallop and the sauce were so individually striking, without any overtaking the other. If you see this, order it. For antipasti you can have a whole, oozing, creamy burrata wrapped in 24-month cured parma ham (sourdough on the side), or an antipasti mixto with capocollo, truffle salami, culatello ham, caprese lollipos, house grilled veg, and more sourdough bread (a great order "for the table"). We wondered where they were going to get tomatoes with flavour in the middle of winter, but they're using a sun-blushed version which are low on water, big on taste. Handmade pasta is one of the main reasons to come here, and if you order one thing, please make it the Carbonara. Does a better one exist in the country? We'll need convincing. Despressingly staff told us that when diners order it they have to ask if they've had it before, and tee them up for the pepper, pecorino and guanciale explosion that's coming, as opposed to the sloppy, creamy, flavourless mound they might be used to. This is God tier food, and our Italian waitress told us that even in Rome, finding one this good can be tricky. If you see a truffle special in Bar Italia, you should order that too, because they don't skimp on the truffle. We tried a special of egg fettucine with parmesan cream and freshly grated black truffle, and it was just as extra as the carbonara - this isn't somewhere to take anyone who's always counting calories. On another visit we tried the strozzapreti with seafood (Roaring Water Bay mussels, tiger prawns, fresh squid, sea-bass ragout and Sicilian cherry tomatoes), and while the flavour of the sauce was everything you would want in a seafood pasta, we were disappointed to only find one prawn in the dish. Maybe an oversight. The rest was glisteningly fresh. For pinsa there are eight options including all the usuals like 'Margherita', 'Marinara' and 'Norcina' with housemade pork sausage, but a special of 'Ariccia' with house-roasted porchetta, scazmorza cheese and cacio e pepe cream was jumping off the page shouting "pick me!" And oh were we glad we did. It was a mountain of meat and cheese, ideal for sharing amongst a group - if eating alone you'll probably need to go straight to bed off the back of it - and the flavours were of the level that everyone just shuts up and says nothing while eating it, save for the occasional groan of pleasure. Another dish that doesn't appear on the à la carte but regularly does on the specials, is their gigantic, flat bowl of risotto - heads turn when this is brought to table. When we visited it was Delica pumpkin cream, Gorgonzola fondue, culatello lardons (these should be more of a thing), and finished with truffle gouda. It could have been warmer, but Caligula would have approved. Desserts are limited to a few options, and our top pick is the Limoncello baba, soaked to optimum levels in the Italian liquer, and filled with Limoncello cream and whipped cream, with a Marashino cherry on top. Stick a fork in us, we're done. Panna cotta is very good too, and comes with a choice of a berry or coffee topping, and a chocolate cake with salted caramel inside and vanilla ice-cream on top is the chocolate lover's end to a meal, but it's heavy and we didn't find it too interesting. There's tiramisu too which we didn't try but would expect to be good based on everything else, and coffee is very good. What about the drinks? They know how to do aperitivo in here, and both a limoncello spritz and a basilico spritz (with housemade basil liquor) were as good as you'd find on any Italian terrace. The wine list is wide and deep, with all the big Italian hitters, and several having different vintage options. Bottles start at €25 but you can go as high as your wallet allows. Despite the breadth of the bottle list we found the by the glass list dull on both occasions, with too many commercial brands, and several wines that weren't at their best. Service however was great, with staff bringing us tasters and even opening a different vintage of one wine in the hope that it would have a bit more life to it (it did). On our second visit they had a 2009 Ciro Rosso from Librandi on as a pairing for the porchetta pizza for €12 a glass, which was delicious and a relative steal, so we think the wines on the specials menu are probably the way to go. How was the service? Very charming. Almost everyone who served us was Italian and delighted to talk about the dishes, the kitchen, and how they operate. Owner David works the room too, checking in on regulars and new faces, asking what people think of the food and stopping to chat with anyone wanting to know more about their pinsa/pasta/panzerotti. Staff went out of their way for us several times, and we saw them doing the same for other tables. You'll be well looked after here. And the damage? Our two meals were a mish mash of starters, mains and desserts, and we didn't get into the wine list properly, but we reckon you're looking at €65-€70 a head to go all in with three courses and a decent bottle of wine, but you can just stop in for a pizza and a glass to for around €30. It's not a cheap dining option, but it's somewhere you get what you pay for. What's the verdict? After visiting we were torn between wishing we'd gone sooner, and being happy we held back, because Bar Italia is probably the most exciting it's been right now. They don't need this write up, they're packed at lunch and dinner, and after visiting you'll see why. Bar Italia 26 lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1 baritalia.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Kodiak in Rathmines is one of the best things to happen to beer in Dublin in decades. The global selection will impress even the most hardcore craft beer lovers, and the small but punchy pizza menu is the perfect pairing. From the same owners as Bonobo in Smithfield, the famous potato and pancetta pizza is here too, as well as sausage with rayu, and mortadella with pistachio. The high ceilings and long tables are made for group get-togethers, staff are lovely and efficient, and the cocktails are't too shabby either. Kodiak Website kodiakdublin.com Address Kodiak, Rathmines Road Lower, Rathmines, Dublin 6 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Kodiak in Rathmines is one of the best things to happen to beer in Dublin in decades. The global selection will impress even the most hardcore craft beer lovers, and the small but punchy pizza menu is the perfect pairing. From the same owners as Bonobo in Smithfield, the famous potato and pancetta pizza is here too, as well as sausage with rayu, and mortadella with pistachio. The high ceilings and long tables are made for group get-togethers, staff are lovely and efficient, and the cocktails are't too shabby either. 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

Gursha was many a Dubliner's first experience of Ethiopian food, and their original pop up in Cloud Café in the North Strand was harder to get a seat in than a Harry Styles concert. Since moving to Poolbeg Street they operate a supper club system where you buy tickets in advance for their set menu of injera with a multitude of Ethiopian dishes, from Doro Wat (chicken stew in berbere sauce) to Yebeg Alicha (lamb with garlic, onions and tumeric). Meals end with a chocolate fudge brownie and a traditional coffee ceremony, and it's phenomenal value for a completely pure experience. Gursha Website gursha.ie Address 7A Poolbeg Street, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Gursha was many a Dubliner's first experience of Ethiopian food, and their original pop up in Cloud Café in the North Strand was harder to get a seat in than a Harry Styles concert. Since moving to Poolbeg Street they operate a supper club system where you buy tickets in advance for their set menu of injera with a multitude of Ethiopian dishes, from Doro Wat (chicken stew in berbere sauce) to Yebeg Alicha (lamb with garlic, onions and tumeric). Meals end with a chocolate fudge brownie and a traditional coffee ceremony, and it's phenomenal value for a completely pure experience. 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

Low-lit, narrow-roomed Aperitivo, with its waistcoat-clad Italian waiters and limoncello spritz on repeat, is like something lifted from Venice and dropped onto Nassau Street. The tiny room is made for intimate meals, where feet and forks are sure to touch, and the menu full of small plates, snacks and pasta is meant to be shared. For our money the fritti are the best things on the menu, and the cocktail and wine list are worth a deep-dive. Aperitivo Website aperitivo.ie Address 47 Nassau Street, Dublin 2, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Low-lit, narrow-roomed Aperitivo, with its waistcoat-clad Italian waiters and limoncello spritz on repeat, is like something lifted from Venice and dropped onto Nassau Street. The tiny room is made for intimate meals, where feet and forks are sure to touch, and the menu full of small plates, snacks and pasta is meant to be shared. For our money the fritti are the best things on the menu, and the cocktail and wine list are worth a deep-dive. Where It's At Nearby Locales 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

Suertudo Jalisco and Oaxaca small plates set Dublin's newest Mexican apart Posted: 7 Jan 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Suertudo? While Ranelagh stalwart Dillinger’s surprise closure back in November was leapt on by some with a point to belabour as yet more evidence of the sky falling in on the hospitality market, it’s actually more indicative of the industry’s invention than of a VAT-based doomsday staring it in the face. John Farrell’s flagship brand kicked off his now-sprawling empire ( 777 , Amy Austin and The Butcher Grill among others) back in 2009, so its shuttering might have seemed like the writing on the wall for one of Dublin’s most serially successful restaurateurs, but a quick pivot showed yet another trick tucked up his sleeve. A more cynical critique might see Suertudo as cashing in on a Mexican wave that’s swept across the city in the last 12-ish months, culminating in Parrilla popping up just around the corner. Given that Farrell got in on the ground floor with 777 back in 2012, and that wine bar Amy Austin 's small plates have been given the Mexico city treatment by Executive Chef Victor Lara, that's not the case here. Lara is also over the food at Suertudo, joined by Mexico City-trained Celina Altamirano, to make up a menu inspired by their respective homesteads of Jalisco and Oaxaca. Where should we sit? The left wall as you enter is flanked by four high and then six low two-tops, set to be cobbled together for any config of parties that may wander their way in - groups will be most at home here. A little nook inside the right window hosts a cosy high-top for five and a three-seater window ledge - if your idea of a dry January is hiding from the rain with a drink, this is the place to be. The wraparound bar’s dozen-ish places would make a fine pick for an evening perch, with spillover kitchen space meaning you’ll have plenty of action to watch as the place fills up. The only spot we’d avoid is a tiny table tucked right in the back corner, far too compact for comfort. What’s on the menu? We slipped in for Suertudo’s new(er) brunch-lunch offering available Thursdays to Sundays, which mixes and matches several of its evening plates with a few lighter bites catering to earlier-in-the-day appetites. Guacamole is a typical first port of call for any new Mexican arrival, and an early indication of how it stacks up to the ever-growing competition, but if you're only having one dip with chips, make it the camotito. This gorgeous plate of sweet potato purée has a smoothness and sweetness we couldn't get enough of, complicated in taste and texture by the smoky-spicy salsa macha, a flavour feast that plays like a Mexican chilli crisp. It comes in at top-tier value of €6 for the plate, better for your pocket as well as your palate than the €10 guac - avocados are pricier than sweet potatoes in fairness. That’s a match for the price point at Parrilla , and while the serving there seemed slightly more generous to us (and they add two house salsas to the mix), the quality here swings it even before the tortilla chips are taken into account. Unlike the local competition, Suertudo’s are made in-house from Altamirano’s own masa, a difference you can taste every step of the way. A delicate dusting of punchy spiced salt seals the deal. It's just as well the chips are top class, because we faced more in the form of chilaquiles - it really is a wise move to only get one of the sharing starters. The Mexican breakfast dish is a classic for good cause, intense savoury flavour coursing through every drop of the simmered salsa roja and chicken broth - expect to beg for a spoon to scoop up the last of it. The variously crispy and soggy textures of the chips play well off the piled-high shredded chicken, but this dish is all about that sauce. Its stark saltiness is tempered by crumbled queso fresco and drizzled sour cream, cut through by raw rings of onion. The citrus-spice smack of adobo rojo is the star of the pescado zarandeado, a thick fillet of seabream smothered in sauce and cooked to a just-blackening coat over the charcoal grill. Fresh fish and full flavours are always a winning combination and this is a textbook example, as well as a welcome lighter bite after all the heaving heaviness that came before. Plantain cream on the side does a solid tempering job, while the pickled pink onions have much more than just colour to bring to the feast. We're not known for our ability to pass up lamb birria tacos, with shoulder slow-cooked to a fall-apart texture, served alongside a consommé made of its juices. This Jalisco specialty is wanton to its core, the kind of plate best left ‘til last - you'll be in need of washing your hands, never mind in no state to manage any more food for a while. Beware the great gush of meat juice that’s liable to come spilling from these, lest the meaty goodness go wasted - at €19 per plate, you will not be wanting to miss a drop. Lamb lovers will, and should, devour these, but the consommé can’t compare to the one we tried at Tacos Lupillo (a dish in its own right rather than dip as here, to be fair). Once you’ve had some time to recover, the arroz con leche is a welcome ending to say adios on, though skipping it is a safer bet than anything else we tried. This Mexican take on rice pudding has the concentrated caramel tang of a dulce de leche foam that froths up over the dish if you don’t dig in quick enough. Regular ol’ popcorn propped on top struck us as a shame - a caramelised kind might have better fitted the vibe. What are the drinks like? Cocktails aside, the drinks listings are strangely nondescript with nothing more than the likes of “Rioja Crianza” or “Mexican beer” to clue you in to what’s in store. The tequila and mezcal options claim “brands you can’t find anywhere in Ireland and most of Europe”, though people who know more than us have cast a sceptical eye on that claim. Margaritas are another must-compare item, and Suertudo’s ticked the box just-so with nothing much to lift it above average - we expected more oomph. The smoke-scented Swashbuckler found better favour, with top marks for a mix where Frangelico really works - Tia Maria and mezcal were not what we’d have banked on as the best bedfellows. Te Quila Mockingbird makes hay with the syrup sweetness of grilled pineapple to balance out a bitter mix of Campari and lime - this is exactly the kind of sip-it-and-sigh-with-satisfaction sensation we felt missing in the marg. Lollapalooza comes out in a glass so tall and thin we were terrified of toppling it, but the spicy-sharp mix of tequila, grapefruit and jalapeño goes a long way to steeling those nerves. How was the service? The first week of the year is not a good time to gauge how any new venue is likely to act under pressure, but we were struck by the skill with which our server sailed through the menu, describing every dish with ease - there’s been proper investment in training here. We were impressed too by the speedy delivery of everything, though between a blustery January day and being the last lunch cover the kitchen had to worry about, they weren't under pressure. If there's been any teething issues in opening at the busiest time of the year, word has yet to reach our ears. And the damage? €139 for two rounds of cocktails and enough of a late lunch to see dinner skipped altogether. That’s a big step up in price from the more casual new entrants in Dublin’s Mexican market, but close to bang-on the mark for what we spent at Parrilla . We’d have to hand it to Suertudo for bringing better value. What’s the verdict on Suertudo? Suertudo is Spanish for “the lucky one”, and while Farrell might have chosen that name to pay tribute to the firstborn that started it all, everyone knows it takes a lot more than luck to keep pace with the changing trends and challenges in the restaurant scene. This remaking has what’s needed in spades - a new arrival that shows even crowded markets have space for invention. Ceding prime real estate and a well-established brand to a concept that’s not short on competition is less cashing-in on a trend, than the kind of bold move we badly need more of around town. Who knows what might happen if more places trust talented chefs to go where their skills are. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Dalkey's much-loved wine shop has a restaurant in the back, and outdoor seating when the sun shines. The menu is a catch all of things like pasta, burgers and seafood, but the stars are on the shelves. Pick from an ever-interesting wine list, or pluck a bottle from the shop and pay corkage. Grapevine Website onthegrapevine.ie Address 26 Castle Street, Dalkey, Co. Dublin Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Dalkey's much-loved wine shop has a restaurant in the back, and outdoor seating when the sun shines. The menu is a catch all of things like pasta, burgers and seafood, but the stars are on the shelves. Pick from an ever-interesting wine list, or pluck a bottle from the shop and pay corkage. 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

Chef Victor Lara, who made waves at wine bar Amy Austin winning them a Michelin Bib Gourmand, now has Suertudo (meaning "lucky") in his stable too. What was formerly Dillinger's was reopened as a modern Ranelagh Mexican at the end of 2024, and its been the new lease of life that the property needed. Constantly travelling and researching, you won't find Lara and fellow chef Celina Altamirano (both Mexican) doling out the country's greatest international hits. Instead you might find camotito (sweet potato drip) with queso fresco, pescado zarandeado (fish blackened over charcoal grill with adobo rojo), or lamb birria tacos. Don't skip the margaritas. Suertudo Website suertudo.ie Address Suertudo, Ranelagh, Dublin 6, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Chef Victor Lara, who made waves at wine bar Amy Austin winning them a Michelin Bib Gourmand, now has Suertudo (meaning "lucky") in his stable too. What was formerly Dillinger's was reopened as a modern Ranelagh Mexican at the end of 2024, and its been the new lease of life that the property needed. Constantly travelling and researching, you won't find Lara and fellow chef Celina Altamirano (both Mexican) doling out the country's greatest international hits. Instead you might find camotito (sweet potato drip) with queso fresco, pescado zarandeado (fish blackened over charcoal grill with adobo rojo), or lamb birria tacos. Don't skip the margaritas. 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

Pera Top-tier tombik and Turkish coffee is some of the best value around Posted: 30 Sept 2025 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Ronan Doyle What should we know about Pera? As costs keep creeping up in every restaurant ‘round town, value is a more premium currency than ever. That’s part of why we’ve seen such interest in the new, higher-end Turkish outlets popping up all over Dublin to cater to the growing diaspora – for all they’re a little pricier than the corner kebab spots spilling sauce down drunken fronts every weekend night, places like Reyna , Chiya , Sultan’s Grill and Sofra still represent absurd value for the quality of quick casual food they’re dishing up. Pera is a name we’ve heard whispered in the same breath more than once from those in the know since their opening almost exactly a year ago, so when they expanded into the larger unit beside their prior Mary Street home with a revamped new dinner menu in the past weeks, we knew the time was right to poke our noses in. Where should we sit? You’ll likely have your pick at all but the busiest times - the new unit, previously home to Casa Brasil, has space to spare, and is much cosier than the pokey few booths packed into the previous space next door. There, they’d also allowed diners head upstairs to a spillover space shared with Pickosito – more comfortable, sure, but far from the action. In the new setting, the left of the long entryway space plays host to a lengthy kitchen counter with a street-facing charcoal grill, glistening döner spits and a shiny new wood-fired oven in prime position for loving, longing stares from the two-tops opposite. If you’re a little less obsessive than us about watching food prep in action, the four-tops a bit further back offer extra space for the more sizeable spreads you might be minded to order, albeit with wood-backed seats better suited to quick stopovers (or late night visits) than long, lingering lunches. For those, turn the bend at the back for a cosy corner kitted out with leather banquettes lining the wall and high-backed two-seaters. This is a roomier space ideal for a catchup with friends or a family outing, with plenty of high chairs at the ready. What are they cooking? Don’t skim over the menu here – among the typical döner, charcoal grill and mezzes that might at first glance seem the same as similar spots, are a few standouts rarely seen about Dublin. Chief among them is tombik (€10.90), a puffy pouch of crisp-shelled bread stuffed to bursting with lamb, chicken or mixed döner shavings and the typical kebab salads. With no disrespect to the thin lavash flatbread that’s a mainstay of most kebabs around town, this made us wish for a world where tombik is the default. The blistered bread crust and airy interior are two delicious sides of the same high-heat coin, and it's a package good enough to eat alone, regardless of filling. It’s a bonus then that the meat’s great too, with heaps of generously juicy thin-sliced chicken falling out the sides as we stuffed ourselves (but no provenance to be seen). Iskender (€17.90) is a real rarity where Dublin kebab shops are concerned (not even Talbot Street’s Iskender itself, bizarrely, serves it). Diced chunks of tirnak pide, a dimpled doughy bread, are topped with mounds of fresh-cut lamb döner and doused with a reduced tomato sauce and melted butter topping, all served beside a heap of strained yoghurt. The deep sweetness of the cooked-down sauce and cool richness of the yogurt play off the lamb’s rich flavour, though our portion’s few chewier chunks left us wondering if the döner hadn’t gone too long without being carved – the tell tale toughness of added time up against the heat had us thinking how much better this would be at busier times. If you’re adding on mezzes, don’t miss the atom (€5.90), served with a fresh disc of tirnak pide alongside. This kicked our iskender into an altogether higher gear, with breath-stinkingly strong garlic stirred through strained yogurt and topped with fiery dried chilli oil – a full-on flavour feast far more assertive than regular yogurt alone. We packed it into the tombik too - it’s hard to imagine any dish this wouldn’t improve. Three things sent us hurtling headlong into the baked flatbread section: our constant quest for value; that spanking-new wood-fired grill; and one glimpse at the size of the pide and lahmacun being pulled out of it. The latter was one of our must-tries from Sultan’s Grill and it’s both better and cheaper here at €6.90 a serving to eclipse all but the biggest of heads. Pastry so crisp it practically shatters at the touch is spread with minced lamb, diced onions and peppers, oven-rendered fat giving it all the texture of spread sausage. Pile it high with the fresh salad on the side and wrap it up tight – as budget lunches go, you can’t do much better. We’d be happily filled from that alone but if you’re properly ravenous look at the “Turkish pizza” that is pide (€12.90). We can never pass up sucuk, the fermented beef sausage with layers of mild spiced flavour, scattered here among a molten excess of cheese just-about hemmed in by the singed paper-thin crust, perfectly punctuating the gooey, stretchy indulgence. This one's for sharing. Not even arch gluttons like us could stomach the thought of dessert after all of that, as tempted as we were by the glowing fridge opposite. Baklava and rice pudding look the part, while a glimpse and whiff of a bubbling kunefe en route to another table gave us every faith it's on the level we lapped up at Sofra . How was the service? Very fast. We almost told them they’d got the wrong table when our food arrived out spread across the arms of two staff what felt like ten minutes after we’d ordered it - this is a great go-to when you need a good feed quick. Friendly but unfussy check-ins followed suit – you’re in safe hands. What did it all come to? Three of us ate to the point we kinda wished we hadn’t for just short of €20 a head – that’s just silly value for a feast like this. You would find it very difficult to spend much more than that and have any hope of leaving empty plates behind. What’s the verdict on Pera? A Turkish coffee (€3.90) to finish here is obligatory – only such strong, stark caffeine could get us up out of our seats after all that. The two-pour prep over hot sand is a whole ritual we wish they’d given us more of an angle on, but the dainty delicate cup and its deeply aromatic notes is after-dinner show enough. It’s a Turkish tradition to turn the cup over after and tell your fortune from the shapes the unfiltered grounds leave running down the sides, Our seer skills might be rusty, we’re pretty sure ours predicted we wouldn’t be needing dinner that night, and that there’s a horde of people who’ll be rushing into Pera for value and quality like this. New Openings & Discoveries More >>

Fish, chips, snacks, wine. Casual, bar counter dining at its best, with lovely service from warm staff. Brilliant wine list full of interesting discoveries that the team will be more than happy to talk you through. There's nowhere better for fish, chips and a bottle of Champagne. Fish Shop Website fish-shop.ie Address 76 Benburb St, Smithfield, Dublin 7 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story Fish, chips, snacks, wine. Casual, bar counter dining at its best, with lovely service from warm staff. Brilliant wine list full of interesting discoveries that the team will be more than happy to talk you through. There's nowhere better for fish, chips and a bottle of Champagne. 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

All the modern French bistro vibes from Sandy and John Wyer (Forest Avenue, Little Forest, Una Bakery). Located above M.O'Brien's pub (formerly home to The Sussex), the dark wood and deep blue room has never looked better or felt cosier, and the menu of upmarket French bistro classics features hit after hit. Try the leeks vinaigrette, the chicken liver parfait, and the headline grabbing chicken au vin jaune, and no matter how full you are, there's always room for the croissant pudding made with Una leftovers for dessert. Forêt Website foret.ie Address Forêt, Dublin 4, Ireland Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story All the modern French bistro vibes from Sandy and John Wyer (Forest Avenue, Little Forest, Una Bakery). Located above M.O'Brien's pub (formerly home to The Sussex), the dark wood and deep blue room has never looked better or felt cosier, and the menu of upmarket French bistro classics features hit after hit. Try the leeks vinaigrette, the chicken liver parfait, and the headline grabbing chicken au vin jaune, and no matter how full you are, there's always room for the croissant pudding made with Una leftovers for dessert. 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

Chimac Korean fried chicken comes to town Posted: 11 Jun 2019 Neighbourhood Neighborhood Name Address Restaurant Address Website Website Name Restaurant Info View the Listing >> Written by: Lisa Cope What’s the story? Has Dublin ever been more excited for chicken? It feels like we've been waiting for Chimac for an actual eternity (in reality it's been about a year), but after very long delays with the site on Aungier Street, they finally opened their doors two weeks ago. Owners Sofie Rooney and Garret Fitzgerald first discovered Korean fried chicken while living in San Francisco, in a predominantly Asian neighbourhood, and the addiction was solidified after a trip to Seoul in 2016. Back home in Dublin they couldn't find the sweet, spicy, salty chicken that they loved anywhere, and the idea for Chimac was born. Sofie had been working in branding and marketing but has a background in hospitality, while Garret is a chef and brewer, most recently working in Masa and Bunsen. The couple have spent the last two years experimenting with a commercial fryer at home, trying different brines, batters and flavour combinations, before settling on the menu for Chimac. The chicken is free-range (they wanted organic but couldn't find anyone supplying it on a commercial basis), the sauces and pickles are home made and the beers are Irish, which is a lot of boxes ticked before we've even gotten in the door. What’s the room like? Long, narrow and basic. It's probably not somewhere you'll linger, which is just the way they want it. There's bench seating at one wall and small two-seater tables at the other. We would say plump for the tables near the window for the light and the Aungier Street people watching, but you'll probably only have a choice of tables if you're first in the queue when they open. What's good to eat? The menu consists of chicken burgers (made from breast meat), wings, and XL nugs (deep-fried chunks of chicken thigh). They also have panko tofu burgers and cauli wings for any veggies or vegans in tow. They say they're not trying to be completely authentic to Korean food, and wanted to introduce aspects to make their food "uniquely Irish". There are four burgers on the menu - the classic, the kimcheese, the K-BBQ and the 4-in-1 with curry sauce and rice (there's that Irish influence). We fell hard for the kimcheese with ssamjang & cheddar cheese sauce, spring onion kimchi and gochujang mayo, with a gargantuan piece of chicken in a potato bun. All the flavours, crispy, crunchy chicken, and a cheese sauce that reminded us of McDonalds in the best possible sense - finally a way to get that taste without the need for a full body cleanse afterwards. We also tried the 4-in-1 with house curry sauce, crisped rice, pickled chilli and gochujang mayo, and if you're a fan of those multi-layered trays from the Chinese this will be right up your street. Unfortunately they brought the wrong sauce so we ended up dipping it into pickleback mayo instead of gochujang, which jarred against the curry flavour, but alone the burger did exactly what you'd think it would. One thing they do need to figure out is the differing sizes of the chicken fillets. Some are quite literally double the size of others, and while it might be a bonus to get a bigger one than you were expecting, it probably won't be welcome if you get a smaller one than those in the pictures. We can imagine there were probably unhappy customers showing up in the last week expecting to get something like the kimcheese (above), and instead getting something the size of the 4-in-1, below. The XL nugs come in three flavours - Korean hot, K-BBQ and naked with sriracha caramel pourover, and you can get three, six or nine, so the option is there to try all of the flavours in one sitting. Our favourite was the K-BBQ, followed by the sriracha caramel, a tasty combination of sweetness and heat. We were less keen on the buffalo hot, finding them a little dull in comparison. The chicken was so tender and juicy and the batter perfectly crunchy - if you're not into meat off the bone these are for you. The pickled onions on top were a refreshing touch too. The wings come with the same flavour options, and again were finger lickin' good, with the same juicy meat and crispy batter. They come in six or twelve, and are ideal for anyone who enjoys getting every last morsel of meat and batter off a chicken bone. Finger bowls or wipes would be appreciated though - napkins don't quite cut it with this type of eating. They do sides of house fries or cucumber salad. On both times we visited they had no cucumber due to delivery issues, and on one occasion they had no fries, but the time we did manage to nab them they were outrageously crispy - maybe the crispiest chips in the city. They lose this crispness as they cool so get stuck in fast, but at their peak they're special. They're supposed to have cookie ice-cream sandwiches on the menu for dessert, but as of writing they're still trying to catch their breath and find time to add them into the mix. In the meantime Scoop is a few doors down, or you could try the new nitrogen ice-cream shop, Three Twenty , on Drury Street. What about the drinks? One word. Frosé. The whole concept might be based around fried chicken and cold beer, but we think their frozen rosé slushies in enamel cups are going to be one of the drinks of 2019 - cold, limey, winey perfection. They're working on other slushies too, but this one is far too easy to drink. The majority of the craft beers are Irish and all in cans, with Whiplash, White Hag and Rascals amongst others, and there's a short wine list of prosecco, two whites, two reds and a rosé, which isn't going to have the wine nuts running, but is functional nonetheless. We'd be sticking to the beer or the frosé. And the service? Owner Sofie is running front of house and all of the staff were lovely, but it's clear they are still finding their feet and struggling to cope with initial demand (blame those amazing pictures taken by Sofie's brother Max ). The first weekend they opened saw them close several times due to running out of chicken, something that continued into the following week, and one of the lunchtimes we ate there they were full by 12:35, despite only opening at 12:30. They will take your number and let you know when your table is ready, so least you don't have to stand in a queue outside and can go for a wander or a drink, and it is a fast turnaround type of place. At times customers were struggling to get their server's attention, but this was more to do with busyness than ambivalence. The verdict? Chimac has the makings of being the next Bunsen. The menu is sleek but punchy, the low prices make it accessible for everyone, any night of the week, and they've pretty much nailed the food, which is the most important element in the equation. They're definitely having some teething issues with stock control (and probably labour), so if you want to see it at full force we'd hang back for a few weeks and let them iron out the creases, but at €12.50 for a chicken burger and chips this is somewhere you'll be likely to come back to again and again. We certainly will be. Chimac 76 Aungier Street, Dublin 2 www.chimac.ie New Openings & Discoveries More >>

"Food with purpose" is how As One describe themselves, and it's not a meaningless mission statement. The highest levels of care and energy are given to building relationships with the farmers, food makers and producers supplying their ingredients, and in how they serve them to ensure maximum nourishment for their customers. Gut health is big in here so expect all the ferments, whole foods and minimal messing with them. As One Website asone.ie Address Unit 3, 13 - 18 City Quay, Dublin 2 Good For Tag 1 Cuisine Tag 1 Once Over Read our Review >> The Story "Food with purpose" is how As One describe themselves, and it's not a meaningless mission statement. The highest levels of care and energy are given to building relationships with the farmers, food makers and producers supplying their ingredients, and in how they serve them to ensure maximum nourishment for their customers. Gut health is big in here so expect all the ferments, whole foods and minimal messing with them. 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

Roots Website rootsproject-ie.squarespace.com Address TBC 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

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