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One heat wave later and there’s no denying the summer has finally come, bringing with it a fresh new seasonal bounty of ingredients to shake up menus across Dublin city and surrounds. From the juiciest sour-sweet Wexford strawberries, to podded peas and the first sights of stone fruit, here’s the best of the early summer inventions around town right now. Strawberry baklava, Amy Austin Amy Austin head chef Victor Lara has cooked up a whistle-stop world tour for his summer menu this year, with a range of internationally-inspired dishes from Morocco to Japan making for a whole lot of choice - we’re thinking a group happy to share it all might be a good idea here. The cherry (strawberry) on top has to be this summer baklava with fresh basil - what a beauty. Ricotta gnudi with tarragon and pea puree, The Winding Stair Summer often gets overlooked among the seasons for the simple reason most of its best ingredients are now available year-round, if only awfully unsustainably: the real joy of the season comes in tasting them at their local, fresh best. We would happily take just a plate of The Winding Stair ’s pea puree; as far as we’re concerned, all this added goodness of ricotta gnudi, wild Irish mushrooms and tarragon on top is a bonus. Summer sandwich, Tir Deli We love Tir Deli ‘s idea of soft-launching seasonal items at half-price, as they did with their sandwich over the weekend - what better way to get people excited about summer ingredients? They’ve gone with seasonal greens and grilled veg here, layered with garlic and herb cream cheese, between chunky slices of beautifully-browned focaccia. Strawberry salad, Daddy’s There’s nothing we love more in seasonal menus than familiar ingredients used in unexpected ways. Daddy’s have given Wexford strawberries a break from the dessert menu and tossed them in a salad instead, with Cashel blue, spelt, McNally leaves, tarragon croutons and crackers. This is the kind of summer creativity we're all about. Citrus and Rush raspberry Danish, Noisette New bakery Noisette has been knocking out summer specialties lately like the clock is ticking, and while we’re just as keen to try their apricot and pear treats, it’s the hyper-locality of Rush raspberries that will have us heading straight for this one. A sharp citrus cream inside the crisp Danish completes the effect. Pride tart, Bread Man Walking Ever a mainstay of our seasonal special rundowns, Bread Man Walking has done a double on summer with a colourful Pride tart making the most of these fruit-filled months. We’re especially into the little slivers of candied kumquat sitting among the more typical tart fruits. Strawberry and elderflower Danish, Scéal In a very crowded field for prettiest plate this season, the gong might just have to go to Scéal for this beauty. Elderflower syrup-macerated strawberries sit in a whipped elderflower ganache piped over strawberry jam - if you got through that without feeling weak at the knees, you’re made of sterner stuff than us. The bad news is they’re taking a little break for now, but you can join the queue for this one first thing on June 30th. Apricot tart, BaaBaa Café Apricot and thyme is one of the low-key great combos of summer cooking, so we’re dying to try this frangipane tart by BaaBaa in Chapelizod, with the sweet citrus acidity of orange. We might just as easily have picked out their pretty pink raspberry and orange muffins to feature here; luckily there’s no such Sophie’s choice when choosing which to eat. Blue fin tuna, Mr Fox Fish and shellfish are too often forgotten when it comes to seasonality - as well as lobster, summer brings with it the best and biggest blue fin tuna. Mr Fox are bringing out its best with jalapeno, sugar snap and brown beech, all dressed in a light ponzu sauce. The rest of the June menu has plenty to turn heads too - we’re all over the strawberry and vanilla plate. Dark chocolate tart with strawberries, The Woollen Mills Sometimes it’s best to just step back and let the season’s best ingredients speak for themselves, no frills needed. At The Woollen Mills , they’re serving naked Wicklow strawberries beside a vegan dark chocolate tart, to let the berries’ natural sweetness play off the rich chocolate intensity. Enough said. Raspberry and pistachio sponge, Luna Luna have outdone themselves with this spectacle of a seasonal plate, pairing raspberries and a piped pistachio cream over a Chambord-soaked sponge, and finishing it with two sweet cigars of meringue. We can only imagine the rush of textures and flavours that comes from biting into this. Tagliatelle con zucchini, Aperitivo Aperitivo ’s new specials all look great - we'll never say no to an asparagus risotto - but it’s this creamy courgette pasta that has us most excited. At this stage of the season we’ve not seen all too much courgette crop up around the place, but here’s hoping this marks a starting gun. Strawberry pavlova cruffin, Bread 41 Never to be outdone on the seasonal special front, Bread 41 are straight out the gate with another extravagant confection we can't stop thinking about tearing into. Their famed dough is filled with a whipped mascarpone, strawberry citrus puree and a strawberry-topped meringue, and if that doesn’t bring the summer mood, nothing will...

Every season has its bounties, and we love them all equally - it’s just that we might love Spring a little more equally than the rest. The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it brevity of many of its best ingredients makes this time of year a seasonal sprint of trying to get to as much as possible before its too late, so from the tail end of forced rhubarb to the first sights of wild garlic, here’s the best Spring dishes in Dublin right now. Cod, shiitake and wild garlic, Delahunt Delahunt are leaning hard into wild garlic’s vibrant palette with the head-turning colours on this plate. Thin-sliced shiitake is layered like scales over a loin of cod, all swimming in a sauce of wild garlic and dashi. If that bright, brilliant green doesn’t scream spring, we don’t know what does. Octopus, chickpea and wild fennel, A Fianco Full credit to the folks at A Fianco for bringing the best of seasonal Italian ingredients to Dublin: after spoiling us with ovoli mushrooms in autumn they’re now treating us to a taste of wild fennel, bringing delicate balance to a dish of grilled octopus, mashed chickpeas and a chili breadcrumb topping. We’ve already been round to sample this one, and we think you need do too. Wild garlic grilled cheese, Loose Canon You can practically hear the squeals of excitement going up around Dublin every time a new toastie drops at Loose Canon . This wine bar is expert at pairing the finest fromage with all manner of in-season ingredients for a truly satisfying small plate. Here, wild garlic makes for an ideal bedfellow with the earthy notes of raw cow’s milk cheese Cáis Dubh. Roast white chocolate and rhubarb cheesecake, Volpe Nera Our favourite spring fruit (though it’s technically a vegetable) gets the three-ways treatment in Volpe Nera ’s cheesecake dessert with a gel, ice cream and poached baton of rhubarb amping up the pink prettiness. That makes for a lot of tart flavour, perfect to cut through the sweet caramel complexity of roasted white chocolate - a very smart pairing. Gnudi with morels, broad beans and crispy eggs, Mamó One of the more prized wild mushroom varieties, morels thrive in the warming, wet soil of springtime, popping out of the ground and onto our plates for a blissful few weeks beginning in late March. Mamó have paired them with another classic spring ingredient in asparagus and layered the two among the contrasting textures of gnudi and crispy eggs. We’re all in for all of this. Rhubarb choux, The Morning Bakery As the forced rhubarb season comes to a close for another year, canny cooks will be whipping up all manner of compotes and chutneys, pickles and preserves, to make it last a few more months. Newcomer The Morning Bakery has gone for a jam and piped in into a choux bun along with a lashing of cream. What better way to say goodbye. Dublin Bay prawns with morels, Glover’s Alley It’s Michelin Star morels over at Glover’s Alley , where the wild mushrooms are paired with our very own Dublin Bay prawns, and rounded out with the seasoned succulence of lardo and parsley oil. For those looking to really spoil themselves this spring. Wild garlic and chicken melt, 147 Deli There’s no end to the inventive ways wild garlic can be used to add flavour to a dish, but pesto might just be our favourite. The latest of 147 Deli ’s ever-excellent specials blends the foraged herb with ricotta and walnuts and slathers it over roasted chicken thigh, smoked streaky bacon and melted mozzarella. Move quick on this one – it’s only on for the week. Mushroom and wild garlic slice, Bambino Dublin’s buzziest slice shop Bambino gets in on the seasonal game with a square slab that sings spring’s praises, while acknowledging, eh, it still feels a bit wintry. Mounds of hen of the woods and chestnut mushrooms are topped off with a wild garlic salsa verde (see, we said there’s no end), three cheeses and a garlic crema. Glorious. Lemon posset with rhubarb and hazelnut crumb, Lottie’s The light, sharp sensation of posset might not be unique to spring, but it’s a dessert that always puts us in mind of longer evenings. Lottie's have used the complimentary textures of pink poached rhubarb and a chunky hazelnut crumb to add fruity, nutty notes to the creamy lemon base for a simple but sophisticated seasonal spoonful.

It’s been a summer of extremes, from the record-setting rain that’s left all of Ireland in a slump, to the wildfire-fuelling heatwaves somehow making us feel lucky by comparison. One of the reasons we love to periodically pick out the best seasonal dishes in the city is to remind ourselves that everything should not be available all of the time. The consumerist drive to get around that with artificial conditions and endless importation is part of what’s led us to such extremes, which ironically now endanger so many harvests of all our favourites. So let’s embrace the fresh and fleeting, the local and limited, the food worth wolfing down while it’s here and waiting another year for afterwards... Courgette flower, Volpe Nera The humble courgette is a great example of a vegetable we’ve gotten used to seeing on shelves year-round, but it’s right in the midst of peak season now. With that comes its beautiful flowers, with paper thin leaves just begging to be stuffed and fried. Volpe Nera have done just that, with a ricotta filling and truffle honey glaze bringing out the best of these fresh summer flavours. Custard and peach cinnamon rolls, BaaBaa There’s no complimentary combo we love as much at this time of year as ripe peaches and thyme, so we went wide-eyed with interest to see Chapelizod’s BaaBaa working the two together in a cinnamon roll. The fluffy dough and thick, thick custard is topped with rose petals, lemon zest and a sprinkling of pistachio - we’ll take a tray, please. Sea bream with ajo blanco & green tomato, Note Tomato is another ingredient we’ve come to expect - even demand - all year round, and as much as a creative chef can bring out these fruits’ flavours out of season with a few tricks up their sleeve, nothing beats the genuine article at the height of summer, simply sliced. Note have paired a green variety with sea bream and ajo blanco for a dish to bring out their very ripe best. August salad, Daddy’s Cast your mind back to childhood days of rolled-up ham slices and spoonfuls of coleslaw - nothing says summer quite like an Irish salad. Daddy’s have a little more refinement to theirs than that weird old fridge platter of yore, with marinated courgette joining cannellini beans, jammy eggs and a fennel seed cream cheese (for realz) for a truly pretty plate. Pear and caramel cruffin, Noisette It’s not even funny how many times a month we catch sight of one of Noisette ’s perfect pastries in the feed and feel motivated to make a beeline straight for Rush. Pears are another fruit we’ve (wrongly) stopped thinking of as seasonal, but these underrated pomes are coming into their own right about now. Baked in a cruffin oozing with caramel is one of the best ways we can think of eating them. Tuna carpaccio, A Fianco Tinning has ensured tuna is thought of as another year-round bounty, but its season kicks in only over the summer, so it’s a great time to get the best of freshly-caught fish. No better place to enjoy it than A Fianco , who’ve leaned into the summer theme with almonds, watermelon and (get this) an aubergine caviar. We won’t say no to that Sicilian bottle of wine either. Nameko mushrooms with summer truffle rice, Hang Dai Chances are you think of truffles as a winter thing, but while some of the most prized specimens show up in the colder months, summer brings its own species, with an intense umami flavour that’s not to be sniffed at. Hang Dai pair them with nameko mushrooms, rice and thinly-sliced spring onions for a fresh, complex dish with all the flavours. Courgette bialy, Bread 41 Bread 41 have been having fun playing around with the Bialy, a Polish bread not unlike a bagel, and they’ve given them a summer makeover with (yes, even more) courgette. It’s spiralled up atop a filling of ajo blanco and finished with the salty goodness of sea purslane, in a creation that gets full marks for originality. Pork and gooseberry, D’Olier Street The tart tang of gooseberries has been disappointingly scarce on the scene so far this year (the great Breadman Walking was one notable exception). They’re an endlessly versatile ingredient not often enough given the chance to shine on a savoury plate. D’Olier Street have paired them in sauce form with pork and a gremolata-topped charred cabbage for a simple presentation that lets these little beauties shine. Bilberry donut, Flower ‘n’ Bean What-berry, we hear some of you say? Flower ‘n’ Bean have done up a duo of sweet treats with this many-named fruit, a bit of a rarity across Dublin dishes. Tart and acidic, they’re at their best offsetting richly sweet flavours, so perfect for the sugar-coated donut and icing-drizzled brioche bun that’s been cooked up here. Courgette, burrata and peach, Pichet The versatility of many summer fruits is one of the things we really love about the season - for all the joy of a sweet peach dessert, it’s savoury dishes that really brings out this one’s complexity. Pichet get it, and their combo of bitter leaves, spiced pistachio and burrata, along with a few healthy shavings of courgette sounds like an alluring combo.

If we were to survey Dublin’s chefs on their favourite time of year, there’s a very good chance it’s right now that would come out on top. Even without much of a summer to transition from this year, there’s a special magic in watching the shortening nights usher in recipes of root veg and gourds, in the satisfying scent of pies packed with tree fruits and ripe berries. Leaves are falling all around, autumn is on our plate, and these are the best seasonal dishes the city has to offer right now... Autumn salad, Margadh RHA Of course it’s not just fruit and veg chefs love this season for - meat is especially good as hunting season comes around, and duck is chief among its favourites. Cooked confit, it’s been paired by Margadh in the RHA with peak-season crisp red cabbage, roast cashews and a palm sugar vinaigrette for a lunchtime feast. Spiced meringue carrot cake, Orani New Blanchardstown arrival Orani has come about as close as you can to capturing a season in a snapshot here. Carrots might rarely be out of season in Ireland, but their sweet earthiness is never more welcome than on windy and wet autumn days, especially in the wholesome spice of a carrot cake. A torched meringue topping and smores hot chocolate to wash it down are the double icing on the cake. Pumpkin and cinnamon bundt cake, Triangle Coffee Co You can’t move for all the pumpkin flavour making its way into hot drinks this time of year in Dublin, but it’s the arrival in cakes we await every September. Donabate’s Triangle Coffee Co are leading the pack so far with these pretty, petite bundt cakes, loaded with thick frosting and dusted with cinnamon for a lightly spiced kick. Squash orecchiette, Brookwood The pitch-perfect pairing of squash and sage is among the very best things about autumn, and Baggott Street’s Brookwood have taken it to a whole new level by pairing it with orecchiette and – get this – a parmesan custard. Look at the sear on that squash, the crispness of that sage, the gloss of that custard. There’s little about town we’re this eager to eat. Rabbit casoncelli, Grano The word “autumn” derives from the Latin “to enrich”, and we think this new pasta plate from Stoneybatter’s Grano is the ideal illustration. They’ve stuffed casoncelli with rabbit and loaded the lot with toasted hazelnuts, taggiache olives and a chard sauce for a seasonal feast that’ll make you feel like you’re whiling away an autumn evening in the heart of Calabria. Connemara oysters, Row Wines It may only be a mercifully short stint through late spring and summer when native oysters are busy breeding and unsuitable to eat, but it always feels like an eternity to us. Row Wines are among the Dublin restaurants bringing them back with a bang, with a green aguachile granita adding a punch to their prized Connemara classics. Autumn brioche bun, Fable Bakery Fast becoming one of the city's go-to spots for seasonal baking is Dawson Street's Fable Bakery , and this beautiful brioche bun looks like one of their most impressive yet. Spiced apple and blackberry jam brings a one-two punch of sour-sweet seasonality, while a pink peppercorn infused mascarpone cream and ginger crumble have us trying to fit this into next week's eating schedule. Seasonal French toast, Milo’s The good folks at Milo’s can always be relied on to capitalise on the season, and their latest seasonal French toast is a fully-fledged Autumnal indulgence, with a cinnamon apple compote and fresh blackberries spicing up their brunch menu. They’ve also got a brilliant-looking spiced plum and pistachio babka on the go, if you fancy seconds. Cube choux, Luna We can see why Luna felt the need to put this one in all caps - their showstopper seasonal dessert’s pastry is pretty enough on its own, and that’s before you get to the goodies piled on top. Fresh apricots, apricot compote, dark cherries, a lemongrass ganache - it's a paean to what the season can be. Poached pear financier, Pichet Pichet have leaned into the classic combination of autumn fruits and almonds for the latest dessert to hit their menu. An icing sugar-dusted warm financier sits beside slices of poached pear and a quenelle of brown butter ice cream, before the lot is anointed with a generous squirt of bay leaf crème anglaise. Just try to say all that without licking your lips. Salt-baked venison, Library Street It’s relatively early days for venison season yet, but that hasn’t held Library Street back from setting the bar high. The leanness of deer meat makes it easy to overcook – much less so in the spiced salt crust it’s been baked in here. Beetroot and pear on the side make this plate all the more autumnal – we're very jealous of anyone who gets to eat this over the next few weeks. Squash tortelli, Clanbrassil House There’s a bit of a dearth of interesting autumn mushrooms so far among the menus we’ve surveyed, so we’re happy to see Clanbrassil House heroing trompettes alongside their Hokkaido squash tortelli and little slivers of Cáis na Tíre. That standout element just about inches this one over the line ahead of their peanut butter semifreddo with poached apricots and miso caramel – but you might as well have both if you're in there. Calamansi tartlet, Chapter One We usually hone in on local seasonal produce in these menu run-downs, but who could deny Chapter One 's stunning calamansi tartlet a place. The Filipino fruit is currently enjoying its short peak season, and true to form Mickael Viljanen has seized the opportunity, leaning on a crisp tart shell and black sesame to bring out its very best.

Few crops better showcase all-in-one the impact of weather conditions than the pumpkin in 2023: the mild summer made for ideal growing, leading to plenty of bigger-than-usual specimens in shops and markets across the country, but aggressive autumn rain left much of this bumper bounty turned to mush before the time to harvest - as nature giveth, so she taketh away. Luckily Dublin’s chefs have had no problem getting their hands on some of these giant gourds, and they're still dominating late autumn menus. Here’s the best plates around the city right now to see out the season with... Pork belly with sweet potato purée, Urbanity Nothing brings out the flavour of pork quite like autumn ingredients, and Urbanity are nailing it with this combo. The earthiness of sweet potato purée is the perfect complement to rich meat and gravy, while the fresh tartness of an apple and chilli slaw is there to cut through the fattiness. Bok choy adds a dash of colour while peanut rayu brings the crunch. Does seasonal lunch come much better? Portobello mushroom toast, Legit Coffee Co You can practically hear the rustling of fallen leaves underfoot just looking at this one. Legit Coffee Co have taken the stalwart autumn flavours of portobello mushroom and butternut squash and kicked them into high gear with broccoli bechamel (!) and a poached egg. This creamy, earthy, crunchy treat is everything we want as the nights close in. Apple pastry, Library Street “Apple pastry” hardly does this one much justice, but sometimes words aren’t good enough. Except maybe “wow”. Library Street are no stranger to knockout seasonal inventions, but this dessert takes the biscuit. Two varietals of autumnal apple have gone into this tarte tatin-style pastry, with calamansi and a sorbet of the ever-delicious Killahora apple ice wine among the other hat-tips to the season. No, you can't look away. Roast crown prince pumpkin, As One You might think we’d have run out of roast pumpkin and sage combos at this stage, but you’d be very, very wrong: we could savour the contrast of crispy leaves and softened flesh every day of autumn. As One have our latest favourite twist with lovely little touches like skin-on crown prince, homemade ricotta, chilli and onion preserve, and miso pumpkin seeds. Roast pumpkin and cavolo nero, Root In the very unlikely event we do ever sour on sage and pumpkin, there are plenty of other green partners to turn to instead. New opening Root in Skerries have gone for one of the best bitter-sweet pairings around with this cavolo nero knock up, adding ricotta and pumpkin seeds for a classic comfort dish that ticks all the autumnal boxes. Pear mille feuille, Lottie’s We are always here for seeing pear get some love and attention at this time of year, lest we forget even this always-present fruit has a peak season. Lottie’s have gone and poached them in a spiced syrup with anise and cinnamon, before sandwiching slices with vanilla cream between layers of mille feuille pastry and drizzling with chocolate cream. Pea and pumpkin fritter, Tir Deli Just look at the deep-fried crisp of that. We can’t get ever how crunchy-delicious these spiced fritters from Tir Deli look, made from mashed pea and organic pumpkin batter, and served over hazelnut-pumpkin paté with a healthy dose of pickled veg. The pink aioli and bright seasonal greens only add to the autumn-appropriate burst of colour. Hen of the woods with roast celeriac, Note We said in our early autumn dish dispatch a few weeks back that we were just a touch disappointed at Dublin’s mushroom game this year. Here comes Note riding to the rescue with the help of hen of the woods, one of the great autumn mushrooms. They’ve sandwiched them between a healthy slab of roast celeriac and a generous serve of house pepper sauce. We want it now. Pumpkin spice cheesecake, Cloud Picker You might rightly say pumpkin spice has been done to death these last few years, but here’s a cake to bring it back from the brink. Cloud Picker are stocking a seasonal special from Coconut and Moo Moo , made from roasted crown prince and a seven spice mix to give burnt Basque cheesecake style an autumnal kick. We’re convinced. Autumn salad, Oliveto It’s squash and sage over at Dun Laoghaire’s Oliveto rather than pumpkin: their seasonal salad amps up the bitterness with a handful of chicory and radicchio leaves to cut through the sweetness of the Delica squash and the creaminess of a burrata ball in the centre. A sprinkle of crunchy seeds finishes off this tempting mish-mash of textures. Squash and mushroom pizza, Bambino It’s not only their sizeable slices that have seen Bambino make a fast-track for the affections of Dublin diners since opening last year, it’s also the host of regular specials that keep people coming back for more. A kuri squash puree base and a mix of wild mushrooms look like a winning combo here, with garlic, rosemary and a duo of cheese rounding it off. Venison chop, Variety Jones If you can make it through this video without putting your coat on and making for the Liberties, you’re made of stronger stuff than us. Variety Jones ’ tilt into game season sees a barbecued venison chop served alongside greens-on turnips, cabbage, gnocchi, and chanterelles with a glorious, glistening finale of pepper sauce. It has us wishing autumn would never end.

Landing us with a sudden flurry of snow on the first day of Spring might be the most Irish thing ever, but for all the lingering winter vibes that weather suggests, the seasons have certainly changed across Dublin’s menus. Our fave forced rhubarb is everywhere we look, the brilliance of blood orange is in no short supply, and we’re starting to see the very first shoots of wild garlic. Here’s where to go to eat the best of Spring in the city... Blood orange sponge, Two Pups Bringing a touch of seasonal love to the Liberties, Two Pups dreamed up this pretty-in-pink beauty as a Valentine special and have kept it going ever since. Blood orange sponge is drizzled with pink icing and topped with delicate blobs of piped cream – we’re in love. Rhubarb brioche bun, Fable Dawson Street’s Fable is a class-act at working with the seasons’ best bounties, and this new rhubarb brioche bun is just the latest example. Pistachio and the pink stuff are a god-given combo with time to shine here alongside a mascarpone cream infused with tarragon. It’s been sold out every time we’ve tried to get one, and is it any wonder. Rhubarb pastry, Bread 41 Constant innovators Bread 41 win the ingenuity award hands-down with the audacity of a rhubarb sherbet to a Danish special. This particular pastry might not be on when you wander in, but never fear, they’ve been sprinkling the stuff on plenty of new creations. Classic bedfellows blood orange, ginger and pistachio are also on hand to bring out the ruby stalks’ best. Blood orange cake, Daddy’s Over in Rialto they’re letting blood orange, too often consigned to a supporting role, speak for itself. This beautifully bright cake from Daddy’s goes dense with a mix of sweet semolina and almond flours, all the better to absorb the bitter boldness of the sliced citrus fruits and added Campari. They’ve only gone and done a rhubarb and geranium jam too. Rhubarb mille feuille, Bread Man Walking We’re loathe to whet your appetite with things you can’t immediately go out and get for yourself, but Gerry Godley (aka Bread Man Walking )’s recent ode to rhubarb is a beautifully-put expression of why, sometimes, that’s the sheer joy of seasonality all in itself. As long as the forced stuff is hanging around – that’s just a few more short weeks now – we’re sure Gerry will be doing the best stuff in the city with it. Rhubarb and custard brioche, Bread Naturally There are plenty of fancy flavours and out-there offerings on this list, but sometimes simplicity is hard to beat. Bread Naturally ’s brioche leans into the pared-back pleasures of rhubarb and custard and we’re 100% on board. The soft lightness of brioche, the mellow sweetness of crème pat, the sharp tang of rhubarb - who needs more? Sea scallop crudo with blood orange, Mamo Look at the colours on this one. Ever quick to usher in the seasons, Mamo have used the citrus acidity of blood orange to centre an Irish sea scallop crudo. There’s pickled chilli for heat and coriander oil to bring it all together – if it tastes half as good as it looks, we might be ordering seconds. Rhubarb and vanilla maritozzi, Elliot’s Over in Phibsborough, Elliot’s are throwing themselves full throttle into the season with a seemingly endless slew of Spring confections. Their mille feuille turned our head too but in a straight shootout it’s got to be the maritozzi. These brioche buns are filled with a rhubarb vanilla compote and topped with a silky crème légère. There’s a blood orange and pistachio one on the go, too. Apple and rhubarb almond bake, Honey Truffle There’s a lot going on in this seasonal traybake from Honey Truffle , and we’re here for every last part of it. Apple, lemon and rhubarb bring all the fruity flavours, while the complimentary pairing of coconut and almond grounds things nicely. It’s almost a shame to slice this one up. Almost. Spring greens slice, Mani Seasonal pizza is something we can always get behind, and newcomers Mani are getting in on the game with this gorgeously green slice, spread with spinach bechamel and loaded with tender stem broccoli and sugar snap peas. Dabs of Cashel blue and drizzles of garlic and thyme honey seal the deal. These slices also reheat great at home - they'll put instructions in your takeaway box - so it's never a bad idea to grab a few for later if you're passing. Custard and rhubarb jelly donut, The Morning We can’t get over the cute little rhubarb jellies anointing these seasonal donuts from The Morning bakery in Portobello, and the campaign to get them sold by the bagful starts here. As they are here, sitting atop a thick custard cap on the sugar-dusted donuts, will do just fine until then though. Stuffed morels with wild garlic and foie gras, Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen It’s usually well into March before you see wild garlic emerging, but trust Chapter One to get out in front with this stunner of a plate. Stuffed morels would be enough in their own right, never mind the sultry spoonful of sherry vinegar sabayon it’s being bathed in here, and the talk of calves tail braising juices. Pure filth.

It might be hard to believe it now, but when we published our early spring update on Dublin’s best seasonal plates, the streets were still sporting snow. So it goes with spring, a season all about leading us gently from the dark depths of winter to the brighter nights and plates of summer. It’s asparagus all round at the moment, with the prized white stuff at the tail end of its short season; the last gasps of wild garlic are blooming, and some early summer arrivals are offering a peek of what’s ahead… Spring Veg Galette, Elliot’s Where better to start than a tart that sums it all up: Elliot’s excels at bringing the best of the season to their pastry plates (they don't actually have plates), and this stunning creation is the latest illustration. Flaky layers of pastry laden with ricotta make a crispy, creamy vessel for peas, asparagus, new potatoes and radishes. Wild garlic pesto dotted on top is a good reminder to get preserving while you can. Lamb croquettes, Row Wines A great pairing of two of spring’s most famous foodstuffs, Row Wines ’ croquettes take a herb-crusted ball of melt-in-the-mouth lamb ragu and top and tail it with a vibrant wild garlic mayo – another idea for the home chefs among you not ready to wave goodbye just yet. Simple idea, superb execution – this is one of the standout snacks around town right now. Asparagus with Parmesan sauce, Osteria Lucio Asparagus lends itself best to unfussy treatments, and for all the wowza colour of the parmesan sauce and precise plating of the wild garlic flowers on Osteria Lucio ’s starter, the simple spears are the stars of the show. We'll take the deep-fried capers flavour bomb though. Irish crab, The Seafood Café The Seafood Café is pairing up with Madrí beer for the month of May to celebrate Irish crab, which is just coming into the start of its lengthy season, and the good game they’re talking on limited supply ticks all the boxes for what we like to see in seasonal cooking. There’s six dishes to try from a classic dressed crab to smashed claws, all with a free beer thrown in for €25. White asparagus with prosciutto and hollandaise, Brighton Road Maybe it’s the super-short season that does it, but there’s nothing we look forward to more as spring rolls around than the arrival of white asparagus. The Italians and Germans go wild for this stuff, and while we’ve noticed it crop up more in Dublin in recent years, it hasn’t yet caught on to quite the same extent. We reckon there’s no better way to sample its earthy appeal than with the classic charred treatment at Brighton Road . Cais na Tire agnolotti with glazed maitake and wild garlic, Orwell Road The verdant green of wild garlic goes to great use in this plate from Orwell Road . Folded leaves and silky sauce both accompany plump servings of Cais na Tire agnolotti, and there’s something about this sheep’s cheese that makes it pop with wild garlic. Glazed maitake bring an earthy umami anchor to tie it all together. Rhubarb and bourbon vanilla panna cotta, Mae We went heavy on rhubarb for our last spring roundup when the forced stuff was out in all its glory, and things have gone a bit quiet on that front, but we have to spare a space for the most high-end twist on rhubarb and custard we’ve seen in a while, courtesy of the ever-inventive folks at Mae . The little bee tuile perched on the honeycomb just kills us. Scallop with nduja butter and wild garlic, Library Street We can never resist a scallop, least of all with a seasonal spin, and Library Street never fail to deliver on that front. For this spring outing, they’ve played wild garlic’s subtle notes off more intense flavours from nduja, bonito and Sichuan peppercorns. It’s just as well these aren’t available all year. White asparagus with egg yolk and foie gras, Glover’s Alley Okay we know we preached simplicity in asparagus just a few blurbs back, but in the hands of a truly great chef a higher-end treatment can reap rewards. Andy McFadden’s are such hands and this is such treatment. There’s a regular ol’ green asparagus plate going too if that’s more your thing – both look the business. Steamed hake with minted pea puree and wild garlic beurre blanc, Old Street There’s no end to the things you can do with wild garlic, and we’re always happy to see some variety around town. Old Street have put it to use in this fish dish with a beurre blanc – should that be beurre vert? – alongside a minted pea puree that straddles the spring-summer divide. How good does a chumichurri crumb sound? Charred asparagus and lovage oil, Volpe Nera It’s a simple asparagus treatment again at Volpe Nera , with the spears charred and served straight-up at the heart of the plate. There’s a bit of irony in the fact that lovage doesn’t get much love in the hierarchy of spring foods, so it’s nice to see it given pride of place here in an oil alongside a hazelnut puree to bring it all together. Black Forest Gateaux, Lottie's Cherries are a little more of a summer than a spring thing, but they’ve burst onto the scene in the last week or so with an energy we can’t ignore. Lottie's have gone right for the black forest gateaux, and looking at the depth of colour off this thing, it’s fair to say so would we. Strawberry and rice pudding Danish, Scéal Yes we know they're in Wicklow now but we're struggling to give up on Scéal as one of our own, and they're still on the Dart line. Nothing better straddles the seasonal divide than the humble strawberry, with the greenhouse-grown crop arriving alongside the recent sunny spell. Summer will be ripe with them, but they may not wind up put to much better use than this jaw-dropping Danish from Scéal . Roast strawberry compote, vanilla rice pudding and pink peppercorn shortbread – need we say more?

We do our best, in our seasonal sum-ups, to share the love and show off as many of Dublin’s chefs and bakers as we can, but some lean in so well to the in-season game that we can’t help feature them time and again. As we survey the spoils of early autumn, we’d be remiss not to note the shock shuttering of Bread Man Walking , the Rialto microbakery that gave this column fodder through every last season until the cruel eye of the planners called time. It’s a great loss to the city, though we’re glad to see the work will go on in other guises – including at this weekend’s Harvest Fair in Inchicore. There, as in here, we’re sure the best of the season will be on show... Apple and whiskey cruller, Coppinger If ever a phrase were guaranteed to put a dish on our radar, it would have to be “it’s not for the faint-hearted”. Irish to its core down to the granny-sourced apples, Coppinger ’s cruller (that’s deep-fried choux to me and you) comes with an offer of a €10 Redbreast 12 shot they recommend you douse the lot in – sure ‘tis the season. Tomatoes and hazelnuts, Little Forest The seasonal segue from late summer to early autumn is guiding things at Little Forest , where the last of the summer tomatoes from the ever-excellent McNally Family Farm  meet in-their-prime hazelnuts (a low-key MVP of this time of year) in a simple torch-passing testament to what we love about September. Fatty, chewy curds and generous helpings of fresh herbs seal the deal. Venison pie, The Legal Eagle Our current, hopefully not too short-lived Indian summer might keep us clear of autumnal richness for another while yet, but once the nights close in and the mercury plummets we can see ourselves making a beeline for The Legal Eagle  and this indulgent venison pie. It’s game on for game season – here’s the early one to beat. Pumpkin, chocolate and hazelnut loaf, Two Boys Brew We’ve banged on before about how the best part of short-term seasonality is the tantalising wait for great ingredients to return, and the wish fulfilment of finally digging in. Two Boys Brew  have played that up by bringing back an old favourite of autumns past with this pumpkin, chocolate and hazelnut loaf. Get gorging yourselves while you can. Espresso and hazelnut Paris-Brest, Elliot’s We’re not sure whether to eat this one or frame it – no stranger to seasonality surprises, Elliot’s  have gone all-out with this autumnal ode. The crisp crunch of choux au craquelin encases toasted hazelnut praline, with a whipped Cloud Picker espresso ganache and toasted hazelnuts rounding it all out. Fig and apricot tart, Daddy’s While we’ve gone wild sticking figs in savoury salads and sourdough pizzas over the last few weeks – is there anything they go better with than Cashel Blue? – this sweet treatment from Daddy’s  had our head turned. End-of-season apricots and the autumnal classic of almond frangipane share their sweet shortcrust pastry case for a simple showcase of this fruit’s juicy best. Turbot and truffle, Chapter One The king of fishes is at its very best around this time of year, and we trust nobody more than the king of dishes to give it its due. Chapter One by Mikael Viljanen ’s turbot treatment is always worthy of an advance booking – cross everything you’ve got for a cancellation otherwise – with end-of-season black truffle and French-style curry sauce playing into this year’s take. Blueberry cruffin, Bread 41 With cruffin cross-sections that would make a Jackson Pollock canvas look neat, Bread 41  always lean into the seasons with a sultry take we can’t turn down. Blueberries are this month’s pick with a dense jam swirled through their flawless crème pat filling. We reckon we’d be all in without the little white chocolate chip blondie studded on top, but who are we to say no? Risotto misto funghi, Gigi’s This is the time of year where mushrooms, although an annual all-rounder, get really abundant, with prime examples like ceps and chanterelles turning up all over the place. Gigi’s  have put a trio of girolle, shiitake and porcini into this risotto misto, and look at all of those earthy, autumnal colours. Harissa lamb with apricot coulis, Old Street For all we might associate lamb with Easter, what winds up on our plates then has been born out of the natural lambing cycle, indoors in the depths of winter – a very human intervention in the natural seasonal cycle. Now is the much better time to dig in, and how better than with Old Street ’s harissa-marinated rump, served alongside an apricot coulis and purple spuds. Blackberry buns, Fable Blackberry bushes are beginning to bulge, and here come Fable to make the most of them. They’ve stewed the berries down with autumn apples into a thick jam, stuffed it all into flaky pastry buns buried beneath lashings of pink peppercorn cream, and topped off with a generous sprinkle of buckwheat crumble. It’s a long way from how we were rared. Autumn menu, Glas We (clearly) believe every new season is worthy of celebration, and the folks over at Glas  are in agreement. Their autumn menu launches tonight with their annual tasting event, but you can get the vibrant veggie inventions a la carte all season long. It all looks great but the pairing of beetroot meringue and black garlic ice cream in a saffron babka is the one we’re most intrigued by.

After a snowy start to spring and summer kicking off with the coldest June for years, it’s fair to say the seasons aren’t playing ball this year, but that hasn’t stopped their best produce finding its way to our plates (just don’t ask about the spuds). From plump peaches to tart tomatoes, Pride-themed pastries to "you-put-strawberries-in-what", here’s some of the best seasonal summer treats on menus right now... Peach and fig leaf custard bun, Elliot’s Phibsborough is often our first port of call for seasonal sweet stuff, and that’s thanks to Elliot’s , who bring the goods time and time again. If you can make it through the words fig leaf custard, honey roast peach, and toasted sesame whipped ganache without covering yourself in drool you’re made of stronger stuff than us. Aged Anjou pigeon with Céret cherries, Chapter One Trust Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen to bring out the big guns when it comes to summer seasonality - plain old cherries are fine, sure, but Mickael Viljanen has turned to Céret for the very best. This tiny French Catalonian commune grows such great cherries they’ve got a whole festival dedicated to them, and this is your chance to get a taste in without having to travel. Zucchini slice, Mani It might be more familiar as the result of creeping Americanisms in food names, but zucchini is of course the original Italian name for what we more often call courgette, so we’ll allow it this time from Roman-style Mani . Whatever you call it, it comes to life paired with creamy and sharp flavours, and the choice of lemon whipped ricotta and habanero chili sauce nails it. Cherry sandwich, Daddy’s Not much gets us as excited as a left-field use of seasonal fruits, and few so regularly delight us with their recipe development as Daddy’s . The Rialto café had the bright idea of subbing cherries in for tomatoes, along with lettuce, bacon and Durrus cheese, in what we can’t believe they haven’t called a BLC. Peach granola, Flower & Bean Floral, fruity and healthy-ish is how Flower & Bean are pitching this granola bowl and that sounds like just the right combo. White chocolate is one of our favourite ways to tease out the full flavour of peach, with green tea and jasmine flowers also in the mix for a little complexity – an optimal summer start the day. Sea bream ceviche with watermelon, Lottie’s There’s plenty of seasonal stuff on offer from the new summer menu at Lottie’s , but we’ve got eyes only for the ceviche. Chunks of sea bream get sweetness and sharpness from watermelon and ponzu, while sesame cracker and thin-sliced radish are there to add crispy and crunchy textures. They’re getting on-trend with a passionfruit paloma too – sounds like a good pairing to us. Summer sandwich, BaaBaa A classic summer combo gets a stacked sandwich outing at BaaBaa , with charred aubergine slices joining fruity cherry tomatoes between thick slabs of olive and rosemary focaccia. Dill and lemon-flavoured whipped ricotta brings a bit of indulgence to the mix, while a generous drizzle of house basil pesto finishes off thier summer sambo perfect for a picnic. Tuna and tomato, D’Olier Street It’s not just fresh flavours we love summer for, but all the pretty colours too, and few place are making more of that than D’Olier Street . The bold green of basil plays off the deep red of tuna tataki and San Marzano tomatoes, with bright white horseradish bringing the balance. Viva Italia. Roast peach hotcake, Two Boys Brew Available all day are the words we needed to hear on seeing this seasonal stunner, cos we’d eat this one for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Plump peach, wrinkled from roasting, sit in a mound of vanilla mousse and lemon curd, scattered with chia seeds and a streusel crumb, all piled high on a thick hotcake. If only Two Boys Brew could keep this one on all year. Strawberry sandwich, Eatyard Look, we couldn’t not include this one for the novelty factor alone. TikTok has given a new viral lease of life to the Japanese fondness for fruit sandwiches, and 7-11’s strawberry version gave the Eatyard crew an idea. Is it all that different to a strawberry shortcake? There’s only one way to find out.. Burrata and heirloom tomato, Row Wines Row Wines have been making hay with their €10 lunch flatbreads on their terrace in recent weeks, but there’s just as much to salivate over inside. This classic summer pairing was made for a wine bar, with a creamy burrata and multi-coloured chunks of top-quality tomatoes just begging to be tried with a glass of whatever you fancy. Pride cruffin, Bread 41 For the weekend that’s in it, Bread 41 have taken things a multi-coloured step further with this rainbow twist on their typical seasonal cruffin. A strawberry cheesecake crème pat takes up the space between layers of flaky pastry, while a dollop of vanilla whip supports the crowning glory. All proceeds on Saturday go to BelongTo , so you can stuff yourself for a good cause.

What should we know about Brown Bag Bakery? Set in the Roselawn Shopping Centre in Dublin 15 (with the world's most under-rated signage), Brown Bag Bakery has been a very welcome addition to the humble suburb of Blanchardstown. They bake everything fresh in house, specialising in sourdough breads and pastries, and the coffee is from Groundwork , roasted in Celbridge. Their minimal interior shouts substance over style, with an exposed kitchen at the back allowing punters to see (in the words of MTV's Cribs) where the magic happens. What did you have? As with any bakery worth their yeast, one must get there early because, you know, FOMO. We nipped over around lunch time and were still able to sample quite a few of their pastries, but missed a trick with the bread, with only ciabatta and soda left. More on that later. Everyone knows cardamom buns are da bomb dot com and Brown Bag Bakery's version was well balanced with plenty of spice, not too dense and oh so buttery. It's very hard to say no to a cinnamon roll, but the shiny pecans glistening atop the sticky pecan bun was enough for us to divert our usual course of action. The bun was stuffed with flavour, so fluffy, and the caramelised nuts on top gave it all the crunchy texture contrast. Another winner. A bread and butter pudding wouldn't be most people's first choice, even on a dessert menu, but it came highly recommended from the friendly staff. Ours had chunks of apple and cinnamon throughout, with the caramelised sugar on top giving a sweet finish with crunch. This one is slightly more on the dense side, but that didn't slow the demolishing. Of course we had to try the humble scone. No complaints on the buttery, crumbly quality, but the lack of jam and butter provided missed a trick, so one to take home and dress yourself. For bread we were between the soda or the ciabatta, and went with the latter which is a truly beautiful specimen - airy and fluffy, with a chewy crust. We genuinely thought about getting a slab of Kerry Gold in the neighbouring Tesco and finishing the loaf there and then. Are there seats? There are four tables outside the shop, but if you're not hanging around they'll box them up for you to bring home. There's a four for €12.50 deal so plan accordingly. What is there to drink? They've got Groundwork on grind, and on the warm day we visited, they whipped it into one of the best iced lattes we've had in a while. They also have matcha, chai, and make their vanilla syrup in house. Why should I go? Brown Bag Bakery is another stellar bakeshop to join Dublin's rapidly expanding list. Factor it into your next trip to Blanchardstown shopping centre, or heck, it's worth the trek if you're not a lucky local. Brown Bag Bakery Roselawn Shopping Centre, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 brownbagbakery.ie

Vietnam meets Trinidad, straight-up nostalgia in dessert form, and a cruffin from cupid are some of the things we most want to eat in Dublin this week... 1) Viennetta,  Spitalfields Spitalfields have been known to whip up boujie versions of throwback desserts, with their super split a mainstay on the menu. Their latest special is the revered nineties dessert that graced every celebration, from parties at Leisureplex to dinner at your Granny's house and beyond. Viennetta, but make it Michelin approved. 2) Caramelised banana French toast, Juniors The brunch barons of Bath avenue have done it again. Junior's know how to party, so get down with their latest brunch special of French toast with caramelised banana, candied pecans, and salted caramel ice cream. Race ya. 3) Cured sea trout, Osteria Lucio Having recently celebrated our very deserved new Bank Holiday, St. Brigid's Day means it's officially spring, and Osteria Lucio are making it all feel less wintery with their latest special. Their cured sea trout with winter citrus, avocado, mandarin and bergamot, is finished with a fèlsina first press 2022 extra virgin olive oil. Very fancy. 4) Trini pepper shrimp bánh mì, Happy's x AA Caribbean Dublin's latest collab between Happy's Bar and Street Food and AA Caribbean has us mentally wandering over to Eden Quay. Eamon de Freita’s Trinidadian habanero marinated crispy prawns are paired with hot ginger maggi mayo, pickled carrot and daikon, and fresh cucumber, all on a crusty Vietnamese baguette. 5) Valentine's Cruffin, Arty Baker St Valentin flavour alert🚨. Arty Baker 's love-themed cruffin features a red glaze, candy floss and raspberry whipped ganache and chocolate shards, and the best news? It's available every weekend until the end of the month.

We feel like we're partly to blame for the Christmas sandwich hysteria that's overtaken the capital after our coverage and taste tests last year, and at last count there were over 100 Christmas sandwiches ready for testing across the city (compared to the 30 we counted last year). While we're good, we're not that good, but we have managed to try 21 so far, and are ready to tell you which ones are worth queuing for and which deserve a sharp swerve...

What should we know about Marsella's Takeaway in Finglas? When we saw that a chipper was grating literal fresh truffle  onto their food, we hightailed it there quicker than you could say batterdborgarandchips. Around the corner from Slice of Naples , Marsella's  is ran by Max - a charming Italian fella with one of those wonderful hybrid Dub-Italian accents. He has recently been flying in the nuggets of goodness from his village Alvito, between Naples and Rome. What did you have? Their truffle menu features a truffle pizza, truffle chips, and a truffle dip, and a meal deal of all three plus a drink comes laced with the good stuff for €26.99 - this might be the deal of the century. Order truffle in an upscale restaurant and they'll get the weighing scales out, clearing out your confirmation money for a sprinkle, but not in Finglas. Max is paying €300 a kilo for these prized menu additions, but is taking a hit to elevate his chipper and do something different. Round of applause for Max please. Chips are obviously made fresh in house, and once out of the fryer are generously topped with freshly grated truffle and parmesan. Eat them while they're hot to get the full flavour detonation. We weren't sure chipper chips could get much better - turns out they 100% can. Their pizza dough proofs for over 72 hours, before being topped with standard mozzarella, grated potato, parmesan, and a very healthy dose of truffle, before it cooks in their very hot oven for two and a half minutes. Chippers rarely claim to have the best pizza, and while we enjoyed the lashings of fresh summer truffle, overall it didn't do it for us, the dough lacking the Neapolitan chew from not being cooked in a traditional wood fired oven. Those less geeky about crusts will probably enjoy it just fine. The dip on the other hand blew our summer sandals off. Rich and creamy with a wanton amount of truffle, we'd really like him to start selling the stuff en masse. We'll pay any price. We also sized up their fresh cod, just to see how their other chipper wares fare. The batter is on the thick side (no bad thing), and the piping hot, flaking fish was demolished in minutes. We'd heard that Marsella's are famous for their kebab trays, and who are we to turn one of those down. The styrofoam box (weep - how are these still being made) came loaded with fluffy chips, doner meat, lettuce, onion and cabbage, all smothered in chilli and garlic sauce, and for €11 it could easily feed two people. It's the kebab collab we didn't think we needed, and didn't miss the pitta for one second. Are there seats? No, but the truffle menu ideally should be eaten ASAP, so we nipped to Johnstown Park, just down the road. What is there to drink? All the usual soft drinks, but if you're looking for good booze The Grape Vine a kilometre away has interesting wines and beer. Why should I go? Ain't no chipper in the country doing what Marsella's is doing right now, and we think this kind of innovation, delivered to this standard, deserves a standing ovation. Go for what's probably the best value truffle in the country, stay for the kebab tray, and have a bit of craic with Max while you're there. Marsella's Takeaway 10 Fitzmaurice Road, Ballygall, Dublin 11 marsellastakeaway.ie

The most colourful gnocchi we ever have seen, a seasonal hash with serious effort, and not one, but TWO knock out sweet treats. These are the five dishes we'd most like to hunt down in the city this week... 1) Seasonal hash, Two Pups Coffee Two Pups Coffee in the Liberties and now Fairview are true bastions of brunch, and we'd gleefully hand over our cash for their latest seasonal hash. This one has a base of confit garlic roasted potatoes, and is topped with a burnt butter cauliflower purée, roasted cauliflower florets, two poached eggs and finished with (read it with us), paprika and chilli hollandaise. 2) Chicken salad, Lotus Eaters Calling this plate a salad might be a stretch, but it's cold and has a vegetable so we'll give Lotus Eaters a pass. Their poached chicken with cucumber in its highest form aka pickled, topped with peanut rayu is something we'd happily return this soon to try. Read our once over here . 3) Ube gnocchi, Hang Dai This super colourful purple sweet potato ube gnocchi is Hang Dai's latest creation and it screams Samhain. They serve it with a soy mascarpone MaPo sauce (wowza), and the whole thing is getting us excited for spooky season. 4) Ferrero Rocher cake, Bakeology Argentinian bakery Bakeology in The Liberties is best known for alfajores and empanadas, but their cakes shouldn't be overlooked. Their latest Ferrero Rocher version is a shortcrust pastry shell filled with chocolate cream, topped with crunchy hazelnuts, and it looks much better than its muse. 5) Fig and pistachio tart, Elliot’s It's fig season baby and Elliot's have popped this little tart on our feeds to remind us how delicious these floral sticky fruit bombs are. As usual with this Dublin 7 bakery, these aren't likely to stay on the counter long, so get there early folks.

It's Autumn/back to school/Christmas countdown time, and we've got nine top prizes to give away to our favourite readers - you know, the ones who keep ATF going. It's one of the ways we say thank you to everyone signed up to ATF Insiders - our premium service that allows us to operate ad-free and independently, with everything featured and recommended here paid for by us. Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders by midnight on Tuesday 17th September will be entered into the draw, and winners will be picked and notified on Wednesday 18th September. Here's what could be winging its way to you this month... 1) €100 voucher for Little Geno's Little Geno's stormed into the capital in July, and overnight became a must stop sandwich shop for Cubanos, Reubens and Bánh Mìs in the city centre - read our two minute review here . If you're around St Stephen's Green in the morning you can also drop in for breakfast bagels, Cloud Picker coffee and chai. We've got a €100 voucher to give away for Little Geno's this month which will cover the whole menu, for repeat visits. Follow them on Instagram here . 2) Dinner for two with drinks at Koda, Deansgrange There's a brand new neighbourhood restaurant on the southside - Koda in Deansgrange i s from the same team behind The Pigeon House in Delgany and Caladh in Greystones. They're serving dinner from Wednesday - Saturday, and brunch at the weekend, with dishes like Turkish eggs, ricotta toast and glazed pork belly with crispy sushi rice, and there's takeaway pizza if you don't want to sit in. We're sending one of our Insiders in for a three course meal for two with a drink on arrival, so you could be enjoying crab toast, courgette fritti, and chicken parmigiana if you win. Book a table here . 3) €100 voucher for West African pop-up IBÍLÈ IBÍLÈ ,   meaning "traditional" in Yoruba, was set up by three friends to introduce Dublin to West African cooking. Their aim is to stay true to their Nigerian roots, both in the dishes they serve, and in their service. You'll find them in the Fumbally Stables on October 6th for a Black History Month celebration with African inspired cocktails devised by a Ghanian mixologist to match the food - that sounds like all kinds of fun. We've got a €100 for IBÍLÈ to give away this month to use on any of their events, and if we've piqued your interest you can get tickets for their next dinner here . 4) A tapas and wine trail for two at the Eat Spain Drink Spain Festival The Eat Spain Drink Spain festival is coming back to Dublin from the 1st - 15th October! Designed to celebrate the best of Spanish food and drink culture, restaurants, retailers and bars are all involved, hosting tastings, wine dinners, tapas trails and interactive workshops. There's loads of opportunities for a taste of Spain without getting on a plane, and to celebrate we've got two tickets to give away to the Spanish Tapas and Wine Trail on Sunday 6th October, visiting venues in the capital to taste tapas and sample some Spanish drinks. To find events and offers close to you visit the website here , or follow them on Instagram . 5) €100 voucher for Bujo to celebrate their birthday BuJo have just had their second birthday in Terenure, and are celebrating with their latest limited-edition menu addition - the Spicy Caesar Crispy Chicken burger . A collaboration between Culinary Director Grainne O'Keefe and Erica Drum, it has crispy chicken, baby gem lettuce, bacon bits, caesar dressing, picante peppers and parmesan cheese, and they're promising it'll put a pep in your step. We've got a €100 voucher to give away for Bujo this month that can be used in Terenure or Sandymount, and could give you a run through the full menu, or just have that crispy chicken burger on repeat. 6) Two hampers to celebrate Graham Herterich's second book 'Cook' If you don't know how much we love Graham Herterich 's first book Bake have you even been following us on social media? It has become the bible for bread, scones, and apple sponge around these parts, so we've been waiting excitedly for his second book, ' Cook ' to be released. You'll find us making his beef and lemongrass stew, bacon and cabbage, and mikados as soon as we get our hands on it, and we've got two hampers to give away to celebrate ' Cook 's release, one for you and one for a friend (each worth €60), featuring goodies like granola, ras el hanout, and those mikados, as well as a copy of the book. Get your copy of ' Cook ' here . 7) €100 voucher for Kinara Kitchen's new cocktails and music menu Kinara Kitchen Ranelagh has just released a brand-new drinks menu, curated to match with music - that's something different for your next night out. Each cocktail is paired with a song to evoke the same flavours and feelings, and bartender Andrei Petrescu says the " creative process behind making this menu was very unique " . Try the  "Cherry Blossom Girl" inspired by French electronic duo Air, or the "Saffron Sprackling" inspired by Republica's Drop Dead Gorgeous, and one of our Insiders will be doing just that as we've got a €100 voucher to give away. For more details and bookings head to their website . 8) Georgian Wine from Taste of Georgia You know we love wine that's a little bit different, a little bit natural, and a lot delicious, so the bottles that Taste of Georgia are bringing into Ireland tick all of our boxes. Try the pet nat from Baia winery, the Rkatsiteli from Tsinandali, or a saperavi for the new favourite red in your life, many of which are fermented and aged in qvevri - egg-shaped terracotta vessels used since ancient times . We've got four of their top bottles to give away this month, and we guarantee you'll be hooked. Check out their online shop here (free delivery on orders over €150). 9) A saucy hamper from Chimac Chimac are continuing their plan for world domination, and their latest coup is getting their sauce range stocked in every single Aldi across Ireland! And you'll find them in in Lidl from the middle of this week. You can also buy the full range online on their website , and we've got a gift pack with all of their sauces, a tote, a cocktail cup, and a €50 voucher for the restaurant to give away this month. Check them out here . Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders for September (new and old) will be automatically entered into the prize draw - you don't need to do anything. If you're not signed up yet join here before midnight on Tuesday 17th September. You'll be supporting independent reviews and news in Dublin and beyond, and be able to get answers to all of your burning questions about eating out, here and abroad, directly from us.

The summer that never was has come to an end, and the now-to-be-expected Indian summer has swept in to make those back to school scaries feel a little less ominous. As the jumpers come back out and the leaves start falling, here's where you should be booking this month... For some of Dublin's best pasta with a new roof: Pastiamo Truckttoria, Dublin 8 If you haven't tried Pastiamo Truckttoria 's made from scratch carbonara, you haven't yet completed the iconic Dublin dishes bingo card. There's no going back to cheap slippery threads and cream-filled sauces once you've had their crispy guanciale and egg and Pecorino sauce, and the great news is they're no longer a weather dependent food choice. They've moved in with Griolladh on Thomas Street (until they can afford a place of their own), so you can sit down and work through the menu from 16:30, Wednesday - Sunday. For a previously impossible to get table: Variety Jones, Dublin 8 There's no denying that the military grade organisation you needed last year to secure a table in Dublin's most wanted has trailed off, as inflation continues to kick our butts, and one of the positives of price bleakness is the ability to get a table somewhere like Variety Jones with a little more ease. Their earlier sitting from 17:00 is always easier to get into, and you can keep an eye on their Instagram for any available tables that week. If you haven't had the pleasure yet, your time has come. For farm to table seasonal sambos: Beechpark Eco Farm, Dublin 15 The residents of Dublin 15 have a new reason to leave the house at the weekend - Beechpark Eco Farm 's sandwiches. The farm to picnic table operation serves veggie-stuffed sambos like "The Prince of Persia" with carrot and onion fritters, beetroot borani, pickled peppers, sumac mayo, coriander and mint, and no amount of fillings is too much for this focaccia. There's a farm shop too with tonnes of vegetables, eggs and pantry staples to take home, and hot food is served from 12:00 - 15:00 Saturday and Sunday. For a morning eating the best of Dublin: The Ultimate Dublin Food Tour, Dublin 2 Your time is precious. You stomach space is limited. So why not leave it in the hands of the experts in Devour Tours to bring you on a walk around the city tasting some of the tastiest pastries, meat, cheese and seafood to be found in Dublin 2 right now. We were so happy to help them create The Ultimate Dublin Food Tour and show visitors (and locals) a snapshot of our buzzing food scene right now, and we're think you're going to love it. For African flavours with whiskey pairings: Socafro Kitchen Roe & Co Distillery in Dublin 8 have been using their outdoor space to shine a light on chefs and food trucks they think deserve a bigger audience, and moving in for September is Waterford-based Socafro Kitchen . Founder/chef Alistair Jeje pays homage to his culinary roots with Caribbean and Nigerian flavours, and you can expect jerk chicken and jollof rice, with veggie options available too. Cocktails are custom made to match, with sittings at 18:00 and 20:00 from Thursday - Saturday, and food is priced at €45 for food, with the cocktail pairing €35. Book here . For a new micro-bakery to dull the Bread Man Walking blues: Claudine Bakery, Herbert Park Farmer's Market French baker Sephora has run her part-time side hustle French & Go for the past few years, posting menus online and taking orders for collection, but after taking a stand at Herbert Park Farmer's Market a few weeks ago she decided to get a bit more serious and rebrand as Claudine Bakery . You can now find her Paris Brests, tarte-tatins and vanilla doughnuts there from 11:00 - 16:00 on Sunday, and it'll be a case of the early bird snatching the best stuff. For a pizza road trip Grá pizza, Maynooth and Celbridge Touted by many as the best pizza in the country right now, we recently found ourselves pulling off the M4 en route to Dublin from the West for Grá Pizza 's last available collection spot, that we snatched just after they opened. Make sure the Samuel Beckett is on your order, with n'duja, Toonsbridge mozzarella, ricotta, and fermented mustard seeds, and don't forget to check their Instagram page for specials before locking your order in. This is pizza you will not regret travelling for.

If you've got the back to school blues, or are in complete denial that summer has just ended, fret not. We've found five things you can eat this week in Dublin that should take your mind off the dawn of Autumn. Prawn rice in the burbs, whole barbecued fish, and a Côte de boeuf with a big French red should do the trick... 1) Chargrilled prawn rice, Craft Craft in Harold's Cross is the neighbourhood restaurant every neighbourhood wishes they had, and this new addition to their menu is giving all the late summer feels. They've char-grilled gigantic prawns and served them over rice cooked in shellfish stock, with tomato concassè, parsley and thinly sliced courgette. It was enough to elicit a wowee from team ATF. 2) BBQ whole seabass, Asador Whole barbecued seabass is the latest insta thist-trap from the guys at Asador , who cook on a whopping 1.2 tonne wood-fired grill. The kitchen is led by seafood squire Niall Sabongi's brother Robert, and this monster fish comes with two sides and two sauces for €59. Look at the char on that skin... 3) Côte du Boeuf, Mae Mae in Ballsbridge have a thing for steak (see their bespoke steak knives ) -carnivores take note. Their latest special is a côte du boeuf served with charred romesco, heirloom tomatoes, roasted ratte potato salad, cavolo nero and a rich jus. Pair that rich jus with a rich red wine and you're in for a very good time. 4) Bagel buns, Fable Bakery We love what the gals of Fable Bakery are doing, and their latest bagel buns topped with a spring onion butter, everything bagel seasoning, whipped cream cheese and pickled onions has unleashed a deep need to get to Dawson Street and try these. 5) Tiramisu, Woodruff Who knew the classic Italian dessert could look this good? The new tiramisu from mountain dwellers Woodruff looks fluffy and chocolatey in all the right places. We're big fans of this place and often check to see if the Luas has added a stop to get us closer to Stepaside - no joy yet.

What should we know about Chilangos? 2024 might be the annus mirabilis of Mexican food in Dublin - hot on the heels of Tacos Lupillo’s  out-the-door success in Inchicore and Pickosito’s casual quality challenge to basic burrito joints, here comes Chilangos . Operating out of the Rialto Bridge Café from Wednesday - Sunday evening, they specialise in Mexico City’s 'antojitos' – street food staples that literally translate as little cravings. Much of our questions about who's behind it have gone unanswered, but we know the owners are both from Mexico City.   What should we have? To start with, advance study time before you get there – the six central items have a choice from thirteen fillings that make trying to taste everything a bit of a headache.   Pambazos (three for €12.50) are the standout, with one Mexican friend we canvassed wide-eyed with joy to see these sandwiches in Dublin. Soft dough is dredged in red pepper sauce and deep-fried 'til dripping with flavour. Papa (potato) con chorizo was the let-down here, with decidedly less of the latter than former, but the tinga de pollo (shredded chicken) and deshebrada de res (pulled beef) were more than generous. Three of either would not be a bad choice.   Quesadillas have house masa dough deep-fried to a puffed package that’s peeled open and stuffed – not the pale pan-fried imitation you might expect. There’s a lightness to them, though the small sizes leave the fillings struggling against mounds of lettuce, cream and cotija cheese. Jalapeno-studded queso and the mushroom hongos both felt bland, with slow-cooked pork chicharron the best. The pollo and res would have been better choices.   Gorditas are more substantial, with thicker tortilla dough giving a kind of taco sandwich. Chicharron would be a better pick here than the frijol we went for – the perils of trying to get to it all – with the rich juicy meat a more fitting partner to the bread than comparably dry chipotle-laced beans. Free from the lettuce-cheese topping that's on everything else, tacos are where the house meats shine. The slow-cooked beef suadero is superb, with chunky marbled meat dissolving in a puddle of flavour, while chorizo is a smoky-spicy showcase of Mexican cooking making hay with its Spanish influences.   That’s a whole lot of deep-frying to follow with dessert, but they've kept it to one light option - the concha. Brioche-style bread is topped with chocolate or vanilla crumb and baked till it puffs, with the duelling textures as satisfying as the simple flavours.   For all we begged and pleaded, the Chilangos team would only give us a scant outline of what's in their Michelada. This beer-based cocktail is enough to rush to Rialto, with a spiced tamarind paste rim and citrus juices elevating a humble Corona to loftier heights than it was intended for. Through no fault of its own, a margarita looked pitiful in comparison.   Why should I go? It’s the more the merrier for Mexican food in Dublin. Against stiffer-than-ever competition, Chilangos manages to hold its own, with a price point that should draw in a crowd - everything we ate, without drinks, barely broke a fifty. Flavours and prices with mass appeal.   Chilangos 568 South Circular Road, Rialto, Dublin 8 instagram.com/chilangosie

From the plethora of Coldplay nights, to the elusive tickets nobody managed to get for Oasis, with a capacity of 82,300, a significant percentage of Dubliners (and beyond) will find themselves heading to Ireland's largest stadium at some point in the next year, and have you really gone anywhere if you haven't sampled the direct vicinity's delicacies? And if you're going early in the day to join a pit queue or secure a good spot, we've rounded up the best cafés in walking distance to make sure your stomach is full and your caffeine levels are appropriate for the scrum... (Twitter: @crokepark) Coffee / Brunch Russell Street Bakery - 4 min walk to the Hogan Stand For the butteriest almond croissants, pain au chocolats, and New York pistachio rolls, head to Russell Street Bakery for a caffeine and pastry injection you'll still be thinking about when the band comes on stage. There's always something fresh out of the oven, and with Imbibe coffee there isn't a better cup in the vicinity. Grab a quiche or baguette for later to ensure you don't get hangry mid-show. Read our two minute review here . Cloud Café - 14 min walk to the Hogan Stand If you're heading to Croke Park from the North Strand side, Cloud Café is a great spot to get your feed on. On weekends their breakfast runs all day so you'll have plenty of options including a full Irish, massive sandwiches and power bowls. Their bread is from Firehouse Bakery in Delgany (slay), and their coffee is Cloud Picker (double slay). Two Boys Brew - 19 min walk to the Hogan Stand Hands down some of the best brunch in the city, never mind the Northside, Australian inspired Two Boys Brew  is the perfect spot to load up on chilli eggs, toasties and affogatos pre-show. Their pork shoulder benny is what ancient historians would coin the "breakfast of champions", and their cajun fried chicken burger is ginormous. Make sure to grab a pastry and takeaway coffee for the walk. Dinner Wallace's Asti - 4 min walk to the Hogan Stand Get your soakage on at pizza and pasta joint Wallace's Asti , a very short hop from the stadium. You'll find Sardinian pasta plates like fregola ai frutti di mare, and malloreddus (small shell pasta with tomato, onions, PDO San Gavino saffron, sausages and dill), There's two different pizza bases here - the classic Neapolitan, or the rectangular Black Pinsa, the latter made using an ancient roman recipe with a blend of wheat, rice and soya flours, proved for 72 hours before baking. Between the pinsa's increased digestibility and the activated charcoal in the dough there should be no mid-gig slump either. El Grito - 8 min walk to the Hogan Stand Hidden in plain sight in a Georgian house on Mountjoy square, you'll find the place to go for proper corn tortilla tacos and margs for days. El Grito is a great option when you're looking to get a proper feed in before a gig, without having to break the bank, which will be music to your ears after remembering how much your tickets cost. Juno - 8 min walk to the Hogan Stand One of the shorter walks from Croker, Juno on Dorset Street might just look like a boozer, but it's so much more than pints pints pints. Their fun cocktail menu needs to be explored, and their food menu leans into Irish fast food with refinement. The hot fish sandwich uses fresh hake from Sustainable Seafood Ireland, their dry aged smash burger is topped with maggi onions and a Dubliner cheddar sauce, and their (unmissable) battered sausage houses black pudding and thyme. Any of these options beats hastily homping chipper versions down your throat while en route to the stadium. Read our once over here . Shouk, 9 min walk to the Hogan Stand It's just a short stroll to Croke Park from one of the best Middle Eastern restaurants in Dublin. Shouk's  vibrant menu is filled with shawarmaa, arayes and whole chargrilled veggie plates, and whatever you do, don't skip the mezze starter - the falafel and dips will have you weak at the knees and the flatbread, oh the flatbread... If going with a group their Middle East feast is a no brainer - at €35 a head, your gang will eat like kings. Book well in advance. Read our once over here . Brut Wine Bar - 9 min walk to the Hogan Stand Right next door to our pals in the previous paragraph, Nelly's  by day transforms into Brut Wine Bar  from 17:30 on Friday and Saturday nights, and often extend these hours when gigs are on. They specialise in organic and biodynamic wine and have a small plates menu that is giving girl dinner - think Irish cheese boards, various delicious items on breads and antipasti. Perfect for when you don't want to over eat before all the bopping you're bound to do at the gig. The Seafood Bar - 18 min walk to the Hogan Stand Spanish plates with a focus on local produce make us huge fans of The Seafood Bar . The clams with garlic and salsa verde is a Grade A knockout, their sizzling gambas are bouncy and juicy in all the right places, and the paella portion is uncharacteristically generous for the capital. With only 10 indoor seats, these will book up fast, but there's also standing room outside if the weather's not inclement. Read our once over here . Eatyard at The Bernard Shaw - 18 min walk to the Hogan Stand If you're with a gang and need a pre-gig crowd pleaser, Eatyard at The Bernard Shaw  is your man. With wood fired sourdough pies from Village Pizza Dublin , dumplings, bao and rice bowls from Janets , Brazilian hot dogs from Gaucho’s Dog , or a very tasty cheeseburger from Nice Burger , the veggies, vegans and straight up picky eaters will find something to wet their whistles. Knead Pizza & Bottle Shop at the Cat and Cage, 20 min walk to the Hogan Stand If a decent bottle of wine is your pre-gig sauce of choice, Knead Pizza & Bottle Shop at the Cat and Cage will sort you out. Upon entry, take a swift right and head up the stairs to scan their wines by the bottle that can be enjoyed in the pub sans corkage. Their pizza menu is varied with decent vegan options, but whatever you do don't skip the mac and cheese suppli. One of the further afield options, but perfect to walk all the carbs off. Or, if the food coma has properly set in , you could always hop on the 16, 33 or 41 bus...

Cakes almost too pretty to eat, a brunch that summer was made for, and tomato dishes that have changed our brain chemistry are just three of the things we absolutely need to try this week in Dublin. Here's the full five... 1) Heirloom tomato salad, Row Wines It's the month of the Bereen Bros in Dublin, as they continue to smash it out of the park with Coppinger's recent reopening (read our once over here ). There's no denying that tomatoes are the IT Girl summer salad addition, and this heirloom tomato salad from Row Wines served with Velvet Cloud sheep's yoghurt, chilli jam and anchovy dressing is a supermodel among wannabes. 2) Cherry tomato tart, Honey Truffle You heard it here first folks - Brat Girl Summer is out (fast, we know), Tomato Girl Summer is in (see above). Honey Truffle have joined ranks with this roasted cherry tomato tart, with french beans, Parmesan, caramelised onion and thyme, all wrapped up in a Parmesan shortcrust pastry. Further proof of our fully researched, absolute legitimate theory. 3) Sun-dried tomatoes with lemon ricotta and poached eggs, Alma What's that? Tomatoes again? Don't say we didn't tell ya. We didn't think Alma 's brunch dishes could get any more a) summery or b) beautiful, but those wizards have surpassed themselves once again. Sun-dried tomatoes, lemon whipped ricotta, nduja glazed heritage carrots, garlicky croutons and pomegranate are served on tartine sourdough and topped with poached eggs. It's only available for the next few weeks so you'll know where you need to be this weekend. 4) Fig shortcake, Ondo Pretty as a picture, made to order cakes by the ever so talented pastry chef Eojin Lee in Dublin 8, go under the guise of Ondo , and this fig shortcake has us drumming up an occasion (is summer one?) to order a full cake to ourselves. 5) Savarin Melba, Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen Posts like this by Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen consistency leave us weak at the knees, scrounging around our piggy banks to make one more booking (if and when the booking diary illuminates with an available table). Their latest dessert thirst trap is a late summer Savarin “Melba” with vine peach, Tulameen raspberry, chamomile and peach sorbet. Overdraft it is...

The Andalusian city of Ronda, an hour and 20 minute drive from Malaga airport, has one of the most spectacular locations in Spain, sitting high on cliffs that drop off into the El Tajo gorge. The views from the parador in the centre of the city would give you vertigo, and if you have a fear of heights it's best not to look down, but if not you'll feel like you're on top of the world. It's not just about the views either. There's enough wine bars, tapas bars and top end restaurants to make it a draw for gastro tourists, and the fact that it's an excellent wine producing region with multiple wineries within 20 minutes of the centre is the icing on the already delicious cake. Breakfast La Casa del Jamón Ooh heaven is a place on earth, and it's called the house of jamón in Ronda. This sprawling shop and café has been sitting in the same spot since 1989, and you'll still see founder Leocadio Corbacho Bocanegra slicing ham behind the counter. The simple breakfast menu features bread rolls stuffed with jamón of every age and price, but our favourite was the pan con tomate topped with the very finely chopped stuff. It 's all available to take home, as well as tinned fish, cheese, honey, spices, and all of the locally made wines. Prepare to drop a serious amount of cash in here if you're lacking restraint (as you should be on holidays). Cafetería La Esquina For a breakfast that won't break your bank account with retail takeaways, Cafetería La Esquina is the simple Spanish diner to fill all of your your tortilla, churros and café con leche needs - at bargain basement prices. Expect a substantial breakfast for two to come in at under €10. Tapas 15 Arroba Wine Bar If you're in Ronda to get to know the local wines, ear-mark some quality time at 15 Arroba . On our visit they had close to 100 wines by the glass (and no we don't know how they keep them all fresh but we had no complaints). Ask staff for recommendations based on what you like, or take a lucky dip - with most wines coming in at €3.50 - €4.50 you haven't got much to lose. The tapas-based food menu is perfect drinking fodder, with gildas, Cantabrian anchovies on toast, and tuna tataki to snack on while you sip, and as with nearly all Spanish restaurants, they're very child friendly if little ones are with you. El Lechuguita You won't need help spotting El Lechuguita - it's the tapas bar with the queue trailing down the street. There since 1969, they say they want to represent the cultural tradition of tapas, and preserve one of the bastions of Andalusia - gastronomy. Their signature tapa is the "little lettuce" in a garlic vinaigrette, and much of their tapas are priced at just over €1 - no wonder there's a queue. Tick off what you want on the order pad and soak up the buzzing atmosphere while you wait. Tapas Bar Elias There's a 0% chance you won't fall in love with quaint little Tapas Bar Elias , run by very charming Señor s who have a whole schtick about giving you a bottle of "the best wine in the world" when you leave. In reality it's a €2 Ribera del Duero, but it has the desired effect of making their customers feel extra special. Simple fish, meat and vegetable dishes are done to a standard you wish you could replicate at home, and a cold glass of Vermouth while browsing the menu is the only way to do it. Dinner Bardal If you're a star chaser, Benito Gomez's two Michelin-starred Bardal should be on your radar. Catalan by birth, he's now one of the leading chefs in Andalusia, with much of the produce coming from the restaurant's farm . There's a choice of two tasting menus for €180 or €215, and the cheese trolley is a highlight. Tragatá Can't stretch to a two-star bill? You're in luck. Benito Gomez has a more every (wo)man restaurant around the corner - Tragatá . It buzzes with couples, friends and families from early until late, and the menu is modern Spanish, with unexpected flavour combos. Try the brioche with sheep's butter and smoked sardines, the fish in green pil pil sauce, and don't miss the sweet olive torta with chocolate, nuts and orange for dessert. Ice-cream Black coffee The name might say coffee, but for us Black Coffee is all about the ice-cream in this little café on Plaza España. It's all good but we love the Spanish version of rum and raisin with Malaga Wine or PX Sherry, and you can get the best of both with an affogato. Wine Entre Vinos In demand wine bar Entre Vinos is one of the best places to taste your way through Ronda's wines, with loads on by the glass (starting at €2), and everything you can think of by the bottle. There's very reasonably priced tapas too, and when we visited staff didn't have great English so you might want to have Google on hand to research the wine options - otherwise " una copa de vino blanco/tinto por favor" will do the job. Pura Cepa Wine bar Pura Cepa has become a bit of a mini chain in the Costa del Sol with three locations, but it's no worse off for it. This is definitely a place you'll find more tourist prices than local, but the terrace, the service and the quality of the food and wine means you probably won't care. You can also book a Ronda Wine Experience if you really want to dive in. Milamores wine visits If you're interested in seeing a Ronda vineyard and winery, your best bet is Milamores , who organise visits to four of the best. Tours and tastings cost €25 - €30 per person, and you'll need transportation to get to the vineyard where you'll meet your guide. We had an interesting visit to Bad Man Wines (named after owners Sinbad and Manuel), but we have F. Schatz, one of the pioneers of biodynamic farming in the region on the list for next time. Book here . Vinalium Looking for hooch to take home? Head to Vinalium , for a brilliantly broad selection of wines from Ronda and across Spain. Staff are happy to tell you about their favourites, and they sell top quality glassware at madly low prices in case you have room in your suitcase. Hotels We stayed at the four-star Hotel Catalonia Reina Victoria , which has jaw-dropping views across the valley below, a stunning drinks terrace, and an outdoor spa area. Room were modern and spacious, and the best ones have a balcony with more of those views. We paid €180 for a double room with balcony and would go back in a heartbeat.

It happens. You're having a great night but dessert options in the place you're in don't look great. Or you've over extended yourself and can't possibly fit in another morsel until you've had a stroll around town. Or maybe you've eaten at home to save cash but want a catch up on the cheap. Here's where to go for dessert, dessert cocktails, and cheese post dinner... Café Lisboa, Mary Street Little Have them for breakfast, have them for a snack, have them for dessert - have Café Lisboa 's creamy, crispy little egg custard tarts (the best in Dublin for our cash) any time you damn want. Team it with an espresso if you need help with digestion, or a glass of Port if you're not ready for the night to end. They're open until 9pm Tuesday - Saturday. Spilt Milk, Drury Street Spilt Milk is Dublin’s newest ice cream shop from the same owners as Roots (where Three Twenty used to be), and make all of their small batch ice-cream on site daily. They use organic milk sourced from one of 12 jersey cow herds across the country, and you'll always find Dublin-centric flavours, like Harry's nutbutter and whiskey and stout. If nuts and alcohol aren't your thing, try the cereal milk or mango lassi, and you won't find any sickly sweet toppings in here, they want the ice-cream to speak for itself. Fallon & Byrne, Exchequer Street The wine cellar in Fallon & Byrne is open seven days a week, for whatever food or drink your hungry/thirsty little heart desires. While sharing boards, pizza and pasta take up the bulk of the menu, they'd be delighted to welcome you in for a panna cotta, chocolate marquise or a baked cheesecake. There's plenty of cheese if you're steering clear of sweet, and if you time your visit from Sunday - Tuesday you can drink anything off the shelf for €1 corkage, which is one of the biggest bargains in Dublin. Scoop, Aungier Street Long-standing ice-cream shop Scoop are always coming up with new flavour combinations to keep things fresh, like spiced apple gelato with apple crumble swirl, and their " AI gelato " last Christmas, which was developed by Chat GPT - we're still not entirely sure what was in it. There's also a bumper menu of sundaes, Belgian waffles, crêpes and milkshakes if you really want to do the dog on it. Ely Wine Bar, Ely Place A wine-filled hideaway a few steps from St. Stephen's Green, Ely Wine Bar is full of little corners to enjoy a late night chocolate mousse, or a hazelnut praline with amaretto crumble. With copious amounts of wines by the glass and bottle you won't be stuck for something to wash it down with either. Il Fornaio, Liffey Street and the IFSC Italian café Il Fornaio looks like it's been plucked out of Lazio and dropped in the middle of Liffey Street. The are few better places for an easy evening drop in for a "mini dolcetti" and an espresso, and they also practice the art of the Aperol Spritz. Their Dawson Street café closes early, but you'll find them going in Liffey Street and in their IFSC restaurant until 8-10:30pm depending on the night. Cellar 22, St. Stephen's Green A Rhum Baba with Chantilly cream and a glass of Château Suduiraut Sauternes to end an evening - if we absolutely must. Or maybe a chocolate tart with praline tuile paired with a twenty-year-old Tawny port. It's all too easy to settle into basement wine bar Cellar 22 on St. Stephen's Green, for however you'd like to end the night. The Rolling Donut, O'Connell Street The original, the classic, the first Rolling Donut was the iconic kiosk on O'Connell Street, and while we don't go in for the neon-coloured, ultra sweet creations in their newer sites, these simple little sugar or chocolate rings will always be the O.G. dessert en route home. At €1.20 each or €6 for six they're unbeatable value too. Brother Hubbard, Capel Street Open late from Thursday - Saturday, Brother Hubbard on Capel Street is another easy breezy place to drop into on the fly. Their Middle Eastern influences extend to dessert with the "Noah's Ark" featuring coconut sorbet, kadifi pastry, mango & black lime; or make a date with one of the only Baked Alaskas in the city - currently a lemon meringue. If you're too full for sugar in food form, you can drink it. Try an Amaresso Martini with chocolate and hazelnut baci from the dessert cocktail menu. A Fianco, Stoneybatter Grano’s sister restaurant A Fianco is now bookable (praise be for anyone wishing to travel there) and serves just two desserts - a first rate tiramisu and their "Bignè" - a trio of baked pastries (an Italian version of beignets) with hazelnut cream, Sicilian pistachio cream and lemon custard. Pull up a high stool, ask for an Italian wine recommendation and settle in for a very good time. Chimac, Aungier Street Chimac 's ice-cream sandwiches are still going strong and are big enough to share between two. The flavours change on the regular so you'll have to ask staff what's on, but we have very happy memories of salted caramel between chocolate chip, dipped in melted chocolate with a pretzel crumb. Don't forget to give it a few minutes to soften up before biting in. Murphy's, Wicklow Street Murphy’s have been making ice-cream for more than twenty years, with flavours varying by the season. We love the OG mango and raspberry sorbets, and if you're in need of ice-cream it's got to be the dingle sea salt or brown bread. At €5 for a small cup it's some of the most expensive ice-cream in town, but the tourists will keep them in business whatever the price. Ayla Turkish Foods, Capel Street Ayla Turkish Foods stocks every middle eastern ingredient you can think of (it’s where we go to get our pul biber chilli flakes), and they serve a dazzling array of Turkish delight and nougat. For our money the best thing on the menu is the pistachio baklava - layered filo pastry filled with chopped pistachio. It's priced by the kilo but you'll be satisfied with a couple of pieces each (only open until 8pm). Note, Fenian Street The staff in Note will be happy to pull out a seat at the bar and help you pair their desserts and cheeses with a digestive or dessert wine. They also make their own limoncello which is a far cry from the sickly sweet syrup you may have had elsewhere. Bar chats and tiramisu spoon scraping i.e. the perfect end to your evening. Wigwam, Middle Abbey Street If you want to keep your night going but still need to satisfy those sugar cravings, head to Wigwam. Their simple dessert menu can feature Brazilian Brigadeiros, churros with chocolate, and min i açai bowls (handy if you stay so late you're getting hungry for breakfast), and there's plenty of sugar in the rum cocktail menu too. Bar 1661, Smithfield If you want your dessert in drink form, Bar 1661 is very hard to beat. Constantly voted best cocktail bar in Dublin, their take on an Irish coffee (the Belfast coffee, served cold) is made with Two Fifty Square cold brew, poitín, cream, demerara sugar and topped with nutmeg. We've seen people who don't like coffee knock this back with gusto, and once you're tried it you'll want it again and again. Dolce Sicily, South Anne Street Save yourself the flight to Sicily and head to Dolce Sicily , a Sicilian patisserie on South Anne Street, for pistachio cream-filled cannoli and some of the best fruit tarts for miles. Cannoli are available in three sizes and are best enjoyed with an espresso, and fruit tarts come in minis and large too - ideal if you have an occasion coming up that you don't want to bake for. Peruke & Periwig, Dawson Street While Peruke & Periwig have disbanded their dessert cocktail menu, their "signature cocktail" menu still features a lot of drinks on the sweeter side of things, like "The Duchess", with lychee cream cheese, hibiscus, rose, elderflower and gin; or "The Chupalla", with pineapple, toffee caramel, chillies, citrus and pisco. Sweet Churro, Temple Bar The guys at Sweet Churro have upgraded from their former market stall and now have their own premises in Temple Bar. They describe their churros as ‘crunchy clouds of deliciousness’, and you can add strawberries, bananas or crushed Oreos. The most tempting as far as we're concerned are the ‘Sweet God’ Churros, which are hollowed out in the middle and filled with chocolate, dulce de leche, Nutella or vanilla sauce. (open until 7pm Sunday - Wednesday, 8pm Thursday - Saturday) Frank's, Camden Street Lower You won't always find dessert on the menu at Camden Street wine bar Frank's , it depends on whether the chef can get his hands on some particularly beguiling fruit, but you will always find cheese, and sometimes you just need to end the night with cheese. Loose Canon, Drury Street Put yourself in the hands of the cheese experts at Loose Canon and finish the night on a savoury note with a side of natural wine. The weekly cheese specials are in prime condition and there's always some with a bit of funk, just like the wine. Did we miss your favourite place for post-dinner dessert? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie

Maybe it was The Bear , or maybe it was the fleeting Silk Purse pop up from the lads behind Lotus Eaters , maybe it's the fact we're a country whose national dish is a cheap bread roll stuffed with fried chicken from South East Asia, but it's clear we're a nation obsessed with the humble sandwich. From funeral sambos to the Bánh mì (that's a Vietnamese Chicken Fillet Roll), it is the optimal meal. Fluffy/toasted/fried bread stuffed with all kinds of fillings and lashings of sauce - what's not to love? Here's where to go when you want a seriously good sandwich in Dublin... 147 Deli, Parnell Street One of the OG sandwich haunts, Barry Stephens' 147 Deli is probably best known for their classics (their salt beef sub is angelic), but their specials game is mighty strong, inciting all the excitement each week on their Insta . If the Dublin dip happens to pop up on your feed, drop everything and run. Exclusively a Monday to Friday joint, lunchtime sees frequent queues, so plan ahead - if you get there late and everything's sold out, don't say we didn't warn you. Pig and Heifer, Pearse Street Another classic, Pig and Heifer have been feeding hungry Dubliners since 1996 - a modern day miracle in the current climate. Inspired by the bodegas of NYC (not any that JLo has been to apparently) prepare to queue an hour either side of the lunchtime rush. They claim to be the first to serve pastrami on rye on the island, just as the yanks intended. Little Geno's, St. Stephen's Green Scott Holder, of Los Chicanos Taqueria  fame, went a little left of field this year and opened up Little Geno's  - a mish-mash-of-cultures, casual sandwich shop in one of the most salubrious buildings in the country. His menu is a short four hit wonder (plus a vegan option) with zero opportunity to swap out ingredients - a sign of a confident and steadfast chef. We loved their take on the bánh mì .  Read our once over here . Hawksmoor, College Green Not the first place in the city you'd go looking for a sambo, but Hawksmoor  are keen on injecting the local terroir into their British roots, and recently collabed with the nation's lord and saviour: Mr Tayto. The grilled ham hock and cheese toastie is packed with cornichons, jalapeños, and four types of Irish cheese, served alongside a handful of Tayto loaded with scallion mayo and more ham hock, because why not. You can nab the Tayto toastie  to beat them all in the bar area. Daddy's, Rialto Daddy's is a ray of sunshine in Rialto, boasting a strong sandwich game featuring croissandwiches, fancy egg salad and wild Irish albacore tuna coronation creations, making them some of the best lunch fare for miles around. They champion small Irish producers, like Salter's free-range ham, Annascaul pudding, and Rings Farm free range chicken and use them to the best possible effect. Tiller + Grain, South Frederick Street Tiller + Grain's owner/chef Clair Dowling worked for Ottolenghi and Skye Gyngell in London, before bringing her flavour-popping sandwiches to Dublin's city centre. Meat and fish are ever so fashionably cooked on an indoor barbecue, the bread is from Bread 41 (naturally), fruits and vegetables are predominantly Irish and seasonal, and it's hard to pass up a sandwich here when it looks like this. The Pepper Pot Cafe, Powerscourt Townhouse Any visit to The Pepper Pot Café in Powerscourt Townhouse is incomplete without the legendary bacon, pear and Hegarty's cheddar sandwich on crusty white bread. A great spot to bring first timers to the city, the atrium seating of the Powerscourt Townhouse has airy views over the exclusive boutiques, galleries and jewellers below, and it's a calm, top floor escape from the craziness of the city. Tír Deli, Hatch Street If you're looking for the sandwich stuffed with the top tir (sorry, not sorry) ingredients this country has to offer, Tír Deli on Hatch Street is it. They take food sourcing and supplier relationships to another level, with organic veg from Kildare, free-range pork from Carlow, and Donabate Dexter beef some of their choice ingredients. Self proclaimed sandwich scholars, there are no wrong answers on their menu. Meltdown, Montague Street Quickly becoming the  sandwich district of Dublin, Montague street (shoutout to Green Bench cafe and the aforementioned Tír Deli only around the corner) might possibly have the tastiest sandwiches per square inch in the city. Meltdown make ooey gooey cheese masterpieces, with bangers on the menu like the Mac Mama (a mac and cheese toastie with bacon and crispy onions), and the Pig Deal (slow cooked BBQ'd pulled pork with slaw, red cheddar, and pineapple). With vegan options too, these are the durty toasted cheese sambos of your hangry dreams. Loose Canon, Drury Street Cheese toasties but make it fancy. The toastie is a staple in Dublin pubs, and sure, bright orange cheddar melted between two slices of batch with the odd tomato or ham slice thrown in, washed down with a pint of cream, is a straight up dream (we're looking at you Grogan's), but Loose Canon takes the tradition a step further. With a carefully selected BTG list, and toasties packed with top tier cheeses and fancy chutneys , their ever changing menu means every time here is a good time.

August's monthly 9 giveaways are live! And this month it's a restaurant bonanza with vouchers for Margadh, Host, Allta, Osteria Lucio and loads more... Being automatically entered into our monthly giveaways is one of the ways we say thanks to everyone signed up to ATF Insiders - our premium service that allows us to operate ad-free and independently, with everything featured and recommended here paid for by us. Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders by midnight on Saturday 17th August will be entered into the draw, and winners will be picked and notified on Monday 19th August. Here's what you could win this month... 1) The tasting menu for two at Margadh RHA Lovely Margadh in the RHA (from the same owners as Mamó in Howth), hidden behind St. Stephen's Green, always feels like one of central Dublin's best secrets. They quietly do their thing, serving up one of the best value tasting menus in the city from Wednesday - Sa turday, and the current one from chef Louis Wishart is just €51 - where would you get it. We're sending one of you in with a guest to try it for yourself, and you can check out his menu of summer-filled beauty here , and book yourself in for the loveliest of evenings here . 2) A Fierce Mild gift pack with vouchers for Host and Allta The days of suffering through watery, tasteless non-alcoholic beer are over - if you know what to drink. Fierce Mild is the latest innovation in the Irish non-alcoholic beer market, founded by brothers-in-law Ferghal and Cathal . It's a refreshing extra pale ale that's been made with a special yeast and a trilogy of hops to ensure the beer retains its character, and it's so good that early stockists include Host in Ranelagh and Allta in Grand Canal Dock. To celebrate their launch they've given us a gift set full of Fierce Mild beer and merch, as well as €50 vouchers for Host and Allta. 3) The Little Lucio menu for two with wine at Osteria Lucio Osteria Lucio is cooking some of the best Italian food in Dublin with the warm, Irish hospitality that chef-patron Ross Lewis is known for - this is probably why it's perennially packed whenever we pass. If you haven't had the pleasure of a visit, we've got a taste of the restaurant to give away to one lucky subscriber this month, with the Little Lucio sharing menu for two plus a bottle of wine. You'll start with garlic and rosemary flat bread and prosciutto crudo, choose a starter, a pasta to share, chargrilled chicken, and finish off with a tiramisu or chocolate mousse (usually €60 pp). Check out their menus and book here . 4) A table for two at The Coburg's Henriot Champagne Supper Club The Coburg restaurant in the five-star Conrad Dublin is bringing back its Supper Club series this September. First up, Executive Head Chef Marek Sulg has created a one off menu in collaboration with ATF-fav Henriot Champagne , featuring fresh oysters, scallops, turbot, and West Indian tropical fruits - all paired with different cuvées. Tickets are €79 per person, and with four glasses of Champagne included, we're chalking the food down as basically free. We've got a table for two at the dinner on Thursday 5th September to give away this month, and you can book your own place here . 5) The Sunday roast for two and a bottle of wine at The Club Hotel at Goff's The Club Hotel at Goff's , where former Michelin-starred chef Derry Clarke and former Canteen owner James Sheridan are in charge of food, have launched a Sunday night package that looks like such good value we had to blink to make sure we weren't seeing things. Stay Sunday and you'll get early check in, welcome bubbles, a Sunday roast, spa access, an evening main and cocktail, and breakfast the next morning, with dates starting at €330 - total. You'd spend that on dinner for two in Dublin. We've got a three-course Sunday roast to give away this month along with a bottle of wine, so you can enjoy confit Feighcullen duck or chargrilled fish, followed by the tart of the day. Check out their Perfect Sunday offer here . 6) The tasting menu for two at Shaku Maku Palestinian owned Shaku Maku are shaking things up with a Middle Eastern soul food menu next week. The five-course tasting menu is €50 per person and includes a starter, soup, amuse-bouche, a choice of main and a dessert, and you can expect some of that meat cooked over charcoal on their Josper grill. There's two sittings at 18:30 and 20:30 on Thursday 22nd August, and you can book a spot here . 7) €100 voucher for Mister Magpie "After Dark" Mister Magpie in Ballsbridge is now open every Friday and Saturday night from 18:30 until late, serving a lovingly curated wine list (all by the glass or bottle) and easy small plates to go with them. They're pitching "After Dark" as the perfect, fuss-free spot to meet a friend, and whoever wins the €100 voucher we've got to give away this month will be treating their friends to plates like nduja toast, polenta chips and tiramisu. To book email afterdark@mistermagpiecoffee.com or call them on 0892447208. 8) €100 to spend at Dubh, Newbridge Dubh in Newbridge is somewhere we deem worthy of a roadtrip , but you need to go twice - once for brunch (like pear and caramel French toast with homemade brioche), and once for evening pizza (like nduja with piquillo peppers and local honey). We suggest swinging in en route to the National Stud and Japanese Gardens , then swinging in again on the way home, and one of you could be doing just that because we're giving away a €50 voucher to spend on brunch, and the same again to spend on pizza and cocktails. Check out Dubh here . 9) Dinner for two in Fawn @ The Chancery Did you know that on the ground floor of Dublin 8's newest hotel The Chancery , there's a restaurant with one of the best views in the city? It looks out onto The Poddle Garden, designed by award-winning landscaper Jane McCorkell, was inspired by the River Poddle, and has a stepped terrace full of ferns, mosses and heathers that diners in Fawn gets a front row view of. We're giving away a three-course dinner for two with a glass of wine or prosecco for their Modern European menu, with freshly made pasta, sharing mains, and chocolate mousse for afters. Book here . Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders for August (new and old) will be automatically entered into the prize draw - you don't need to do anything. If you're not signed up yet join here before midnight on Saturday 17th August. You'll be supporting independent reviews and news in Dublin and beyond, and be able to get answers to all of your burning questions about eating out, here and abroad, directly from us.

The summer that never was is slipping on by, and your opportunities for daytrips over those lazy, longer days are running out. Daytrips without top food stops are all but useless in our book, so here's five ideas for country walks, Midlands rambles and seaside excursions with a delicious breakfast, lunch or dinner at its core... The Glyde Inn, Annagassan, Louth Coastal Louth doesn't get all the love, but there's so much to explore off the M1. Grab takeaway fish and chips from Fisherman's Catch and eat it on Clogherhead beach; have a stroll around lovely Blackrock buying dried flowers and candles you can't afford; knock yourself out with water sports in Laytown. For the lunch or dinner stop worth doing a daytrip for, stop at The Glyde Inn in sleeply Annagassan (45 mins from Dublin airport), which hides some of the best outdoor seating in the county around the back. The crab claws are from Annagassan, the mussels from Carlingford, the prawns from Clogherhead - seafood doesn't get fresher. Roundwood Stores / The Coach House, Roundwood, Wicklow Ex-Avoca heir Simon Pratt has been ripping up ground in Roundwood, Wicklow. He and partner Monique McQuaid started with upmarket grocer and café Roundwood Stores , before buying the 1820's coaching inn next door. The Coach House is the cosy country pub you wish was at the end of every Wicklow walking trail, and there are plenty around here. Grab a picnic from Roundwood Stores, or settle in for mackerel rillettes, summer risotto, and almond affogatos for afters in The Coach House after working up an appetite. Roundwood Stores The Coach House Bramley, Abbeyleix There aren't a whole pile of culinary reasons to get us to the Midlands, but Bramley in Abbeyleix is one. Former Michelin-starred, UK-born chef Sam Moody set his sights on the lovely Laois town after a stint as head chef in Ballyfin , and he along with wife Emily have transformed the former garage and shop into a destination dining room that many are pegging to win a Michelin star. The local Laois larder is used to full effect, with Mountrath lamb, Portarlington mushoons, and Portlaoise pork, and the menus range from simple lunch plates to a €75 tasting menu. Make a full culinary trip out of it by stopping at brilliant bakery Mueller and O'Connell for bread and pastries, and Temptation Chocolates for bonbons to eat in or take home. Bramley Temptation Chocolates Dubh, Newbridge What was formerly café Ubh across the road, is now Dubh , a restaurant, bar, and evening pizza place filled with Newbridge-dwellers in the know. Get there early for Cilbir's eggs with burnt lemon feta dressing and nduja butter; show up at lunch for cheese, cavolo nero, caramelised onion and egg tart; or head to the bar in the evening for wood-fired pizzas with squash, smoked almonds, corn and garlic oil. The Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens are a 15 minute drive away if you're looking for a reason to head this way. Do a dessert crawl in Greystones, Wicklow If we were more bitter people, we might hold all kinds of resentment for people living in the seaside suburb of Greystones - Scéal , Bread 41 AND The Fat Fox ? What Dublin suburb can boast a similar role call of the sweetest things. If you're making the journey out here you're going to have to hit all three, so make a day of it and spread them out from early morning to late afternoon. The everything croissant at Scéal , seasonal Danishes at Bread 41 , and cookie stacks at The Fat Fox are non-negotiables. (clockwise from left) Scéal Bakery, The Fat Fox, Bread 41 Looking for more Ireland-wide restaurant recommendations ? Check out our all-Ireland map where we save our favourites, and the places we want to get to next (exclusively for ATF Insiders ) .