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You know how much we love Volpe Nera , and you know how much we love ATF Insiders , so when they ask/beg/plead with us to do something, we do our best to make it happen. We've had so many readers ask us to do an event that they could bring their children along to (lucky kids), so the launch of Volpe Nera 's new Sunday lunch menu, designed with families in mind, is the perfect opportunity. Volpe Nera 's   new Sunday à la carte menu  will also feature a " chef's choice menu ", costing €49 for adults and €24 for children  aged 5-13, with Barry Sun's selection of bites, starters, pasta, dumplings, sharing mains, sides and starters brought to your table, and that's what we're showcasing on Sunday 19th April . ATF Insiders  and their families are invited to a very special launch event , where you'll get to try ALL THE FOOD . Each table will get to try almost every dish on the menu in smaller portions, and you'll just have to pick a sharing main and a dessert. The adult experience is €49, with the kids price €24. There's a vegetarian option too with a larger pasta course for €42, and kids under 5 eat free (just specify when booking which menus you'd like). This is an ATF Insiders  only event, with bookings starting at 2pm, and you'll be able to book a table for up to six people for your family . If you're not already signed up you can  do so here  for €6 a month. You don't have to have children to come along, but you're not allowed to complain about them if you do . Here's the menu you're going to be treated to... Bookings for our family friendly Sunday lunch at Volpe Nera will go live on Tuesday 7th April at 8pm . Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders  will receive the booking link directly to their inbox.

Did somebody just cut a VAT rate in here or what? After a long, cold winter, where only stray dribs and drabs of new openings gave us anything to look forward to sinking our teeth into, since February there’s been a glut of new openings cascading across Dublin. While many of these may be existing operations expanding their footprints from the safety of a solidly bankable base, there are enough new and novel concepts cropping up to give you faith for better times ahead in 2026 – on our plates anyway, if not our news feeds... Kin Dee, Leeson Street Upper   A sister site to Leeson Street’s Little Kitchen  just three doors down, itself spun-off from The Vintage Kitchen  now all a decade ago, Kin Dee  sees the chefs who staffed Indo-Chine on the same site break from former owners Townhouse Leisure to deliver something different. Named for the Thai for “eat well”, the menu shifts focus from the Vietnam-centric prior operation, though still making space for some stops off there and in Malaysia across its purported thirteen signature dishes. Thai-style scotch egg with isan sausage, and beef rendang with sweet potato fondant are some of the more eye-catching options, while a keenly priced lunch menu with all starters for €9 and all mains for €18 is sure to grab attention in these value-strapped times.   Boco, Clontarf   Closing for a “mental health day” right after opening weekend goes to show the fevered anticipation awaiting the second sit-down site for BoCo , who wrapped up their fire truck hatch in Harry Byrne’s in Clontarf almost a full two years ago with promises of bigger things soon to come. Soon they were not, but bigger they are, and the old Pigeon House location has given way to a spacious second site for the popular pizza joint. Warm wall tones, wraparound banquettes, all-organic wines – it’s a much more grown-up affair than the Bolton Street original with its regular student crowds, but much of the menu has made it into the suburbs untouched for all your Neapolitan needs.   Tábla, Mount Merrion   Slotting into the space previously occupied by Little Mike’s in Mount Merrion, Tábla  is a return-to-roots venture for Frenchmen Tanguy Gros Daillon and Thomas Loisel, who first met working in Piglet before the former moved to Allta  and eventually Entrecôte – the less said about all that the better. While waiting for a wine licence that’s since arrived, the new bistro kicked off daytime café, takeaway, and Sunday roast service with various French favourites like cornichon-studded jamon beurre, bechamel-stuffed cordon blue, and Loisel’s Blasta Books -featured French onion soup. Dinner will kick off shortly now the cellar’s unleashed, and with suppliers like O’Reilly’s Butchers and Tartine Bakery on board we’ve got fingers firmly crossed.

Fancy Easter eggs have always been a premium commodity, but as recent horror stories of spiking cocoa costs pushing penny-pinching companies to sub palm oil for cocoa butter in what they now legally need to call “chocolate-flavoured” products, the real deal is starting to seem more prestige than ever. Still, our survey of top-tier options this year shows that the higher end of the market is generally doing their level best to keep price inflation down – compared to the mass-market players. Treating yourself to something extra special this Easter has never seemed like better value... Bon Chocolatiers   They’re shifting ‘em quick at Bon Chocolatiers , whose Mikado, honeycomb crisp, and hazelnut rocher options have already sold out. There’s still plenty left to choose from though, from the 210g cacao nib crunch (€26.50), to the 350g range including Dubai chocolate and mint crisp (all €43), to mini filled half-eggs with strawberry-rose pate de fruit or caramel, peanut butter and marshmallow (€11). Each year we try to steer away from the Sweet & Salty but we just can't stop ordering it.   Clo Artisan Chocolates   Ex-Joel Rubichon pâtissière Clotilde Rambaud has been running Clo Artisan Chocolates  out of Sligo since 2022 with a commitment to ethically sourced cocoa, palm oil and preservative-free production, and an all-natural ethos. The 150g 71% dark chocolate egg with Knockarea honey and Donegal sea salt (€24.95) is our pick of this year’s batch, but the 135g dark chocolate egg bar studded with pistachio and sea salt (€10.95) deserves special mention too – not least for being suitable for vegans.   Bean and Goose   It’s eggs you’re here for, we know, but we’ve gone all googly-eyed for the hares and geese (all a wonderfully specific €30.50) they’re slinging over at Bean and Goose . The 180g single-origin treats also come packed with a postcard from Irish artist Anne O’Hara, to remember it all by after you’ve scoffed the lot in one sitting. Traditionalists can get their 120g milk or dark chocolate sea salted eggs (also with postcard) for €27.50. Tara Gartlan Chocolate You wouldn't know whether to eat these eggs or hang them on the wall. Tara Gartlan 's Easter range is on the pricier side at €48 a pop for a 320g egg, but they're all on the prettier end of the scale too, with picture-perfect hand-painted finishes. Our pick of the pack has to be the passion fruit-filled 63% dark chocolate, but double fudge and raspberry white chocolate are among other options if that's not your jam. Koko Kinsale   There’s no shortage of reasons to get giddy about Koko Kinsale ’s Easter egg offering, but the vegans among us will be going full sugar high to see a 70% dark chocolate option all for them. The 175-190g eggs made from French chocolate range from €22 for plain milk, dark or white, to €30 for hand-painted milk or dark, to €35 for options flavoured with orange zest or hazelnut.   Hazel Mountain Chocolate   You'll want to act fast - Hazel Mountain Chocolate , the popular bean-to-bar Galway chocolatier, has already sold out of their chocolate pistachio wreath, but their 160g pistachio and raspberry and painted Wild Atlantic Way eggs (all €34.95) are still available to order. Their premium pricing is down to top-quality cacao from Cuba and Ecuador but cheaper tastes are available via their 70g Henrietta hen (€11.95) or four salted caramel bunnies (€19.95).   Grá Chocolates   If you’re treating yourself, you can hardly treat yourself any better than with an egg from Grá – it literally means love! The high-end, small-batch Galwegian chocolatier puts as much effort into flavour as it does into its hand-painted decoration. From salt-flaked 70% dark chocolate stuffed with chewy caramel and fudge to (ofc) a Dubai chocolate “pistachio emerald”, these are indulgent in every way. Prices range from €25 –  €55 for 200g – 470g options. Temptation Chocolates   The thriftier types have beaten us to the prize at Temptation Chocolates ,  where all the €5 filled mini-eggs have already sold out. If you’re willing to part with €48, their luxury hand-painted full size range are all still available – for that price they fill them with all sorts of goodies, including loose truffles. Flavours range from banoffee and passion fruit, to pistachio crunch and sea salt caramel.   Lorge   Lorge ’s site leads with a note that they’re very sorry tariffs mean they can no longer ship to the US – we’re not, more for us. The Kenmare-based business from French chef Benoit Lorge churns out hand-made and hand-painted marvels in 100g (€11.50), 300g (€27.50), and 800g (€49) sizes, with hollow or filled options available. Skelligs   Plenty of chocolatiers out there aren’t doing delivery for fear their delicate confections will be damaged in transit – that makes all the more impressive the fact Kerry-based Skelligs are doing free delivery all through to the end of the week. That’s a great reason to consider their range, from the 40g milk chocolate Puffin egg (€5) to the 175g white chocolate and mint option (€15).   The Proper Chocolate Company   It’s a bean-to-bar philosophy at Dublin’s Proper Chocolate Company , where they compare the thought that goes into picking theirs to the care a winery puts into grapes – as if we needed an excuse to indulge in this alongside a good glass of red. They’ve got two flavours (milk chocolate and caramel, and 70% dark chocolate with Achill sea salt), each available in eco-friendly packaged 150g (€24.95) for delivery. or 700g (€75) for Friday and Saturday collection from their market locations in Glasnevin and Sandyford.   Zaeire Artisan Chocolate   South African chocolatier Leigh Kelly has been selling and shipping premium Belgian chocolate confections under her Zaeire  artisan brand from first her kitchen, and later a store in Bridgetown, Wexford since 2013. The chocolate-covered honeycomb pieces that seal together the eggs here (€17.95 – €37.95) delight us to no end, and the ability to mix-and-match your halves is such a lovely touch. Filled small half-shells for a very decent €9.25 are a real attraction too.   Chez Emily   The audible gasp out of us at Chez Emily’s Rocky Road Egg (€22.50) is the sound of an inner child unleashed – if ever there was a way to feel young again. If you’re not so sweet-toothed there’s a 180g gold-dusted dark chocolate and cacao nib option (€15) available too. We reckon getting the pair to appease both sides of yourself is the way to do it.   Buíoch   Kildare-based Buíoch ’s owner Daryl credits his grandfather’s years working at Cadbury for his love of chocolate – who wouldn’t with a childhood like that. His 125-150g options (all €12.95) stud mini eggs, crispy pearls, or a pistachio-cranberry mix through the egg for a flavour-texture feast in every bite. If that’s all faff to you, an all-milk chocolate 200g bunny (€16.95) looks like the purist’s pick.   Áine’s Handmade Chocolate   We can’t but respect the input of anyone who’s selling via chocolates dot ie – Cavan’s Áine’s Handmade Chocolate  has been in the biz since all the way back in 1999, and their (count ‘em) twelve easter egg option reflect the years of taste-testing that have turned this into one of the most recognisable premium brand around. 80g hen eggs (€4) sound like the loveliest little treat but you can go all the way up to 500g for €25. Bakeology (collection only)   By god, Bakeology . Meath Street’s Argentinian bakery always makes the cut on our Easter hit lists but they’ve outdone themselves this year with their raspberry effort. If fruit ain’t doing it for you, chocotorta and alfajor are also available. They’re doing medium (€15) and large (€22) sizes with pickup from the café all Easter weekend when you book in advance by Instagram DM.   Sugarloaf (collection only)   Brazilian bakery Sugarloaf  on Dorset Street are back at it again with a choice of eleven filled full or half-shells ranging from bonbon-stuffed Belgian chocolate and passion fruit truffle, to strawberry cream and carrot cake (!). Prices range from €15 – €35 for 300g – €500g, or if you’re indecisive (or just greedy) you can get three filled 150g half shells (€30) or four filled mini halves (€40).

What's the background on Cinnamood?   Viral German cinnamon roll brand Cinnamood has landed on O’Connell Street after months of teasing , bringing queues , hype and talk of “ iconic ”, “ next level ” buns. Founded in Cologne in 2022, the brand has franchised rapidly across Europe , with its Irish debut operated by Vertex Horizon Holdings , who claim to " create obsession-worthy products that outlast trends and compound in cultural relevance ". Just what we look for in a bakery. The concept is oversized, heavily topped cinnamon rolls, all wrapped in a loud, lifestyle-obsessed brand, whose energy feels more Love Island than local bakery. Can you sit in? It's a compact shop, but there's a few low-seater couches and high-top seats at the back. Up front the focus is on the buns, the flashy digital menus, and all the branded merch. What did you have? A box of four for €22.50 (usually priced €5.20 - €6.20 a piece). All are built from the same vegan dough base, made with a Stork brand butter substitute, and finished with Cinnamood’s “Cinnawhip” (a vegan alternative to frosting containing palm oil). Variations come from the toppings.   From the “classic” range, the cinnamon roll (vegan) was decent - soft, pillowy and freshly baked, it hit the expected level of cinnamon with none of the raw dough horrors we've seen others post. It didn’t scratch the cinnamon roll itch though - we wanted proper cream cheese, with the vegan frosting barely making a cameo, sinking into the dough like it had somewhere better to be.  From the “next level” menu, the red velvet roll (vegan) was OTT on the sweetness scale, with vividly coloured dough and a mascarpone-style topping that leaned more manufactured than indulgent. The dough was under-baked, and while it tried to impress with colour and frosting, it left an artificial aftertaste.   The “most wanted” pecan maple roll (non-vegan) cranked the sugar dial up to 11/10. Topped with mascarpone-style cream, maple syrup and chopped pecans, the non-vegan topping somehow out-sweetened its vegan cousin - impressive. Also from their “most wanted”, the white chocolate raspberry was the most balanced of the lot. Raspberry compote and crunchy raspberry topping helped cut the white chocolate richness, giving it jam-doughnut vibes. The cream cheese frosting was barely there, but this was still the best of the loaded options. A massive glowberry “wellness” smoothie (€9) with strawberry, vanilla, coconut cream and collagen, was thick and heavy, coconut dominating to the point that strawberry was hard to find. Chunks of coconut couldn’t make it through the straw, and it felt more meal replacement than refresher. An equally sizeable iced strawberry matcha splash (€7.50), made with Cinnamood’s ceremonial grade matcha, was more milky and sweet than earthy, leaving the matcha struggling to assert itself. An oat flat white (€4.40) swooped in like a hero – perfectly brewed and balanced using Brazilian beans, finally rescuing us from the sugar chaos. Why should we go?   If you’re chasing full-on “mood” energy – photogenic branding, holographic boxes, and sugar that doesn’t quit – this is your stop. These buns are unapologetically sweet, and best tackled as a one-time novelty, not a regular rotation.   Cinnamood 32 O'Connell Street Lower, Dublin 1 instagram.com/cinnamoodireland

The world feels a bit mad at the moment, and it seems to be seeping into menus too. We're talking butter chicken benedict for breakfast, a black garlic aioli bánh mì for lunch, and a wavy, upright tiramisu for dessert, but food-based madness is something we're on board with... 1) Butter Chicken Benedict , Cora We love an unexpected breakfast option (there are only so many pancakes, granola bowls and 'full Irish's anyone can tolerate), so this butter chicken benedict has put Cora in Lucan firmly on our mind's map. There's buttermilk fried chicken, organic poached eggs, Makhani hollandaise, house mango chutney, 'onion bhaji' dukkah, pickled cucumber, all sitting on a house-made naan. Don't know about you but we NEED. 2) Pastiera Napoletana , Grano This is a thing we want to eat this week, because we ate it last week and can't stop reliving the taste. Grano 's Pastiera Napoletana is a traditional Easter dessert from Naples, infused with wheat berries cooked in milk, ricotta, and fresh and candied citrus. They serve it with a fennel infused, cinnamon and white chocolate cream, and trust us, one slice won't be enough - you could always ask for another to take home. We wish we had. 3) Guinness and Gochujang braised beef cheek , Slice Down the road in Slice , this week's special flatbread is an Irish/Korean mash up we'd like to mash into our mouths. They're topping it with Guinness and Gochujang braised beef cheek, a poached egg, pickles, green goddess dressing, a fresh herb salad, and spiced cashews. Isn't she lovely... 4) Bánh mì , Geno's Deli We love a good bánh mì, but it's very hard to find a quality version in Dublin, with most falling sadly short of our Vietnamese-styled expectations. Little Geno's however always shows up with the goods, and their version of the crusty French baguette sounds even better than the Hoi An standard. They fill it with Vietnamese spiced pork sausage, sticky lemongrass pork belly, shredded carrot, daikon radish, cucumber, black garlic aioli, jalapeño vinaigrette and coriander. Not 100% authentic maybe, but we'd bet any money it's 100% delicious. 5) Tiramisu, Berri Lab We get countless requests from readers on where to order special occasion cakes from, and loads of you are sleeping on Berri Lab (collections from Donnybrook). Tiramisu isn't known for being the most aesthetic dessert, but they've turned that on its head with this stunning wavy creation, a dream dessert for the coffee/chocolate lover in your life. They come in three sizes, from €35 - €55, and think about all the time and work they could save you.

Just think how much better your (hopefully long) St Patrick's weekend will be if we drop into your inbox with one of these brilliant prizes this Wednesday . If you're already an Insider , you’re automatically entered into our monthly draws , with nine prizes handpicked by us, from some of the best restaurants, hotels, food and drink businesses around. March’s draw happens on Wednesday 18th , with the winners announced on social media and contacted directly by email. If you’re not an Insider yet, you can join before midnight on Tuesday 17th and you’ll be in the draw too! Along with other benefits like getting access to exclusive content, weekly insider intel, invites to the best restaurant events in Dublin and more. Here’s what's up for grabs this month… 1) Tasting menu for two with wine pairings at Forest Avenue Forest Avenue in Dublin 4 was the big Dublin success story at this year's Michelin awards, one of only two restaurants in the country to get a new star for 2026 . We visited last week to assess things in their starry new world, and thought the food was easily the best it's ever been in the 12 years since they first opened. We're thrilled to have a tasting menu experience for two to give away this month, including one of the most exciting wine pairings we've seen anywhere ( worth €380 ), to give away to one very, very lucky ATF Insider this month. 2) €150 voucher for Boco, Clontarf Boco finally opened their second permanent site in Clontarf on Friday, after three years of trading from their food truck outside Harry Byrnes. It's on Vernon Avenue, and if osso bucco pizza with gremolata, and focaccia wrapped in lardo don't get you excited, we're not the same people. We're also intrigued by the lightly battered seafood cones (cuoppo), available inside or at their hatch for takeaway, and we've got a €150 voucher to give away to one of you this month which should see you through most of the menu. Book Boco Clontarf here . 3) €100 for the brand new Chongqing Hotpot  in Ranelagh Chongqing Hotpot  is coming to Ranelagh, next door to (and from the same owners as) China Hunan . This one focuses on authentic Chongqing-style hot pot , with curated combinations to make it easier if it's your first time. Chongqing hot pot originates from southwest China over a century ago, when dock workers on the Yangtze River cooked meats and vegetables in a bubbling pot of chilli, Sichuan peppercorn, and spices to keep warm and energised during long days of work. Over time, it evolved into one of China’s most iconic communal dining traditions, where friends and family gather around a shared pot to cook together, and the team promise that one bite is all it will take for you to be hooked. We're got a €100 voucher to give away this month, which will get you many bites. 4) Two tickets to Sebastian Skillings x Polish Wine Fest x Sarah de Brún Sebastian Skillings (aka The Hungry Fishmonger ) and Sarah de Brún are on fire with their seafood pop ups right now, and next they're teaming up with Maja and Maggie from Polish Wine Fest for a night of bold seafood and punchy Polish wines . They're cooking three modern seafood dishes, which will be paired with four vibrant bottles from Poland’s exciting cool-climate wine scene, that are bright, expressive, and a little rebellious. It's on Thursday 14th May at The Fumbally , from 18:00 - 20:00, and tickets are €80 (plus booking fee) for food and drinks, but we've got two tickets to give away this month FOC ! Get your own tickets here .  5) Overnight stay with dinner at The Club Hotel Club Kitchen , in The Club Hotel just off the N7, is a local favourite serving an all-day menu of breakfast, lunch and the classics done right , from crispy Irish fish & chips and seafood chowder, to spicy Korean wings, Irish sirloin steak with bottomless fries and sauces, and homemade desserts. There's Afternoon Tea and Sunday roasts too, and on Friday nights you can head in for their Supper Club - a three-course dinner for two with a bottle of wine for €100 (or €80 for the Early Bird). We've got an overnight stay with dinner for two to give away this month, for the perfect 24-hour breather close to Dublin . Check out The Club Hotel and Club Kitchen here . 6) A Nespresso Coffee Prize Pack Nespresso  and award-winning BAR 1661 are hosting coffee experiences across Dublin and Belfast this St Patrick's Day weekend, from Saturday 14th to Tuesday 17th March. Taking place at Nespresso on Duke Street in Dublin and Victoria Square in Belfast, the four-day event will showcase a menu of non-alcoholic coffee cocktails, including the Belfast Coffee, a pistachio Nespresso Martini, the classic Irish Coffee, and a Carajillo. As part of the celebrations, Nespresso is giving one lucky ATF Insider a prize pack including a Nespresso coffee machine , a selection of Nespresso coffees including the limited-edition Pistachio Vanilla Over Ice, Nespresso Barista ice cube trays , Nespresso glass coffee mugs and a Nespresso travel tumbler . Coffee lovers can book a Coffee Masterclass at the Nespresso Duke Street Boutique in Dublin at 1pm, 3pm or 5pm across the four days via the Nespresso website . For more follow @ Nespresso.uk . 7) €100 voucher for Fayrouz in Dublin 8 Fayrouz on Cork Street has been serving up the tastes of Lebanon in Dublin for the past six years, with flavour-packed Arayes Lahme, freshly made falafel and vine leaves, and fattoush salads to name a few of our favourites. The mezze, grilled meats and baklawa are sensational value, and the room feels like you've stepped out of the city into a calming, Middle Eastern sanctuary. It's also a hot tip for food before a gig at Vicar Street - it's a 12 minute walk away - and there's a brand new brunch offering coming in April! They're still taking bookings the old fashioned way, by phone on 01 5560404, or you can get it delivered via their website . We've got a €100 voucher to give away this month which you can use however you like! 8) A month of dinners from Gousto If dinner time's a drag and you need recipe inspiration, Gousto have over 150 recipes each month for delivery across Ireland, with healthy, convenient meals to help households eat well with no compromise on flavour. Each box includes ingredients and easy-to-follow recipe cards, making dinner quicker and simpler. From Fakeaways like the Spice Bag Chicken Burger, to high-protein options like Warm Ginger Beef Noodle Salad, and prices from €5.13 per portion (or €2.57 with an introductory discount), Gousto is helping households eat better with less food waste. For more information visit www.gousto.ie or download the app. One lucky ATF Insider will win a full month of Gousto recipe boxes this month - that’s four weeks of delicious dinners for a household of four. Imagine... (T&Cs apply) 9) Hamper of Boatyard's new bottled cocktails worth €150 When it comes to cocktails, sometimes you've got to step back and let the experts take over.  The Boatyard Distillery have just launched three new bottled cocktails - a Wet Martini, a Dry Martini and a Negroni - each one batched, balanced, and bottled by a team who know their ratios better than anyone. Built around  Boatyard's Double Gin, these are cocktails made with precision, meaning you don't need to second guess the amount of vermouth, or how many seconds to stir for. The Dry Martini is a clean, pared-back classic; the Wet Martini offers a softer balance with more vermouth in the mix; and the Negroni has that bittersweet hit - bold and balanced. We've giving away a hamper of bottled cocktails worth €150 this month, and for more information you can visit 22 . If you want to be in the draw you know what you have to do - sign up to ATF Insiders  by midnight on Tuesday 17th March . We’ll be picking winners on Wednesday 18th March , so keep an eye on your inbox, and if you’re not an ATF Insider yet, this is your sign to jump on board. If you are an ATF Insider , then keep your fingers crossed - this could be your month.

Two weeks ago we were asking if the weather apocalypse was over yet. This week it's the same question but about the world's latest war. It's too easy to go into a dark hole of " what is going on in the world/how did these sado masochists get into power/will I be able to afford to drive my car next month ", but 99.9% of us are helpless to change literally anything, so the best thing you can do is try not to let it get in on yourself, and maybe turn off the news once in a while. The other thing that helps take our mind off impending doom is eating all the delicious things, and we can always help you find the best on offer this week... 1) Pork and prawn rosti, Note There's a new chef in town, and he's taken over the kitchen at Note, causing a bit of a stir in the process. Exhibit A: Sam Kindillon's pork and prawn rosti served in a milk bun topped with furikake and spicy pickles. Ever since Irish Indo food critic Katy McGuinness called it " tasty and fun, the kind of Insta-friendly quasi-burger dish Note will find impossible to take off the menu ", it's been loitering around our brains without moving on. Also, have you seen their new batch bread course ? That's two swoons for the price of one... 2) Bagún agus cabáiste , Tír Deli Tír Deli are permanently bring their A game with the monthly specials, and in honour of the one and only St Patrick, March has brought the 'bagún agus cabáiste'. There's braised Winetavern Farm ham, braised Irish savoy cabbage, and wild garlic and parsley sauce made with the ham and cabbage braising liquids (claps). It's all served on Oaksmoke Bakery's ciabatta, and you've now got the choice of two queues to get in, with their second location now open in the CHQ Building. 3) Gochu Twigim , Space Jaru We think calling Korea's street food snack of stuffed green chilli peppers a St Patrick's Day special might be taking the proverbial, but it is giving us throw backs to our much missed jalapeno popper days. The mild green chillies are filled with minced meat (usually pork or beef), then battered in panko, deep-fried and served with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce and some Asian slaw. They do sound like the perfect parade-watching snack to be fair. 4) Sai's butter chicken burger, Bujo Bujo 's new limited edition burger comes courtesy of their Indian Operations Manager Sai, who dreamt of a burger based on his Mum's Murgh Makhani (i.e. Butter Chicken). They've double dredged the chicken, coated it in a rich, creamy sauce made with ginger, garlic, cumin, chilli and garam masala, and topped it with pickled red onion, roast garlic aioli and crisp lettuce. We're also now dreaming of a burger based on Sai's Mum's cooking. 5) Tiramisu Danish, The Rock Bakery The March specials at The Rock Bakery are a go, and it's this Tiramisu Danish that made our mental monthly hit list. Coffee, mascarpone cream, homemade Lady Fingers, and cocoa powder make up this extra special pastry, merging two of the world's great desserts into one. Finally.

What’s with all the buzz about Tribe Coffee?   Founded by friends Simon Lambert and Finn McGarry, Tribe Coffee opened in 2021 at St. Enda’s GAA club in Ballyboden, before opening a café proper in Rathmines in 2022. Their latest and third opening in Rathgar village answered a request from regulars - more seats. The new space keeps their signature pastel palette and has been designed with social media snaps in mind – look at that purple La Marzocco coffee machine. Natural light floods the front, with high tops and window seating, while the back has plenty of tables with benches, individual seats and a cosy booth. Tribe already has a loyal following for their build-your-own açaí bowls , but we were here for their new bagel collab with micro bakery Fat Baby Bakes , whose bagels have up to now only been available for collection from East Wall.   What should we order?   With a Canadian at the table missing “proper” bagels, we went in with expectations set to high. The bacon, egg and cheese (€11.50) arrived cold (unexpected), but the flavours were there - thick streaky bacon, free range eggs, cheddar and cream cheese - rich and ultra savoury, lifted by spring onion freshness. The bagels are coated with everything seasoning (sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, onion, salt), adding a savoury, salty wallop of flavour, but they leaned a little dry - a quick toast would have brought them back to life. Homemade cream cheese was lightly whipped and tangy - we’d have liked a tub to go. The smoked salmon and cream cheese (€11.50) would have benefited from more salmon. The lemon-dressed rocket was nicely seasoned but felt heavy-handed compared to the modest amount of fish - we've seen a more generous ratio on their socials. While we’re dreaming, how about some capers, the advertised but not included red onion, dill? Hot honey on the side added flavour, but we weren't transported to NYC. Known for classic toasties, the nduja (€10) did what it needed to. Mozzarella, spicy Calabrian sausage, fresh chilli, hot honey and balsamic glaze, on Tartine sourdough, served with cheese and onion crisps. Good hangover fare, if not quite ooze central. A pear and black pudding sausage roll from Pieman (€5.50) was well-seasoned, filled with Irish pork and black pudding, though we couldn't detect the pear. We found the baked goods mixed. A Nutella cookie (€4) arrived fridge-cold, but after a few hours had softened into a chewy, sweet and salty, chocolate-studded treat that we genuinely enjoyed. An almond croissant (€3.50) however was stale. The filling was good, but we're not in the same league as places like Una or Elliot’s baking them fresh. Tribe continues to serve some of the best specialty coffee in D6, using Never A Days Trouble . Both the oat flat white (€4.30) and chai latté (€4) were 10/10 no notes, with the chai landing nicely on spice rather than sweet. Why should we go?   Go for specialty coffee, a buzzy space and a menu with enough hits to justify the queues. We’d return for the bacon, egg and cheese bagel (toasted this time please), and a lazy weekend coffee and catch up in an aesthetically beautiful setting.   Tribe Coffee 107 Rathgar Road, Dublin 6 instagram.com/tribe_coffeeco

Muslim or not, anyone who’s ever attended an iftar dinner won’t wonder why UNESCO added the Ramadan fast-breaking meal to their list of intangible cultural heritage, alongside the Mediterranean diet and the French baguette. It’s everything we love about food - hungry people coming together to share plates piled high. With almost half of Ireland’s growing Muslim population living in Dublin city and suburbs, there’s never been a better time to experience the broad array of cuisines and cultures this growing diaspora is gifting us. And while going without food from sunrise to sunset will surely help build up an appetite, you don't need to partake in the fast to experience the joys of iftar – as the first entry on this list puts it, “you don’t need to share a religion to share a meal”... (Ramadan runs through to March 19 th this year, so you've got nine more days to get involved) Shaku Maku, Rathmines   That spirit of shared experience sums up the joy of Shaku Maku , who’ve leaned hard into the cross-community potential of iftar (and have been booked out constantly because of it - plan this one in advance). They’re charging €30 on weekdays or €35 on weekends for an all-you-can-eat Palestinian buffet, and with the never-misses quality here we tend to eat a lot. Ramadan-specific desserts and jalab, a fruit syrup we don't see nearly enough of in Dublin, are all the more reason to rush in to this one. Between huge spreads of mezze, rice-stuffed veggies and okra stew, this one makes for a particularly good pick for vegetarians too. Book online .   Zouq, Blanchardstown   Outside of the more-than-half of the Muslim population that’s Irish, Pakistanis make up the biggest group here by far, and there’s plenty of places that cater to their specific tastes. Zouq in Blanchardstown is one of the best (and best value), with a €25.99 buffet serving up samosa and pakora starters, biryani and karahi mains, and plenty of chai and kheer to finish. With kids welcome at half the adult price, it’s an ideal family pick. Book by phone on 01 8128714.   Sofra, Liffey Street Upper   Get a taste of Turkish iftar with Sofra ’s set menu for €35. The chilli oil-slicked çorba soup to start still lingers in our memory, and the ample appetite it whets will be needed to get you through their mixed grill platter and the many mezzes it comes with. The only downside is you’ll have no room left for our beloved içli köfte – but a couple to take away for breakfast the next day never hurt anyone. Book by phone on 01 5586902.   Ruchii, Blackrock   Given its aim to represent the full culinary diversity of India, it’s no surprise Blackrock’s Ruchii   have wheeled out an iftar special, taking in some of the Persian-influenced tastes of the country’s northeast, where the majority of the Muslim population is concentrated. The €25 a head set menu starts with dates and mango lassi before taking you through a platter of tikka and seekh kebab, thick mutton curry and saffron-scented chicken biryani mains, and a choice of dessert. Book by phone on 01 4444432.   Southern Spices, Sandyford   Muslims in India may be most commonly associated with Northern states’ foods, but there’s a rich heritage down south too, from maritime Arab trade – who better to celebrate it than Southern Spices . The Sandyford spot is offering a €24.95 prepared platter with plenty to eat your way through - dates and grapes to start; royal chicken biryani, chicken 65, lamb kofta, and cucumber raita to follow; and bread halwa to finish. Book by phone on 0877117707.   Mehfil, Blanchardstown   A hyper-localised Indian iftar tradition is Hyderabadi haleem - whole bubbling cauldrons of which fill the city’s streets with scents all through Ramadam, and even do a bustling trade in worldwide exports. But no need to file an order - the meat and lentil stew is the centrepiece of Mehfil ’s special for €22.99, also including a chaat starter, saffron syrup-soaked dough ball dessert and the rose cordial Rooh Afza to drink. Book by phone on 0870373889.   Rotana, Parnell Street and Temple Bar   We’d worried Rotana ’s shuttering of their original Portobello site last year was a bad sign, but it seems like they were just reallocating resources to the heart of the action. The long-time Lebanese grill has just set up shop in Temple Bar right beside the Central Bank building. Their iftar experience (just the à la carte with a bit more of a buzz) is running in both locations with dates on the door. Book by phone on 018148751.    Moenjo, Rathmines   Billing itself a tribute to the ancient Indus Valley civilisation that shaped much of Pakistan’s Sindh province’s culinary traditions, Moenjo  opened in Rathmines early last month. Their €25 iftar buffet starts with sweet spiced bowls of fruit chai alongside more of that Rooh Afza, before taking in piles of pakoras and samosas, vats of karahi and biryani (though not the specialty Sindhi variety with spuds and plums – you’ll need to go à la carte for that), and finishing up on kheer and chai. Dada, South William Street   Chebbakia is one standout reason to make a beeline for South William Street and Moroccan mainstay Dada – the sweet sesame pastry is a classic iftar treat across the Maghreb. At €39, the set menu here is the priciest we’ve found but one of the punchiest too, with earthy harira soup, nutrient-dense sellou, and honey-drenched baklawa bulking up the choice of any tagine or couscous. Book online .   Le Gazin, Dorset Street   Across the other side of Africa you’ll find Somalian food – we have that now on the other side of the city too. Dorset Street’s Le Gazin  aren’t doing any specific set menu or specials for iftar, but the complimentary dates and spiced tea they’re offering across Ramadan are great tops and tails to the menu of samosas and suqaars that define the unique fusion cuisine of this maritime nation. Afanti, Cavendish Row   Unique fusion cuisine again in the form of Ireland’s first Uyghur restaurant Afanti , an ode to the Sino-Turkic influences that shaped the food of this Chinese Muslim minority – given the intense ongoing efforts to stamp out such distinctions, it’s a culture worth celebrating. There’s no Ramadan specials but plenty to expl ore à la carte . Samsa, manti and kawap all deliciously showcase the Silk Road synergies, and adventurous eaters should make right for the spicy bean jelly and salted milk tea.   Al Khair, South Circular Road   Starting out as a community canteen for the Dublin Mosque’s underserved congregation all the way back in 1985, Al Khair  opened to the wider public in 2007 and has done stellar IYKYK trade ever since. They’re running daily iftar specials alongside their regular à la carte menu of Indian and Pakistani classics – the €1.80 samosas are the stuff of legend, but everything here is exceptional value. Book by phone on 014535087. Like this? Get our Dublin restaurant news, guides and discoveries straight to your inbox every two weeks.

Following on from our recent roundup  of all the best sit-down options for Dublin’s veggies and vegans, it’s time to take stock of the more casual bakery, café, takeaway and on-the-go options around. While plenty of specialty spots have folded over the last few years, increasingly more places are waking up to the need to offer more than mere afterthought options to the city’s meat and dairy-free eaters. Here’s our pick of the best...   *Anywhere that caters particularly well for vegans has a (V) next to it*   Cafés   Twist Bakery, Temple Bar (V)   Vegan baker Marija Lacic  recently closed up her home delivery Cake My Day business with promises of bigger things to come – it doesn’t get much bigger than prime real estate in Temple Bar. Brand new bakery Twist has all the usual croissants, focaccias and breads, alongside far fancier fare like coffee opera and matcha marble cakes – every last bit of it vegan. There’s a major focus on GF treats too.   Tang, various locations (V)   Tang has long been a location of choice for veggies and vegans to lunch and brunch to their hearts’ content, between the growing number of outposts and its Middle Eastern-influenced plates. The hummus here is some of the best around, while their smart salad selections and broad bakery counters make special effort to give vegans a real choice – they even do plant-based pancakes. Their Thursday and Friday night dinners in the Abbey Street branch are a top tip for value.   Honest to Goodness, Liberties   We could have cried on tasting the properly-seasoned side salads at Honest to Goodness  – bland handfuls of loose leaves begone! – so just imagine how good their full bowls can be. The Cobb and (vegan) Kitchen Sink are packed with good stuff galore, and we’re particularly big fans of the hash brown-studded breakfast burrito.   Fairmental, Grand Canal Street Upper   In its three years since opening a sit-down site, fermentation biz Fairmental has gotten better and better at bulking up veggie choices beyond just one lunch option – there’s now regularly meat-free rice bowls and mushroom broths galore. Add in a new breakfast menu that’s almost entirely meat-free, and you’ve got a real destination for gut health goodness.   Sando Paradiso, Blackpitts (V)   In a side-by-side taste testing we found Sando Paradiso ’s karaage cauliflower wings infinitely superior to their chicken, and their recent menu revamp would seem to agree. Their vegan breakfast sando is likewise a delight, with smoked vegan bacon and Clonakilty vegan white pud leaving us ill-able to tell the difference. Szechuan corn ribs sound right up our street too.   Toca Tapioca House, Temple Bar (V)   We’ve thankfully come a long way on from the meat-forward image of Brazilian cuisine the earliest openers enforced – places like Toca Tapioca House  have done a lot of the heavy lifting. There’s plenty of vegan options among their açaí bowls especially but tapioca/crepioca wraps too and they always keep at least one sweet treat plant-free. If you’re doing dairy, their pão de queijo is a treat of cheesy, chewy goodness.   Brother Hubbard, various locations (V)   There are teenagers on TikTok today whose parents might well have had their first date over a Brother Hubbard  brunch. Since 2012, the Middle East-inspired café chain has been bringing people together over brimming bowls of seasonal hummus, Turkish eggs and batata harra, and vegan eating is very easy.   Bang Bang, Phibsborough (V)   Bang Bang is among the coolest cafés in Phisborough, with consistently good coffee, sweet treats and sambos, and they're always thinking of their meat and dairy-free customers. Each day they have different veggie and vegan options that are always killer, like falafel sandwiches and veggie brunch burgers.   It's a Trap, Aungier Street (V)   One of the capital’s hottest vegan spots, It’s a Trap ’s famous cinnamon rolls have built up such a giddy fandom they’re constantly coming up with seasonal and regional variations – dulce de leche, lotus biscoff, spiced apple, you name it. Their Korean BBQ wrap with house seitan isn’t far behind in the viral vegan stakes.   Urban Health, Ranelagh (V)   Cold-pressed juices and nutrient-dense salads are all in the name at Urban Health , just off the triangle in Ranelagh. This health-forward café is bursting with options for veggies and vegans, with their smoked tofu vegan BLT, vegan Snickers slice, and cinnamon roll protein pancakes among the things keeping a loyal clientele coming back again and again.   The Fumbally, Liberties   A food-centric community space since its opening back in 2012, The Fumbally remains one of the liveliest rooms to lunch in anywhere in the city. Premium produce is more of a focus than ever since a pandemic pivot saw them add a grocery in, and their circular kitchen’s chefs are given full encouragement to put these great ingredients to use in all manner of creative ways.   Kerb, Foxrock   A feast of flavours picked up over years of travel inform Shona McCabe’s Kerb , with decidedly ungreasy kebabs at the heart of the action. Middle East, Mexico and Mozambique all feature heavily across the menu, with house corn tortillas, za’atar fries and sumac-spiced eggs among the many treats you’ll find here.   Street Food   Sushi & Go, Montague Street   With its celebration of onigiri’s Edo-era origins as an on-the-go snack, Sushi & Go  burst onto the scene back at the turn of the year with no shortage of wild acclaim. It lives up to the hype. Pescatarians will have much more choice here, but there’s plenty among the stuffed sushi rice triangles, puffed tofu boats and assorted norimaki to keep most veggies more than satisfied.   Tacos Lupillo, Inchicore   Insufficient veggie options was about the only downside we noted when we first visited Tacos Lupillo  back in 2024. The two years since have seen not only a move further up into Inchicore inside The Saint pub, but also development of a vegan chorizo we’ve yet to hear a bad word about. Have it piled high in any of their tacos, tortas, gringas, or volcanes, and don’t skimp on the spiced fermented pineapple tepache to wash it all down with.   Mushroom Butcher, Portobello (V)   As well as supplying the city’s top-tier restaurants and grocers like Evergreen, ex-Veginity chef Mark Senn dishes up delicious mushroom meals out of his South Circular Road food truck every weekend. Mushroom Butcher ’s recent menus have honed in on India, New Orleans, Scotland and Singapore – the only constant here is the sense of invention. Fresh fungi are on hand if you want to get inventive yourself, too.   Dosa Dosa, Grand Canal Street & Rialto (V)   Newly opened in a bricks and mortar location in Rialto as well as their long-time Grand Canal Street market hub, Dosa Dosa  have come a long way since their ill-timed Feb 2020 beginning. Veggie options are as extensive as you’d expect of South Indian street food, with plenty of their dosas and uttapams available in veganised versions. If you’re not in a hurry, settle in at the Rialto branch for their fully veggie Tamil thali.   Janet's, Drumcondra   Teriyaki tofu and Szechuan aubergine are the heart of the veggie offering at food truck Janet’s , parked up inside Eatyard at the Bernard Shaw – where many concepts have proved their mettle before moving on to bigger and better things. Their gyoza, gua bao and rice bowls all have various veggie options, while vegans will have to make do with spinach gyoza.   Shaka Poke, Blackrock & Baggot Street (V)   We've been big fans of Shaka Poké  since their festival and food market stall days, so we were thrilled when they set up permanent shop in Blackrock Market before expanding to Baggot Street. Somewhere specialising in Hawaiian raw fish might not be the obvious place to look for veggie and vegan food, but beetroot, avocado and marinated hoisin tofu toppings give a lot of choice. For the month of March their fully vegan Tahiti Tofu bowl is only €10 too.   Fast Food   McGuinness's, Camden Street (V)   You can’t talk about vegan food in Dublin without talking about McGuinness’s , the Camden Street chipper that debuted a vegan menu back in 2016 and has held the hearts of plant-based patrons ever since – it walked so many others on this list could run. Their seitan and cashew-based Philly cheese steak is regularly held up as the one to try.   Hawker, Rathmines (V)   Excitement was high as the Hang Dai  team found a permanent base for their takeaway side hustle Hawker  in the latter half of last year, all the more so when they went all-in on a veggie menu. Shiitake mushroom mapo tofu; mushroom dumplings in chilli oil; spicy smashed cucumber we’d eat by the fistful: it’s a long way from afterthought tofu spice bags we are here. Throw in a few of their bottled house cocktails to really make a night of it.   Chiya, Dame Street   Breaking the mould on typical kebab shops, Chiya opened back in 2024 with as many veggie as meaty options, great news for anyone sick of a single falafel option. But that’s no disrespect to them – the müjver here are like a grated courgette twist, and by far our fave against the mixed veg and halloumi that’s also on the go. Whatever you get, pile it high with those house pickles.   The Saucy Cow, Temple Bar (V)   Its name born out of frustration with how often vegan foods in Ireland were desperately dry, The Saucy Cow  goes all-in on oozing cheeses, garlic mayos, and their infamous Buckfast BBQ – all ingeniously plant-based. Just about everything here is a treat but it’s the sriracha mayo and chilli crisp-topped hash browns we think back on again and again.   BuJo, Sandymount & Terenure (V)   With culinary director Grainne O’Keefe of Mae  fame putting a serious focus on sustainability, it’s little surprise BuJo ’s menu makes more space than most of its competitors in the premium burger stakes for veggie and vegan diners – by which we mean, y’know, any space at all. Their Beyond Meat options have all the same care and attention gone into every aspect as the beef, and occasional specials like a miso garlic butter-stuffed panko portobello are worth running for.   Chimac, Aungier Street   There’s none of that standalone special nonsense going on over at Chimac  – they’ll swap in panko tofu for chicken in any of their burgers, from the dripping KimCheese to the spicy-sweet K-BBQ - and you’ll well believe cauliflower can fly on the strength of their wings here. Vegans haven’t been forgotten about either, and are advised to ask staff to get the best sense of their options.   Like this? Get our Dublin restaurant news, guides and discoveries straight to your inbox every two weeks.

Is it over? The weather apocalypse of the past month must have been brutal for Dublin's food and drink business, with more people choosing to work from home, cancel plans to avoid a soaking, and order in to avoid going out. With the brief respite we're currently seeing it's time to make hay, and here's some inspiration if you're procrastinating on getting work done by wondering where to eat this week... 1) Sumac and pomegranate lamb, Chubby's Despite there being no tables available ever, Chubby's just keep rubbing it in with new dishes like this pressed lamb shoulder with a sumac and pomegranate glaze. They serve it with white bean hummus, tabbouleh, lemon and feta toum, pickled fennel, confit garlic, and a garlic flatbread on the side, and between us, we saw a few sneaky tables available in the next few weeks on Thursdays after 8pm. 2) Bone marrow with Salsa Verde , Chez Max It's a known fact around town that bone marrow is woefully overlooked on menus, with only Hawksmoor giving it pride of place, so Chez Max had our hearts racing with this special starter. They've been serving roast beef bone marrow with salsa verde, mustard and croutons to spread it all on top of, and we went full bonjour/merci beaucoup/ooh la la on first sight. 3) Leek and potato pie, Deano's Deano's in Walkinstown has a large, dedicated fan base, and it's pies like this leek and potato what did it. They top their bianca base with slow-cooked creamed leeks, Fior di Latte, Italian Fontina cheese, crispy woodfired Guanciale, and handcut homemade crisps from Irish potatoes, then finish it with fresh chives and homemade chilli honey just to be that bit extra. 4) Spice Bag, Park 27 We're not really spice bag people around these parts, but we'll make an exception for Park 27 after trying their bao buns and khao soi a few weeks ago. They do everything from scratch in here (boy can you taste it), and this one's got Thai-marinated chicken, chunky chips, plenty of veg, and curry sauce to drown it all in (or dip if you're more proper). It's giving hangover, and we're filing it away for our next one. 5) New York-style bagels, Tribe Tribe have just opened their new café in Rathgar village and it's fair to say they have been MOBBED . Part of the success equation has to be the genius joining up with Fat Baby Bakes to serve NY-style bagels, with fillings like bacon, egg and cheese, and chicken caesar. They're available seven days a week so loads of opportunities to get in for one.

The Bealtaine brigade will tell you spring set off all of three weeks ago, but judging by *gestures at everything*, we’re not quite ready to concede winter has passed us by yet. Look down from gloomy skies to rejigged menus though, and there’s no doubt the end is in sight. From a bounty of blood oranges and feasts of forced rhubarb, to the first wafts of wild garlic and weirdly early white asparagus, here’s everything out there to get a taste of spring in until you can feel it too...   Blood orange croissant, Elliot’s Two weekends on the trot now we’ve tried and failed to get our greedy mitts on Elliot’s  seasonal special, a two-chocolate croissant bursting with blood orange marmalade. That’s not just any two chocolates, mind you – they’ve gone all-in with Valrhona in both the brownie base and white chocolate whipped ganache. We’ll be queueing outside from Friday night this time.   Rhubarb tarts, Fable Dun Laoghaire bakery Fable found so much favour with their perfect pink Valentine’s special they’ve had no choice but to keep slinging them out since. Keep the love coming we say. The crisp tart cases from their best-in-show mince pies are back, with custard and cream to top off a treat of rhubarb two ways.   Blood orange rice pudding, Osteria Lucio A rice pudding brûlée? We went all love heart eyes at the thought of Osteria Lucio ’s new dessert even before we got to the blood orange bit. They’re taking the seasonal citrus very seriously indeed this year, with a salad and secondo in there for those without sweet teeth. Blood orange butter basted over the pescato del giorno? Now we’re listening.   All things wild garlic, Flower & Bean We’ve kindred spirits in Flower & Bean  if their ways with wild garlic are anything to go by - they’ve put it in everything . These soup, focaccia and wrap specials we snapped will come and go as the scapes’ yield does, but we’ve no doubt this cute Cork Street café will keep it up all season long. Their granola bowl with rhubarb compote and blood orange slices is worth getting in for too.   Tuna and blood orange, Forest Avenue An overdue star for Forest Avenue was one of the scant scraps of good news for Ireland at this month’s Michelin reveal , and it’s superb seasonal stuff like this that’s had John Wyer’s food knocking at the door for years. The natural sweet, slight acidity of blood oranges is a dream to play off yellowfin tuna’s fatty flavours, and we can't say we're on first name terms with Japanese spinach but we'd like to be.   Rhubarb oyster, Note It’s a new lease of life for Note  with Copenhagen-schooled chef Sam Kindillon recently installed at the helm and already attracting lots of attention. Including from us. In these early days of rhubarb we’re always eyeing up treatments that bring the full flavour to the fore, and popping it on top of an oyster ought to do it. The blood orange poroikalopita sounds stunning  too.   Red mullet crudo with blood orange, Sea Shanty Follow Sebastian Skillings  at your peril - the fishmonger and cookbook author drops dishes like this with such regularity you’ll be needing a drool-proof cover every time you scroll. Good news then that he’s started up regular “seafood socials” with Sarah de Brún and the owners of Blackrock’s Sea Shanty , where you can pair plates like these with a night of wine and music.   Rhubarb and biscotti baked cheesecake, Camerino We’d barely caught our breath from the shock of Camerino ’s Saturday special before it was all sold out, but never fear – a little birdie’s told us it’ll be back this Friday. The sweet almond crunch of biscotti was born to play off rhubarb, and just look at all that swirling goodness. You can order online in advance to avoid disappointment.   Blood orange danish, Bread 41 The crimson complexity of a blood orange cross-section is always a delight to behold, so bonus points to Bread 41  for displaying it in full flare. Beneath glistening slices slotted into sourdough pastry, they’ve piped vanilla crème pat and topped the lot with blobs of blood orange gel. Spring never sounded so good.   Wild garlic scones, BaaBaa BaaBaa ’s base in Chapelizod is ideally placed for a quick nip to the Phoenix Park’s great excesses of wild garlic grounds, and they’ve wasted no time getting it into savoury scones with some sharp Irish cheddar. If that’s not your style (or you just like your breakfast over two courses, no judgement here) they’ve also got rhubarb-custard tarts and blood orange clafoutis on the counter.   Blood orange pavlova, La Gordita Naranja sanguina is how the Spanish say blood orange, and here’s how they use it to top off a meal at La Gordita . Pink pearls of pomegranate seeds and green mint leaves colour up a classic pavlova, with slices of the stuff secreted away under little discs of meringue. Desserts often skew heavy here, but this is our kind of light.   Gnocchi with white asparagus, Richmond Old reliable Richmond  kicked off the year with a new Sunday lunch offer we’re dying to drop by for – all the more so with white asparagus in sight. It’s usually much deeper into spring before this delicate veggie crops up on plates, but some forced spears have made their way over from the Netherlands for the impatient among us (see Comet ’s squid ragu for another excellent early arrival). Richmond are up to indecent things  with rhubarb too.   Blood orange polenta cake, Urbanity Getting pride of place on their Smithfield counter as long as the season lasts (does it have to end?) is this dazzling blood orange beauty from Urbanity . The naturally nutty pairing of a polenta and almond sponge is perfect to soak up all the sweet citrus syrup – it practically looks like it’s turned to marmalade all on its own. Rhubarb meringue, Allta Let’s hear it for the producers! Over at Allta  they’re namechecking Donegal’s Castleruddery Organic Farm as the source of their pretty-pink forced rhubarb, tucked away in a meringue shell under layers of parsley ice cream and a yuzu-yogurt espuma. Blood orange is there too in sharp shrub form, with a crack of black pepper to boot.

Veganism seemed to peak in Dublin pre-pandemic, and the city's lost some big names over the past few years, like V-Face, Kale + Coco, Flip Burger, The Vegan Sandwich Company and more. Vegetarianism however is still on the up, with 25% of meat eaters saying they're actively trying to reduce meat consumption. It helps that we have so many places in the city doing spectacular things with vegetables, cheese and eggs, and we've rounded up the places we think are the top of the pile for meat and dairy free meals, with part two coming next week... *Anywhere that caters particularly well for vegans has a (V) next to it * Special Occasions Etto/Uno Mas, Dublin 2 We're lumping these sister restaurants in together, as they both generally only have one vegetarian starter and main option, but they're so good that veggies won't care about the lack of choice. We frequently pass up meat and seafood options for Etto 's aged Parmesan gnocchi with gremolata, or Coolea agnolotti with hen of the woods mushrooms, and Uno Mas ' potato tortilla is a reason to go out all on its own. Stuffed agnolotti at Etto; the tortilla at Uno Mas Gloria Osteria, Westmoreland Street OTT dining experience Gloria won't leave your night out lacking in glamour, but it can happily be lacking meat if that's your wish. Cheese has a starring role across antipasti and pastas, and the Datterini tomato tart; stracciatella and giroles, and three cheese fazzoletti were some of our favourites from multiple visits. Read our once over here . Vada, Smithfield Vada 's head chef Hannah O'Donnell puts vegetables on the highest pedestal, and with beetroot bhajis, caramelised onion croquettes, and panisse with creamed kale, it would be very easy to skip the meat and fish dishes altogether. Don't miss their homemade focaccia, one of the best in Dublin right now, currently served with burnt onion curd. Read our once over here . Borgo, Phibsboro (V) When a restaurant has a separate vegan menu on their website, you know they're taking inclusivity seriously. There are ten vegan dishes on the menu at Borgo , and another eight that are vegetarian, so there's no need for compromise whatever your dietary requirements. We loved the oyster mushroom pizzette with stracciatella and Highbank apple balsamic, and the Ballymakenny Queen potatoes with herb cream and Clonbrook reserve deserve their own moment. Read our review here . Floritz, Dublin 2 (V) Floritz might be better known for sushi and a general Japanese sensibility, but the vegetarian options are really impressive (there's even a full veggie tasting menu). Swap the beef yakitori for leeks, the salmon bao for tempura shimeji mushrooms, and the blue fin tuna hosomaki for cucumber and sesame, and you'll get all the Floritz flair with none of the meat. It's easy to eat vegan here too - we counted ten different meat and dairy free options on their current menu. Read our once over here . Pickle, Dublin 2 (V) Indian restaurants are always a go to for vegans and vegetarians, with meat free ingredients like potatoes, lentils and paneer showing up again and again. Some of our top picks here include their aloo tikki, 36-hour black lentil dahl, and the vegetarian thali if you want a bit of everything. It's definitely possible to eat vegan here too, but you might have to ask them to leave the raita off some dishes for more choice. Glas, Dublin 2 (V) Glas  is dedicated to vegetarian and vegan fine dining, with no meat or fish to be seen, but enough cheese to keep non-vegans happy. The terrace outside is a dream on a sunny day, but the floral, plant-covered interiors are also a lovely place to wile away an evening. They're also completely gluten-free, in case your dining room has multiple dietary requirements. September, Blackrock Blackrock wine café/wine bar September takes seasonal eating seriously, and that translates into finding as many meat-free dishes on the menu as meat-filled. Recently we've seen burrata with candied beets and pecans, cavolo nero risotto, and pumpkin agnolotti, and the chef's menu can be fully veggie too on request. Read our once over here . Glovers Alley, Dublin 2 (V) Michelin-starred Glovers Alley  has both vegetarian and vegan tasting menus , and is the only Michelin-starred experience on this list . With vegan dishes like ' Cucumber Ceviche, Apple, Basil, Chilli, Togarashi' and ‘ Beet “Tartare”, Hazelnut, Dill ’ , t his is as special as vegan dining gets, and it's much the same for vegetarians with the addition of cheese and eggs to the same dishes. Priced at €135 per person it's one for celebration occasions, but meat free tasting menus don't get better. Big Fan, Dublin 2 (V) Another cuisine that naturally works well for vegetable lovers is Chinese, and Big Fan  on Aungier Street go the extra mile for meat-free dining (head chef Alex's Mum is vegan so he's used to getting creative with vegetables). Their tofu edamame croquette bao is every bit as good as the pork, the lingfen summer wontons are outrageous, and you'll be thinking about the enoki mushrooms with garlic and chili for a long time after you've left. We counted ten vegan dishes and loads more vegetarian. The Merrion Hotel, Dublin 2 If you're feeling foncy, get your glad rags on and head to The Merrion Hotel  for a meal in their Garden Room. Best-selling cookbook author Holly White has collaborated with the kitchen on a vegan menu  that changes with the seasons, and they have some interesting options inclu ding Vietnamese rice paper rolls , spinach and basil linguine with sundried tomatoes, and a peach and raspberry tart for dessert. Casual Bite Reggie's, Rathmines Dublin's go to pizza palace always has the most carefully created veggie options, featuring lovely things like McNally Farm crown prince squash, and pumpkin seed salsa verde. Four out of eight pizzas, five out of seven snacks, and two out of three salads are vegetarian, so you might end up ordering fully veggie without even realising it, and there are sporadic vegan options if the need arises. Read our once over here . Lucy, Clanbrassil Street Lovely Lucy serves Ukrainian food from breakfast until dinner time, and the Syrnyky (cottage cheese pancakes), Varenky (dumpling), and potato pancakes all come in vegetarian versions. Some of the dishes like borscht and holubtsi (cabbage rolls) are even vegan, and it's another place you could easily order meat-free without even realising it. 3 Leaves, Blackrock (V) Another go to for vegetarians, 3 Leaves  in Blackrock is one of the city's most loved Indians, whatever your diet. They're only open for lunch from Thursday - Sunday, but a lazy afternoon here over a vegetarian or vegan ‘Taster Thali’ is never a bad call. If you haven't been before it will take approximately one sniff for you to understand what the hype is about. Gursha, Dublin 2 (V) Gursha started as an Ethiopian supper club, holding intimate evenings in the Cloud Café on North Strand Road, but luckily for all of us they moved into a permanent premises on Poolbeg Street a few years ago. Ethiopian cooking and curries use very few meat products due to religious practices, so Gursha is naturally vegetarian and mostly vegan bar a bit of egg. Get those sleeves rolled up and dig in. Pho Kim, Dublin 1 (V) Parnell Street restaurant Pho Kim  are a family run restaurant whose owners moved to Ireland in the 70's, and is now run by the next generation. They've been cooking some of the best Vietnamese food in Dublin since 2012, and have a full vegan/vegetarian menu to cater to the herbivores, from spring and summer rolls to a veggie Bánh xèo. Shouk, Drumcondra (V) Shouk is the kind of place you could bring that person who thinks a meal without meat is no kind of meal, and ensure that they'd spend the next few months telling everyone who'll listen about the mixed mezze. Dishes like roast cauliflower with tahini and zhug, and baked sweet potato with sumac labneh sauce almost make the meat dishes here an ordering afterthought, and their group 'Middle East Feast’ comes in vegetarian and vegan options at €40pp. Badam, Clontarf Indian/Pakistani restaurant Badam in Clontarf might be a casual place to grab dinner, but not so casual that you've any chance of getting a table for either the early or late sitting without advance planning (locals have it perennially packed). The food here will transport you to another realm of flavour, and with six vegetarian starters and six mains (many vegan too) it's so easy to skip meat and fish. Read our once over here . Umi Falafel, various locations Umi Falafel  is a mainstay of unfussy Dublin eateries, consistently delivering top quality food at very good prices. Their main offering is (no surprise) falafel, and apart from some cheese (halloumi cheese fries are always a good idea) the menu is predominantly vegan. It’s always a great option for a quick bite, and they have three locations in Dublin - Mary Street in Dublin 1, George's Street Arcade in Dublin 2, and Rathmines. Nutbutter, Grand Canal Dock, Smithfield & Dundrum A Californian-inspired menu made with local Irish ingredients sounds positively perfect, and Nutbutter deliver exactly that. Largely plant-based, their menu features healthy tacos, rice bowls, salads and loads more, all in the most vivid of colours, and there's plant-based chocolate mousse for dessert. Their newest location in Dumdrum Town Centre is their biggest, and most impressive one yet. Lucky Tortoise, Temple Bar (V) Lucky Tortoise  in Temple Bar is the kind of quick, eminently reasonable eating option we all need in our back pocket for when funds and/or time is short. With dishes like okonymiyaki, scallion pancakes, and sticky chilli tofu bao buns, their set menus start at €28pp or you can order your veggie and vegan dishes a la carte. Bell Pesto, Dublin 8 (V) Sweet family-run Italian Bell Pesto have loads of choice for non-meat eaters, and even do a vegetarian carbonara - if that doesn't signal inclusivity what does. Between parmigiana melanzane, caprese salad and breaded tofu with polenta chips, there's loads to keep vegetarians happy, and every section of the menu, from pizza to salads to panini has a vegan option, which is impressive. Cornucopia, Dublin 2 (V) A vegetable institution since 1986, Cornucopia was Dublin's only decent option for non-meat eaters for years, and is fully plant-based. It's cafeteria style, serving hot dishes and salads in their spacious but cosy restaurant, and they operate from 8am until early evening seven days a week, so they're always there for vegans in need of a good feed. Look out for  part two , the best veggie and vegan-friendly cafés, street food, and fast food coming next week! Did we miss your favourite place for vegan or vegetarian food? Let us know by emailing info@allthefood.ie .

What’s the story with Honest to Goodness?   A smart social media presence and everything-in-house ethos had Liberties café Honest to Goodness  on our hitlist long before their turkey meatball Christmas wrap leapfrogged the competition to land best-in-class in our seasonal sandwich rankings . With a revamped menu just launched, and another sopping day leaving us in dire need of a lift, it was time to dig deeper.   What should we order?   They really do make almost everything on-site, syrups and all – you won’t get another coffee like this around. Caramelised banana and cardamom both made for rich twists on single origin Bell Lane brews, and if summer ever comes, we’ll be back on the double to try these in iced latte form. Side salads sum it up - we didn’t leave a grain of the subtly sweet, spiced couscous piled beside the chicken ranch sandwich (€10) behind. Too many cafés fling fistfuls of leaves to prettify plates, all inevitably left untouched. Here they can’t countenance waste, and the rich flavours won’t let you. That’s despite how filling this doorstopper works out, with proper pressed chicken thighs spilling juice over a slaw of lime and chilli.   If it’s a little less spicy than we’d like, the breakfast burrito (€14) makes up the gap, with pleasant pico de gallo heat pimped by chunks of jalapeno. It’s sizeable (as you’d hope for the price point), with no shortage of soft scramble competing with the buried treasure of crisp-edged hash browns for appreciative oohs and aahs. The Friday special sloppy Joe (€10) packs plenty of heat too, tempered by decidedly unstingy slathers of mayo and a cheddar that could use just a little more character. Each sandwich is offered on your choice of five homemade focacce – the tomato with this would really kick it into high gear.   "Honest to Goodness" will do as a family-friendly version of the exclamation that escaped us on tasting the buffalo chicken meatballs (€14). Hot sauce-soaked breadcrumbs (made, ofc, from the previous day’s focaccia) are the secret to how they’ve coaxed minced breast to a texture more akin to a liver parfait, with seared crusts saving every drip of divine juice to be spilled out over the roast cauliflower and brown rice beneath. We needed a minute. If you were distraught to see the end of the seasonal special, you can rejoice - this is for life, not just for Christmas.   The perfectly pillowy cinnamon swirls (€4) and white chocolate cookies (€3.50) looked extra-inviting after all that coma-courting stuff. There’s novel nutty complexity in the cookie’s flour blend – nothing plain about it – but it’s the scroll’s soft glories we stepped back out into the showery day dreaming of. We’ll be back for a bite of the (sold out) blueberry one sharpish.   Why should we go?   As we gloomily glared out at yet another miserable afternoon of endless Irish rain, we thought about what a climate like this brings with it. Grief, sure, but great produce too, and for folks as talented as those here, the time to think through and test the best ways to use it. That's inspiration - when it rains it pours.   Honest to Goodness Carman’s Hall, Liberties, Dublin 8 instagram.com/honesttogoodnesscafe

After years of begging Grano 's Roberto Mungo to let us take over the most in demand restaurant in Dublin for one night, he's finally gotten sick of our pleading and given in. On Monday 16th March   Grano is opening especially for ATF Insiders , for a social dining experience that's going to show you why their next available tables are in May. We'll start with a sparkling Calabrian apertivo in A Fianco  at 7pm, their wine bar next door, before moving into the restaurant for the main event at 7:30pm . The menu will be a taste of "the best of Grano" over the past few years, with dishes introduced by owner Roberto, and you can expect plenty of homemade pasta, as well as Calabrian snacks, small plates and dessert. Tickets for our ATF Insider   takeover of Grano are €65 for all food and a welcome drink. An optional wine pairing will be available for €30, or you can order from the regular drinks menu. This will be a social dining experience, Italian-style, so coming solo is welcomed. This is an ATF Insiders  only event, and as seats are so limited there are no plus ones available  - if your friend/partner/Mum wants to come they'll need to sign up here  for €6 a month. If you're coming with someone else that you'd like to sit on the same table with, just make a note on your booking. Check out the menu here... Bookings for our Grano takeover on Monday 16th March go live Tuesday  24th February at 8pm . Everyone signed up to ATF Insiders  will receive the booking link directly to their inbox. Needless to say these are going to go very fast so set your alarms now...

As you sit trying to remember what the sun looks like, and wondering whether you'll ever have dry shoes again, just think - we could be dropping into your inbox with a brilliant prize this Wednesday . If you're already an Insider , you’re automatically entered into our monthly draws, with nine of the best prizes handpicked by us, from some of the best restaurants, hotels and food businesses around. February’s draw will take place on Wednesday 18th , with the winners announced on social media and contacted directly by email. If you’re not an Insider yet, you can join before midnight tomorrow, Tuesday 17th and you’ll be in the running too! Along with other benefits like getting access to exclusive content, weekly insider intel, invites to the best restaurant events in Dublin and more. Here’s what's up for grabs this month… 1) €200 voucher for The Stapleton The Stapleton has just opened in Powerscourt Townhouse on South William Street (where Farrier and Draper used to be), and while the street has no shortage of places to drink, they're not trying to compete on noise. The handsome two-floor bar has been built for people who want to enjoy "Georgian elegance with modern mixology", and their signature cocktails include the Cantaloupe Vodka Smash, and the Fig Bourbon Old Fashioned. It works just as well for a quick pint as it does for a long evening that accidentally runs late, and while the main bar is walk in only, you can book into the lounge upstairs if you've got a cocktail-worthy occasion coming up. Winning a €200 voucher to spend there would be the icing on the margarita cake. Check out The Stapleton here . 2) Weekend roast for two at The Shelbourne There are roasts, and then there's The Shelbourne 's roast. Served in The Saddle Room , the main event is served from a trolley and carved tableside, for old-school theatre in the best possible way. With all the comforting excess you’d hope for from a grand hotel dining room, we're talking about the sort of lunch that encourages you to cancel any ambitious plans for the rest of the day, i.e. our perfect Sunday (or Saturday as they serve it both days). We've got a weekend roast for two with a bottle of wine to give away this month, and if you're feeling tempted you can check out the menu here . 3) A Chinese New Year feast for two at Kaizen Kaizen is marking the Chinese New Year with a one-night, eight-course tasting menu designed for lingering, on Thursday 26th February. Expect refined Cantonese cooking, thoughtful dishes, and an evening that feels like an occasion without the formality. Starting at 18:00, the €60 tasting menu includes a glass of Prosecco and live Chinese harp music, and reservations can be made before Wednesday 19th February by calling them on 01 824 3388. Check out the menu here . 4) A supper club experience for two at Overends Kitchen in Airfield Estate Overends Kitchen at Airfield Estate , Dublin’s only working urban farm set across 38 acres in Dublin 14, is launching their new supper clubs this March, with a carefully curated menu led by what the land is producing that month. Starting on Saturday 14th March, tickets are €80 for a three course menu including a welcome drink, with ingredients sourced from their farm, dairy and vegetable gardens, alongside some other carefully chosen local producers. There are also optional wine pairings and a cheese course, and the restaurant's team will be there to guide guests through the evening. Tickets are limited and available through Eventbrite , but we've got two to give away for the March event worth €160. Check out the Overends Kitchen website or follow them on social media for more. 5) A €100 voucher for Twist Bakery Twist is a brand new bakery in the middle of Temple Bar, focusing on handcrafted pastries, laminated viennoiserie, and specialty coffee. Everything in here is homemade, even the syrups for their coffee, and there's also gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options, so no one's left out. Founded by Cleidiane and Patrick, the star bakers in house are Marija Lacic and Laura Munroe, both bringing years of skills and pastry knowledge to Dublin's newest addition. We've got a €100 voucher to give away this month so someone can head in for the full Twist experience. See what they're up to on Instagram here . 6) A Premium AeroPress worth €190 The AeroPress  has long been a favourite among coffee lovers for good reason -it's fast, forgiving, and consistently excellent. The French Press alternative now has a premium version, keeping the same clever simplicity but adding glass and metal components to make it feel reassuringly substantial .  It's ideal   for anyone who likes only the best coffee without the complicated rituals, and a great present for any coffee drinker. We've got a Premium AeroPress  to give away to one lucky winner this month, and you can check it out here . 7) Al Dente pasta at home experience for two Al Dente ’s pasta kits are essentially a very good excuse to stay in and cook something much nicer than normal, at a fraction of the price of going out. Fresh pasta, proper sauces, tiramisu, and even the tools to put it together, all designed to recreate the sort of meal that reminds you why Italian food is so hard to beat. This month's prize includes fresh lasagna sheets; ravioli filling; a wooden-handled ravioli cutter; a signature sauce; two jars of tiramisu, an Al Dente tote bag, and recipe instructions for the full Italian dining experience at home. They're throwing in a €50 voucher too so you can throw in some add ons of your choice. Check out their shop here , 8) €100 voucher for patisserie from The Sugar Dealer Caketopia ’s cakes prioritise flavour over theatrics, which is the correct order of things, although who could argue with their looks either? These are the kinds of cakes people remember eating — bright, balanced and unexpected — and having tried their Christmas selection, we can honestly say we were WOWED by what was on the inside. We've got a €100 voucher to give away to one lucky Insider this month to spend on anything you'd like from their shop , and this could be a very useful prize with Mother’s Day approaching. 9) A Dublin Food Chain hamper worth €120 Dublin Food Chain  was created to champion and encourage the flourishing Co Dublin food sector, with all four Local Enterprise Offices involved in showcasing and supporting the county's most innovative new food producers. They've hand-picked a hamper full of products for one of our Insiders this month with a value of €120, featuring brand new drinks, ethically crafted bean-to-bar chocolate, traditional Mexican salsas, authentic West African cooking sauces, award-winning sweet treats and more. Check out Dublin Food Chain here . If you want to be in the draw you know what you have to do - sign up to ATF Insiders  by midnight on Tuesday 17th February. We’ll be picking winners on Wednesday 18th February , so keep an eye on your inbox, and if you’re not an ATF Insider yet, this is your sign to jump on board. If you are an ATF Insider , then keep your fingers crossed . Sign up here .

While it was a night of big celebrations for Forest Avenue in Dublin and The Pullman in Galway, the only two new stars for Ireland in the 2026 Michelin Guide, it was otherwise a damp squib of a ceremony, for a country certain that its time in the spotlight had come. There was widespread feeling across the industry that the guide holding the culinary industry's most prestigious awards in Dublin for the first time was symbolic, and that it was going to be a bonanza year for our little island. Instead we walked away with our worst result in years, and a feeling that yet again the playing field between us and the UK's mainland restaurant is nowhere near level. Last night's new UK and Ireland Michelin award winners

What’s the story with Dollars?   After being impressed by the Peruvian plates at The Hoxton’s Cantina Valentina , we were quietly curious if daytime deli Dollars  could repeat the magic. With New York deli counter culture a dime a dozen in Dublin these days there’s no novel niche-filling here – especially with so much local competition about. Add to that all those years we had to walk through the ugly hoarding outside, and these would want to be good.   And?   There are worse sandwiches you can get around these parts, but few with the gall to charge these prices. One bite of the Got Beef (€13) provoked deep sighs of disbelief – a kinda-riff on a reuben, its generous mounds of slow-cooked salt beef are layered over what the menu claims to be sauerkraut. Our taste buds beg to differ - sir, this is coleslaw. But at least it was there . Online they list this one at €14 with Swiss cheese and thousand island dressing. In person, neither were included. Given that both, or the ingredients to make them, were evident in abundance around us, we can’t begin to comprehend what happened here. Rudy Giuliani would be more welcome back in NYC than this sandwich.   And no pickles? What gives!? You can get a side of the house pickles for ANOTHER €3. We’d wanted those either way, but all the more so in absentia . At least they’re in the Piggy Bank (€14), as well as literally in jars all over the walls . Between this and the other absent but in-sight ingredients, we started to wonder where hidden cameras would come from. That elusive Swiss showed up here mildly more molten than poor Joanne Cronin’s , with over under-assertive mustard but solid slices of porchetta and honey-roast ham. It’s as good as it gets here, but with Little Geno’s  comparable Cubano a ten minute stroll (and a €3 saving) away, it ain’t good enough.   The promise of a Dillisk seaweed chicken salad had us hurtling for The Hu$tler (see what they’ve done there? We wish they didn't), but you’ll have sensed by now what Dollars’ word is worth. That prime Irish ingredient’s deeply savoury, salty notes are entirely absent, in tune with the sad slivers of bacon. Let's not get started on “heirloom” tomatoes in February, please. €14? Nope.   There’s happier news where coffee’s concerned, courtesy of economies of scale and The Hoxton’s 3-year contract with UK-based Origin roasters - a big part of the business model that’s seen more and more chains claim space in the city of late. Our latte and mocha (€4) undercut much of the competition, and washed our mouths out well.   Why should we go?   If you take your tips from gluts of #gifted reccs, we guess. Dollars’ four-cheese toastie certainly looked the stringy part in the post-opening Insta crush, and the adjacent bar space has the fitout to make the evening wine offering to wash them down with sound mighty tempting, but a deeper dive into this menu leaves a lot to be desired – half the advertised ingredients, to start with. This is prime real estate, and prime prices, and little more.   Dollars The Hoxton, George’s Street, Dublin 2 instagram.com/dollars_dublin

If you didn't leave the house last week thanks to the slightly inclement weather we've been having, we wouldn't blame you, but it's a new week and it's time to get back out there. We're thinking tiramisu oats for breakfast, buffalo chicken bowls for lunch, and all the gildas for dinner. And maybe a black forest dessert...? 1) Black Forest mousse, Orwell Road Black forest anything has been severely under-represented since the 80's, amiright? Orwell Road in Terenure agree, and are righting this wrong with a 70% chocolate mousse topped with Amarena cherries. Find it on their regular dinner and two/three course neighbourhood menu, and you can also BYO on Tuesdays for €10! All the reasons to book in. 2) Korean chicken bowl , Carved Are we the only ones so hypnotised by Carved 's legendary sandwiches that we didn't realise they did bowls too? Last week's special was a Korean Chicken number with sesame chicken, Asian pickled cucumber, red cabbage, spring onion, honey and gochujang mayo, and while we're hoping they'll keep it on a bit longer, any of their combos on salad makes a welcome break from bread. 3) All the gildas, La Gordita Gildas aren't going anywhere, and La Gordita have taken Dublin's obsession with the olive, chilli pepper and anchovy combo and come up with FOUR different versions on one plate. There's the Anchoas de Santoña, tetilla cheese, white anchovies, and blue fin tuna, and you'll need one of each per person, because gildas are one of the few foods that are absolutely not for sharing. 4) Buffalo chicken meatball bowl, Honest to Goodness We have been thinking about Honest to Goodness 's new buffalo chicken meatball bowl since they trialled it (and teased it) at the end of 2025, and finally it's landed! Think of all the things you love about buffalo wings with blue cheese sauce, but so much better for your bod. There's roast cauliflower, turmeric brown rice, pickled celery, chopped kale, sweetcorn, golden sultanas, blue cheese and Frank's dressing, and we won't rest until we've experienced it IRL. 5) Tiramisu oats, Nutbutter Tiramisu, but make it breakfast. We're very into Nutbutter 's new overnight oats with whipped mascarpone, cashew butter mousse and added protein, topped with coffee caramel, hazelnuts and a cocoa nib crunch. God knows we need a lil treat to look forward to in the mornings. It's here for a good time, not a long time, so get in there before it's gone.

New Michelin stars and Bibs you should be racing to book; the sushi trend we can't get enough of; and the most aesthetic coffee shop that looks like it feel out of a design magazine. Did we mention there's bagels too? Here's where we suggest spending your cash this month... For the brand new Michelin star in town: Forest Avenue, Dublin 4 While last night's awards overall left Dublin feeling down in the dumps, the one bright spot was Forest Avenue finally getting a Michelin star after 13 years of toil. It goes without saying that they woke up to an inbox full of new reservations this morning, so get your bookings in now before it's too late. Lunchtime and midweek are your best bets for the next few weeks, or you can go on standby if you have a Michelin star worthy occasion coming up.   For the brand new Bib in town: Borgo, Phibsborough   Not many restaurants get awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand within six months birth, but Borgo isn't your average new opening. From the same zeitgeist-understanding team behind Hera, Achara and Crudo, the Dublin 7 'Osteria Locale' took off like a rocket thanks to cold cuts, handmade pasta and Lambrusco by the glass, and it's hasn't slowed an inch. Take any table you can get and see what all the noise is about.   For the coffee shop everyone's talking about: Volumes When we heard that Dublin Coffee Guide author Paddy Kirk was opening new café Volumes near Tara Street station with As One's Mark Cashen, we presumed that high end, drip coffee would take centre stage. We weren't expecting homemade bagels, breakfast rolls and hash browns to be part of the package - and that;s not a complaint. The space is design-led and jaw-droppingly stunning, and we're just waiting for the buzz to die down just a little before heading in for some candied bacon and a flat white.   For the hottest new small plates on the block: Vada, Stoneybatter   Former café-only Vada 's head chef Hannah O'Donnell has put them on the map as an evening eatery to take seriously - this was signed, sealed and delivered when Michelin added them to their Dublin guide in December. Her cooking feels unique and distinctive, far from the copy and paste playlist so many neighbourhood wine bars cook from, and the natural wine list sets off the plates perfectly. Read our once over here .   For a major restaurant refresh: Bang Kicky's' Eric Matthews and Richie Barrett have pulled Richie's family restaurant Bang out of the corporate doldrums and breathed a bit of San Sebastien into its bones. The interiors have had a very sharp update, and the menu is a what's what of Northern Spanish cooking. The tortilla "cal pep" already has a legion of fans, and opening prices feel more reasonable than their sister restaurant. This one's very busy so you'll have to plan ahead. Read our once over here .   For celebrating Chinese New Year in style: Kaizen, Blanchardstown   Chinese New Year starts with the second new moon after winter solstice (i.e. February 17th), and if you want to get involved in the celebrations this year, we'd advise you book into Kaizen on Thursday 26th for their special 'Year of the Horse' celebration. Tickets are €60 for an eight-course tasting menu, a glass of prosecco, and live Chinese harp music, and reservations can be made by calling them on 01-824 3388 . The cut off for bookings is Wednesday 19th February, so don't put it on the long finger.     For brilliant sushi boats: Sushi & Go   We really weren't expecting to love Sushi & Go as much we did, but it turns out there was a huge gap in the market for onigiri and inari before they opened their doors on Montague Street. At €3.50 per sushi boat and €5 per onigiri it's the ultimate accessible food stop, and while the flavour combinations might seem wacky, we promise you'll be convinced at first bite. Read our two minute review here .

What’s the story with Sushi & Go?   A few weeks ago, breathy posts started appearing on social media about new grab and go sushi on Montague Street. Sushi & Go 's website only has limited information (find their Insta here ), but there was enough different here to colour us interested. Most of Dublin's sushi places have nothing major to set them apart, but Sushi & Go has come in with Onigiri (stuffed Japanese rice in the shape of a triangle), and Inari (sweet, savoury, stuffed tofu pockets) - two points of difference that had us heading for Montague on a wet, soggy day. Staff confirmed it's from the same owners as Zakura , CN Dumpling  and Sushida , none of which we're die hard fans of, but open mind and all that. Is there seating? Just seven counter seats, but this is fast food (in the best way) so people shouldn't hang around long. They're a take away first, with all packaging single use - a bummer if you're eating in. Plastic lids were added to everything, so ask for them to be left off if you're sitting down. Want to go full eco-warrior? Bring your own container. What should we eat?   You'll find norimaki, futomaki and special rolls at the grab and go counter, but they feel expensive at €3 per piece (online they're a bit cheaper for larger portions). Stick to the inari and onigiri for better value and more of the fun factor. Onigiri come in chicken, salmon, tuna, prawn and veggie options, all €5. We've had these before with just a dot of filling at the top and nothing but rice within, but these are stuffed, and brilliantly seasoned. We've spent many a moment reliving the chicken curry - this is peak grab n' go snack territory. We thought we'd find at least one dud from the five inari we tried, but whoever came up with these ingredient and flavour combos has serious kitchen skills. Ingredients like passion fruit and linseed look like they're more for effect than taste, but every bite of these sweet savoury pockets had us bowing further down. Stupidly delicious, all of them, but our favourites were spicy tuna avocado, mango chilli chicken, and olive garden - sun-dried tomatoes, cream cheese and mixed seeds might not be de rigueur in Tokyo, but boy it tastes good. We also grabbed some spicy cucumber and kimchi from the fridge, which were fine, but you won't be missing out if you skip them. We tried a couple of futomaki too, the California roll and the Kyoto fish roll with deep-fried cod. You can get similar in a plethora of other sushi restaurants around town, but the taste and care here is superior to most.   Anything for a sweet tooth?   There were a couple of mochi in the fridge, and while they'll never hit the peaks of the freshly made ones, the sesame was a lovely post sushi treat.   Why should we go?   It's rare that sushi in Dublin gets us excited, but Sushi & Go have come in with something genuinely different. It's cheap, it's fast, it's open seven days a week, and the taste is off the charts. Sushi & Go 4a Montague Street, Dublin 2 sushingo.ie