From bougie bars to a Ballsbridge steakhouse, a beloved Italian restaurant's new daytime deli to a curious Korean sandwich could-be franchise, here’s everything that’s new in Dublin city and surrounds, with a lot more yet to come...
Dosa Dosa, Adamstown
Long one of our go-to recommendations for the best Indian street food about town, Dosa Dosa have been happily attracting queues at their various mobile locations since setting up shop back at the start of 2020. Now, two years on from being among the launch partners at the Grand Canal Street market, they’ve added a second fixed spot in Adamstown right outside The Crossings shopping centre. As you’d expect, these guys are slinging by far some of the finest dosas in town, along with top-tier parotta, curry, and kathi rolls. It’s open evenings from Thursday through Sunday.
Masa, Camden Street
Pandemic “art diner” Dig In never quite managed to live up to the name of its predecessor Green 19, and after going on the market early this year the building has now become the second home of Masa, the Drury Street taqueria from the people who brought us Bunsen. It’s not at all hard to imagine this faring particularly well along this stretch of street, with plenty of keenly-priced tortilla chips, tacos and quesadillas to offer as little or as much soakage as the passing pub trade might wish for. It’s open every day for lunch and dinner.
Amuri by Day, Chatham Street
We’re living for the ongoing good news saga that is Amuri: after taking the chance to open their own premises in 2022 in the pandemic-abandoned upstairs tasting room of wine merchants The Corkscrew, Sicilian brothers Andrea and Luca Licciardello have now taken on the ground floor too, following The Corkscrew’s move to a bigger premises right round the corner – win win. Amuri by Day is now open from 08:00 every day but Monday, for deli-style servings of panini, arancini, cannoli and charcuterie, and judging by the happily waving staff and wide-eyed first customers we spotted as we strolled past over the weekend, there’s just as much to savour here as there is upstairs.
Goat’s Gruff, Adamstown
It’s a great week to be living in Adamstown: as if getting their own Dosa Dosa wasn’t good news enough for the southwest suburb, Strawberry Hall pizza and sandwich stalwart Goats Gruff have gone and set up shop there too – right beside, in fact. Their wood-fired oven is still a work in progress so you’ll have to wait just a little bit longer for the full suite of pizzas, but for now there’s plenty in the sourdough toasties (yes, including their Christmas classic), baked goods and Imbibe coffee to choose from, with early opening hours every day.
Pen & Player, Harcourt Street
The latest arrival to Dublin’s ever-more crowded craft cocktail space, Pen & Player in The Green hotel just off Harcourt Street is going in heavy on the literary vibes with a space it’s called “The Library” and some drink descriptions that look like they’ve been through a copywriter with grand aspirations. Whether it’s a “complex post show indulgence with the heroine in her emerald attire” or “a loosening of collars and bowing out with a warm handshake”, we’re none the wiser what any of these things actually taste like but they do look the part. A short, small plates food menu seems to know what it’s doing, and cocktails start at €15. Hey, copywriters are expensive.
Oxhorn, Ballsbridge
Quick on the offing after Mespil Road’s longstanding Keshk Café closed its doors for the final time back in September, steakhouse Oxhorn has taken on the premises promising to fill what it says is a gap in the market, and spare locals the trouble of trekking into town for a cut of beef. While we have to raise an eyebrow at that – it’s a short stroll over the canal, lads, you’re not crossing the Amazon – they’ve got most of that nearby city centre competition beat in a straight shoot-out over price. A soup and special lunch deal at €19.90 should go down well with the midweek crowd, while their Sunday roast pricing ranks well against the swelling city competition, at €19 for chicken and €22 for beef.
Bad Egg, Clanbrassil Street
No not Mad Egg, but confusingly close in name if not in offering: this curious new arrival to Clanbrassil Street has all the look of an international franchise and arrives here from Pakistan, with expansion allegedly due in Canada and Australia soon too. We’ll add a pinch of salt, so, to Bad Egg’s Korean egg drop sandwich specialty, though it does get the nod for going free-range. These loaded beasts of scrambled egg and various fillings on milk bread look like an almighty feed, and the all-day menu is also stacked with fries, tacos, and burgers to boot.
Coming soon...
Cellar 22, Stephen’s Green
Soft-launching this week is a new wine bar for the city in the form of Cellar 22. This Stephen’s Green basement bar has kept schtum so far on just what food and drinks it plans to offer, but we’re expecting all to be revealed following a soft launch later this week.
Mani, Drury Street
After the hard slog of years of food truck and popup stints, Roman pizza and Tuscan panini vendors Mani are getting a long-sought space of their own on Drury street. Prep is well and truly underway with a menu and opening date due soon, and Rory Shannon (the man behind Pala Pizza and Trattoria) will be in the kitchen. We're excited.
The Dunmore, Rathmines
As if Rathmines residents didn’t have enough to choose from, the owners of Waterford’s Strand Inn Hotel have arrived in Dublin 6 with a new spot named after their hometown. The Dunmore's early menu hints don’t do anything massive to set the world alight, but we’ll hold judgement until the full thing drops – it’s due any day now.
Love Tempo, Thomas Street
Thomas Street’s iconic Clock pub shut up shop back in February of this year, and we’ve been wondering what might step in to take over the sizeable premises. Love Tempo is the answer, a new joint venture from the people behind Parnell Street bar The Big Romance and queer club night Mother. It’s coming in December.
Popup Meyhane, Dame Street
It’s not at all long after mainstay chipper Beshoff Bros bailed out of Dame Street and their spot is already bearing signs of a popup to come. The spritzed-up fitout gave little immediately away when we popped our nose in the other day, but looks like this is to be a meyhane – a kind of traditional Turkish tavern that leans in to the latter part of food and drink combos. No trace on social yet, but we’ll be keeping a close eye.
