Oh lads. The blessed month of January is upon us. If like us you overindulged, spent too much and drank all the booze, we got you. Whether or not you're on the dry, doing Veganuary, or after all the stress of December you just need a little treat, we've rounded up our go to spots for January, and as a post Christmas win, there are plenty of deals to be had.
For the boujie January bargains:
Hawksmoor, Dublin 2
2024 so far is shaping up to be the year of the bargain, (ok maybe the €2 coffee on Drury Street got us excited) and Hawksmoor are starting this list off with guns a-blazing. This month they're going in with a double January whammy - aka balanced boozeless bargains. They're offering a lean rump steak & a side for €23, and three interesting looking non-alcoholic cocktails specials for €6 a pop. Their steak and side deal runs Monday to Saturday from 12:00 - 15:00, and again for the 17:00 sitting for the early birdies. Get on this stat.
For the cheap, cheerful, and calorie conscious:
Nutbutter, Smithfield & Grand Canal Dock
Got the January blues? Nutbutter will sort you out.. A solid option for a quick lunch, or if you're in need of a healthy dinner spot they open again from 16:00 - 21:30. There's a small selection of beer and wine, but also kombucha and juices for those on the dry. The menu has lots of great options from tacos to poke bowls, tostadas and pho. Guilt free goodness right here.
For a veggie friendly January treat:
Yves at Brother Hubbard, Ranelagh
Brother Hubbard’s Yves' French-inspired casual dining menu in Ranelagh has some really nice veggie and vegan options for those taking it easy with the meat this month. Save a few pennies too by opting into their BYOB deal with Redmond's wine shop. They open Wednesday to Friday from 17:30 and hold a small number of walk-in tables nightly.
To get us through this cold snap
Andhra Bhavan, Marlborough Street
Andhra Bhavan snuck up on us relatively recently and we've been hearing really great things about this new Indian oening. With a focus on the southern part of the country, they describe themselves as "pioneers of authentic South Indian breakfast", and boast a good variety of dishes, including dosas, idlis, vadas, uttappams, and peserattu. All mains are under €20, which is great news for the current month we're in. God knows we all need a bargain.
For when you're doing Dry January:
The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin 2
For those in their mocktail era, The Shelbourne have added a bunch of new low and no alcohol drinks to their menu and have recently partnered up with Lucky Saint - a non alcoholic craft beer brewed in a 400-year old Bavarian brewery. Their cocktails are made with Lyre's non alcoholic spirits, with some pretty interesting options (we like the look of the blood orange spritz), and the menu is available not just for January, but year round. Livers rejoice.
For when you need a bit of flavour after all the turkey and ham
L-Blanc Mezzes, North Strand
On Friday and Saturday nights, North Strand's favourite coffee shop Cloud Café turns into a brand new mezze restaurant, with the food at L-Blanc looking whopper and their set menus a serious steal - one main, two mezze and a glass of vino is €35. Hearty Turkish dishes, along with a varied selection of mezze plates, make this spot a great place to go with a group of pals. Share the whole menu and get those veggies into ya.
For when you need one more January deal:
BAH33º, Dublin 2
This month, Brazilian bastions BAH33º are including two glasses of house wine with two Gaucho RodÃzios BBQ experiences - a four course menu where you pick your meat option from the servers walking by. There's lots of interesting options including rump, flank, fillet wrapped in bacon, chicken hearts, twelve-hour ribs, and cinnamon smoked pineapple. Sounds like a much needed fun injection over the next few drab weeks.
