Where to go when you need a salad

Lisa Cope
2 hours ago
4 min read

We all know that salad and sunshine go together like… well, tasty cold food and hot weather. We’re officially at that time of the year where eating salad for at least one meal a day stops being an unchecked item on your to-do list, and turns into an activity to plan your day, and Insta stories, around. Here's where to head for when you can't possibly face a hot meal...

Sprout, various locations in Dublin

We think it's safe to say that the most loved place in Dublin for a salad (by our readers anyway) is salad bar Sprout, which now has eight locations across Dublin and more beyond. The Supergreek and Tokyo bowls get a lot of love, but the meat-free options also make Sprout stand out, with the tofu satay and chick-please bowls singled out as two of the best.

Tang, four city centre locations

Ask any in-the-know Dubliner where to get a salad to make you vibrate with joy, and the word Tang will definitely fall out of their mouth. Their weekly changing salad plates start at €9.25 with 'fresh', 'roast' and 'grain' options, and protein add ons and extras are priced from 60c for pickles to €3.50 for Moroccan lamb. Find them on Abbey Street, Dawson Street, Cumberland Place and Windmill Lane.

Tiller + Grain, Frederick Street South

Say salad in Dublin and someone will shout "TILLER + GRAIN". Their daily changing salads are a riot of colour, texture and flavour, and you won't find any boring options in here. While known for being "not cheap" (a salad box with protein will set you back around €18), they are known for being very, very good.

Honest To Goodness, The Liberties

Liberties Café Honest to Goodness are not phoning it in with the salads. Their buffalo chicken bowl almost left us speechless, the Caesar salad is up there with Dublin's best, and the "Kitchen Sink" is criminally under-rated - get it with marinated trout or roast chicken if you want to make it less vegan.

Nutbutter, Grand Canal Dock, Smithfield and Dundrum

Nutbutter serve superfood warm and seasonal bowls in super pretty surroundings in all three of their locations, northside and south. It's very easy to be vegan or vegetarian in here, but just as easy to add protein like miso lime prawns or seasoned chicken to your order. It's recommended we eat 30 plants a week - you can easily get 10 in one bowl in here.

Caribou's Caesar Salad

Caribou's Caesar salad is another masterclass in the genre. Every element on the plate - Romaine lettuce, Grana Padano, Caesar dressing and thin, crispy croutons - is perfection, with just the right amount of everything. You can add grilled or fried chicken, but it doesn't need it. On our last visit it was €13, or €17 with chicken.

Chimac's Chicken Salad

You know when you want something just a lil bit dirty, but you know you'll feel rubbish after it. That's where Chimac's Sesame Kale Caesar salad comes in. All the juicy twice-fried chicken feels, with added health benefits. Granted there's sriracha candied bacon and breadcrumbs in there too, but no-one's perfect.

Fairmental, Dublin 4

Fairmental near Grand Canal Dock is the place you go when you feel your gut needs an injection of good health. Their summer salads change frequently but you can be sure to find lots of fermented goodness in there.

The Fumbally, Dublin 8

There always a lovely salad line up at The Fumbally which changes day to day, but you can expect the most seasonal veg, local cheese, homemade bread, and veggie protein for €14.90 (on our last visit). You'll feel so good after eating one that you can totally justify one of their doughnuts afterwards.

Honey Truffle Kitchen, Pearse Street

Honey Truffle Kitchen has long been a Pearse Street magnet for salad lovers, with their vivid bar capable of turning the heads of even the most ardent sandwich fans. Salads are always seasonal, health-filled and flavour-packed, and come in different sizes with optional dips, toppings, seeds and cheese, and protein if you're not hitting your macros.

The Old Spot's Caesar Salad

Over in Dublin 4 there's another Caesar salad you should know about at everyone's favourite gastro pub, The Old Spot. Theirs has roast chicken, crispy Parma ham, aged Parmesan and croutons, and while it's €20, this is a dine in and sit back affair.

Emer's Kitchen, Leeson Street

The Emer's Kitchen salad bar is legendary around Leeson Street, with few cafés seeming to elicit such a dedicated, heartfelt following from customers. They change daily but you can get three salads (they say they use the term loosely) in a box with meat, chicken, salmon or frittata for €9.50, or €12.90 with protein (the exact same price as 12 months ago BTW).

Shouk, Drumcondra

The Shouk mezze is legitimately legendary, with nothing changing in the past few years, and nothing ever needing to - there would be a riot, and we'd be top of the queue. The aubergine and red pepper, the Morroccan carrot, the roasted cauliflower with tahini, the tabouleh... Not to mention the Shouk salad with sumac and fried pita bites - getting your five a day has never tasted so good.

As One

As One on City Quay walks the walk where so many just talk the talk when it comes to seasonal Irish produce, and supporting local growers, and nowhere is that seen more clearly than on their salad bar. McNally, Abercorn and Beechlawn organic farms all feature on their 'Harvest Plate' and in the daily salad selection, and you can add dips, slaws, pickles and sustainably sourced protein to your heart's content.