Must-see restaurants in Dublin

  • Simon's Place

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    Simon's soup-and-sandwich joint is a city stalwart, impervious to the fluctuating fortunes of the world around it, mostly because its doorstep sandwiches…

  • Workshop Gastropub

    Dublin

    Take a traditional pub and introduce a chef with a vision: hey presto, you've got a gastropub (surprisingly one of the few in the city) serving burgers,…

  • Third Space

    North of the Liffey

    One of the most welcoming cafes in town is this wonderful spot in Smithfield, which serves excellent breakfasts and fine sandwiches, as well as a lovely…

  • Sano Pizza

    Temple Bar

    The authentic Neapolitan pizza served here is fantastic, with a chewy, charred crust and a sparse smattering of toppings — we love the Sapori del Sud,…

  • L'Gueuleton

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    Despite the tongue-twister name (it means 'gluttonous feast' in French), L'Gueuleton is a firm favourite with locals for its robust (meaty, filling) take…

  • Boco

    North of the Liffey

    Buzzing pizza joint that's handy if you're heading to the Cineworld cinema on Parnell St. If you have any room for dessert, the Bean & Goose sharing board…

  • House

    Dublin

    This gorgeous bar does a limited selection of main courses, but the real treats are the tapas-style sharing plates, which cover the full Mediterranean…

  • Saba

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    The name means 'happy meeting place' and this Thai-Vietnamese fusion restaurant is just that. The buzzy atmosphere is all designer cool, the Southeast…

  • Coke Lane Pizza

    Dublin

    Excellent sourdough pizzas served fresh from the hatch on the terrace of Luckys pub. Visit before 7pm and you can get pizza and a pint (or a glass of wine…

  • Tea Garden

    North of the Liffey

    A tranquil escape on the quays, this teahouse boasts an exhaustive menu of brews and shishas. They are all served with a sense of ritual and expertise,…

  • Two Pups Coffee

    Dublin

    A gem of a local cafe serving fresh, inventive food. The decor may be somewhat hipster but the food is wholesome, tasty and unpretentious, with excellent…

  • Oxmantown

    North of the Liffey

    The Smithfield outpost of the Mary's Abbey cafe, Oxmantown is a reliable spot for excellent sandwiches and even better Cloudpicker coffee. Its little…

  • Meet Me in the Morning

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    Scrummy all-day breakfasts (think kale with perfectly poached eggs and zingy garlic yoghurt) and gorgeous treats like sea buckthorn glazed doughnuts make…

  • Variety Jones

    Dublin

    With a simple menu of stellar dishes, Variety Jones is offering some of the most exciting cooking in Dublin. Dishes are cooked on a hearth for a hearty,…

  • Honest to Goodness

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    By day, the downstairs cafe serves wholesome sandwiches, tasty soups and a near-legendary sloppy joe hamburger. By night, the upstairs restaurant serves…

  • F.X. Buckley

    Temple Bar

    Specialising in grass-fed, 28-day aged steak from its very own butchers, this is beef at its best. The steak may be the star of the show but don't leave…

  • Lemon

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    Dublin's best pancake joint serves a wide range of sweet and savoury crêpes – those paper-thin ones stuffed with a variety of goodies and smothered in…

  • Masa

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    A quick and easy taco joint serving authentic soft corn tortillas filled with pulled pork, crispy fish and fried chicken. The elotes (corn on the cob…

  • Camden Rotisserie

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    Things are kept simple at this cosy little spot — succulent rotisserie chicken, wings and burgers are served with skin-on fries or mash (€3.25), at long…

  • Farmer Brown's

    Dublin

    A second branch of the much-loved restaurant on Bath Ave, offering virtually the same delicious menu. Its juicy burgers are a contender for the best in…

  • Clanbrassil Coffee Shop

    Dublin

    The daytime incarnation of Clanbrassil House next door, this cafe has a small but solid menu of sandwiches, bagels and pastries, made fresh each day.

  • Azteca

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    This spot near Dublin Castle has been around for a few years but rarely features on anyone's 'must-eat' list. It's their loss, because the burritos here…

  • Phoenix Park Tea Rooms

    Dublin

    These handsome Victorian tearooms just off Chesterfield Ave by the bandstand in Phoenix Park serve cakes, sandwiches, salads and, of course, tea and…

  • Queen of Tarts

    Temple Bar

    A more spacious branch of the popular cafe-bakery on nearby Cork Hill.

  • Bunsen

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    Homemade, succulent artisan burgers so big and tasty, they're almost sinful.

  • Bunsen

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    Artisanal burgers that are so popular, the queues go out the door.

  • Le Bon Crubeen sign

    Le Bon Crubeen

    North of the Liffey

    This is modern Irish cuisine with a subtle French twist, managing to combine hearty comfort food with classic elegance. The saloon-style restaurant is…

  • Wheat, coffee, sugar and tea cannisters at Chez Max.

    Chez Max

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    Guarding the main gate to Dublin Castle is a French cafe that is Gallic through and through, from the fixtures imported from gay Paree to the beautiful,…

  • Container Coffee is inside this shipping container

    Container Coffee

    Dublin

    With strong coffee, ready-to-go gourmet sandwiches, pastries and hearty sausage rolls, this makes for a good pit stop to quickly refuel. Seating is…

  • The facade of Accents

    Accents Coffee & Tea Lounge

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    Full of books to borrow and couches to sprawl on, Accents has a tempting array of sweet treats, special tea blends from SUKI and hot chocolates – made…

  • The exterior for Dublin Cookie Company

    Dublin Cookie Company

    Dublin

    Artisanal cookies by Jenny and Elaine, made fresh all day right in front of you. It's always experimenting with new and exciting flavours, and offers…

  • Drury Buildings

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    An elegant restaurant in a converted rag-trade warehouse…sounds like New York's SoHo, and that's exactly what it's trying to emulate. The food – Italian…

  • Wallace's Taverna

    North of the Liffey

    Right in the heart of Quartier Bloom is this pleasant Italian eatery that serves simple pastas, antipasti and cheeses from the home country. Just a few…

  • 101 Talbot

    North of the Liffey

    This Dublin classic has expertly resisted every trendy wave and has been a stalwart of good Irish cooking since opening more than two decades ago. Its…

  • Hatch & Sons

    North of the Liffey

    There’s hardly a better way to ruminate over the art in the gallery than over lunch in the basement cafe. The menu features blaas (filled soft bread rolls…

  • Bobo's

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    Cowhide leather banquettes suggest a burger joint with a difference, and Bobo's is just that: a dozen different kinds of burgers with Irish names flesh…

  • Dollard & Co

    Temple Bar

    This sleek food hall is housed in the oldest steel-frame structure in Ireland, and serves as a foodie emporium – pick up high-end groceries (including…

  • Musashi IFSC

    Dublin

    Freshly made sushi, sashimi and other Japanese specialities, including a particularly tasty tatsuta chicken, served to an appreciative lunchtime and after…

  • Quay 16

    Dublin

    The MV Cill Airne, commissioned in 1961 as a passenger liner tender, is now permanently docked along the north quays, where it serves the public as a bar,…

  • Wagamama

    Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green

    This popular chain serves terrific Japanese grub – just no sushi. Production-line rice and noodle dishes delivered pronto at canteen-style tables mightn't…