Burgers€south-city-centre
Happy Endings at Eatyard on South Richmond Street, Dublin's go-to smash burger inside the open-air street food yard behind the Bernard Shaw.
Signature: Smash burger, Loaded fries, Buttermilk chicken
Order: Double smash burger with American cheese and house pickles; chilli cheese fries to share.
Tip: Eatyard opens Wednesday to Sunday from 12:00. Tables fill on Friday evenings; the cocktail bar at the back is the wait spot.
Burgers€south-city-centre
Bunsen on Wexford Street in Dublin, the chef-built burger that built a five-shop Dublin chain on one menu of beef, cheese and fries, the city's reference.
Signature: Cheeseburger, Fries, Milkshake
Order: Quarter-pound cheeseburger with onion, fries and a chocolate milkshake.
Tip: One menu, no specials; the smallest tables turn fastest. Late till midnight at the Wexford Street flagship.
Pizzeria€the-liberties
Sano Pizza on Exchange Street Upper in Dublin 8, the wood-fired Neapolitan pizzeria with a Caputo flour spec, the city's most credible margherita pizza.
Signature: Margherita, Diavola, Nduja
Order: A margherita with fior di latte, then a diavola with extra basil; share over a glass of Aglianico.
Tip: No bookings; arrive at 17:30 to walk into a table. Counter and tables sit twenty inside.
Japanese€north-inner-city
Musashi on Capel Street in Dublin 1, Northside's go-to Japanese noodle and sushi counter, the city's most reliable sub-EUR 15 ramen and tuna nigiri lunch.
Signature: Tonkotsu ramen, Sushi set, Gyoza
Order: Tonkotsu ramen with extra chashu, a side of pan-fried gyoza.
Tip: Three Capel Street locations within a block. The original 15 Capel sits busiest at lunch; the IFSC branch is quieter for dinner.
Cafe€north-inner-city
Soup Dragon on Capel Street in Dublin 1, a fifteen-seat Northside cafe running ten daily soups, the city's most balanced sub-EUR 10 lunch you can find.
Signature: Soup of the day, Smoothies, Daily bagel
Order: Two-soup combo with house bread and a smoothie; Thai chicken soup if it's on the board.
Tip: Walk-in only and counter seating only; arrive before 12:30 or after 14:00 to find a stool. Takeaway runs all day.
Levantine€south-city-centre
Umi Falafel on Dame Street in Dublin, the vegan Lebanese counter doing the city's most credible falafel on freshly fried chickpeas in a saj-pressed wrap.
Signature: Falafel wrap, Mezze plate, Baklava
Order: Falafel wrap with toum and pickles; a mezze plate and a glass of mint tea to share.
Tip: Three Dublin locations; the Dame Street original is the original kitchen. Open until 22:00 Friday and Saturday.