Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
A yeast-free quick bread leavened with bicarbonate of soda reacting against buttermilk, baked in 45 minutes with a cross cut into the top. The Irish kitchen bread, every day for two hundred years.
Soda bread became the Irish household loaf in the 1840s when bicarbonate of soda arrived in Ireland, giving cooks a quick yeast-free leavener for the rough wheat available to small farms. The brown soda variant uses wholemeal and was the working everyday loaf; the white soda variant arrived later. The cross cut into the top was practical (helps the loaf bake evenly) and superstitious (lets the fairies out). Today every Dublin restaurant serves a brown soda variant with butter; the Brazen Head, the Bretzel Bakery and the Winding Stair bake the city's references.
4 editor picks for Irish soda bread in Dublin, ranked by editorial score. All Dublin signature dishes · Irish soda bread across every city.
Also in: Galway.
Spitalfields on The Coombe in Dublin's Liberties, a Michelin Bib Gourmand pub-set kitchen serving the city's most considered classical Irish menu.
OrderThe seasonal stew with soda bread, and the coddle when it lands on the daily card.
TipTuesday to Saturday dinner only, 17:00-21:00. Walk through the public bar and ask for the back dining room.
The Winding Stair on Ormond Quay in Dublin 1, Elaine Murphy's upstairs dining room above the bookshop overlooking the Ha'penny Bridge and the Liffey.
OrderSmoked Burren salmon, then a bowl of Irish stew with brown bread.
TipWindow seats face the Ha'penny Bridge; book three weeks ahead for the four river-view tables. Walk through the bookshop and up.
The Brazen Head on Bridge Street Lower in Dublin 8, established 1198 as Ireland's oldest pub, the present 1754 coaching inn serves Irish stew and trad.
TipFood served until 21:00 daily; nightly trad music sessions from 21:00. The back snug holds eight; the courtyard runs summer only.
Bewley's Cafe on Grafton Street in Dublin, the Ernest Bewley grand cafe since 1927, restored across three floors, the city's heritage tea-room and lunch room.
OrderThe Bewley's house blend coffee and a sticky bun; an afternoon cream tea upstairs.
TipThree floors; the first floor is the historic Harry Clarke window room. The basement Theatre cafe runs lunchtime plays.
Irish soda bread makes more sense with someone from Dublin explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Private tour · 2.5 hours
Experience the culture and cuisine of Ireland's capital on this 2.5-hour gastronomical journey. Discover the best of Irish produce as you stroll through the city cente...
Guided tour · 3 hours
Explore Dublin’s vibrant food scene on our guided tour. Sample traditional bites like Irish stew, Irish breakfast bap, and artisanal cheeses while learning about the c...
Guided tour · 3 hours
Explore the tastes of Dublin with an introduction to Irish food. Experience a 3-hour walking food tour of Dublin, and eat at award-winning eateries and food shops in t...
.jpg){kind=link}