Yamamori Izakaya on South Great George's Street in Dublin, the basement izakaya under the long-running ramen room, the city's most credible robata bar.
Signature dishes: Robata-grilled mackerel, Karaage, Yakitori
Must order: Robata-grilled mackerel, a round of yakitori, and the basket of karaage to share.
Tip: The basement runs late on weekends; the upstairs is the lunch room. Highballs at the back bar are EUR 6 in happy hour.
Address: 12-13 South Great George's Street, Dublin 2, D02 RD36
Drury Buildings on Drury Street in Dublin, a three-floor Italian-leaning dining room and cocktail bar built into the William Fry warehouse, a southside staple.
Signature: Crab linguine, Wood-fired pizza, Tiramisu
Order: Crab linguine and a Negroni Sbagliato from the rooftop bar before dinner.
Tip: Roof terrace opens summer only; book the first-floor dining room with a window onto Drury Street for two.
Brother Hubbard South on Harrington Street in Dublin 8, Garrett FitzGerald and James Boland's sit-down Middle Eastern room and the all-day brunch reference.
Signature: Shakshuka, Lamb shawarma plate, Cardamom French toast
Order: The shakshuka at brunch, the lamb shawarma at lunch, with a cardamom-bun cinnamon roll to take away.
Tip: Walk-in only Saturday morning; the queue starts at 09:30. Bookings open Sunday to Friday on the website.
Pickle on Camden Street in Dublin, Sunil Ghai's modern Indian dining room running North Indian classics on Irish produce since 2015, tandoor-forward.
Signature: Lamb karahi, Black daal, Tandoori monkfish
Order: Lamb karahi, black daal, naan straight from the tandoor, and a glass of off-dry Riesling.
Tip: Tuesday to Sunday dinner; lunch Friday to Sunday only. Sit at the kitchen counter to watch the tandoor.
Pichet on Trinity Street in Dublin, Stephen Gibson's red-canopied French bistro, Bib Gourmand since 2010 and the city's most reliable pre-theatre.
Signature: Steak frites, Tarte Tatin, Moules
Order: Steak frites with bearnaise, then the tarte Tatin to share with a glass of Sauternes.
Tip: Lunch at noon is the easy book; pre-theatre at 17:30 to 18:30 sets you up for the Gaiety. Avoid the back room for two.
Drury Buildings on Drury Street in Dublin, a three-floor Italian-leaning dining room and cocktail bar built into the William Fry warehouse, a southside staple.
Signature: Crab linguine, Wood-fired pizza, Tiramisu
Order: Crab linguine and a Negroni Sbagliato from the rooftop bar before dinner.
Tip: Roof terrace opens summer only; book the first-floor dining room with a window onto Drury Street for two.
Fish Shop on Benburb Street in Stoneybatter, Peter and Jumoke Hogan's sit-down chipper, the most refined fish and chips and oysters in Dublin.
Signature: Beer-battered fish and chips, Mackerel pâté, Daily oysters
Order: Beer-battered haddock with chips and the daily Galway Bay oysters by the half-dozen.
Tip: Walk-in only; arrive 17:30 Thursday to Saturday to get a counter seat before the line forms.
Brother Hubbard South on Harrington Street in Dublin 8, Garrett FitzGerald and James Boland's sit-down Middle Eastern room and the all-day brunch reference.
Signature: Shakshuka, Lamb shawarma plate, Cardamom French toast
Order: The shakshuka at brunch, the lamb shawarma at lunch, with a cardamom-bun cinnamon roll to take away.
Tip: Walk-in only Saturday morning; the queue starts at 09:30. Bookings open Sunday to Friday on the website.
Host on Ranelagh Village in Dublin 6, a small open-kitchen room of Mediterranean small plates, hand-rolled pasta and charcoal-grilled cuts, the southside's go-to sharing kitchen since 2017.
Signature: Fresh pasta, Mediterranean small plates, Charcoal-grilled meats
Order: A round of small plates, a hand-rolled pasta off the daily menu and a charcoal-grilled steak to share.
Tip: Communal seating; dinner Wednesday to Sunday with weekend lunch added. Bookings open sixty days out.
Pickle on Camden Street in Dublin, Sunil Ghai's modern Indian dining room running North Indian classics on Irish produce since 2015, tandoor-forward.
Signature: Lamb karahi, Black daal, Tandoori monkfish
Order: Lamb karahi, black daal, naan straight from the tandoor, and a glass of off-dry Riesling.
Tip: Tuesday to Sunday dinner; lunch Friday to Sunday only. Sit at the kitchen counter to watch the tandoor.
Pichet on Trinity Street in Dublin, Stephen Gibson's red-canopied French bistro, Bib Gourmand since 2010 and the city's most reliable pre-theatre.
Signature: Steak frites, Tarte Tatin, Moules
Order: Steak frites with bearnaise, then the tarte Tatin to share with a glass of Sauternes.
Tip: Lunch at noon is the easy book; pre-theatre at 17:30 to 18:30 sets you up for the Gaiety. Avoid the back room for two.
