Parnell Square's two-Michelin-star Chapter One, Capel Street's wave of new restaurants, and Smithfield's coffee and whiskey row.
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.
Mickael Viljanen's two-Michelin-star basement on Parnell Square in Dublin, the city's most polished tasting room, French technique on luxury Irish produce.
OrderWhatever Viljanen is building on the surprise tasting menu, paired with the by-the-glass wine flight.
Book4-6 weeks ahead
TipReservations open in monthly windows; book the morning windows open. Lunch Thursday to Saturday is the same kitchen at lower commitment.
Anthony Smith's Parnell Square basement room in Dublin 1, modern Irish bistro a short walk from Chapter One, Michelin Guide listed since 2017.
OrderThe pig's-head croquettes if they are on, and the eight-hour bavette with bone-marrow sauce.
Book2 weeks ahead
TipThe room runs Tuesday to Saturday from 17:00; the early sitting is the calm one before the post-theatre push.
Yamamori Sushi on Ormond Quay in Dublin 1, the riverside sister to the Yamamori ramen room, the city's veteran Japanese counter and donburi lunch.
OrderThe bento at lunch; the chef's omakase platter for two at dinner.
TipWindow banquettes face the Liffey. Lunch bento under €20 is the value play; the kitchen closes between 15:30 and 17:30.
Musashi on Capel Street in Dublin 1, Northside's regular Japanese noodle and sushi counter, the city's most reliable sub-€15 ramen and tuna nigiri lunch.
OrderTonkotsu ramen with extra chashu, a side of pan-fried gyoza.
TipThree Capel Street locations within a block. The original 15 Capel sits busiest at lunch; the IFSC branch is quieter for dinner.
Soup Dragon on Capel Street in Dublin 1, a fifteen-seat Northside cafe running ten daily soups, the city's most balanced sub-€10 lunch you can find.
OrderTwo-soup combo with house bread and a smoothie; Thai chicken soup if it's on the board.
TipWalk-in only and counter seating only; arrive before 12:30 or after 14:00 to find a stool. Takeaway runs all day.
Brother Hubbard North on Capel Street in Dublin 1, Garrett FitzGerald and James Boland's original Middle Eastern brunch room, the Capel Street weekend anchor.
OrderShakshuka with house bread; a cardamom French toast and a flat white to follow.
DrinkFlat white
TipWalk-in only Saturday and Sunday from 09:30; the queue starts before doors. Wednesday breakfast is the calm window.
Vice Coffee Inc on Middle Abbey Street in Dublin 1, inside the Wigwam bar and venue, the small-batch specialty roaster pouring espresso and filter.
OrderEspresso tonic in summer, the seasonal filter in winter.
DrinkEspresso tonic
TipCounter inside Wigwam; the bar's coffee bar runs daytime hours. Closes 17:00 weekdays.
The Bakehouse on Bachelors Walk in Dublin 1, a quayside bakery and cafe serving classic Irish brown bread, soda farls and an all-day fry-up on the river.
OrderA slab of brown soda bread with butter and an all-day full Irish.
TipWindow stools face the Liffey; the back room sits forty. Open seven days, breakfast served all day.
Vice Coffee Inc on Middle Abbey Street in Dublin 1, the small-batch specialty roaster pouring espresso and filter from the bar counter inside Wigwam venue.
BeansEthiopia, Colombia
BrewsEspresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
TipCounter is inside Wigwam bar; daytime hours only. The seasonal espresso blend is the carry-home bag.
The Cobblestone on King Street North in Smithfield, Dublin 7, Tom Mulligan's family trad music pub, the city's reference for an unplugged session.
DrinkGuinness
FoodNo food, drinks only
TipNightly trad sessions from 19:00, free entry. The back room is the dedicated session bar; arrive 18:00 for a seat.
The Big Romance on Parnell Street in Dublin 1, an audiophile bar with twelve Irish and US craft taps, vinyl all night, the Northside's most considered late.
DrinkDaily craft beer pour
FoodWood-fired pizza
TipTwelve taps and a serious vinyl system; the wood-fired pizza arrives until 23:00 Friday and Saturday.
Jameson Distillery on Bow Street in Smithfield Dublin 7, the original 1780 Jameson distillery turned visitor experience, three Irish whiskeys tasted and one.
TipBow Street experience runs €25 with a comparative tasting; the Cask Workshop is the premium upgrade at €65.
The indoor Saturday market on Barrow Road in Dublin 11 that carried over the Honest2Goodness traders, strong on small-grower vegetables and rare-breed meat.
TipNorthside-only and indoors, so the weather is rarely a problem. Saturday mornings only; the market runs cash and card.
Moore Street Market in Dublin 1, the city's oldest open-air street market behind Henry Street, fruit and veg stalls plus African, Asian and halal grocers.
TipThe traditional Dublin produce stalls run the south end; the halal butchers and African grocers run the north end of the street.
Ireland's national festival runs five days to 17 March, the parade leaving Parnell Square at noon, with food in the programme including the St Patrick's Long Table dinner in Stoneybatter.
TipThe parade starts at 12pm on 17 March; the Long Table sitting at L. Mulligan Grocer costs €55 and sells out early.
Soup Dragon on Capel Street in Dublin 1, ten daily soups, the city's most balanced sub-€10 lunch counter, the Northside's working budget lunch since 1996.
TryTwo-soup combo with bread
TipCounter-only seating; the two-soup combo with bread and a smoothie runs €12. Best after 14:00.
Musashi on Capel Street in Dublin 1, Northside's reliable Japanese noodle counter, the city's most reliable sub-€15 tonkotsu ramen and donburi lunch order.
TryTonkotsu ramen
TipThree Capel Street locations within a block. The original 15 Capel sits busiest at lunch; the IFSC branch is quieter for dinner.
Brother Hubbard North on Capel Street in Dublin 1, the Garrett FitzGerald and James Boland Middle Eastern brunch room, the Capel Street weekend anchor.
OrderShakshuka with house bread and a cardamom French toast.
TipWalk-in only Saturday and Sunday from 09:30; the queue starts before doors. Wednesday breakfast is the calm window.
The Bakehouse on Bachelors Walk in Dublin 1, a quayside Irish breakfast room serving the Liffey view's all-day fry-up, the city's reference for a tourist.
OrderFull Irish breakfast with brown soda bread and butter.
TipWindow stools face the Liffey; the back room sits forty. Open seven days, breakfast served all day.
Dash Burger on Capel Street in Dublin 1, the larger of Barry Wallace's two smash-burger rooms, a terrace and beers on tap with the kitchen on the griddle.
TryDouble smash burger
TipWalk-ins only, kitchen closes at 21:00; the double smash with cheese and skin-on fries is the order. Beers on tap at this branch.
Index Dublin moved into the former Opium Rooms on Middle Abbey Street and is now the city's serious techno and house room with Glitterbox residencies.
TipDoors hard close around 01:00 on the busy nights, get there before midnight or queue the rest of the set out on Abbey Street.
The Cobblestone in Smithfield Dublin is the Mulligan family trad pub The Guardian called Ireland's most famous traditional music room. Free nightly sessions.
TipThe front bar session is free and starts at 19:00, you sit where the regulars say you sit. The Balcony TV gigs are in the back room and ticketed.
Pantibar on Capel Street in Dublin is drag queen Panti Bliss's flamboyant bar, central to the queer scene since 2007 for drag, cabaret and a community pint.
TipFriday early evening is when Panti tends to drop in unannounced, Sundays do the long lazy drag brunch downstairs.
The Big Romance on Parnell Street opened in 2018 as Dublin's first dedicated audiophile bar, with a custom vinyl-only system and a bartenders-as-selectors policy.
TipSit at the bar in front of the speakers, the booths at the back are for conversation rather than listening. Bartenders take vinyl requests if you bring records.
Fidelity Bar & Studio in Smithfield Dublin is the 2024 audiophile listening room from The Big Romance and Whiplash, with custom speakers and Sister7 small plates.
TipProgramming shifts from balearic and jazz early to house and disco late, book the booth in Fidelity Studio for a semi-private listening table.
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...
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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...