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11th July 2024
12:43pm BST
There are many things the Dubs get wrong, seagull birth control, rubbish collection, and planning permission for hotels. But through the years, pizza is something that we now truly excel at. Across the city, there are some exemplary examples of everything from the classic Neapolitan pi to the wood-fired sourdough, topped with anything you could dream of. We've lifted the lid on many a pizza in our day and sampled everything from the 3 am slice to the starched linen tablecloth affair. It doesn't matter which side of the pi chart you land on, Dublin has got the goods. Without further delay, here are the 25 best pizza spots to check out in Dublin:
St.Colmcille's GAA, Swords
This family-run/family-owned pizza truck based out in Swords is among some of the best to be found north of the Liffey. Authenticity is the name of the game here, with even the pizza oven itself hailing from Italy, and signage proudly declaring that they do NOT offer pineapple or chicken as toppings - keeping true to the Italian way of life. Since opening their stand back in 2022, La Papessa has grown from strength to strength - they regularly sell out and even had to upgrade to bigger premises to keep up with the demand. Not only do they offer some of the finest pizzas around, they also have a big selection of mouth-watering sides. Make sure to spring for one of their topped garlic breads or their loaded roasties - you won't regret it.
Go for? The Vesuvius Pizza
La Papessa opens from Thursday to Sunday, for opening times check out their Instagram.
Drury Street, Dublin 2
Dublin pizza enthusiasts have been keenly following Mani's movements around the city for the last couple of years - from its Dublin Castle food truck to its pop-up stint at Central Plaza, Mani's 72-hour-fermented base has amassed a loyal following of fans who dream about those Romanesque, cloud-like bases on the regular. Since opening their first brick-and-mortar spot in the middle of Drury Street, queues have rarely been absent from the gorgeous green storefront, with eager locals and tourists lining up to get a rectangular pizza slice that is light, bubbly, and full of flavour. In the year 2024, a pizza place is only as good as its dips, and Mani offers a cacio e pepe variation, which you're unlikely to see elsewhere in Dublin. When summer finally rolls around, this will be the go-to spot to feel like you're on an Italian street with a slice of pizza and a glass of vino in tow.
Go for? The carbonara slice
Mani opens daily 12:00 to 20:00, but they tend to run out of slices early in the day.
Rathmines, Dublin 6
Uno Pizza rose to fame during the pandemic with their at-home pizza kits whereby you could make your own Neapolitan pizza in the comfort of your own home, providing nationwide delivery so even those in Dublin could bask in the freshness and technique behind their food. If you're looking to dine out, Uno provides a sophisticated space to wrap your pie hole around a literal pie, teal walls and warm brown leather booths and bar stools. They lean into the home of pizza, serving up Italian beer like Birra Moretti and Italian cocktails like Aperol Spritz to help wash down your food. Their pizzas have the right balance of leoparding around the crust without being burnt, with their simple combinations like the Diavola (san marzano DOP, fior di latte, pepperoni, salami, chilli flakes) and Caprese (san marzano DOP, fior di latte, cherry tomatoes, rocket, basil pesto) making for the best pies to order. Plus they cater towards those who require gluten or dairy-free options, which is not an easy thing to come across in the pizza sphere.
Go for? A midweek pizza catch-up
Uno Pizza opens seven days a week and is available for sit-in, takeway, and delivery.
George's Street & Temple Bar, Dublin 2
You were lucky to get a booking at PI in the first few months of its life when it opened in 2018. Only open going on six years, this pizzeria has opened a new spot in Temple Bar in the last few months, spreading its cheesy gospel into Dublin's tourist hub. The crust has that Dalmatian spot effect, with large air bubbles that mean you won't feel too weighed down following a pizza here, but it's the super fresh tomato sauce that has people raving about PI long after they've finished their meal. Couple that with a beautiful setting and super knowledgeable staff, and you're onto a winner.
Go for? A profesh pizza experience
Take a look at PI's offerings HERE.
Phibsborough, Dublin 7
The Back Page is one of Dublin's top bars, providing entertainment alongside a thin base with some rogue toppings. If you're into sports, then this may be the ideal place to go for a pizza, with each of their pizzas named after a sports star (e.g. Katie Taylor, Sonia O'Sullivan, Aidan O'Shea, Eric Cantona, the list goes on). Plus, if you're super lucky, you might just avail of a free pizza from The Back Page; every week they announce two names, normally beginning with the same letter, that can get a free pizza for dine-in. The odds may be stacked against you, but hey, it's possible one day it might be you.
Go for? Watching the match with some grub
The Back Page opens from 12pm until late daily.
Parliament Street, Dublin 2
It'd be against my religion and everything I hold sacred to contribute to a list of Dublin pizzerias without including the place it all began - New York-style haven Di Fontaine's on Parliament Street. A post-night out trip to Di Fonty's feels like coming home - the pumping tunes, the compulsion to order two slices even though you know you'll be stuffed after one, the ever-immaculate garlic dip and apply your own parmesan and chilli flakes- it's my safe space. And after one visit, it'll be yours too.
Go for? The late-night slice
Di Fontaine's opens for collection and delivery daily from 12pm, with late-night closing hours.
Ringsend Road, Dublin 4
What is possibly one of the city's more underrated pizza spots, has a special place in my heart. In fact, Basil was the first place I headed for a sit-down meal after the very long lockdown three. Consistency is key at this approachable D4 spot, and the experience and quality of the pi never wavers. Cooked to order, this pizza hangs around the lighter side, which thankfully doesn't give you that sluggish feeling (about to give birth to a gluten baby) afterwards. The crisp and flavourful crust is topped with fresh and plentiful toppings - they also do a mean tiramisu.
Go for? A cosy family get-together
Basil opens Tuesday to Sunday.
North Dock, Dublin 3
This Dublin 3 location has been serving up food for 60 years, although it was originally a chipper, opening in the 60s. Then in 2010 it became an authentic Italian to reflect the family's roots and has been operating this way ever since. Da Mimmo's pizzas are authentically wood-fired and their prices are quite reasonable by Dublin standards, especially considering the hefty portion sizes. Booking is essential given the limited space, but this gives the restaurant a cosy and lively atmosphere to accompany your pizza, and the service is always speedy.
Go for? Casual Italian dining.
Da Mimmo opens daily.
Dún Laoghaire & Kimmage, Dublin 12
Zero Zero's Dún Laoghaire location is the perfect place to head after a leisurely stroll along the pier or dip in the Forty Foot. Bubbly, crisp-but-chewy crusts and the creamiest mozzarella are offset with a great selection of toppings, and a carefully curated wine list to guzzle everything down with. They also have a sit-in restaurant at their second location in Kimmage, so you don't need to be by the seaside to visit.
Go for? The mozzarella pull of dreams.
Zero Zero has locations just off the Dún Laoghaire Main Street and on Sundrive Road in Kimmage.
Temple Bar, Dublin 2 & Ranelagh, Dublin 6
Sano quickly rose to glory on the Dublin pizza scene for being affordable and no-fuss, while still serving up delicious, authentic Neapolitan pizza. Their handmade dough is carefully proven for 48 hours before being baked at a high heat, their toppings are uncomplicated with a focus on quality and both of their Dublin locations are the perfect places to meet a pal for a catch-up. House beers and wines will also only set you back €6.25 a glass - unheard of in this economy.
Go for? Date night on a budget
Sano has locations in Temple Bar and Ranelagh.
Ranelagh, Dublin 6
A few places spring to mind more when you think of dining out in Ranelagh, and Rita's is often at the forefront. This Dublin 6 institution is renowned for the size of its pizzas, which come in tomato-based and (the sometimes controversial) white base options. It's a snug little spot inside where you tuck in on indoor picnic tables, but they also have takeout options if you want to gobble yours in the privacy of your own home. These are Napoli-style pizzas, with a slightly crunchier base, and quality tomato sauce, with toppings on the sparser end of things- but the super sound staff allow for some customisation. They've also a solid drinks list- of cocktails, beer and wine selections to wash it all down.
Go for? After work meal to decompress
Rita's opens Monday to Sunday from 17.30.
Walkinstown, Dublin 12
Aside from Cluck Chicken, Deano's is one of the few reasons why you would attempt to traverse the Walkinstown roundabout. Flinging pies for just over a year, Deano's has been impressing customers since day dot. Operated by ex-Coke Lane Pizza Jordan 'Deano' Grossman, who alongside Naples-trained Enzo Coccia, are serving up some of the best pizzas this town has seen. While Neapolitans might disagree with the level of char on the wood-fired crust, we suspect they'll approve of the quality.
Go for? A pizza to accompany your pint from Cherrytree
Deano's opens Thursday to Friday, 5 - 10pm, and Saturdays and Sundays, 4 - 10pm
Strawberry Hall, Dublin 20
While Goats Gruff is possibly best known for their toasties, they have a few more tricks up their sleeves, one of them namely being pizza. Not only do they wood-fire the toasted sandwiches, but they also wood-fire their pizzas in a 400-degree oven. Goats Gruff has nine Neapolitan pizzas on the menu, including a vegan pie for all the non-dairy and non-meat eaters out there. The pizzas are a reasonable 12-inch size, with their most expensive option costing €15, which ain't too bad for Dublin.
Go for? The top-notch garlic mayo
You can order a wood-fired pizza from Goats Gruff on their website.
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
Paulie's Pizza is the kind of restaurant you would almost walk right by and think nothing of it. It's a relatively small spot, with limited seating, but if you can manage to book a table, it is well worth it. They do three different kinds of pizza: Napoli, New York, as well as House Creations. The Napoli has a regular crust with all your classic toppings, the New York has a thinner crust with NYC-inspired toppings, and the House Creations are what they sound like. A pizza will set you back between €17.50 and €19.50 (with one vegan number for just €13.50) and any D4 dweller will urge you to try this place.
Go for? Cosy catch up with pals
Paulie's Pizza opens daily, you can make a booking on their website.
Dame Street, Dublin 2
Sourdough has truly taken over the bread game, and Forno 500 use it to make their pizza bases. They pride themselves on the slightly chewy, dense crust as opposed to the crispy (pancake over crepe people, this is for you) and top each pizza with the Naples essentials - extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil. Forno 500 is less about toppings and more about the foundation of the pizza so if you like your pizzas without the fuss, then get down to Dame Street.
Go for? Some good soakage pre-Olympia-gig
Forno 500 open daily from 12pm until late
Glasthule & Aungier Street, Dublin 2
Dublin Pizza Company just know what they're doing when it comes to pizza - it's that simple. The company started after a trip to Naples that involved learning the art of pizza making, before returning to Ireland to put these new skills to the test. DPC then built a polytunnel (yes, you read that right) in order to achieve the freshest ingredients possible.
In the few years it has been running, it frequently passes the lips of Dubliners who are giving their recommendations for the best pizza, and if that's not an indication of excellence, I'm not sure what is.
Go for? A takeaway pizza for a night on the couch
You can get a slice from Dublin Pizza Company in the city centre, or at their Dublin Kitchen Company on Glasthule Road.
Smithfield, Dublin 7 & Rathmines, Dublin 6
Sister restaurants Bonobo and Kodiak team up to provide super fresh pizzas on both sides of the Liffey.
Bonobo in Smithfield has a roasted rosemary sprinkled pizza with potato chunks, pancetta, mozzarella, parmesan and lashings of black pep that has us converted to the white-base way of life.
Kodiak hasn't even been open a year but has already comfortably settled into being a favourite pizza spot on the Dublin south side. They have 12-inch pizzas available, with classics such as Margherita and pepperoni, to slightly more niche offerings like their truffle and orange zest pie.
Go for? White-base pizza that pulls it off
Check out Bonobo and Kodiak's pizzas HERE.
Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2
Started by James Cirillo in 2016, Cirillo's has a long history with Italian cooking. The pizza is cooked in an oven imported from Naples, which burns a blend of Irish oak and ash, with the pizza dough being slow-proved for 30 hours. Voted the 16th best pizzeria in Europe at the 50 Top Pizza in 2020, it's safe to say that Cirillo's has all the authentic ingredients and practices for some of Dublin's best pizza. You can get 16 different Napoletana pizzas at this city centre location, and the staff are always incredible, which never hurts. The old-school ambience will also transport you into an Italian gangster film - in the best way- or you can join the suits and enjoy yours in Toner's next door!
Go for? Award-winning pizza
Cirillo's opens daily for sit-in, takeaway, and delivery.
Goatstown, Dublin 14, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16, & Donnybrook, Dublin 4
One of the great success stories from lockdown, Fired Up started flipping pizzas at The Goat Pub in 2020 and has gone from strength to strength ever since. Neapolitan in style these doughs can't be rushed, taking 72 hours to rest before being lashed into the wood fire to become crisp on the outside and pillowy inside. They never skimp on the toppings, opting for the very freshest of ingredients, they also go all in on their dips offering a whopping nine- my personal fave is garlic mayo but if you want to dip your pizza in ketchup who am I to judge? Fired Up have some deece vegetarian/vegan offerings including plant-based chorizo - which absolutely hits the spot!
Go for? Quality pizza on the move
Check out Fired Up's menu right here.
Stephen Street Lower, Dublin 2
We'll always welcome a new pizza-by-the-slice spot to Dublin's fair city with open arms, and when the quality is as exceptional as it is at Bambino's, even more so. I'm a fiend for a bitta sweetness on a pizza, be it derived from a drizzling of honey or pineapple (don't @ me), and the trademark hot honey from this Dublin 2 joint crosses my mind daily. The ideal quick feed during a day of shopping, lunchtime on your office days - there's no wrong time, really. Bambino is a hyped-up spot in Dublin that deserves every bit of it, and it's become something of a go-to for us, and many others.
Go for? The hip slice
Bambino opens daily between 12pm and 11pm.
Blackrock
The sister restaurant of Forest Avenue, Little Forest is constantly switching up its pizza menu. Something to note is that they don't always have vegan or veggie options on their menu, and their online menu is only a sample. However, if you eat anything and everything, Little Forest is bound to be a winner. For groups of six or over, you can only avail of their five-course set menu, which could for example include sourdough, olives, coppa, pesce fritto, crab bruschetta, burrata, and a 12-inch pizza to share between two people, all for €39pp.
Go for? A cheers to the freakin' weekend meal
Little Forest restaurant opens Tuesday through to Sunday; you can check out the opening hours on their website.
Bolton Street, Dublin 1 & Clontarf, Dublin 3
BoCo has fourteen different kinds of pizza at their Dublin 1 location, and they don't shy away from weird and wonderful combinations, with their #7 coming with black pudding and dark chocolate (chocolate on a pizza - now we've seen it all). BoCo cooks their pizzas in a French oven, not an Italian one, and uses Slovakian dough that has a bit of a tang to it, setting it apart from other pizzerias. They also have both a veggie and vegan option, as well as loads of sides and a great dessert selection.
Go for? Wacky pizza combinations
Take a look at all BoCo has to offer over on their menu.
Meath Street and Rialto, Dublin 8
I fell for Coke Lane Pizza like all good romances, swiftly with a high level of obsession and intensity. Since those halcyon Summer days, my love has deepened and developed over time. Neapolitan in style, the crust is where Coke Lane excels; they leave the toppings on the sparser end of things so as to let the crust speak for itself. The one criticism I have for the pies is that they are definitely on the smaller end of things - but listen they are the only ones to ever ace a Hawaiian so in my book they can do no wrong.
Go for? Lemon aioli - just trust us
You can find Coke Lane Pizza in Lucky's on Meath Street and at The Circular in Rialto.
Location: Inchicore, Dublin 8
While Rascals is known as a top Dublin brewery, they also know how to put together a great pizza. From their creative names (Taytor Swift, Meat me in D8) to a varied range of toppings, an evening at Rascals with one of their beers in hand and one of their pizzas in front of you, it's a recipe for a good time. This year, Rascals has really snuck up on us as one of the best places to go for a pizza and a beer in Dublin, with the relaxed ambience to accompany your meal. Think of that scene in Miss Congeniality where they sneak out - without the neon paint and rave of course.
Go for? Pizza and beer vibes
Rascals stays open until midnight daily, with the kitchen operating between 4pm and 10pm.
Skerries
If you find yourself in Skerries on one of these fine (rainy) summer days, Little Richard's will sort you out with some grub. They use a traditional wood-fired pizza oven, which was handmade in Italy before being shipped to Skerries, and the result is a slightly smoky crust and perfectly crisped-up toppings. The key to a perfect pizza is the freshness of the ingredients, and Little Richard's makes sure to source their ingredients locally in order to achieve this.
Go for? A pie by the sea
Little Richard's is closed on a Monday and Tuesday, opening Wednesday through to Sunday.
Have we missed any of your favourite Dublin pizza spots? Let us know!
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