This Is Where You’ll Find The Best ‘Feed’ In Dublin

Food trends come and go, but one man on the Dublin restaurant scene has been here to wave as they passed by.

Way before burritos, doughnuts or the Celtic Tiger with all its excess, there was a restaurant with loyal customers and it's truly stood the test of time... Gerry's.

It can best be described as a 'caf' (preferably spoken in an Eastenders-style accent). I don't say that with any negative connotations, because I'm incredibly fond of the place and just like hundreds of others, I eat there on a regular basis.

What's great about Gerry's is that they serve a 'feed' in here, a proper meal that really fills you up after a hard day's work, when you're hungover, or you're just plain starving.

It's tucked away on Montague Lane, which runs between Harcourt Street and Camden Street (you'll probably know it from either staggering through it in your search for Copper's on a night out, visiting one of the dodgy casinos, or getting the shift propped up against one of the parked cars).

During the day you might also know Montague Lane for being home to the wonderful Green Bench Café, Wishbone and Credo too.

When the place is open it's always bustling. You'll be sitting beside a mixture of partners from PWC, workmen, people clearly skagging after a long weekend and a healthy contingent of Guards who use it as a local. You won't find a more eclectic group of customers in one establishment in Dublin.

People don't come here to people watch. Nor do they come for the latest food trend. Food is served on proper hot plates rather than chopping boards.

Instead of drinks in jam jars, you get tea in steaming hot teapots and jugs of free water without asking. Generally people come here for the food and for a business that's built around the jovial Gerry himself.

There's an extensive menu with all sorts of set soups, sandwiches and regular dishes, but nearly everybody goes for the specials board. Five or six dishes scrawled on a blackboard and coming in at a ludicrously cheap €6.50 for lunch.

On this particular day, I went for the turkey and ham. Less than five minutes later (I"ve had hundreds of meals here and never seen it take longer) out it comes piping hot. Always served with mash and veg and the portion size is very much your granny back in the '80s. Massive.

I'm sure some toss pot will head in and say the meat isn't great quality or that the service was poor or find some fault with the place, but they can fuck right off. You get what you pay for and if you want high end free range meat with tiny portions, there are plenty of other spots that'll take 30 quid off you for lunch in this town.

I had a can of coke and left the place seven euros and fifty cent lighter of the pocket. You pay more for a sandwich in most places, while here you're getting a proper dinner.

Looking around the place seeing happy Dubliners chomping away here every single day, I know I'm not alone in my undying love for the place.

The Bonus Tip – Gerry's Breakfast

If Gerry's is known for one thing though, it's the fry up. It has cured thousands of people over the years. It's absolutely massive, comes with loads of toast, a big pot of tea or coffee, and it's only €7.50. You'll see plenty of people even having it for a lunch treat.

I turn my phone off when I walk into Gerry's for the fry up and read the newspaper they always hand me. I don't want social media, alerts or real time news when I'm there for 30 minutes. I just turn the clock back and pretend I'm living 20 years ago in a simpler time, when Gerry would've been doing the exact same thing.

The owner chats to regulars, serves up specials for people with funny requests and the waiters dish out proper old school desserts asking if you want 'custard' with them.

Out of all the reviews I've ever written, this is the one I'm happiest about.

To Gerry, a proper Dublin foodie who deserves a huge spread in every magazine, newspaper and publication in the country. #Legend.