It’s what they call a perfect storm, hospitality owners are reporting low margins coupled with ever-rising costs, making doing business in this country increasingly challenging. So challenging, that the Restaurant Association of Ireland [RAI] estimated that 200 restaurants, cafés and other food-led businesses closed in the last three months, with nearly 4,664 direct jobs lost […]

2 years ago

A movement is slowly growing amongst hospitality business owners, who are campaigning for a re-instation of the 9% VAT rate. Temporarily enacted during the pandemic, the lower rate aimed to assist an industry acutely impacted by its effects – but business owners say that crisis is far from over. If you follow any number of […]

2 years ago

Strap in, kids. Here in Dublin at least, food trends are usually a reflection of the times we live in. Post-recession in the 2010s, we got adventurous with burritos, brunch and every possible flavour donut. During the pandemic while many of us spent more time at home, the slow cookers were out from 10am each […]

2 years ago

The instant serotonin boost of a freshly baked almond croissant just cannot be denied. For people reared on Brennan’s Yellow Pan and Bundys burger buns, the bakery offering in Dublin today is quite something. Gone are the days when you would have to travel to the likes of London or Barcelona to try an almond […]

2 years ago

There’s nothing quite like a carvery is there? Sure, they’re not the best-looking dish going, but they’re one of the tastiest by far. It’s been well documented that in the past couple of years, Dubliners have grown disillusioned with the runny yolk and heavy hollandaise fixtures of Sunday Brunch. A concept borrowed from American culture […]

2 years ago

St Patrick is here to claim back his bank holiday as the best following St Brigid’s in February. The most Irish weekend of the year has almost snuck up on us, and if you’re at a loss at what to be doing with yourself, then not to worry. You can rely on Dublin to have […]

2 years ago

No one let the Italians see this. With the rise of Foodtok and easily accessible cook-a-long videos flooding the various social media platforms, it’s easier to observe food trends as they blossom and grow via our miniature pocket screens as well as IRL. If the past few months are anything to go by, one overriding […]

2 years ago

Some Dublin streets are simply more blessed than others. Here at Lovin Dublin, we obviously adore every corner and cul-de-sac of this city equally, as if they were our own children. However, if you’re recommending a restaurant to visiting pals or trying to plan a lunch befitting of the foodies we all are, then some […]

2 years ago

To those who’ve sworn off the drink for the month – we salute you. If it’s your first time going alcohol free for a sustained period of time, you might be on the hunt for activities to enjoy that don’t involve booze. With drinking culture such a prominent part of living in Ireland, it can […]

2 years ago

“We consider ourselves part of the community and that is why this is the saddest goodbye”. Just a week into 2024 Dublin 8 is losing a staple of its thriving café scene – Storyboard of Islandbridge has announced its closure with immediate effect. Known for serving locally roasted, speciality brews alongside melty toasties and comforting […]

2 years ago

Stuck on where to eat this month? Something that struck me when looking back on our vegan-friendly list of last year was that so many of them have unfortunately closed down a year onwards – the likes of Bear Paw Deli, Yum Grub, Woke Cup café, and Thanks Plants have all shut down since we […]

2 years ago

2023 has been an exceptionally challenging year for hospitality to say the very least Rising energy bills and the bite of the cost of living crisis has unfortunately meant that many incredible businesses have had to close their doors this year. As the year draws to a close, we’ve taken some time to highlight some […]

2 years ago