It's good time to be a foodie in Dublin. Dine In Dublin is a marriage of our two
favourite things – great food and our fair capital – and from February 22-28,
you'll be invited to discover the city bite by bite and taste something new, at
scarcely credible prices. A must-do, really. We've gotten the skinny on what's
happening and picked out some of the best deals on offer and restaurants
participating in this year's festival, all for you. Here's our opinion on the
best 17.
1. Marcel's
What and where:Marcel's
restaurant is known for its incredible French cuisine and is located on 13 Merrion Row.
What's on offer: A three-course menu, charged at €35 per
person, with a glass of bubbly on arrival.
You have to try: Their mushroom risotto boasts mushroom a
La Grecque paired with Five Mile Town goats cheese. It's rare that the
vegetarian option stands out on a menu laden down with meat, but this one
takes the (veggie) biscuit.
2. Opium
What and where:Opium is known for its individual tastes and Asian influence, right in the heart of Wexford Street.
What's on offer: A wildly tempting three course menu for
only €30 per person.
You have to try: The house speciality: Singapore noodles.
The dish boasts chilli paste, spring onion, carrot and asian greens with a
choice of either prawn, chicken, BBQ pork or tofu for the herbivores.
3. East Side Tavern
What and where:East Side Tavern is known for its casual feel, unmissable charm and great Irish food, located on the corner of Leeson Street and St Stephen's Green.
What's on offer: An incredible €25 per person gets you
a three-course menu, including a welcome glass of champagne on arrival.
You have to try: One of the mains on offer here is
a risotto made with butternut squash, mascarpone, crispy kale and pumpkin
seeds.
4. Mexico To Rome
What and where: Mexico To Rome is located in the heart of Temple Bar, and is renowned for its wide range and combination of Mexican and Italian foods.
What's on offer: €25 per person gets you a starter, main
and a glass of wine or margarita.
You have to try: The Gambas al PilPil, which are pan fried
king prawns with roasted garlic and chilli peppers, served with garlic
bread. You may never kiss anyone again, but you'll be happy.
5. The Exchequer
What and where: The Exchequer, located on Exchequer Street (natch), are hellbent on providing the best and freshest Irish sourced food one can buy.
What's on offer: Three courses here will cost you a lowly
€25.
You have to try: The slow-cooked pork belly, made with
chorizo, white bean and cider sauce, savoy cabbage and blackberry chutney.
Heavenly.
6. The Woolen Mills
What and where: The Woolen Mills is an iconic building on the corner of Liffey Street and the Quays, focusing specifically on excellent Irish produce.
What's on offer: €30 a head gets you a starter, main and
dessert from a super wide-ranging menu.
You have to try: The mussel and leek paté with toasted rye.
Two flavours that go unbelievably well together without masking the other,
and just the ticket to warm you up for the main course.
7. The Morgan Bar
What and where: The Morgan Bar, Temple Bar. An Irish menu with a top notch wine menu.
What's on offer: Any two courses and a glass of wine for
only €25 per person.
You have to try: Carlingford mussels and frites mariniere.
Mussels and shallots galore with white wine and finished with a smidge of
garlic and cream. Top Irish cuisine.
8. La Ruelle
What and where: La Ruelle is a little French delight located on Joshua Lane, down the side of the Mansion House on Dawson Street.
What's on offer: A phenomenal four-course meal for only
€29.50.
You have to try: Lamb Casserole. In this you'll find slow
braised lamb in port and red wine, rosemary, carrot, lardons and mushroom.
For those of you not into lamb, it will change you, and for those of you
into lamb, it will leave you wanting so much more.
9. Dada
What and where: Dada is a quirky Moroccan food restaurant located on the trendy South William Street.
What's on offer: In Dada you get to experience a
three-course meal of delights for €25, with alternative options available at
an extra €5.
You have to try: The braised chicken supreme with preserved
lemons, moorish olives, saffron sauce and potatoes. But in all honesty, it's
all good in here.
10. La Cave
What and where: La Cave is a gorgeous and authentic French restaurant located on South Anne's Street.
What's on offer: You can either opt for a three-course
dinner for €25, or a three-course dinner with two glasses of wine for €35.
You have to try: The confit of Duck à l'Orange with Bayonne
Ham is divine, especially when paired with the Sauvignon Blanc, as suggested
on the menu. Treat yo'self.
11. Boulevard Café
What and where:Boulevard Café is yet another Exchequer Street hotspot with a menu based around European and Mediterranean style cuisine, set in a lively atmosphere.
What's on offer: A three-course meal and tea or coffee for
€25. Several coeliac and vegetarian options available too.
You have to try: The oven-baked hake. This involves a fresh
fillet of hake, wrapped in parma ham on baby crushed potato, sautéed
asparagus and Mediterrannean salsa.
12. Fallon & Byrne
What and where: Fallon & Byrne
– on Exchequer Street, again – is a food haven for anyone who
enjoys local, artisan produce, world foods and a fantastic array of wine.
What's on offer: A vast three-course meal and a drink on
arrival for €35. A really extraordinary deal and proper value for money with
the standard Fallon & Byrne provides.
You have to try: Go whole hog (or cow) and get yourself
some aged Irish rib-eye, served with mixed leaves, french fries and a
Béarnaise sauce. It's €7 extra, but even at that it still represents some
pretty special value.
13. Salamanca
What and where: Salamanca is a quaint little spot on St Andrew's Lane which boasts some of the best tapas in the city.
What's on offer: A tapas and wine fest for €28 per person.
This includes an aperitif of bloody mary and prawn foam served with a canape
of guacamole on puff pastry, as well as two tapas each from their special
menu – along with a glass of house wine, and finishing with dessert.
You have to try: Anything from their tapas menu.
It's all good, trust us.
14. The Jolly Monk
What and where: The Jolly Monk is a new bar located in the heart of the city, on Abbey Street, serving up a great range of Irish craft beers and tasty pub grub.
What's on offer: A three-course meal and a bottle of house
red or house white for €45 per person.
You have to try: Their homemade lasagne is superb. Pasta
sheets layered with cheese, crumbled meatballs, Italian sausage and marinara
sauce, topped with cheese and marinara sauce – it's *whispers*
even better than your mammy's.
15. Blackboard Bistro
What and where: Blackboard Bistro is a bijou French restaurant in Dublin's historic Georgian Quarter right of the edge of Merrion Square.
What's on offer: The Early Bird Menu (until 18:45) has
either two courses on offer for €25.50 or three courses on offer for €28.50,
and the later menu has two courses for €32 and three courses for €38.
You have to try: Their grilled fillet of sea trout, carrot
and leek julienne, and steamed mussel all served in a white wine sauce.
16. San Lorenzo's
What and where: San Lorenzo's, a modern Italian New York style restaurant located on South Great George's Street.
What's on offer: Sitting down? It's a four-course dinner
and a glass of prosecco for an incredible €39.95 – sorry, like, but that's
just stupidly good. San Lorenzos, why you so stupidly good?
You have to try:The Bresaola; air-dried cured beef
with char-grilled marinated artichokes, white onion agrodolce pickle, served
with feta cheese and rocket.
17. l'Gueuleton
What and where: l'Gueuleton is one of Dublin's top dining experiences; located right in the middle of everything, on Fade Street. The menu boasts some of the best French food in Dublin, and is all about fine dining as an experience.
What's on offer: Three courses for €35.
You have to try: Veal sweetbreads and foie gras on toasted
brioche. Heavenly decadent and incredulously tasty.
