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Dublin, Ireland, boasts around 1,000 pubs, numerous Michelin-starred spots, and countless hidden Dublin restaurants serving mouth-watering local Irish fare. With so many options, it can be tough to choose where to dine during a short vacation. For the best culinary experience, visitors to Dublin should savor local Irish specialties while exploring the city’s rich history. Don’t miss the chance to dine at one or two of Dublin’s emerging and internationally recognized restaurants, which are quickly gaining a reputation on the global gastronomic scene.
Eat your fill of pub food
Ireland – and Dublin in particular – is known around the world for its traditional Irish pubs. It’s not just the Guinness, live music and craic (an Irish term for boisterous conversation) that attract visitors to Dublin’s pubs. They’re also known for serving delicious local food.
L. Mulligan Grocer is a modest pub on Stoneybatter with a reputation for serving some of the best and most authentic pub food in the city. Try a local favourite like the Free Range Chicken Kiev or the traditional fish and chips. Get away from the usual Guinness (they don’t even sell it here) and try one of the craft beers suggested on the menu with your meal.
The Exchequer also excels at serving fresh, locally sourced pub food and a brilliant range of cocktails. Try one of their famous signature drinks, such as the Gin and Tonic served in a teapot.
Explore Dublin’s growing food scene
Dublin, Ireland isn’t traditionally known as a city of fine dining, but the city’s culinary scene is growing. More and more unique, artisan eateries are popping up every year.
Tapas and wine bar Bon Appetit is one of the city’s most popular restaurants, as it is one of the few Michelin-starred restaurants where the price won’t break your travel budget. Bon Appetit isn’t actually in Dublin, but in the neighbouring quaint coastal town of Malahide, which is a pleasant place to spend an afternoon strolling around. Getting to Malahide from Dublin is easy – you can take the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) or drive along the M1 motorway.
No visit to Dublin would be complete without a traditional Irish breakfast, and the Queen of Tarts has one of the best. This casual restaurant specialises in freshly baked scones and takes a little liberty with the traditional breakfast ingredients – bacon, eggs, sausage, baked tomato and beans – by replacing the beans with a delicious potato and chive pie.
Ireland’s drinking culture
Wherever you go in Dublin, there’s likely to be a pub nearby, and I’d be lying if I said the Guinness didn’t taste better in them. A visit to an Irish pub is a must (and probably unavoidable) part of any trip to Dublin. To get a true taste of Ireland’s drinking culture, try one of these historic local favourites.
The Brazen Head is the oldest pub in Ireland, having first opened in 1198, and is a great place to visit any day of the week. Enjoy a meal accompanied by traditional Irish music and folklore.
When it’s time for the obligatory pint of Irish Guinness, head to Mulligan’s, a pub renowned for serving a good fresh pint of Guinness. In fact, it’s this reputation that leads them to go through casks of the unpasteurised beer so quickly that the pint served to you is likely to be as fresh as you’re likely to find. Mulligan’s is also one of Dublin’s most historic pubs, having been a favourite of great Irish writers such as James Joyce.
