The best restaurants in Dublin (2024)

Vibrant Dublin has more to its name than historical venues. It is a city full of culinary delights from seafood fresh from Dublin Bay, and trendy little eateries designed to line the pre-theatre stomach, to wonderfully traditional Irish flavours and artisan cafés with sinfully good desserts. Get tasting with Telegraph Travel's Dublin expert, Neil Hegarty.

For further inspiration, see our guide to Dublin and the city's best hotels, nightlife, attractions and things to do for free.

Dublin City

Glas


Plant-based cooking is on the up and up, and Glas– the name translates as ‘green’ in Irish– offers excellent vegetarian and vegan cuisine in the heart of Dublin city centre. Come here for imaginative food and a buzzing atmosphere: try the butterbean ceviche with a tangy grapefruit dressing to start, and the deeply flavoured roasted onion with charred halloumi and buckwheat. There’s also a lovely street-facing terrace, and of course a wide selection of vegan wines, co*cktails, and beers.

Contact:glasrestaurant.ie
Price: ££
Reservations:Essential

Noshington


Lizzy O'Sullivan has made Noshington, at the corner of Washington (geddit?) Street on Dublin's southside, a cut above the standard neighbourhood cafe. There's an ever-changing, inventive menu accompanied by excellent coffee. Breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch are done beautifully: try the delicious roasted pear and mascarpone on toasted brioche (€12/£10); while the carrot cake is the real thing. The walled back garden is colourful and beautifully tended, and great for the kids.

Contact:noshington.ie
Price: £
Reservations:Walk-ins only

The best restaurants in Dublin (1)

Drury Buildings


Flexibility is the name of the game here. The bar downstairs is good for weekend brunch and for casual bites too, plus a copious co*cktail menu. There’s a large, relaxed restaurant on the first floor, and a dinky garden area out back. The look? Distressed brick walls, sporting chunks of exposed mortar and steel beams; sleek, rather nice 1950s-era furniture; and parquet floors.Try the excellent potato and spring onion cakes with Irish smoked salmon.

Contact:drurybuildings.com
Price: £££
Reservations: Recommended

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The best restaurants in Dublin (2)

Chapter One


Justly famed, Chapter One has been serving up contemporary Irish cuisine-with-a-French-twist for over 20 years. The dining room is comfortable and elegant, with all those starched white tablecloths nicely offset by warm lighting and exposed brick walls. The cooking, now overseen by new head chef Mikael Viljanen, is serious and not cheap, the à la carte prices reflecting its Michelin-starred rating – but you can expect a truly memorable meal, with fine Irish and international ingredients. Do plan ahead if you want to grab a table here!

Contact:chapteronerestaurant.com
Price: £££
Reservations:Essential

The best restaurants in Dublin (3)

The Winding Stair


Once upon a time, The Winding Stair’s spacious premises housed a beloved second-hand bookshop and café. Today, it’s a top-notch, Irish-focused restaurant: retaining the name, and emphasising food provenance, with ingredients sourced from local providers. Think meltingly tender beef, Irish charcuterie, Goatsbridge smoked fish, excellent cheeseboards, a good range of craft beers and smart wine list. The ambience is marvellous: bentwood chairs, and polished wooden tables and floorboards. And there's still a bookshop on the ground floor...

Contact: winding-stair.com
Price: £££
Reservations: Essential
Best table: Ask for a window table, for fine views of the Ha’penny Bridge and river Liffey.

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The best restaurants in Dublin (4)

Trocadero


Beloved of Dublin’s theatrical establishment, this place has been a fixture on the city’s restaurant scene for over 50 years. It offers plush banquette seating, dim lighting and a dreamy intimacy – not to mention crimson-painted walls crowded with photographs of the actors who have dined here. Try the beetroot and feta salad to begin, followed by a sweetly glazed piece of monkfish, with a fine Irish cheeseboard to finish.

Contact:trocadero.ie
Price: £££
Reservations: Recommended

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The best restaurants in Dublin (5)

Dax


The dining room at smart, stylish Dax reflects a certain period charm, with flagged floors, open fires and a smattering of good modern art. Olivier Meisonnave offers modern French cuisine with an Irish twist: the inspiration and the extensive wine list are French, but the ingredients showcase the best of Irish artisan produce. Try the Clogherhead crab to start, then the fine Irish lamb, with a selection of French and Sheridan's Irish cheeses to finish.

Contact:dax.ie
Price: £££
Reservations: Essential

Fallon & Byrne


In the atmospheric wine cellar at Fallon & Byrne, you can select from more than 600 wines and drink your choice on the spot, with an all-day selection of charcuterie, cheese and smoked fish boards as a good accompaniment. Alternatively, head upstairs to the sunny dining room, where an elegant à la carte menu is always accompanied by good-value early-bird options. Great co*cktails too.

Contact:fallonandbyrne.com
Price: ££
Reservations:Recommended

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The best restaurants in Dublin (7)

Neon


Bustling Neon is one of the brightest eateries along Camden Street. 'Asian street food' is the tag line: and certainly it’s authentic– and delicious; try the Mekong duck breast with Asian basil and chili. There are a handful of smaller tables, but the space is dominated by a long communal table in dark wood, which seems to add more flavour to the general buzz. This is an in-and-out sort of place; don't hang around – and don’t neglect the ice-cream machine in the corner: the ice cream is free!

Contact:neon17.ie
Price: ££
Reservations:Walk-ins only

The best restaurants in Dublin (8)

Chez Max


Chez Max offers a short menu of French classics combined with smart service and affordable prices. Its location beside the main entrance to Dublin Castle adds a certain je ne sais quoi, while inside it’s relaxed and friendly, with a glazed rear area that’s just right for summer evenings. You can't go wrong with the steak frites, with green beans on the side; and the wine list – all French, naturellement – is voluminous.

Contact:chezmax.ie
Price: ££
Reservations:Recommended

The best restaurants in Dublin (9)

Ely


Visit the subterranean wine bar at Ely for a global wine list and an extensive food menu that emphasises local and organic produce. It’s comfortable, quiet, and dimly lit: perfect for a relaxed meal, and you’ll have a super choice of wines from across the globe. Try the pickled mackerel to begin, with Ely’s classic organic beefburger to follow – just two of many pleasing dishes executed with competence. There’s also a smart bar menu, and plenty of wines by the glass.

Contact:elywinebar.ie
Price: ££
Reservations:Recommended
Best table: Grab an outdoor table, for views over the lovely CHQ harbour basin.

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The best restaurants in Dublin (10)

Wuff


This sleek and hip little nook sits confidently on its corner on gritty Benburb Street where good restaurants are hard to come by. With its cool grey interior and banquettes, mirrors and large windows, it’s an attractive place, with confident cooking and excellent coffee. This is a perfect spot for weekend brunch – try the maple bacon pancakes – and a great alternative to the glum café at the National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks, just a few minutes' stroll away.

Contact:wuff.ie
Price: ££
Reservations:Recommended (brunch is walk-in only)

The best restaurants in Dublin (11)

Delahunt


Occupying a former Dublin pub, and boasting intact mahogany fixtures and fittings, Delahunt is simply exquisite. And so, happily, is the food: the short, sharp menu is as polished as the bar; and imaginative vegetarian options are always available. The wine list is concise and very European. Weekends are busy, so choose a weekday night for a relaxed treat – and after dinner, repair to the beautiful and comfortable Fifties-style co*cktail bar upstairs.

Contact:delahunt.ie
Price: ££
Reservations:Essential
Best table: Ask for the snug table-for-two in the window

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The best restaurants in Dublin (12)

Osteria Lucio


Delightful Osteria Lucio, located under the railway arches at Grand Canal Dock, offers a smart, original take on Italian-with-a-twist cuisine. A few superior wood-fired pizzas, delectable fresh pasta, good fish and meat dishes (try the cod and orzo in a lemon sauce), a short and quirky list of regional Italian wines – and a wonderful co*cktail menu. It's all done very well and there's a great buzz here in the evenings. Try an early dinner if you're off to the BGE Theatre, just a short stroll away.

Contact: osterialucio.com
Price: ££
Reservations: Recommended

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The best restaurants in Dublin (13)

Pepper Pot


A gleaming star in the Dublin café firmament, the Pepper Pot offers delicious and thoughtful breakfast, lunch and tea options from a bright balcony above the glazed atrium of the Powerscourt Centre. Excellent salads too, plus a judicious selection of freshly-baked cakes and sweet things; and home-made jams and chutneys. The sesame-seed-sprinkled sausage roll is a perfect morning pick-me-up, while the roasted pear and bacon sandwich will set you up for the rest of the day.

Contact:thepepperpot.ie
Price: £
Reservations:walk-ins only

The best restaurants in Dublin (14)

Gaillot et Gray


Gilles Gaillot and Emma Gray established this Franco-Irish enterprise only a few years ago – and it has found its niche, as one of the best and most atmospheric places to eat in the city. It's a bakery by day, selling excellent sourdough, coffee, salads and sandwiches. After 4pm it morphs into a pizzeria (made using Emmental, not mozzarella) and wine bar. Think short, smart menus: pizza, and a few choice French wines served up in funky, low-key surroundings. There's a lovely shaded garden at the back too.

Contact: 00 353 1 454 7781; facebook.com/gaillotgrayp
Price: ££
Opening times: Tue-Sat, 8am-10pm
Reservations:Walk-ins only

Craft


This is one of the best of Dublin's new neighbourhood restaurants, and is worth the trip from the city centre to Harold's Cross. Philip Yeung's establishment offers smart, modern Irish/European cuisine: fresh seafood, excellent meats, luxurious desserts – and the best of local ingredients. Try the County Mayo pork belly, followed by a vivid rhubarb mousse with meringue. Lunch, an excellent Early Bird (‘Neighbourhood’) menu, and a weekend brunch, are also on offer.

Contact:craftrestaurant.ie
Price: ££
Reservations:Recommended
Best table: At the front to appreciate the views.

The best restaurants in Dublin (15)

Etto


A real little gem right in the heart of the city – and with only 38 covers in its long, narrow dining room, 'little' really is the operative word. Come here for a wonderful, buzzing vibe, and for honest and delicious modern European food that's cooked simply, using excellent ingredients. The menu is short – try the beef tartare, and the smoked eel – and there's a super wine list on hand, too.

Contact:etto.ie
Price: ££
Reservations: Essential

The best restaurants in Dublin (16)

The Fumbally


This bright, friendly joint is a neighbourhood sort of place: quite funky, industrial chic mixed up with sofas, standard lamps and scattered pouffes. You’ll find terrific organic coffee and baking, but the beautifully fresh savoury element is the central plank of the operation: try the falafel sandwich heaped with salad, or the green eggs and ham. Very family-friendly, and very popular; expect to table share if you arrive at peak time. Try the gregarious Wednesday dinner, when the café stays open late.

Contact:thefumbally.ie
Price: £
Reservations: Walk-ins only

The best restaurants in Dublin (17)

Murphy's Ice Cream


Suggesting an ice-cream on a damp Dublin day might not sound like the best idea, but do sample Murphy’s ice-creams as you saunter along Wicklow Street in the city centre. This is serious stuff: the brand originates in Dingle, County Kerry, and it’s made of Kerry cream. Try the delicious sorbets, which change with the season – blackcurrant in high summer, for example, and cranberry in winter. This little shop has seating tucked in at the back, and it also offers chocolate fare and coffee.

Contact:murphysicecream.ie
Price: £
Reservations: Walk-ins only

The best restaurants in Dublin (18)

Lock's


Lock’s has been a Dublin fixture for decades, enjoying an excellent reputation and a beautiful location on the banks of the Grand Canal. The cooking today is contemporary Irish, with the best of local ingredients. Try the smoked Irish trout with seaweed butter, and the shank of aged venison to follow. There’s another dining room upstairs, quieter and with fine canal views – lovely on a summer evening.

Contact:locksrestaurant.ie
Price: £££
Reservations: Essential

The best restaurants in Dublin (19)

Bewley's


It's impossible to visit Dublin and not investigate the new incarnation of Bewley’s, reopened recently after years of restoration. This fine old coffee house was a firm favourite for close on a century, and its renaissance is a cheering sight. Come here for coffee, savouries, sweet treats (including the signature Bewley’s cherry buns, and ‘Mary cake’, a rich confection of apricot and chocolate) – and to admire the glorious Harry Clarke stained-glass windows which illuminate the café.

Contact:bewleys.com
Price: ££
Reservations:Walk-ins only

The best restaurants in Dublin (20)

Garden Room


Recently inaugurated and overlooking the lovely garden quadrangle at the Merrion Hotel, the Garden Room restaurant is one of the most pleasant dining spaces in Dublin. It offers a changing menu of breakfasts, snacks, light lunches, coffees, and afternoon tea – all leading up to the main event of a wonderful dining experience. Try the delicious gravadlax, and the steamed sea bream with a seafood-tomato consommé; while the raspberry soufflé is divine. Service is top-notch, and the wine list is impressive.

Contact:thegardenroom.ie
Price: £££
Reservations:Recommended

The best restaurants in Dublin (21)

Coastal Dublin

Cavistons


Famous Cavistons is simply one of the best fish and seafood restaurants Dublin, and a great place to which to repair after a bracing walk on the Dún Laoghaire seafront. Fish really is king here: try the grilled mackerel with apricot, and the seared king scallops if available, but always go with the seasons. The oak-smoked salmon is a speciality of the house: do visit the deli next-door for a galaxy of delicious foods.

Contact:cavistons.com
Price: ££
Reservations:Essential

The best restaurants in Dublin (22)

The House


The House occupies a lovely spot on one of Howth's steep, atmospheric streets. Drop in for breakfast, brunch or afternoon tea; have a good lunch after a stroll on the pier; or step out in the evening to sample the smart dinner menu. The dining room – bentwood chairs, cream walls and wood-burning stove – is elegant without undue formality, and al fresco eating is a possibility. Try the curried mussels-and-haddock, the daily roast-in-a-roll, or the excellent all-Irish cheese and charcuterie boards.

Contact: thehouse-howth.ie
Price: ££
Reservations: Recommended

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The best restaurants in Dublin (23)
The best hotels in DublinView All
  • The Merrion Hotel

    HOTELDublin, Ireland

    9Telegraph expert rating

    Gracious, elegant and with standards of hospitality that are second to none, The Merrion exudes p...Read expert review

    From£571

    per night

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  • The Fitzwilliam Hotel

    HOTELDublin, Ireland

    9Telegraph expert rating

    This splendidly modern hotel is set in the centre of Dublin’s shopping and entertainment district...Read expert review

    From£383

    per night

    Rates provided by

    Booking.com

  • The Dylan

    HOTELDublin, Ireland

    9Telegraph expert rating

    Part grand Victorian red-brick edifice and part modern extension, the boutique Dylan Hotel offers...Read expert review

    From£494

    per night

    Rates provided by

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The best restaurants in Dublin (2024)
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