Best restaurants in Dublin

Patrick Guilbaud

★★ Michelin€€€€Modern French

This iconic restaurant has been thriving since 1981, thanks to both the eponymous chef and the exceptional team he has around him. It sits hidden away within a Georgian townhouse and oozes sumptuousness and sophistication thanks to features such as a gilt barrel ceiling and hand-crafted marquetry. The accomplished cooking isn’t to be upstaged, however: it is French at heart yet has a restrained modernity and showcases some bold yet superbly balanced flavours. The Irish ingredients are certainly luxurious and the baba flambé with your choice of rum provides an inviting, classical way to finish.

Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen

★★ Michelin€€€€Modern Cuisine

Mickael Viljanen’s restaurant is a stylish, elegant spot decorated with eye-catching art, where superb service complements truly top-drawer cooking. Prime luxury ingredients – like Donegal lobster or Limousin sweetbreads – are the bedrock of the menu, prepared using classic French techniques combined with subtle modern touches. The chef’s creativity and personality shine through in perfectly balanced, immaculately executed dishes with sublime natural flavours and beautiful presentation. The 'Irish Coffee' is made in the dining room and is, like everything else, an experience to remember.

Liath

★★ Michelin€€€€Creative

There's a slightly magical feel to this stylish, cosy restaurant. With just a handful of tables, it makes for a personal dining experience, with Damien Grey and his small team offering a genuinely warm welcome and explaining the dishes personally. First-class ingredients are present throughout the surprise tasting menu, which showcases bold, original dishes centred around the five tastes: salty, savoury, sweet, bitter and sour. Each precisely crafted creation brings together a range of these flavours in perfect harmony, such as aged parmesan with eel and marjoram.

Glovers Alley

★ Michelin€€€€Modern Cuisine

This restaurant is temporarily closed for eight weeks, beginning on 17th May.Set in a prime spot on the second floor of The Fitzwilliam Hotel, overlooking St Stephen’s Green, is this chic, elegant restaurant with subtle 1930s overtones. Pink and green hues and pretty flower arrangements bring a certain softness to the surroundings; in contrast, the cooking is characterised by boldness – both in its flavours and textures – and his experience shines through in skilfully prepared, artfully presented dishes that put subtle creative twists on the classics.

D'Olier Street

★ Michelin€€€€Modern Cuisine

The high ceilings and original plasterwork of this restored landmark building contribute to the appeal of the contemporary restaurant within. The well-travelled, Australian-born chef constructs a surprise menu powered by top-notch ingredients, incorporating multiple global techniques and flavours into his immensely detailed dishes prepared with a high level of skill and craft. There are seats at the counter for those wanting to see how the beautifully plated dishes are created, and the wine pairings are a great way to go.

Variety Jones

★ Michelin€€€€Modern Cuisine

You’ll find charming chef-owner Keelan Higgs working calmly in the open kitchen of this inviting corner restaurant. Terracotta tones, exposed brickwork and warm lighting add cosiness, while the relaxed atmosphere is helped along by brother Aaron and the laid-back service team. Highly original yet unfussy dishes burst with freshness and flavour, and many are cooked over the open fire; Keelan loves this concept, as no two dishes will ever be exactly the same. The "Chef’s Choice" menu is designed for sharing and the monthly changing, mostly organic wine list is passionately compiled.

Forest Avenue

★ Michelin€€€Modern Cuisine

Close to the canal in the Dublin suburbs sits this airy, glass-fronted restaurant run by husband-and-wife team John and Sandy Wyer. There's a minimalist, casual elegance to the place, with the cosiest tables those in front of the open kitchen. Go for the full tasting menu to experience as much of John's mature, controlled cooking as possible. Dishes are free of overcomplication and put the emphasis firmly on the superb ingredients, such as glisteningly fresh cod with an original celeriac beurre blanc. The efficient service comes from a friendly team.

🕐 We 18:00-21:30, Th-Sa 12:00-14:00, 18:00-21:30

Bastible

★ Michelin€€€€Modern Cuisine

This vibrant little restaurant with a lively spirit features an open kitchen in which you’ll find the chefs crafting their modern set menu around top-class Irish produce at the height of its season. This is cooking that comes from the heart, with the stripped-back dishes allowing each main ingredient to shine next to a few bold and beautifully judged accompaniments – such as butter-poached cod with an intense shellfish bisque or Anjou pigeon with a potent madeira jus. Start with an aperitif while you enjoy the delicate snacks.

🕐 We-Fr 18:00-21:30, Sa 12:30-14:45,18:00-21:30, Su 12:30-15:30

Amy Austin

Bib Gourmand€€Modern Cuisine

There is a palpable buzz to the atmosphere as soon as you set foot in this quirky restaurant in a lively area of the city. It’s not just the wine on tap that makes this such a popular spot – although it must help – but the superior small plates that offer detailed, precise cooking for a reasonable price tag. Grab a stool at one of the high-topped tables, or perhaps in front of the open kitchen, to enjoy globally influenced dishes like the vibrant Iberico pork with gooseberry, ajo blanco and salsa macha. Friendly service and signature cocktails help to keep the good vibes flowing.

Uno Mas

Bib Gourmand€€Mediterranean Cuisine

The best seats in the house are at the counter in this buzzing, well-priced restaurant run by an enthusiastic, personable team. Start with some Spanish-inspired nibbles from the ‘para picar’ section – such as the signature creamy croquetas – before choosing one of the well-executed, unfussy main dishes which come with many layers of flavour and texture. The drinks list adds plenty to the experience, with a dedicated sherry offering and an expansive, all-Spanish wine selection that showcases the variety of the country's winegrowing regions.

BIGFAN

Bib Gourmand€€Asian, Chinese

With is colourful décor, bright lights and a loud, lively atmosphere, BIGFAN is Big Fun, so start with a cocktail, tick plenty of dishes on the list on your table, tuck in and enjoy. The authentic small plates take their influences from China and Taiwan; so expect dumplings, bao buns and xiao chi all delivering a wonderful freshness and generosity. The traditional 'Couples Beef', for instance, utilising overlooked offal ingredients, uses a brilliantly judged combination of condiments to elevate the produce. It's all excellent value for money and the efficient service team are a delight.

Spitalfields

Bib Gourmand€€Traditional Cuisine

In a historic area of the capital, you'll find this fittingly traditional-looking Irish pub, where the charming staff offer a friendly welcome. It's an understandably popular spot, with drinkers welcome in the bar, but most people come here for the food. Go for a table on the ground floor near the open kitchen if you want a bit of buzz, while the upstairs has a more traditional feel with its wood parquet floor and panelled ceiling. The cooking mixes traditional dishes like 'cock-a-leekie' pie with more modern touches.

Richmond

Bib Gourmand€€Modern Cuisine

Despite its discreet exterior, you'll be able to spot this charmingly run neighbourhood gem thanks to the warm glow of its red neon sign. Inside, the restaurant has an intimate, relaxing feel, with the exposed brick walls and red leather banquettes bathed in soft light, while smooth jazz plays in the background. To feel the buzz of the kitchen, sit downstairs, while the first floor is ideal for larger groups. The seasonally changing menu offers boldly flavoured dishes showcasing some interesting flavour combinations, like wild sea bass with prawn Bourguignon, bisque and capers.

Forêt

Bib Gourmand€€French

When you browse a menu and see words like ‘pâté’, ‘rillettes’, ‘vin jaune’ and ‘au poivre’, you know you’re in for a thoroughly French treat. The surprise at Forêt is that these Francophone delights are found above the M. O’Brien’s pub – which couldn’t sound more Irish if it tried. Nevertheless, thanks to the team behind Forest Avenue next door, here you have a delicious slice of France, with every authentic dish combining top-quality produce and skilled execution to flavour-packed effect. The tomato tart with piperade is a prime example, simply bursting with umami.

BORGO

Bib Gourmand€€Italian

Transplanting the Italian osteria to the Irish capital, this former bank has no trouble filling its large space with an almighty buzz from the many happy diners feasting on its simply delicious cooking. The enticing menu ranges from sourdough pizzette to homemade pastas and a wood-fired section showcasing prime fish and meat. The generous, well-priced plates have an honest simplicity to them, with recognisable dishes cooked with skill and packing in plenty of flavour. For dessert, consider the polenta cake with seasonal fruit.

Amai by Viktor

€€€Brazilian, Irish

Describing itself as ‘Brazilian Roots in Irish Soil’, this hidden-away restaurant offers something different to the Dublin dining scene. Set on the first floor of a former shoe shop, you ring the doorbell by the plain black door to enter, before being whisked up into the dining room. Foliage hangs from the ceiling, while a drawing of a favela pays homage to where Chef Viktor Silva grew up; the restaurant’s name, Amai, is a tribute to the women who raised him. The tasting menu fuses Irish produce with South American flavours in dishes that are packed with interesting flavours and textures.

Comet

€€€Modern Cuisine

Something of a hidden gem tucked away in the city centre, this wood-panelled restaurant has a simple, intimate appeal. The compact space is run with great skill by the experienced service team, while the chefs prepare dishes pulling influences from both the Mediterranean and closer to home. Dishes often shine at their simplest, like a bowl of plump baby tomatoes in their own juices, and it’s a good idea to start with sharing snacks like the robustly flavoured liver parfait with fermented blood orange. It’s a popular place, so you can expect a good buzz in the room.

One Pico

€€€Modern French

Tucked away down a quiet city centre alley, this long-standing and much-respected restaurant has long enjoyed a loyal local following. The cooking modernises classically based dishes and the sauces are particularly impressive, adding depth and complexity to uplift the central ingredients; roast saddle of lamb with an expertly made provençal-style rabbit jus is a prime example. The extensive, lovingly curated wine list has options for a range of budgets and the sommelier's recommendations are well worth taking.

🕐 Mo-Sa 12:00-14:45, 17:30-22:00, Su 12:30-16:00, 17:00-20:00

Peploe's

€€€Mediterranean Cuisine

Named after Scottish painter Samuel J. Peploe, a favourite of the owner, this atmospheric cellar restaurant occupies a former bank vault, with the space now having a warm, clubby feel thanks to its red leather banquettes and large, colourful murals. While Irish produce is at the core of the tried-and-tested cooking, inspiration tends to come from around Europe, be that in a classic French onion soup or the signature chicken Milanese, which mines plenty of flavour from the well-seasoned meat and the simple, capably executed accompaniments.

🕐 Mo-Su 12:00-24:00

Kaldero

€€Filipino

Keep your eye out for this Filipino restaurant’s discrete entrance as you walk down King St South, because to miss its warm atmosphere and flavour-packed cooking would be a crying shame. Situated in a welcoming basement, its best seats are near the open kitchen, where you can feel the infectious buzz of the chefs. The menu is designed for sharing, so bring a few friends and try as many of the Filipino-Irish chef’s dishes as possible; look out for big, punchy flavours in the likes of ‘Dynamite Lumpia’ – chillis stuffed with pork mince.

Library Street

€€€Contemporary, Modern Cuisine

As you open the door to this trendy restaurant, you’re greeted by a lively buzz and smiling faces. Settle in at the high communal seating or one of the lovingly restored 100-year-old ash tables, while surrounded by laughter and contented chatter. The cooking comes in the form of a regularly changing menu of sharing plates where local ingredients and bold flavours are key. Some dishes, like wild mackerel with fennel and harissa salad, have a lovely freshness to them; others are more heartily traditional, such as the Wicklow venison en croûte.

The Pig's Ear

€€Irish

For a traditional taste of Ireland, you need look no further. Chef-Owner Stephen McAllister has dived deep into his grandmother's recipe book and centuries of Irish history for the latest incarnation of his welcoming restaurant, which occupies a tall and narrow townhouse overlooking Trinity College Park. The menu combines a love of classic, soul-warming cooking with a playful touch, resulting in dishes like "Boxty Pancake" and "Dublin Lawyer Lobster Omelette" – while the quality produce and careful execution are evident in full-flavoured options like the "Tongue 'n' Cheek Suet Pudding".

🕐 Tu-Sa 17:30-21:00

Pichet

€€€French

You can’t miss the neon red signs and striped canopies of this buzzy brasserie – and its checkerboard flooring makes the inside equally striking. Sit in one of two rooms, soaking up the buzz of either the bar or the kitchen as you enjoy the honest, full-flavoured cooking. The dishes may be inspired by France and other European cuisines, but there's a commitment to Irish produce throughout, such as beef from John Stone. The wine list stretches well beyond France’s borders, with many wines available to order by the glass or, more appropriately, by the pichet.

Kicky's

€€€Mediterranean Cuisine

A striking, pop art-style mural frames the kitchen pass at this casual, trendy and thoroughly lively restaurant. The airy interior features whitewashed brick walls, some counter seating and loud hip-hop. Start with ‘bites’ and small plates to share, before moving onto the concise selection of main courses cooked over charcoal. Fabulous produce like Wicklow venison and wild brill on the bone yields bold, satisfying flavours. Make sure you finish with the ‘Irish coffee’, their take on a tiramisu.

Etto

€€Modern Cuisine

Etto means ‘little’ and this compact and charming restaurant close to the National Gallery certainly fits the bill. Start with a snack and a sherry before enjoying eye-catching dishes that extract plenty of flavour from their top-notch ingredients. The classically trained chef crafts food with traditional French foundations and blends in subtle hints of modernity, such as suckling pig with green peppercorn jus and lovage or dark chocolate délice with Amarena cherry. The affable service team are attentive without being intrusive.

La Gordita

€€Spanish

There’s a simple, cosy quality to La Gordita thanks to its narrow dining room with a wooden floor, brown leather upholstery and soft lighting. It’s got a lively atmosphere too, a great accompaniment to the authentic Spanish sharing plates, such as the 'arroz negro a la llauna' – fragrant, umami-packed squid ink rice with octopus and squid – whose extra cooking time is well worth the wait. Friendly service enhances the experience, and the extensive menu will have you rounding up friends so you can sample as much as possible.

Note

€€Modern Cuisine

There’s a subtle retro touch to this enjoyable wine bar turned bistro. The daily changing menu offers modern, unpretentious cooking with bold, distinct flavours, in dishes that often look to the Mediterranean for inspiration – such as pressed lamb with beetroot and a terrific, umami-packed bagna cauda. A charming team run the restaurant with a relaxed touch, and are always happy to recommend wines from their largely natural and organic selection. The long counter is the best place to sit if you'd like to engage with the team.

Dax

€€€Modern Cuisine

Dublin’s historic Georgian quarter is home to this well-established restaurant, located in the cellar of an old townhouse near Fitzwilliam Square. The décor has a classical quality to it, with white tablecloths and leather upholstery. There’s a French influence to the menu, which offers simple yet flavourful dishes that make the most of prime Irish produce like Wicklow Gap sika deer and Celtic Sea scallops.

Mister S

€€steak_house, grill

No one knows who Mister S is – or if he even exists – but no one really minds either, since they’re all here for the flavour-packed cooking over fire. Both charcoal and wood are used to help impart smoky aromas to the produce, but it's the natural flavours of the quality ingredients that really shine through, with the generous sirloin on the bone being a good example of what they're all about. Go with a group of friends, sit in one of the booths and order several dishes to share – perhaps including the signature burnt end rendang spring rolls.

🕐 Tu-Th 17:00-21:00, Fr 12:00-21:30, Sa 13:00-21:30

Delahunt

€€coffee_shop

Delahunt must surely be one of the most charming and characterful restaurants in Dublin. Exuding a sense of history throughout its quirky interiors, this old Victorian grocer's shop is mentioned in James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’, and what was once the clerk’s snug is now a glass-enclosed private dining room. The cooking itself is a showcase for Irish produce, such as fine lamb from The Comeragh Mountains served with a punchy black olive ketchup. Either before or after dinner, 'The Sitting Room' makes a great place for a drink.

Pickle

€€€indian

The modest exterior of this restaurant belies the buzzing atmosphere within. It’s a busy spot and deservedly so, with fresh, vibrant dishes and a service team that do a great job of handling their huge popularity. With spices lined up on the kitchen counter, the chefs aim to marry Irish produce with Northern Indian techniques and flavours in what they sweetly call ‘pickle country’. There’s a good value midweek lunch menu on offer and a tasting menu at dinner alongside the à la carte.

Jean-Georges at The Leinster

€€€Contemporary

The famed French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who owns restaurants all over the world, expanded his empire to the Emerald Isle with this top-floor restaurant inside The Leinster hotel. It’s a chic place, with two terrace bars that are ideal for a pre-dinner drink and surveying the Dublin skyline. The extensive menu (slightly reduced at lunchtime) includes Jean-Georges signatures like egg toast with caviar, alongside a range of international influences from paccheri with meatballs to crab spring rolls. High-quality Irish produce is the underlying theme binding it all together.

Osteria Lucio

€€italian

Located under the railway arches, this elegant restaurant comes with a lively ambience and a roll-call of recognisable Italian dishes. You could start proceedings with bruschetta or arancini before moving onto a choice of pastas, while suckling pig cooked 'al forno' has become something of a signature. Each dish is prepared with care using quality produce and in turn delivers plenty of flavour. The food is accompanied by an all-Italian wine list and a good selection of cocktails.

Mr Fox

€€€Modern Cuisine

The basement of a red-brick Georgian townhouse plays host to this this welcoming restaurant, whose soft furnishings tie in with the colour scheme and the ornately patterned floor tiles. Cooking comes in the form of either an à la carte or a set chef's choice menu, with both of them containing fresh, flavoursome dishes. Prime Irish produce is a feature, such as wild venison with smoked blackberry, but so are global flavours and techniques in the likes of tempura langoustine with yuzu kosho. Service comes from a charming team.

Lena

€€€Italian

There’s so much going for this neighbourhood Italian restaurant in the Portobello district of Dublin. For one, its immense popularity means there’s a brilliant buzz to the place; add to that its canalside setting and appealingly simple interior, and the stage is set for a terrific night out. Start with a glass from their well-chosen list of fine Italian wines, before diving into the roll-call of classic dishes. The ossobuco with risotto Milanese is a good choice, as is the light and well-balanced tiramisu. The friendly team manage the busy room with aplomb.

Matsukawa

€€€€Japanese, Sushi

With only eight seats around its counter, don’t be put off if you can’t secure a reservation at this sweetly run sushi restaurant at the first time of asking. The omakase menu is based around fine seafood produce, most of it Irish, with multiple servings of nigiri forming a large chunk of the experience – the hamachi and the salmon are particular highlights. The team are endearing and the service is not drawn-out, allowing you to enjoy a satisfying meal that doesn’t take all night. A good selection of sake and other Japanese spirits completes the offering.

Vada

€€Modern Cuisine

You can’t help but fall for this rustic little restaurant and its warm, welcoming young team. Dark green walls and dried flowers are indicative of the nature-focused approach, with seasonal produce and a low-waste ethos key to its charms. In the day it’s a simple café serving particularly good coffee and viennoiserie, before the kitchen steps up a gear in the evening with cooking that is a feast for the eyes and the taste buds. Influences from across the globe are poured into the flavour-packed dishes, like an original venison fattoush salad with baba ganoush.

Host

€€€Modern Cuisine

A modern, simply-furnished neighbourhood restaurant with a buzzing atmosphere and a super-friendly team. Ingredient-led, Italian-influenced cooking means an abundance of natural flavours; the concise, daily changing menu features prime meats, homemade pasta and dishes designed for sharing.

The Old Spot

€€Traditional Cuisine

This long-standing pub ticks all the boxes: traditional, immensely satisfying food; a buzzing atmosphere; and some of the friendliest, most genuine service around. Enjoy a drink in the cosy bar or take your seat in one of two spacious dining rooms, all of which boast plenty of character thanks to exposed brickwork, old engravings and patinated wooden furniture. The cooking includes the ever-popular likes of rib-eye steak and chips, while the desserts are a real highlight, especially if you get to try the excellently crafted bread and butter pudding.

Grano

€€italian

To the northwest of the city, you’ll find this lovely little Italian restaurant specialising in homemade pasta. Unfussy dishes like spinach balanzoni or cavatelli with venison ragu are expertly cooked and deliver great flavours thanks to their quality ingredients. It’s a friendly and passionately run place, with an owner and chef who hail from Calabria and regularly import produce from their home town for an authentic touch. The all-Italian wine list features some organic and biodynamic options.

allta

€€€€Modern Cuisine, Seafood

After years of moving around Dublin at festivals and pop-ups, the talented team behind allta finally have a permanent home in this spacious dockside building in a swish area of the city. The space is split into two parts: an industrial-chic cocktail bar complete with a DJ and a separate dining room with an open kitchen where guests can sit at the counter. The cooking takes the form of a tasting menu and has a strong Irish base, with quality seafood from native blue lobster to day-boat sole making an appearance.

mae

€€€Modern Cuisine

This cosy first-floor restaurant is hidden above the French Paradox wine shop, which not only gives it an appealingly secretive feel but also makes opting for one of the interesting wine pairings a wise move. The tasting menu begins with delicate snacks and fine daily-made sourdough, before offering a choice of main course and dessert. In game season, you'd be foolish to miss the exquisitely cooked sika deer and the tarte Tatin is Chef-Owner Gráinne's crowd-pleasing signature. The chefs show not just skill but generosity, so you'll leave feeling full and satisfied.

HERA

€€International

Forming part of JUNO, a larger red-brick pub where you can enjoy a pre-dinner Guinness, this bustling gastropub comes with wood panelling, soft lighting and a subtle elegance. Its menu has a pub-cooking base but is given some enticing international twists. Take the classic Scotch egg, for instance, which might come in a lamb and harissa form, or perhaps a chorizo version with preserved lemon and basil aioli. High-quality Irish ingredients, from Carlingford oysters to Achill lamb, underpin the dishes’ success. To finish, the brown butter and miso tart is a real treat.

Orwell Road

€€Modern Cuisine, International

Located in the city's smart suburbs, this buzzy little restaurant is a proper neighbourhood spot. Enjoy snacks and cocktails to start, before moving onto the menu of dishes founded on quality Irish ingredients. Each one is skilfully cooked and provides ample flavour, such as lamb rump with carrot purée and cavolo nero. It's a small place with a quick turnover of tables, but the chatty and efficient service team handle it with aplomb, making their fast-paced jobs look rather easy. The wine list includes some unusual but intriguing choices.

Ananda

€€indian

Its name means ‘bliss’ and this smart Indian restaurant certainly feels like a haven from the bustling shopping centre in which it sits. Accessed via a narrow entrance, it's a sizeable place inside with a swish cocktail bar – and is stylishly decorated with attractive fretwork and vibrant art. The combination of accomplished, original cooking and assured, attentive service makes for a great all-round package. The ‘Railway Journey’ tasting menu is encouraged and is certainly the way to go if you want to sample as much of the cooking as possible.

Volpe Nera

€€Modern Cuisine

Nestled away in a small parade, the ‘Black Fox’ takes its name from its position midway between the suburbs of Blackrock and Foxrock. Split over two floors, the upstairs has a slightly plusher feel, while the atmosphere is livelier downstairs, in part thanks to the open kitchen. The menu evolves with the seasons, mixing Mediterranean influences like ossocollo with East Asian elements like shiitake dumplings, across modern, flavoursome dishes. Service comes from a friendly and knowledgeable team, while a carefully curated wine list completes the experience.

Rasam

€€indian

The scent of roses greets you as you head up to the surprisingly plush lounge and contemporary restaurant. Fresh, authentic dishes come in original combinations and they dry roast and blend their own spices. You must order the breads; the peshwari naan is delicious!

🕐 Tu-Th 17:30-21:45; Fr,Sa 17:30-22:00; Su 17:00-21:15

Mamó

€€€Contemporary

An experienced couple run this friendly bistro located in a pleasant spot on Howth seafront; start with a drink in the ground-floor bar before heading up to the bistro-style dining room. Irish ingredients are the bedrock of the menu, including Boyne Valley cheeses, Winetavern Farm pork from Wicklow and plenty of seafood from the harbour just over the road. This produce is fashioned into fresh, flavoursome dishes that are carefully cooked and neatly presented. Stick around for dessert, as it’s likely to be a highlight.