This laidback community café is comfy, welcoming and serves up our first budget-friendly dish: scrambled eggs with creamy Gubbeen cheese, garlic and tomatoes on fresh, toasted brioche. It's the perfect way to start the day! It’s in a great location too, if you fancy a spot of sightseeing afterwards, be sure to visit the adjacent St. Patrick’s Cathedral and nearby Christ Church; one of the oldest areas of the city.
Looking for a lovely lunch that won’t break the bank? Green Bench Café on Montague Street serves up amazing takeaway sandwiches. Why not enjoy yours in the leafy surrounds of the nearby Iveagh Gardens, one of the city’s many hidden gems and located just five minutes from St. Stephen’s Green. Our pick from the menu has to be their very hearty BBQ pork shoulder sandwich which is loaded with succulent, melt-in-the-mouth meat, salad and leaves – your challenge (if you choose to accept it) is to finish the whole thing!
If you fancy something with a little more kick, look no further than Boojum (Millennium Walkway and Kevin Street Lower). Their beast of a burrito is jam-packed with tasty Mexican treats like cilantro-lime rice and pinto beans, with a delicious helping of flavoursome salsa (go as hot as you dare!) and sour cream – yum. When you’ve eaten your fill, hop on the Luas (tram) from Jervis station beside the Millennium Walkway branch and in less than 15 minutes you’ll be in the expansive Phoenix Park, one of the largest walled city parks in Europe, and home to a very tame herd of deer!
Sakura Sushi Selection at Musashi
One of the more recent additions to the thriving Dublin food scene, Musashi on Capel Street (just a 10-minute walk from the Ha’Penny Bridge) offers up an extensive menu of hot Japanese dishes and freshly-prepared sushi. We recommend the Sakura selection – five pieces of sushi nigiri. What’s more, Musashi operates a BYOB policy, so feel free to bring along a bottle of vino to wash down your meal.
Fans of Korean food should make their way to Hop House / Kimchi on foodie’s mecca Parnell Street (10 minutes from the iconic Spire on O’Connell Street) and order their delicious delicacy, Bibimbap. This bad boy literally has it all – white rice topped with sautéed, seasoned veg with sliced beef and a fried egg on top. What’s not to love?!
Smoked Salmon at Delahunt
Fancy a stroll before dinner? This charming and homely restaurant can be found on Camden Street, just minutes from the scenic Grand Canal which winds its way around the city. Delahunt serves up fresher-than-fresh smoked Irish salmon with horseradish and cucumber on (wait for it...) Guinness bread! It’s mouth-watering combination that has to be tasted to be believed. Oh and of course, a pint of the black stuff to wash it down is a must!
This next one’s for the dedicated meat-eaters among you. Relaxing in Coppinger Row, located just minutes from both St. Stephen’s Green and the über-cool George’s Street Arcade, is an opportunity both to people-watch and sample one of the heartiest sambos in the city. Make sure you’re suitably hungry before you order their amazing open meatball sandwich; it really is as amazing as it sounds.
Sometimes you just can’t beat a good pizza, and luckily Dublin’s cultural quarter Temple Bar is home to the very cool pizzeria, Skinflint. We’re finding it hard to pick just one recommendation, but we reckon we’ll go with their ‘Vonie’ pizza, which is topped with egg, Serrano ham, mozzarella and (to really get those tastebuds tingling), harissa; a hot chilli pepper paste. When you’re done with dining, peruse the area’s many vintage stores, boutiques and markets.
Also in Temple Bar, you’ll find Elephant & Castle, a laidback eatery serving up tasty New York-style dishes. It’s another perfect spot for watching the world go by, as it looks out onto the bustling, cobbled streets of the cultural quarter and is also a stone’s throw from the iconic Ha’penny Bridge. But we digress. Elephant & Castle is renowned by Dubliners for its spicy buffalo chicken wings! Marinaded to perfection, these flavoursome wings come in an extremely generous portion, accompanied perfectly by a tangy blue cheese dip.