Well, here it is guys!!
With over 150 new Dublin eateries explored in 2017 only 74 were deemed worthy of a place on my monthly food post… every single one of these needed to meet the highest standards with not just food but, atmosphere and service being an important focus too.
The blog is going from strength to strength in 2017 since I started really focusing on sharing Dublin with you guys and I’m delighted to say that 2018’s blogging will focus even more on both Irish travel and bringing you the best of Dublin culture… with a continued focus on Dublin restaurants, of course.
So, speaking of Dublin restaurants here are the 8 that really left a lasting impression from the 74 outstanding places I shared this year.
2018’s New Year’s resolution? Try all of these.
Chapter One’s Chef’s Table is a food experience I will never forget. Its culinary theater at a beautiful table inside the restaurant’s kitchen; less fold out table by the sink, more purpose-built architect designed encased table made from volcanic rock.
At €60 per person or €105 per person with wine pairings for 7 courses its not the cheapest meal you’ll have but I firmly believe that if you’re a foodie you’ll walk away feeling that it was money well spent. I loved every second of this, one of the most memorable things I did all year.
If you’re looking to celebrate a special occasion or, make an occasion special this is what you’re looking for.
Two Pupps is a progressive family run cafe on Francis Street with a small but perfectly chosen, frequently changing menu. When I lived in Dublin 8 this and the equally epic Legit (shared in 2016 so not a contender for a place in this post but an unreal spot worthy of a mention nonetheless) were my cafes of choice for delicious, healthy and unbelievably bloody tasty eats.
I love the vibe of Two Pupps, I love how passionate they are about the food they’re serving and, they’re dog friendly so they get extra brownie points for that too. A must-visit for a tasty, chilled out lunch.
Want to know something funny? I visited The Woolen Mills for dinner in 2016 and though it was kinda crap. My meal was blah, the atmosphere was blah etc etc so it never made it on to the blog. Fast forward to 2017 and several people had recommended it to me so I was open to giving it another try and went again for lunch.
I was blown away, literally shook by how unreal the food was, how exciting the menu was and how well we were looked after… never has a restaurant gone from not worthy of a mention at all, to featuring in my top places from the year; The Woolen Mills has done just that.
Needless to say we all understand that certain variables can dictate the tone of your experience from the chef being sick, the waiter having a bad day, the kitchen falling behind etc so, who knows what happened the first time I was there but my god, am I glad I went back again! Definitely a food highlight of 2017 and without doubt a firm favorite.
Rarely has one eatery been met with such a flurry of excitement as Bastible’s 2015 opening. They were booked out for weeks despite my many efforts and, my attempts at being a walk-in were met with no success so I sort of tossed it into a mental pile of ‘oh well’ and moved on to the next place.
Then, living as close to it as I did this year reignited my interest so I made a brunch booking for their tasting plates and I’m delighted to say it was worth the wait. Their menu is so exciting, a real treat for adventurous eaters, the staff are passionate and presentation spot on.. a very memorable food experience from 2017.
Bang’s five course tasting menu at €70 a head is without doubt one of the best food experiences you can have in Dublin. We brought my mom & dad who are also massive foodies and every one of us were blown away from start to finish.
The food is bursting with flavour and beautifully presented, service is efficient and professional and the atmosphere is formal without being stuffy. A must-try for any Dublin food lovers.
The best pizza I had all year (outside of Fano pizza which is hands down the best takeaway pizza in Dublin by the way) was right here in Bolton street’s Boco, an unassuming bar/restaurant serving up the freshest pizza outside of Italy.
Their toppings are exciting, everything is bursting with flavour, the staff are really passionate about what they’re doing and, there’s a really nice vibe to the place making it perfect for a laid-back date night.
I’ve eaten from Fade Street’s regular menu which, while there’s nothing particularly wrong with it, it didn’t particularly excite me either…. then I tried their tapas menu. There are so many mind blowing options to choose from with the food being unbelievably fresh and tasty.
Take a trip here & sit outside on a balmy evening sipping vino, eating delicious food and watching the world go by… perfection (their soft shell crab is a must).
I’ve been living in Drumcondra for 4 months now & still couldn’t confidently tell you the name of the building that used to be an orphanage but now houses lots of cafes, the Drumcondra market (which is kind of shite unfortunately) and lots of sports classes buuuut, what I can tell you with absolute confidence is just how bloody epic one of the restaurants, Shouk is.
Shouk serve up meeze platters and kebabs made by the actual gods; the freshest tastiest food you could ever eat in your life, its wildly inexpensive, a totally chill little spot, dog friendly and €4 BYO… I mean, what more could you want!?
Sean & I were so blown away by this place upon first visit that we’ve since dragged every foodie friend and returned more times than I’d care to admit. A little off the beaten track but you cannot go through he next 12 moths without giving your taste buds the gift of visiting this gem.
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