1. Tang Café
There are times when we consciously choose to book a hotel stay without breakfast just to have a good excuse for trying out new places everyday. On our very first day in Dublin, we went to Tang Café for breakfast after reading great recommendations about this café. In a compact space on the corner of Dawson Street, which is one of their two places in Dublin, lays this café which has sustainability and environmentally healthy choices written all over their menu. Not only do they facilitate your choice for having a healthy meal, but they also emphasize a lot on making environmentally friendly choices as a café which to me is another reason to support businesses like these. We had a lovely, casual breakfast at Tang Café which I would recommend everyone to visit for either breakfast or lunch, or in any case to add it to your where-to-eat-in-Dublin-list.
2. Balfes
Balfes is one of the top places to dine at in Dublin, whether it’s to get a healthy breakfast, a leisurely lunch or a quality dinner, their menu is boasting with fabulous options all day long. The overall appearance of Balfes restaurant is giving a classy Parisian brasserie vibe with a touch of a trendy New York eatery where I felt instantly welcomed by the staff as well as the ambience itself. We headed to Balfes for some lunch and were surprisingly enough met by a rather empty restaurant, but then again, we tend to take our lunch at odd hours which ends up being more of a late lunch/early dinner kind of thing. For lunch I ordered an autumnal salad with pears, walnuts and gorgonzola which tasted just divine, and I admit to having my doubts every time I order a salad after having tried some rather dull ones, too, but not this one! Everything just felt right about this restaurant, the atmosphere, the service and most definitely the food.
3. The Westbury - The Sidecar
A stylish cocktail inside an elegant setting taken right of a 30s cocktail bar will quite naturally draw me towards it like a magnet. Having had the Sidecar on my list to enjoy a good cocktail in the evening in case we would skip dinner, I was slightly disappointed to find out that all seats inside the bar were taken. Instead, we were offered to have a seat inside the Westbury Hotel lounge which might not have had the same stylish setting as an Art Deco cocktail bar but sitting in the utterly comfortable lounge chairs, surrounded by luxury made me want to linger badly for hours. The lounge is stylish combined with contemporary elegance inside a peaceful setting where I could have continued to sit for hours. Whenever you find yourself in Dublin centre around Grafton Street, make sure to put the Westbury on your list to stop by.
4. FIRE Steakhouse & Bar
Sitting in the grand room of the restaurant I just couldn’t stop gazing at their gorgeous interior. Inside this 300-year-old Mansion House lays the FIRE Steakhouse and Bar who magnificently have both kept the historical features of the supper room while adding modernness to its interior. The Mansion House was built in 1710 and has since 1715 been the official residence of the Lord Mayor of Dublin and still remains as such until this day. The restaurant is located inside what used to be the supper room for the Lord Mayor and keeps its original purpose still as a dining place which has been transformed into a commercial restaurant in the 90s. The interior offers a combination of the original old-world-charm with modern structures. The tree-like sculptures placed in the middle of the grand room which, for an extra wow-factor are being lighted up, attracted a lot of my attention until the food arrived. We chose to go with two courses and despite being so full already half-way through, I just couldn’t leave such mouthwatering food behind on the table. Dining at this restaurant was one of the best experiences in Dublin!
5. Wuff
We had the luck on our side that morning when we went to Wuff for breakfast - this place was packed! Lucky for us, we only had to wait short 5-10 minutes to get a table. Being a vegetarian,this often leaves many typical traditional dishes out of reach, especially the traditional Irish breakfast with sausages, bacon and blackpudding. I was more than thrilled to see that “Wuff” has a vegetarian version of the Irish breakfast on their menu which includes vegetarian sausages and house baked beans and was beyond delicious. Inside this cosy restaurant the atmosphere is chilled and unpretentious with an extra touch of personality given by the friendly and welcoming staff. Despite sitting inside a packed restaurant, the atmosphere was rather lively and happy and enjoyable to be part of.
6. The Celt
You come to the Celt for the ultimate Irish experience regarding music, food and that authentic Irish pub atmosphere - the Celt is a pub like no other. What seems like an inconspicuous space from the outside with a small frontage consisting of the entrance door and two windows to the right, opens up into a vast space suitable to host hundreds. We had a warm and friendly welcome by the staff and, after passing through the bar in the front, we were seated inside the grand room with a rustic interior and dimmed lighting to enhance a cosy atmosphere. Since coming from a country where pub food isn’t something you would usually order, I was surprised by the quality of the food which was ideal for a casual night out. The Celt provided exactly what I had expected of an Irish pub.
7. Taste Food Company
Sometimes, a casual breakfast inside a traditional café is all you need for a great start to the day. We had a warm welcome by the waitress at the Taste Food Company who was completely attentive and friendly throughout our entire stay. A freshly prepared breakfast and a tea to warm things up a little and we were good to go for the day. With a little bit of everything on the menu and a great selection of teas (I’m not a coffee drinker, so I cannot comment on that), I went for a healthy smoothie bowl with fresh berries and granola and a warm tea to regain the warmth because we had a crisp day in Dublin laying ahead of us. The location of this bustling restaurant is right in the heart of the city centre with only a couple of minutes from Grafton Street and therefore makes for a perfect stop before heading out on your adventure in Dublin.