Ten years ago Dublin was a city you put up with the food in. That has changed completely. The current scene is split between long-running classics that locals still go to and a wave of small neighbourhood places opened in the last five years that punch way above their size.
The current shortlist
Chapter One on Parnell Square has held a Michelin star for over twenty years and is the safest fine-dining bet in the country. Mr Fox, on the same square, is the slightly more accessible sibling. For tasting menus south of the river, Liath in Blackrock and Variety Jones on Thomas Street are both Michelin-starred and run by chefs who know what they are doing.
For something more casual that still surprises you, Bastible in Leonard's Corner, the Pig's Ear on Nassau Street, and Etto on Merrion Row are all reliably excellent. Etto is the one Dubliners book first when out-of-town friends visit.
Where do locals actually eat?
The Stoneybatter and Phibsboro neighbourhoods on the north side have become the heartland of casual local dining. L Mulligan Grocer, Fish Shop, the Glimmer Man and Lucky Tortoise are all within ten minutes of each other and none of them feel touristy. South of the river, Dublin 8 around Newmarket and the Liberties has filled up with new openings. Two Pups, Bastible, Big Romance, Lockes, Variety Jones.
What is good for breakfast or brunch?
Avoid the queues at Brother Hubbard if you do not feel like waiting. Two Pups Coffee in Dublin 8, Slice on Stoneybatter, and Vice Coffee Inc in the Westbury Mall are all properly good and rarely full at nine in the morning. Network Cafe on Aungier Street is a long-standing favourite. For a Sunday session, the Winding Stair upstairs over Ha'penny Bridge does the proper full Irish with a view.
Where can I find a Michelin meal under 100 euro?
Pichet on Trinity Street has a pre-theatre menu that gives you three courses of well-executed bistro food for around forty euro. Etto's set lunch is similar. Mr Fox does a tasting menu around the eighty euro mark. None of these are full Chapter One territory, but the quality is closer than the price suggests.
The market angle
Dublin's food markets are still finding their feet. The Honest 2 Goodness Market in Glasnevin on Saturdays is the best of them, with proper traders and an outdoor seating area. Fade Street Social's market hall version of Saturday brunch is busy. The Saturday market at Temple Bar is for tourists.
Is Dublin expensive compared to other Irish cities?
Yes, slightly. A mid-range dinner for two with a bottle of wine runs about a hundred and twenty euros in Dublin, around a hundred euros in Galway, and ninety in Cork. The gap has narrowed over the last few years as the rest of the country has gotten more confident with prices.
Two reservations worth making before you arrive
If you have a date in mind, book Chapter One or Liath two months out. They sell out for weekends consistently. Etto and Bastible take reservations a few weeks ahead and are the most consistently full of the mid-priced places. Walk-in is realistic at most other restaurants outside Friday and Saturday evening.