Where to Eat in Dublin (and Greystones*)
*I included Greystones because A: It is an adorable seaside town that everyone should visit and B: We spent a considerable amount of time there.
Of course my first blogpost about our time in Ireland is about food. Not only do I love food, but I also think y0u can tell quite a bit about a place through its food and restaurant culture--its history, social dynamics, and cultural values. In Ireland, particularly around Dublin, there has been an insurgence of vegetarian and vegan restaurants that focus on healthy and sustainable options. This was especially exciting for me--I try to eat a plant based diet for health, environmental, and ethical reasons. So, without further ado, here are seven places in around Dublin you should try next time you're in town.
I don’t know about you, but breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. In fact, I could eat. It for every meal. With that in mind, I had to find a couple of good breakfast/brunch spots in Dublin. Enter Meet Me in the Morning, an adorable, casual, modern café tucked into a quiet corner of Pleasants Street. Honestly, we almost missed it! They have a fairly diverse and seasonal menu that includes so many good vegan and vegetarian options (which can be a struggle when considering an Irish breakfast). I myself went for the vegan hash—a mixture of potatoes, kale, squash, cauliflower, and pickles. I must say it was delicious! And the pickles were unexpected.
One of my fellow travelers also ordered the french toast, which looked amazing and tasted even better. They also do a decent flat white.
This cafe is well and truly hidden, and right down the alley from Meet Me in the Morning. There are two ways you can get to it: down an alley or through The Last Bookshop (also 100% worth visiting). We didn’t actually eat a meal here, although I’ve been told they do a good brunch as well, we just came for its namesake: cake.Let’s just say, we were not disappointed! The Victoria sponge with blueberry jam was probably my favorite, but the lemon square was a close second.
Bewley's is a bit of an Irish institution. They are a tea and coffee company that has been around for over 175 years. They also try to focus on sustainable and fair trade sourcing practices. Knowing this, how could we not visit their flagship cafe located off of the very busy (and touristy) Grafton Street in the heart of Dublin. They do a very good Irish breakfast as well as lunch and dinner service, but my compatriots and I wanted to stop by for the coffee and pastries. We were not disappointed!
The cafe is definitely fancy, but absolutely delicious. They do a very good espresso, and pastries the size of your head! This was the perfect place for us to get in out of the dreary weather and treat ourselves a bit. Also, be sure to go downstairs where you can peek into the kitchen and see the pastries being made.
Brother Hubbard is a Middle Eastern inspired restaurant that serves healthy, seasonal food, quite a bit of which is vegan/vegetarian friendly. They opened about five years ago and have been steadily expanding since. Understandably so, the food and atmosphere was fantastic!
Also, full disclosure, this is one of the places I went to multiple times. It was just too good.
I scouted it out on my own early in our trip for breakfast/brunch. It was definitely a good thing I went on my own--they were so busy! But I enjoyed it so much I had to bring my friends back for dinner, and they loved it. I would definitely suggest making a reservation if you are going on a weekend because the wait times can get a little ridiculous.
They also just opened an adorable shop next door that offers some of the ingredients they use as well as a wonderful cookbook selection and the most delectable urban jungle! I could probably live there.
A good veggie or even vegan option for breakfast can be hard to come by in Ireland. This is where Cornucopia comes in--they are a vegetarian, whole food focused, restaurant that does a pretty inexpensive veggie/vegan breakfast that comes with tea (or coffee). It has a very cozy atmosphere, accentuated by the most adorable wall paper I think I've ever seen! It is also excellent for solo dining.
Side note: I have the cutest friends!
If you have not yet heard of The Happy Pear, you probably will soon. This adorable cafe in Greystones is quickly becoming a cult favourite. The owners, two twin brothers, make weekly YouTube videos that have slowly but surely been gaining in popularity around the world. The Happy Pear location in Greystones is half cafe, half grocery, and all vegetarian/vegan. Since it was so close to where we were staying, my traveling companions and I came here more often than I care to admit.
While their coffees (and dark hot chocolates) are positively delicious, my favorite thing they offer are their Buddha bowls. Essentially they are just a bowl of different grains, curries, and salads that change daily and seasonally. I ordered it three different times and they were all completely different. But equally delicious! I especially loved the vegan kimchi.
I'm going to be honest, The Baker's Table was probably my favorite Greystones establishment. It was just the perfect little coffee shop/cafe to spend the morning in and maybe get some work done. The decor was perfectly eclectic, if a little wonky, and they always seemed to be playing classic jazz.
They also serve maybe the best toast I have ever had. Everything is baked on site daily with locally sourced ingredients and it really shows!
If you're in the mood for something savory, they also have you covered. Their Irish breakfast is fabulous, and their open faced sandwiches are definitely worth coming back for. I also ordered entirely too many flat whites here.
Well, there you go. That was my list of places to eat at while in Dublin. Let me know if you try any of these places while traveling!
