There was a time when Dublin's food reputation rested on the humble spice burger from a chipper. Not anymore. A wave of homegrown chefs has turned the Irish capital into one of Europe's most exciting places to eat, and a fresh roundup from Condé Nast Traveller UK picks out a dozen tables that prove it — from brand-new 2025 openings to two-Michelin-star institutions.
The newcomers are where the energy is. Amai by Viktor, tucked above an off-licence on Harry Street, serves a Brazilian tasting menu from chef Viktor Silva — think beef pastel with banana ketchup and wood pigeon with blackberry. Comet, a European bistro in a lane off Dawson Street that opened mid-2025, is run by chef Kevin O'Donnell (ex-Bastible and Denmark) with his wife Laura Chabal front of house; the four-course carte blanche runs 78 euros. Over in the Liberties, Mongoose — from the team behind Michelin-starred neighbour Variety Jones — only opens Sunday to Tuesday, which explains the scramble for seats. Its Monday lunch deal of three courses for 32 euros is one of the best-value plays in a pricey city.
Out of the centre, the neighbourhoods deliver too. Clontarf's Chubbys, the evolution of a lockdown Mexican food truck, does six-hour-smoked pork belly and birria tacos with beers from local brewery Whiplash — bookings drop on Instagram a couple of months out. Stoneybatter's Vada adds a zero-waste ethos to plates like scallops with chickpea masala. In Howth, the fishing village on Dublin Bay, Mamó puts a contemporary spin on Irish fare with harbour views; work up an appetite on the Howth Head cliff walk first.
For Spain fixations, Bang on Merrion Row — relaunched by Richie Barrett, son of the original owner — does piri piri chicken and a jamón-fat caramel chocolate mousse, while long-running Uno Mas on Aungier Street pairs tapas classics with a salt-aged Delmonico steak for two. Fish Shop in Smithfield has been doing elevated fish and chips for a decade, and Note in Fenian Street is a rare city-centre spot opening for dinner on Mondays, handy for long-weekend visitors.
At the top end, two names dominate. D'Olier Street, set in a stuccoed Victorian chamber opposite Trinity College, serves a single 13-course tasting menu at 139 euros, with just 10 seats at the chef's counter. And Chapter One on Parnell Square holds two Michelin stars for chef Mickael Viljanen, whose Nordic-trained take on Irish produce — Donegal lobster with Kari Gosse spices — is worth the splurge, though the three-course lunch is the smarter entry point. Don't skip the Irish coffee trolley.
Why it matters: Dublin now rewards a dedicated food trip, not just an afterthought pint. You can build a long weekend around a Monday lunch at Mongoose, a Howth coastal walk with lunch at Mamó, and a big-night-out tasting menu, all without leaving the city. Book the hot tables early, keep the neighbourhood spots for spontaneity, and your chipper stop can be nostalgia rather than necessity.
