It’s hard to believe I’ve been writing this takeaway column for more than three years – the extra kilos prove it. This is my final article on takeaways, and instead of a top 10 – I’ve too many favourites – here are the places that stood out.
Fish and chips
Eunice Power opened AndChips on the Quays in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, in 2019, serving only wild Irish fish, a model for how fish and chips should be done. Also excellent is Fish on MacCurtain Street, Cork, where the fritto misto and cod and chips are the things to order.
The Little Saltee in Kilmore Quay, Co Wexford is top notch. For seafood, there’s Julia’s Lobster Truck in Ennistymon, Co Clare, with scampi po’ boy, and lobster and chips; and in Letterfrack, Co Galway, Snappy Snappy is the spot for crab rolls.
Pizza
Grá Pizza in the North Kildare Sports Club in Maynooth does great pies such as The Flann O’Brien with Ballymakenny potatoes and cheese.
RM Block
In Dublin, Doom Slice’s Detroit-style is finished with a cheesy frico crust; Mani on Drury Street is famous for its carbonara slice; and Bambino on Stephen Street Lower serves classic New York-style slices.
In Galway, the Dough Bros use The Wooded Pig’s pepperoni on the Pepp Guardi-Jala – a classic.
Middle Eastern, Turkish and Afghani food
Chiya on Dawson Street in Dublin 2 serves Berlin-style kebabs grilled on vertical rotisserie spits. Passion4Food on Clanbrassil Street Lower has the same sight: chicken and lamb doner kebabs on the vertical grill. At D’Grill on Aungier Street, Dublin 2, the mantos (steamed dumplings) are filled with lightly spiced minced beef and onions. Yalla in Dundrum goes beyond shawarma with standout baba ganoush and kibbeh bil laban.
Umi Falafel now has branches in Dublin, Cork and Belfast offering notably good value for their falafel wraps.
Burgers and barbecue
Dash Burger on Kevin Street Lower in Dublin 8 does first-rate smash burgers, while The Burger Cartel in Herbert Park, Dublin 4 (and other markets) does grilled burgers. Mad Egg on Charlotte Way, Dublin 2, fries chicken to order. In Walkinstown and Tallaght, Ian Ussher makes a good Korean fried chicken at Cluck. In Letterkenny, Co Donegal, The Dirty Souls do Texas-style brisket.
Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Nepalese
At Sumi’s Kitchen at Ryan’s pub in Beggar’s Bush, Dublin 4, the tawa pulao – spiced rice with vegetables – is a hit. Al Khair at the mosque on the South Circular Road turns out really good lamb nihari.
Tadka House in Rathmines, Dublin 6 and Blanchardstown kicks up the heat with its Jaipuri laal maas, lamb in a sauce of Mathania chillies. You’ll find seekh kebab kathi roll at Joginder Singh’s Spice Village in Terenure, Dublin 6W, and Rialto, Dublin 8; Spice Cottage in Sallynoggin delivers rich north Indian dishes like lamb kohlapuri; and The Little Yeti in Loughlinstown does Nepalese steamed dumplings.
Hyderabadi Kitchen on Camden Street, Dublin 2, specialises in dosas, and in Cork, Spice Genie pops up at Midleton Market, Co Cork, with masala dosa.
Lunch
The Pie Guys pop up at The Black Market in Dornan’s Yard and Cork’s English Market. Pies, such as Beef and Beamish, come with buttery mash. Argentinian chef Victor Franca grills on a custom-built parilla at Nua Asador in Cork’s Marina Market.
For Dublin’s work crowd, Tiller and Grain – run by Ottolenghi alum Clair Dowling – is the place for salads, as are Jack and Theo Kirwan’s Sprout branches, using produce from their Kildare farm.
For sandwiches, there’s Green Bench on Montague Street, Dublin 2 (try the hoisin pork or veggie hot pot), Little Geno’s on St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2 (classic Reuben), and Carved in Grand Canal Dock and Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 (porchetta with fennel).
On Parnell Street, Dublin 1, Pho Kim’s rice paper spring rolls make a fresh, aromatic lunch.
For rotisserie free-range chicken, head to Poulet Bonne Femme in Dún Laoghaire, Blackrock and Avoca. And in Kenmare, Co Kerry, Bean & Batch delivers top-class sandwiches, sausage rolls and apple tart.
The big guns
Some takeaways are “heavy hitters” – spin-offs from big-name restaurants. At Kevin Hui’s China Sichuan to Go in Sandyford, Dublin 18, the star is aromatic duck with cucumber, spring onion, plum sauce and pancakes.
At Sunil Ghai’s Street in Dublin 14, the Punjabi black dal – lentils slow-cooked for 36 hours – is legendary, while Asheesh Dewan’s Jaipur in Dalkey serves the best takeaway biryani.
At Una in Ranelagh, Dublin 6, queues form for sourdough from John Wyer of Forest Avenue; alongside focaccia, quiche and pastries.
New to me
Some cuisines were entirely new, like Australian chef Mark Senn’s Mushroom Butcher in Portobello, Dublin 8. He runs a weekend truck with his partner, growing mushrooms next door and changing the menu every two weeks, with highlights including mushroom acarajé.
Mama Shee, once at Merrion Square market in Dublin 2, now runs a Nigerian/west African canteen in Tallaght – the goat curry is essential; and Georgian Delight in the Moore Street Arcade, Dublin 1, introduced me to acharuli khachapuri, bread filled with molten cheese and a soft egg yolk.
Three years, too many kilogrammes and countless plastic containers later, what stays with me is the proof that independent operators can be as inventive and committed to quality produce as any top dining room. It has been a joy eating through it – now the only thing left is to put down the delivery bag and get on the treadmill.
