Catch the buzz
Bar Pez
Unit 3, College Court, Kevin Street Lower, Portobello, Dublin 8; 01-5670577, barpez.ie
This stylish, wood-panelled room is owners Jumoke Akintola and Peter Hogan’s homage to the Spanish tapas bars they love, and it shows in the menu full of top-notch Irish ingredients cooked with plenty of Spanish inspiration. Choose from the chalkboard – oozy croquetas, Connemara oysters, crab sandwich, maybe a stew. Wash it down with something from their 300-plus eclectic wine list, offering 20 or so by the glass, including sparkling, orange wines and sherries. AD
China Tang
5A Monkstown Crescent, Monkstown, Co Dublin; 01-4853798, chinatang.ie
There’s a welcome old-school glamour at China Tang and a menu to match. Cantonese dim sum, roasted meats, Sichuan and Hunan dishes are delivered with flair, but the show stopper is the signature roasted Peking duck carved tableside (must be pre-ordered). Bring a gang to work through the extensive menu for a great time. Read our review here. AD
Daróg
56 Lower Dominick Street, Galway, Co Galway; 091-565813, darogwinebar.com
This intimate wine bar may be small, but it packs bold flavours and an exceptional wine list curated by co-owner Zsolt Lukács, crowned Michelin sommelier of the year in 2025. Chef Stiofán Feeney’s seasonal small plates, such as polenta cakes with Comté and Dexter beef tartare, build up to a substantial dinner, perfect for pairing with the 40 by-the-glass wine options. Read our review here. AD
RM Block
Kaldero
Unit 4B, Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, King Street South, Dublin 2; 01-4782152, kaldero.ie
After a bumpy start in 2024 with a mixed Asian menu, Kaldero smartly relaunched this summer with Bahay – the Irish Filipino concept from chef Richie Castillo and food creative Alex O’Neill. Now it’s all about the dishes for which Castillo is celebrated: golden lumpia spring rolls, rich kare kare braised oxtail with peanut sauce, and inihaw na manok, barbecue chicken skewers glazed with banana ketchup. It’s a wonderful showcase of his Irish and Filipino heritage on a plate. AD
La Gordita
6 Montague Street, Dublin 2; 01-5313303, lagordita.ie
Walking past La Gordita takes you immediately to the streets of Spain. The classic wooden and glass exterior beckons you in for a glass of good Spanish red or a nutty amontillado sherry. With a long bar running down the middle and tables at either end, it’s always buzzing. Chef María Luisa Moraleda knows how to deliver a menu of signature dishes such as anchovies with blue cheese butter and ever-changing seasonal specials. JC
Lena
1 Windsor Terrace, Portobello, Dublin 8; 01-4163655, lena.ie
Lena starts with a sage leaf and an anchovy – fried to a crackle – two bites that set the bar unreachably high. Liz Matthews, Simon Barrett and Paul McNamara – the team behind Etto and Uno Mas – seem incapable of putting a foot wrong. Italian-inspired plates follow: wild sea bass crudo with blood orange and rosemary, pici cacio e pepe that leaves you licking the plate, and halibut with vermouth sauce. No wonder it’s the toughest booking in Dublin right now. It’s the perfect restaurant. Read our review here. CH
Lir
The Coleraine Marina, Coleraine, Co Derry, BT52 1EY; +44 78 28127739, lirseafood.com
The Great British Menu has been a fantastic showcase for Northern chefs in recent years, most particularly for self-taught Steafan McCarry. Years of innovation for this devotee of fin-to-tail cooking culminated in the overall region win this year. With wife Rebekah, he has added a new events space to Lir, and is looking forward to a winter of special collaboration evenings with other superb local talent. JC
Mae
53 Shelbourne Road, Dublin 4; 01-2313903, maerestaurant.ie
Chef Gráinne O’Keefe may have published a book about cooking for one this year, but you’re advised to bring friends or family when dining at Mae. There’s just too much to enjoy solo. The set menu features dishes such as smoked Hegarty’s cheddar agnolotti, brown butter fillet of hake and the decadent tarte Tatin. Diners can choose from a selection of individual handcrafted knives, and the wine pairings from downstairs The French Paradox are unique. JC
Reggie’s Pizzeria
221/223 Rathmines Road Lower, Rathmines, Dublin 6; reggies.ie
The hype hasn’t faded – nor should it. Reggie White’s low-waste pizzeria in a reworked redbrick in Rathmines is one of the most exciting rooms in Dublin, humming with families, students and couples sharing bottles of wine over 48-hour fermented wild-farmed sourdough pizzas. The whey-braised leek with Cashel Blue and honey and the Andarl Farm sausage are standouts, and nothing costs more than €18.50. Soon, there’ll be pasta too – because why stop at great pizza? Read our review here. CH
The Morrison Room
Carton House, Maynooth, Co Kildare; 01-5052000, cartonhouse.com
The grandeur of this historic 19th-century room is the perfect canvas for chef Adam Nevin’s dynamic cooking. After winning a Michelin star last year, the food featuring exquisite ingredients continues to wow. Go all out with the tasting menu (€150) or visit on Sunday for a pared-back four-course (€95). A champagne trolley and classic wine list with big hitters are fitting partners. AD
The Pullman
Glenlo Abbey Hotel, Galway, Co Galway; 091-519600, glenloabbeyhotel.ie
Leona and Linda are the charming ex-Orient Express carriages that are home to the Pullman restaurant. Reopening this year after an extensive renovation, the two ladies are smarter than ever. Working from an adjacent purpose-built kitchen, chef Angelo Vagiotis, pastry chef Linda Sergidou and the rest of the Pullman team are driving a refined tasting menu experience worthy of the setting, while restaurant manager Ian McDonnell walks the aisles with wines to match. JC
Variety Jones
79 Thomas Street, Dublin 8; 01-5671164, varietyjones.ie
Variety Jones may have moved premises and settled into a gorgeous new home on the corner of Thomas Street, but some things will never change. There will always be the signature waffles and pasta on the tasting menu. The sharing main will always be a joyously riotous affair. The wine list is always good. Open-fire cooking is used as much as possible and, in the words of owner Keelan Higgs, “you’re in for a good time, not a long time”. JC
