What’s on offer?
Opened in 2014 by Paul Dignam, The Revolution brings a San Diego-soaked take on casual dining to Rathgar in Dublin. Dignam’s time in California influences a menu that veers from wood-fired pizza pies to tacos, burritos and brunch. It’s a small restaurant, which offers dine-in, takeaway and delivery options.
Pizzas are made with 72-hour fermented dough, cooked at 400–450 degrees in a gas oven. It’s not quite strict Neapolitan, but close – airy crusts, light char and simple, high-quality toppings. Weekly specials rotate in and out, but regulars include the “Classic” Margherita, the “Revolution”, and the “Ariano” – a tribute to their first pizza chef. More recent additions nod to Dignam’s children and California: “Pierce’s Pie”, “Dean’s Dish”, and “SoCal”.
There’s also a taco menu built on Blanco Niño tortillas and grilled fillings, plus a separate weekend brunch. Daily specials include Pizza Monday, when all pizzas are priced at €12. The Revolution also supplies pizzas to local Rathgar pubs – The 108 and The Bottler’s Bank.
What did we order?
Pierce’s Pie 2.0, The Rathgar, Dean’s Dish, aioli, and roast garlic and herb dip.
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How was the service?
We opted for click-and-collect, and all the pizzas were just out of the oven and piping hot.
Was the food nice?
The pizzas looked good, with nice leoparding on the crust and a well-charred base. They were, however, sliced poorly – more of a suggestion than a proper cut – which made eating them a bit awkward. The Pierce’s Pie 2.0 came out tops. It was well balanced with a good tomato sauce, Portobello mushrooms, basil pesto, Parmesan, fior di latte mozzarella, roasted red peppers and crispy onions. Jalapeños added a spicy kick.
The Rathgar, topped with salami, wild boar sausage, roasted red chillies, fresh basil and mozzarella, could have done with more of the wild boar sausage, but it was still a solid pizza and got the thumbs up. Dean’s Dish – a white-based pizza with roasted butternut squash, courgettes, goat’s cheese, mozzarella, walnuts and lime zest – was less punchy than the other two and a bit bland. The butternut squash brought too much sweetness. The dips were very tasty and ideal for dragging the crust through.
What about the packaging?
Packaging is recyclable and compostable where possible. They have cut out plastics almost entirely.
What did it cost?
€63 for dinner for three people: Pierce’s Pie, €19.50; The Rathgar, €20; Dean’s Dish, €19.50; aioli, €2; and roast garlic and herb dip, €2.
Where does it deliver?
Daily 5pm-10pm. Deliveroo and Uber Eats within a 5km radius, click and collect on their own website.
Would I order it again?
Yes, if I was local, or in The Bottler’s Bank. But there are a lot of other strong pizza options nearby, including Reggie’s Pizzeria and Kodiak in Rathmines.
