Time to strike while the iron is hot – literally. Get out there and make the most of this rare summer heat. From parks and markets to cafes and restaurants, follow our guide for sun-fuelled outdoor dining in Dublin.
On a Saturday, the Red Stables food market at St Anne’s Park in Raheny is truly wonderful, and so too is Herbert Park in Ballsbridge on Sundays. Food trucks include Don Canizales, Pacheco Venezuelan Street Food, Love Falafel, Mama’s Boy bánh mi, Dracula’s Kitchen and Govinda’s. Go prepared for a picnic, with a picnic rug and some cold drinks. Also worth checking out is the Saturday food market at Bushy Park in Terenure and the food village at People’s Park in Dún Laoghaire on Sundays.
At Eatyard at the Bernard Shaw pub, you’ll find Janet’s, Nice Burger, Delhi2Dublin and Italian House. There are outdoor tables and you can order a pint from the pub.
If you head out to Greystones, you can spend some time in the sauna before tucking into wood-fired pizza, burritos or Root’s smoothie bowls at The Boat Yard.
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Mani pizza on Drury Street is a great people-watching spot with great pizza – not to mention the Roman-style carbonara slice that went viral. For something even more leisurely, head to Piglet on Cow’s Lane and grab a table on the terrace for the €29.50/€35 two/three course lunch or early bird menu. La Maison on Castle Market is also a great people-watching spot from a sunny terrace with a €45 three-course lunch or early bird menu.
For classic Vietnamese food, Aobaba on Capel Street has a casual outdoor area where you can tuck into steaming bowls of handmade noodles, pho, bánh mi and bun cha. If you fancy a beer to go with your food, they’re quite chilled about buying one from the shop across the road and having it there, as long as you clear it away afterwards.
If you’re looking to eat after a bracing cliff walk, head out to Howth and tuck into fish and chips at one of the many places with outside tables, or head to some of the great outdoor tables at Bubbas Fish Market in Dalkey.
Make an evening out of it
The Terrace at The Shelbourne Hotel
St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2; theShelbourne.com
A relaxed little plaza tucked away within the hotel. Head florist Mary O’Reilly and her team have transformed the space into a lush secret garden. This summer it has partnered with the Wine Lab to offer wine on tap from €15 per glass. The food menu includes a half dozen oysters for €24, a seafood sharing platter (€70 for two people), or a selection of aged cheeses and cured meats.
The Garden Room at The Merrion Hotel
Merrion Square, Dubin 2; merrionhotel.com
An all-day dining restaurant, there is a stunning outdoor terrace here when the sun plays ball, looking out on to a fountain and Rowan Gillespie’s sculpture of James Joyce. The doors can be swung open and it feels quite the luxurious secret in the heart of Georgian Dublin. Read our full review here.
Rooftop Bar at Anantara, The Marker Hotel
Grand Canal Quay, Docklands, Dublin 2; anantara.com
Ride the zeitgeist and get down (or up) to Dublin’s hottest new rooftop terrace. Only recently opened, the seventh-floor wraparound bar offers unrivalled views across the city. The cocktails and grazing and sharing menu feature a strong Thai theme.
King Sitric Seafood Bar
East Pier, Howth, Co Dublin; kingsitric.ie
Lobster grilled with garlic butter and chips sets the tone here, backed by wild Irish fish and chips and mussels with cream, garlic and white wine. There’s also wild Irish smoked ling – “smokies” – baked with crème fraîche. A heated terrace with a permanent roof and three beach huts makes outdoor eating possible whatever the weather.
September
3 Bath Place, Blackrock, Co Dublin; instagram.com/september.dublin
Casual by day with small plates and sandwiches, more focused at night. There’s a short a la carte and a six-course tasting menu for €64. Cod and nduja arancini, red mullet crudo, wild garlic gnocchi and sausage and ricotta ravioli keep it tight. A sea-view heated deck with 12 uncovered seats makes the most of the setting. DJ nights and summer events are planned. Read our full review here.
Tang
2 Cumberland Place, Fenian Street, Dublin 2; tang.ie
The excellent value evening menu runs Thursday to Saturday: roast Iona Farm carrots with labneh and chermoula, cauliflower with smoky cashew sauce, free-range chicken thigh with tzatziki and hot honey. The sheltered 42-seat garden, planted and properly thought through, is one of the best places in the city to sit and eat when the weather behaves. A new bakery and test kitchen are on the way later this year. Read our full review here.
Mamó
Harbour House, Harbour Road, Howth, Dublin 13; mamorestaurant.ie
Mamó’s terrace, eating “cod chip”, ceviche with crisps, or lobster croquettes, makes for an unbeatable summer dining experience. Owner and host Jess D’Arcy runs a tight ship and great service comes with a well considered wine list. Read our full review here.
Oliveto
9-12 Haddington Terrace, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin; haddingtonhouse.ie
It’s hard to imagine a more idyllic place for summer dining than the outdoor terrace at Haddington House, with views out across Dún Laoghaire harbour. Pasta, pizza and tasty flatbreads from the wood-fired oven are exactly what you need to go with a nice glass of wine on a sunny day. Read our full review here.
Chez Max
1 Palace Street, Dublin 2; chezmax.com
The summer months are when the outdoor dining areas at Chez Max, complete with Parisian-style chairs, truly come to life. This much-loved spot from owner Max de Laloubie is always buzzing with happy diners and has been serving French classics for nearly 20 years. Dig into moules marinières with piles of frites, classic warm goat’s cheese salad or even escargots de Bourgogne, sup on a glass of vin rouge and make believe for a little while that you’re in Paris. Très bien!
Angelina’s
55 Percy Place, Dublin 4; angelinas.ie
One of the loveliest secluded terraces in the city, at the back of the restaurant tucked away off Haddington Road. Overlooking the Grand Canal this is the perfect place to watch the world bustle about while enjoying a glass of something very cold. Ideal for a leisurely weekend brunch with pals.
Davy Byrne’s Pub
Duke Street, Dublin 2; davybyrnes.com
The place to see and be seen. There is something very French about this bistro-style terrace outside the Dublin bar made famous in James Joyce’s Ulysses. Perfect for a meet up and a light bite or a pint after a spot of shopping on Grafton Street.
The Seafood Café, Temple Bar
Fownes Street Upper, Temple Bar, Dublin 2; theseafoodcafe.ie
Nothing goes better with sunshine than seafood. At the super little sheltered outdoor seating area at Niall Sabongi’s Temple Bar restaurant, tuck into the excellent crab roll and watch the world go by.
