Whether the calendar says date night, birthday or business meeting, this guide will help you find the best places to go for the fanciest of feasts in Dublin. Obviously, no fine dining spot is ever cheap, but we also don’t want you to be blindsided by the bill when the time comes, so we have divided these spots into three separate price ranges.
Low Price:
Here you go, if you are as into the idea of finer dining as we are. Here are our suggestions for where to go for a lavish meal out in Dublin that won’t cost an arm and a leg.
Café en Seine:
Cafe en Seine on Dawson Street is a beautiful Parisian-style restaurant that can give you a world-class meal while in a quaint and comfortable seat. Their menu has a wide variety of options to choose from. If smash burgers, duck legs, or steaks tickle your fancy, then Café en Seine is the perfect spot for you.
Bovinity:
Bovinity is a unique business venture between two friends, and you’ll never guess the kind of food they serve, just kidding, it’s, of course, steaks galore with those two. Located on Capel Street, Bovinity has mastered the art of making steaks, no matter how you like it or what you like it with, you won’t be able to find someone capable of making a better steak than Bovinity.
Suesey Street:
This gem on FitzWilliam Place is perfect for every kind of outing, whether it be a birthday, an anniversary or a casual night out. Suesey Street has a large focus on bringing their customers the very best of Irish contemporary food made by some of the best chefs in Ireland. Whether you want a classic meal in their dry-aged fillet of beef or you want to step outside your comfort zone with their Jerusalem artichoke. The choices are seemingly endless at Suesey Street.
Amy Austin:
Amy Austin is a fine dining experience that you cannot find anywhere else in Dublin. What sets Amy Austin apart from the competition is the wine that they have on tap! Take your pick of white or red; either way, you’ll love seeing a glass of wine pour out of a tap. And that’s not even going into their delicious all-day menu with sharing platters, a lovely selection of fish, carpaccio, steak or maybe one of their vegetarian options.
Nannetti’s:
Nannetti’s on Dawson Street is a modern Italian restaurant that serves top-shelf wine and fish for anyone lucky enough to walk through their doors. They make modern Italian cuisine in Dublin, and they do it quite well. Their a la carte menu is the perfect mix of classic pasta options along with some more unique menu items, such as their deep-fried veal cutlets with mozzarella cheese.
Isabelle’s:
Isabelle’s has a beautiful interior surrounded by breathtaking works of art that were sourced with the help of the Kerlin gallery and the Irish Museum of Modern Art, so finding a better-designed restaurant is almost impossible. They have an open plan kitchen to allow you to take a look at the masters at work. But the main focus of Isabelle’s is not the artwork but rather, of course, the food. They have everything from grilled salmon to a 900-gram steak to an aubergine puree pizza, the options are endless at Isabelle’s.
Moderate Price:
The Ivy Dawson:
While the Ivy is a hotel first, their kitchen is nothing to turn your nose up at, they have a beautiful asian glazed chicken option, a steak tartare with a Dublin whiskey, and a collection of some of the best cuts of meat that one can get from a restaurant.
Mint Bar at The Westin:
The Mint Bar is located on the ground floor of the College Green Hotel. Whether you are staying at the College Green Hotel or not, one thing doesn’t change: the dedication the entire kitchen puts into the food they create for you. They sell some of the finest steaks, burgers, and fish dishes. But what the Mint bar does that cannot be copied is the fact that the Mint bar is located in what was previously a bank vault, which is pretty cool in my opinion.
House Dublin:
House is an apt description, because the food you eat will taste like home. Each meal is carefully selected by their head chef, Neil Mulholland. If you’d prefer to order the chateaubriand with treacle, chips and a side salad or the tandoori spiced chicken. House is there to ensure it’s the best chateaubriand or tandoori chicken you have ever had.
Kaldero:
Kaldero’s primary goal is to give you the best of Chinese, Filipino and Indian flavours, and with a connoisseur linked to each one, Kaldero brings a new and authentic dining experience to Dublin. But just knowing about different foods can only get you so far. Kaldero backs it up by bringing fantastic meals out one after another. From their sizzling seafood option to their Malaysian Laksa beef or their Railway chicken, no matter what you order, you will be very pleased.
Six By Nico:
Six is a haven for all things fine dining, the portions are small but succulent. The set dinner comes with 6 courses, each course better than the last. Six have excellent service, reasonable prices, and a great atmosphere. All of these factors mean that Six by Nico is the perfect place to go for a celebration/date/anything.
The Winding Stair:
The Winding Stair is located right next to the Ha’penny Bridge and, ergo, the River Liffey, so finding a more picturesque fine dining spot is an almost impossible task to get done. But somehow, even with an incredible view, it can’t compare to the stunning quality of the food sold. If it’s fish or vegetables you’re looking for, then The Winding Stair is perfect for you. They have a couple of vegetarian dishes, and they are all sublime, and I needn’t tell you about how good Irish fish is.
Darwin:
Darwin’s is a family-run restaurant on Aungier Street. This family not only make their own food but they even operate their own butchers, so the cut of meat that you are served is sure to be unbelievably fresh. But it’s not only steaks that Darwin’s know and love, but they also have their fair share of pasta and seafood options for your dinner.
Pichet:
Pichet on Trinity Street has got to be a restaurant that you add to your list of must-visit restaurants, they were awarded the Bib Gourmand by Michelin in just 6 months! (A Bib Gourmand is essentially an award a restaurant gets for making “regular” food in an exceptional manner) If being noticed by the Michelin men isn’t enough, then just listen to some of their menu options:
Loin of Leinster Lamb, Tomato and Cumin Purée, Smoked Yoghurt, Roasted Gnocchi, Courgette, Basil.
Roasted Halibut, Dashi Broth, Seaweed Buttered Cabbage, Mussels, Shiitake Mushroom.
I’m drooling just typing about the different meals from Pichet, so why not check them out?
High Price:
If you really want to eat into your savings, then we suggest you check out some of these options, all of which will be on the more expensive side of things. If that’s what you’re looking for.
SOLE Seafood & Grill:
Sole’s main focus is on their range of stunning seafood dishes made with only the freshest of fish; they, of course, sell plenty of chicken and beef dishes too. Halibut, monkfish, sea bass, oysters, whatever seafood your mind can think of, Sole probably has it.
Marco Pierre White:
Marco Pierre White’s restaurant on Dawson Street is exactly what you’d expect from a prestigious name such as his. Each dish is specially curated with your enjoyment in mind, the chefs use the best cuts of meat, the freshest produce and friendliest staff. From pork chops to risotto, Marco Pierre White’s has no shortage of classic and delicious meals for you to choose from.
Rosa Madre:
Rosa Madre is one of the best and most authentic Italian restaurants in Dublin. They specialise in fresh fish, cooked to perfection. Their fish is delivered daily by local suppliers, and they guarantee to always have the finest quality available. The seafood cuisine is characterised by the simple quality of the catch.
D’olier Street:
D’olier Street does things a little differently; there is no a la carte menu, you can only opt to pay for a seasonal 13-course tasting menu. But don’t take my word for the excellence of D’olier Street, take the word of Michelin, as they gave D’olier Street a star, which makes it a part of a very notable group of restaurants.
Kickys:
Kicky’s has been in the fine dining business for the last 5 years, so they know how to make fine cuisine with relative ease. The head chef has over 20 years of experience being a chef in Michelin-star standard restaurants, so making delicious menus that you are sure to love is just another Tuesday for him.
Peploe’s:
Peploe’s team’s dedication to quality shines through in every dish, making it a haven for food enthusiasts seeking an unforgettable culinary experience, offering a delightful fusion of Irish, International, and European dishes, all meticulously prepared with locally sourced, seasonal produce from carefully selected growers & farmers.
Etiquette:
If fine dining is a foreign concept to you, then here are some tips that you may want to remember for your meal so you can remain cordial and polite at these venues.
Dishes: If you have finished eating, leave your used cutlery on the plate to allow for the easiest cleanup by staff, another way to allow for your waiter to do their best job, is to keep the edges of your plate clean so that it is easy for your waiter to pick up with ease.
Gratuities: Once again, pretty self-explanatory, but if you have a good waiter, reward them! They make your dining experience possible!
Dress Code: While not every restaurant mentioned here will refuse entry if you aren’t dressed the way they like, some might, so if you are worried about losing a reservation because you like to wear shorts, just check with your restaurant of choice.
From perfect seafood dishes to the best steaks in all of Dublin, fine dining may not be the most common in Dublin, but it is phenomenal when you find it.
