A reader from overseas mailed us to say that she’s visiting Dublin with her kids in May and wants to know the best places to get traditional Irish food. I have to be honest and say I was a little stumped: I can tell her what the traditional foods are, but wasn’t sure where the best places are to get them, as I rarely go for traditional Irish food when eating out.
I know lots of places around Temple Bar serve ‘traditional’ food, but avoiding Temple Bar is a wise move unless you’re seeking out a stag party to have a fight with.
But I have a few tips: I had dinner in Green19 the other night, and they do a delicious Corned Beef and Mash. The friends that were eating with me recommended lunch at The Porterhouse for very good Irish stew, and the Cellar Bar in the Merrion Hotel (the bar, not the restaurant, which is very pricey) for excellent Bacon and Cabbage. Maria Crispy recommends The Lord Edward and Johnny Fox’s for fish. And of course if you’re visiting Dublin you have to get fish and chips from Burdock’s in Christchurch.
So now I’m throwing it open to you, our lovely readers: where can you get the best traditional Irish food? And what should she try out? I’ve started the list here:
- Irish stew
- Boxty
- Coddle
- Bacon and cabbage
- Smoked salmon
- Black pudding
Thursday 9 April, 2009 at 9:41 am
Oh i had the green19 bacon and cabbage recently and i cannot rate it highly enough .. it was delish-us!
In fact I must go back there soon and try some of the other items on the menu .. yum yum.
Personally I have never had anything nice to eat in the Porterhouse, perhaps I have been unlucky but I wouldn’t be sending anyone there to eat. To drink yes, Eat? no way josé!
Thursday 9 April, 2009 at 10:06 am
Gallaghers Boxty House is lovely!
Thursday 9 April, 2009 at 11:16 am
Gallaghers seems a bit tacky, but I usually bring there friends on their 1st trip to Dublin to taste their boxties. You will not find these often on the menu, and to be honest the food is not at all bad.
Howth is a briliant place for fish, try the Bloody Stream for traditional fares
Thursday 9 April, 2009 at 11:16 am
I’ve only ever heard bad things about Gallaghers…should I give it a try?
Thursday 9 April, 2009 at 11:25 am
Lovely may be the wrong word but it’s edible and the food is Irish enough I’ve taken friends there and they’ve loved it too.
and Jean, maybe would be my answer cos I don’t think I’d go there if it was just me and my friends from here!
Thursday 9 April, 2009 at 11:25 am
I’d say give it a go. Don’t expect too much, though. The service is average, the food average, the prices average. There is no “trad musak” at full blast and they don’t overdo the traditional stuff.
I wouldn’t go there for a romantic meal, only if I have friends and relative visiting. I must have been there about 4 times in the last 10 years
Thursday 9 April, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Without a doubt, I’d direct the lady to the Winding Stair. Proper Irish food. The “Boxty House” seems to be little more than an Irish “theme” restaurant.
Conor.
Thursday 9 April, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Jean….thank you for posting my question! I will be arriving in Dublin from Galveston, TX. If you listen to world news, this is where Hurricane Ike hit Sept. 13th last year with a storm surge between 17′-22′, our seawall is only 17’….so that means I had 4′ of water surrounding my home and 2′ inside. Talk about a mess!!!
I will be arriving the morning of May 2nd…how about a place for brunch? Bacon and cabbage at the Green19 sounds very tasty and will definitely give it a try. The Winding Stair, glad to hear that I should go there as well…it was one that I had written down to check out. Would love to hear more, I’ll be there for a week and want to try as many things as I can.
Thanks to everyone that has posted so far!!!
Debbie
Friday 10 April, 2009 at 12:33 am
go on the DART to howth for a walk around the piers or the cliffs, and food on the fishing pier – i would recommend the oarhouse restaurant on the west pier. it’s got a great value early bird, is open from 12:30 all day and has queues out the door quite often. probably the busiest restaurant in howth which is a good sign. you can feed the howth seals right outside it too.
also shebeen chic does nice boxty (different style to the boxty house) and traditional irish food…its hit and miss but i had a lovely meal there.
Tuesday 14 April, 2009 at 4:46 pm
I’ve had some bad experiences with Shebeen Chic. Apparently Johnny Foxe’s does great food, although it is a little cheesy. Green 19’s corned beef is sooo good!