Good restaurants, good wine shops, good food shops: Ranelagh has become a little foodie nexus. Antica Venezia is staffed and (mainly) patronised by Italians...
97 Ashfield Road
The owners of this fashionable café have a good pedigree: restaurants and fashion have featured strongly in their lives. They drive fast cars, have pretty...
11 Merrion RowThe foodies who own this Italian joint (that would be the team behind the brilliant Dunne & Crescenzi) seem to have the knack of giving people what they...
26 Blooms LaneA sassy metropolitan bistro with a particularly good line in seafood, Bleu serves high-quality casual food with a twist. Its fans rave about the fare but...
Joshua House
Only the name has changed at this delightful café (formerly the Joy of Coffee), which will come as a relief to its many loyal fans. Small and often crowded,...
25 East Essex Street
The Carluccio's formula is probably well-known to most lovers of good-quality and affordably priced regional Italian food, so it needs little introduction,...
52 Dawson StreetWith its dramatic vaulted ceiling, its discreet, secluded vibe and its excellent wines, the Cellar certainly lives up to its name. It's an immaculate...
Merrion HotelThis cosy old-timer is always busy. Try to book the snug table on the left as you walk in (No.21) - it's one of the nicest spots in town. Staff are lovely...
133 Leeson Street Upper
Basement restaurants have to work a lot harder than their ground-floor colleagues - they need to lure their punters with a guarantee of good food, rather...
23 Upper Pembroke Street
Despite the arrival of the much-discussed Carluccio's, D & C is the probably still the best Italian café in town. Or, more accurately, Italian cafés - for...
14-16 Frederick Street SouthCosy and smart, with brick walls, oversized armchairs and little nooks and crannies to sink into, Ely boasts a vast wine list that is possibly the best in...
22 Ely PlaceThe cuisine and wines of Piedmont (or more specifically the Langhe region of Piedmont) are at the heart of this excellent operation. If you love beautiful...
24 Lower Ormond Quay
A wine shop, deli and almost accidental restaurant (that side of the business just evolved on its own), the adorable French Paradox is a joy to behold:...
53 Shelbourne RoadWith its smart aquamarine frontage and chic interior of gold patterned wallpaper, swag curtains, red-brick walls and (of course) rows of wine bottles,...
6 Merrion RowYou'll not find the same quality of regional Italian cucina in this cute little den of a restaurant as you would at some of the city's more serious joints,...
Meetinghouse Square