Dublin Staying, Eating and Drinking

Dublin has had an avalanche of new hotels in recent years but while this had added more choice it doesn’t seem to have made it less expensive to stay in the central city. High demand means that the best hotels can take a substantial bite out of your budget and most expensive hotels also add a 15% service charge to the published price. Central city lodgings can be summarized as luxury modern, luxury Georgian or Victorian, mid-market basic and B&Bs.

My first recommendation is a B&B property but it overlaps several of the other categories. Number 31 gives you the option of Georgian elegance or cool modern. It incorporates the past home of Dublin’s most famous modernist architecture but also has rooms in a grand Georgian house.

The Westbury and the Four Seasons fit into the luxury modern category, the Shelbourne and Merrion into the luxury Georgian or Victorian, and the Jury’s Inn Christchurch is one example of a mid-market property in the central city but there are loads of these places in the suburbs.

When it comes to eating, Dublin has something to suit just about everyone. Patrick Guilbaud, La Stampa and One Pico prove that great chefs make great restaurants but there are many other less-expensive choices. Dunne and Crescenzi is a popular little Italian joint just off Nassau Street, while Bewley’s Oriental Café still manages to retain some dignity despite its recent transformation. The Queen of Tarts is a fun place for a tea and pastry while Nude is a casual eco-friendly fast-food café.

The distinction between cafes and restaurants appears to be arbitrary with many restaurants offering café-fare at lunchtime and some cafes becoming almost bistros at night. It is interesting to see in both restaurants and cafes, the emergence of Indian curries, Thai chili dishes and other pan-Asian delights. These happily sit beside French and Italian food and there is often a fusion dish as well.

Pubs are an integral part of Dublin’s social life and an essential part of any visit. The area between Grafton and Great George streets is a gold mine for classy pubs but some of the oldest are outside this area. When you visit, a Guinness is a must but don’t be afraid to try some of the food as well because many offer straight-forward but excellent value meals, particularly at lunch time.

Quick Tips:

Hotels on the northside of the city tend to be cheaper for similar facilities when compared with those on the southside. Remember, however, that most places of visitor interest are south of the river.

Many central hotels have a cheaper ‘weekend rate’ while a few work the opposite way with a midweek special rate. These are generally only available on a prebooked basis so it pays to ask when booking a room.

If you have rented a car, a location outside the city center may be better. Many hotels do not have secure parking and there is little need for a car for exploring the central city during the day because it is relatively small and public transport is good.

The lunchtime set-course menus at some restaurants and cafes are good value when compared with the evening a-la-carte menus. Prices can be half for similar dishes. It is also worth checking out the early-bird menus (before 7pm or so) in the evening.

Many pubs will serve you a tea or coffee just as easily as they dispense Guinness.

Keep your eye out for seasonal specials in restaurants. Some of the more popular are quail and pheasant.

Fresh and smoked salmon, oysters, and mussels are some of the better seafood offerings. You can sometimes find real bargains with these when harvests are good.

Don’t miss out on an Irish breakfast at least one morning. This includes bacon rashes, sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes, a fried egg, black and white puddings and soda bread with creamy butter. It goes down best with a pot of tea.

Best Way To Get Around:

Central Dublin is walkable and we have been to all the places in this journal on foot. But having said that, it’s quite a long way from say Number 31 to the Brazen Head pub when it’s cold and late at night.

Dublin has a good bus network between about 6am and 11.30pm. You need the exact fare or you are issued with a ticket for any change which is redeemable at the central bus office. A very limited night bus system operates after 11.30pm.

Late at night the only practical option for most visitors is a taxi and these can be difficult to find on Friday and Saturday nights. You can book one by phone if you have a specific time.

This is considered by many to be Dublin’s finest hotel. It was originally built in 1824, but has been recently magnificently restored which seems to have kept much of its historic charm. Ideally situated close to Dublin's cultural and historic buildings, The Shelbourne offers a great location, from where you can visit St. Patrick's Cathedral, Christ Church, Dublin Castle and Trinity College, explore the shops on Grafton Street or visit the National Museum and National Gallery.

The Shelbourne offers a range of accommodations all with luxurious beds, flat- screen TV, laptop-size safe, and marble bathroom. I have only seen two rooms here and they varied considerably in size and outlook. When staying here, it would be well worth your while to check out the room before moving in. The better rooms look out over St Stephen’s Green while others have virtually no view at all. One room was quite small.

The rooms are fitted out to five-star standard. All rooms have multiline telephones, high-speed Internet, a CD player and an alarm clock. One of the better features is that there are US, European and Irish multisockets in the room so adaptors are not necessary. A newspaper is provided in the morning and there is a complimentary shoeshine service.

The hotel’s bars are one of the big attractions here and seem to be packed every night with an eclectic mix of locals and tourists. I thought at times they were overcrowded. You can enjoy a cocktail or Ireland's own Guinness at the renowned Horseshoe Bar, celebrate life at the Oyster Bar or enjoy the timeless elegance of The Lord Mayor’s Lounge where afternoon tea, morning coffee and drinks before dinner can be a delight. The No. 27 Bar and Lounge is open for lunch and dinner and revels in the ‘Best Cocktail Bar’ award from Hospitality Ireland for 2007. The Horseshoe Bar is sometimes called the most famous bar in Dublin and is a traditional bar shaped like a horseshoe.

The fine dining restaurant is the Saddle Room. This opens for breakfast, lunch and dinner and specialises in steak and seafood. One of the highlights is the open kitchen with Executive Chef, John Mooney. Unfortunately I haven’t had a chance to eat here.

If location is your number one consideration, you will be extremely pleased with this hotel. Most things of interest in central Dublin are within walking distance and buses and taxis are outside the door. If, however, you expect a five-star hotel to provide you with a completely stress-free environment you could be slightly disappointed. During my few hours in the hotel, I heard two guests complaining bitterly at reception about their rooms and the facilities. That was not a good vibe. My only personal complaint was the slow service in the bar areas due to too many customers. If this is a regular event, the hotel needs to do something about it quickly.

This wonderful place consistently appears in lists of Dublin’s best accommodation, despite the fact it only has 21 rooms and is really and bed and breakfast venue. It only takes a one-night stay to discover why.

This is a place where Old Dublin meets new. In this fusion of Georgian townhouse and modernised coach house, designed by pioneering architect Sam Stephenson, you get the homely comforts of a B&B and the funky décor of a boutique hotel. From the outside there is little indication this is a top-class venue. The creeper-framed doorway, however, takes you in past a mirrored reception to a groovy sunken lounge, whose black leather sofas, bright cushions and rug-strewn mosaic floor offset white-painted walls. Clearly you have arrived at something quite special.

As one guest expressed it, “The owners bring warmth to the 'coolest interior in Dublin'.” There are Irish watercolours, eclectic abstracts, bold furniture, elegant glassware and a peat-burning fireplace in the public areas. We were ‘sold’ before we even saw our room.

From the instant you arrive, the staff seems committed to your comfort, creating an atmosphere that gives you the feeling you are returning to the home of an old friend! This is obvious from the moment you arrive. You are invited into the lounge and your check-in is preceded by a cup of tea or coffee, accompanied with biscuits and cake. As you sit in front of the fire your luggage is whisked off, waiting for you in your room. If you are looking for advise, the owner will go over the layout and highlights of Dublin for you.

The rooms themselves are smart but I thought the bathroom had somewhat more style than substance. The shower recess had no place to put soap and water sprayed out onto the floor whenever we took a shower. Both problems could be solved quite easily and we hope it happens because without this we would have nothing at all to complain of.

Breakfast is another highlight. It is served upstairs in the intimate dining room or out on the delightful covered sun- terrace. Guests breakfast en famille and we quickly found we were exchanging travel experiences with other guests from around the world.

The food is magnificent. All the breads, jam & marmalade are produced in house. The breakfast table is set with fresh berries, poached pears in vanilla syrup, homemade granola and muesli, artisan yoghurt and cream. You then chose a cooked plate. Specialities include ‘The Full Irish’ (bacon, sausage, egg, tomato and potato cake), scrambled egg and smoked salmon, eggs benedict, kippers, and mushroom fritatta. All were cooked to order. My wife said the egg and salmon was ‘out of this world’. I, of course, had the Full Irish. When in Ireland, do as the Irish!!

I had planned to eat one evening at the famous Stag’s Head pub, however, on arrival we discovered that the kitcen had closed at 4.30pm. The ever-helpful barman suggested that we could try a couple of other nearby places and that is how we discovered the Bank.

The Bank Bar & Restaurant is in a beautifully restored Victorian bank building in the heart of Dublin City. The interior, which was once the main banking hall, is a stunning example of grandiose Victorian splendour displaying an extraordinary ornate setting.

The building is a great specimen of Victorian commercial architecture designed in 1893 by William Henry Lynn when the site was turned into a branch of the Belfast Bank. Before that, the Great Britain Mutual Life Assurance Company traded there from 1876. Before that again, it was a Watch & Clock Manufacturer, a Department store (Reside & Co.) and originally Bigwoods Wool Emporium.

The property remained an essential pillar of Dublin’s banking sector until it was acquired at public auction in 2001 by the leading Dublin publican, Charlie Chawke. The Bank on College Green opened as licensed premises in 2003 after an investment of circa €6 million and seven months careful restoration work

The interior, which has strict preservation restrictions, is both stunning and remarkable, displaying all the vestiges of power and affluence of a great financial institution. In particular, the materials of construction, the mosaic tiled floor, the carved stonework and the extraordinarily ornate interior make this building one of the undisputed jewels of the Victorian Age.

The building is famed for its stained glass ceiling, mezzanine balcony and fine plasterwork and cornicing and all these features have been lovingly restored and are now integral to the stunning effect of these extraordinarily beautiful premises. You cannot fail to be impressed.

We were blown away by the setting and the food almost become secondary but we enjoyed what we ordered and we thought the value was good. We discovered that The Bank offers several food options and is a firm favourite with local corporate figures, thespians and tourists. Open from 10am, the Bank is a popular meeting place for breakfast meetings or to sit over a coffee and a fresh croissant.

From 12- 3pm, a table service carvery lunch is served offering hot meals and gourmet sandwiches. Their selection includes a classic prawn cocktail, Beef and Guinness Stew, Cajun Spiced Chicken Fillet on Ciabatta loaf.

From 5pm, the Bank offers a popular A La Carte menu. Dining is made all the more enjoyable with a table on the mezzanine level from where we enjoyed a great view of the building and the crowd below. This is the place to be.

There are ATM facilities in the lounge and the pub is fully wheelchair accessible.

While no real experts on the subject, it appeared to my wife and I that Dublin's restaurant scene is a bit of a good news/bad news situation. The good news is that the economic upswing over the last decade has brought with it a new generation of international, sophisticated eateries. The bad news is that prices are considerably more than you'd pay in many other places in the world. A combination of high taxes and a bit of nouveau riche over-enthusiasm among restaurateurs has the combined effect of making dining out memorably expensive. Luckily, you can get a cost break from the city's many cafes and tearooms, which offer sandwiches and hot lunches at more reasonable prices.

If you go to Dublin expecting to find plenty of restaurants still serving traditional Irish food, you will be disappointed. Dublin is far too chic, and Dubliners far too sophisticated, for the Irish stew, soda bread, and shepherd's pie they grew up eating. The very food you cannot escape in the Irish countryside, you cannot find in most Dublin restaurants. The only place to find this is in the city's traditional pubs which still serve plain, hearty Irish food, and as an added benefit, it's certainly much cheaper than the restaurants.

Wherever you eat, portions will be generous, especially in pubs. With its coastal location, it’s not surprising to find so much seafood on offer in Dublin, in particular smoked salmon and oysters are favourites and are usually consumed with a Guinness!

There are three Dublin restaurants/cafes that have good reputations that I can recommend.

Considered a Dublin's institution, Bewley's offers a take out deli, a short menu cafe, a breakfast and lunch dining hall, a coffee and pastry mezzanine, a seafood restaurant, and a cafe theatre all rolled into one. The restaurant has three levels that are filled most of the time. When you go there admire the beautiful decor -- the large stained glass windows, large portraits of serene looking women, and high back red velvet banquettes. It's not that the food in Bewley's is outstanding, but the coffee is excellent, the tea is good, the pastries are fine and the pasta and pizzetta are acceptable.

Established in 1840, Bewley's Café had a special place in the affection of Irish people. Bewleys on Grafton Street was always a great meeting place for everyone. It changed hands amid much public debate in 2005 but, despite renovations, it has somehow retained its unique atmosphere together with some outstanding architectural features, notably the Harry Clarke stained glass windows. The popular Café-Bar-Deli chain has taken over most of the seating area now, but the coffee shop at the front remains serving breakfast, teas and coffees in the heart of Dublin's main shopping area.

The Queen of Hearts at 4 Cork Hill on Lord Edward Street is a small laid-back patisserie-cum-café. It is the sort of place I enjoy. It has bagels and croissants for breakfast and ham, spinach and cheese tarts There are Greek salads and all sorts of sandwiches for lunch, and delicious cakes baked on the premises to keep you going between times. It opens Monday to Friday 7.30am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 6pm and Sunday 10am to 6pm.

Nude will appeal to some others. It offers fresh food - organic whenever possible - in an ultra-cool, youthful environment. Just off Grafton Street, it's a great place for a healthy breakfast or a quick snack, with plenty of room to sit down at long canteen-style tables. You line up, order and pay at the till, then collect your food if it's ready or it will be delivered to your table!

A choice of soups all come with freshly baked breads; there are hot wraps - or try the chill cabinet for salads like Caesar or tomato & mozzarella, and cold wraps or soft bread rolls. Freshly squeezed juices, smoothies and organic coffees, teas and herbal teas are all very popular and the menu caters for vegetarians and other dietary requirements. It seats 40 and is open daily 7.30am-9pm (to 10pm Thurs, 8pm Sunday)

You simply can’t go to Dublin without checking out some of the great pubs. It is an essential Dublin experience. We took little convincing. We were particularly interested in those with ‘traditional’ Irish atmosphere and while some of these are somewhat touristy, they are still frequented by the locals as well. The following are a few we thought worth trying.

O'Neills is a traditional bar which has existed as a licensced premises for over 300 years. It is a traditional pub located on Suffolk Street just around the corner from Grafton Street and Dame Street. A classic Dublin pub it has an old time feel with a number of interweaving rooms and snugs built around a large bar downstairs and another big bar with comfortable seating on a number of different floor levels upstairs. A very popular joint with Dubliners, it's close proximity to the heart of the city centre sees the bar take a lot of trade from shoppers browsing around the city, office people drinking after work and students on a night out from Trinity College.

O'Neills is famous for its pub grub with a large carvery menu and a sandwich bar serving a excellent selection of sandwiches and salads. Following the form of a traditional pub, O'Neills does not have a loud music sound system pumping out all the recent hits and is the ideally place to go for some relaxing pints in the company of some good friends. It does host a live traditional music session every Sunday night starting at 8.30pm.

The Brazen Head is Dublin's oldest pub with a history going back eight centuries. It is a traditional pub located on Bridge Street by the River Liffey on the Southside of the city. There has been a bar on this site since the 12th century when it was located in the medieval city with the original tavern being replaced by a coaching inn in the late 17th century.

As you enter The Brazen Head the first thing you meet is the old courtyard, which turns into a beer garden in the summer. The Brazen Head has two bars that are strewn with old memorabilia reflecting the bar's long history in the city. The Brazen Head has played a central role in the Dublin's history with famous patrons such as Irish nationalists like Wolfe Tone, Robert Emmet and Daniel O'Connell drinking there and Irish writers like James Joyce, Patrick Kavanagh and Brendan Behan frequenting this old haunt.

The Stags Head is a traditional pub situated on Dame Court in the city centre. The easiest way to find the bar is to walk down Dame Street till you find a footpath sign pointing down a dark alley. The Stags Head dates back a few centuries but was rebuilt in 1895 by the architect, A.J. McLoughlin. A veritable shrine to the art of drink, McLoughlin designed the bar with stag-themed stained glass windows, mirrors, wood panelling and of course a large stag's head over the bar. This lavishly redesigned Victorian bar was an instant success with Dublin punters in the 1890s and was even frequented by a young James Joyce.

The Stag's Head ambience of elegant, old Dublin has seen the bar used in movies such as Educating Rita and The Treaty. The Stags Head today has bars on three floors and is still a very popular meeting point for Dubliners.