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    Home » On the Road

    Visit Dublin Ireland : The Unexpected Culinary Destination #LoveDublin

    Published: Aug 6, 2018 · Modified: Nov 15, 2021 by Chef Dennis Littley

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    Come to Dublin they said. You can help us dispell the myth that the Irish don’t know how to eat….sigh

    At the time they asked it seemed like a daunting task. I’d never been to Ireland but I always wanted to visit, I just never thought it would be for the food. So I off I went to Ireland hoping for the best.

    Do you like Irish food?

    lamb chops crossed on a grey plate with broccolini at Mulligans Grocer in Dublin Ireland

    I wasn’t so sure I did, but then I sat down for my first meal and I discovered an unexpected truth. Ireland is a Culinary Destination.

    a side view of the store front of L. Mulligans Grocer in Dublin Irleand

    Those delectable lamb chops were served at L. Mulligans Grocer.

    scotched eggs with one cut n half on a wooden cutting board with greens served at L. Mulligans Grocer in Dublin Ireland

    You might not think that you’d be served dishes like these Scotched Eggs at a neighborhood pub. But this is normal fare at L. Mulligans.

    Years ago when you visited a pub in Dublin you might expect to get some cold roast beef, pickled eggs and a few other unappetizing items. But these days the sky’s the limit and most pubs serve up deliciousness on a regular. Locally sourced and produced by people that care about what they eat.

    pan seared halibut with a white sauce and fresh peas on a blue plate in Dublin Ireland at Ely's Wine Bar

    What we call Farm to Fork, they call dinner. The culinary movement in Ireland has really taken off and young chefs are showing off their skills creating masterfully delicious in some of the most unexpected places.

    This perfectly seared Halibut was served at Ely’s Wine Bar. This location completely blew me away not only with the food but with the bar and dining areas.

    downstairs dining area at Ely's Wine Bar in Dublin Ireland

    The downstairs dining area at Ely’s Wine bar was completely unexpected. The ambiance was a perfect setting for the delicious dishes they served.

    Roasted Plums garnished with meringue to look like cinders from the oven at Ely's Wine Bar in Dublin Ireland

    This roasted plum dessert was a delicious end to a sumptuous meal at Ely’s Wine Bar!

    Hand cut chips with truffled goats cheese, ventreche bacon and lardo crudo served in a stainless steel bowl at Fade Street Social in Dublin Ireland

    And a trip to Dublin isn’t complete without a visit to Dylan MeGrath’s Fade Street Social for their world famous Gastro Pub Fare. These Chunky Chips with truffled goats cheese, ventreche
    bacon and lardo crudo were to die for!

    culinary team at Fade Street Social in Dublin Ireland

    The culinary team at Fade Street Social is one of the best in the city and Dylan McGrath showcases his innovative and creative menus at his five restaurants in Dublin.

    Classic Irish stew with spiced cream, drops of potato mousse and crispy balsamic fillet, scented with lovage and celery leaves served at Fade STreet Social in Dublin Ireland

    And Classic Irish Stew at Fade Street Social was delightful. Dylan McGrath took Irish Stew to a whole new level.

    Have you heard about Howth?

    a mug of chowder, tempura shrimp on lettuce leaves and smoked salmon on toasts o a white platter at Abbey 's Tavern in Howth Ireland

    On the outskirts of Dublin surrounded by the Irish Sea, we find the Penninsula of Howth. And here is where I found the Abbey Tavern. We were just stopping in for a snack but the owner had other ideas….sigh

    beer taps with bartender behind them at Abbey's Tavern in Howth Ireland

    You gotta love the Irish hospitality. And the selection of beers (please ignore the Budweiser tap) at the Abbey Tavern kept us well hydrated as we sampled the different local brews.

    bread and butter pudding on a white plate with vanilla ice cream and sauce served at the Abbey Tavern in Howth Ireland

    And then there was dessert…sigh. I finally found a bread pudding better than my recipe. Sadly they wouldn’t divulge the recipe.

    Take a Cooking Class in a Castle

    lobster salad on a white plate at the Howth Castle Cookery School

    One of the highlights of my visit to Howth was a cooking class given at the Howth Castle Cookery School.

    Lisa (from AskChefDennis.com) holding a lobster at the Howth Castle Cookery School

    Even Lisa put on an Apron and tried out her culinary skills.

    2 pieces of fish skin side up garnished with greens on a white plate at the Howth Castle Cookery School

    And we cooked up some serious deliciousness at the Howth Castle Cookery School!

    group including Chef Dennis working in the kitchen at Howth Castle Cookery School

    What’s not to love about taking a cooking class in a castle? Especially when you get to sit down to dinner afterward.

    Don’t forget your afternoon tea

    cakes and scones on a white plate at the Merrion Hotel in Dublin Ireland

    My wife ordered hot tea and was politely told in Ireland its just tea. And the Irish certainly know how to make a delicious cup of tea.

    We stopped by the Merrion Hotel for the Afternoon Tea which included these delicious scones and cakes.

    desserts on a white tray at art tea at the Merrion Hotel in Dublin

    Art Tea’ at The Merrion hotel is the most lavish afternoon tea in Dublin. Treat yourself to a slice of 19th- or 20th-century art served on fine china with miniature sweet creations inspired by the work of the Irish masters.

    What about Irish Whiskey?

    Outside the Jameson Whiskey Distillery in Dublin Ireland

    You can’t leave Dublin without a pint of Authentic Guinness and a taste of real Irish whiskey.

    inside the Jameson Distillery in Dublin Ireland

    A visit to the Jameson Distillery in Dublin is indeed and experience you won’t forget. Especially when you get to taste the good stuff and see why its so much better than our American counterpart.

    inside the Teeling Whiskey Distillery in Dublin Irleland

    We also got to visit one of the newer small-batch distillers in Dublin, Teeling Whiskey.

    3 glasses of Teeling Whiskey with descriptions for sampling at the Telling Whiskey Distillery in Dublin Ireland

    Sampling the different blends of whiskey available at Teeling gave us an insight into how they are made and the differences in the blends.

    man standing in front of barrels in a cellar at the Whiskey Museum in Dublin Ireland

    And since we’re talking about Irish Whiskey there is no better place to learn about the history of this delicious nectar. And the Irish Whiskey Museum is the just the spot.

    sampling 4 bottles of Irish whiskey at the Irish Whiskey Museum in Dublin Ireland

    You get a look into the history of Irish Whiskey and how the process hasn’t changed over the years. You also get to sample a variety of whiskeys so you can see for yourself which is best.

    Chef Dennis reflecting after sampling whiskey at the Jameson Distillery in Dublin Ireland

    And after a day of sampling Irish Whisky, I did my best Quiet Man pose before leaving the Jameson gift shop. I was thinking about all the deliciousness I enjoyed on my Culinary Journey through Dublin.

    When you plan your trip to Dublin, don’t forget your stretchy pants, you’re going to need them because the Irish do know how to eat!

    Planning a trip to Ireland? Read about my adventures in Killarney.

    If you enjoyed my post about Dublin please leave a comment, I love hearing from you!

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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

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    1. Chard

      August 09, 2018 at 11:31 am

      all of the food really looks great! 🙂

      Reply
    2. Stephanie Cruz

      August 09, 2018 at 7:02 am

      Dublin is in one of our travel bucket list and those are some exquisite dishes!

      Reply
    3. Tonya Tardiff

      August 09, 2018 at 1:31 am

      I have always wanted to visit Dublin! Going to a whiskey distillery is on my bucket list!

      Reply
    4. Krysti

      August 08, 2018 at 2:05 am

      You’re making me miss Dublin and the food so much! Everything here looks AMAZING!

      Reply
    5. sonali jain

      August 07, 2018 at 3:24 am

      Sch Amazing pictures of food, This looks so Delicious and mouth watering, i would love to visit 🙂

      Reply
    6. Rachel

      August 07, 2018 at 12:18 am

      I have definitely wanted to travel to Dublin. I just never thought it would be for the food. This looks amazing.

      Reply
    7. Stephanie

      August 06, 2018 at 10:07 pm

      Oh my gosh, I LOVE Dublin! I was there with my parents and sister about 10 years ago, and it was an amazing city with some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and of course, delicious food! Although, there were a few things we weren’t able to get there, for example my sister tried to order an iced tea and they looked at her like she had three heads! And even though I don’t drink beer, we went to an Irish Pub to get Guiness and had that with some appetizers there that were delicious.

      Reply
    8. Nicole

      August 06, 2018 at 8:22 pm

      I’m by no means a “foodie” but you’re right, I would never think of Ireland as a place of culinary refinement. Those lamb chops look incredible and the ambience of some of those restaurants is impeccable.

      Reply
    9. Jennifer

      August 06, 2018 at 3:30 pm

      Wow, you’ve definitely captured Dublin. This is one of the many places I would love to visit.

      Reply

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