Organic vegetable biryani | Courtesy of Jaipur Dalkey
As much as for its historic island and Dublin Bay vantage points, the well-to-do suburb of Dalkey is renowned for its pubs and restaurants. Read on to discover the best places to eat out in this scenic former Viking stronghold.
Run by a foodie brother-sister team, DeVille’s traditional bistro on Castle Street was likened to a 1930’s Parisian brasserie in the rave review it got from the Irish Examiner after opening in 2012. French classics like duck confit and steak-frites make up a lot of the menu offerings here, but they also cleverly make the most of their location by featuring local seafood heavily – as in their eggs DeVille’s lunch option, consisting of fresh crab, asparagus, poached eggs and hollandaise.
Another Dalkey restaurant that opened during Ireland’s recession, The Magpie Inn gastropub also source much of their ingredients locally, supporting artisan producers with the best products and companies that use sustainable farming methods as much as possible. Praised for providing high-quality meals at a reasonable price, this place also has a comprehensive range of craft beers, with 20 on draught alone. Their menu changes according to the season, alternately featuring ‘wild game, 32-day aged steaks and a wide selection of seafood’.
With a sister restaurant in the city centre – Millstone on Dame Street – 1909 is another elegant French dining spot and wine bar that is beautifully decorated, even having its own piano bar. They’re open seven days a week for lunch and dinner and host a weekend brunch. Their à la carte menu main courses include roast baby chicken, a trio of Wicklow lamb and pan-fried monkfish with chorizo, while their best dessert is a crème brûlée of rich orange Cointreau custard.
If you like nothing better than a good steak, look no further than The Queens Bar, who serve their steaks on a piping hot stone – allowing their customers to cook it to their exact tastes – with home cut fries and a selection of three different sauces. In fact, their menu is pretty much a meat lover’s dream – other dishes on offer include suckling pig, baked corn-fed chicken supreme and lamb two ways – consisting of lamb cutlets and braised lamb belly. As a bonus, it’s located right next door to the beautiful Dalkey Castle.
The bustling, well-liked RagazziItalian restaurant – described by the Georgina Cambell Ireland Guide as ‘a lively little bistro with quality food and theatrical Italian waiters’ – deserves the crowds it draws. Proud to be placed among the top five restaurants in Dalkey according to TripAdvisor rankings, they serve a set menu and design-your-own pizzas, plus antipasti and meat and pasta dishes, and even do a great value early bird special every day from 5.30–7.30pm.
Organic vegetable biryani | Courtesy of Jaipur Dalkey
With restaurants in Greystones, Malahide, Dundrum and Dalkey, the Jaipur chain of Indian restaurants has become a firm favourite with Dubliners. Also situated on Castle Street, this simple yet winning eatery executes traditional Indian dishes like biryani and chicken tikka masala to perfection. Their delicious menu has earned them awards from multiple Irish food guides, including several plaques from the respected McKennas’ Guide.
