Discover Dublin’s Best Small Restaurants and Charming Cafes

One of my very favorite parts of traveling is discovering small local restaurants, cafes, and bakeries! Lots of love and research was poured into this list of Dublin’s best small restaurants. I purposefully focused on locations that do not serve pub-style food, as I knew we’d be able to eat traditional Irish fare all over Ireland. If you are looking for a pint, check out my list – 15 Iconic Pubs in Central Dublin.

If you’re looking for a restaurant for a quick bite to eat between tourist sites or a cafe with an excellent coffee, this is the list for you! All of the spots listed below are in the Dublin City Centre. (Because I was disappointed too many times by the allure of locally roasted coffee, only to find that the shop was significantly out of walking distance from our plans!)

Charming Cafes & Coffee Shops

Looking for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up? You can’t go wrong with any of these choices!

Tang: For breakfast, you’ll want to head to Tang! Tang has two locations in Dublin, and I can say that at the Dawson Street location, we were the only tourists. Locals kept popping in to grab takeaway coffee! Their breakfast has a Middle Eastern flair, and we loved the shakshuka. This was also my husband’s favorite coffee of the whole trip (and he’s one of those “grind his own beans” coffee drinkers). If you’re nearby instead around lunchtime, they have a great lunch menu!

BeanHive Coffee: If you are looking for a quick breakfast, I recommend stopping at BeanHive Coffee. They have huge muffins (even some that are vegan and gluten-free!) and decent coffee to get you started. Just be aware that BeanHive starts serving full breakfast after 8AM. Their Irish Breakfast is supposed to be really good, and they’re known for their latte art! You do have to ask for it, and the art you get is chosen completely by the barista!

Fable Bakery: My personal favorite coffee stop in Dublin, Fable Bakery has the very best baked goods (strawberry rhubarb and vanilla cream brioche topped with crushed pistachio?!) and is just a short stroll away from Trinity College! There might not be much seating, but it is the perfect location for a takeaway coffee and afternoon treat.

Voila: With a French-inspired menu and solid coffee, Voila is the perfect stop for breakfast in central Dublin. We were surrounded by locals meeting for breakfast, and my scrambled eggs were great! You could also grab a pastry or two before you adventure into Dublin.

Emer’s Kitchen: Looking for breakfast, lunch, or coffee to go? Stop by this adorable restaurant just off of St. Stephen’s Green. Their menu changes daily and is posted on their Instagram stories. I love their unique approach to healthy breakfasts, sandwiches, and salads!

Bread 41: Just north of Trinity College, Bread 41 is a local bakery that specializes in organic, long fermented bread and homemade pastries. You can also grab a cup of coffee to go with your pastries (whether sweet or savory!). I love that they are committed to the community as well, using local sustainable suppliers and becoming certified as B Corp. The only catch? Keep an eye on the hours you’re planning to visit – they’re only open until 3PM.

Unique Dublin Restaurants

Here you’ll find my top choices for local Dublin restaurants that are perfect for a quick lunch or unique dinner experience.

Pi George’s Street: For delicious wood-fired pizza with Irish artisan ingredients, you’ll want to venture to Pi (on George’s Street). The restaurant itself feels modern and metropolitan with its black, white, and red color scheme. But where Pi really shines is its search for pizza perfection – bringing in flour from Naples and working with multiple artisan suppliers in Co. Cork! Bonus: If you’re looking for a vegan option in town, this is a great one – there will always be two vegan pizzas on the menu!

Bunsen (Anne St): With eight locations in Dublin, you can’t go wrong with a Bunsen burger! Bunsen has one of the simplest menus I’ve ever seen. Do you want cheese on your burger? A single or a double? From here, the toppings are just as simple – lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mayo, mustard, ketchup. That’s it. No fancy sauces, no mountain of toppings. The burgers are made in house each day from Irish beef, and they even cut their own potatoes for the fries! A local favorite, Bunsen would be a great stop before (or after!) a few pints at the pub.

Green Bench Cafe: Head to Green Bench Cafe for some of the best sandwiches we’ve ever eaten. And they’re big enough for two people to share! We were the only tourists, so it was a bit confusing to order, but trust me when I say the sandwiches were worth it! Highly recommend both the falafel and chicken. (You can choose to order your lunch as a sandwich or a wrap.) The menu can change daily and is posted on Instagram/hung in the window! They also have “takeaway” coffee (which the Irish say instead of “to go”).

Hang Dai Chinese: If you’re interested in delicious food in a unique atmosphere, you’ll want to make reservations at Hang Dai Chinese. It was one of our favorite meals of our trip! Seated inside what feels like a subway car, you can order dishes like Cheeseburger Spring Rolls with Sichuan Ketchup, Nameko Mushrooms with Spring Onion Butter, and (if you preorder) Half Roast Skeaghanore Duck. Just a heads up that they will call you the day before to confirm your reservation and ask if you want to preorder the duck. Say yes! They also are known for their music and have a custom-built sound system, even being included in a list of the best “audiophile bars” around the world. But even if that’s not your thing, the food was amazing!

Bonus: Two Restaurants in Dublin for Irish Food

Darkey Kelly’s: Right across from Christ Church Cathedral, you’ll find Darkey Kelly’s – my recommendation for a great first pub meal in Dublin. While considered touristy, it’s authentic and has traditional musicians playing music every night of the week. (Just don’t arrive too early – check their website to see when the entertainment begins for the night!) It’s a great spot to relax and enjoy a pint after a long day of walking. Bonus – the food was amazing. We shared the Guinness Stew, and I’m still thinking about how good the gravy was on top of the potatoes.

Sheehan’s: A bit off of Grafton Street, you’ll find Sheehan’s – a classic Irish pub (with a matching classic exterior!) run by the same family for over 90 years. The setting is cozy, traditionally Irish, and the food is the same! On the menu, you’ll find a mix of Irish fare (like lamb stew and bangers & mash) and more modern pub-style food like burgers and wings. It’s a great place for an afternoon lunch and a few pints, or a cozy dinner in.

Need More Dublin?

Looking for more tips in Dublin? Look no further than my Curated 2-Day Dublin Itinerary. You’ll find two fully planned days that include city parks, museums, historic sites, and tourist locations like Guinness!