It’s less advent calendar than advent cascade when it comes to Christmas food in Dublin this year, with every day bringing a fresh flood of classics, creative twists, and out-there surprises. Read part one of our guide to the best here if you haven’t already, otherwise read on for even more...
Mince Pies, Scéal
We noted last time that it’s a crowded space for mince pies, but we’ll always make room for one calling out its flour supplier. Oak Forest Mills are behind the super-flaky pastry of Scéal’s pies, which add an oat crumble topping and demerara sugar crust for added crunch. It’s an epic-sounding combo, even before the brandy butter gets lashed on.
Christmas Pie, Southpaw
Once you’ve seen the sight of brie bubbling under the heat of a Neapolitan pizza oven, no other way of preparing it might ever do. Southpaw’s cheesy pizza dough squares get a seasonal twist with roast turkey breast, sage and onion stuffing and cranberry sauce, all left to soak up that sizzling cheese.
Rings Xmas Cracker, Cluck Chicken
Cluck Chicken have been knocking it out of the park all year with their guest burgers, and they’re closing things out in style with this collaboration from Rings Farm in Kilkenny. Their signature free range fried chicken is finished in a cranberry glaze, then topped with pulled turkey and ham, a sage and onion stuffing, fried brie, and a gravy mayo. We can’t get a hold of this one soon enough.
Argentinian Pan Dulce, Bakeology
Christmas centrepieces don’t get much cuter than this. Low-key Liberties hotspot Bakeology is bringing the pan dulce, South America’s answer to the ubiquitous Italian panettone, to Dublin this year in two flavours. You can order a chocolate or nut version for collection on one of their three designated dates, but move quickly -supplies are limited.
Cranberry and Orange Tart, Honey Truffle
While it turns up all over the place in mayos, sauces, and slaws at this time of year, cranberry doesn’t often get the chance to shine as the central ingredient, but Honey Truffle don't do things like the rest. Their cranberry tart has a crisp, shortcrust pastry case, spiked with slivers of orange peel, and it’s a flavour combo we love to see in the spotlight.
Christmas Burger, Chimac
Quickly becoming as much a sign of Christmas in Dublin as snowfall in front of the Guinness gates, Chimac’s festive feast of a burger is back in both locations. The stuffing spice breading is a major part of the draw here, but sprout kimchi, cranberry mayo, and sriracha candied bacon help whet the appetite too. Daily numbers are limited, so you’ll need to be quick.
Mince Pie Bakewell, Slice
Mince. Pie. Bakewell. We’re all aboard. One of the most enjoyable aspects of covering the Christmas beat this year is seeing the imagination and creativity of Dublin’s many great bakeries in putting a personal slant on their mincemeat creations, and Slice’s is a sure standout in all its frangipaney delight.
Christmas Croissant, Bread 41
We don’t doubt there are plenty of you appalled at the notion of a Brussels sprout croissant, but if anywhere is going to pull it off it’s Bread 41. Their veggie dinner-in-a-pastry has brie, house sourdough stuffing, and cranberry sauce, with drizzled honey giving it an irresistible sheen.
Christmas Stick crepe, Mister Magpie
Christmas is nothing if not a time for excess, so why wouldn’t you go all out on a loaded stick crepe? Mister Magpie has rolled out this special studded with glacé cherries and mixed peel, slathered with custard cream and finished with a sprinkle of more cherries, for good measure - ‘tis the season, after all.
Christmas Brioche, Two Boys Brew
We can’t get enough of all the mince pie twists popping up all over town, and this latest from Two Boys Brew has aged mincemeat in a brioche bun, with a layer of crème patisserie and a mixed spice crumb for added crunch.
Dec the Halls, Goats Gruff
The Christmas pizza you never knew you needed, and how well turkey works on a pizza we’re dying to know. Goat's Gruff also add parma ham, brie, stuffing and cranberry sauce to round out the Christmassy toppings.
White Hot Chocolate, Southbank Café
Southbank Café launched their white hot chocolate a week ago to make up for us not getting a white Christmas this year - it’s a good thing they’re better baristas than they are weather forecasters. They take white chocolate, mix it with coconut milk, and bury it beneath a topping of cream and coconut flakes.
Festive Mini Desserts, Old Street
It’s a good thing Old Street's wintry dessert pots come in small sizes, because we'd want to try them all. Dark chocolate ganache, brandy-soaked Christmas pudding, red velvet sponge and caramelised almond nougat: if you’ve made it through all that without cravings forming you’re made of stronger stuff than us.
Mince Pie, Elliot’s
ENOUGH with the mince pies, we hear you scream. However, hear us out here: no. Not with places like Oxmantown sister bakery Elliot’s showing up with versions like this brown butter and quince-laden pie to spice up the competition. The flaky, irregular pastry case just adds to its charm.
Christmas Spring Roll, Benjamin’s Hot Chicken
Benjamin’s Hot Chicken landed a new home in Irishtown’s Vintage Inn recently and they’ve hit the ground running with this first special in the new site. Sage-spiked sausage stuffing with apple and parsnip isn’t a spring roll combo we’ve come across before, but with chicken gravy for dipping on the side, we’re all for trying it.
Christmas Pudding Ice-Cream Sandwich, Café en Seine
You can’t move for the number of creative takes on a mince pie about town, but we’ve not seen many innovations on the Christmas pudding front this year. Enter Café en Seine, who’ve decided an ice-cream sandwich is the right way to pimp a pudding. Looking at this level of dunking action, who are we to disagree.
