Middle Eastern manoush'eh, bacon fat bechamel sandwiches, and many layered Japanese desserts. Here’s what’s new in Dublin, and what's coming soon...
Smartbear Cakery, Liffey Street
Once you’ve heard of a mille crepe cake, you might never want to hear of anything else again. Layers of custard, cream and pancakes covered in flavoured frosting, this audacious invention is just one of the varieties of “scrumptious Japanese dessert” that Smartbear Cakery wants to introduce to Ireland. This city site expands out from their well-received Bray original and offers cake by the slice as well as bake-to-order specials for birthdays and all occasions. Other options include mousse, cheesecakes and Japanese sponge, while flavours range from matcha and mango to lychee rose and truffle chocolate.
To celebrate arriving in the city they’re giving away a €30 voucher when you spend €30 in-store any time up to this Sunday 3rd July. We’re sold.
Ed3n Café, Blanchardstown
Blanch might not exactly be the first thing to come to mind if we say the phrase “heaven on earth”, but this Garden of Eden-inspired new opening is out to change that with its colourful décor and wide-ranging menu. Pitched as a French-style patisserie with an Asian twist, Ed3n’s offerings include the things you’d expect in the pastry, cake and sandwich space, alongside some options you might not, like bubble tea and kimchi croissants. We’re here for anything that eclectic, and the floral interiors and blush pink walls look like appropriately outré surrounds for tucking into some funky fusion food.
It's A Trap, Aungier Street
We’re delighted to see this plant-based and pet-friendly bakery back in business after a string of incidents forced the closure of its original Denmark Street site back at the start of the year. Specialising in coffee and baked treats from a classic cinnamon roll with maple syrup and pecans, to new arrivals like a peanut butter chocolate roll, It's A Trap also has an impressive selection of vegan sweets and snacks to grab on the go or enjoy at the counter inside or the covered tables out front. Savoury lunch options are on the menu too - their selection of wraps includes Korean BBQ seitan and a Beyond mince burger, while the recent Reuben special stopped us in our tracks.
Zaatar, George's Street Arcade
Anyone who’s been to the excellent Izz Café in Cork will be familiar with manoush'eh, the Middle Eastern flatbread that may well be the OG pizza - culinary historians, especially Italian ones, can never seem to agree. Dublin finally has its own taste of it via Zaatar, now open in George’s Arcade. Most often eaten for breakfast across the Arab world, these topped flatbreads make a satisfying snack any time of the day, but they're only open from 11:00 - 18:00.
With an emphasis on the bread itself - they say they’re “proud of what we dough” - Zaatar offers traditional toppings like lamb, mohammarah (spiced walnut paste), and cheese as well of course as za’atar itself - a flavour-packed blend of thyme, spices and sesame seeds. The menu also includes fatayer (pies with lamb, cheese, or spinach options) and traditional pizza with a Levantine twist.
Pangaea Coffee Co, Swords
If ever there were three words to convince us to trek all the way out to Swords, “bacon fat bechamel” would surely be them. The new kid on the block at Boroimhe Shopping Centre, Pangaea Coffee Co’s decadent little twists on what might otherwise seem a straightforward sandwich, soup, and salad menu have us intrigued. As well as that bechamel, spread all over their current (and seemingly very popular) Croque Madame breakfast special, there’s an eye-catchingly cheesy breakfast burrito, deep green spinach and confit chilli soup, and a spicy chicken and harissa mayo sandwich so slathered in Mexican melted cheese we might just need a minute.
Danu, Drury Street
A new option for healthy food in the city centre, Danu takes its name from the Celtic goddess of the earth - with so much focus on fresh produce and health benefits it’s not hard to see why. Salad bowls and simple smoothies in a rainbow array of bright colours are the name of the game here, with juices and boosters called Detox, Heal, and Flow giving a good sense of what you’re in for. Iced coffees are a new addition for summer, and with a lovely little outdoor terrace this Drury Street spot could become a fast favourite for people-watching in the sun.
Coming soon...
Margadh, Grand Canal
Following hot on the heels of their recent RHA expansion (which, in case you didn’t hear, we loved), Margadh is coming to a third location, this time along the Grand Canal (where their former deli/café Barrow Market was). Details are scarce on the ground so far but the focus will be more on cheese and wine here, with a little grocery and meals to heat at home. It opens this Wednesday 29th June if you want to be first in line.
Nutbutter, Smithfield
Expanding from its Grand Canal Dock base, Nutbutter is going to Smithfield for its second location. The super-cool café with its brightly coloured plates of responsibly sourced, 'Flexitarian' food with a Californian twist, says Smithfield has everything they love about Dublin - "Art, culture, history, great restaurants and bars, and when we ran our own delivery we constantly got calls from people in Dublin 7 & Dublin 8 and we couldn’t get our guys over there. It felt like the right fit for Nutbutter #2." They say as many people now come to their Grand Canal Dock site for dinner as they do for lunch, so that's being taken into consideration with the design, but their range of tacos, rice bowls and salads will stay the same across both sites. Look out for Nutbutter on Smithfield Square opening in the next 6-8 weeks.
Chimac, Terenure
Seriously exciting southside news as the Aungier Street Korean chicken favourite is set to open a second site in the Terenure before the end of the summer. Taking over the spot formerly occupied by Kitchen 101, Chimac are making a big move here with 70 seats across three floors, with space for more formal tables and even private parties. They’ve long been serving up some of the city’s finest fast food, so we’re excited to see what this new move might mean for the menu.
