The summer that never was has come to an end, and the now-to-be-expected Indian summer has swept in to make those back to school scaries feel a little less ominous. As the jumpers come back out and the leaves start falling, here's where you should be booking this month...
For some of Dublin's best pasta with a new roof:
Pastiamo Truckttoria, Dublin 8
If you haven't tried Pastiamo Truckttoria's made from scratch carbonara, you haven't yet completed the iconic Dublin dishes bingo card. There's no going back to cheap slippery threads and cream-filled sauces once you've had their crispy guanciale and egg and Pecorino sauce, and the great news is they're no longer a weather dependent food choice. They've moved in with Griolladh on Thomas Street (until they can afford a place of their own), so you can sit down and work through the menu from 16:30, Wednesday - Sunday.
For a previously impossible to get table:
Variety Jones, Dublin 8
There's no denying that the military grade organisation you needed last year to secure a table in Dublin's most wanted has trailed off, as inflation continues to kick our butts, and one of the positives of price bleakness is the ability to get a table somewhere like Variety Jones with a little more ease. Their earlier sitting from 17:00 is always easier to get into, and you can keep an eye on their Instagram for any available tables that week. If you haven't had the pleasure yet, your time has come.
For farm to table seasonal sambos:
Beechpark Eco Farm, Dublin 15
The residents of Dublin 15 have a new reason to leave the house at the weekend - Beechpark Eco Farm's sandwiches. The farm to picnic table operation serves veggie-stuffed sambos like "The Prince of Persia" with carrot and onion fritters, beetroot borani, pickled peppers, sumac mayo, coriander and mint, and no amount of fillings is too much for this focaccia. There's a farm shop too with tonnes of vegetables, eggs and pantry staples to take home, and hot food is served from 12:00 - 15:00 Saturday and Sunday.
For a morning eating the best of Dublin:
The Ultimate Dublin Food Tour, Dublin 2
Your time is precious. You stomach space is limited. So why not leave it in the hands of the experts in Devour Tours to bring you on a walk around the city tasting some of the tastiest pastries, meat, cheese and seafood to be found in Dublin 2 right now. We were so happy to help them create The Ultimate Dublin Food Tour and show visitors (and locals) a snapshot of our buzzing food scene right now, and we're think you're going to love it.
For African flavours with whiskey pairings:
Socafro Kitchen
Roe & Co Distillery in Dublin 8 have been using their outdoor space to shine a light on chefs and food trucks they think deserve a bigger audience, and moving in for September is Waterford-based Socafro Kitchen. Founder/chef Alistair Jeje pays homage to his culinary roots with Caribbean and Nigerian flavours, and you can expect jerk chicken and jollof rice, with veggie options available too. Cocktails are custom made to match, with sittings at 18:00 and 20:00 from Thursday - Saturday, and food is priced at €45 for food, with the cocktail pairing €35. Book here.
For a new micro-bakery to dull the Bread Man Walking blues:
Claudine Bakery, Herbert Park Farmer's Market
French baker Sephora has run her part-time side hustle French & Go for the past few years, posting menus online and taking orders for collection, but after taking a stand at Herbert Park Farmer's Market a few weeks ago she decided to get a bit more serious and rebrand as Claudine Bakery. You can now find her Paris Brests, tarte-tatins and vanilla doughnuts there from 11:00 - 16:00 on Sunday, and it'll be a case of the early bird snatching the best stuff.
For a pizza road trip
Grá pizza, Maynooth and Celbridge
Touted by many as the best pizza in the country right now, we recently found ourselves pulling off the M4 en route to Dublin from the West for Grá Pizza's last available collection spot, that we snatched just after they opened. Make sure the Samuel Beckett is on your order, with n'duja, Toonsbridge mozzarella, ricotta, and fermented mustard seeds, and don't forget to check their Instagram page for specials before locking your order in. This is pizza you will not regret travelling for.
