Where to go for Brunch in Dublin City Centre

Brunch offerings in Dublin have ballooned over the last number of years, with plenty of restaurants and cafés of varying qualities looking to get a share of the hungry hordes out for a hangover cure, or just a low-key start to the weekend. With endless identikit menus serving up stuff you can make just as well yourself, it can be hard in these cash-strapped times to know what's worth venturing out for, but that's where we come in...

Tang, Dawson Street, Abbey Street & Cumberland Place

The small but mighty café on the corner of Dawson Street is best known for their Middle Eastern inspired lunches, with flavour-packed salads and meats drawing the work crowd, but their breakfast and brunch menus are where it's at. Tang serves an all-day brunch on the weekends, including a perfectly spicy shakshuka, and a granola bowl that we've tried to recreate at home an embarrassing number of times. Luckily for the people of Dublin they've opened two more locations in the last few years, both with more seats than the original.

Kakilang, Bachelor's Walk

Those with a sweet tooth will love Kakilang’s menu, featuring Mille Crêpes - tender pancakes stacked high with light creamy fillings and sliced like a cake - and the famous Japanese souffle pancakes - tall, wobbly clouds covered in sweet silky cream and fresh fruit. They're cooked from scratch per serving so be prepared to wait a little while - it’s worth it. Pair with a coconutty taro milk tea with chewy tapioca balls for an all-in sweet hit, or for the more savoury minded there’s crispy gochujang glazed fried chicken, and deep fried chewy octopus balls topped with smoky bonito flakes and tangy takoyaki sauce.

Jean-Georges at the Leinster, Mount Street Lower

If you like your brunches lush and laced with high end cocktails, Jean-Georges in Mount Street’s Leinster Hotel might be the place for you. Sadly there was no sign of the €42 hash brown, laden with smoked salmon and pristine pearls of caviar, on their most recent brunch menu (which was pretty dull truth be told), but they're in the middle of updating it so who knows what they'll come up with. Regardless you're coming here for the space and the views.

Nan Chinese, Stephen Street Lower

For those looking for an antidote to the omnipresent avocado toast, hit up Nan Chinese, who serve their excellent Dim Sum from the brunch compatible hour at 12pm every day. Try the Pork Soup Xiao Long Bao (and instigate a debate on how to properly consume soup dumplings while you’re at it), then move on to the delicately translucent Har Gao, with a juicy prawn and bamboo shoot filling. The Golden Bun with Char Sui Pork hits all the right brunch notes with meaty barbecue pork filling in a sweet doughy baked bun, and Nan’s traditional selection of fragrant Chinese teas are a fitting accompaniment to the salty, rich dumplings.

As One, City Quay

This bright and spacious café on the quays focuses on serving seasonal, locally sourced food that's good for your gut. As One boasts a hefty roster of the best suppliers around, including McNally Farm, Ballyhubbock Cheese, Village Dairy and Cloudpicker coffee, and their brunch menu makes good use of great ingredients. While we’d love to say we'd be going for their 'In Season' veg plate, we don't think we could resist the 'Breakfast Muffin', loaded with free range sausage meat, black pudding, an organic fried egg, melted cheddar and organic greens.

Day n Night, Great Denmark Street

Day n Night is a ramen and sushi restaurant by night and an eclectic breakfast and lunch spot by day. On weekends their breakfast menu extends into brunch hours, and the real draw here are the Korean style breakfast sandwiches. Thick sliced fluffy brioche are butter-toasted and piled with silky scrambled eggs, chives, melted cheese, and bacon, avocado or crab. The bulgogi version is top drawer, they’ve perfected the breakfast sandwich with their Big Breakfast brioche featuring everything you’d find in an Irish fry between two slices of sweet pillowy bread.

Urban Brewing, George's Dock CHQ

The approaching promise of sunnier days has us looking toward riverside bar and brewery Urban Brewing’s brunch offering, with hopes for a summer of sun-soaked starts to the day – fingers crossed – and they've got just the outdoor terrace to lap it up. They’re serving classics like shakshuka and fish and chips, alongside lighter options like salads, and heavier ones like fried chicken french toast. The Irish mythology-inspired cocktail selection is excellent - the Goibniu in particular is calling our name. Named after the metalsmith to the gods, and made with Mezcal, jalapeno, lime juice and basil, it sounds like the perfect smoky, spicy, savoury hit.

The Pepper Pot Café, Powerscourt Shopping Centre

If a bustling brunch right at the heart of the action is your vibe, you can’t do much better than the plush surrounds of Powerscourt Centre’s Pepper Pot Café. Their Victoria sponge and pear and bacon sandwich (veggies can swap in halloumi) are the stuff of brunch legend, their Turkish Eggs are second to none, and our eyes are constantly caught by their savoury pastries, like leek with a brown butter crumb, or caramelised onion, goats cheese and house pickles, all wrapped up in buttery, laminated pastry. Those views out over the atrium are pretty special too.

Row Wines, Coppinger Row

We know that Row Wines know their way around a Bloody Mary (their version on the brunch menu includes pickle juice - be still our hungover hearts) but all the cocktails look fresh, bright, and ultimately healing, and there’s an equally thoughtful range of non-alcoholic options if you’re off the booze. Alongside drinks, their brunch dishes range from well realised classics like french toast and The Row Grill fry up to an enticing sounding crab toast with cucumber relish and some notoriously rich and cheesy birria tacos.

The Commons at MoLI, Stephen’s Green

Very few city centre spots can beat the outdoor space of The Commons, nestled between Stephen’s Green and the Iveagh Gardens on the grounds of the Museum of Literature Ireland – on a gorgeous morning, there are few places we’d rather brunch. Breakfast blaas, egg dishes and French toast make up the all day breakfast offering here, with salads and toasties if you’re in the mood for something less breakfasty, and an always-appealing cake of the week to finish up on.

Eathos, Baggot Street

With three locations in a short space of each other on Baggot Street, Eathos is where to head when you're feeling virtuous and ready to nourish your body. They have all sorts of healthy options like açaí bowls and avocado smash on sourdough toast, but also the option to be a bit unhealthier with pulled pork croquettes, and loaded hashbrowns with crispy bacon, brisket hollandaise and a poached egg. You do you, but make sure you leave some room for one of their cakes. Who are we kidding, there's always room for cake.

Brother Hubbard North, Capel Street

Brother Hubbard came on the scene when there was really very little in the way of brunch menus in Dublin. Their mezze trays were a sight for sore eyes and rumbling tummies, and they immediately gained a following. If a Middle Eastern breakfast isn't what you're after there's plenty more on offer, including a rotating seasonal French toast and "the full Hubbard" - don't start us off about the cinnamon and walnut scrolls. They expanded from the Northside to the Southside on Harrington Street, and have now gone further south with a third outpost in Ranelagh.

Krewe, Capel Street

This New Orleans-inspired kitchen say they are 'bringing the dirty south to the Northside' - to translate, this means flavour and spiced-packed Creole food like jambalaya and blacked fish tacos. For brunch Krewe switch up the traditional eggs benny and serve BBQ shrimp Po' Boys, and fried chicken on waffles with chive hollandaise and hot sauce - a nightmare for your arteries, a dream for your mouth. This spot is all about fun, so bring some friends and make sure to try their deep-south inspired cocktails.

Blas Café, King's Inn Street

Not somewhere you would come across by chance, Blas Café is hidden off Parnell Street in The Chocolate Factory, flanked by multi-story car parks. It’s a cosy, casual spot, and you won't find any airs or graces here, just great food. They only serve brunch on Saturdays, so make your way here for a crispy pork smash burger with Emmental and chipotle mayo, or one of their great veggie options like black kale and pumpkin seed pesto toast with spiced chickpeas and a lemon chilli tahini sauce.

One Society, Gardiner Street

Think of everything you crave on a brunch menu and you’ll probably find it on One Society’s menu, including potentially the most extensive American style pancake menu in Dublin, and a lovely little family connection in where they source some of their meats. They run the brunch menu from Wednesday to Sunday so no need to wait until the weekend to satisfy your brunch needs, and we're big fans of the special "kids love brunch too" menu for families.

Mad Yolks, Smithfield

Founded by two brothers, Mad Yolks were known for slinging the finest egg sambos to the hungry masses at music festivals and pun popups for years before they opened up their first permanent shop in Smithfield back in 2022. Suburban brunchers will be glad to know they've since added a Rathmines outlet too. We're big fans of their feta and avocado-loaded Fresh Yolk, but realistically there's nothing here that won't scratch whatever brunch itch you're feeling.

Hidden, Smithfield

Sister restaurant to One Society, Hidden’s brunch menu is unsurprisingly extensive, and designed to cater to the needs of even the pickiest brunch obsessive. Want granola? Sure. Shakshuka? They have it. chicken and stuffing toastie? No problem. Alongside this is a kids menu, a detailed rundown of allergies and a note that most dishes can be tailored to suit dietary needs - ideal for diverse groups. Special mention to the hangover stack featuring crispy smoked bacon, ricotta cheese, tabasco sauce and a fried egg, and the new Dubai chocolate pancakes.

Urbanity, Smithfield

If you’re ever getting to the hangry stage of the day, we would advise you to avoid Urbanity’s socials or it might send you over the edge. Everything they post is ultra colourful and practically jumping off the screen, showcasing their seasonal menu which changes all the time. They always have interesting brunch specials, and there's a couple of benches outside which you can perk on for a coffee and cake in the sun.