The main event and supporting acts to share with the table (or take home for later) …
Osteria Lucio
THE DISH The suckling pig shoulder at Osteria Lucio is a slow-roasted, golden-skinned centrepiece designed to be carved and enjoyed over time. The meat arrives meltingly tender beneath crisp crackling, served with roasted vegetables and potatoes, and it has all the comforting, celebratory appeal of a Sunday roast, yet it is available any day of the week.
THE SUPPORTING ACTS Osteria Lucio is particularly good for groups. Alongside antipasti, salumi and fresh pastas, there’s the Big Lucio sharing menu, built specifically for the table and ideal for those who want to hand over decisions and let the kitchen guide the pace. Italian wines, desserts of cannoli or tiramisu, and the wonderfully atmospheric setting, make it the perfect place to while away an evening. The Malting Tower, Dublin 2; @osterialucio
Sole Seafood & Grill
THE DISH The Captain’s Seafood Tower at SOLE is theatre in the best possible sense. Tiered high over crushed ice, the sharing platter brings together Irish lobster, crab claws, oysters, Dublin Bay prawns and smoked salmon, with hot mussels often following close behind. It’s abundant and gloriously sociable – a dish that instantly shifts the tone of a table from dinner to celebration. Best approached slowly, with chilled white wine and warm conversation. The collective set of sticky fingers afterwards is a small price to pay.
THE SUPPORTING ACTS SOLE excels at seafood classics: oysters in all guises, Dover sole filleted tableside, scallops, lobster, and well-judged sides. Even alongside the tower, there’s room for buttery potatoes, seasonal greens and a shared dessert to round things off. New private dining suites make it the perfect option for a group. Drury Street, Dublin 2; @soleseafoodandgrill
Kaldero
THE DISH At Kaldero, chef Richie Castillo’s Filipino food is prepared with Irish ingredients and a contemporary sensibility. The Whole Chicken Inasal is a perfect shared centrepiece. Marinated in lemongrass, kalamansi, and anatto oil, and served with house-made atchara pickles, this wood-grilled bird arrives at the table with bright, citrussy notes and a smoky heat that naturally cues the passing of plates.
THE SUPPORTING ACTS Kaldero’s entire menu is designed for sharing and reflects the Filipino tradition of eating together. Pulutan-style snacks, vibrant small plates, and larger sharing mains sit alongside the Inasal, making it easy to curate a table spread with dynamite lumpia, sisig, kinilaw, and whole fried fish. The group set menu is ideal for celebrations, and the cocktail list, with inventive twists on classics, keeps the conviviality alive. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, Dublin 2; @kalderodublin
Cantina Valentina, The Hoxton
THE DISH The most compelling dishes are those ordered to share, and the whole Peruvian sea bream with ají miso is a perfect example. Sweet, delicate fish is flaked through savoury sauce and bright citrus and served with bowls of steamed rice and a sharp red onion and lime salad. It’s a dish that invites everyone to dig in – generous, hands-on, and the kind of centrepiece that naturally slows a meal down and draws people closer. For those craving something richer, the duck rice sharing dish remains a worthy alternative when available.
THE SUPPORTING ACTS The wider menu leans into the same generous spirit: vibrant ceviche, moreish chicharrónes, with plenty of colour and heat across small plates too. Cocktails are well paired, desserts include the famous tres leches cake, and everything is geared towards ordering broadly and sharing freely. Exchequer Street, Dublin 2; @cantinavalentina.dublin
The Butcher Grill
THE DISH There’s something instinctively convivial about ordering a big steak for the table, and The Butcher Grill understands this well. Whether it’s a côte de boeuf or a tomahawk, the appeal lies in the ritual: the arrival, the carving, the inevitable debate over who gets which slice and what sides are best suited. Cooked over a wood-smoked grill, the beef is deeply flavoured, properly rested, and designed for two to work through together.
THE SUPPORTING ACTS Steakhouse sides play their part: onion rings, rich mashed potatoes, greens slicked with butter, sauces to spoon and pass. Starters – oysters or tuna tostadas – set things up nicely, and the wine list and cocktail menu ensures there’s something for everyone. Ranelagh Village, Dublin 6; @butchergrill