Before we throw in the towel and surrender to soup season, these dishes are the perfect encore …
SOLE, Dublin 2
Let’s start with elegance. At SOLE, where the oysters and fish are displayed as reverently as diamonds, the classic dish to order is, of course, sole. Firm in texture yet delicate in flavour, it’s the sort of dish that was made to be paired with a cold glass of Chablis. There’s a strange satisfaction that comes with taking the fish off the bone, a feeling of having earned the reward. And reward it is. Pair it with buttered baby potatoes and your green of choice for the perfect close of summer celebration.
Dax, Dublin 2
Dax is the kind of restaurant where you go to feel cocooned in sophistication, but it’s the fleetingly seasonal courgette flower that really captures summer’s swan song. Stuffed delicately with plump Dublin Bay prawns, it’s like an edible bouquet. To eat it is to remember that the season is brief, produce is precious, and good chefs know how to make the most of a moment. The ideal way to say sayonara to the warm weather.
The Fish Box, Dingle, Co Kerry
From champagne flutes to paper-wrapped parcels … because sometimes the best way to taste the sea is when it’s encased in batter, then liberally sprinkled with salt and vinegar. This Dingle institution doesn’t do half measures; their fish is caught by their own trawler, straight from the Atlantic to your plate. The batter is light, the chips chunky, and the whole thing tastes like a seaside holiday that refuses to end. Sit outside, gulls cawing overhead, drizzle be damned.
Mezze, Tramore, Co Waterford
In another seaside town, Mezze delivers sunshine on shared plates. Think creamy hummus swirled with olive oil, smoky aubergine dips, fluffy flatbreads, and spiced lamb koftas that transport you straight to a hot climate (without the busy flight queues). Mezze is casual, colourful, and made for long lunches where you graze happily and lose track of time.
Flout, Belfast
If sunshine had a flavour, surely it would be pizza. And at Flout in Belfast, that comes charred, blistered, and topped with tangy tomato and molten cheese. The base is chewy with just the right wobble, the crust puffed, and smoky. Order whatever topping your heart desires, then eat it with abandon, ideally outside while the last evening rays stretch long across the pavement. This is uncomplicated joy, Belfast style. Yes, there will likely be a queue, and yes, it’s worth it.