In between drop-off and pick-up, carve out some time for an adults only lunch at one of these hot spots …
Alas, summer is officially over and the back-to-school season is in full swing. School lunches, P.E gear, schoolbooks and uniforms, it’s enough to make your head spin. The upside is that you are (hopefully) regaining a few precious hours all to yourself. If this is the case, now is the ideal time to celebrate that newfound freedom with an adults only lunch, and these are five places that do it well …
Hawksmoor, Dublin 2
With oyster season upon us, Hawksmoor is the ideal place to perch for an afternoon in September, with or without a classic martini. The afternoon ‘Express Menu’ is great value at €29 for two courses and €33 for three, with a steak option (as a supplement) included. The recent partnership with The Corkscrew Wine Merchant, means corkage is free for all bottles bought from The Corkscrew every Monday and costs just €10 at lunchtime from Wednesday to Saturday with proof of purchase. Lunch time wine is optional but the oysters with scotch bonnet mignonette should be non-negotiable. www.hawksmoor.ie
Saba, Baggot Street, South William Street and Kildare Village
All three of the Saba locations offer a daily lunch menu for those looking for something fiery to spice up their newly freed up afternoon. The spicy basil beef lettuce cups is one of those dishes that is both (sort of) virtuous and delicious at the same time and there are excellent plant-based menu options too. Saba South William Street and Baggot Street recently introduced a ‘Happy Hour and Thai Tapas’, every day from 12-5pm where you can choose any three select cocktails or Thai Tapas for only €30 (one must be a food item). www.sabadublin.com
Éan, Galway
From the people that brought us Loam in Galway, Éan is an enchanting place with a serene atmosphere and excellent food, the perfect antidote for harried parents. The squid toast with miso mayo and katsuobushi (or bonito flakes) will have you smiling all the way through the school pick-up dash. Mind you, the Basque cheesecake is also said to have amazingly restorative powers too. www.eangalway.com
Restaurant Rinuccini, Kilkenny
For those in the mood for something slightly more formal, Restaurant Rinuccini in Kilkenny is the perfect choice. Rinuccini is one of those places that can make a gloomy Monday feel like a special occasion. Starched linen tablecloths and clinking crystal is one fanciful way to celebrate ‘me’ time, and the €29 lunch menu is another. Feasting on dishes such as calamari e zucchini fritti with anchovy aioli or fresh burrata followed by risotto with peas, parmesan and guanciale should be mandatory for every parent who has survived the summer holidays relatively intact. www.rinuccini.com
La Maison, Dublin 2
A personal favourite for many years, a late summer lunch on the terrace at La Maison is picture perfect with excellent food and people watching to match. While dining here was always reliably good, like fine wine, La Maison seems to be improving with age and getting a table can be somewhat challenging. The midweek lunch menu has bistro classics such as moules frites, coq au vin and the all-important, crème brulee. La Maison is the epitome of a classic French bistro, albeit in the heart of Dublin. www.lamaisondublin.com