The most sought-after tables in town might just be available in July or August, says Ciara McQuillan…
LIBRARY STREET
THE WAITLIST It’s not that you will find it impossible to secure a table at Kevin Burke’s Library Street, it’s just that you may find it challenging to get a table at a time you actually want to eat. The solution? Go for a late lunch or get on board with having dinner at 5pm. It will be worth it. ON THE PLATE “Everything is meant to be shared” is the motto at Library Street, and as mottos go, it’s a fine one indeed. The menu is a foodie VIP list with oysters from Connemara, butter from Abernathy, tomatoes from McNally’s and bread from Tartine Bakery. A dish of crispy chicken wing with chanterelle and tarragon mayonnaise will make early dining feel like the best decision you ever made. WHAT ELSE? Library Street has won more accolades than could be considered reasonable but it was perhaps the recent (x2) visits from culinary maestro Stanley Tucci that has cemented its status as Dublin restaurant nobility. Library Street, 101 Setanta Place, Dublin 2, 01 617 0999; www.librarystreet.ie.
LIATH
THE WAITLIST The next batch of reservations released for Liath will become available on August 1, so if you haven’t eaten there, and want to, set a reminder now. Dinner reservations, regardless of the day, are hard to come by, so lunch can be a good alternative. There is a waitlist in operation and, well, miracles do happen. ON THE PLATE Liath is a two Michelin star restaurant so prepare to be impressed and potentially awed. Dinner is served communally so don’t be late for your reservation or you might miss out. The menu utilises superb ingredients from land and sea, delivered with passion. You will float out of the restaurant feeling myriad emotions – Liath is an experience. WHAT ELSE? Liath has just partnered with Egan’s Whiskey on a special limited edition set of five premium 23-year-old single malt Irish whiskeys reflecting the five taste profiles (bitter, sour, salt, umami, and sweet). Liath, Blackrock Market, Main Street, Blackrock, Co Dublin, 01 212 3676; www.liathrestaurant.com.
VARIETY JONES
THE WAITLIST Bookings for Variety Jones are released in two-month blocks on a rolling basis. There is a cancellation/standby list in operation with Fridays and Saturdays booking up quickly while Wednesday and Thursday usually have greater availability. ON THE PLATE Variety Jones’ six-course sharing menu is a chef ’s choice with a pescatarian option available with prior notice. Sample dishes to woo (or wow) you are oysters with cucumber and Vietnamese dressing, chickpeas with smoked mussels and taramasalata and hearth-grilled sea bass with razor clams, asparagus, artichoke and potatoes. Bring. It. On. WHAT ELSE? Brothers Keelan and Aaron Higgs are the dream duo behind Variety Jones and the pair occasionally open the restaurant for lunch on Sundays so keep a beady eye on their socials for updates. Variety Jones, 78 Thomas Street, Dublin 8, 01 551 7845; www.varietyjones.ie.
GRANO
THE WAITLIST Roberto Mungo certainly got people talking when he opened the doors of Grano in 2018, partly because of the excellent food, but also because of the homely appeal of Roberto’s mum coming from Italy to take charge in the kitchen and show Irish pasta makers how it’s done. Grano is a small restaurant and tables are as rare as hen’s teeth but the addition of a few extra perches for the summer season makes a walk-in table a real possibility. ON THE PLATE The dishes served at Grano are inspired by Roberto’s home region of Calabria, rooted in traditional Italian cooking, albeit with a contemporary twist. The ethos is to preserve local food cultures and to support the revival of ancient cultivation techniques using ingredients sourced from small Italian food and wine producers. This magical medley brings us dishes such as Roman artichoke with mint pesto, lemon and pine kernels and Neapolitan scialatielli with Connemara clams, prawns, mussels, samphire and lemon. WHAT ELSE? Adjacent, you will find smaller, but equally successful sibling, A Fianco. The perfect spot for pre or post-dinner drinks or if you fail to nab a table in Grano, A Fianco is an experience it itself – delicious light bites and excellent wine in a relaxed atmosphere. Grano, 5 Norseman Court, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, 01 538 2003; www.grano.ie.
HOST
THE WAITLIST Taking reservations up to 90 days in advance, Host in Ranelagh in Dublin 6 has intermittent availability if you and your dining companions can be flexible. Weekends are, as expected, chock-a-block, but sometimes you can get lucky with an on-spec visit and a counter seat. ON THE PLATE A concise menu filled with small plates and heartier grills, the menu at Host is designed to be shared, although I’m not sure I would be happy to share the Bluefin tuna tostada with corn salsa with anyone. Bigger plates like pork chop with pork belly and nduja, piri piri chicken with burnt lemon, or wild halibut with courgette and tarragon are exactly the kind of food that I (don’t) want to share. WHAT ELSE? The pasta at Host is handmade and the wine list has a great selection of wines from small, natural winemakers. Host, 13 Ranelagh, Dublin 6, 01 561 2617; www.hostrestaurant.ie.