A warm welcome and faultless front-of-house service can elevate a dining experience from so-so or standard to superb. These five hosts deserve special mention …
Denise McBrien at The Old Spot
The Host With over 30 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, Denise McBrien knows her stuff. The 2023 recipient of the Best Restaurant Manager in Dublin at the Irish Restaurant Awards, her CV includes time spent working with Conrad Gallagher, Marco Pierre White, Derry and Sallyanne Clarke and Richard Corrigan. On the plate “Pub grub” doesn’t really do the menu at The Old Spot justice, perhaps because our expectations of pub grub in Ireland can be quite low. Not so in The Old Spot. The Sunday roast is the stuff of legend but equally, a bowl of mussels with a hunk of sourdough for dunking is also a memorable experience. What else? The Old Spot features repeatedly in the Michelin Eating Out in Pubs Guide so you know it must be worth a visit. The Old Spot, 14 Bath Avenue, Sandymount, 01 660 5599; www.theoldspot.ie.
John Healy at Suesey Street
The Host John Healy is a household name. Even those with little interest in restaurant life would recognise him as the maître d’ on reality TV show The Restaurant. General manager of Suesey Street, John is the beaming public face of the thriving restaurant. On the plate The menu at Suesey Street is refined and well balanced, much like the space itself. Expect contemporary Irish cooking using local produce presented with finesse. A lunch dish of dry-aged beef tagliata is one of life’s most delicious pleasures. What else? The Garden Room at Suesey Street is probably one of the best al fresco dining spaces in the city, whatever the weather – fully heated, with a retractable canopy and outdoor fireplace. Suesey Street, Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2, 01 669 4600; www.sueseystreet.ie.
Juba Paridi at Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen
The Host Milan native Juba Paridi spent six years studying to be a quantity surveyor before taking up a career in hospitality. Having worked for top designers at Milan Fashion Week shows, he then ran his own restaurant in Liguria before moving to Ireland in 2007. Running a successful service is Juba’s greatest joy, evident to those who have have dined at Chapter One in recent years. On the plate The food at two Michelin star Chapter One needs no introduction. Precise, balanced dishes created using equal parts exceptional produce, creativity, innovation and flair is what diners can expect. Don’t skip the Irish coffee (or the cheese trolley). What else? The cost of lunch at Chapter One has crept up to €75 but is still arguably the best value lunch in town for cooking of this calibre. Chapter One, 18-19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1, 01 873 2266; www.chapteronerestaurant.com.
Justin Green at Ballyvolane House
The Host Justin Green and his family have called Ballyvolane House home since his grandfather Cyril (aka Squirrel) purchased the property in 1953. Justin took over the reins from his father (who still lives on the property and tends the garden) in 2004 and runs it today with his wife Jenny. To the Green family, hosting guests, such as King Charles and Queen Camilla, is a privilege and one they take seriously. On the plate Country house cuisine is on the menu at Ballyvolane with first-rate meats (including their own rare breed pork), seasonal game, fresh and saltwater fish and an abundance of homegrown fruit, vegetables and herbs. As expected, foraging is big business here. What else? Ballyvolane is also the birthplace of Bertha’s Revenge Small Batch Irish Milk Gin and for those with an interest in communing with nature, there is glamping on the grounds, in bell tents and cosy timber-clad glamping arcs. Ballyvolane House, Castlelyons, Fermoy, Co Cork, 025 36349; www.ballyvolanehouse.ie.
Declan Maxwell at Spitalfields
The Host Earlier this year, Declan Maxwell, formerly of Chapter One and Luna, was awarded the Welcome and Service Award at the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland 2023 awards. According to Michelin: “Declan makes everyone feel genuinely welcome. His enthusiasm is unwavering and contagious.” We wholeheartedly agree. On the plate “Traditional, classical restaurant cooking in a cosy pub setting” is promised. Devilled eggs, Cais na Tire fondue and a signature Cock-a-Leekie pie for two are just some of the elevated comfort food dishes on the menu. What else? Spitalfields owners chef Stephen McAllister (of The Restaurant fame) and wife Andrea Hussey also own the highly regarded Pig’s Ear on Nassau Street. Spitalfields, The Coombe, Dublin 8, 01 4546921; www.spitalfields.ie.