New openings, late-night steaks and smart shake-ups worth booking into now …
Hawksmoor Dublin
Late-night steak is on the agenda until February 28. Hawksmoor’s “Steak After Eight” menu runs from 8pm every night and is built for lingering: indulgent starters, a Chateaubriand to share with all of the proper sides, a dessert to finish, plus a cocktail and a glass of wine to ease you into the night. It’s €150 for two to include a starter, a main to share, dessert and a cocktail or glass of wine per person. If a late dinner that kicks off with Hawksmoor’s Ultimate Martini followed by a classic Caesar Salad, Chateaubriand with creamed spinach and beef dripping chips is wrong, I don’t want to be right. Available for groups of 2, 4 or 6, making it ideal for dates, groups or spontaneous indulgences that refuse to end early.
Fire Steakhouse & Bar, Dublin
Sunday roasts have competition. Fire has launched new sharing menus, starting with the “Sunday Steak Sharing Experience” – a centre-of-the-table Delmonico Irish sirloin from meat maestro Peter Hannan cooked on the open grill and served with enough sides to keep everyone very happy. It’s €89 for two to share and designed for long, chatty Sundays that revolve around the table as they should.
Lilith Wines x La Rousse Foods, Dublin
Your dinner party flex just got easier. Lilith Wines has teamed up with La Rousse Foods, so you can now pre-order restaurant-grade meat alongside your wine – from côte de boeuf for date night to Achill lamb for a proper Sunday roast. There’s a small in-store selection too, plus staff who’ll happily nudge you towards a cut that actually matches the bottle in your hand.
The K Club, Kildare
If you fancy watching the Oscars with a bit more sparkle than your sofa can offer, The K Club is hosting a black-tie Oscars viewing night on March 15. Expect a red carpet arrival from 10.30pm, a welcome drink and canapés, then the ceremony screened live with classic movie snacks and late-night bites doing the rounds as the awards unfold. Tickets are €65 per person (plus booking fee) which neatly covers the glam, grazing and excuse to get properly dressed up on a Sunday night.
Ómós, Abbeyleix, Co Laois
A new guesthouse-meets-restaurant is landing on the edge of Abbeyleix this summer, with bookings open from March 24. Led by chef and writer Cúán Greene, it’s a 16-bedroom guesthouse with a 40-seat restaurant set on a few leafy acres just outside town, with stays and dining opening from July. Expect thoughtful, modern Irish cooking in a small, relaxed setting, with a proper focus on doing things well – from how the kitchen runs to how guests are looked after.
New menus, new names, new flames
A few more tasty shake-ups worth clocking: The Barton Restaurant at The K Club is pivoting to Barton Grill, with signature dishes such as Beef Wellington, tableside Dover Sole, oysters and scallops to celebrate the grill tradition; Kelly’s Resort Hotel in Wexford has launched The Sea Rooms Smokehouse with dishes like mussel toast, ember-baked leeks, cheese and onion doughnuts, plus BBQ whole fish or duck; and Bon Appetit in Malahide has rebranded as Osteria Nove, complete with a dedicated burrata bar menu because clearly we’re entering our open-fire-and-soft-cheese era which I, for one, embrace.