What to eat in DUBLIN: top 10 local FOODS to try here (2024)

Food lovers, get ready; these are the top local foods in Dublin you need to try.

Dublin is a city made for foodies. Not only does the city boast plenty of diverse international restaurants, but it is also home to lots of award-winning local restaurants you must try.

When it comes to local food, there are quite a few specialities which make Dublin famous, and people flock from all over the globe to try these unique meals.

So, if you are planning a visit to Dublin, keep an eye out for these intriguing and mouthwatering local foods on menus throughout the city. You won’t regret it!

10. Teddy’s Ice Cream – much more than an institution

If you want a treat to enjoy in the sunshine, you need to get your hands on an ice cream from Teddy’s. This famous ice cream shop was established in Dun Laoghaire in 1950 and is still as popular as ever, with locations in Sandycove and Bray, County Wicklow.

As well as delicious Irish ice cream, Teddy’s sells handmade sweets from the jar.

9. Spice bag – the ultimate takeaway treat

Dublin has its fair share of local Chinese takeaways, and this is where you will find the local speciality known as a spice bag. This unique Irish fast food is a mix of shredded chicken, chips, onions, chilli, peppers, and plenty of spices.

The result is a hearty, comforting treat, made even better by curry sauce.

8. Roast gammon – a slow-cooked delicacy

The Irish love to include pork in many meals, and roast gammon is a firm favourite for local foods. This slow-cooked, juicy delicacy is similar to ham, but the meat has to come from the hind leg to be called gammon.

The meat is often glazed in honey and mustard and is a popular addition to Christmas dinner in Ireland.

7. Local Irish breakfast – fresh ingredients from Dublin

Believe it or not, an Irish breakfast differs slightly across Ireland since cafes and restaurants always use fresh local ingredients.

When in Dublin, you must try a local Irish breakfast, including Dublin-made sausages, rashers, black and white pudding, eggs, fried tomato, and toast. Let’s not forget the Irish cuppa on the side.

6. Beef & Guinness pie – a hearty local dish

Like beef and Guinness stew but in pie form. The filling consists of beef, vegetables, Guinness, red currant jelly, and stock, which is then baked inside a pastry, making it one of the heartiest local foods to try when it’s cold outside.

5. Seafood chowder – featuring Dublin’s local catch

Since Dublin is a city located along the coast, there is no way you can visit without trying the local seafood chowder which features fresh local catch.

You can find this local dish in many Irish pubs and seafood restaurants, and it often comes with a side of fresh Irish soda bread and a helping of Kerrygold butter.

4. Colcannon – mashed potatoes with an Irish twist

Colcannon is not customarily eaten as a main meal but often accompanies another dish. However, that’s not to say that locals don’t eat it on its own from time to time.

This mashed potato-based dish is mixed with cabbage, onions, and kale, and it is a good helping of full-fat milk and cream. The result is nothing less than delicious.

3. Beshoff Bros fish & chips – one of the best in the city

While fish and chips can be found across the country, many locals will guide you towards the famous Beshoff Bros, which has made a name for itself as one of the best in the city.

With two locations in the city and three by the seaside – Howth, Clontarf, and Malahide – you will never be too far from excellent fish and chips.

2. Dublin coddle – one of the most famous local foods

Dublin coddle is one of the city’s most unique dishes and dates back to the Famine era, when everything was thrown into a large stew pot.

Unlike Irish stew, coddle features local sausages, potatoes, onions, chicken broth, and often Irish rashers of bacon, which makes it a must-try local dish.

1. Boxty – Irish potato pancakes

These potato-based pancakes may sound simple, but they are oh-so traditional and a local favourite.

Not only can you find these bites of deliciousness on menus around the city, but you will also find restaurants dedicated to boxty, like Gallagher’s Boxty House.

So, next time you visit Dublin, keep an eye out for these local foods listed on the menu.