Top 10 culinary specialities in Dublin

Ireland’s capital, Dublin, is a paradise for beer and whisky lovers. But did you know that Irish gastronomy is just as delicious and that it’s not all about drinking litres of Guinness? Yes, the city of a thousand and one colourful doors will take you on a journey of unique recipes. And believe us, even if it’s common to think that British gastronomy in general isn’t necessarily renowned for its quality, Ireland has managed to reinvent itself and offers a wide choice of delicious specialities.

So, between a few drops of rain, would you prefer to drink a beer in a pub, or are you more partial to Irish tea?

What to eat (and drink) in Dublin? Our selection of 10 culinary specialities

1- The Irish Breakfast

What better way to start the day than with a typical Irish breakfast? When you’re travelling in an English-speaking country, the first thing you think of is this delicious dish that will fill your belly for most of the day. It is considered to be the most important meal for the Irish. Traditionally, Irish Breakfast is made up of eggs, slices of bacon, Irish sausages, slices of black or white pudding, traditional cereal-based bread known as ‘brown bread’, porridge (a cereal porridge simmered in milk or water), butter, coffee or tea and orange juice. Once you’ve eaten your hearty breakfast, you’ll be ready to set off for miles to discover Dublin.

2- The Colcannon

This traditional dish consists of mashed vegetables such as green or kale, onions and potatoes, served with milk. Some add bacon for extra flavour. This dish is traditionally served on Halloween, and families usually hide either a coin, thimble, button or ring. This is said to ward off evil spirits. So if you’re visiting Dublin at this time of year, don’t eat too quickly or you’ll choke.

3- Guinness

Of course, we couldn’t miss this must-try beer, renowned in every corner of the globe. Its black colour, thick texture and caffeinated flavour come from a particular type of beer. Guinness is a stout beer, brewed from a wort characterised by its highly roasted grain content. This beer has been produced since 1759 and never ceases to capture the hearts of the Irish. As a fun little statistic, 1 million pints are sold every day in Ireland. The country has a population of 5 million. To enjoy the generosity of the Irish while sipping your Guinness, head for a traditional pub. Believe me, they’ll welcome you.

4- Irish Stew

Known as the traditional dish served during the famous St Patrick’s Day celebrations on 17 March, Irish Stew is an Irish speciality that has been eaten since the 17th century. It’s a lamb stew served with carrots, onions and potatoes. Naturally, a Guinness sauce is added to this hearty dish for extra flavour. Traditionally, the Irish eat this meal with a very surprising drink… Guinness! It wouldn’t be much fun otherwise.

5- Guinness pie

Why complicate things when Guinness exists? It goes everywhere! The Guinness pie is like the Irish Stew, a meat-based stew. Unlike the dish mentioned above, the meat used is beef, and only onions are used in this recipe. The whole thing is soaked in a Guinness sauce before being covered in pastry. This dish is very popular during the cold season, i.e. autumn and winter. You won’t find a better Guinness pie in a Dublin pub. This dish goes wonderfully well with a stout beer (not to mention a Guinness).

6- Salmon

Salmon is a flagship product of Irish gastronomy, with a worldwide reputation. Its salmon is renowned for its quality, firm flesh and strong flavour. You can enjoy it in all its forms: steamed, gravlaxed, raw, and even in sandwiches. Irish salmon has earned its place among the best in the world for a very honourable reason. By way of comparison, Norway, a famous salmon producer, raises over a million tonnes of salmon a year. Ireland, meanwhile, produces 15,000 tonnes of salmon a year. The quality of the farming takes precedence over quantity, making this salmon unique.

7- Irish coffee

Irish coffee is a very popular alcoholic drink throughout Ireland. As the name suggests, the basic drink is coffee, to which is added a little Irish whiskey, sugar and smooth cream. But did you know how this drink was created? In the late 1930s, passengers on a seaplane were anxious about landing. To calm them down, some stewardesses offered them a coffee with a little whisky and sugar. Since then, the drink has been a huge success.

8- The Seafood Chowder

Seafood chowder is a seafood-based soup that is very popular in Ireland, especially in the coastal cities that include Dublin. A variety of fish are used, including haddock, cod, salmon, hake, mussels and prawns. Vegetables include celery, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms and potatoes.

9- Scones

Scones are a gustatory marvel. Although they originated in Scotland, every English-speaking country in the world has adopted this recipe for centuries. Made from butter, sugar and buttermilk, they can be eaten plain or topped with dried fruit such as raisins. Scones go wonderfully well with cloated cream, a local cream made from cow’s milk that has been heated and then cooled for several hours. Head to a tea room to enjoy this delicious treat.

10- Bangers and mash

This very simple meal will fill your belly in just a few mouthfuls. It’s a very generous mash of potatoes, accompanied by three sausages. It’s a dish that’s mainly found in pubs, and is best enjoyed with a good Guinness!