When I first visited Dublin I fell for the beautiful city, fun vibe and friendly faces. It's a very welcoming place to visit and the options for eating out are surprisingly varied in cuisines and types of restaurants.

We researched where to eat and booked reservations with Square Meal IE. This meant we could find places which suited our tastes and the occasion and it was easy because most restaurants can be booked through the platform. It was stress free and great to know we already had a table booked and could get on with enjoying our trip.

So where did we eat out in Dublin and what did we love most?

We decided to stick as much as possible to Irish cuisine as that would be more authentic to the trip. This means hearty warming dishes like stews, great cuts of meat. Comforting vegetables like kale, cabbage and potatoes plus the amazing Irish soda bread with butter.

Gallaghers Boxty House

This spot is apparently the only place to get an original and authentic Boxty wrap. Boxty is a kind of pancake with different fillings. I love them and this cafe has 3 different varieties from the nearby counties.

Wilde

If you have a special occasion to celebrate or you just enjoy a bit of fine dining, Wilde is a beautiful place to eat out. They cook the best of Irish produce served in the stunning surroundings of 1930s vintage decor. There's a covered garden terrace and the greenery creates a wonderful atmosphere. It's just off the lively Grafton Street which makes it a great spot for a cocktail afterwards.

Pearl Brasserie

Pearl is an award winning fine dining restaurant in Dublin city centre. The focus is on good food and comfortable surroundings. It is very relaxed and has friendly staff who know when to leave you to enjoy your meal.

They serve Irish and French produce and have won awards such as Chef of the Year 2017 and Travellers' Choice Awards 2017. This is TripAdvisor’s annual list of the top ten fine dining restaurants in Ireland. Pearl is number 5!

Jay Kay’s cafe

At the other end of the scale, we have popular breakfast and brunch spot Jay Kay's. This is family-owned and in the heart of Dublin city centre. It serves fresh, healthy fare and all that you need after a few Irish coffee cocktails the night before.

Art Cafe

The Art Café Dublin is a fun place to hang out where they serve lovely cakes and coffee. Like many coffee spots, the community is important. Here the cosy café promotes art and music and supports local creatives and their projects.

Davy Byrnes

If you love a decent pub, make sure to have a little stop in Davy Byrnes. This establishment has been around since 1798 serving the local people of Dublin. It prides itself on serving excellent food, having a diverse clientele and buckets of charm. They must be right as this year Davy Byrnes has won the Travellers' Choice award 2022!

I hope that's given you plenty of ideas about where to eat well in this gorgeous city. Make sure before you head home you see Dublin castle which is slightly overlooked by the majority of tourists. Plus go to the Guinness Storehouse. Even if you don't want to view all the historical information it's worth going to the Gravity bar on the top of the building which has incredible views over the city.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.