Taste of Dublin at Merrion Square: the best things to do, see and eat
Celebrating its 20th year, the event is one of Ireland's longest-running food festivals. It kicks off on Thursday, June 12th, in Merrion Square.
The four-day event has two admission times per day: from 12pm to 4.30pm and 6pm to 10.30pm. Tickets were still available for all sessions at the time of writing, although VIP tickets for Thursday and Friday evenings had sold out.
Ticket prices start at €20.50. However, a Häagen-Dazs VIP suite ticket, which includes unreserved seating with fast-track entry, a Häagen-Dazs ice cream, a glass of champagne, and a Glendalough Wild Rose Gin & Tonic, will cost up to €82.50 for the Saturday evening slot. And if you add two signature dishes, the price increases to €96.50.
READ MORE
What to eat?
My first port of call will be The Salt Project for chicken & waffles with Feighcullen free-range Irish chicken tenders, Oak Forest flour and Carlow farmhouse cheese waffles (€7), or cheesy Macroom buffalo churros (€7).
Next up will be a visit to sandwich makers extraordinaire, Little Gino's, for a Philly cheesesteak (€12), the ultimate soakage sandwich.
Fanfavourite Bar Italia is back, serving up its renowned authentic cacio e pepe (€7) with fresh, handmade gnocchetti (small potato gnocchi). Braised beef cheeks in Montepulciano wine, herb, vegetable and tomato sauce (€12), will ward off any chill.
Other dishes worth queueing for include
Andhra Bhavan
's Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani (€12), Bites By Kwanghi's spice bag bao (€12), and Chimac's hella hot chicken tacos (€7). Don't skip the gunpowder masala dosa (€7) from Dosa Dosa.
Andhra Bhavan's vegetarian thali platter
If seafood is your jam, there are a few options to choose from. King Sitric will be shucking fresh oysters from the oyster bar daily, and Parilla has both crab tostadas (€7) and fish tacos (€12) on the menu every day. Bovinity will be serving up prawns pil pil (€7), and at Daata, prawn pakoras (€7) are the perfect vehicle for chutney dipping.
Bovinity's prawns pil pil
The award for the most indulgent dish of the festival must go to Big Fan for the Black Dragon, with typhoon shelter Irish lobster, in a toasted squid ink bun with lobster butter, Kewpie mayo, baby gem lettuce and a salted egg yolk (€12).
[
Summer 2025: 100 great restaurants, cafes and places to eat around Ireland
Opens in new window
]
Where can I find the best value?
If a guaranteed seat is important to you, the VIP ticketsare reasonable value, all things considered. Otherwise, pay €20.50 to get in and take your chances. Most dishes are priced at €7, although some are better value than others. The pasta and rice dishes are usually substantial, as are the sandwiches.
If you happen to get thirsty, avoid the endless queues by buying a bottle of wine to share – which usually offers better value than buying individual glasses.
What's new?
SuperValu
's new Real Food Kitchen is set to become a must-visit destination for food lovers at this year's festival, with a line-up of interactive cooking demonstrations led by some of Ireland's best known culinary talents. Expect crowd-pleasing sessions from The Happy Pear, Sarah Butler, Daniel Davey, Gareth Mullins and more, offering inspiration and a host of insider tips.
Also making its debut at the festival is an immersive Foraging Masterclass from Glendalough Distillery. Led by Geraldine Kavanagh, the brand's head forager, the experience will guide guests through the art of wild ingredient gathering. Participants will have the chance to create their own bespoke botanical tincture, perfect for adding a distinctly Irish twist to their summer soirées.
[
From Famine to feast: the Irish seaweed revival
Opens in new window
]
This year's event also sees the launch of Taste of Dublin: The Recipes. The first cookbook from Taste of Dublin marks the milestone birthday with recipes from 20 Irish chefs who have taken part in the festival over the years. Contributors include Rachel Allen, Derry Clarke, Paul Flynn and Aisling Moore, to name but a few. The book is priced at €17.50, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Dublin Simon Community.
What to do when you're finally full?
The Food for Thought stage with Lovin Dublin is the perfect distraction when you exhaust your appetite. This year, the Lovin Dublin team will be hosting a range of tastings, panel discussions, masterclasses and producer showcases from an eclectic line-up of restaurateurs, chefs and artisan producers.
[
Inside Ireland's thriving cocktail scene: 'We have some of the highest quality ingredients in the world'
Opens in new window
]
Must-see events include Talk & Taste (the bakery edition) with Sceal Bakery,
Una
, No Messin and Medaluna on Thursday at 3:30pm, while on Friday,
JP McMahon
will take to the stage for a cookery demo involving all things seaweed, kōji and fermentation. On Sunday evening, award-winning food and drinks writer Shamin de Brún will be curating a Polish wine tasting with Maja Ignaczewska of Polish Wine Fest.
If you are in the mood to dance off the excess food, head to the Bulmers Live Music Stage and let loose with Spring Break, The Runaways and many more. If you plan to visit on Sunday, buy a ticket for the bingo party, Bingo Loco.
And finally, it goes without saying, comfy shoes and a brolly are a must. It is Taste of Dublin after all ...
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Inside Tipperary star Michael Breen's relationship with Sharlene Mawdsley
Michael Breen has achieved success with Tipperary at every level — minor, U21, and senior — throughout the years. Since making his debut over a decade ago, he has established himself as a key player and dependable presence on the team, collecting multiple All-Ireland and provincial medals along the way. In this feature, we explore his life both on and off the pitch, from his demanding career and club commitments to his recently revealed relationship. Michael Breen enjoyed a standout underage career with Tipperary before breaking into the senior ranks. He captured Munster and All-Ireland Minor Championship medals in 2012, marking an early sign of his potential. He progressed to the U21 team the following year and was drafted into the senior panel in 2014, making his debut in a National Hurling League clash against Clare. His first championship appearance came in 2015 during a Munster semi-final against Limerick. A versatile and reliable performer, the Ballina native has lined out in a variety of positions throughout his career — including full back, corner back, midfield, and centre forward — cementing his status as a key figure for the Premier County. Breen has twice lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup, helping Tipperary to All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship glory in 2016 and 2019. He also claimed Munster titles in 2015 and 2016. Recognised for his individual excellence, he received All-Star nominations at midfield in both 2016 and 2020. Breen is in relationship with Olympic sprinter Sharlene Mawdsley. The news of their budding romance was confirmed following Tipperary's 1-30 to 1-21 victory over Waterford in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship. Sharing a lovely picture of them together in Semple Stadium in Thurles, Sharlene wrote: "Tippin' on." Michael also commented on their first public picture together, which he wasn't tagged in, and poked fun at his girlfriend, writing: "Any tag nah?" The GAA star also shared the post to his Instagram story and joked: "This fan was following me around all day." Mawdsley attended her first ever match in Croke Park in July when she watched Breen competing for the Premier County in all All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny. She revealed in a Q&A on her Instagram story: "Looking forward to it!! I've never been to a hurling match in Croke Park." Michael was born on July 16, 1994, making him 30 years of age. He is from the town of Ballina on the Clare border. He plays his club hurling with the local GAA club. He measure 6 ft 2 in height. Michael works as a secondary school teacher, teaching business and geography at CBS High School in Clonmel. He graduated with Liberal Arts and Science/Liberal Studies degree from University College Cork in 2016, followed by Master's degree in Food Business from the same university three years later. He also completed a Diploma of Education from Dublin City University in 2021. 2 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship - 2016 and 2019 2 Munster Senior Hurling Championship - 2015 and 2016
Irish Daily Mirror
17 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Sharlene Mawdsley to attend first hurling game at Croke Park to cheer on partner
Sharlene Mawdsley will take in her first hurling match at Croke Park on Sunday to cheer on her boyfriend and her native Tipperary. The sprinter is dating Tipp star Michael Breen and went 'Instagram official' with their relationship in May. The Olympian shared a photo of the couple on the pitch at Semple Stadium following Tipp's 1-30 to 1-21 Munster victory over Waterford. Sharing the photo on Instagram, Mawdsley wrote: "Tippin' on." Mawdsley will be in the stands again for the Premier County's massive All-Ireland semi-final clash with Kilkenny. The winners will face Cork in the July 20 decider after the Rebels' impressive victory over Dublin. She revealed in a Q&A on her Instagram story: "Looking forward to it!! I've never been to a hurling match in Croke Park." The match comes a week after the 26-year-old ran a season's best time. She clocked finished third in the 400m in the European Team Athletics Championship in Maribor, Slovenia, clocking a time of 50.03. It was Mawdsley's first race since the sudden death of her father Thomas last month. She wrote on Instagram afterwards: "An emotional weekend but so grateful for those around me making it a little easier. "I don't want to continue to touch on this subject publicly however, I do want to express my gratitude to those who have helped me these last number of weeks. To those who helped me get to the start line, my competitors for being so gracious and understanding, to my teammates and the staff this weekend for their help, they trusted me, when I wasn't sure I even trusted myself. "I will never be able to express my thanks to all of the people who have been there these last number of weeks (I hope you know who you all are) but I will never forget it. "Now we can look to the next race where I will start on home soil in Morton Games on July 11th"
Irish Independent
19 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Kerry GAA club to honour legends of the green and gold
Football is an important part of life in the east Kerry village which is why it makes sense to host a special football celebration in association with its annual Flesk Fest at Barrduff Community Field. All roads lead to Glenflesk on July 17 (8pm) when they honour the rich legacy of Kerry football. This ticket only event brings together legends of the game and the fans for whom their efforts have always been greatly appreciated. It promises to be an unforgettable evening of stories, pride and, of course, reminiscing about the greats of the county who have worn the green-and-gold of Kerry. Among the itinerary is a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Kerry's historic 1975 treble of senior, minor and U21 titles – a haul that laid the foundations for a glorious period in Kerry that lasted until 1987. All three captains will be in attendance as Mikey Ned O'Sullivan from Kenmare, Kevin O'Donoghue from Glenflesk, and Robert Bunyan from Ballydonoghue will field questions as part of a 'reeling in the years' evening. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the 2000 All-Ireland champions – a team captained by the one and only Seamus Moynihan from Glenflesk. Seamus was named Man of the Match in the replay win over Galway and he will be joined on the night by fellow teammates to share stories of their journey and triumph. The remarkable achievements of Kerry's historic nine-in-a-row ladies team will also take centre stage in the Flesk Fest Marquee. From 1982 to 1990, the Kingdom's ladies were a dominant force in football. The legendary Mary Jo Curran from Beaufort – holder of 10 All-Ireland medals and 10 All-Stars – continues to inspire as a coach and role model. She will be looking back on that glorious era. Recently retired Kerry star Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh from Corca Dhuibhne will be in attendance to discuss her glorious career that was capped with a senior All-Ireland medal in 2024. The five-time All-Star represents the pinnacle of modern excellence and continues to inspire the next generation of players. The conversations will be steered and hosted by the dynamic duo of Ambrose O'Donovan (1984 Centenary Kerry captain) and Tim Moynihan – the voice of Radio Kerry. The marquee includes a fully licensed bar. Tickets are €15 each with limited availability. Pre booking is advisable. They can be purchased: Online using the following link: By Telephone: 087 9727537.
