Eating like an Italian- Best Italian restaurants in Dublin City

WoollyRedHat

So I'm on the hunt for a pretty nice Italian restaurant in and around the city centre. In particular somewhere that serves some really nice pasta. Anyone recommend somewhere good. Thanks.

bamboozle

Don Mimi's in North Strand is a brilliant tiny italian with seating for 12-14 people. Cheap & cheerful but the food is incredible.

BeerNut

Best pasta I've had in Dublin was at Nonna Valentina. Il Primo is very good too, though more for risotto than pasta. I still go to La Taverna a fair bit but the food quality has been in a bit of a gradual decline lately.

Miguel_Sanchez

What's the name of the place beside La Taverna? Lovely food in there, and far better service that La Taverna where you have to wait ages for your food.

BeerNut

Jeff_Lebowski wrote: »

What's the name of the place beside La Taverna?

Bar Italia? Great reputation but I've never been a huge fan.

strandroad

Any recs for a good informal Italian in the city centre? The kind where you can come in on your own if you have some time to kill, get comfortable, read a paper - with good pizza and pasta?

BeerNut

La Taverna works for that.

Miguel_Sanchez

BeerNut wrote: »

Bar Italia? Great reputation but I've never been a huge fan.

That's the place. Had some form of pasta in there with black truffle oil. Amazing stuff.

Lux23

Plan B in Stoneybatter is fantastic.

http://www.menupages.ie/dublin/north_dublin/stoneybatter/plan_b/reviews

TrueDub

Manifesto in Rathmines and Pinnochio in Ranelagh are both excellent.

I am pie

I like Ciao Bella Roma nr temple bar. Last few times there have been a good few tables of Italian's in there (i can recognise a little bit of the language). Simple food, nothing fancy but the pizza & pastas taste like the real deal to me.

Econoline Van

Never had the pasta but if it's anything as nice as the pizza and bruschetta, Da Mimmo on North Strand could be a good choice. Lovely staff, even nicer food.

marco_polo

In addition to the above I quite like Carluccios on dawson street myself as well. Good food and a nice relaxed atmosphere anytime I have eaten there.

Chocoholic84

Russo's on Dame St is just GORGEOUS! Really p!Ssed me off 1st time there as service was so slow but because the food was so good I decided to give the service another chance, by going back a second time & it didn't disappoint. It's quite casual too. They have 2 courses for €20 early bird and you can pick anything off a la carte

Also love Toscana....even though the service is even slower there!!

Marty McFly

I quite like Lil Caesars behind the Orchard pub in Rathfarnham.

flo_indublin

Ciao bella Roma and La dolce vita in Temple Bar both have an informal atmosphere and are suitable for a laid-back lunch on your own. A tip on how to recognize an authentic Italian restaurant (that is, there's an Italian chef in the kitchen): if it offers pasta with chicken on the menu it's not authentic. Believe me, it never fails :-)

Answering the OP about pasta dishes, the two I mentioned do nice pastas, Bar Italia on the quays is good too and outside the city centre I like Bellagio in Terenure or Manifesto in Rathmines (btw, now there's a Manifestino opened in Rathgar that does take away, happy days!

A Disgrace

Steps of Rome on Chatham St is as an authentic Pizza and Pasta place I've seen outside Italy. The tiny proportions of the place, the small coffee bar and the delicious pizza. Perfect. It's also jammed with Italians.

Chocoholic84

There's one I completely forgot about - was there once - Il Vicoletto on Crow St (Temple Bar)

Stumbled on it by accident one evening, and it's a really cosy and intimate restaurant. Bit more expensive than the other Italians around but worth it!

Blackpitts

Manifesto in Rathmines.

thread/.

p.s. i am italian

flo_indublin

Blackpitts wrote: »

Manifesto in Rathmines.

+1

I had some gnocchi with beetroot in a basket of parmesan there, that were to die for..;-)

ibarelycare

Chocoholic84 wrote: »

There's one I completely forgot about - was there once - Il Vicoletto on Crow St (Temple Bar)

Stumbled on it by accident one evening, and it's a really cosy and intimate restaurant. Bit more expensive than the other Italians around but worth it!

I was just about to go looking for the name of this restaurant. Definitely the most authentic Italian restaurant I've eaten in in Dublin. Stumbled across it some Sunday afternoon. Very tasty, proper carbonara (just using eggs, no cream), lovely wines and meats, italian staff. Don't know if they do pizzas though, didn't see any on the menu that day anyway.


+1 for Steps of Rome too. Tiny little place but great for lunch and you could definitely go in there for lunch on your own, they have a couple of seats at the counter too. They do a great lunch special - starter, main course and a glass of wine for €9.50

Maldesu

Toscana on Dame Street. The calamari is beautiful as is the saltimbocca. Can get really busy though. They have a singer in on Sundays for a couple of hours.

Rocrules

Paolo Tullio strongly recommends 'Pinocchio' in Rathmines. He was plugging it big time on the Moncrieff show (Newstalk), and reckons it's the most authentic Italian restaurant in Ireland.

I haven't eaten there myself, but I'm going to try it the next time I'm in Dublin .

Here's Paolo's review in The Independant - http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/food-drink/restaurant-review-paolo-tullio-at-pinocchio-dublin-6-2926783.html

gara

Al Boschetto in Ballsbridge is delicious and has a wonderful ambience -gets very busy so reservations may be necessary

Miguel_Sanchez

Rocrules wrote: »

Paolo Tullio strongly recommends 'Pinocchio' in Rathmines. He was plugging it big time on the Moncrieff show (Newstalk), and reckons it's the most authentic Italian restaurant in Ireland.

I haven't eaten there myself, but I'm going to try it the next time I'm in Dublin .

Here's Paolo's review in The Independant - http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/food-drink/restaurant-review-paolo-tullio-at-pinocchio-dublin-6-2926783.html

That's Ranelagh, not Rathmines.

Although I like the sound of a small Italian restaurant with trains (trams) rumbling past.... reminds me of something.

brick tamland

Theres a tiny place on Batcholers walk, its in a basement about halfway between the halpenny and O'Connell st. Tiny menu and only a few seats but its really really good. Fecked if i can remember what its called though.

Paulo Tulio said recently the good italian chef has left that Pinochio place.

FreudianSlippers

brick tamland wrote: »

Theres a tiny place on Batcholers walk, its in a basement about halfway between the halpenny and O'Connell st. Tiny meny and only a few seats but its really really good. Fecked if i can remember what its called though.

Paulo Tulio said recently the good italian chef has left that Pinochio place.

Yes, that place is good (cannot remember the name either) and always full of Italians which is a good sign IMO. Taste of Emilia around the corner on Lower Liffey St. is an amazing salumeria/wine bar.

gmf1024

I believe it's called Terra Madre and I'm going with Freudian Slipper's recommendation of Taste of Emilia. It's absolutely lovely.

Chocoholic84

ibarelycare wrote: »

Don't know if they do pizzas though, didn't see any on the menu that day anyway.

They don't - I was most upset :P But the rest of the delicious food soon cheered me up!

Sandraf

I was in Il Primo earlier this week, its on Montague Street/Lane off Camden Street. Its really lovely and would definitely recommend it. Waiters are easy on the eye too which always helps!

WoollyRedHat

Thanks for all the replies thus far, will have to mull over them and decide! The Steps of Rome and Manifesto sound particularly appealing. What are the prices like for these places generally speaking. Like it wouldn't be eyes out of your socket prices would it? Thanks

ibarelycare

Steps of Rome is pretty cheap and cheerful. They have that great 9.50 lunch deal I mentioned earlier but their normal menu is very reasonable. Check menupages for menu and prices.

gillapino

A bit far out from city centre. But only a dart ride away Campo Di Fiori in Bray is the nicest Italian i've been to in Ireland ! They have there on food market aswell and deli open during the day for sandwiches, and pastas.

Lollymcd

I don't think I'd pass Il Vicoletto for Italian in Dublin but if it was closed I'd probably settle for Il Baccaro in Meeting House Square.

MyPeopleDrankTheSoup

Can't believe Juniors/Paulies Pizza out in Bath Avenue hasn't been mentioned.

Pimlico

Totally agree with LollyMcD in regards to Il Vicoletto on Crowe Street, Imo, you wont get a better Italian in Dublin, Genuine Italian food from genuine Italians, I love it. I don't even have a second choice because I've never eaten in any other Italian restaurant that comes close to Il Vicoletto.

Kooli

BeerNut wrote: »

Best pasta I've had in Dublin was at Nonna Valentina. Il Primo is very good too, though more for risotto than pasta. I still go to La Taverna a fair bit but the food quality has been in a bit of a gradual decline lately.

Nonna Valentina is gone. Noooooooooo!!!!