Epicurean food Hall closed

marvin42

Happened already some weeks ago, but might be worth to be mentioned here. Quite sad to see this place gone, as it was a good place to grab some reasonably priced food and have a break while shopping in city center. Does anyone knows why they had to close?

cactusgal

marvin42 wrote: »

Happened already some weeks ago, but might be worth to be mentioned here. Quite sad to see this place gone, as it was a good place to grab some reasonably priced food and have a break while shopping in city center. Does anyone knows why they had to close?

Really?? That's such a shame! I'm really surprised to hear that.

Hugo_Whoriskey

I was told by another business owner in the area it's being turned into retail space

Walter H Price

**** , that place had some of the best tapas in Dublin

stimpson

It will always be the Abbey Mall to me

GreyEagle

So where can I get some nice fresh Hot Cross Buns now?

FreudianSlippers

Walter H Price wrote: »

**** , that place had some of the best tapas in Dublin

Fusion Brazilian Grill and Mama Mia are still open FYI. I am not sure if they will close eventually, but I was on North Lotts earlier and they were open.

Arthur Daley

Ah for God's sake. Epicurean was a great place. Why do we need more retail space? Cheap healthy varied food is needed not more retail space with clery's sitting there empty. The number of decent food places that survived the worst of the last few years that are now closing is depressing.

Mesrine65

Made my way to the Epicurean Food Hall with my 2 kids last Sunday, I've been banging on about the place to them for ages...

What an absolute disappointment when we arrived to find the place closed.

I'm going to miss the melting pot of global cuisine that was & the social aspect of the communal dining area.

MadDog76

marvin42 wrote: »

Epicuren foot Hall closed


Happened already some weeks ago, but might be worth to be mentioned here. Quite sad to see this place gone, as it was a good place to grab some reasonably priced food and have a break while shopping in city center. Does anyone knows why they had to close?

You'll just have to buy your feet elsewhere ........

LollipopJimmy

It's been a long time since any quality food was served in there. In recent years it turned into a filthy horrible place full of food of questionable quality

Hugo_Whoriskey

LollipopJimmy wrote:

It's been a long time since any quality food was served in there. In recent years it turned into a filthy horrible place full of food of questionable quality

Think you're a bit off the mark there, ugly duckling, the burrito place (which I prefered when it was in its older incarnation) and the Spanish place were still very good.

Greenmachine

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

It's been a long time since any quality food was served in there. In recent years it turned into a filthy horrible place full of food of questionable quality

Not too far off there. Healthy is the last thing the food coming out of there is.

As an aside... Don't get me wrong, I am impressed by the turnaround in the site, I remember when the 66 used to run from the front of the mall and there was a pokey little Newsagent in the front and a tarot card reader in the back. The place was always a hive of activity any time I was dragged there.

strandroad

Hugo_Whoriskey wrote: »

I was told by another business owner in the area it's being turned into retail space

That's a pity, when I saw it closed I assumed that it's for refurbishment (admittedly badly needed)...
I'll miss my occasional Greek plate!

BeerNut

Hugo_Whoriskey wrote: »

Think you're a bit off the mark there, ugly duckling, the burrito place (which I prefered when it was in its older incarnation) and the Spanish place were still very good.

Ugly Duckling left the Epicurean in January.

Hugo_Whoriskey

BeerNut wrote:

Ugly Duckling left the Epicurean in January.

Ah, hadn't been since the new year. They possibly knew their fate. My point re: decent food in a clean environment recently still stands I feel, January isn't a long time as the other poster said.

ixoy

Hugo_Whoriskey wrote: »

Ah, hadn't been since the new year. They possibly knew their fate.

They did. I asked the owner in George's Street Arcade and they said that their lease ended and knew it was closing so they shut down. Still have this branch.

Saburrito's also closed there but opened up on Dame Street. They were, under their previous name, out serving burritos long long before Boojum kicked off their popularity.

Outside of that, I'd found Mamma Mia good enough (for the price of my voucher!) as well as Istanbul but the place overall used to be better. That and other places have upped their game.

Poxyshamrock

stimpson wrote: »

It will always be the Abbey Mall to me

How long ago was that? :pac:

humberklog

It's going to be a Dealz store now. I've a shop in George's Arcade and the same group owned Epicurion.
Apparently it hasn't been doing the business in the last year.

Hugo_Whoriskey

Couldn't think of a worse outcome retail wise

dudara

A real pity. It was such an exciting place to visit when I first started travelling to Dublin years ago. Every trip to Dublin involved checking out what was new at the Epicurean. Then when I moved to Dublin 10 years ago, I ate there regularly also.

Sundew

Haven't been in town for ages but am also very to hear that.
My O.H has fond memories of buying Tapes of " The Smiths" in there many moons ago.
That means we will have three Dealz all within a stones throw of each other as well as that Euroshop place! Does D.C.C not have rules about how close certain branches of the same store can be from each other?

strandroad

Hugo_Whoriskey wrote: »

Couldn't think of a worse outcome retail wise

Just what north city centre badly needs, more crapwares...

Carlos Orange

Haven't been in there in forever but still a shame to hear.

SarahMollie

TBH the place was on a downward spiral for a while. I heard the rents being charged were very high and thats why a lot of business in there werent lasting and moving out.

I'll very much miss La Corte for excellent and reasonable Paninis and Coffee.

ED E

ixoy wrote: »

Saburrito's also closed there but opened up on Dame Street. They were, under their previous name, out serving burritos long long before Boojum kicked off their popularity.
.

Does anyone actually like them though? Used to work near their North Earl branch and it really was terrible. I'll eat at any of the other players but after two visits I never went back to Saburrito.


Epicurean was nice but its not the kinda place I found myself regularly even though I was a fan. It just wasnt something you really went out of the way to visit and because it was slightly hidden it probably missed all the tourist business. With a wide entrance that was more inviting and in Temple Bar prospects might have been better.

OleRodrigo

The city needs a good ethnic food hall. Not sure of the EFH was the ideal spot for one, but surely it can't be that difficult to put one together. There needs to be more choice between a restaurant and fast junk food.

The south asian one in the Moore Street Mall is good, if a bit small. Could do with a few more vendors.

Birneybau

Don't know if anyone has been in the English Market in Cork but that's the model they should have followed.

Fresh produce from local suppliers, good tasty food to eat in or take away and the odd great restaurant. Pity.

strandroad

Birneybau wrote: »

Don't know if anyone has been in the English Market in Cork but that's the model they should have followed.

Fresh produce from local suppliers, good tasty food to eat in or take away and the odd great restaurant. Pity.

The new Iveagh Markets is supposed to be just that... not sure what the progress is like over there?

VincePP

mhge wrote: »

The new Iveagh Markets is supposed to be just that... not sure what the progress is like over there?

Opening 2018, so a bit of a wait. However from the plans, it looks like it will be worth it. - About €100 million being invested.

dpe

mhge wrote: »

The new Iveagh Markets is supposed to be just that... not sure what the progress is like over there?

Southside. Typical. Something like the English Market is exactly what Henry Street/O'Connell St. needs to get people over the river. Its what Moore Street should be turned into instead of its current s*ithole/shrine status.

strandroad

dpe wrote: »

Southside. Typical. Something like the English Market is exactly what Henry Street/O'Connell St. needs to get people over the river. Its what Moore Street should be turned into instead of its current s*ithole/shrine status.

Northside fruit market is being redeveloped too, if I remember well? It's just a short walk away from the Epicurean...
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/plans-for-historic-dublin-market-approved-by-city-councillors-1.2123649

The state of Moore St is depressing, I agree.

suicide_circus

mhge wrote: »

Northside fruit market is being redeveloped too, if I remember well? It's just a short walk away from the Epicurean...
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/plans-for-historic-dublin-market-approved-by-city-councillors-1.2123649

The state of Moore St is depressing, I agree.

Moore St has been a shambles for 25 years plus

Riverireland

Sundew wrote: »

Haven't been in town for ages but am also very to hear that.
My O.H has fond memories of buying Tapes of " The Smiths" in there many moons ago.
That means we will have three Dealz all within a stones throw of each other as well as that Euroshop place! Does D.C.C not have rules about how close certain branches of the same store can be from each other?

They must be expecting the recession to go on for another few years so.

Wanderer78

Sad to see this go. Some great food in there

Strumms

I used to eat regularly there in a couple of the places but seemed to have lost its appeal over the years. The general area was in bad need of being done up so its a bit cheeky if the landlords were putting up the rent but not investing in it themselves. Dealz ehh yes just what we need, another deals....

Don't know what the Iveagh Market will be like but I'd hope for something along an Irish take on the San Miguel Market in Madrid which I could happily spend an hour or two in wandering about eating Tapas and having a beer or two.

Wanderer78

Strumms wrote: »

I used to eat regularly there in a couple of the places but seemed to have lost its appeal over the years. The general area was in bad need of being done up so its a bit cheeky if the landlords were putting up the rent but not investing in it themselves. Dealz ehh yes just what we need, another deals....

Don't know what the Iveagh Market will be like but I'd hope for something along an Irish take on the San Miguel Market in Madrid which I could happily spend an hour or two in wandering about eating Tapas and having a beer or two.

the increased rental rates may have been deliberate, to get them out. place was slowly being run down alright. wasnt great the last couple of times i went it there. use to be some fantastic smells from all the different types of foods.

LollipopJimmy

Hugo_Whoriskey wrote: »

Think you're a bit off the mark there, ugly duckling, the burrito place (which I prefered when it was in its older incarnation) and the Spanish place were still very good.

While they may have been good the food hall itself was filthy an in desperate need of refurbishment. Many many years ago I worked on tgat street and ate in there a lot and got my coffee from Cafe Mocha which used to join the food hall to Lotts Lane, it was a clean place then.
Had you used the toilets there recently? The owners really let the place go to bits

Chinasea

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

While they may have been good the food hall itself was filthy an in desperate need of refurbishment. Many many years ago I worked on tgat street and ate in there a lot and got my coffee from Cafe Mocha which used to join the food hall to Lotts Lane, it was a clean place then.
Had you used the toilets there recently? The owners really let the place go to bits

No, it was not filthy. It was a bit scruffy, a bit worn, but it was not dirty. There was a woman who worked there for years who scrubbed the place night and day doing the best she could with worn out goods.

Terrible shame it is closed down. Dublin is crying out for a bit of diversity.

Hanley

I stopped going there when Taco Taco and their amazing quesadillas left years ago.

It's been going downhill for a while imo.

Still, shame to see it gone.

LollipopJimmy

Chinasea wrote: »

No, it was not filthy. It was a bit scruffy, a bit worn, but it was not dirty. There was a woman who worked there for years who scrubbed the place night and day doing the best she could with worn out goods.

Terrible shame it is closed down. Dublin is crying out for a bit of diversity.

You contradict yourself there. A woman doing her best with worn out goods isn't good enough for an establishment that sells food. The place was filthy from a food safety perspective.

Chinasea

No it was not filthy. That is a cheap shot. We do have health inspectors. It was a bit worn but not dirty.

LollipopJimmy

Chinasea wrote: »

No it was not filthy. That is a cheap shot. We do have health inspectors. It was a bit worn but not dirty.

I'm not taking a cheap shot at anybody. I trained as a HACCP trainer. The place was filthy. The toilets were so bad they were unusable, plates were still used even though they had chips on them. Don't get me wrong, I loved the place once upon a time but it's standards had slipped entirely.

ixoy

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

I'm not taking a cheap shot at anybody. I trained as a HACCP trainer. The place was filthy. The toilets were so bad they were unusable, plates were still used even though they had chips on them

I haven't gone there much in the last year but my plates always got cleared very quickly. Are you saying they didn't clean them properly after that?

Would never have used the toilets mind you, didn't get a good impression for whatever reason.

Do think they could have spruced the place up a bit but it looks the owners were determined to drive the place into the ground. I really hope that it doesn't turn into a bloody Dealz as mentioned.

Northern Monkey

It's been gone a while, but I used to love the baked potatoes from the epi.

Arthur Daley

All told, the epicurean got a bit of a make over in the last few years, new chairs and lamp shades etc.the toilets I only used once they were passable. But considering this is a city centre foodhall and some of the clientele who pound the streets outside, I'd say it was difficult to keep the place clean and secure at times.

I looked at it as a city centre food hall where you could get a good mix of foods and try something different, there was a decent buzz about the place and I shall miss it. For what I was paying I wasn't expecting the savoy grill or something. I'm sure all the outlets were subject to the same checks as every other establishment so I was happy enough to eat there and give something a go once anyway.

John_Rambo

Arthur Daley wrote: »

All told, the epicurean got a bit of a make over in the last few years, new chairs and lamp shades etc.the toilets I only used once they were passable. But considering this is a city centre foodhall and some of the clientele who pound the streets outside, I'd say it was difficult to keep the place clean and secure at times.

I looked at it as a city centre food hall where you could get a good mix of foods and try something different, there was a decent buzz about the place and I shall miss it. For what I was paying I wasn't expecting the savoy grill or something. I'm sure all the outlets were subject to the same checks as every other establishment so I was happy enough to eat there and give something a go once anyway.

Yeah. Great place for cheap, decent food and in fairness, the prices reflected the food and there wasn't a pretense about it. Pitty about the job and business losses. The Italian coffee guy was great and the Asian buffet (ran by Romanians!!) were a lovely gang. It was great for families, students, people on low budgets. It had the maddest mix of people eating there from Roma Gypsies to Ross O'Carroll Kelly's.

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

While they may have been good the food hall itself was filthy an in desperate need of refurbishment.

They did a refurb. It wasn't filthy, you're exaggerating.

Confucius say

I dunno, overall the place was a bit sh*t. It was kind of cool years ago when the food scene wasn't as good as it is now in Dublin but it became dated and a bit tatty.
I was visiting London a couple of weeks ago and had forgotten how amazing the street food scene is there now. In some areas you come across stall after stall every few streets selling amazing cheap hot food. I wish we had more of this in Dublin, like a mini Borough Market. The Temple Bar one isn't great and the prices are ridic.

SarahMollie

I think there are some archaic laws preventing the wide use of food trucks in Dublin - something that I think most people would be in favour of having as they're typically a tasty alternative and you can get something different if the trucks move around a bit.

I agree that while there were a number of stand outs in the EFH, the place overall was low rent (despite actually charging high rents) and tatty. The refurb that many have spoken of was minimal and done on the cheap. They got the chairs and tables from some hotel that had closed down, and despite being sturdy enough, they didnt exactly give the place a lift.

I think the management of the place was finding it hard to fill units and therefore anyone who agreed to pay the rent was allowed to move in. There was no vision/focus on creating a really quality food experience.

BeerNut

Confucius say wrote: »

the prices are ridic.

Compared to Borough?

Confucius say

BeerNut wrote: »

Compared to Borough?

Yeah. 4 or 5 quid you get most of the things available from the stalls there for much better products in my opinion.

Actually it's probably not cheaper but I was happy to pay for the stuff in Borough given some of the amazing food available.