Filled with incredible spots to eat, drink and be merry, the choice in Dublin can sometimes get a little daunting.

Wherever you stand on the now-contentious debate that asks one of the universe’s true mysteries- is May the start of Summer or the end of Spring? There’s no debating that the month (wherever it falls) brings us stretchy evenings, the scent of the Maybush in the air and a rapid increase in the sale of Dunnes Stores shorts. The coming of May gives us plenty of cause for celebration, as we all work through those celebrations that have been postponed for the past two years.

To help all this catching up, we’ve whittled all the restaurants, cafes and portholes down to just six that we would recommend prioritising this May:

6. Cluck Chicken

Few who have sampled the stuff slung out of those bright yellow doors would be surprised that the Cluckers are opening their first brick and mortar spot in the Summer. The family-run truck has been beating out a great trade serving chicken burgers, tendies and loaded fries to the happy folks who have somehow circumnavigated the Walkinstown roundabout. Constantly reworking their menu and coming out with truly exciting specials week-on-week, the team don’t rest on their… nests. Get out to Walkinstown before there are delays back to the Long Mile Road and keep an eye out for news of their new spot in Tallaght once it opens.

You can find Cluck Chicken on Walkinstown (eircode is your best shout: D12K7F4) for more information click here. 

5. The Saucy Cow

Anyone who has been following The Saucy Cow journey on social media will be just a bit invested in the spot that opened up in Temple Bar. We watched as Roisin managed to overcome a brand new sink that cracked (gasp) and journeyed with her while she selected the perfect 1970s purple for the interior while renovating the new spot on a tight budget. Now that it’s opened, the spot in Crane Lane is fast becoming one of the city centre’s firmest faves with vegans and non-vegans alike. The Southern-inspired menu has been throwing some surprise specials into the mix (looking at you Buckfast bbq sauce). Since they’ve opened their social media continues to be one of the best in the business, serving up the pop culture memes you wish you could reference.

You can find The Saucy Cow in Temple Bar’s 19 Crane Lane (and The Bernard Shaw too) for more information click here. 

4. Luna

Every so often, a question gets thrown out to the gnashing online masses “What now-closed Dublin restaurant would you bring back?” and inevitably the name Luna hits the top of the billing. Clearly avid subscribers to this online discourse the owners of l’Gueuleton set about reopening Luna, which ultimately happened in December 2021. Unfortunately, the reopening wasn’t the return to form that we all expected, instead, it was a false start. But now four months on the team are re-reopening properly, with a team headed up by chef Ben Dineen serving up high-end NYC-Italian accented dishes, in the dimly lit luxury of Drury Street. Make your reservations while you can because once Luna is up and running, they will only come up once in a blue moon (sorry).

You can find Luna at 2-3 Drury Street, for more information click here. 

3. Spatched 

Dusting themselves of 00 flour and setting the pasta maker aside, the people behind Sprezzatura have taken up a deep-fryer and some burger buns for their new venture, Spatched. The name is a nod to what customers will be eating at the Rathmines spot, chicken cut just so, that it can be cooked perfectly with maximum crispiness. Naturally, it’s a chicken-heavy menu (with a chicken burger that looks set to rival Chimac in terms of sauce), loaded fries, and a drinks menu led by Winelab. The team are still in their soft-launch phase, pending the rollout of full service on Wednesday, May 11th.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc-oR26MX5O/

You can find Spatched on 223 Lower Rathmines Road, for more info click here. 

2. SOLE

The yin to sister-restaurant Fire’s yang, SOLE on South William Street places a focus on all things that live under the deep blue sea, with a few quality cuts of meat thrown in. Awarded the best Luxury Seafood Restaurant in Europe for three years in a row, with the luxuriant surroundings on South William Street it’s easy to see why. The newly revamped menu is a who’s who of Irish seafood suppliers, with each ingredient pulled from a different part of Ireland, rope-reared mussels from West Cork, Dublin Bay prawns and Carlingford rock oysters to name a few. Due to demand, the restaurant is now open 7 days a week, so there’s no excuse to hightail it over and wash down some quality seafood with a crisp white wine or two.

You can find Sole on 18-19 South William Street, for more information click here. 

1. Aobaba

What better way to celebrate the pedestrianisation of Capel Street (ETA May 20th) than popping into one of the many great spots on the street, Aobaba. By this stage, you might have been living under a rock if you hadn’t heard about this little unassuming Vietnamese, that serves up classics like Bánh mì, spring rolls and pho, with all the freshness that the cuisine is so well known for. It’s extremely affordable (as long as you have cash with you) and there’s plenty of outdoor seating where you will soon be able to appreciate the lack of honking car horns from.

You can find Aobaba on 46A Capel Street for more information click here. 

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