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13th February 2025
03:25pm GMT
Sometimes you just want the best pasta in Dublin, so we've made a list of the spots that do i
The next time you’ve had a questionable day, your mood tanks, or you catch yourself listening to Taylor Swifts All Too Well three times in a row (seek help), there’s one foolproof way to feel better: eat a bowl of pasta. That’s the word from science—or more specifically, a study conducted by the Behavioral and Brain Lab at the Free University of Languages and Communication IULM in Milan. Yes, that is a real place.
For this groundbreaking research (and by groundbreaking, we mean “stunningly obvious”), IULM scientists rounded up 40 people between the ages of 25 and 55, hooked them up to machines, and watched what happened when they ate pasta. Then, for some reason, they compared those results to the participants’ reactions while listening to their favorite songs or watching a sporting event. And guess what? Pasta beat sports and music at making people feel good. Who could have seen that coming?
According to the researchers, pasta was the clear MVP when it came to activating “cognitive memory processes,” which is a fancy way of saying it helped people remember stuff—though they didn’t specify what exactly. (Maybe they all suddenly recalled that time they ate an even better bowl of pasta.) It also outperformed both music and sports at generating positive emotions, which honestly makes sense because watching your team lose is a surefire way to spiral into existential despair, whereas pasta never lets you down.
The scientists even analysed participants’ facial expressions (because faces have subtitles) and found that people looked just as happy eating pasta as they did listening to their favourite songs. And, crucially, they looked significantly happier than they did while watching sport. We assume the saddest facial expressions were reserved for people trying to twirl fettuccine with a spoon.
In a statement from Vincenzo Russo, a Professor of Consumer Psychology and Neuromarketing at IULM, this study proves that “pasta and happiness are one.” He claims that it’s not just eating the pasta that does the trick—it’s the full, immersive experience of tasting and savouring it that unlocks deep-seated joy and positive memories. Which is an incredibly poetic way of saying that saucy carbs are the closest thing we have to legally regulated serotonin.
When asked when they typically eat pasta, participants gave wholesome answers like “with family,” “with friends,” or just “when I feel happy.” When asked how happy pasta made them, 76% responded “A lot,” while the other 24% presumably had their mouths too full to answer. Interestingly, only 40% considered pasta to be a “comfort food,” but that might be because Italians consume so much of it—99% of them eat pasta an average of five times a week, which is both inspiring and a level of dedication we should all aspire to.
But before you start citing this study as scientific gospel, keep in mind that it hasn’t been peer-reviewed or published in an academic journal yet. Oh, and it was commissioned by Unione Italiana Food, which—shockingly—represents Italy’s pasta producers. So, you know, there may be a slight vested interest in the conclusion that pasta = happiness.
Still, as Unione Italiana Food’s pasta-maker president Riccardo Felicetti puts it, “We always knew a good plate of pasta makes people happy, but we didn’t know why.” Well, now we sort of do. And while the researchers stopped short of prescribing pasta as a legitimate mood stabiliser, we’ll go ahead and say it: next time you’re feeling low, eat some carbs. That means you too.
So here are the ten best places to eat pasta in Dublin now that this very legitimate study has given you a very legitimate reason to.
Crudo
📍 Sandymount
Tucked away in Sandymount, Crudo is the kind of spot that feels like a local secret. The truffle cacio e pepe is pure luxury without any fuss. Just perfectly al dente pasta, glossy with cheese and black truffle. The kind of pasta that makes you linger for another glass of wine.
Perfect For:
A Rich, Indulgent Classic
Pairing Pasta with a Great Bottle
Feeling Like You’ve Discovered a Hidden Gem
Osteria Lucio
📍 Grand Canal Quay
Osteria Lucio is where handmade pasta gets the attention it deserves. The Capelli D’angelo is delicate, the maltagliati is robust, and every dish feels like it was plated with a painter’s precision. The sauces? The kind that need to be mopped up with a bitta bread.
Perfect For:
Handmade Pasta That Feels Special
A Wine List That Elevates the Experience
Indulging in the Messiest, Most Worth-It Twirls
Terra Madre
📍 Bachelors Walk
Terra Madre is tiny, candlelit, and all about simple Italian elegance. Their tagliatelle with slow-cooked ragu is the kind of pasta that makes conversation pause mid-bite. It is put your phone down good. Simple, rich, and impossible to rush.
Perfect For:
The Gold Standard of Ragu
Sinking into a Glass of Something Deep and Red
Forgetting the Rest of the World Exists
Bar Italia
📍 The Italian Quarter
Bar Italia has been quietly serving some of the best pasta in the city for years. It’s a classic spot where the pappardelle with wild boar ragu or the seafood spaghetti are always perfect. The kind of place where locals know to order order the special even before they know what it is. It's the perfect place to just let the kitchen decide.
Perfect For:
Traditional Pasta Done Right
A Classic Italian Dining Experience
Staying for Dessert Because You Can’t Help Yourself
Forest Avenue
📍 Leeson Street Upper
Forest Avenue approaches pasta with the same precision as everything else on its Michelin-approved menu. Handmade, perfectly sauced, and always seasonal. Their pasta dishes vary but are always an exercise in controlled indulgence. Expect something that looks small and minimalist on the plate but explodes with flavour and leaves you far more full than you thought it would.
Perfect For:
Elevated, Thoughtfully Crafted Pasta
Wine Pairings That Feel Designed Just for the Dish
Accepting That You Might Close Your Eyes Mid-Bite
Host
📍 Ranelagh
Host does pasta with attitude. Their orecchiette with nduja is spicy, messy, and exactly the kind of thing you order when you want something deeply satisfying. If you like your pasta bold modern and with the possibility of a good bitta steak on the side, this is your spot.
Perfect For:
Pasta That Makes an Impression
A Wine List That Matches the Heat
Food That Sparks Debate Over the Best Bite
Rosa Madre
📍 Temple Bar
Rosa Madre takes seafood pasta seriously. The linguine alle vongole is a masterclass in balance—garlicky, briny, and rich, while the lobster tagliatelle is a full event of a dish. The wine list here has gathered international acclaim. This is the Carbone of Dublin.
Perfect For:
The Best Seafood Pasta in the City
A Proper Excuse to Order Champagne
Living Out Your Most Extravagant Italian Fantasy
Sprezzatura
📍 Camden Market & Rathmines
Sprezzatura is where you go when you want excellent pasta that doesn’t break the bank. Their menu changes frequently, but the cacio e pepe is a permanent fixture for a reason. No fuss, no frills, just good food that somehow costs less than a round of pints. The blue cheese and wallnut pasta is my personal fave and would have you running to the kitchen to kiss the chef. Tongue and everything.
Perfect For:
Handmade Pasta on a Budget
A Night That Feels Casual but Hits the Spot
Proving That Great Pasta Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive
That’s Amore
📍 Monkstown
That’s Amore does pasta the way it should be done—simple, fresh, and packed with flavour. If you’re a purist who believes that great pasta doesn’t need embellishment, this is your holy grail. Doubly so if you're into lobster. This is also probably the best place to get an Aperol Spritz on a sunny day.
Perfect For:
Classic Pasta, No Gimmicks
Drinking Wine Like It’s an Essential Course
A Meal You’ll Keep Thinking About for Days
Grano
📍 Stoneybatter
Grano is Dublin’s best pasta spot, full stop. This is where to bring fussy Italian visitors who think nothing is good oputside of Italy. This is the place to pretend you're on the Amalfi coast. Every dish is made with ingredients straight from Italy, in conversation with local Irish produce. The impossibly delicate tortellini are not to be skipped. The wine list slaps way harder than it needs to. Grano is nothing short perfection.
Perfect For:
The Best Pasta in Dublin, No Question
A Wine List That Completes the Experience
Long Conversations Over the Perfect Plate