Look, us millennials are a vain bunch and we're alllll about that pretty and cohesive Instagram feed so it's only natural that when we go out for a bite to eat or a cocktail to sip we're drawn towards places that look fab.
The swings in Sophie's? It's not a night out without them and god help all the #boyfriendsofinstagram who have to stand there taking pic after pic of us holding our glass of vino and staring beautifully into the distance.
As much as we love a candid photo, sometimes there's a need for a flower wall backdrop or a casual swing to just make the 'Gram poppeth. Here are 12 of the best restaurants in Dublin to up your 'gram game:
12. Eden
Blanchardstown Main Street, more info here
This sweet little cafe in Blanchardstown, is new to the game, opening last Summer. Inspired by the Garden of Eden, has plenty of greenery, bright colours and a French-inspired patisserie menu with an Asian twist. It's a great little retreat if you find yourself in Blanch doing a bit of shopping- just stay away from the apples!
11. Doll Society Bar
101 Francis Street, more info here
Truly embodying the Summer of Barbie in firm rejection of Oppenheimer, this new spot on Francis Street has run through more than a lick of Pantone 219C. The big space which once held Anti-Social, is filled with plenty of IG-friendly backgrounds from neon signs that tell you to live your f*cking best life to flowerwalls, and props that vary from a photobooth to disco balls that double up as a glass. It's a space that does exactly what it says on the tin, providing a place for you and the gals to get a bit tipsy on some sugary cocktails.
10. Ladurée
1-3 South William Street more info
This spot on the corner of South William Street is a pretty as a picture, this is the French patissier's first Irish concession shop and tea room. The setting for afternoon tea is quite small, but that makes it intimate. Ladurée transports you to a small corner of France, with plush pink curtains and chairs. It's exactly what we imagine a Parisian tea room to look like, as if it came straight out of the 2006 Marie Antoinette film.
9. The Doghouse
Howth Dart Station, more info here
The Doghouse in Howth is great for so many reasons; you can have pizza and wine while sitting on a bed, they supply hot water bottles during the winter, and the outdoor (heated) area is famously dog-friendly. Oh, and it's like something out of an interior design magazine.
8. Café en Seine
40 Dawson Street, more info here
One of the city's most iconic venues, Café en Seine is a humungous space that centres around a beautiful covered terrace. The team are always cooking up a themed display at the Dawson Street spot, which never fails to hit be that a Whispering Angel garden or an Emily in Paris theme.
7. Glovers Alley
The Fitzwilliam Hotel, more info here
Set on the second floor of The Fitzwilliam Hotel, overlooking St Stephen’s Green, this Michelin-starred restaurant run by Andy McFadden is a pretty special place. Incredible food aside, it has to be one of the best-finished restaurants in the city, all 1930s gilt, fresh flowers, luxuriant pink and green hues and polished mirrors (including the ceiling).
6. SOLE
18-19 South William Street, more info here
Listen if it's good enough for Harry Styles it's more than good enough for us. This seafood restaurant in the middle of South William Street has one of the most beautiful dining spaces in the city, centring around a luxe seafood bar in the centre. They have a solid wine and bubble menu, with some very statuesque seafood towers.
5. Edition Cafe
88 Grafton Street, more info here
A bright and casual restaurant with feminine quirky interiors befitting its location (inside Brown Thomas). It's a handy little hideaway mid-shopping spree or just a handy way to escape the crush of Grafton Street below.
4. Be Sweet
Clarendon Street, more info here
One of the city's newest cafes also happens to be the sweetest. The photogenic cafe opened up in February and is serving super visual colourful lattes from blue spirulina and butterfly pea flowers.
3. Balfes
2 Balfe Street, more info here
Snuggly fitted into the salubrious surrounds of the Westbury Hotel, Balfes is a well-known spot to head to after you've done a spot of shopping on nearby Grafton Street. Its luxe interior makes it a popular spot for post-shopping haul pictures.
2. Thundercut Alley
Smithfield, more info here
Undoubtedly one of the most fun places you can eat in the city, Thundercut Alley does not take itself too seriously and the craic created by the incredible staff is infectious. It's got a dive-bar kind of feeling inside with every inch of the place decorated with posters, adapted paintings, stickers or graffiti. The food and drinks are also super fun, they tackle classics in a whole new way- I once got a deconstructed caesar salad in there that I haven't stopped thinking about.
1. Pink
34 South William Street, more info here
Pink Restaurant, much like ronseal does it exactly what it says on the tin, it's pink, very pink, with pink walls, pink decorations, pink drinks, and pink food. A popular spot for a girl's big day out, the place is always filled with tables celebrating baby showers, hen nights and round birthdays.
Have we missed any? Let us know on hello@lovin.comREAD MORE: The 24 best pizza spots you have to try in Dublin
