Two Dublin restaurants have just been added to the Michelin Guide

Katy Thornton

No surprises here.

Two Dublin restaurants have been freshly added to the Michelin Guide, both of which only opened in February of this year. The prestigious site released their Michelin Inspectors’ favourite new restaurants from December 2023, which included 16 restaurants from the UK, and two Dublin eateries – Lottie’s in Rathmines, and La Gordita on Montague Street.

Both Lottie’s and La Gordita made our list of the top new openings in Dublin in 2023, which is, you know, just as famous as the Michelin Guide, so we’re not surprised to see them here.

Lottie’s

From the minds Domini Kemp and Brian Montague, Lottie’s is a bistro with middle-of-the-road prices and a short but carefully put-together menu. Taking over from the much loved Lenehan’s, the restaurant had big shoes to fill here, but in the almost year they have been in operation, Lottie’s have made quite the impact amongst D6ers.

Tudorel Ostache is in the kitchen, bringing his extensive experience in restaurants such as Mister S, and Pichet, as well as a short stint in Chapter One to his curated dishes. The bistro has varied mains, including confit duck, venison round steak, for BBQ lovers, and fennel and brown butter hake for seafood aficionados. The roasted cauliflower is on offer for vegetarians, and you can get in touch with dietary requirements ahead of time.

Where Lottie’s really shines is with their extensive drinks menu; where they’re light on food, they’re heavy on cocktails and mocktails. While they have all the classics (Cosmo, Pornstar, Old Fashioned) Lottie’s shakes up their own signature bevs, including a salted caramel espresso martini that would work perfectly as a nightcap.

This is what the Michelin Guide said about Lottie’s.

“There’s a terrific buzz in the air at this stylish brasserie-style restaurant, where the unfussy cooking is a fine accompaniment to the lively surroundings. Irish produce is the bedrock of the menu, in hearty, flavour-packed dishes like Andarl Farm pork chop with cabbage & violet mustard, parsnip and a cider jus. The early evening menu is a steal and an extensive choice of cocktails are on hand to kick things off.”

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La Gordita

Coming 10 years after the only iconic Tapas de Lola opened on Wexford Street, La Gordita is a Spanish bodega-style restaurant that has small plates with big flavours. Described as the mature Tapas de Lola, La Gordita translates to the Spanish term of endearment “little fat one”.

While dishes may vary at La Gordita, they have all your classic categories such as carne, pescados, pica pica and curados y conservas. With huge cuts of meat designed for sharing, eating with your hands is not only more efficient but encouraged, with no disapproving looks of judgment. Dishes vary considerably in cost; some plates may only cost you €12.50 but the likes of the lobster is going to set you back €37, with a caviar and potato crisps dish costing €65, meaning this 2023 opener will likely be saved by most for a special occasion.

The wine list is ever-evolving, made up of French and naturally Spanish vinos to help wash down your sharing plates. La Gordita’s more mature flavours have lived up to the hype set for them by their sister restaurant, expertly settling into the Dublin hospitality landscape, like they have always been there.

This is what the Michelin Guide said of La Gordita:

“In an area of Dublin with a number of internationally-influenced restaurants, you will find the lively La Gordita – where Ireland meets Spain in perfect harmony. The restaurant is a reflection of its owners, Anna Cabrera (from Barcelona, but a long-time Dublin resident) and Vanessa Murphy (a Dublin native who has travelled Spain extensively). Together, through this cosy, friendly restaurant, they’re raising the profile of the Spanish dishes that have shaped their lives.”