Let’s be real here, we’re all suckers for a good Instagram.
We all know the spots: in front of a deadly Subset piece, by the canal, over a round of cocktails and most importantly, at a super stunning cafe or restaurant.
But where are the best eateries to get you snap happy?
Don’t you worry, I’ve got you.
This week I headed on a little adventure around Dublin City using the brand new Samsung Galaxy A50. There’s no better way to try out a camera than to take it around with me for the day while I skip down the canal and brunch in some incredible spots, right?
I put the device to the ultimate test, trying it out in various lit venues, using the slo mo feature for the perfect foodie shot and of course snapping a few cheeky selfies… Sure it has to be done, in the name of research of course!
Here are some of the most picturesque, aesthetically pleasing and Instagrammable places around Dublin:
1. The Cake Cafe
This place is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre and hidden away in its own little paradisal cocoon.
Take a stroll through The Last Book Shop on Camden Street (it still has that GORJ vintage book smell inside) and at the back, you’ll find a door that opens out to the cutest area with bamboo shoots, mosaic walls made from broken CDs, books, piano keys and tiles and colourful tables and chairs.
It’s an Insta-dream and the colourful tables make for stunnin’ food shots.
On the menu you’ll find seasonal, fresh and intriguing flavours. There’s an all day brunch menu that includes eggs and avocado, pancakes and scrambled eggs – each dish more delish than the last. You’d think this place is brand new and may have slipped under your radar that way but it’s actually been around for over 12 years, so it really has played an important part in the Dublin food scene.
You can tell that owner Ray puts his heart and soul into his business and his character really comes through, from the quirky crockery to the icing on the cakes beautifully presented at the top counters.
I used the Samsung Galaxy A50 to get a shot of sauce being poured on my dish using the slo mo camera feature and it turned out great – really high quality. It is also super quick to focus when taking food shots.
2. Granthams
Granthams have collaborated with Dunnes and Diarmuid Gavin to create a mini rainforest in the city centre.
This small space is filled from top to bottom with quirky plants that you can purchase as well as your coffee to-go. This makeover is better than we could have ever expected – all the Instagrams are going to be taken in here.
Inside the air feels greener and the scent of coffee mixes with the fresh aroma of various house plants – an odd but lovely mixture. The staff are all super sound and always up for a chat. If you’re hoping to chill and watch the world go by however, this may not be the ideal choice – there are no stools or tables, it’s very much a grab-n-go scenario.
The café is open Monday-Friday from 7.30am-7pm and on Saturday from 12-6pm.
The room inside is actually quite dark at the back but the camera was able to change the light settings accordingly which I liked. I also tried out the macro settings which gave the background a nice blur.
3. Nutbutter
Nutbutter is up there as one of my absolute favourite places to go for food in Dublin.
Located on Forbes St, it’s everything you want a place to eat in Dublin to be: affordable, beautifully designed, and serving the best Irish ingredients you can put on a plate.
Pops of turquoise lead the way into the dreamy interior – think swinging chairs with pale pink furry cushions, geometric table designs, plants aplenty and rose gold cutlery. Oh, and a beaut mural of the swans on the canal.
A focus on Irish ingredients mixed with more exotic ones means that menu is fresh and incredibly colourful.
The emphasis is on plant-based food, but if you want to have some protein (they do chicken, turkey, vegan pulled pork, smoked salmon, brisket and Sashimi grade tuna) you can add that on after.
Nutbutter opens from 7.30am-9.30pm, and brekkie options include Açaí bowls, porridge and a range of toasts
The Açaí bowls in Nutbutter use frozen blocks of Açaí berries straight from the Amazon to ensure the goodness and flavour of the Açaí is utilised to its very best – no manufactured Açaí powders here.
Toasts are made using bread from a baker in Inchicore, and include a seeded plant-based bread with toppings such as Nutbutter’s own “healthy” version of Nutella with bananas and salted seed mix or crushed avocado with red wine vinegar marinated onions and cacao nibs, as well as bee pollen and honey.
It’s deli-style here, so you order at the counter from the very friendly staff and sit yourself down.
Coffee comes from Silverskin Roasters, an award-winning Irish owned and operated boutique coffee roasting company who ran the famed coffee kiosk in Ballsbridge.
The beans are sourced from a small family farm in El Salvador, and it’s a wonderful aromatic coffee.
You couldn’t take a bad picture here if you tried.
Using the Samsung Galaxy A50 I was able to get some serious shots here.
It’s time to pimp out your Insta grid, don’t forget to share your fab snaps with us #LovinDublin!
