Whether you're craving pub grub, pad thai or some of the best ramen in the country, Camden Street has you covered.
Not necessarily one of the most frequently trodden streets by tourists and visitors to Dublin, Camden Street has a lot to offer in terms of lunch spots, cafés and cosy date night locations.
Handily located between Stephen's Green and St. Patrick's Cathedral and walkable to from pretty much everywhere in Dublin city, Camden Street is probably primarily known for the crowds spilling out of buzzy pubs like Devitts, Flannery's and Ryan's - but it's also home to some of our favourite places to grab a bite.
If you've been tasked with selecting a venue for an upcoming lunch or dinner, we're here to help - here are 16 spots we recommend trying on and around Camden Street.
16. The Cake Café
You'll find the Cake Café tucked away on Pleasants Place - keep up with them via Instagram.
You'd be forgiven for walking right past this tranquil sun trap off Camden Street for years without knowing it - it's a secret garden in the middle of the city known for its highly Instagrammable desserts and colourful brunch dishes which are served all week long.
You can enter the Cake Café through The Last Bookshop on Camden Street (making it an even more wholesome experience), then relax and sit back with a flat white and a slice of fluffy, perfectly iced sponge, comforted by the knowledge you know of a secret spot no one else does.
15. Devitts
Devitts is located on Camden Street - keep up with them right here.
It can be tough to find good pub grub right in the middle of the city - nowhere does it better than your local carvery, after all. But if you're looking for something hearty without having to head out to the sticks, Devitts have you covered with creamy bowls of chowder, fresh fish and chips and sizeable burgers - they also do a decent fry-up if you're there around breakfast time. To accompany your feed, there's live music every night of the week at this linchpin Dublin pub, and the pints are among the best in town.
14. Neon
Neon is located on Camden Street - keep up with them via Instagram.
Neon is known and loved by Dubliners for its hefty servings of Asian street food, no-fuss interiors and of course, their self-serve free ice cream cones for dessert.
Always a handy place for a relaxed, casual bite, Neon is one of those rare spots that offer a wide array of dishes but does them all well, whether it's a creamy curry, noodle broth or a crunchy salad you've a hankering for. Originally opened with the aim to provide street food at a lower price, the costs involved in hospitality in Ireland have taken their toll and Neon's prices now match those you'll find at most Asian eateries in the city. However, the food's still great and this Camden Street classic is definitely worth a visit.
13. Yeeros
Yeeros is located on Wexford Street - keep up with them via Instagram.
Greek gyros are the kind of dish primed to be the subject of the next Dublin food trend (we tend to pick one cuisine and fixate on that and nothing else for a number of months - it's how the city works). We foresee plenty more wraps lovingly stuffed with flame-grilled meat and tzatziki populating town in the not-too-distant future but for now, Yeeros is flying the flag and doing it well.
Originally operating out of Drumcondra, Yeeros graced Wexford Street with its presence in December of last year and Dublin 2 has never looked back - we can't get enough of the pillowy pitas, cheesy croquettes and delicately layered baklava for dessert. An elite spot for lunch or a casual dinner that won't break the bank.
12. The Morning
The Morning is located on Pleasants Street - more info over on their Instagram.
Consistently one of the best cups of coffee in Dublin, The Morning is always top of my recommendation list for people visiting the city. With great brews from a conveyor belt of speciality roasters, freshly baked treats and a famed focaccia offering, this is one of those cafés you just can't go wrong with. Order takeaway at the hatch or take a seat in their effortlessly hip dining room next door and bring your dog along if you have one - they'll be welcomed with open arms.
11. Doughboys
Located on Charlotte Way at the bottom of Camden Street - keep up with Doughboys right here.
This crayon-red corner deli is the type of establishment you're guaranteed to walk out of with a full, happy belly - whether it's their famous meatball parm dripping in melty mozzarella or their classic breakfast baps, sandwiches from Doughboys simply never miss. Their vegetarian options are equally satisfying - go for the veggie parm with chickenless tenders or avocado, egg and cheese bap to sort yourself right out. There's a reason why napkins are stacked on every table, 'cos you'll need plenty of them for these sauce-laden sambos.
10. Delahunt
Delahunt is located on Camden Street - keep up with them via Instagram.
If you've been tasked with choosing a venue for date night and want to impress, the unceasingly swish décor and carefully compiled tasting menu at Delahunt can't be bet. With nods to old Ireland across its menus and interiors, an evening at Delahunt is a bit like a visit to your granny's but with a Michelin makeover. Modern and traditional in equal measures, Delahunt offers a truly unique dining experience in a Victorian setting.
9. Sprezzatura
Located on Camden Market - more info is available right here.
Sprezzatura is known for being one of the tastiest pasta joints in Dublin, as well as the most affordable.
There isn't an Instagram feed in Dublin that's been safe from snaps of the restaurant's carbonara, blue cheese mafaldine and arancini balls over the last couple of years, and with good reason. Since opening in 2019 Sprez has firmly established itself as the go-to spot for pasta in Dublin, due in part to their affordability but largely due to the second-to-none quality of the dishes. Fresh pasta paired with seasonal ingredients and wine on tap - it doesn't get much better.
8. Hang Dai
Hang Dai is located on Camden Street - keep up with them via Instagram.
Hang Dai burst onto the Dublin food scene back in 2016, quickly gaining a reputation as one of the *
coolest* restaurants in town.
Regularly gaining viral status for dishes like its
€100 spice bag and signature wood-fired duck, Hang Dai's sound system is almost as revered as its food and the combination of both elements has made it a go-to spot for dinner that doubles as a session. DJ sets are as carefully curated as Hang Dai's bespoke Chinese-fusion menu, and the result is a dining experience that's had the city talking consistently for the past seven years. Proudly Irish in terms of its suppliers, Hang Dai uses the best produce found on the island to create crowd-pleaser dishes you'll remember for a long, long time.
7. Las Tapas De Lola
Las Tapas De Lola is located on Wexford Street - keep up with them right here.
Las Tapas De Lola is beloved by Dubliners for its welcoming, family-style dining room, its mastery of Spanish cuisine and most importantly, its croquetas, those crispy, hand-rolled babies simply can't be bet.
Lola is Spanish-Irish owned and a mainstay of the Dublin food scene at this stage, so much so that owners Anna and Vanessa expanded last year with
La Gordita, a bodega-style eatery just around the corner on Montague Street. Opened at the site formerly occupied by Gerry's, arguably
Dublin 2's most iconic café ever, La Gordita had big brogues to fill but it's risen to the challenge with comforting dishes, a great wine selection and a warm atmosphere.
6. Mister S
Mister S is located right in the middle of Camden Street - more info and order inspo available on their Instagram.
If you are looking for a guaranteed good meal and exemplary service, Mister S is your man. The team are experts in all things smoke and fire, using the very best of Irish ingredients. Time and effort are key in this elevated kitchen, no process too long, no methods too fiddly, if the end result is worth it for these guys. They are well know for their meat - hello Burnt End Rendang Spring Rolls- but are becoming increasingly well known for their treatment of fish. Michelin-listed the team use the best of Irish ingredients giving them the love and attention they deserve to create complex and layered dishes. The Mister S trademark is their expert treatment of meat and fish, with immaculately prepared sides to accompany them. Their crispy potatoes will blow your mam's Sunday spuds out of the water (she never needs to know), and their €19 steak frites are a fail-safe lunch option for cosmopolitan carnivores.
5. Green Bench
Located on Montague Street, just off Camden - Head to their Insta for daily specials.
Every day at lunchtime, Dubliners flock to this unassuming shop front in Dublin 2 after scouring their Instagram page to find out the specials of the day. Don't let the winding queue put you off - Green Bench are a well-oiled machine when it comes to moving through the rush with ease and there's a reason they're one of the city's most beloved sandwich spots. If you're paying them a visit, head to their Instagram to check what daily specials they're slinging and if they've got the Hoi Sin pork with herby stuffing on, you're legally obliged to order it.
4. Frank's
Frank's wine bar is located on Camden Street - keep up with them right here.
Frank's was a trailblazer in terms of the recent wine bar trend in Dublin, setting up camp inside a former butcher on Camden Street. Beneath the original butcher's awning, you'll find an extensive wine offering with bottles from all regions to take home or enjoy around their long, communal table, with an ever-changing à la carte menu to accompany. Owners David Bradshaw and Katie Seward bring their combined experience of working in bars and restaurants across Dublin, France and London to this intimate spot, with good vibes and elite wine pairings for every dish guaranteed.
3. Pickle
Find Pickle on Camden Street Lower, and keep up with them via Instagram.
You'll rarely hear Indian food in Dublin discussed without the mention of Pickle, a stalwart of the scene known for its impressive combining of North Indian cooking with the best Irish ingredients. Famed for dishes like its ever-popular Goat Keema Pao and coveted chef's tasting menu, Pickle is the kind of spot you book well in advance and salivate over for months after visiting. You'll have a lot of people recommending this bottle-green eatery to you if you're Dublin bound, and for good reason.
2. Dash Burger
Find Dash Burger on Kevin Street, just around the corner from Camden - keep up with them via Instagram.
Considered by many to be one of the best burger joints in town, Dash Burger was launched in 2020 by veteran proprietor Barry Wallace.
Serving up George Motz-inspired smash burgers in a potato bun with caramelised onion, it's easy to see how Dash has gained a cult following in the city. Patties are smashed into thin, crispy-at-the-sides smithereens without losing any of their juicy flavour, and bound together with a burgers best friend - American cheese slices. Garnished with just the right amount of pickles and Dash's special burger sauce, you've got one of the best bites you could hope to come across.
1. Nomo Ramen
Nomo Ramen is located at 4 Charlotte’s Way at the bottom of Camden Street - you can keep up with them via Instagram.
If you're looking for ramen in Dublin, Nomo's comforting bowls with their trademark Tori Paitan broth need to be at the top of your list. Opened in April of last year, Nomo is the result of years of research and soup-supping across the globe by head chef Kevin.
Kevin became obsessed with ramen at a young age and tried it in every city he visited, and his groundwork has culminated in a signature 8-hour simmered broth, custom noodles and the obligatory marinated free-range egg placed carefully atop. The thought and care put into every ingredient sing through each bowl, and there's a great selection of Japanese starters to accompany.
Header image via Instagram/Delahunt/Nomo
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