‘I visited 12 Dublin pubs and here’s where you’ll find the best pint of Guinness’
Mention you’re thinking about visiting Dublin and you’ll struggle to find anyone that has a bad word to say about the Irish capital. Perfect for those looking for a fun and friendly city break that’s quicker to get to from the UK than most English cities; it’s a popular choice with groups of friends, those celebrating special occasions, and, of course, lovers of Guinness.
And so, with the promise that “it really does taste better over there” and armed with our checklist of perfect pint criteria – including the pour, the creaminess and the craic – we headed on a ‘stoutcation’ to Dublin to discover the city’s charm for ourselves.
If you want to find out where the locals like to drink, get chatting to your taxi driver; after our half-an-hour cab ride from the airport to the city centre, we had our hit list of hotspots ready to go.
We loved The Long Hall (Bruce Springsteen’s favourite), The Brazen Head (Dublin’s oldest pub, dating back to 1198), the brilliantly named Hairy Lemon for live music at night, and, our taxi driver’s personal winner (and also reportedly Bono’s), Grogan’s: with paintings for sale covering the walls and the artists often found drinking in the pub’s corners, it’s full of character, and staff poured an impressive pint.
Locals will tell you to avoid The Temple Bar Pub – unmissable with its light-up shamrocks outside and traditional fiddle and penny whistle live music spilling out of its doors – because of the crowds of tourists and the high prices, but we found it fun and quite charming. Stop by early in the day to avoid having to jostle for space at the bar.
You won’t feel excluded in Dublin if you’re not a drinker either, as most of the pubs serve zero-alcohol Guinness.
We chose the perfect base for our trip, The Chancery Hotel, which opened last year. It couldn’t be better located for exploring, just behind Dublin Castle and a five-minute walk to Temple Bar, the city’s most famous neighbourhood for pubs, restaurants and live music.
Rooms at The Chancery are modern, stylish and comfy, with toiletries from trendy skincare brand Votary, swish motion-operated door sensors, and impressive views over the city.
Breakfast is a small-but-perfectly-formed buffet (don’t pass over the Guinness soda bread), while its Fawn restaurant serves elevated bistro dishes. And if you want a break from drinking beer, the hotel’s bar makes a mean espresso martini from an incredibly impressive cocktail list.
If you have time, make use of The Chancery’s small basement wellness suite complete with jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and treatment room – the 30-minute back massage is especially handy for squeezing in on a busy city break.
There’s something to suit all taste buds in Dublin, from light snacks to fine dining. Lots of the more traditional pubs serve simple toasties or coddle (an Irish stew).
Bambino – which sells New York-style pizzas whole or by the slice – is a must. Popular with locals and visitors alike, don’t be put off by the queue; it moves quickly, and is totally worth the wait – it’s one of the best pizzas I’ve ever eaten.
Other recommendations include Cleaver East, a stylish Asian fusion restaurant, Fade Street Social for wood-fired dishes, and both Hugo’s and Sole for fancier fare.
No Dublin stoutcation would be complete without a visit to the Guinness Storehouse. Yes, it’s touristy, but it’s fascinating; you’ll easily spend a couple of hours inside, learning about the brewing process and history of the beer.
Every tour ends with a pint in the rooftop Gravity Bar, and you can buy add-ons, such as getting a selfie printed on your beer’s head, and learning how to pour the perfect pint yourself.
If you have time to venture a little further out, head to Glasnevin Cemetery, where a number of Irish notaries are buried, and the historic John Kavanagh The Gravediggers pub.
Trinity College’s beautiful buildings are also worth a wander around, while the Book of Kells Experience, situated in the university’s breathtaking Hogwarts-like library, is expensive but undeniably impressive.
And as for which pint came out on top? Surprisingly, we unanimously agreed that the serves we poured ourselves at the Guinness Storehouse were the winners, whether due to their straight-out-of-the-barrel freshness or the satisfaction of pouring them ourselves. I’ll let you discover your own favourite, though, in a city that’s impossible not to fall in love with.
How much does it cost to stay at The Chancery Hotel?Rooms at The Chancery Hotel start from €250 a night.
You can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.
Daily Mirror
