Dublin’s best breakfast spots

The Dropping Well in Dublin 6 is a go-to among locals for some of the best traditional breakfast in the city. The menu is small, focusing on quality over quantity, but the servings are anything but. The Well Full Irish is stacked with grilled bacon, sausages, black and white pudding, hash browns, grilled beef tomato, sautéed mushrooms, and free-range fried eggs. There’s toasted sourdough on the side for scooping and tea or coffee for washing it all down. Too much? Go for the Mini version. Meat not your style? Go Vegetarian or full Vegan. Either way, just go!

The award-winning Morgan Hotel in Dublin’s Temple Bar is home to 10 Fleet Street, where you can find one of the best breakfasts in the city. Serve yourself at the ready-made hot buffet and continental counter where you’ll find all your traditional favourites, and where you can top your plate with hefty portions without judgement. We recommend the Granola and Greek Yoghurt for starters, followed by the Full Irish Breakfast and then finished off with a freshly baked Pain au Chocolate. Because who said breakfast can’t be a three-course affair?

There’s something about a hotel breakfast that just hits the spot. The Charlemont Bar & Bistro in the Hilton Hotel on Charlemont Place offers a hotel breakfast that is fresh, tasty, and full of choice. Whether your morning calls for hearty or sweet (or both!), you’ll find something for you at the Charlemont Bar & Bistro. Add to your breakfast experience by enjoying it on the terrace area with views over the canal, the perfect place for a freshly baked pastry and coffee on a sunny Dublin morning. Or if you’re in the city for work and not play, impress your colleagues by organising a specialised business brunch.

Herbstreet is a family-owned neighbourhood spot that’s been slinging delicious food since 2008. The breakfast menu is reserved for weekends only, but we can confirm that it’s worth the weeklong wait. On the menu you’ll find Buttermilk Pancakes with your choice of toppings, thick brioche French Toast with rum buttered bananas, and homemade waffles with fried chicken. And don’t worry, the Full Irish is there too, served with locally sourced meat and all the traditional breakfast trimmings. For a lighter bite try the herbstreet eggs, cooked your way and served on a cheesy English muffin.

It may be argued that the humble egg is the biggest staple of the traditional breakfast. At Canal Bank Café on Upper Leeson Street, the team certainly think so. Breakfast here comes in the form of traditional-style omelettes, served with aged cheddar, smoked bacon and tomato or sun-dried tomato, feta cheese and basil. These eggy delights pack a punch in terms of protein, which is just what you need if you’ve got a big day planned. The ingredients are always of Irish origin and fully traceable from farm to fork too, so you know that you’re getting the good stuff.

You may recognise Donnybrook Fair for its wholesale foods, often stocked in your local Centra and a cut above the usual baked treats and home-cooked meal you’d find there. But did you know that you can also get the true Donnybrook dining experience by visiting the Loft Bar & Restaurant? On the menu you’ll find the classic Irish Breakfast in half or full portions, along with more adventurous breakfast offerings such as Crispy Confit Duck Waffle and Exotic Quinoa Salad. This Donnybrook establishment is run by renowned Dublin chef Christopher Allen, and its Dundrum Town Centre location makes it the ideal spot to fuel up before a day of shopping.

For a breakfast that’s a little different while maintaining a hint of the traditional, stop by Tang on Abbey Street. While Lebanese food does not scream traditional, there’s elements of Tang’s famous menu that provide that taste of tradition we crave. There’s the Wicklow Organic eggs, always free range, and the top-quality meat and veg, sourced from local farms, and the cakes, home baked in-house. The menu is a mixed bag of traditional food like Pancakes and Eggs on Toast, and more experimental breakfasts such as Shakshuka and Hummus Eggs. Evident in every dish is Tang’s commitment to making people happy through food.

The traditional Irish Breakfast at Lemon & Duke sits on the restaurant’s Brunch Menu among more modern dishes like Huevos Rancheros and Avocado on Sourdough. There’s plenty of selection to suit all tastes and preferences, but it’s the Lemon & Duke Breakfast that steals the show. The meat is premium, the tomatoes are on the vine, and the eggs are always free-range. Lemon & Duke is a Manhattan-style bar owned by former rugby players, located in the heart of all the city’s action. The perfect spot to enjoy your morning feast in style.

For breakfast goodness that will fuel your day out in the big city, early doors at The Eddison Restaurant is the way to go. Whether you’re after continental cheese and meats, American-style pancake stacks, cheesy omelettes, or the GOAT that is the full Irish, The Eddison’s got what you need in both quality and quantity. We recommend the Dylan Breakfast which has you covered for the full Irish experience. This tasty morning plate is served with all the traditional breakfast items you’re after, but it’s the Ballinwillin Wild Boar Black & White Pudding that steals the show every time.

For something on the lighter side, Board & Brewed in Dun Laoghaire offers top notch coffee and freshly baked pastries in a unique setting. But the well-crafted coffee at Board & Brew is just the tip of the experience you’ll get here. The first of its kind in Dublin, this board game café was built on an appreciation for play, a passion for human connection, and a desire to revive face-to-face interaction. If you’re a morning person, don’t hang around until evening time to socialise. Get down to Board & Brewed first thing and start your day with good coffee, good friends, and good games, turning the simple ritual of breakfast into a happy memory.