Inspirational Italian at Toscana restaurant

Spotlight on Toscana in Dublin

It’s no secret that Dubliners love their Italian food and across the city you’ll find plenty of pizza joints, pasta bars, and everything in between. In travelling south outside of Dublin City you’ll come across plenty of serene villages and towns along the capital’s stunning coastline. Just around the corner from the picturesque Dun Laoghaire Harbour, neighbouring with the famous Teddy’s Ice Cream Parlour, lies a true hidden gem. Toscana is an experience in excellence, with supreme Italian dishes created with organic, local ingredients. This Dish Cult spotlight on Toscana will provide you with the best of its food offerings, drinks, and the spectacular scenery and atmosphere.

Stunning scenery

Toscana’s Dun Laoghaire venue truly allows diners to experience a combination of terrific, authentic food and views akin to those along the stunning coasts of Italy. When booking ahead, be sure to ask if a window seat is available. The tall and wide bay windows of Toscana provide near-panoramic views of Dublin Bay, and an amazing view of Howth.

The beautifully patterned walls and drapery provide an authentically Italian experience in one of Dublin’s most aesthetic towns. Expect a warm greeting from Toscana’s team, who are always on hand to provide advice and information about the offerings from the kitchen. Toscana offers a relaxed dining experience with impeccable service, unique atmosphere and emphasis on excellent food.

Classic cocktails and inspiring wines

Toscana’s wine list is a heavy hitter, with top shelf Italian wines dominating the list. If you’re planning to visit Toscana with a group of friends or family, we’d recommend sharing the house wine. The house red is a Monetepulciano D’Abrozzo Castellani, a fruity and easy drinking summer wine at a reasonable price of €29.95. However, if you’re out for a memorable date with someone special, Toscana’s Gavi Di Gavi is elegant, dry and crisp for €42.95.

If you’re in the market for a red, the rich, ripe and full-bodied Primitivo Codici is another contender at €37.95. Of course, you can avail of the wine offerings by the glass or half bottle.

Toscana provides excellent cocktail offerings too, which is brilliant when sharing some fantastic food among friends. What’s more is all of Toscana’s stellar cocktails come in under €12, which is a small price to pay for sipping on an Aperol Spritz and watching the sunset over Dublin City. Among our favourite cocktails is Toscana’s Amaretto Sour, The Limoncello Martini, or Toscana’s version of ‘The Godfather’. The latter cocktail combines amaretto and a beautiful Irish whiskey. Toscana’s team are always on hand to walk you through their cocktail offerings and will happily tend to special requests.

A la carte offerings

Toscana’s a la Carte offerings are filled with Italian classics and specialties. All of the ingredients are sourced from Toscana’s organic farm in Co. Wicklow, ensuring fresh and sustainable ingredients. Here’s a run-down of our favourites.

We’d recommend kicking off with the gnocchi, served with gorgonzola and spinach, fire roasted sweet pepper, and a healthy side of goat’s cheese toast. The flavour and texture combinations are spectacular, and it’s a great way to start your meal at €10.95. Moving away from the antipasti and onto the mains, we can’t recommend Toscana’s signature pizzas much more! The woodfire oven and traditional Italian pizza methods are delicious and our favourites include the ‘rustica’, which features Parma ham, goat’s cheese, red pepper, and black olives for €19.25. If you’re on the lookout for something simple yet spicy, the Diavola pizza features jalapeños, chorizo, and a healthy dose of parmesan for €18.95. The pizzas are certainly worth sharing with that special someone.

Toscana also offers an exceptional range of pastas, with unique combos and classic dishes. The linguine di pesce is a great mix of Italian cuisine with Irish ingredients, as fresh prawns and shellfish come together with a white wine bisque and linguine pasta. Among others, the venison ragu with rigatoni, or the classic spaghetti carbonara are terrific picks.

There’s also a fantastic beef burger for picky eaters out there, and if you’re looking for some Italian dishes away from the pizza and pasta, we’d suggest the Polla alla Toscana, which features chicken supreme with spinach, three cheeses, a Parma ham wrapped chicken, drizzled in white wine and mustard cream for €21.50.

Toscana’s specials

Toscana loves celebrating all occasions, big or small. It hosts fantastic group bookings, including communions and confirmations, a pre-theatre menu (with Dun Laoghaire’s Pavilion Theatre a stone’s throw away), and of course the wine and dinner for two. The latter option is a great way to experience Toscana for a date. For €70, expect two starters, two mains, and a bottle of wine from Monday-Thursday. Enjoy!

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