
06 Dec 2024
As the summer holiday season kicks off, we’re sure you’ll want to maximise time with friends, family, and the younger ones in your life. Dining out is one of the best ways to share time as a family, so Dish Cult has put together a guide for the best spaces to dine out during the school summer holidays. This guide features child-friendly diners and restaurants in summery locations. Without further delay, here is Dish Cult’s guide to the best restaurants to enjoy during the summer holidays!
Kickstarting this guide is Token. This place is brilliant for little ones who are into their computer games. It’s a social space, with a vast range of arcade games for all ages. Token hosts an all-ages Sunday, where families can come in to wind down and dine before sampling the 40 + game machines.
You’ll find a range of high-quality arcade style grub on offer at Token, with much of the ingredients being locally sourced. If you’re looking for a light snack before dance-dance marathon, the Bacon Cheebee is a good place to start. Bacon jam this good is hard to come by, and with American cheese being added over a grass-fed beef blend, you’ll be leaving Token stuffed and smiling. The vegan big mac is a great call for the little veggies out there too; the big mac sauce is truly exceptional. If your little ones aren’t too hungry, Token host a range of prime sides for under €10.
Staying in Dublin 7, All Bar Chicken is truly one of the top chicken restaurants in town! This place is great for parents to reminisce, as the 90s-esque décor and cheesy-pop tunes played over the day are great ways to show the kids your dodgy singing skills! We’d recommend starting out with the share platter of chicken wings, which range from mild to extra hot, depending on how much you want to spice up your life. If your little ones are still feeling the hunger, All Bar Chicken wraps are a great way to keep them happy. We’d recommend the Chicken Caesar wrap, complete with croutons, baby gem lettuce, veg, and lightly spiced Cajun.
From Dublin City out to one of our favourite neighbourhoods, Dalkey is an ideal place to grab a bite to eat with your family. After visiting the nearby Sandycove Beach or taking a boat trip out to the phenomenal Dalkey Island, where you can catch a glimpse of the island’s resident goats, the seaside village of Dalkey offers fantastic dining in some serene settings. With that said, Ouzos is top of that list.
Its recent makeover provides some fantastic outdoor dining space, and the interior is sleek and modern, with a beautiful, mirrored bar overlooking the main street of Dalkey. For the younger ones, we’d recommend taking advantage of the locally sourced seafood with a small portion of crispy battered fresh haddock, served with a side of mash or chips and tartar sauce. If fish isn’t their game, the 4oz gourmet beef burger can arrive to your table with all of the trimmings, or none at all! The staff are more than happy to cater to your family’s requests.
For something sweet, we have the fabulous Murphy’s Ice Cream in Dublin City. Murphy’s has been creating handmade, natural ice cream since 2000, with no additives or colourings. This gives you the real-deal and will have the kids smiling from ear to ear! What we love about Murphy’s is that you can try before you buy, ensuring no grumpy faces when you settle into the shop to cool down during the summer holidays.
For the chocolate loving tots, the smooth chocolate is made with 100 per cent Valrhona cocoa, arguably the best cocoa in the world. The brownie ice cream is a brilliant match too, decadent and gluten-free, this ice cream is produced onsite in Murphy’s original home in Dingle, Co. Kerry. Murphy’s offers some truly audacious flavours and infused ice cream; our favourites have to be the Irish brown bread or the chocolate whiskey.
Jamie Oliver’s restaurants hold a great reputation across Ireland and the UK, especially when it comes to healthy meals that appeal to kids. His Italian restaurant, located in Dundrum Shopping Centre, holds a bright and friendly atmosphere. There’s also plenty of activities to do with the little ones before your meal, with a crazy golf course and a 13 screen cinema within walking distance of Jamie’s.
For the younger ones, why not start out with a mini spaghetti Bolognese, complete with Jamie’s signature ‘seven-veg tomato sauce’, homemade pasta, and a healthy dose of parmesan cheese. Guaranteed to keep the kids smiling! If they’re in ‘hangry’ mode, the baby beef burger provides a good-sized portion, accompanied by lemony yoghurt and chips. If you’re looking to spoil them, Jamie’s organic ice lollies come in fruity apple or strawberry flavours. As for the adults, Jamie’s crispy squid is an excellent starter, as it’s battered in buttermilk and served with lemon and garlic mayo. For mains, Jamie’s Italian steak and fries is truly a highlight of the menu, served with spicy tomato salsa and a good dose of fries. If you’ve gotten somewhat jealous of the little one’s dessert, fear not! Jamie’s Amalfi lemon meringue cheesecake is delectable; the Italian meringue is as authentic as it gets, and the seasonal fruit compote is a fantastic touch.
Neon is a diner known for serving Asian-inspired food at affordable prices, making it ideal for a family meal. The place has an informal vibe to it, which means you can enjoy a relaxed meal with your little ones. There’s also a menu section just for kids that offers chicken pieces with curry sauce and rice, egg noodles with chicken, and more. For adults, we’d recommend a few small bites to start with (try the crispy rice balls and chicken satay skewers), and then one of the curry dishes as a main.
Casanova’s is one of the best pizza restaurants in Dublin, serving pizzas made from slow-rising sourdough alongside ingredients that are natural and high quality. At Casanova’s, you can spend some quality time with your family – and what better way to do it than combine conversation with good food? The restaurant’s philosophy is to keep things familiar but exciting. On the menu, you’ll find the classics such as Margherita and Hawaiian, and signature pizzas such as Diavola, – a mix of tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, chorizo, jalapeños, chilies and garlic. If you visit with your children, they can either munch on chips, chicken goujons and garlic bread, or share a pizza with you.
If you have kids that are a little older, the best way to connect with them is to take them out for dinner and a round of board games. The Square Ball is a bar known for quiz and bingo nights with long benches that encourage people to socialise. If you pop in for dinner, for a small rental fee, you can play a variety of games that are either strategic (like Monopoly) or more for a laugh (like Uno). Don’t forget to keep your energy high with one of the restaurant’s mains. We recommend chicken wings served with blue cheese sauce, but you can also go for chips or nachos to share.
If you want to enjoy a summer lunch with your whole family, Two Pups is a great option. And we mean it when we say the whole family since both children and your fur babies are welcome to join. When the weather is good, you can soak up the sun outside with a cup of coffee for yourself and something sweet for the little ones. There’s a range of treats available: from banana bread and croissants to classic cakes and tartlets, everyone will satisfy their sweet tooth. The venue is small but oozing with a positive and friendly atmosphere, so we recommend it as a perfect start to your summer holidays.
A summer holiday spent with your family is a special occasion and the perfect excuse to have a big dining event. The Merrion Inn is the perfect choice for it as it has a contemporary space and dishes made with locally sourced produce. The menu changes seasonally but the restaurant’s current recommendation is to try its homemade beef burger or Irish beef cheek. For children, the mains include smaller plates such as a cheeseburger, risotto and freshly battered fish. After the main meal, the little ones can indulge in ice cream, chocolate brownie or a cheesecake, while you can relax with a nice glass of wine. The staff are very friendly and the venue’s goal is to make sure every customer leaves satisfied, which we can guarantee you will.