When Arthur Edward Guinness donated St Stephen’s Green to the city of Dublin, he probably did not envision that the public park would become the playground for aggressive seagulls seeking to steal your lunch. With this avian threat in mind, we’ve come up with six alternative city centre locations for your next lunch al fresco.
Chancery Park and Oxmantown
One of Dublin’s less-celebrated parks, Chancery Park is located beside the Four Courts in Dublin 7. It is a small but perfectly formed garden with benches, a fountain and an art deco railings and entry. Located a three-minute walk (that constitutes hop-skip-and-jump, right?) is Oxmantown’s Mary’s Abbey location. This independent sandwich shop deals in classic ham and cheese sambos, Reubens, fresh salads and bakes.
St Patrick’s Park and Morso
Associated with Ireland’s patron saint, this Dublin 8 park in the Liberties makes for a charming city centre lunch spot with plenty of outdoor seating.
Pair the park with one of the hottest new lunch openings in Dublin this year, and you have yourself a winning combination. Morso opened two weeks ago to queues around the block. Among the first to get in was our own Conor Pope, who described the Chicken Parm as one of the best sandwiches he ever tasted. Located on Drury Street, it’s a nine-minute walk from St Patrick’s Park.
RM Block
Merrion Square and Bambino
There are few certainties in life but death, taxes and a long queue outside Bambino are among them.
You can grab a slice of this wildly popular pizza at Bambino’s Merrion Street Upper location in Dublin 2 and then lunch with Oscar Wilde in the nearby 11.7 acre Merrion Square, where there is plenty of seating and shaded areas.
Wolfe Tone Park and Aobaba
Wolfe Tone Park in Dublin 1 is an appealing spot for soaking up rays or sitting in the shade, and what better way to do so than with a Vietnamese banh mi.
Hungry lunchers are not stuck for options on nearby Capel Street but cash-only Aobaba is a great spot for inexpensive and delicious Vietnamese food.
Iveagh Gardens and Green Bench Cafe
The hideaway entrance of Iveagh Gardens makes this Dublin 2 city park feel like a secret walled garden where you can savour your lunch hour. Just off Harcourt Street, you’ll be spoilt for choice for nearby eats.
That said, it would be a mistake not to pop into the Green Bench Cafe, where sandwiches change daily and sausage rolls are available on Fridays as a special.
St Kevin’s Park and Sushi & Go
Another discreetly located park is St Kevin’s Park in Dublin 8, a charming walled garden on the site of a church of the same name. Just off Camden Street, it is well located for lunchtime offerings.
Sushi & Go on Montague Street in Dublin 2 could be just the spot for you if you’re not so keen on sandwiches – you’ll find ready-made sushi, onigiri rice balls and inari (little pockets of sushi rice in a savoury tofu pouch).
