6 Best Restaurants in Grand Canal Dock Area, Dublin

Located on the ground floor on the Anantara Marker Hotel, this spot offers the chance to have a fine dining experience in Dublin that is approachable yet still luxurious. Chef Gareth Mullins is Irish through and through, and brings a sophisticated sensibility to the modern Irish cuisine served here, consistently highlighting the best of Irish-raised beef, seafood, produce, and cheese. The frequently changing menu might feature hand-carved Howth Bay smoked salmon, roasted king scallops with butternut squash and king oyster mushrooms in a chicken jus, or sea trout pastrami with Teeling whiskey and mustard creme fraîche. If you’re a carnivore, the From the Flame Grill section of the menu can’t be missed with its select cuts of succulent Irish beef. For dessert, go for the Irish cheese plate (the crackers are served on foraged sea stones from a local beach). There is a smart casual dress code, but this never feels overwrought or exclusionary.

Located on the Grand Canal Basin which connects the River Liffey and the Grand Canal, this popular new spot features an upturned rowboat on the ceiling, a nod to its location between these two iconic bodies of water. An open kitchen lines the back wall of the restaurant, and features a copper wood-fired pizza oven. The fare is classic American, with generous pancake platters, cheeseburgers, pizzas, sundaes, and giant cookies all designed to encourage lively, casual gatherings and sharing. The bar is a lively spot for after-work drinks and the outdoor terrace overlooking the canal is the place to be for weekend brunch, a fairly new concept and dining category in this city.

With a stunning location right on the Grand Canal Dock, this elegant new eatery has a great view over the water to the impressive Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on the other side. The pre-theater menu is a great option, with heirloom beetroot with Wicklow blue cheese and candied walnuts as a gorgeous, light starter. The hake with celeriac, pomme mousseline, samphire, and sorrel is a favorite main. 

Recently voted the best café in the city, this busy little breakfast and lunch spot is the brainchild of former Avoca head chef Eimer Rainsford. Salads dominate the menu, with wonderful combinations to choose from for your salad box. Try the beetroot, apple, and quinoa or spiced potatoes with giant couscous and roasted peppers. Dressings or dips are equally creative like the yogurt with cumin and lemon. Other popular dishes include Asian noodles with broccoli, lime and chili. All that healthy eating probably earns you one of the killer chocolate brownies with raspberry and blackberry.

Located in a nondescript building in Grand Canal Harbour, this stylish café is gaining a reputation for its impressive baked goods. Nearby tech workers flock here in hordes for the inventive salads, sandwiches, handmade pasta and focaccia romana, but it's the stunning array of cakes, tarts, and buns that really entice. Try the outrageous strawberry Charlotte or the explosion of color and taste that is the mango bavaroise.

Sitting atop the stylish Mayson Hotel, this rooftop steak house is all about the views, with walls of floor-to-ceiling windows offering vistas of Dublin Bay and the mountains beyond. Decked out in dark wood and leather booths, the sleek interior is contemporary-cool meets 1930s saloon. Meat is the star of the menu, with quality steaks complemented with delicious sides like Parmesan and tarragon fries. Alternative mains include grilled sea bream with caper lemon dressing. The pear and almond ricotta cake is the perfect cap to a great meal.