Dublin Fine Dining: Best Upscale Restaurants (2026)

Dublin’s fine dining scene has grown dramatically over the past decade with six Michelin-starred restaurants and dozens of premium dining destinations across the city. The contemporary Irish gastronomy scene combines local ingredients (Wicklow lamb, Galway oysters, Donegal smoked salmon) with international techniques. This detailed guide covers every premier Dublin fine dining restaurant including Michelin-starred venues, premium contemporary Irish cooking, classical French restaurants, and the rising stars of the Dublin dining scene. Plus booking strategies, wine pairing programmes, and special occasion arrangements.

This is one chapter of our full guide to luxury Dublin.

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2-Michelin-Star Restaurants in Dublin

Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud (2 Michelin stars)

Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud at The Merrion Hotel is one of Dublin’s three 2-Michelin-star restaurants. Owned by Patrick Guilbaud and run by Head Chef Guillaume Lebrun. The restaurant has held Michelin stars for 30+ years. The cuisine combines classical French techniques with premium Irish ingredients. The dining room overlooks the Merrion Hotel courtyard with sophisticated heritage atmosphere.

Tasting menus: 6-course €180, 8-course €220, signature tasting €250. Wine pairing: €120-200 per person. Booking: 6-8 weeks ahead for weekend slots, 4-6 weeks ahead for midweek. The Merrion Hotel concierge can sometimes secure last-minute bookings. Dress code: Smart-casual; jackets appreciated. Service: Among the finest in Ireland. Wine list: 600+ wines including significant French, Italian, and New World coverage.

Chapter One Restaurant (2 Michelin stars)

Chapter One Restaurant on Parnell Square received its second Michelin star in 2024 under Head Chef Mickael Viljanen. The restaurant occupies the basement of the Dublin Writers Museum building. The cuisine focuses on contemporary Irish cooking with Scandinavian and French influences. The intimate dining room seats 50 with attentive service.

Tasting menus: 7-course €150, 10-course €200. Wine pairing: €90-150. Booking: 4-6 weeks ahead. Pre-theatre dining: 2-course set menu €55 (early evening before theatre performances at the nearby Gate Theatre and Abbey Theatre).

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More Michelin-Starred Restaurants in Dublin

Liath (2 Michelin stars)

Liath in Blackrock Market (south Dublin) is Head Chef Damien Grey’s contemporary Irish restaurant, built around highly seasonal Irish ingredients and a tasting-menu-only format with no choice. Blackrock is on the DART line south of the city centre, and the restaurant is small, so book well ahead.

One-Star and Other Premium Restaurants

• Variety Jones — Thomas Street, the Liberties. Contemporary Irish small plates from Head Chef Keelan Higgs. Tasting menu €90-130. Holds one Michelin star. Book 3-4 weeks ahead.
• Bastible — Lower Camden Street. Holds one Michelin star. Contemporary fine dining from Head Chef Cuan Greene. Tasting menu €95-140. Book 2-3 weeks ahead.
• One Pico — Molesworth Street. Premium contemporary Irish dining. Tasting menu €90-130.
• Pichet — Trinity Street. French-Irish bistro at premium prices. Tasting menu €75-110.
• Forest & Marcy — Leeson Street Upper. Contemporary Irish wine bar with premium small plates. €60-100 per person.

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Hotel Fine Dining

• Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud (The Merrion) — 2 Michelin stars. Premier Dublin dining.
• The Saddle Room (The Shelbourne) — Premium hotel dining without Michelin star. €90-140 per person.
• The Wilde (The Westbury) — Premium hotel dining with Irish/Mediterranean focus. €80-130 per person.
• The Coburg (Conrad Dublin) — Premium hotel dining. €90-140 per person.
• Restaurant Forty One (The Marker) — Premium hotel dining with Sunday family brunch. €90-150 per person.
• The Cellar Restaurant (The Merrion) — Casual premium dining in the heritage hotel. €70-110 per person.
• Reading Room (Intercontinental Dublin) — Premium dining in Ballsbridge. €85-130 per person.

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Fine Dining by Cuisine Type

Contemporary Irish Cuisine

Contemporary Irish fine dining emphasises seasonal Irish ingredients with modern techniques. Chapter One, Liath, Variety Jones, and Bastible all exemplify this style. Common dishes include Wicklow lamb, Burren goats’ cheese, Connemara mussels, Galway oysters, Irish soda bread reimagined, and seasonal Irish vegetables. Wine pairings often combine French and Italian premium wines with emerging Irish wine producers (yes, Ireland now produces premium wines).

French Classical

Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud maintains classical French traditions. Dishes include traditional preparations of foie gras, sole véronique, classic French sauces, and premium beef cuts. Premium French wine lists complement the dining experience. Booking premium tasting menus at these restaurants provides the complete classical French fine dining experience.

Asian Premium Dining

• Yamamori Sushi (Lower Ormond Quay) — Premium sushi and Japanese with omakase tasting menus €90-140.
• Hugo’s — Premium contemporary Asian fusion.
• Mongolian BBQ — Casual but premium grill experience.
• Various Sokito restaurants — Premium Asian fusion mid-range.

Premium Steakhouses

• Shanahan’s on the Green — Premium American-style steakhouse. €80-180 per person depending on cut.
• The Bull and Castle — Premium gastropub steakhouse opposite Christ Church.
• FX Buckley Steakhouse — Multiple locations. Premium Irish steaks.
• Featherblade — Premium budget-friendly steaks.

Premium Seafood

• King Sitric — East Pier, Howth. Long-established premium seafood restaurant.
• Aqua — West Pier, Howth. Premium harbour seafood.
• Cavistons — Glasthule. Premium fish market and restaurant.
• Octopussy’s Seafood Tapas — Howth Harbour. Contemporary seafood tapas.

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Wine Pairing Programmes

Most Dublin fine dining restaurants offer extensive wine pairing programmes with their tasting menus:

• Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud: Wine pairing €120-200 per person. 600+ wines on the list. Sommelier Stéphane Robin is Ireland’s premier wine service professional.
• Chapter One: Wine pairing €90-150.
• Liath: Wine pairing €80-120.
• Variety Jones: Wine pairing €70-110.
• The Saddle Room: Premium wine list with bottle pricing €60-500+.

Premium tasting menus paired with wine typically run €200-400 per person including service. Premium Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne bottles can significantly exceed this. For special occasions, the wine pairing experience adds meaningful enhancement to the meal.

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Fine Dining Booking Strategies

• Book 6-8 weeks ahead for Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud — one of Dublin’s three 2-star restaurants.
• Book 4-6 weeks ahead for other Michelin restaurants — Chapter One and Liath.
• Book 2-3 weeks ahead for premium restaurants — Variety Jones, Bastible, hotel restaurants.
• Use hotel concierge for last-minute bookings — Hotel concierges sometimes secure tables unavailable through public reservation systems.
• Consider pre-theatre menus €50-75 set menus before evening service at lower prices.
• Sunday brunch alternatives — Restaurant Forty One at the Marker Hotel offers premium Sunday brunch alternative to full fine dining.
• Lunch service — Many premium restaurants offer lunch service at significantly lower prices than dinner.
• Off-peak bookings — Monday-Thursday slots easier to secure than weekends.

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Fine Dining Dress Codes

Dublin fine dining dress codes are generally smart-casual rather than formal. Specific guidance:

• Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud: Smart-casual; jackets appreciated for men but not required. No T-shirts, shorts, or trainers.
• Chapter One: Smart-casual.
• Other Michelin restaurants: Smart-casual.
• Hotel restaurants: Smart-casual.
• Premium contemporary restaurants: Smart-casual.

Dublin’s fine dining culture is less formal than London or Paris equivalents. Smart-casual jacket-and-trousers (no T-shirt or trainers) suits virtually all Dublin fine dining venues. For special occasions, formal black-tie is welcome but rarely required.

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Special Occasion Dining

Dublin fine dining is exceptional for special occasions:

• Anniversary dinners: Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud or Chapter One for premium anniversary experiences.
• Engagements: Many restaurants will arrange champagne and special service for proposals if pre-booked.
• Birthdays: Most fine dining venues accommodate birthday celebrations with cake and special service.
• Honeymoons: The Merrion Hotel honeymoon package includes Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud dinner.
• Family celebrations: The Shelbourne’s Saddle Room or the Westbury work well for larger family groups.
• Corporate entertainment: Private dining rooms available at most premium restaurants.

For premium engagements specifically, hotel concierges can arrange private dining rooms with champagne, premium wine, and special service. Premium restaurant private rooms typically €200-500 setup fee plus per-person dining charges. The Merrion Hotel concierge arranges some of Dublin’s most memorable engagement experiences.

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Premium Cocktail Bars and Pre-Dinner Drinks

• The Sidecar (The Westbury) — Premium hotel cocktail bar.
• Lemuel’s (Conrad Dublin) — Premium hotel cocktail bar.
• The Horseshoe Bar (The Shelbourne) — Historic Dublin cocktail bar.
• The Marker Rooftop Bar — Cocktails with city views.
• Peruke & Periwig — South William Street. Award-winning speakeasy.
• Vintage Cocktail Club — Temple Bar. Premium cocktails in speakeasy setting.
• The Blind Pig — Suffolk Street. Theatrical cocktails by reservation.
• The Liquor Rooms — Wellington Quay. Multi-room cocktail venue.

Cocktails at premium Dublin bars typically €14-22. The hotel cocktail bars work well for pre-dinner drinks before Michelin restaurant reservations. The independent cocktail bars including Peruke & Periwig require advance booking for guaranteed seats.

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Multi-Restaurant Dining Week

For visitors with serious fine dining interest, a Dublin dining week combining 4-6 premium restaurants creates a comprehensive Irish gastronomy experience. Suggested 5-day itinerary:

• Day 1 dinner: The Westbury hotel restaurant The Wilde (settled luxury introduction).
• Day 2 lunch: The Saddle Room at The Shelbourne (heritage Dublin dining).
• Day 2 dinner: Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud (2 Michelin stars).
• Day 3 dinner: Variety Jones (contemporary Irish small plates).
• Day 4 dinner: Chapter One (2 Michelin stars).
• Day 5 dinner: Liath in Blackrock (contemporary Irish chef showcase).

Budget for this dining itinerary: €1500-2500 per person across 6 meals including wine. Book 6-8 weeks ahead for the Michelin restaurants. Combine with 5-star hotel accommodation and pre-dinner cocktails at the hotel bars for the complete premium Dublin gastronomy experience.

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Chef’s Tables and Premium Experiences

Several Dublin premium restaurants offer chef’s table experiences for small groups. Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud’s chef’s table (private interaction with Head Chef Guillaume Lebrun, 4-6 guests) is the premier Irish chef’s table experience — €350-500 per person. Chapter One offers a chef’s table at the kitchen pass €200-300. The Restaurant 41 at the Marker Hotel runs Sunday family brunch chef demonstrations. For premium private dining, several restaurants including the Merrion’s Cellar and the Westbury’s private rooms accommodate 8-30 guest celebrations with bespoke menus.

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Late-Night Premium Dining

For visitors wanting later dining after theatre or events, several Dublin premium restaurants offer late-night service. Restaurant 41 at the Marker Hotel serves until 11pm. The Saddle Room at The Shelbourne serves late. Many hotel restaurants offer 24-hour room service for in-room premium dining. For post-show dining, Pichet and One Pico both offer evening service through to 10pm. For very late dining beyond 11pm, options become limited — the Brown Thomas restaurant typically closes by 7pm, and the Michelin restaurants close by 10pm. Plan dinner timings to match Dublin’s relatively early dining culture.

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Dublin Restaurant Week and Seasonal Events

Dublin Restaurant Week typically runs in late January with participating premium restaurants offering 2-3 course menus at fixed prices (typically €25-35 lunch, €40-55 dinner) at significantly lower prices than standard tasting menus. This is the best opportunity to experience premium Dublin restaurants on a moderate budget. Some Michelin restaurants participate; others don’t. Check the Dublin Restaurant Week website for current participants. Book ahead even for Restaurant Week as discount menus fill quickly.

Other seasonal events include Restaurant Association of Ireland Awards (annual industry recognition events), Taste of Dublin in Merrion Square (June, premium food festival), and Christmas premium menus at the Michelin restaurants (December seasonal tasting menus). The Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud Christmas menu is one of Dublin’s most-booked premium meals each December.

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Dublin’s Rising Star Chefs

Several Dublin chefs are emerging as future Michelin-track candidates. Keelan Higgs at Variety Jones has built one of Dublin’s most respected contemporary Irish kitchens since 2017. Cuan Greene at Bastible brought premium contemporary cuisine to Lower Camden Street. Damien Grey at Liath earned his first Michelin star in 2020 and remains a leading Irish contemporary chef. Mickael Viljanen brought a second Michelin star to Chapter One in 2024. The next generation of Dublin chefs is emerging from NCAD partnerships, Ballymaloe Cookery School graduates, and apprenticeships at the established Michelin kitchens.

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Dublin Fine Dining: FAQ

How many Michelin-starred restaurants does Dublin have?

Dublin has eight Michelin-starred restaurants in the 2026 guide. Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Chapter One and Liath hold two stars each, while Forest Avenue, Bastible, D’Olier Street, Glovers Alley and Variety Jones hold one. The Michelin Guide reviews Irish restaurants annually with awards announced each spring.

What is the best restaurant in Dublin?

Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud at The Merrion Hotel is widely considered Dublin’s best restaurant with Ireland’s only 2-Michelin-star rating. The restaurant has held Michelin stars for 30+ years. Tasting menu €180-250 with wine pairing €120-200. Book 6-8 weeks ahead for weekend slots.

How far ahead should I book Dublin fine dining?

6-8 weeks ahead for Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud (one of Dublin’s three 2-star restaurants). 4-6 weeks ahead for Chapter One and Liath. 2-3 weeks ahead for premium restaurants like Variety Jones and Bastible. Hotel concierges can sometimes secure last-minute bookings unavailable through public reservations.

How much does fine dining cost in Dublin?

Premium tasting menus €90-250 per person depending on restaurant. Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud €180-250. Chapter One €150-200. Other Michelin restaurants €120-170. Premium contemporary restaurants €80-140. Add €80-200 per person for wine pairing. A full dinner including pre-dinner cocktails, dinner with wine, and post-dinner drinks typically €200-400 per person.

What is the dress code for Dublin fine dining?

Smart-casual is standard for all Dublin fine dining. Jackets appreciated at Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud and Chapter One but not required. No T-shirts, shorts, or trainers. Formal black-tie is welcome at special occasions but rarely required. Dublin’s fine dining culture is less formal than London or Paris.

Are Dublin fine dining restaurants child-friendly?

The Michelin tasting-menu restaurants are not particularly child-friendly. For premium dining with children, the hotel restaurants work better: The Westbury, The Marker (Sunday family brunch), and The Saddle Room all accommodate families. Bewley’s Café (not fine dining but iconic) is the family-friendly Dublin classic.

Can I do lunch instead of dinner at Dublin Michelin restaurants?

Yes — several Dublin Michelin restaurants offer lunch service at significantly lower prices than dinner. Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud lunch tasting menu €90-120 versus €180-250 dinner. Chapter One lunch menu €55-90 versus €150-200 dinner. Lunch service offers the same kitchen quality at lower prices, especially good for first-time Michelin restaurant experiences.

Do Dublin restaurants accommodate dietary restrictions?

Yes — all Dublin premium restaurants accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and major dietary restrictions with advance notice (24-48 hours preferred). Some restaurants offer dedicated vegetarian tasting menus alongside their main menus. Inform the restaurant of dietary requirements when booking. For serious allergies, call the restaurant directly rather than relying on online booking systems.

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• Dublin’s Michelin-starred restaurants — a related guide from elsewhere on the site.