Happy Friday! Today officially became a highlight of my trip thanks to the Delicious Dublin Food Tour. Our small, friendly group of eight — seven Americans and one proud Canadian (that’s me!) — set off to explore the city’s culinary soul. Our incredible guide, Sinéad, kicked things off with a fascinating brief on Ireland's history, tracing its diet from simple foraged land provisions through the era of farming and, of course, a necessary, respectful touch on the Great Famine.
A Scone Revelation and a Guinness-Lookalike
Our first stop was Tang, a fantastic modern Irish café. Here, I had my first true Irish Scone with plum and mixed berry jam. It was a revelation! These scones are softer and far more tender than any I’ve had in Vancouver or London. The jam had the perfect balance of sweetness and a lovely tartness.
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| Scone with Plum and Mixed Berry Jam from Tang |
A short walk brought us to Wigwam for their famous, award-winning Irish Coffee from Vice Coffee. Though I rarely drink coffee or alcohol, I had to give this a shot. It was perfectly balanced: strong espresso (which certainly didn't help my jetlag!), Dublin-original Teeling Whiskey, brown sugar syrup, and hot water, all crowned with a layer of full-fat cream.
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Fancy Frankie Irish Coffee from Vice Coffee Award winning Irish coffee with Teeling small batch, espresso, demarara, and spiced orange cream |
We were instructed not to mix it, much like you wouldn’t mix a pint of Guinness — the cream acts as a beautiful cold, creamy head to the hot, dark base.
Comparing the Classics: Stews and Coddle
We took a longer stroll across the iconic Ha'penny Bridge to Gallagher's Boxty House. I was thrilled to be here, as this spot was already on my itinerary for later! This stop was a masterclass in Irish comfort food, allowing us to sample three different breads alongside a trio of stews.
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Partially eaten Stew Platter from Gallagher's Boxty House Irish stew, beef & stout, Dublin coddle, colcannon, and bread selection |
- Beef and Stout Stew: The rich stout (brewed by Gallagher's own microbrewery, not Guinness) provided a deep, dark, and slightly sweet flavor profile.
- Irish Stew: This was the classic, rustic dish, with a simpler, savory broth base that allowed the flavor of the tender mutton and root vegetables to truly shine.
- Dublin Coddle: This unique stew was my surprising favorite. It has a light, pale broth with a wonderfully complex savoriness from the slow-simmered pork, bacon, and aromatic vegetables like celery and thyme.
Trying all three side-by-side was an incredible experience, and the Coddle still reigns supreme for me. I think I finally realized why: it reminds me of Filipino nilaga (pork soup) with pork, potatoes, and onions, but the Coddle has a unique, savory depth from the celery and that distinct, earthy touch of thyme (I hope I'm right!).
The Sweet and Savory Finale
Next, it was off to dessert at Murphy's Ice Cream. This place is impressive because they harvest their own salt in Dingle for the Dingle Sea Salt flavor — it offers a fantastic sweet-and-salty balance. But the star was the Irish Brown Bread flavor!
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| Irish Brown Bread - Arán Donn and Dingle Sea Salt - Salann from Murphy's Ice Cream |
They bake the brown bread, caramelize it with muscovado sugar, and mix it into the ice cream. The combination of the creamy ice cream and the little textured, sweet, and nutty bits of bread was out of this world.
Our last stop was at Sheridans Cheesemongers for a cheese tasting, focusing on Cork county:
- Durrus: A semi-soft, washed-rind cheese with a mild, buttery flavor and a lovely pungency that builds with age.
- Coolea: A hard, Gouda-style cheese with a firm texture, a rich, nutty flavor, and a satisfyingly long finish.
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| Durrus and Coolea from Sheridans Cheesemongers |
I stayed to chat with Sinéad for a few extra minutes, asking for more food suggestions around the city. She was truly amazing and absolutely deserved the big tip.
This was my very first food tour, and I’m completely sold — I should start dedicating a day for these on every vacation! Thank goodness for my employer, who gave me a birthday voucher from Gifting Owl. What a blessed way to experience a new city!
