Here’s our pick of where to go for a pre-theatre tea in the city’s North, South, East and West End(s). Let’s start the show.
Centre Stage: Pre-Theatre and Early Bird Menus in Dublin
Charlotte Quay
Overlooking the Bord Gàis Energy Theatre and within walking distance of the 3 Arena, Charlotte Quay is the ideal starting point for an evening of entertainment. Kick off a night with the stars under the stars with a table on their heated terrace, against the backdrop of the Grand Canal. Open Tuesday-Sunday, choose from two courses for €36 or three for €45. Think sea bass ceviche with yuzu ponzu and watermelon radish, charred celeriac and Coolea cheese with pickled walnuts and pearl barley and a scene-stealing white chocolate mousse with pink rhubarb and marshmallow.
More info: charlottequay.ie
Glas
Glas has revolutionised Dublin’s fine dining scene with its veg-only ethos. The city centre eatery is now Michelin Guide-listed and has one of the most competitively-priced lunches and early birds in the city. Lunch is served from 12pm-2:45pm on Sunday-Friday and the early bird sitting is between 5pm and 6pm, Sunday-Thursday. Serving up a show stopping plates of vegetables, it’s a hop, skip and a jump from The Gaiety. Oh no, it’s not… Oh yes, it is. A two minute walk, in fact.
More info: glasrestaurant.ie
Hang Dai
A member of Good Food Ireland, team Hang Dai serves up mouth-watering, contemporary Chinese fayre. Go for their seasonal à la carte or new €40 or €60 tasting menus. Ideally positioned a few minutes away from both Whelan’s and the Iveagh Gardens, Hang Dai is known for throwing a shindig or two itself. If you don’t have tickets booked to a gig, you can make a whole night of it here with DJ’s playing on the regular.
More info: hangdaichinese.com
Margadh RHA
At the RHA Gallery on Ely Place, there’s not just artwork on the walls, it’s on the plates too. Margadh, housed at the front of the gallery, is a café by day and a wine bar by night. Their set menu runs all evening but at €46 per head, it’s been touted as one of the best value tasting menus in town and is available to order from 5pm on Mondays and between Wednesdays and Saturdays. Their current offering includes Carlingford oysters, beef tartare, burrata on a mooncoin beetroot and walnut salad, Iberico pork presa and more.
More info: margadh-rha.ie
Mr Fox
What time is it Mr Fox? It’s dinner time! Keeping things deliciously straight-forward, this restaurant doesn’t deviate from a seasonally-rotating, €75 set menu, serving it all evening. However, they’ve helpfully noted online that 5pm is the ideal time to secure a pre-theatre sitting. Situated on Parnell Square West, a quick lap around the Rotunda Hospital to the east of the square will land you on The Gate Theatre’s iconic doorstep.
Whether it’s a night on the tiles at The Academy or an evening of thespianism at The Abbey, Mr Fox’s recently-opened little sister D’Olier Street is aptly-positioned, just minutes across the Liffey on D’Olier Street, no less.
More info: mrfox.ie
BANG
Dublin stalwart BANG is a pre-theatre expert and ideally-located for it too. Equidistant between The Gaiety Theatre and The National Concert Hall, it’s a short stroll along the fringes of St. Stephen’s Green to both. Their €36 two course and €49 three course menus include a Beef cheek & oxtail croquette with tomato jam and pearl onions, chicken breast adorned with a quail egg, celeriac, walnuts and a Mont Blanc: chestnut ganache capped with meringue and rum caramel.
More info: bangrestaurant.com
Clanbrassil House
Local favourite Clanbrassil House is one of the coolest kids in town. Its instagrammable plates are available all evening on a reduced-price set menu on Wednesdays and Thursdays. With two and three courses priced at €38 and €48 respectively, there’s also a six course offering at €75 and a vegetarian alternative that runs through to Saturday. All menus are seasonally rotating and currently, diners can expect showstopping delights including scallops with bergamot kosho and salt-baked kohlrabi.
Its sister restaurant, the Michelin-starred Bastible, is just around the corner and hosts an early sitting for their tasting menu between 5:30pm-6:30pm and from 8:30pm onwards.
More info: clanbrassilhouse.com
Pichet
Award-winning Pichet treats its diners to French bistro-inspired cuisine cooked with local produce and principles. Ideal for a matinee or early evening show, their seasonally-rotating €42 set lunch menu is served from Wednesday-Saturday, between midday and 3pm. Previous star performers on the programme have included Roaringwater Bay mussels, venison shoulder and a honey panna cotta. It’s the bee’s knees.
More info: pichet.ie
SOLE
The early bird catches the worm but there’s also ample opportunity to catch a pre-theatre table at SOLE thanks to their daily availability of two courses for €35 or three for €40. Speaking of catches, Sole is almost sole-ly a seafood restaurant and has been making waves as a big fish in the Dublin food scene since 2019. A sister of Dawson Street landmark FIRE, both sites are luring diners in with their great early bird options and more.
More info: sole.ie
Toscana
Based on Dame Street, this Temple Bar institution has one of the longest-running and most popular pre-theatre menus in town. With three courses priced at €30.95, it’s available to order daily until 6:30pm. Italian crowd pleasers are cooked with ingredients from Toscana’s own farm in Co. Wicklow. They include bruschetta and traditional minestrone soup followed by an abundance of pasta classics. If that’s not enough to lure you through the door, desserts include a tiramisu, panna cotta and an amaretti semifreddo. Buon appetito.
More info: toscanarestaurant.ie
Centre Stage: Pre-Theatre and Early Bird Menus in Dublin
Article by Hazel Byrne
Hazel Byrne is a lifestyle, travel and food writer and editor. Originally from Ireland, she’s just returned home after almost a decade of eating and drinking her way around London. Over four of those years were spent at Condé Nast, where she worked across editorial and branded content on titles includingBritish Vogue,Vanity Fair,GQ,GlamourandCondé Nast Traveller. From reviewing the world’s finest luxury experiences to producing celebrity shoots and events, she has a story or two to tell. When she’s not eating, drinking or talking about doing both, she’s plotting her next adventure.
Centre Stage: Pre-Theatre and Early Bird Menus in Dublin
