Tucked away on relatively quiet East Lombard Street, Lunch! is the kind of spot that defies initial impressions that it is either too “quaint” or “gimmicky.” I have a feeling that the novel name was chosen in the pre-internet days, since googling “Lunch! Dublin” will just bury your results with Lovin’ Dublin articles on Fifty Lunch Cronuts Dublin Celebrities Love and sites for not-at-all-banal lunch eateries like Tolteca and O’Briens.

Yes, Lunch!’s name is contrived — it’s the kind of ploy that awkward office conversations have probably taken advantage of for years to avoid having to talk to Daryl about his mother’s heart condition.

That’s not to say Lunch! isn’t great. The entire place is decorated like your grandmother’s living room, if your grandmother really loved interesting plates, collectables, being comfortable and also the colour pink. It’s beyond cozy. Avoid the lunch hour rush of suited professionals, construction workers, and frazzled interns, and it’s also spacious and relaxing.

The food is the sort of hearty, simple, well-made fare you would expect from any deli or sandwich shop. The portions are generous and the prices are reasonable. Lunch!’s coffee is also very good — the prices are again very affordable and with each coffee comes a free apple, banana, or (surprisingly good) chocolate truffle.

For studying, it’s a great spot. There’s wifi, the coffee selection is good and varied, and there are options like the €5.25 Spicy Santa Fe Burrito that will keep you full for the better part of a day — dining in is an extra euro. Best of all, this place seems like a relatively-undiscovered ultra-comfy gem in the middle of the city, just across the street from the TCD Health Centre. The staff are sweet, the cozy interior is not at all pretentious, and the food is simple, filling, and hearty. So consider making Lunch! one of your study spots — your wallet will thank you and everyone will think you’re hilarious when you say, “No really, I went to Lunch!”

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