Lunch
Rhubarb Café – Lower Pembroke Street, Dublin 2
A little outside of Dublin’s main shopping areas, the Rhubarb Café offers reasonably priced breakfast and deli food, much of which is suitable for a gluten free diet. Consistently good quality, their soup and a sandwich lunch special for €7 is worth the detour.
Chopped – Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2
Chopped pride themselves on providing a healthy, affordable alternative for breakfast and lunch. There is plenty of choice for coeliacs as all of their sauces are gluten free. Salad bowls vary from €5-8 and can be accompanied by one of their unique low fat smoothies, with their peanut butter smoothie being a favourite at €3.80.
Irish Film Institute – Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Not necessarily one’s first thought for food, the IFI café’s brunch menu contains a wide variety of foods that can be tailored to be gluten free. Prices are between €5-10 at this cosy spot away from the bustle of Temple Bar.
Millstone Restaurant – Dame Street, Dublin 2
Millstone is a rarity in that it has a separate gluten free menu for you to browse, making it clear what is and is not coeliac friendly. The wide – ranging lunch menu (which includes garlic bread!) offers two courses with tea/coffee for €15 making it a very pleasant addition to any gluten free diet.
Mains
Beshoff Brothers – Dame Street, Dublin 2
Beshoff Brothers sell gluten free fish and chips every day of the week. Their extensive menu covers everything from cod and chips to curry sauce. No gluten free meal costs more than €10 and they are all excellent in every way!
Cleaver East – East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Cleaver East’s lunch menu (two dishes for €17 or three dishes for €21) have plenty to offer with the piri piri chicken being particularly popular. Their more expansive and cheaper brunch menu can offer everything from fruit smoothies to eggs Benedict.
The Farm Restaurant – Dawson Street, Dublin 2 and Upper Leeson Street, Dublin 4
Aiming to always produce delicious, homemade, locally sourced food at an affordable price The Farm Restaurant’s lunch menu easily lives up to this. Highlight of the menu is the organic Irish beef burger with gluten free bun and fries for €14.
Bobo’s Gourmet Irish Burgers – Dame Street, Dublin 2 and Wexford Street, Dublin 2
Bobo’s serve all Irish burgers including a tasty gluten free option. Chat to the well informed, friendly staff and ask for a gluten free bun. Priced between €8-13, be sure not to miss the 15% student discount available before 10pm.
Madigans Pub – Lower Abbey Street and O’Connell Street, Dublin 1
Madigan’s is a surprising gold mine for those looking for gluten free food. Their menu is very reasonably priced, with a steak sandwich costing €12 or Irish Lamb Stew costing €10.50. Most of their menu is either gluten free or adaptable to be gluten free.
Opium – Wexford Street, Dublin 2
Opium offers Thai food for lunch and dinner, much of which is gluten free. Their lunch menu will suit cash-strapped students with a two course meal costing €14 and a three course meal costing €16.
Sweets and Treats
Cones and Co – Dawson Street, Dublin 2
Found on the corner of Dawson Street, this small but charming ice cream and frozen yoghurt parlour sells an interesting variety of gluten free ice creams. With prices starting from €3, the banana split with all the toppings makes it worth a visit.
Lolly and Cooks – Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2, George St Arcade, Dublin 2 and Forbes Street, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin 2
Lolly and Cooks sell possibly the world’s best chocolate fudge cupcakes, gluten free or otherwise. They have an interesting variety of cupcakes, soups (priced from €3.50 euro for a large serving) and deli produce. At €2.50 each the cupcakes are not to be missed.
Queen of Tarts – Cows Lane, Dame Street, Dublin 2
Café and patisserie based in the heart of Dublin that has a broad – ranging menu including over half a dozen cakes. Ranging from Seville orange cake and chocolate and raspberry cheesecake (€28-30 for a cake that serves 10) to €2-4 for individual cakes and brownies.
The Cupcake Bloke – Coppinger Row, Dublin 2
The cupcake bloke is, as his title suggests, a man who sells cupcakes at Coppinger Row Market. The day’s flavours are advertised on Facebook so you can decide in advance what you are having. On Saturdays (10.30am-3.30pm) they sell gluten free cakes with the raspberry flavour being particularly popular. Prices begin at just under €3.
Antoinette’s Bakery – 6 Kevin Street Lower, Dublin 8
Anyone who eats gluten free in Dublin has to know of Antoinette’s Bakery. Based in Dublin 8 everything that they produce is wheat and gluten free. Full sized cakes are priced from €15 onwards. With chocolate chip cookies starting from €2 each, there really is no better place in Dublin.
Illustrations by Alice Wilson.
