#dublin-dining

#dublin-dining

Striking me as being bang on trend, as it were, with its chic new iteration focusing on the contemporary cuisines of the Iberian Peninsula, Bang on Merrion Row is more assured, confident and vibrant than ever. There were no castanets, flamenco dancers, or images of sexy matadors, but rather a subtle, soft focused, sophisticated decor, which make's slipping quietly down to its subterranean main room, with its romantic cosy corners, feel like you've discovered a secret hideaway on some back street in San Sebastián.

With its OTT decor, charming staff and more-than-decent food, this is a party not to be missed, says our food critic I didn't plan to be the first paying customer through the doors of Gloria Osteria's brand new Dublin restaurant, but that's how things worked out. Arriving a few minutes early for a 7pm reservation made weeks previously, we're prevented from entering the building - the former AIB bank on Westmoreland Street - by a red ribbon strung across the entrance.

Tucked down a lane off super-central Dawson Street, on the site of a former wine bar, new arrival Comet is a European-style bistro that's got foodies in the Irish capital all aflutter. The pedigree of the team who run it is impressive: chef Kevin O'Donnell cut his teeth at Dublin favorite Bastible before working in starry kitchens in Denmark and returning home to roll out popular supper clubs.

The hunt is on for great autumnal dining, so let our critic clue you in on the 20 hottest tickets in the capital Despite the trials and tribulations of the hospitality industry, chefs still chef and diners still dine.