Dublin Lunch: The mylunch.ie al fresco options

With Summer 2010 in full swing, and the warm weather hopefully here to stay (thanks in no small part to a daily mylunch.ie office sundance!), we here at Ireland’s hottest (pun possibly intended!) lunchtime deal site have decided to help you soak it up by offering some tips on Dublin options which combine both great value, superb quality food, and an al fresco dining experience. Because, as we all know, good lunch is good, but good lunch in the roaring sun is great!

Here are some choices we’ve come up with:

GBK
Fast becoming a lunch institution, all three Gourmet Burger Kitchen outlets in Dublin city centre (Sth. Anne St., Sth. William St. and Temple Bar Square) have a large, spacious open air area outside. Incidentally, the three are also located in perfect people watching spots, which is always an added bonus with al fresco dining!
Combined with this great set up, GBK also offers a full drinks menu; but the real piece de resistance is the food. Mouth-watering options like the Jamaican, Mexican, Avocado Bacon and Kiwiburger, which consists of beetroot and pineapple amongst other toppings (a real “must try”), are a perfect compliment to a balmy day eating lunch in Dublin! And if this isn’t enough to entice you, we at mylunch.ie currently offer a great value voucher for all GBK’s around Dublin, giving you the option of “any burger on the menu for €5 when you buy a drink, side or starter”. What better an excuse to enjoy a gourmet burger and chunky fries for lunch?

KOH
Fancy a little slice of Asia in your lunch hour? Located on the fashionable Millennium Walkway near Jervis St. Dublin 1, KOH’s self stated philosophy is to offer reasonably priced, quality, original and traditional Asian dishes using as many local ingredients as possible. Their Light Bites menu offers a vast selection of dishes, of which three can be chosen for €12, while their daily special is both health conscious and divine. Again, not only do KOH offer fantastic dining, but also a spacious outdoor terracefor al fresco dining or relaxing with a beverage from the well stocked cocktail bar whilst watching the world go by. KOH is a thoroughly modern and funky option for outside lunch, in a newly refurbished and modern part of Dublin.

St. Stephens Green/Iveagh Gardens
Our final al fresco lunch option is the most obvious of the whole lot, yet criminally overlooked by many. St. Stephens Green is the heart and soul south of the river, and really buzzes at lunchtime in Dublin, while the up until recently well kept secret of the Iveagh Gardens is now widely known as one of Dublin’s gems. So, what are your take-away lunch options in this area?

Firstly we have Munchies on Baggot St. (one of numerous Munchies dotted around Dublin). These guys pride themselves on providing wholesome food using only the finest ingredients, as well as organic fair trade coffee. Their extensive lunch menu includes wraps, salads, soups, and of course the famous Chicken Whoopie. The Baggot St. branch offers the great deal of any sandwich under €5 plus soup of the day for €6.50. We are also currently running a voucher on-site.

The second take-away option, which we here at mylunch love is Insomnia. With 13 locations in Dublin 2, including Wexford St., Earlsfort Tce., St. Stephens Green and Pembroke St, Insomnia is home of hand crafted coffee and gourmet sandwiches. Added to this however, is the great value available. All Insomnias offer a sandwich & any hot beverage for €5, and a panini & any hot beverage for €6, as well as other great lunch deals, which we bring to you on site every day.

Finally, what good is a post on al fresco dining without the Italiano option? They may have gone out of the World Cup at the first hurdle, but their lunch offering is still world class! Pacinos on Suffolk St. is a family run restaurant known for their delicious pizzas and pastas, steaks and salads. Offering both eat in and take out, Pacinos is Italian cuisine done very well. And if this wasn’t reason enough to try it out, we are currently running a 2 for 1 voucher on take out from Monday to Wednesday! The massive take away menu includes the above staples of pasta, salads, and pizza, but also delicious ciabattas, wraps and paninis.

So as long as the good weather continues, (hopefully we haven’t put a jinx on it!) you have numerous options to enjoy it during your lunch hour, thanks to www.mylunch.ie!