There is quite simply nothing better than a well-curated sharing board bulging with wedges of cheese (and perhaps lithe slices of cured meat), accessorised with all the little trimmings. Except, of course, that very wonderful thing paired with a glass (nay, bottle) of something fabulous, and a side of great company.
If, like me, you love to while away an afternoon or evening ranting over cheese and wine with no firm commitment to a main course or any kind of formal mealtime convention, these are some of the best cheese and wine spots in Dublin city centre to indulge in this most luxurious of activities.
Cellar 22
Opening just before Christmas in the spot formerly known as Urchin, Cellar 22 has proven itself to be a rare treasure in the city already. With 80% of its ridiculously impressive charcuterie offering crafted in-house, you’d be forgiven for being distracted from the cheese. However, that would be a fatal mistake, as their rotating selection features heavy hitters as standard. Even their homemade bread selection comes with a little pot of parmesan fondue, so you know they are as committed to the pursuit of cheese nirvana as I am. And blessed be Bollinger by the glass, amongst dozens and dozens of other vinous temptations. Bliss.
Olesya’s Wine Bar
If you can nab one of the three outdoor tables at Olesya’s on a sunny day, you’re doing well, and you can be even more smug once their abundant cheese and charcuterie plate and/or baked camembert lands on said table to be devoured. Boasting 400+ wines by the bottle and 100 by the glass options, which I note for exploration rather than moderation purposes, you can happily park yourself in Olesya’s on Exchequer Street for a post-shopping afternoon of intrepid wine adventuring and grazing.
ELY Wine Bar
Celebrating 25 years in business is no mean feat, but it really isn’t hard to see why the OG Wine Bar ELY has made it to a quarter of a century. One of the most consistent spots in the city for one of the most important pleasures: cheese and wine. Of course they serve a wonderful cheese board or ELY Charger (cheese and charcuterie for the win) to sit alongside a wine selection you could linger over for hours or indeed days. However, I was recently wowed by their celeriac espuma with (gasps) *24 month comte* small plate, and if you adore comte as much as I do, this dish needs to be firmly on your cheese radar. Thank me later.
PS: TheTaste: Premium Subscribers get €25 off ELY’s fabulous sounding Secret 3 Course Wine & Food Pairing Event for 2.
Margadh RHA
I almost didn’t include Margadh RHA on this list, for the sole reason that it would be an utter waste of a delicious opportunity to confine yourself to a (very solid) cheese plate and a couple of (excellent) glasses of vino here. From the wonderful people who brought us Mamo in Howth, Margadh is a safe bet for table-smackingly good dishes, whether they are fromage-forward or not, and it is home to possibly the most laid back (and very possibly the best value) tasting menus in the city. That said, with my committed cheese fiend hat on, I would like to respectfully request the permanent return of their burrata, smoked almond and house-made XO dish, which I have been thinking about for circa 32 weeks now.
Loose Canon
You couldn’t possibly have a cheese and wine list without the mecca that is Loose Canon, Drury Street’s crown jewel, for those of us not distracted by the allure of a carbonara pizza slice at neighbouring Mani. Their uber pullable cheese toasties have near-cult status, and you’ll be hard pressed not to fall in love at first sight at their cheese counter of dreams, with every kind of delight, Irish and otherwise, your heart could desire. Bountiful natural wine choices by the glass and bottle in one of the finest people-watching spots in the city, the only downside at Loose Canon is the anxiety-inducing no reservation policy, but you can see why punters are happy to stand, glass in hand on the street, to get their fix here.
Fallon & Byrne Cellar
Whether it is a boujee grocery haul worth tanking your mortgage application for, or a romantic dinner a deux in their candle lit dining room, Fallon & Byrne just never misses. That said, their Wine Cellar just may be the most wonderful spot of all. This cosy wine cave is the perfect spot to derail your saintly school night ambitions, with €1 corkage Sunday to Tuesday (and only €10 corkage Wednesday to Saturday) on any of the 200 bottles on their ever so tempting shelves. All you then need is a cheeseboard stuffed with goodies from the abundant food hall counter, or better yet, “The Works” with cheese, charcuterie and chicken liver pate, and your day/night/week is perfect.
ARTICLE BY DARINA COFFEY
