Finally, spring has arrived – and while the weather gives the phrase “hit and miss” a whole new meaning, it’s still the season of new beginnings. Menus are awash with spring lamb, wild garlic, and blood oranges, and with any luck, salad season will kick soup season to the metaphorical kerb any day now…

But food is food, and whatever the weather, we Irish love to eat. With that in mind, here’s what’s been going on in the last few weeks – a whirlwind tour of what’s cooking, closing, and clinking glasses around the country.

The Ups and Downs

Luigi Malones Bids Arrivederci

If you spent your early 2000s teenage years ordering chicken wings and frozen strawberry daiquiris in Temple Bar, then pour one out for Luigi Malones, the old reliable of Dublin dining. After 28 years, it’s curtains for the Italian-American spot that served pizza before pizza was a thing in Dublin.

The reason has been cited as roadworks in the local area. The owners have stated that they were basically barricaded into their building thanks to endless construction chaos, leading to a nosedive in footfall and a sad but understandable decision to close for good. RIP to another Dublin stalwart – like we needed another reminder of how tough the restaurant game is these days.

Belfast, But Make It Bologna

La Bottega, a quietly confident Italian deli and restaurant on Belfast’s Lisburn Road, has just bagged the prestigious Ospitalità Italiana quality seal for 2025–2026 – the only restaurant on the island of Ireland to hold the honour. Bestowed by the Italian Chamber of Commerce, it’s essentially a diplomatic passport for authenticity.

Owner Francesco Iaquinta, a Calabrian who’s called Belfast home for over a decade, opened La Bottega in 2021 with the goal of serving Italy on a plate, minus the Ryanair flight. Everything bar the meat and veg is imported from Italy, including the crockery and the soundtrack.

The seal is, as Francesco puts it, “a dream come true.”It’s not their first accolade either – titles like Best Wine Experience in Ulster and Best Italian Restaurant in Ireland suggest that, for once, the hype is entirely justified. Even more proof that Northern Ireland has some very impressive culinary cojones.

Book it

In the “things we didn’t know we needed” category: HOMEGROWN – the gloriously wholesome, wildly luxurious food and culture weekender hosted by Richard Corrigan at Virginia Park Lodge – is back for 2025.

Think long tables in wild meadows, Michelin-level feasting in a country manor, and the sort of talks and masterclasses that make you want to quit your job and become a full-time artisan baker. There’s lough swimming (for the brave), whiskey tasting (for the bold), and a warm, fuzzy sense of connection to Ireland’s land and larder.

Taking place from October 10–13, 2025, you’ll want to pencil it in. Probably in pen.

And now for something completely different. If you’ve ever looked at a ferry and thought, “What this needs is a sommelier and a full-bodied Bordeaux,” then your dreams are about to come true.

Irish Ferries is now offering wine tasting mini cruises aboard the W.B. Yeats from Dublin to Cherbourg. It’s part tasting trip, part springtime escape, and frankly, one of the most brilliant ideas to emerge in the past year. There’s a swish cabin, a car spot, and a whole lot of wine, all for €389 (for two people). Dates are April 10 and May 15, 2025 – plenty of time to dust off your Breton stripes and perfect your swirl-n-sniff technique.

Meanwhile in Waterford, the culinary extravaganza that is the Waterford Festival of Food is set to take place from April 25–27, when Dungarvan and its surroundings will transform into a food lover’s paradise. With over 80 events, including themed dinners, foraging walks, farm tours, live cooking demos, and a bustling food market, the festival showcases the very best of Ireland’s food culture.Chef Paul Flynn has even created a dedicated Spotify playlist to match the vibe. Because why not indeed…

And Finally… Awards Season is Officially Upon Us

The Irish Food Writing Awards are now officially open for 2025 nominations – and if you’ve got a favourite food writer, photographer or podcaster who’s been making your mouth water or stirring up serious kitchen inspiration, now’s the time to shine a spotlight on them.

It’s all about celebrating the voices shaping Ireland’s food scene – the stories, the snaps, and the soundbites – so if someone’s been serving excellence with every sentence, get nominating.

Staying on theme, the Dublin shortlist for the Irish Restaurant Awards 2025 has been announced, featuring the capital’s best culinary and hospitality talent. With competition fiercer than ever, being shortlisted is already a serious win.The All-Ireland final takes place on Monday, May 19th, and if you fancy donning a nice gúna and rubbing shoulders with Ireland’s culinary glitterati, you can buy tickets here.

The Elusive Epicurean: A food loving, wine drinking bon vivant in the sometimes louche world of food writing. Loves to cook, prefers to eat.