Ireland

Dublin

Last traveled · March 2023
City Snapshot
Best Months
May–Sep
Ideal Stay
3–4 days
Best For
Pubs, history, GF fish & chips
GF Friendliness
7/10
Language
English (Irish)
English
Native
City Size
Large (1.4M metro)
Currency
Euro (€)

Where to Stay

Recommended
O'Connell Bridge over the River Liffey at night
Where I stayed

Arlington Hotel

O'Connell Bridge · right on the Liffey
Why Stay Here
Central location steps from Temple Bar and O'Connell Street. Traditional Irish entertainment nightly.
Central Live Music River Views
Book on Hotels.com
O'Connell Street, Dublin
Where I stayed

Moxy Dublin City

North City Centre · near O'Connell Street
Why Stay Here
Modern, social hotel with a fun lobby bar. Great value for the location.
Modern Social Lobby Good Value
Book on Hotels.com
Georgian terraced houses on Merrion Square, Dublin
Traveler recommended

The Alex Hotel

Merrion Square · Georgian Quarter
Why Stay Here
Did not actually stay here (booked Mar 2020, canceled due to COVID). Looks nice.
Boutique Georgian Quarter Stylish
Book on Hotels.com

Gluten-Free Survival Guide

Easy
Key Phrases
"I have coeliac disease" Irish/British spelling — staff take it seriously
"Is the chips fryer shared with battered items?" Critical for fish & chips
"Can I see your allergen menu?" Required by EU law in Ireland
Grocery Stores
  • Tesco Ireland — largest free-from range, Jervis Street location convenient
  • Dunnes Stores — St Stephen’s Green location, good own-brand GF
  • SuperValu — strong Irish GF brands
Safe Irish Dishes
  • Colcannon — mashed potatoes with cabbage, naturally GF
  • Smoked salmon — Ireland’s finest, naturally GF
  • Seafood chowder — ask if thickened with flour or potatoes
Score Breakdown
Dedicated GF restaurants
Menu labeling
Staff knowledge & safety
Density of GF dining
Grocery availability
7/10 Overall GF Score
Easy

GF Friendly Restaurants

15 spots
GF Score 5/5 4/5 3/5 2/5 1/5 Hotel

Beshoff’s O’Connell Street

GF Options
Fish & Chips / Seafood
Went here
GF Score
Safety Notes
Dedicated GF fryer. Everything available GF except burgers. Staff change gloves and clean surfaces.
What to Order
GF fish & chips, calamari, onion rings. “Went several times — DELICIOUS GF fish & chips!”
Location
O’Connell Street
See reviews on Find Me Gluten Free
GF fish and chips at Beshoff's

Beshoff Bros

GF Options
Fish & Chips / Seafood
Went here
GF Score
Safety Notes
Dedicated GF fryer. Separate GF menu. Staff knowledgeable about celiac.
What to Order
GF fish & chips, fries, onion rings. “Went several times — DELICIOUS GF fish & chips and other fried seafood!”
Location
South City Centre
See reviews on Find Me Gluten Free

Firehouse Pizza Ballymun

100% GF
Pizza
Traveler recommended
GF Score
Safety Notes
Owner has celiac disease. Separate kitchen area for GF prep. Dedicated fryer. GF items sealed with allergy stickers.
What to Order
GF pizza on Schär bases (9–11 inch), GF garlic bread, nachos, burgers with GF buns. Delivery/takeout only.
Location
Ballymun (near airport)
See reviews on Find Me Gluten Free

Gallaghers Boxty House

100% GF
Irish Traditional
Traveler recommended
GF Score
Safety Notes
Mostly GF restaurant — uses rice flour for boxty. Only non-GF: breads, toffee pudding, stews. Dedicated fryer. Some celiac staff.
What to Order
GF boxty (potato pancakes), GF fish & chips, calamari, Bailey’s cheesecake, GF beer & cider.
Location
Temple Bar
See reviews on Find Me Gluten Free

Cornucopia Wholefoods

GF Options
Vegetarian / Vegan
Traveler recommended
GF Score
Safety Notes
GF items clearly marked on rotating menu. GF toast kept separate. NIMA tested all clear. Shared kitchen.
What to Order
GF soups, salads, stews, curries, sweet treats.
Location
Wicklow Street (off Grafton)
See reviews on Find Me Gluten Free

Saba

GF Options
Thai / Vietnamese
Traveler recommended
GF Score
Safety Notes
Coeliac-friendly items marked with ‘c’ symbol. GF soy sauce used. Not dedicated facility.
What to Order
Pad Thai, all curries, summer rolls, rice dishes, GF desserts.
Location
South William Street
See reviews on Find Me Gluten Free

Kimchi Hophouse

GF Options
Korean / Sushi
Traveler recommended
GF Score
Safety Notes
GF menu with marked items. GF soy sauce (tamari). Dedicated fryer for fries.
What to Order
Bibimbap, sushi, fries, vegetarian GF options.
Location
North City Centre
See reviews on Find Me Gluten Free

ELY Wine Bar

GF Options
Wine Bar / European
Traveler recommended
GF Score
Safety Notes
GF & DF items marked on menu. Staff attentive to allergies.
What to Order
Seasonal menu with GF options, organic wines.
Location
Ely Place

Brother Hubbard (North)

GF Options
Middle Eastern / Brunch
Traveler recommended
GF Score
Safety Notes
Dedicated GF fryer. GF bread for brunch items. Breakfast/brunch/lunch only (dinner suspended).
What to Order
Turkish eggs, GF sandwiches, soup, eggs Benedict.
Location
Capel Street
See reviews on Find Me Gluten Free

Opium

GF Options
Thai / Pan-Asian
Traveler recommended
GF Score
Safety Notes
GF items marked on menu. Separate GF fryer. Staff know about cross-contamination.
What to Order
Pad Thai, curry, appetizers, chocolate brownie.
Location
South City Centre
See reviews on Find Me Gluten Free

The Millstone

GF Options
Irish / Steakhouse
Traveler recommended
GF Score
Safety Notes
Separate GF menu. Dedicated GF fryer. Some inconsistent reports.
What to Order
GF fish & chips, burgers, steak, fries, desserts.
Location
Dame Street
See reviews on Find Me Gluten Free

Brother Hubbard (South)

GF Options
Middle Eastern / Brunch
Traveler recommended
GF Score
Safety Notes
Dedicated GF fryer. WARNING: fried items marked GF may not be coeliac-safe per one review.
What to Order
GF breakfast sandwiches, cakes. Daytime only.
Location
Harrington Street
See reviews on Find Me Gluten Free

The Brazen Head

GF Options
Irish Pub
Traveler recommended
GF Score
Safety Notes
GF menu with marked items. NO dedicated fryer. Staff knowledge varies. Dublin’s oldest pub, est. 1198.
What to Order
Cider, salad, bangers & mash. Live music nightly from 9pm.
Location
Bridge Street
See reviews on Find Me Gluten Free

Beanhive Coffee

GF Options
Coffee / Cafe
Traveler recommended
GF Score
Safety Notes
GF options available but cross-contamination concerns in small kitchen. Some items “low gluten.”
What to Order
GF muffins, sandwiches, smoothies.
Location
Dawson Street
See reviews on Find Me Gluten Free

The Hairy Lemon

GF Options
Irish Pub
Traveler recommended
GF Score
Safety Notes
SHARED fryer. No GF bread. One celiac reported illness from Irish stew. Mixed safety.
What to Order
Stick to drinks — curry and cider only if eating.
Location
Stephen Street Lower
See reviews on Find Me Gluten Free

Getting Around

Luas
Two tram lines: Red (east–west) and Green (north–south through city center). Fast, frequent, covers key tourist areas.
Leap Card for discounted fares
Dublin Bus
Extensive network, 164M passengers/year. BusConnects redesign ongoing.
Leap Visitor Card from €8/day
DART
Suburban rail along the coast. Malahide/Howth to Greystones. Scenic views.
Great for Howth day trip
Walking
Compact, flat city center. Temple Bar to Trinity: 5 min. Most sights within 25 min walk.
Best way to see the city
Local Tip
Get a Leap Visitor Card (€8/day or €16/3-day) for unlimited travel on Dublin Bus, Luas, DART, and Airlink airport bus. Buy at Dublin Airport arrivals or O’Connell Street.

Landmarks & Must-See Spots

2 spots

Ha'penny Bridge

Walk
Iconic 1816 pedestrian bridge over the River Liffey, connecting Temple Bar to the Northside. Best photographed at night when lit up.
River Liffey
Traveler recommended

Dublin Castle

Historic
Medieval castle dating to 1204, home to the State Apartments and Chapel Royal. Grounds and gardens are free to explore.
Dame Street
Traveler recommended

Neighborhoods

Temple Bar

Buzzing & lively
Dublin's cultural quarter on the south bank of the Liffey. Cobblestone streets, live music from every pub, street performers, and the famous Saturday food market.

Georgian Quarter

Elegant & literary
Stunning 18th-century architecture with iconic painted Georgian doors. Home to Merrion Square, the National Gallery, and the Oscar Wilde statue.

Creative Quarter

Trendy & indie
Hub of independent boutiques, specialty coffee, and street art stretching from South William Street to George's Street. Powerscourt Townhouse is the anchor.

Northside

Historic & bustling
O'Connell Street is Dublin's widest boulevard, dominated by the 120m Spire and the GPO — site of the 1916 Easter Rising. Henry Street for shopping.

Liberties

Authentic & gritty
The brewing heartland around St James's Gate. Home to the Guinness Storehouse and Teeling Whiskey Distillery. Old Dublin at its most authentic.

Smithfield

Up-and-coming
Cobblestoned plaza north of the Liffey. Home to Jameson Distillery Bow St. and The Cobblestone — one of Dublin's best pubs for traditional music.

Things to Do

Attractions

Guinness Storehouse

Ticketed
Went here
Self-guided tour through seven immersive floors of brewing history, ending with a complimentary pint at the Gravity Bar with 360-degree city views.
~2 hours
Book

Book of Kells at Trinity College

Ticketed
Went here
Marvel at the 9th-century illuminated manuscript in Trinity College's Old Library. Timed entry — book well in advance as summer slots sell out days ahead.
~1.5 hours
Book
The Long Room at Trinity College

St Patrick’s Cathedral

Ticketed
Ireland's largest cathedral, founded in 1220. Jonathan Swift served as dean. Audio guide in 7 languages covers over 800 years of history.
~1 hour
Book

Kilmainham Gaol

Ticketed
Powerful guided tour of the former prison where leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were executed. Tickets release 28 days ahead at midnight and sell out fast.
~1 hour guided
Book
Tours & Experiences

Dublin Literary Pub Crawl

Ticketed
Two professional actors lead you through Dublin's literary pubs, performing works of Joyce, Beckett, Wilde, and Behan. Ends with a literary quiz at the final pub.
~2.5 hours
Book

Traditional Irish Music Pub Crawl

Ticketed
Professional musicians guide you through Temple Bar's best pubs, teaching the history and stories behind traditional Irish music along the way.
~2.5 hours
Book

Temple Bar

Free
Went here
Dublin's most iconic pub, famous for its red facade and traditional Irish music sessions. Home to the largest whiskey collection in Ireland. Go for the atmosphere and cider — GF food is unreliable.
Temple Bar area
Visit website

Jameson Distillery Bow St.

Ticketed
Went here
Guided tour of Ireland’s most famous whiskey distillery in Smithfield, founded in 1780. Includes a tasting of three whiskeys and a complimentary cocktail.
~45 min
Book
Inside the Jameson Distillery

Richmond Park — St Pat’s Match

Ticketed
Catch a League of Ireland match at Richmond Park in Inchicore, home of St Patrick's Athletic FC. An authentic local sporting experience away from the tourist trail.
Inchicore, Dublin 8
Visit website

What to Pack

March

Travel Tips

What I'd Do Differently
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