Dublin 8 has seen plenty of restaurant openings in recent times, and Gaillot et Gray is yet another example of the exciting eating to be found in this part of the city.
Husband and wife team Gilles Gaillot and Emma Gray started out a few years ago with a pizza truck in Greystones, inspired by the ones that Gilles grew up visiting in France. The schtick here is that the pizza is French-style, rather than Italian. That means that the cheese used is Emmental rather than mozzarella, and the toppings include French ingredients such as spicy merguez sausages and Bayonne ham.
The space is airy and clean, with simple tables and salvaged school room chairs. It's a no frills room with obligatory hipster Edison light bulbs. The look is spare and modern without being austere. The wood-burning oven takes pride of place.
During the day, Gaillot et Gray serves home-baked patisserie, and good coffee. Gilles bakes sourdough bread in the wood-burning oven and you can buy loaves to take away. With a BYO policy this is a casual, neighbourhood restaurant that's as popular with local families as it is with foodie types who appreciate the excellent pizzas and reasonable prices.
***In response to the Covid-19 lockdown measures, Gaillot et Gray offered their daytime fare to order by phone from 9am (Wed-Sat) for collection, including that excellent rustic bread along with home-baked pastries, Imbibe coffee from local roasters and other locally produced treats such as White Mausu peanut rayu and cashew-miso crunch. Last morning orders are dispatched by noon to give the crew a break before they reopen from 4pm (also Wed-Sat) to take call-ahead orders for pizza, available up until 9pm.
