Coffee guru Colin Harmon was one of the first to put down roots in the Grand Canal Basin/Pearse Steet area and he continues to grow his Dublin-based 3fe group of cafés and restaurants. Having started with 3fe café, Gertrude joins the family as child number five and it's a more ambitious venture.
On weekdays, Gertrude is a perfect spot for a casual breakfast or lunch, while at weekends it's home to buzzy brunches and cosy evening meals.
The style is typically millennial, with light-filled open space, industrial features and blond wood tables geared towards communal dining. Bright graphic prints and splashes of bold colour enliven the room, which transforms nicely at evening time into a more intimate venue.
Dishes that quickly attained iconic status, includie umami-rich bacon & cabbage dumplings, a tonkatsu pork sandwich and a fried chicken and pancake stack served with honey butter and fermented hot sauce.
The evening menu changes regularly, offering accessible seasonal dishes. The balance is good, including fish and vegetarian dishes (and delicious desserts include a very more-ish Espresso-flavoured soft serve ice-cream.
The bold and interesting wine list is curated by Peter Conway, formerly of Terenure favourite, Green Man Wines. A clear layout makes it easy to digest, and this modern selection is bound to please many a wine enthusiast - prices, however, are somewhat out of step with the keenly-priced food, which may deter those who would just like a glass of decent, moderately priced house wine with their meal.
