Herbstreet is a restaurant built to last. Located in the recently developed urban leisure area of Hanover Quay – whose Martha Schwartz-designed Grand Canal Square is flanked by the 2,000-seater Grand Canal Theatre on one side and a Manual Aires Mateus designed hotel on the other – Herbstreet joins several attractive restaurants, cafés and winebars in the area.
This deceptively spacious little Dublin restaurants been quietly doing its own thing since first opened by partners Siobhan Mullen and Vinnie Murphy (head chef and front of house respectively) – offering daytime service from 8am (breakfast and lunch) and building up to dinner service pre-show until 7.30pm.
There's no doubt that there is a unique style of doing things here, as evidenced by everything from the vintage 1950s chairs and the eco-friendly lighting design to the intriguing drinks list (including the likes of Brazilian beer or Pimms with fresh pineapple chunks and mint leaves).
The menu is quirky too, in a casual café-style: brunch might include Cajun rib-eye with fried eggs and corned beef hash, lunch could be popcorn shrimp and calamari salad, and dinner a Brazilian fish soup with a cumin and coconut and crushed peanuts.
Add to all of this a bright and breezy atmosphere, fun desserts such as Tickety Moo ice cream sandwiches, and a couple of tables outside from which to watch the world go by, and you have one unique offering.
