Malahide has never been short of good eating places, but locals Adriana and Mark Fitzpatrick proved that there is always room for more quality when they opened here in 2017.
With vision, drive and serious investment, they created a stylish and very comfortable contemporary restaurant from two old cottages on Old Street in the village. The results are impressive, marrying a sensitive conversion with double height atrium, mezzanine floor, cavernous wine cellar and a beautiful cocktail bar and spacious dining room.
This is a no-expense spared set-up, with the stylish interior curated by Adriana, who clearly has a good eye. Pale parquet floors, beamed ceilings, exposed brick, covetable (and extremely comfortable) dining chairs and good lighting make it an exquisite space to relax in. Investment pieces include authentic Eames and Bibendum chairs in the glamorous bar - a grown-up room where you can enjoy a digestif by the (gas) fire - and the fabulous Arran Street East tea sets.
Happily, the quest for quality has been applied across the board, with Head Chef Mario Simi and his kitchen team taking particular pride in specialities including in-house dry aged Irish Beef and house made charcuterie. Menus are seasonal, with top Irish ingredients used to create exciting, modern Irish comfort food that is plated on beautiful stoneware and full of flavour.
The short dessert menu is high on originality, with updated classics among the treats - and Mark Fitzpatrick's personally selected wine offering is especially strong, with plenty of good options from affordable house wines to big hitters. There are more than 20 wines by the glass, a great cocktail list and especially strong gin and whiskey offerings.
Service is a match for the food, with manager Jamie O'Connor's well trained floor and bar staff, dressed in dark denim and bespoke charcoal aprons, bringing warmth and enthusiasm to the job.
Dining here isn’t cheap, but it is fairly priced for the quality; the early bird menu offers good value and the kids’ menu (half portions from the main menu are also available for children) and spacious dining room make it ideal for family dining too.
While it is one of the town's newer restaurants, Old Street has become an established neighbourfood favourite. It also attracts diners from well beyond Malahide, many of whom also come to make the most of the brilliant Artisan Shop that was set up during the pandemic. It's a treasure trove of in-house products including wonderful smoked and cured charcuterie and dry-aged beef as well as pastries and other baked goods that fly off the shelves each morning, plus many more items made in-house or sourced from artisan producers. Everyone is just hoping that it will become a permanent feature after the dining scene goes back to normal.
