8 new cuisines you can try in Dublin

The most popular cuisines in Ireland include Chinese, Thai, Italian, Indian, and Mexican. However, there are many more international cuisines that are worth a try. Here are 8 new cuisines you can try and even more restaurants where you can find them in Dublin.

Korean

Mostly based on rice, vegetables, and meats, Korean cuisine is a bit less widespread than the other two East Asian cuisines, Chinese and Japanese. Though you’ve probably heard of kimchi, one of the most important elements of Korean cuisine. It’s made of salted and fermented vegetables and comes with almost every meal. Some of the decent Korean restaurants include Chimac and Brothers Dosirak; there you can find the authentic taste of Korean cuisine. Check must-try Korean restaurants in Dublin!

Middle Eastern

Middle Eastern cuisine covers Syrian, Lebanese, and Persian food, which has plenty of olives, dates, chickpeas, rice, mint and parsley. If you tried and liked falafel, kebab or shawarma, you’ll most likely be a fan of Middle Eastern cuisine. It’s also common for those countries to have meze, a selection of small dishes like cheese, pickles, salads and dips. By the way, the Middle East is the origin of hummus – shout-out to vegetarians!

In Dublin, you can find Middle Eastern food in many places, and Tang is one of the best; though it’s a bit small, the staff is friendly there and the dishes are fantastic for a quick breakfast or lunch. For a deeper experience, you can visit Damascus Gate, try meze and a Syrian cheesecake knafeh, enjoying live music and belly dance. Here you can find the best Middle Eastern restaurants in Dublin.

Russian

Russian food doesn’t have that many spices, but it’s filling and contains a lot of meat, potatoes, and other vegetables. In Admiral Restaurant, you will find “Kholodets” and “Borsch”, as well as the salads traditionally eaten during the New Year celebration – “Olivje” and “Shuba”. Admiral Restaurant has a variety of food common in Eastern European or Slavic countries. We highly recommend you to try a Georgian favourite, “Adjarian Khachapuri”, which is a white bread stuffed with cheese and with an egg yolk on top.

Greek

A Mediterranean diet is known as one of the healthiest in the world, and it includes Greek food, too. Olives, feta cheese, spinach, fish – these and many other healthy products can be found in Greek cuisine, which is not limited to Greek salad. Any dish can become even better with a bit of hummus, Greek yoghurt, or tzatziki. Don’t forget grilled halloumi cheese! There are quite a few Greek restaurants in Dublin: for example, you can go to Mykonos Taverna, Yeeros Greek Souvlaki Bar, Corfu Greek Restaurant, or somewhere else on our list of 7 Greek Restaurants in Ireland.

Balkan

Balkan is an umbrella term for Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian and other cuisines coming from the Balkan Peninsula. As it contains so many cuisines at once, Balkan food is rich and diverse. One of the classics is cevapi or cevapcici, which is grilled minced meat served with chopped onions, sour cream or feta cheese.

His Food Muhadzic is the best place in Dublin where you can try Balkan food; they have large portions, reasonable prices, and good service. This place is not that easy to find as it’s located in the basement, but once you find it, you’ll keep returning there again and again. 

Polish

Polish food is warm and filling. One of the most well-known Polish dishes is pierogi, which resemble dumplings filled with anything you want, be it mushrooms, potatoes, meat, sauerkraut or even fruit and cherries. Gorące Gary u Barbary Kuchary is a place where you can try nice pierogi. Finish your dinner by drinking a glass of nice sweet kompot. You can also find some Polish food in Admiral and His Food Muhadzic mentioned above.

Moroccan

Moroccan cuisine is known for its extensive use of colourful spices, dried fruits, vegetables, and all kinds of meat except pork. Food is commonly one-pot and cooked in a tagine. One of the most typical Moroccan dishes is couscous, which can be served with any beef, lamb or chicken. There are only two Moroccan restaurants in Dublin, Dada and El Bahia, and both of them have amazing lamb and couscous dishes, as well as great service and quiet atmosphere.

Brazilian

Brazilian food is a mix of European, African, Amerindian, and Asian influences, which makes it understandable for almost everyone. However, the use of local products in cooking made this cuisine so special. The basic Brazilian dish is rice and beans; other traditional dishes are somewhat similar to those in other cuisines, like Spanish tapas or Italian pasta. It’s also common for a Brazilian restaurant to have plenty of delicious wine varieties. If you want to try Brazilian food in Dublin, go to Cafe Mineiro or Benvindo Restaurant. Here are the top 9 Brazilian Restaurants in Dublin.

Read: Top 10 traditional Irish restaurants

The best Mexican restaurants in Dublin

9 Spanish Restaurants in Ireland

13 French Restaurants in Ireland

15 Italian Restaurants in Ireland

Traditional food is one of the keys to understanding other cultures. That’s why you should try new cuisines – you don’t even need to leave Dublin for that. Think of it as a short trip to your dream country you’ve never been to.