The Library Bar has long been touted as one of Dublin’s “best-kept secrets”, but in reality you will have trouble finding a free seat here on many an evening. Still, given that many hotel bars these days have all the charm and character of an airport waiting lounge, this place is a welcome find.

With its dark wooden floors and panelling, shelves full of old books, fireplace and luxurious chairs and sofas, its like a cross between an elegant, old-school hotel bar and a traditional pub.

Tucked away up on the first floor of an otherwise unremarkable hotel, it is great for a peaceful drink at any time of the day; but I like to come here for relaxed conversation with friends in the early evening before braving the more crowded pubs and clubs nearby.

Another welcome fact about the Library Bar is that, unusually for a hotel, the drinks prices are actually cheaper than some city-centre pubs.

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Library Bar – Central Hotel | Art & culture, Bars
1-5 Exchequer Street | +35316797302
Sun – Thu 11:00 – 23:30, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 00:30

Builders and developers are almost as reviled in Ireland these days as bankers and politicians. The exception – until a recent tax scandal – was a colourful character called Mick Wallace (now an Independent politician also), who was responsible for developing Bloom’s Lane back in the early Noughties.

A lover of Italian culture, Wallace’s ambition was to bring a slice of the continental lifestyle, with good food and wine at affordable prices, to Dublin at a time when prices elsewhere were soaring.

It is an attractive walkway which links the Millennium Bridge with Strand Street and Upper Abbey Street and is lined with restaurants, cafes and a few shops. There is a cluster of Italian restaurants at one end, hence it is generally referred to locally as the “Italian Quarter.”

Whether this area can still be said to offer better value for money than elsewhere in the city is debatable. The Italian fare on offer tends to be decent and reliable rather than exciting or inventive. Nevertheless, it is a very pleasant option for al fresco dining or a simple glass of wine. Bloom’s Lane is also one of Dublin’s prime people-watching locations on a sunny day, forming a perfect runway for the city’s beautiful people – usually foreigners.

Incidentally, the picture above is of a mural to be found at the heart of Bloom’s Lane. Featuring a collection of random individuals chosen by the local artist responsible for the work, it is a clever and amusing take on the Last Supper.

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Bloom’s Lane | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks, Restaurants (Italian)
Bloom’s Lane, Lower Ormond Quay
24 hours daily

Ask a member of Dublin’s chattering classes to name their favourite “secret spot” in the city, and there’s a fair chance the response will be the Iveagh Gardens. It has become this almost mythical place that nobody is supposed to know about, yet everybody does.

Nevertheless it remains true that, thanks to its concealed location behind the National Concert Hall, this wonderful park attracts nothing like the crowds of nearby St Stephen’s Green.

The gardens combine traditional English landscaping with formal features like statues, fountains, rockeries and a rose garden. The real beauty of the place, however, is the feeling of quiet seclusion.

If you fancy reading a book, having a nap or just whiling away a few hours on a sunny day in Dublin, this is a much more attractive option than jostling for space in St Stephen’s Green.

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Iveagh Gardens | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
Clonmel Street | +353114757816
Mon – Sat 08:00, Sun 10:00 | Closes Dec – Jan 15:30, Feb & Nov 16:00, Mar – Oct 18:00

Dublin City Gallery the Hugh Lane, to give it its full, cumbersome title, is located in a beautiful old town house worthy of a visit in its own right. This, combined with the quality of the exhibits, make it the one truly must-see public gallery in the city.

The permanent collection includes works by European artists as well as many of the most prominent Irish artists of the 20th century, such as William Orpen, Roderick O’Connor, Louis Le Brocquy and Jack B Yeats. Also featured are works by the man sometimes cited (though not by me!) as Ireland’s greatest living painter, Sean Scully.

The jewel in the crown, though, is a remarkable reconstruction of Francis Bacon‘s studio at 7 Reece Mews, South Kensington, where he lived and worked from 1961 until his death in 1992. It was donated to the Hugh Lane by Bacon’s former partner, John Edwards, in 1998. “I work much better in chaos,” Bacon once said, and this is reflected in the 7,000-plus separate items recovered from the small studio and transported to Dublin.

Out of the chaos emerged some of the greatest figurative paintings of the 20th century, and this faithful reconstruction offers a fascinating insight into the artist’s mind.

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The Hugh Lane Gallery | Art & culture
Parnell Square North | +35312225550
Tue – Thu 10:00 – 18:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 17:00, Sun 11:00 – 17:00

One would assume that, as the home of the black stuff, a good pint of Guinness in Dublin was virtually a given. Sadly this is far from the case; thus, given the considerable time, money and effort I’ve invested in researching this subject over the years, I thought I’d share my findings with the readers of Spotted by Locals on where to find the best pint in town.

I have heard various theories over the years as to why some pubs have excellent Guinness and others don’t. As a general rule of thumb, the older and more traditional the pub, the better the pint is likely to be. Of course, I can’t claim to have been to every pub in Dublin – despite my best efforts, so my conclusions can only be based on partial evidence.

There are certain pubs which rarely let you down on the Guinness front – Mulligans of Poolbeg Street, Nearys of Chatham Street and the Sackville Lounge just off O’Connell Street are a few that come immediately to mind. My vote for best pint in Dublin, however, goes to O’Connells of Portobello.

This is an old-school, friendly locals’ pub, well off the tourist trail, although it does attract a few younger types at weekends en route to the trendier joints in nearby Camden Street. Not only are the pints of Guinness consistently good, but at € 4, they are a bargain for this part of town.

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J. O’Connell’s | Bars | Guinness (pint) € 4.00
29 South Richmond Street
Mon – Thu 16:00 – 23:30, Fri – Sat 16:00 – 00:30, Sun 13:00 – 23:30

If only more Dublin pubs were still like this. Although adorned by a certain amount of that phoney bric-a-brac one associates with “Oirish” pubs the world over, Fallons (formerly known as the Capstan Bar) is a cosy little gem of a street-corner pub that has remained essentially unchanged over the years. It is mostly a locals’ joint, but not in a threatening, avoid-the-stares-as-you-walk-in kind of way.

It draws a happy mix of die-hards and younger blow-ins to fashionable Dublin 8 during the boom years, and the owner, Seamus, takes pride in ensuring a friendly, welcoming atmosphere.

The changing demographics of the area are reflected in the fact they sell Paulaner weissbier on tap. Otherwise, its traditional all the way, and eating options are thankfully limited to soup and the delicious ham n’ cheese toasties.

I am reliably informed by the owner that this is the only pub in Dublin that still cleans its own pipes (this is usually done by drinks company reps). However they do it, the pints of Guinness are certainly up to the standard one would expect of a place within smelling distance of the hops from St James’s Gate.

There’s a nice view of nearby St Patrick’s Cathedral as well.

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Fallons | Bars | Pint of Guinness € 4.20
129 The Coombe | +35314542801
Mon – Thu 10:30 – 23:30, Fri – Sat 10:30 – 00:30, Sun 12:30 – 23:30

Located just off the main shopping thoroughfare of Grafton Street, Neary’s is perhaps a little too bourgeois and subdued for some tastes (one of my pals calls it “Dreary’s”). But it has always been one of my favourite pubs in Dublin.

The plush interior is more elegant than a typical Dublin pub, but the emphasis here is on the traditional values of friendly, efficient service and a consistently excellent pint.

The approach is decidedly old-school – the barmen still wear white shirts and bow ties – but its not stuffy at all; and despite the location, it draws a mostly local crowd. There are two very different contexts in which I drink in this pub: late on a Saturday afternoon, I like to read the newspapers in the quiet calm of the downstairs snug; on a Friday night out with friends, however, we’ll go to the upstairs “Cocktails Lounge,” an intimate and atmospheric room that draws a slightly younger crowd of 20- and 30-somethings than the mellower downstairs bar.

This pub also makes a great lunch spot, offering delicious cold plates of meats and salads, and sandwiches such as beef, roast chicken and fresh salmon.

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Neary’s | Bars, Restaurants (Intern.)
1 Chatham Street | +35316778596
Sun – Thu 10:30 – 23:30, Fri – Sat 10:30 – 00:30

Founded in 1981, Asia Market Ltd. is the place to go to for any of us living here that needs a hard-to-find ingredient for that special dish.

I recommend you stop here on any given day (preferably in the morning) so that you can be a witness to the fast-paced and multicultural shopping experience that many don’t often see while traveling.

Asia Market is also the place where many of Dublin’s great restaurant kitchens gather some of their key ingredients. Who knows? Maybe the next time you are in, you might bump into one of the wonderful Dublin chefs that like to shop here before their start to a very busy day!

FYI: Book your “What’s Inside Asia Market?” today! It’s FREE, you get a behind the scenes look, and get tips on making the most out of staple Asian ingredients next time you try your luck in the kitchen. See their Facebook page for more info.

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Asia Market | Shopping, Snacks
18 Drury Street | +35316779764
Fri – Wed 10:00 – 19:00, Thu 10:00 – 20:00

Many people that have watched the movie Chocolat with Juliette Binoche, often dream of having such a little shop in their city, town, or neighbourhood… a place where they can go into and be greeted by an honest smile from someone who understands what chocolate invokes once the first bite is taken.

Dubliners now have such a place. Although it is not found in a remote town in France like in the film, Cocoa Atelier definitely creates that space of serenity, warmth and intimacy within that many city dwellers & chocoholics crave.

Inside Cocoa Atelier you will find a multitude of truffles in all sorts of flavour combinations sitting before you, with columns of chocolate Florentines, jars and bottles oozing chocolatey deliciousness adorning the walls, and almost endless rows of macaroons waiting to be picked.

The place is a temple to the art of all things chocolate. Everything you see on display is produced in the downstairs kitchen using the best quality ingredients to make Cocoa Atelier an experience to be had while in Dublin. My favourites so far are the salted caramels & the white chocolate and pistachio Florentines.

Another thing to highlight at Cocoa Atelier is the modern and soothing ambiance within the shop where chocolate is the pièce de résistance, all divinely enhanced by the always smiling shop staff. Cocoa Atelier is probably the type of shop Brioche’s character would have started had she had the city and the 21st century at her disposal.

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Cocoa Atelier | Shopping, Snacks
30 Drury Street | +35316753616
Tue – Wed & Fri – Sat 10:30 – 18:00, Thu 10:30 – 19:00

It seems as if Dublin were a magnet for the world’s leading names in terms of architecture. Of course this is an honor for the city and a treat for her residents and visitors. Even if architecture and structural or civil engineering are not what makes your heart skip a beat, the latest design by world-renowned architect Santiago Calatrava will definitely bring a smile to your face, even if it’s lashing (raining hard and sideways) on you as you make use of his work.

What I am talking about is the Samuel Becket Bridge, which was introduced into the Dublin cityscape in May of 2009 and finally inaugurated and opened in December 2009 to pedestrians, motorists, and cyclists. The four-lane structure is intended to become Dublin’s Eiffel Tower. The plus? There are no lines to wait in or admission to pay; you may also use it any time you want!

In keeping with the iconic vision, the bridge is shaped like a harp (Ireland’s symbol), but laying on its side, the bridge is ingenious in its form and operation as it opens at a 90º angle as if it were an actual door to allow for large ships passage into and out of Dublin.

I am not sure if something like this exists anywhere else in the world, but I cannot hide my awe and amazement at such a structurally beautiful and innovative piece.

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Samuel Beckett Bridge | Art & culture
River Liffey
24 hours daily