We venture south of the Liffey again for two purposes: bagels and beer. Whilst our main goal on our visit to The Vintage Inn was more successful than the side quest, we found much more than we expected, in all of the best ways.
The Vintage Inn is a very near neighbour of The Merry Cobbler, but they are quite different establishments – both very ‘pubby’ in their own ways, but with different features and charms. A standout feature here is the beer garden, one that we will certainly include in our Best Pubs for the Sun list (though it’s possible we had our fill of sun for the summer a few weeks ago). But with a mix of cover and open air, it’s a fine spot in most weathers – beautifully decorated with a wide variety of seating options, plus the requisite giant Jenga that all beer gardens seem to have nowadays.
Inside, what could have been a tired 1970s-era renovation in a 19th century pub has been thoughtfully updated, keeping a bit of the old for camp and comfort, with a blend of fantastic local art, memorabilia and the finest Pride gear (not just in June, we are told, but all the year round, and it’s wonderful) well-placed on all the walls. It’s one of the most cleanly-designed pubs we’ve ever been in, but it still feels packed with personality – these aren’t the ‘hotel bar’ vibes you get from some spots that are just that bit (or rather more, in some cases) too over-designed, nor is it the ‘Oirish Pub’ kit of old signs and bits of hardware one finds (mostly) abroad. In short, it feels, friendly, inclusive and fun.
And there is truly something for everyone – sport, including an emphasis on women’s sport (FINALLY), is on various screens, there’s a monthly folk club, drag bingo and pub quizzes galore. But you’ve likely come to read about the bagels, and we wouldn’t leave you disappointed. Ireland is not generally known for its strong bagel game – see also: soft pretzels – so when one finds legitimately amazing bagel sandwiches, it would violate the social contract not to share the good news. Now available as part of the weekend brunch offering, the authentic bagels come courtesy of Fat Baby Bakes, and as former Brooklynites, we can vouch that these are the real deal, made all the more so by the perfect eggs, bacon and cheese from local producers (other toppings are available, but really, these are just as they should be).
Our one minor quibble is that the only independent beer on tap – at least on our visit – was from Galway Hooker and well…we’ve never liked Galway Hooker, their beers never seem to quite do it for us. It would be lovely to see another local rotating tap, but there is also the full Guinness/Murphy’s/Beamish trinity on offer, plus a variety of cocktails.
Even barring the beer, this is another case of ‘if this were our local, we’d be here all the time’ – but it’s also a pub with such a warm welcome (and such an outstanding beer garden) that we know we’ll be more purposeful about making the trip down in future, and not just for the bagels.
Where: 74 Irishtown Road, Dublin 4
Access from the city centre: Buses C1, C2; Dart to Lansdowne Road; 40-ish minute walk
Food: Weekend brunch; keep an eye on the socials for more
Sport: Sport – not just of/for men!
TVs: Screens tastefully positioned, not overwhelming
Music: Great tunes from many eras
Family-friendliness: Kids welcome for brunch/before events at the Aviva
Pub-crawl-ability: Low-medium – The Merry Cobbler and Irishtown House are very close, with The Oarsman and The Yacht Tavern up the road in Ringsend; The Old Spot and The Bath Pub are not too far away.
Local sites of note: Aviva Stadium, Ringsend Park, Irishtown Stadium, Seán Moore Park (for Poolbeg Parkrun), Poolbeg Chimneys, Sandymount Strand
Haunted: No stories forthcoming, but we’d love to go to a Samhain/Halloween event here
Other notes: Dogs most welcome
Socials: Instagram, Facebook
This week, we make a trip not only south of the Liffey, but nearly into the heart of Dublin 4, with a visit to 
It’s very much a neighbourhood spot, welcoming local families, game day regulars and guests – you can even stay in the pub. And while its renovation of the past decade means it’s got a bit more polished wood and stained glass than many of its counterparts on the other side of the river, it never feels snobby. There are some lovely snugs – again, more stained glass – and various different spaces to spread out around this large pub. Local independent beers are well-represented (from Trouble and Wicklow Wolf on this most recent visit, though we’ve also seen Hope in the past), but this is another spot where the stout enthusiast can do the full Guinness–Beamish–Murphy’s taste test.
We will eventually do a ‘Best Pubs for the Aviva’ roundup to complement our ‘