Welcome to Dublin. Let's eat! Photo: Tobias Abel

Dining in Dublin has never been better with more choices than ever. If you thought the city was only Guinness and shepherd’s pie, you’re in for a big treat.

But what to eat for lunch or dinner without going over budget, however, is not so obvious. No worries — with these tips by Dublin locals, you’ll be sure to avoid the touristy and pricey restaurants in favor of the neighborhood gems that should be on every visitor’s list.

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Hop aboard for a tasty pizza. Photo: Maria Krupskaya

Big Blue Bus

11-12 South Richmond St.

The Bernard Shaw is a great hipster pub, but what makes it even better is the Big Blue Bus hidden in the backyard. It’s a doubledecker where you can enjoy freshly made pizza (~€10). You rarely have to wait more than 10 minutes for your order, and every week there’s a different male and female name whose happy bearers get pizza for free! Feeling lucky?

Upgrade your cafe experience at Luncheonette. Photo: Kevin Gleeson

Luncheonette

100 Thomas St.

This vaulted basement cafe is hidden below the centrally located National College of Art & Design of Ireland. Luncheonette’s affordable, healthy food is primarily geared towards students, but there’s nothing stopping anyone from dropping by for some delicious artistic specialties that are also surprisingly affordable. One of local Kevin’s favorites is the Kerala curry and cashew pilaf and their beetroot burger with avocado. Expect to pay around €3.50 per small dish.

Have you had a Chinese burger? Photo: Sam Tranum

Temple Express Newsagents

4 Westmoreland St.

This small newsagent on Westmoreland Street, one of the busiest thoroughfares in Dublin, has a delicious little surprise: a small Chinese kitchen that serves street food, including soups, noodles and local Juan’s favorite Chinese burgers (€3.50) — “so tasty, so much better than a normal burger in a fast food restaurant, there’s no comparison!” Most of the customers that come to Temple Express Newsagents are Chinese, so be careful — when they say “hot” here, they really mean it!

Comfort food with a twist is the specialty at Cowtown. Photo: Cowtown Cafe FB

Cowtown Cafe

73 Manor St.

Cowtown Cafe has brought the charm of the traditional greasy spoon to Stoneybatter. Their menu consists of refreshing alternatives to the tired options of stew or fish and chips as flagships of Irish cuisine. Yet, it never strays from a menu of “comfort food an Irish mammy would make”, complete with the freshest bread and the best quality cuts of meat. Local Lucie’s favorite item on the menu is the fish-finger sandwich, incidentally also some of her hangover food of preference — an inevitable essential for any visit to Ireland. Main courses from €9.

Freshly made sandwiches are the draw at Doughboys. Photo: Kevin Gleeson

Doughboys

5 Charlotte Way

Dublin is overrun with boring high street sandwich shops, but Doughboys is a brilliant exception. Opened in 2014 and run by very friendly staff, you can even depend on them for cheap and tasty sandwiches (€5). You can order items without the bread and they have vegan/gluten-free options. However, it’s the carnivores that are really in for a treat: on Thursdays and Fridays, they serve porchetta — herb-infused roast pork with salsa verde and garlic. Just make sure you check in for lunch early, as they run out fast!