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    Silk Road Cafe

    4.1 (32 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 4:30 pm

    Silk Road Cafe Photos

    SILK ROAD CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Good for kids
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - Silk Road Cafe

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    Reviews With Photos

    Coffee cake
    David S.

    They have a lot of outdoor seating and they have an inside place to order along with an outdoor window. We stopped by because we saw the menu had a ton of gluten free cakes. The coffee cake had a ton of flavor and coffee beans in it. Anyone who is gluten free should prioritize this after going to Dublin castle.

    Cappuccino
    Emily C.

    3.5/5 We came by at the recommendation of a tour guide. This is a good stop for a quick bite or warm drink. We went with the stuffed pepper -- it was just fine, not bad, but not a ton of flavor. I am thinking we might have ordered poorly, and everything else looked good. The cappuccino was tasty, as was the chocolate coconut mocha cake! Prices were about what you'd expect for a cafe inside of a museum.

    Sam M.

    We went here because we were already inside Chester Beatty. Ordering hot food was done inside, cafeteria style. We felt very rushed deciding on our dishes and the sides we were suppose to pick. She asked us to pick our sides. We could barely see what the choices were from where we were standing. For me, a five star review should take into account the food, ambiance, and service. There was no table service here. The fact that several people have rated this place with five stars is perplexing. It's one thing to like the food but should it get five stars? I feel that this is the reason why so many average restaurants receive higher ratings than they deserve.

    Spanakopita, salad, potatoes and lamb.
    joe w.

    I recommend the spanakopita, lamb, rice and cucumber, tomato salad. Water is self-served. Lots of locals eat here and some tourists so one can feel scene. There are tables in the courtyard which are near a long fountain with pennies inside. The tables in an adjacent dining room have art on the wall and one reserved table.

    Matt L.

    I'm skeptical of museum cafes, but this one really did the trick. I had a lovely tray of moussaka, several salads, and a pear tart with cream. I would say the food quality went in reverse order from that list. The moussaka was entirely acceptable, just right on the slightly-above-average side. Another real stroke in this cafe's favor is the ambience in the museum's atrium. It was a sunny day in Dublin, so there was plenty of natural light.

    Main entrance
    Anji A.

    This little cafe was pointed out by a local, and it is fantastic! I think I had one of the best cappuccinos I've ever had here, and loved the menu and ambiance. It had an open, airy feeling, and the variety of world music that played at a nice soft volume complemented the cafe. I wanted to sit outside (or inside rather) in the atrium of the museum lobby, but being that it was such a gorgeous day outside, all the seats were taken. Nonetheless, I grabbed a trashy magazine and proceeded to enjoy my stuffed grape leaves and capp for a good hour before heading off to the Matisse exhibit. I still think to this day that that cappuccino was superb. The staff was knowledgeable about what they offered and attentive throughout the dining experience. If you're in the area, definitely stop by here, at least for coffee. It'll be a nice little break in your day that you won't regret!

    Lemon chicken
    Zara N.

    I love the Chester Beatty and the love definitely extends to the museum's cafe which serves up Middle Eastern delights in a lovely inner courtyard setting. I had the lemon chicken and it was light and fragrant, served up with some baked veggies in a tomato sauce it was wholesome as well as delicious. They have a great selection of mains and sides and the falafel plate sounded amazing, it's made my list for next time. The coffee I had to finish up was also great and the baklava look very tempting, but I went for the brownie, which was good but I wished I'd been braver and plumped for the little syrup-soaked pastries instead! Just another reason to go back I guess!!

    from website
    John S.

    Back to one of my favourite spots,The Chester Beatty Library. This time for some lunch. This is my first time trying the Silk road café and I'm happy to report good things. The café is located in the main foyer of the Museum and you can dine inside or like we did today, get take out and sit in the gardens outside. The food has a middle eastern theme and is plentiful if a little on the pricey side. €20 for a main lunch course, with coffee and a desert. The place was busy and the staff a little stretched but the managed well despise the many questions from customers, along the lines of 'where are the chips'? and 'what's baklava' So not your normal lunch time canteen anyway but the dish I had,the Palestinian chicken was filling and fresh and came with a salad. A lunch outside on the green in front of the Museum made for a great meal as the sun shone, for a change! All the deserts looked very devour able and the apple strudel gets the thumbs up for me. The coffee was great too. Also the Museum is well worth a look and even if you don't want to go in lunch in the Silk road is a slightly different lunchtime experience. They don't do chips in case you were wondering.

    Chicken tagine
    Darren C.

    Lovely wee spot, a touch different from most other museum cafes that I've been to. Obviously influenced by the eastern theme of much of the artworks of the Chester Beatty, the flavours here are of the Middle East and very tasty at that!! I had a very moreish chicken tagline followed by a not all that traditional apple tart with cream. I just wasn't in the mood for the baklava which in fairness, looked yum. Finished with a lovely latte and left happy :)

    Savoury part of the afternoon tea with a twist
    Ellen S.

    Silk road cafe is located in the Chester Beatty library and what a lovely little café it is! Not your typical museum café selling overpriced sambo's and soups. No, no, they do proper food here, mostly middle eastern and Mediterranean. We got the afternoon tea with a twist. First up was a plate of savoury bites..veggie samosa, chicken paella, lamb kofta, souvlaki etc. All quite delicious. I don't have such a big sweet tooth, but the second plate of tiny desserts was just amazeballs...the spinach cake, chocolate/ coconut cake and pistachio baklava being my favourites. I shall return and try their falafel plate and more of those cakes. YUM.

    The hot food at lunch.

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    8 years ago

    Lovely cafe, nice food. I don't eat middle eastern that often, so it's a nice change.

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    The Cedar Tree - Spiced Potatoes

    The Cedar Tree

    (123 reviews)

    €€

    South Inner City

    Absolutely deliciously authentic! As someone who's extremely particular about traditional Easter…read moredishes and Mediterranean flavors, I was genuinely impressed. Every bite tasted like it came straight from a cherished family recipe. This cozy, family-run restaurant radiates warmth and hospitality from the moment you walk in -- you instantly feel like part of the family. The hummus and baba ghanoush are out of this world: creamy, fresh, and full of flavor. The shawarma was perfectly seasoned and tender, and the Lebanese potatoes were crisped to perfection with just the right touch of garlic and spice. We finished with strong, fragrant Lebanese coffee and flaky, melt-in-your-mouth baklava -- the perfect ending to a fantastic meal. Every dish was clearly made with love and attention to detail. It's the kind of hidden gem you feel lucky to discover. Tucked away in Dublin, this place deserves far more attention. And as if the food weren't reason enough to fall in love, the lovely lady proprietor is warm, welcoming -- and a Metallica fan! Seriously, how cool is that? Highly, highly recommend!

    Stopped in at Cedar Tree for dinner and absolutely loved the vibe. It's super welcoming and the…read morebeautiful mosaic tiles on the walls really make the place feel special. I went with the chicken mansef for my main course and it was seriously good. The chicken was tender, and the rice was perfect, but the best part was definitely the texture and flavor burst from the pomegranate seeds scattered on top. That little bit of sweet and sour pop really made the dish stand out. Excellent food, a gorgeous atmosphere, and friendly service.

    Brother Hubbard - Scone

    Brother Hubbard

    (364 reviews)

    €€

    North Inner City

    Visiting Ireland for the first time, I did my best to read up on good places to grab breakfast,…read morebaked goods in Dublin and Brother Hubbard popped up on a few lists, Reddit posts, so I put it on my list to try and I'm glad I did! I walked in on a Wednesday morning, right as they opened at 9am, and was seated immediately. The sit-in part of Brother Hubbard is bright, relaxing, spacious with plenty of tables inside and there's a patio outside with plenty of tables as well. The waitress came over with a menu and gave me plenty of time to look it over. She was very courteous and pleasant, checking in throughout my time there, never hovering. For breakfast, I ordered an Americano, a ginger scone, and their Irish Oat Porridge - Classic. Their porridge is organic oats made with milk and with ordering it as "Classic", it was served with cream and honey. Starting with the ginger scone, this was another case of a perfectly baked scone - Crispy, golden exterior with a moist, buttery interior. The flavor of ginger was perfectly balanced and the raisins inside were a nice supplement to the scone. The porridge was really good, I loved the creaminess of it! Both did a nice job of filling me up and setting me up for the day of walking to come. Funny enough, around 3:30pm, I stopped here again to grab a mid-afternoon treat and ordered the chocolate and hazelnut Babka, their soft bun filled with chocolate and toasted hazelnuts. This pastry was crazy tasty! A slightly crispy exterior with a croissant-like inside chocked full of chocolate and those toasted hazelnuts. This was so rich and truly decadent. Brother Hubbard is a gem of a breakfast and pastry spot! I appreciate the relaxing café environment with friendly staff and high-quality food. I know if I come back to Dublin, I'd come back to grab breakfast, or perhaps another Babka.

    I heard Brother Hubbard was the restaurant to eat at to start your day, so finally checked it out…read moreon my last day in Dublin. Brother Hubbard is a solid spot for breakfast and brunch, serving entrees, lighter fare and offers a pastry assortment that will have you pondering about getting takeout. I visited Brother Hubbard on a Sunday, half an hour after it opened and was able to be seated immediately. However, the brunch rush came afterwards and by the time I left, the entire place was filled. It's popular. And yes, it's the same spot Phil Rosenthal ate at. I even saw the owner who was featured on the show here, helping out with clearing tables and so forth. I ordered the traditional Irish breakfast and an iced chai latte. The food was good and actually, not as heavy as I anticipated. It came with an egg, sausage, bacon, beans and a pudding, which I had to look up. It's ground meat with oats and is molded into a patty. It didn't taste bad, so can see why it's served around these parts of the world. And the meal also came with another item I had to look up, colcannon bread, which was a potato bread with kale. And it was my favorite part of the breakfast! Delicious. If you're looking for a breakfast spot in Dublin, then I'm pretty sure you already know about Brother Hubbard, which is popular, all for good reason. The food was tasty, service was friendly and I loved how bright and welcoming the restaurant was. I was satisfied.

    Shouk - Chicken shawarma

    Shouk

    (10 reviews)

    Drumcondra

    Spotted Shouk on Dublin's The Eater Essentials and we booked this dinner res as our first night…read more Overall, the food was fantastic, great price point. and portion sizes were fantastic. Shouk's interior is very cute, with high ceilings and an open set up allowing you to dine outside, in a room connected to the outdoor space, or a darker, "indoor" area. food: Fantastic. As someone who is GF and was worried about this when traveling abroad, the GF options where fabulous and the restaurant is very accommodating. The food was fresh and served warm right as it was finished - huge plus service: Servers were kind and lovely :) Every table reservation gives you 1hr and 45 minutes to dine. if you're running late, you won't lose your table but you'll just be seated for a shorter amount of time - keep that in mind :) ambiance: The only reason I'd give Shouk 4 stars is because of the distance of the tables. In the room connected to the outdoor space where we were seated, things did feel a bit cramped. The restaurant has an "open kitchen" where you can see your food being cooked and come out which is great, but we did sit right next to the kitchen and things got a bit stuffy, despite the doors being open outside. Not sure if this was ventilation or the fact that there were many tables and folks dining that night, but that's the only thing i'd change about our experience.

    We schlepped across to the north side in search of a special midweek late lunch. Very handy parking…read morearound the corner. The restaurant is right beside Drumcondra railway station, tucked into a corner of the Old St Vincent's Centre for the Deaf. Inside a cosy but buzzy dining room greets you with an impressive number of hungry diners tucking in to the Middle Eastern/Lebanese fare. We ordered a large mezze to share together with a Batta which is mostly roast sweet potatoes stuffed with lamb mince, yoghurt and spices. Absolutely fantastic. The mezze came with plentiful flatbreads which we hungrily filled with deliciousness and devoured. As it was lunchtime, we decided not to have any wine but I'd be pretty confident it would only be better with a crisp Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. As it was, we had some sparkling water instead and agreed it was a standout meal that was filing but also vaguely healthy. Service was speedy and attentive and we emerged into the sunshine to begin, once again, the odyssey across the Liffey. We will be back.

    Silk Road Cafe - mediterranean - Updated May 2026

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