Craving some good authentic Italian food?

Carluccio's (Dawson Street)

One of the best authentic Italian restaurants in the city.

During this lockdown, we all probably have been craving for some authentic Italian food since we haven't been able to get out of the country recently. My solution for this dilemma is heading down into Carluccio's. This lovely Italian restaurant is tucked away in an alley off Dawson Street, away from the hustle and bustle of the crowded streets of Grafton Street. The building is hard to miss as it has a grand flower display on their entryway, which also is very Instagram worthy. The restaurant consists of outdoor and indoor seating areas which are modern yet rustic. I do advise to make sure to book a table if you want to dine outdoor, as it gets busy during the lunch rush hour. Although the outdoor spaces are easily taken there is plenty more space inside.

The buzzing restaurant was founded by the godfather of Italian cooking Antonio Carluccio, who also has multiple Italian restaurant chains in the UK. Carluccio's offer both dine-in and take out options, so if you are a busy person that is always on the go or you are on your lunch you can easily order from their deli. 

Their menu consists of breakfast, lunch and an all-day menu with items that include Italian ingredients such as tomato bruschetta (mixed cherry tomatoes, basil and garlic on a toasted ciabatta bread topped off with extra-virgin olive oil), gorgonzola gnocchi (in a gorgonzola and spinach sauce) and veganesca spaghetti (in a puttanesca style sauce of olives, capers, tomato, chilli, garlic and garnished with a load of parm). I highly recommend opting for their lunch promotion of having a starter, a main and a glass of wine for only €25. It's definitely hard to pass a good lunch deal. 

The food was overall amazing, I really enjoyed the tomato bruschetta as the tomatoes were very fresh and bright along with the sauce that it was accompanied with was "bellissimo. Although I was hesitant to order a vegan dish as I myself am not one, I was completely blown away as it was delicious and very filling.

I highly recommend Carluccio's as it's perfect for lunch or brunch with friends and family. The atmosphere in the restaurant is lively, warm and inviting. Apart from this, the restaurants' staff are all Italian so no doubt that the food they are serving is full proof and authentic. Although the restaurant was packed and busy, the staff still came across as welcoming and attentive. All in all the wonderful interiors, food and service makes Carluccio's a must stop in Dublin city center.

If you enjoyed this article and are interested in trying out authentic food form restaurants why not read the blogpost we did about Kajjal which a middle eastern cuisine restaurant.

Keywords: #authentic #italian #restaurant # Dublin #Dawson Street #Grafton Street #instagram worthy #indoor sitting #outdoor sitting # breakfast #lunch #dinner #lunch deal #pasta 

References: Big Review TV (2018) Carluccio’s, an Italian Restaurant in Reading UK serving Italian Food or Italian Cuisine. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDiI16u-TYk&feature=emb_title (Accessed: 9 December 2020).

by Jasmin Lumingkit