Standfirst: From a Brazilian-Irish tasting room on Harry Street to Dublin’s newest Michelin star — the tables actually worth chasing this autumn, all open and trading now.
Our last hottest-restaurants list was February 2025, which in Dublin dining terms is ancient history. Restaurants have opened, stars have landed and queues have moved. This is the autumn 2026 update: a short, honest shortlist built from current guides and the rooms people are still talking about in October — not a recycled ranking.
Amai by Viktor — Harry Street, Dublin 2
Few rooms have risen faster. Amai, at 4 Harry Street, was added to the Michelin Guide within months of opening above the former shoe shop — you ring the doorbell at a plain black door to get in. Chef Viktor Silva’s tasting menu mixes his Brazilian roots with Irish produce, and Michelin calls it “Brazilian Roots in Irish Soil”. Book it for: a special occasion that does not feel stuffy.
Forest Avenue — Sussex Terrace, Dublin 4
Dublin’s newest Michelin star, awarded in the 2026 Guide. Forest Avenue, at 8 Sussex Terrace, built its reputation on restrained, ingredient-led cooking long before the star arrived. Book it for: quiet confidence rather than theatre — the sort of cooking that suits autumn produce particularly well.
Bastible — South Circular Road, Dublin 8
The Portobello-side one-star at 111 South Circular Road remains one of the city’s most-loved neighbourhood fine-dining rooms. It keeps limited opening days, which only makes a table feel harder won. Book it for: a dinner that feels local and ambitious at the same time.
Bang — Merrion Row, Dublin 2
Bang has been dragged firmly into 2026 since chef Eric Matthews and Richie Barrett took it over and turned it Iberian. Think mussels escabeche, Donegal squid a la plancha and a Spanish-leaning wine list in a dining room that critics have been raving about all year. Book it for: a city-centre night with real energy.
Bambino — Stephen Street Lower, Dublin 2
Not every hot table needs a reservation. Bambino’s Stephen Street slice shop still draws the queue that launched a thousand lunch breaks, serving New York-style slices to a crowd that treats it as a Dublin institution already. Book it for: no booking at all — just join the queue and order at the counter.
And the newest name of all
Banba, at The Dean on Harcourt Street, opened on Friday 16 October — a produce-led, open-fire kitchen whose menu changes with Irish farms week by week. It is too new to rank, but not too new to try before everyone else does. We have covered its opening separately on Love Dublin.
A final word of advice: the starred rooms on this list book out well ahead for weekends, so plan like you mean it. The joy of Dublin right now is the spread — tasting menu, neighbourhood star, Spanish buzz and a pizza slice within a short walk of each other. And for Sundays specifically, here are the Sunday roasts in Dublin worth booking.
Good to know: Addresses confirmed above; opening days and booking rules change, so check each restaurant’s own site before you go. Starred restaurants typically release tables well in advance — set a reminder rather than hoping for a cancellation.
Photo: Bang Restaurant via official website (bangrestaurant.com) — the dining room at Bang, Merrion Row
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