12 Best Breakfasts in Dublin (Fry-Ups to Fancy Fare)

When it comes to the best breakfast in Dublin, there’s some fierce competition for your appetite.

Every spot on this list has been visited 3+ times by at least one of the Irish Road Trip team—and the food as been top-notch on each visit.

From bustling diners to quirky cafes and timeless classics, these places all have one thing in common: breakfasts that hit a solid 10/10.

The best breakfast in Dublin

Regardless of whether you’re after pancakes, French toast or a big fry up, you’re rarely far from a decent spot for an early-morning feed in the capital.

Below, you’ll find everywhere from Lemon Jelly and the brilliant Beanhive to some of the more unique places for breakfast Dublin has to offer.

1. Lemon Jelly Café (Millennium Walkway)

Lemon Jelly Cafe (on the Millennium Walkway) dishes up, in my opinion, the best Irish breakfast in Dublin City Centre!

There’s a wide range of breakfast treats on-the-go, ranging from their brekkie crepe (with crispy bacon, eggs, and melted cheese) to mouthwatering brekkie bagels and omelettes.

There’s also eggs every way imaginable, French toast (with syrup and fruit) the full Irish, a veggie brekkie (eggs, hash browns, beans and avo) and more!

Lemon Jelly Café is also one of a handful of breakfast places in Dublin that serves an all-day full Irish breakfast!

Why this is my go-to: With indoor seating for 72 and outdoor seating for 60, it’s rare you won’t find a spot to plonk yourself here!

2. Alma (Portobello)

If you read my guide to the best brunch in Dublin, you’ll recognise Portobello’s Alma – a very popular spot that also dishes up some of the best breakfast in Dublin!

Here, Argentine flavours and local Irish produce collide to create a menu that has my belly rumbling just thinking about it…

If you’re after something sweet, give the Dulce de Leche Pancakes (buttermilk pancakes smothered in Dulce de Leche, brandy, and orange mascarpone) a lash.

If you’re after something savoury, Alma’s Turkish Eggs (oven roasted cauliflower, dill Tzatziki , two poached eggs, sumac chilli butter and toasted quinoa on sourdough) are hard to bate!

A handy tip: Alma is one of the more popular Dublin breakfast spots. It’s also one of the few where you can reserve a seat online, so book before you go!

3. Urbanity (Smithfield)

Smithfield’s Urbanity is another of the breakfast places in Dublin that has held its place in this guide (which has undergone 4 iterations) for over 3 years.

Urbanity source, roast, and brew the highest quality coffee possible and this ethos extends to their menu, which has been created using locally sourced, fresh ingredients that are whipped into delicious dishes!

There’s plenty to like on the breakfast menu here, but the smoothie bowl (blueberry, banana, maple and fig granola and hazelnut butter) and the organic scrambled eggs (with buttered greens and chives served on sourdough with optional bacon) are the stand-outs.

Why I keep going back: I first started nipping into Urbanity in 2018. Since then, I’ve been at least 7 times and have never left saying anything less than ‘That was class!’

4. Tang (Multiple Locations)

With locations on Dawson St., Abbey St. and Cumberland Place, you’re rarely far from some of the best breakfast in Dublin at Tang!

Tang is the embodiment of sustainable dining – they place a great emphasis on local sourcing, ethical food choices, organic produce and the use of ethically raised meat (read more about their philosophy). 

Their breakfast menu is small and simple (always a good sign) with less than 7 options, the winner of which, for us, are the buckwheat pancakes (made with buckwheat and banana and served with yogurt, fruit, toasted nuts and nut butter).

There’s also some shakshouka (eggs baked in tomato, harissa and red peppers), some mushrooms on toast, and a simple eggs on toast option.

My two cents: If you’re looking for a tasty, healthy breakfast in Dublin City, Tang is well worth considering!

5. Slice (Stoneybatter)

Slice in Stoneybatter is another heavy-hitter when it comes to a beaut of a breakfast (it’s one of the top spots for lunch in Dublin, too, as it happens!).

Home to some of the tastiest healthy breakfast in Dublin, you’ll find a mix of sweet and savoury options on the menu at Slice.

For the more adventurous among us, there’s the pea and avocado rayu (smashed avo and pea guac, poached eggs, lime pickled red onions and sourdough).

There’s also their sausage scramble (eggs, spiced sausage, guac, creme fraiche and sourdough), buttermilk pancakes with poached fruited, caramel and nuts.

Handy for groups: If there are 4 or more of you, give them a call and they’ll take a booking!

6. Murphy’s Bistro (Bachelors Walk)

One of the newest additions to my guide to the best breakfast Dublin has to offer is Murphy’s Bistro, centrally located on Bachelors Walk.

Boasting a cosy interior, great food and a pleasant atmosphere (based on my most recent two visits midweek in 2023), there’s a lot to like about Murphy’s.

Menu wise, there’s the old reliables, like the full Irish (well priced at €14 given its location) and the veggie breakfast option.

However, there’s also a very tasty Turkish breakfast (fried eggs, chorizo, cheese, croquettes) and a ‘Menemen’ (eggs, tomato, green peppers and tzatziki served on sourdough), too.

7. Two Boys Brew (Phibsborough)

Although this next Dublin breakfast spot, Phibsborough’s Two Boys Brew, is arguably better known for pouring some of the best coffee in Dublin, it also boasts a peach of a brekkie!

One of the menu highlights is the sausage and beans (tomato and pumpkin baked beans on toasted sourdough with pork sausage, free range soft poached egg).

They also do some very tasty chilli eggs (chilli and sweet pepper soft scrambled eggs on sourdough with herb infused feta chunks and pickled red chillis).

There’s also an avo mash, a healthy overnight oats option, coconut and hazelnut granola and plenty more.

Worth queuing for: Two Boys Brew is very popular, so either rock up for when it opens or be prepared to wait a while

8. One Society (Lower Gardiner St.)

With over 4.6/5 from 1,200+ reviews on Google at the time of typing, One Society has firmly established itself as the creator of some of the best breakfast Dublin has to offer!

Located on Lower Gardiner St., a 10-minute ramble from O’Connell Street, One Society boasts a bright setting, wholesome food, strong, speciality coffee and top-notch service to-boot!

The breakfast highlight, in my opinion, is the breakfast bun with roasties! It comes with sausage, bacon, black pudding, tomato and fried egg all slapped in a brioche bun!

If you fancy something sweet, there are 8 different types of pancakes, including the ‘Hangover Stack’ (2 vanilla pancakes with ricotta cheese, bacon, tabasco and maple syrup).

If you’re driving: There’s a handy Q-Park less than a 5-minute walk away (here on maps)!

9. Spread Café (Smithfield)

Arguably one of the best restaurants in Dublin for an early-morning feed, Spread Café (previously Wuff) in Smithfield is a bright, welcoming spot that’s home to a nice and varied breakfast menu.

If you, like me, are a fan of simplicity, the full Irish breakfast roll is the business, and comes in around €10.95.

If you’re sitting in, there’s everything from buttermilk pancakes and brekkie burritos to overnight oats and more.

10. Beanhive Coffee (Dawson St.)

Beanhive Coffee on Dawson St. is another spot dishing up some of the best Irish breakfast in Dublin City.

This family-owned favourite has an award-winning barista on-site (Fan) and it’s thanks to them that Beanhive has racked up a reputation for great coffee (and even better latte art!).

There’s a simple all-day breakfast here – the Irish breakfast (2 bacon, 2 sausage, a fried egg, beans and bread) and the super breakfast (the same as the Irish brekkie but with added pudding, hash browns and mushrooms).

There’s also a vegetarian breakfast (eggs, roast veg, beans and hash browns) and a vegan breakfast option (sweet potato, mushrooms, peppers, hash browns and more), too.

Consistently good since 2013: New Dublin breakfast spots open every week, but not many stand the test of time. Since opening in 2013, they’ve racked up a 4.6/5 review score from 2,200+ reviews on Google

11. La Pausa Caffe (Blessington St.)

One of the more unique spots for breakfast in Dublin is the very funky La Pausa Caffe on Blessington St., near Temple St.

When you walk through its doors you’ll be greeted by a quirky interior (with beautiful mosaic tiles, murals on the ceiling and distinctive features throughout).

The brekkie sandwiches are hard to beat here, with wraps, rolls and sambos packed with sausages, bacon, eggs and Ballymaloe Relish.

There’s also veggie options, a full Irish, omelettes and a hape of brunch options, including eggs Benedict, a tofu scramble and lots more.

12. Joy of Chá (Temple Bar)

Whipping up some of the best breakfast Dublin has to offer since 2006, Temple Bar’s Joy of Chá is a long-standing favourite of locals and tourists alike!

For those of you that are late to rise, there’s an all-day breakfast on-the-go at the Joy of Chá that has racked up rave reviews over the years.

If a full-Irish doesn’t tickle your fancy, there’s a full American (pancakes with syrup, eggs and bacon) and a simple salmon and egg bagel for the health conscious among us!

There’s also artisan sausages and eggs on toast, a hearty loaded brekkie nachos, some egg and avo toast and plenty more.

One of the best value Dublin breakfast spots: At the time of typing, their all day Irish breakfast comes in at €9.50!

Explore beyond the Dublin breakfast spots

Now you have a sense of where to grab the best breakfast in Dublin, it’s time to explore.

Here are some guides to hop into:

• Stuff to do: Museums in Dublin, walks in Dublin and the best places to visit in Dublin
• Itineraries: 1 day in Dublin, 2 days in Dublin and 3 days in Dublin
• Pubs: The best Guinness in Dublin and Dublin’s oldest pubs