Ballsbridge Restaurants Guide: The Best Restaurants In Ballsbridge A Feed Tonight

In search of the best restaurants in Ballsbridge? Our Ballsbridge restaurants guide will make your belly happy!

Ballsbridge is a real paradise for foodies and, with such a huge variety of restaurants in Ballsbridge, it can be hard to know where to start.

Whether you’re looking for casual dining, a very good take away pizza, Thai curry or some posh nosh, you’ll find it in this affluent corner of Dublin.

In the guide below, you’ll discover the best Ballsbridge restaurants on offer, with a little bit of something to tickle every fancy.

Our favourite restaurants in Ballsbridge

The first section of our guide to the best restaurants in Ballsbridge tackles our favourite places to eat in Ballsbridge.

These are pubs and restaurants that we (one of the Irish Road Trip team) have munched away in at some point over the years. Dive on in!

1. Baan Thai Ballsbridge

Opened in 1998, this authentic family-owned Thai restaurant in Ballsbridge serves coeliac-friendly, halal and vegan dishes so it’s a great choice for meeting up with friends.

It’s easy to recognise on Merrion Road as it is in a distinctly Thai building which is rich in history. Inside, the intricately carved wood and oriental decor set the scene for a delicious meal.

Little Dishes provide an array of mouthwatering starters – the Mix Platter is great for sharing 6 different appetizers and a selection of sauces. Main courses include curries, noodles and stir fry dishes with a choice of meat, fish or prawns. 

2. Ballsbridge Pizza Co

When the occasion calls for a pizza, the Ballsbridge Pizza Co on Shelbourne Road has got it covered. Open Thursday through Sundays from 5-9pm, it has outdoor dining in the Chili Garden and offers take-aways.

The head chef learnt his trade in Milan and has been serving perfect pizzas in Ballsbridge for over 20 years. The choice of toppings are simply amazing. Scattered with black olives and basil, the Popeye is absolutely delicious and the base is cooked to perfection.

Watch the calories with Pizza Lite or pig out with a Parma Ham Rocket Parmesan speciality. 

3. Roly’s Bistro

Celebrating over 25 years of fabulous cuisine, Roly’s is a bustling bistro overlooking leafy Herbert Park from its first floor restaurant. Offering smart food at reasonable prices, it was an instant winner with Ballsbridge locals and continues to be popular today.

The friendly ambience is perfect for casual dining, but Roly’s is a top choice for celebrations too. The cafe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with gourmet sandwiches, coffee and ready meals.

The restaurant showcases the best Irish food, carefully sourced and cooked with passion and imagination. Roly’s has long been one of the most popular Ballsbridge restaurants for good reason.

Related read: Check out our guide to 10 of the best pubs in Ballsbridge (mainly old-school, traditional pubs)

4. Girl and the Goose Restaurant

The Girl and Goose restaurant is a first floor gem, tucked away up a staircase on Merrion Road in the heart of Ballsbridge. Food created by chef Michael Sabik has a nod to his French training but the menu reflects Irish cuisine and local flavours.

Try the 2/3 course fixed price menu for great value and the chance to try something a little different. Relax in the comfortable contemporary setting while anticipating pan-seared scallops with fennel, or chicken and duck liver parfait, perhaps.

Slow cooked lamb shanks, Irish Beef and Guinness Pie or homemade steak burgers all deliver sensational flavour.

Other great Ballsbridge restaurants

As you’ve probably gathered at this stage, there’s an almost endless number of great places to eat in Ballsbridge on offer.

If you’re still not sold on any of the previous choices, the section below is packed with some more highly-reviewed Ballsbridge restaurants.

1. Al Boschetto Restaurant

Let the menu at Al Boschetto Restaurant transport you to Italy through its ingredients, flavour and Mediterranean-inspired ambience. Run by husband and wife, Loreta and Jimmy, this upscale restaurant specialises in antipasti and pasta dishes.

They are all perfectly complemented by the full-bodied house wines. Whether you order a pizza, tagliatelle, lasagna or other favourite pasta, every dish uses carefully sourced top quality ingredients and is prepared with passion.

The rustic interior has cosy booths and intimate corner tables to accommodate all sizes of parties and groups.  

2. Kites Chinese Restaurant

Another timeless classic restaurant in Ballsbridge, Kites Restaurant serves upmarket Chinese food. From spicy Szechuan to sophisticated Peking style dishes, every dish uses quality meats, vegetables and ingredients.

Arranged over two floors, the elegant restaurant has plush comfortable surroundings. Service is first class, making every customer feel welcome and special.

Start with dim sum dumplings, local scallops on skewers or more exotic choices such as Lotus with prawn before tucking into forkfuls of expertly shredded duck pancakes or fillet of beef with oyster sauce – a real classic.    

Related read: Check out our guide to 9 of the finest hotels in Ballsbridge (from luxury stays to quirky guesthouses)

3. Base Wood Fired Pizza Ballsbridge

Base is known for its wood-fired pizzas, cooked and delivered from their distinctive premises on Merrion Road. Offering delivery or collection, they open daily at 4pm, and from noon Thursdays through Sundays.

Their speciality is Artisan-style pizzas. Made to order and cooked in a searing hot wood fired oven.

Founder Shane Crilly discovered his passion for pizza when he visited Naples, birthplace of this humble dish, where he learnt Neapolitan cooking methods. He founded Base in 2008 and the chain has since expanded to 7 stores across Dublin. 

4. Shelbourne Social

Shelbourne Social by Dylan McGrath is an upscale eatery in Ballsbridge offering relaxed informal dining in a contemporary setting. Enjoy a drink at the bar before ordering from the innovative menu.

The hot curd bread is a must-try, topped with chicken liver parfait and foie gras, or with sesame hummus and fried garlic.

Family style dishes serve 2-3 with a whole roasted duck or opt for individual servings of Wicklow venison, or shorthorn rib eye on the bone for the ultimate flavour. Leave room for Baked Vegan Chocolate Cake on Chocolate Mousse for the grand finale!

What great Ballsbridge restaurants have we missed?

I’ve no doubt that we’ve unintentionally left out some other great restaurants in Ballsbridge from the guide above.

If you have a favourite Ballsbridge restaurant that you’d like to recommend, drop a comment into the comments section below.

FAQs about the best restaurants in Ballsbridge

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from what are the best restaurants in Ballsbridge for a fancy feed to which Ballsbridge restaurants are nice and chilled.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.

What are the best places to eat in Ballsbridge?

In our opinion, the best restaurants in Ballsbridge are Girl and the Goose, Roly’s Bistro, Baan Thai and the Ballsbridge Pizza Co.

What Ballsbridge restaurants are good for a fancy meal?

If you’re looking for fancy places to eat in Ballsbridge, Shelbourne Social and Roly’s Bistro are hard to beat.