It has been a tough year in hospitality, but brave souls continue to dream big and set out their stalls delivering tasty specialty food at keen prices from horseboxes, trucks and gazebos. There is a world of excellent food out there if you are willing to seek it out in parks, markets, GAA clubs and mosques. These are among the best takeaways I’ve encountered in 2024.
Yellov, beside the Beach House pub, Trafalgar Road, Rathdown Lr, Boatyard, Greystones, Co Wicklow; instagram.com/yellovstreetfood
Didem Kose grew up in Istanbul, steeped in her father’s street-food traditions, and now runs Yellov, a vegetarian Turkish food truck. Everything is made from scratch, with highlights such as the red lentil hummus plate topped with grilled mushrooms and fluffy, herb-packed falafels. The mushroom kebap, filled with meaty oyster mushrooms from Didem’s Ashford farm, is earthy and spiced with isot pepper. The falafel wrap, loaded with hummus, aubergine and red cabbage pickle, brings bold, vibrant flavours to the table.
Read our review here.
Al Khair, 8 South Circular Rd, Dublin, D08 F642; instagram.com/alkhairrestaurant
Set in the grounds of the mosque on South Circular Road, Al Khair offers more than food – it’s an experience, especially during Iftar, with families breaking their fast. It is run by Junaid Yousuf, who describes the food as Indian cuisine with a gentle Pakistani influence, serving dishes including crisp vegetable samosas, slow-cooked lamb in Nihari spices, and creamy, spicy aubergine, daal tarka with three types of lentils, and saag paneer.
Read our review here.
Grá Pizza, North Kildare Sports Club, Maynooth, Co Kildare; instagram.com/gra.pizza
Ryan Lally’s Grá Pizza is the result of passion, experimentation and a converted horsebox. Using sourdough starter and grains from Kilkenny’s Oak Forest Mills and Shipton Mills, his dough ferments for up to four days, creating a beautifully airy base. Pizzas such as the “Seamus Heaney”, with Wooded Pig chorizo, nduja, and Toonsbridge mozzarella, or the “Flann O’Brien”, featuring charred Ballymakenny potatoes, cheddar sauce and caramelised onions, are cooked in a Valoriani wood-fired oven. Orders via Instagram; worth every click.
Read our review here.
The Mushroom Butcher, 90 South Circular Road, Dublin 8; instagram.com/mushroombutcher
My daughter Katherine (former vegan, now pescatarian) and her boyfriend, David, introduced me to this bright green truck delivering pure joy. It is run by Australian chef Mark Senn and his Lithuanian partner, Ingrid Baceviciute, who serve dishes on a regularly changing menu made with mushrooms grown on-site. The mushroom fillet roll and oyster mushroom Stroganoff flatbread are sensational, as is the crème brûlée doughnut with dark caramel on top and filled with a lush vegan crème pâtissière.
Read our review here.
Mama Shee, Moore Street Market, Moore Street, Dublin 1; instagram.com/mamashee
Edizemi Onilenla’s Mama Shee food stall has been a market favourite since 2018, serving the rich vegetarian dishes of her native Nigeria. The jollof rice is mildly spiced but gets a fiery punch from Scotch bonnet sauce. Black beans, cooked slowly until tender, add depth with their cumin and cayenne undertones, and the golden fried plantain is crisp, substantial and satisfying.
Read our review here.
Una, 116, Ranelagh, Dublin 6, D06 R5P6; unabakery.ie
John Wyer’s reputation for bread soared during Forest Avenue’s stint as a bakery and grocer. When his dedicated bakery, Una, opened in Ranelagh, queues stretched down the street – and they haven’t let up. The Gubbeen quiche is buttery perfection, the bacon jam escargot layers sweet and savoury in delicate pastry, and the focaccia, airy and olive-oil rich, is the thing of dreams.
Read our review here.
