Going out for your Sunday lunch used to be quite a racy thing to do. Hotel dining rooms around the country would be half full of well-scrubbed families looking ever so slightly giddy to be eating roast beef and two veg in somewhere other than their own front room. Now it's quite the norm to go for a big family lunch in a local hotel or restaurant and the new challenger to the throne is the Sunday brunch.
Brunch is the traditional Sunday lunch de-constructed and it's as much about the atmosphere as the food. Sunday lunch, whether at home or in a restaurant, is all about sitting down around a table, using the right cutlery and making conversation, or at least avoiding arguments, with family or friends. Brunch blurs the lines between breakfast and lunch and blurs the social strictures too - brunch is for lounging, reading, silence, arguing, picking at your food and listening to a bit of jazz.
The Sunday papers are an integral part of the Sunday brunch, useful because they obviate the necessity of talking when nursing a hangover as well as providing a chance to catch up on the news. Indeed the Saturday night social habits of twenty and thirtysomethings has greatly influenced the rise of the brunch. If you're feeling a little delicate, all talked-out or even if you've had a bad night up with the baby, Sunday lunch suddenly seems too much to cope with whereas brunch is casual, soothing and restorative. This is not to say it can't be a social event too. We inherited the idea of brunch from the US and the concept of gathering in a restaurant with friends on a Sunday is also more familiar Stateside than here. "I just got back from California," marvels Trevor Browne, Dish restaurateur, "And brunch is just huge over there. People are more likely to get together to eat on a Sunday than on any other day of the week."
It's becoming that way here too - Odessa restaurant on Dame Court, one of the most popular restaurants for brunch, recently served up a record 200 brunches between the noon and five o'clock.
Brunch food should not be underestimated either. Hovering somewhere between the nursery food of breakfast (eggs, sausages, pancakes) and the haute cuisine of a good lunch (smoked salmon, Hollandaise sauce, smoked bacon), a good brunch menu will offer a selection of both light snacks and more hearty dishes. At the same table, the weight-watcher can have a bowl of fresh fruit and Greek yoghurt, the ravenous can have a full fry, and the gourmet can have a fresh fillet of brill perhaps, or maybe a plate of eggs Florentine. A mimosa or a Bloody Mary is often a welcome addition.
The following are some of the best places offering brunch on a Sunday. They all offer an actual brunch menu rather than just a late breakfast or a light lunch (Powerscourt is the exception for reasons explained later). There is a huge concentration in Temple Bar and Dublin city centre, but unfortunately a good brunch seems hard to find in the suburbs, either north or south.
Odessa, 13/14 Dame Court, Dublin 2. Tel: 01 6707634
Odessa is probably still the trendiest brunch location in town, possibly because they offer big pitchers of mimosa or Bloody Mary as well as an extensive brunch menu. On Sunday mornings, the restaurant is packed with groups of very groovy twentysomethings comparing hangovers, reading the papers and discussing the night before. Table-hopping is the norm and it is not unknown for people to arrive for brunch and stay to meet friends for a drink in the downstairs lounge in the evening.
There's a strong American feel to the menu - Odessa was one of the first places in Dublin to offer that Stateside classic, French toast with smoked ham and maple syrup. Other specialities include Huevos Rancheros, a spicy mixture of eggs, salsa and guacamole for Tex-Mex fans (£6.50) and a good version of the classic brunch dish, eggs Florentine, served on a satisfying toasted bagel base (£6.25) served with those diner must-haves, home fries.
Sunday brunch served from noon to 5 p.m. Children welcome.
Munkberrys, 22 Castle Street, Dalkey, Co Dublin. Tel: 01 2847185
Munkberrys was opened by Andy Dolan and Niall Caden in February and is already a firm favourite with the Dalkey gang. Its starkly modern interior, all white walls and stripped wood, and the bold neon sign caused a small furore when it first opened, but it has been adopted wholeheartedly now - local lads Damon Hill, The Edge and Neil Jordan all pop down to enjoy chef Chris Bailie's brunch. And well they might as Chris, in a past life as chef at Val d'Arrama restaurant in Spain, has created meals for the likes of the Sultan of Brunei and former US President, George Bush. His brunch menu for Munkberrys includes modern re-workings of classic dishes like Waldorf salad (£6) as well as a traditional brunch classic, scrambled eggs with cream and salmon (£5). If you've worked up a healthy appetite walking up Killiney Hill scrambling over the rocks to the beach, there are also heartier meals like a daily fish special (£12) and a mignon of beef with roast shallots and green peppercorns (£12).
Sunday brunch served noon to 4 p.m. If you mention you have children when booking, they will make sure there is suitable dish available.
Dish, 2 Crowe Street, Dublin 2, Tel: 01 6711248
The new Temple Bar favourite, Dish, has quickly established a regular clientele for brunch on a Sunday. A lot of couples go there, although most seem to gaze at the papers rather than each other; directors Joel and Ethan Coen pop in now they're living in Dalkey, and there also seems to be a strong contingent of legal eagles stopping by. Chef Ger Foote and proprietor Trevor Browne put a lot of thought into creating a brunch menu that is what Trevor calls "lunchy as well as breakfasty".
One must-try at Dish is the eggs San Francisco served with beautifully light crab cakes and a tangy grapefruit hollandaise (£7.95), while baby pancakes with fresh blueberries and black forest ham (£5.95) and the smoked chicken hash with basted eggs, hollandaise and melon (£7.95) are also winners. Those with a more delicate constitution or a smaller appetite can opt for fresh fruit of the day, Dish style (£4.95) or perhaps a restorative glass of mimosa £3.75.
Sunday brunch served noon to 4.30 p.m. Children welcome.
Dunville Place, 25 Dunville Ave, Dublin 6. Tel: 01 4968181
Brunch venues outside the city centre are few and far between, but with the arrival of Dunville Place, the Ranelagh/ Rathmines crew are well catered for. Bright white and airy with light flooding in from a conservatory, there are also five tables outside which will be useful during the annual five days of summer. The homemade granola with fresh fruit, Greek yoghurt and honey (£3) is a great morning bowlful and the breakfast burrito, which combines scrambled eggs with jalpeno chili, chicken, salsa and sour cream (£6) is a quirky alternative to the Big Fry.
Two of the owners, Michael and Jane Duignan are also the head chefs (they have cooked privately for Paul McCartney, Tina Turner and the boys from Bon Jovi) and they decided it was high time there was a Sunday option that wasn't a fry-up or a carvery lunch. They must have got the recipe right because the D6 set, including the Vard sisters and their kids and dancer Jean Butler, and a fair number of politicians turn up regularly.
Sunday brunch served 11 a.m.- 3.30 p.m. Children welcome.
The Mermaid Cafe, 69 Dame Street, Dublin 2, Tel: 01 6708236
Ben Gorman and Mark Harrell's Mermaid Cafe is well known for its good fresh food and relaxed New England interior, but they are relatively new to the Sunday brunch scene. However, the new menu has been so well worked out that it seems likely it will fast become a favourite on the brunch circuit. Certainly, the atmosphere and decor perfectly evokes that lazy, hazy Sunday morning feel, necessary to any good brunch experience.
The Mermaid's version of the traditional Irish fry tosses together a shredded potato pancake with bacon, fried egg, pudding and roasted field mushrooms (£7.95), but the slightly more adventurous should try out one of a selection of olive oil bread bruschettas. These come with roasted vegetables, black olive tapenade and basil; chargrilled chicken breast, roast red peppers and goat's cheese, or roast ham, mustard and a gratinated cheese sauce (all £8.95) and are perfectly tempting. The sourdough pancakes with a cinnamon and honey orange salad (£4.75) are a good spicy option and there is a great selection of champagnes, pitchers of mimosa, bellini and sangria as well as juices, Virgin Marys and coffees.
Sunday brunch is served 11.30 a.m.4.30 p.m. Children are welcome.
Powerscourt House, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow. Tel: 01 2046066
Strictly speaking, the restaurant at Powerscourt House does not offer a brunch menu but the combination of an informal buffet of delicious, well-priced food in a great day-trip location, makes it a perfect Sunday brunch venue. By the time the restaurant opens at 9.30 a.m., the chefs have been busy in the bakery since 7 a.m. and there is a huge selection of seed breads, soda breads, cakes, muffins and brioches on offer.
For something a little more substantial you can choose an open crab sandwich or a bagel and cream cheese from the sandwich bar, or go for a big plate of quiche and salads. Dishes and prices change constantly, but the quality is consistent and no dish will cost much more than a fiver. Look out for the roasted potato and creme fraiche tart and the black bean chili with avocado salsa. Actress Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio pops in regularly with director husband Pat O'Connor, and racing driver Damon Hill and Dubliner Ronnie Drew both eat there regularly too. By the way, you don't have to pay into the estate or gardens to visit the restaurant.
Open from 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Children very well catered for.
Lloyd's Brasserie, 20 Merrion Street Upper, Dublin 2. Tel: 01 6627240
Conrad Gallagher's funky brasserie has yet to build up a big brunch following, but it is well worth checking out, particularly if you have an appetite that demands more than just a bowl of fruit. For a set price of £15.50, this is a three-course brunch, kicking off with classics such as scrambled eggs with smoked salmon on toasted brioche or a delicate little prosciutto, ricotta and spinach tart.
Main courses include such hearty fare as bangers and mash, and roast codling in a white bean and stewed pepper broth, as well as pastas and grilled chicken, and you can finish with a gooey chocolate brownie with maple ice cream or tiramisu. The interior is like a David Hockney painting from the 1960s and the staff are relaxed and friendly.
Lloyd's is popular with RTE folk, including Gerry Ryan, Pat Kenny and Ray D'Arcy; the staff from other restaurants; Albert Reynolds, and actor John Malkovich who stopped by last time he was in Ireland.
Sunday brunch served 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Children are welcome.
Elephant & Castle, 18 Temple Bar, Dublin 2. Tel: 01 6793121
The Elephant & Castle is the original, and many would say the best, venue for brunch. The nine-year-old cafe is always busy and bustling on Sundays with plenty of media and film folk (Neil Jordan is a regular) drinking endless re-fills of coffee and families contentedly tucking into burgers at the window booths. The classic Elephant & Castle dishes such as spicy chicken wings and elephant burgers are still on offer on Sundays, but there is an additional brunch menu which starts rather comfortingly with mimosa (£4.25), kir (£3.50) or kir royale (£4.50).
If you want a brunch that's more solid than liquid, then check out Elephant & Castle's extensive eggy menu. It feature eggs benedict (£6.95), eggs Florida (fried with avocado, banana and hollandaise, £6.95), eggs McSwiggan (poached with smoked salmon and hollandaise £8.50) and steak and eggs Ipanema (with avocado and fried banana, £8.95). There are plenty of newspapers on offer, but most people are too busy talking loudly to each other or eavesdropping on the next table in case the conversation is more interesting.
Sunday brunch served noon to 4.45 p.m. Children welcome.
Fitzers, 40 Temple Bar, Dublin 2. Tel: 01 6790440
Arguments rage about which Fitzers restaurant is the best, but my money goes on Fitzers on Temple Bar square. It's immensely popular at Sunday brunch time and manages to appeal to elderly tourists as well as the young and funky - Sporty Spice, Mel C, has been in twice in the last month; Naomi Campbell eats there and cool French DJ Laurent Garnier ate every meal there when he was in Dublin recently. Try to nab a windowside table for optimum people-watching on Temple Bar Square.
The Fitzers brunch menu has lots of quirky touches - their scrambled egg is livened up with vodka and gravadlax (£8,25), the crepes served with new season strawberries have a splash of champagne added (£5.95) and the omelette comes with Asian greens, ginger and garlic (£6.25). If you feel like pampering yourself or someone else, try a plate of fresh oysters with avocado, tomato and lime juice (£5.95) and if comfort food is the requirement, go for the hamburger which is served with sweet roasted onions and cheese and a big plate of fries (£7.95).
Sunday brunch served 12 to 4.30 p.m. Children welcome.
Expresso Bar, 47 Shelbourne Road, Dublin 4. Tel: 01 6608632
Ann Marie Nohl's Expresso bar has long been a favourite with the D4 set and is also a magnet for people from the music business. You're likely to spot John Reynolds of the POD, Boyzone manager, Louis Walsh, and maybe Van Morrison, who all pop in to the Expresso Bar for brunch at the weekend. You may have to wait for a table, but it's a refreshing, funky atmosphere once you're seated, and it opens earlier than most too.
Ann Marie decided that the Expresso Bar should be like a New York restaurant where everything is available at all times, from full lunch material to a simple piece of toast and marmalade. Its open breakfast sandwich is the biggest seller - a crumpet base piled up with all the essential ingredients of the Irish breakfast for £3.95 but you should also check out the grilled tomatoes on brioche with mozzarella and basil oil (£3.95) and the tortellini with gorgonzola cream and spinach (£6.95). Traditionalists will be delighted to learn that creamed porridge with honey (£1.95) is available.
Sunday brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Children welcome.
Eden, Meeting House Square, Temple Bar, Dublin 2. Tel: 01 6705372
There are plenty of options at Eden, which has undoubtedly the best outdoor terrace in Dublin. If you arrive before noon you can enjoy coffee and a huge selection of breads out on the terrace, and after midday you can choose from either the lunch or the brunch menu - or even mix and match between the two. There is always a lot of barristers who pop in if they're putting in some extra hours at the Four Courts, as well as couples both gay and straight, and families. Actor Mathew Modine also made a beeline for Eden when he was over in Dublin.
The brunch menu offers juice, fresh bread and muffins, and a selection of four dishes for £7.95. The Eden fry-up features Ed Hick's spicy sausages, black pudding and smoked bacon, which makes it a good option immediately. There's also an omelette made with Old Charleville cheese and spring onions, a traditional eggs Florentine, and an open chicken and smoked bacon sandwich which comes with home fries and chilli mayonnaise.
Sunday brunch served noon to 3.30 p.m. Children are welcome.
Next week, The Brunch Bunch 2 - how to do brunch at home: John McKenna rustles up the menus and Mary Dowey pours out the wine ideas