A local’s guide to doing Dun Laoghaire in style

As soon as the sun comes out, Dún Laoghaire gets swamped with visitors for a stroll on the pier, a dip in the Forty Foot, a Teddy’s ice-cream or a wander around the Sunday market in People’s Park. But there is more to this little seaside town with several cool spots, some new, some not-so-new, that are worth a visit. Our office is bang in the middle of it all so we know exactly where to go…

#DublinLovesBikes

Looking to bike? Go to #DublinLovesBikes, a boutique bicycle store on York Road. They have bikes suitable for everyone, from commuter bikes to road racers, mountain bikes, bikes for long distance and cargo bikes (or bakfiets). They also stock basic accessories, spare parts and do repairs, all under the supervision of Gizmo, the shop cat. dlbcycles.ie

Men’s Hair Co.

Around the corner from there is Men’s Hair Co. If you are after a fresh, modern cut in a clean, comfortable and contemporary environment you don’t need to look any further. For bookings head to menshairco.ie

Two Beans & Curious Monkey

Left: Two Beans, Right: Curious Monkey

Popular with locals,  Two Beans Speciality Coffee Bar makes an excellent coffee, using only organic milk and milk alternatives like almond and soya and their take-out cups are entirely compostable. If you’re hungry, there’s a small but very tasty menu featuring organic sourdough toast, granola and yoghurt, soup, and toasted sandwiches. twobeans.ie

Also beloved is The Curious Monkey Coffee Co (pictured above right, a tiny coffee shop that serves the perfect cup of coffee every time. @curiousmonkeycc

Zero Zero Pizza

Zero Zero Pizza, known for its Napolitano wood-fired pizzas, is a fairly new addition to Dun Laoghaire, but they already have a loyal following from selling pizza at festivals and markets since 2014. The new pizzeria is small, with a relaxed atmosphere, offering some of the best wood fired pizzas in Dublin. zerozeropizza.ie

Strudel

Strudel, a new little bakery on Patrick Street has quickly grown a serious clientele (including all of the IMAGE office), who have learned to get there early or miss out. Very popular are the cruffins and cinnamon buns (a favourite for the Interiors team). And, not to state the obvious, the owners Ciara and her Hungarian partner Tibor are serious about their strudel, with a selection of savoury and sweet combinations. strudelbakery.com

The Big Up

The Big Up was founded by Nawel Kabouche-Kouadri, who spent weekends trawling through vintage and flea markets and decided to embrace her passion for interior design and upcycling and open a shop. The shop is a little gem with retro and vintage finds, upcycled rescue furniture, materials, fabrics and vintage garments. They also offer an interior decorating service for homes and businesses and helped with the fitting out of Le chocolat de Fred just down the road. thebigup.ie

Le Chocolat de Frèd

Looking for a little bit of France in Dun Laoghaire? Drop into Le chocolat de Frèd, run by Frenchman Frèd, it’s hard to miss with a tap of flowing melted chocolate in the front window. And if you need more convincing than that, this tiny shop offers coffee, hot chocolate, waffles, ice-cream, pastries and crepes … what more do you want? @lechocolatdefred

Søstrene Grene

Søstrene Grene needs no introduction. Stocked with affordable Scandinavian designs for your home, parties and outdoors, it’s almost impossible to leave empty-handed. For the budding artist, they have a good range of art materials too. sostrenegrene.com

The Gourmet Pantry

The Gourmet Pantry has the best sandwiches in Dun Laoghaire and is well worth the inevitable lunchtime queue. Each sandwich is made to order on organic sourdough with a choice of meats and cheese, freshly made pesto and topped with organic tomatoes and lettuce. They also have a selection of organic fruit and veg without all the plastic waste. @thegourmetpantry

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