Aperitivo at the Café — Restaurant in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown

Ate at Aperitivo with 3 friends on the opening night on May 30th. We sat in the full sun (remember that?) on the patio maybe 15 feet from the brilliant guitarist who, contrary to a certain Indo hack's newspaper review, was absolutely not too loud. The music was up tempo and uplifting, but never intrusive. It was giving Rodrigo y Gabriela. Class. The vibes were on point. Life felt sweet sitting there on that patio just soaking up the sun.

Initially it felt like it took a little long to get menus, but that was partly down to a table of rather entitled locals who'd had a bit too much to drink, seemed to believe that some people they knew should've been served before our group; despite our being there and long seated before them. The staff knew the order of arrival however and handled this admirably.

Once we did get our menus we knew we were in for a treat (I include photos of the menu with this review). The staff are friendly and eager, and Katie is a force of nature who clearly knows what she's doing with this venture.

We ordered delicious Aperol Spritzes as an aperitif before our food order, to enjoy whilst we waited for our meal. At times it felt like the wait times were lengthy but the venue was full, it was opening night after-all, and some hiccups are to be expected.

The chef is a very talented individual whose food was the absolute highlight of our visit. I can't recall what we each ordered but I had something, reminiscent of Arancini, called Frittura Mista (Calamari & Gambas) in tempura, and they were melt-in-the-mouth divine. I also had a prosciutto and cheese board selection which consisted of some very fine antipasti items. A friend ordered a Diavolo pizza which he appeared to enjoy hugely judging by how quickly it disappeared. My own orders were not a very typically traditional order for an Italian venue as I ignored the usual Antipasti Primi Secondi, or Pizza, convention - nevertheless I was satisfied.

Aperitivo at the Café is well worth a visit if you're more interested in delicately plated deliciousness in preference to mountains of bland food piled on a dish. The atmosphere is great, it's a lovely setting, the patio is nicely enclosed from the street, the staff are jovial and fun, the live music is wonderful, the drinks are reasonably priced, and the food is gorgeous.

Forza Aperitivo,...

The food was genuinely very good, and we were looking forward to a great overall experience. Unfortunately, we were quite disappointed by the service.

We asked for tap water, but the server brought us a bottled one instead—which we were later charged 6.50€ for. We were surprised, as we had specifically requested tap water, and nothing was mentioned about an extra charge.

I also asked if it was possible to add rocket to my margherita pizza. The server said yes, but didn’t mention there would be a supplement. We were then charged 2€ for what turned out to be just a few leaves. While we understand extra toppings may cost more, it would have been helpful to be informed in advance, especially when the addition is quite minimal.

The restaurant is already on the pricier side—around 20€ for a pizza and 15€ for a cocktail—so we were a bit taken aback when the total for two people came to over 70€ for just two pizzas and drinks. At the end, when we didn’t leave a tip, the staff asked if there was an issue with the service??? We didn’t feel comfortable saying anything at the time, but in hindsight, we probably should have.

This experience left us very disappointed, and we just wanted to share our thoughts in the hope that it might lead to a more transparent and welcoming service for...

So, I took the girlfriend out to this new Italian place that’s just opened up in Glenageary. Now, normally, when you hear “new Italian” you brace yourself for disappointment. But this place? Packed. Absolutely hopping. Which is always a good sign unless, of course, you're starving.

The service was spot on. We even met the owner, Katie, who was very friendly and clearly knows what she’s doing. It's always reassuring when the person running the show actually cares.

Now, to the important bit — the food. I started with calamari. Light, crispy, not rubbery. Then came the pizza, which was — and I don’t say this lightly — very, very good. We washed it all down with a bottle of wine, as one should.

Meanwhile, the girlfriend fell head over heels for her pasta dish. Of course, I had to steal a bit because, frankly, she eats like a baby bird. And I’m not letting good pasta go to waste.

What struck me as well was how many families were in. Lots of kids, parents enjoying themselves — a proper family-friendly spot. Not one of these places where you feel you’ve accidentally wandered into a children’s birthday party either. Just a nice atmosphere where everyone seemed happy.

In short: great food, great service, nice vibe, and somewhere I’ll definitely be...