But what to eat for lunch or dinner without going over budget, however, is not so obvious. No worries — with these tips by Dublin locals, you’ll be sure to avoid the touristy and pricey restaurants in favor of the neighborhood gems that should be on every visitor’s list.

Where to stay in Dublin: Our favorite cheap hotels in the city

Dining on a Budget: 5 Dublin favorites

Hop aboard for a tasty pizza. Photo: Maria Krupskaya

Big Blue Bus

11-12 South Richmond St.

The Bernard Shaw is a great hipster pub, but what makes it even better is the Big Blue Bus hidden in the backyard. It’s a doubledecker where you can enjoy freshly made pizza (~€10). You rarely have to wait more than 10 minutes for your order, and every week there’s a different male and female name whose happy bearers get pizza for free! Feeling lucky?

Upgrade your cafe experience at Luncheonette. Photo: Kevin Gleeson

Luncheonette

100 Thomas St.

This vaulted basement cafe is hidden below the centrally located National College of Art & Design of Ireland. Luncheonette’s affordable, healthy food is primarily geared towards students, but there’s nothing stopping anyone from dropping by for some delicious artistic specialties that are also surprisingly affordable. One of local Kevin’s favorites is the Kerala curry and cashew pilaf and their beetroot burger with avocado. Expect to pay around €3.50 per small dish.

Have you had a Chinese burger? Photo: Sam Tranum

Temple Express Newsagents

4 Westmoreland St.

This small newsagent on Westmoreland Street, one of the busiest thoroughfares in Dublin, has a delicious little surprise: a small Chinese kitchen that serves street food, including soups, noodles and local Juan’s favorite Chinese burgers (€3.50) — “so tasty, so much better than a normal burger in a fast food restaurant, there’s no comparison!” Most of the customers that come to Temple Express Newsagents are Chinese, so be careful — when they say “hot” here, they really mean it!

Comfort food with a twist is the specialty at Cowtown. Photo: Cowtown Cafe FB

Cowtown Cafe

73 Manor St.

Cowtown Cafe has brought the charm of the traditional greasy spoon to Stoneybatter. Their menu consists of refreshing alternatives to the tired options of stew or fish and chips as flagships of Irish cuisine. Yet, it never strays from a menu of “comfort food an Irish mammy would make”, complete with the freshest bread and the best quality cuts of meat. Local Lucie’s favorite item on the menu is the fish-finger sandwich, incidentally also some of her hangover food of preference — an inevitable essential for any visit to Ireland. Main courses from €9.

Freshly made sandwiches are the draw at Doughboys. Photo: Kevin Gleeson

Doughboys

5 Charlotte Way

Dublin is overrun with boring high street sandwich shops, but Doughboys is a brilliant exception. Opened in 2014 and run by very friendly staff, you can even depend on them for cheap and tasty sandwiches (€5). You can order items without the bread and they have vegan/gluten-free options. However, it’s the carnivores that are really in for a treat: on Thursdays and Fridays, they serve porchetta — herb-infused roast pork with salsa verde and garlic. Just make sure you check in for lunch early, as they run out fast!

The post Dublin Budget Dining: 5 local favorites appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Budget Travel provides many good tips on where to eat, what to see, and what not to see (we appreciate that the magazine recommends skipping the Book of Kells in favor of exploring the grounds of Trinity College—there’s no need to spend extra Euros for a rushed, crowded experience, especially when there are plenty of free museums to enjoy in this town).

Here are some of the highlights from the article “Dublin on the Fly”:

Irish Pubs, People-Watching, and Day Trips

BT suggests hitting up the literary crowd’s favorite people-watching mecca, Metro Café, and the quintessential Irish pubs Library Bar and Neary’s. We especially like that they throw in some picks for vegetarian travelers, including the amazing-looking Café Fresh.

We also love that the magazine endorses a quick trip out of town. “Trip Coach” recommends a day trip to Howth, where you can soak in the picturesque cliffs and St. George’s Channel. “Trip Coach” also mentions Sandycove and Dalkey, cute seaside towns that are perfect for enjoying a cozy pint while looking out at the ocean. (We recommend day trips to Enniskerry and Newgrange in our Dublin city guide).
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A trip to Dublin isn’t complete without a visit to the Guinness Storehouse brewery, so we’ll be sure to follow BT’s advice and take the tour (tickets cost €15 and include a beer tasting plus a free pint) next time we’re in town.

But Don’t Forget the Freebies…

We’d love to throw in our own Cheapo cents and remind readers that the city is teeming with free activities. We’ve written about free admission to the Irish Parliament and the Dublin Castle. But there are many other Cheapo-friendly ways to spend a day in the city.

Don’t forget Dublin’s literary roots! There are plenty of unique little bookshops perfect for browsing or camping out over a copy of Ulysses for the afternoon. We especially like Cathach Books, which boasts a collection of rare Irish works, and The Secret Book and Record Store (because there’s nothing better than picking up an obscure, old-time record when you’re visiting a new city).

When the weather in Dublin is nice, take in the city surroundings with a nice walk along the river. Dublin’s Liffey Boardwalk is great for a scenic stroll. The boardwalk served as a commercial wharf before the O’Connell Bridge was built in 1795. Now, it’s a perfect spot for admiring the Liffey River. If you walk along the river’s left bank, the boardwalk will eventually bring you out near the Christ Church Cathedral in the city center.

Have any other Cheapo Dublin suggestions? Let us know by posting a comment below!

The post Dublin: “Budget Travel” tips and Cheapo hints appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.