Chapter One

Dublin diners were hardly surprised when Chapter One was awarded a Michelin star in 2007; in fact, many wondered why the recognition for this hidden gem had taken so long. Perhaps it was the restaurant’s distinctly low-key location in the basement of the Dublin Writers Museum on Parnell Square (just a stone’s throw from the Chinese takeouts of Parnell Street). Or maybe it was that chef Ross Lewis’s sophisticated, locally sourced cuisine was as unpretentious as it was flavorful—with menus that might include hearty pea-and-smoked-bacon soup or clam-studded risotto as well as more rarefied dishes (like cold-pressed ox tongue and sautéed lamb sweetbreads). The tasting menu, with sommelier-poured wines accompanying each course, is well worth shelling out for.