Guinea Pig

Dalkey's most celebrated fish restaurant, Guinea Pig has seen plenty of famous faces over the years. From Cliff Richard to Liam Neeson and Meryl Streep, Guinea Pig's sparkling reputation precedes it once again.

Owner Jérôme Fernandes brings a touch of French elegance from his native Burgundy that has seen the restaurant go from strength to strength. Painting the exterior a cheery pea-green affords Guinea Pig a friendly appearance that brightens up Dalkey's high street. Inside, it is the picture of elevated style and beauty with perfectly pristine white tablecloths gracing the traditional bistro furnishings, warm red carpets that comfort and console and plush booths bedecked with pretty cushions; all in a small space that creates a certain exclusive kind of intimacy to the place.

The menu very much focuses on French cuisine using all the best produce Ireland has to offer. To start, Dublin Bay gets its moment in the spotlight with creamy seafood chowder stuffed with oceanic fruits from its shores. The cod croquettes are bite-sized moments of bliss, and the spiced beef salad is a peppery explosion with crispy radishes and a rocket.

Moving onto mains and Guinea Pig really solidifies its place as one of the best seafood restaurants in the area. From the house's signature fish pie to the battered lemon sole, baked sea bream with a saffron gratin and surf n' turf, Fernandes knows exactly how to bring the best out of each fish. And his expertise certainly doesn't stop there. French classics, like coq au vin and boeuf bourguignon, bring forth meaty, saucy comfort, leaving yet more room for an apple tart tartin or chocolate fondant. The most delicious pairing, Fernandes brings Irish produce together with the delicacy of French cuisine to remarkable effect.