I’ve had the good fortune of experiencing the hospitality of Dublin twice; once as a wide-eyed, all-knowing college student (it’s one of the best cities for college students to explore) and many years later as a more self-aware adult. As I think back, the one thing that threads those experiences together is people’s genuine warmth and welcoming nature. I don’t believe I’ve been anywhere where people randomly want to strike up a conversation — with or without a pint! Here they do.
Being welcomed somewhere is fantastic, but they’ve also got to have vegan food, am I right?
Lucky for you, you’ll find plenty of great vegan food in this fun city. This vegan travel guide to Dublin will help you plan your entire vegan adventure from where to eat, suggestions on things to do, where to stay, and more!
A few of the links in this guide might be affiliate links. At no cost to you, I may earn a small commission which helps me keep this site going!
Is Dublin Vegan-Friendly?
Yes! Dublin is indeed vegan-friendly! Dublin was difficult for vegan diners for many years, but that has changed over the last few years (sound the party horns)! According to a 2019 article in Plant Based News, Dublin was ranked as the most vegan-friendly city in the world, followed by Phuket, Thailand, Amsterdam, and London. The article states that approximately 21% of the restaurants in Dublin are vegan-friendly. Guess that means we’ve got some eating to do!
Vegan Restaurants to Check Out in Dublin
Cornucopia
19-20 Wicklow St, Dublin, D02 FK27, Ireland
Cornucopia has been promoting a plant-based lifestyle since 1986! The menu is well marked for diners. The globally inspired menu changes regularly, so you will want to make sure to pop in more than once! They also have a fantastic lineup of desserts, so make sure you save a little room.
Gluten-free options available
Veginity
101 Dorset Street Upper, Inns Quay, Dublin, D01 A2F4, Ireland
Winners of multiple Ireland Food Awards, they pride themselves on making vegan street food fancy! They serve all-day breakfast, brunch on the weekends, and dinner. Everything from their golden, crispy pastries to mushroom wellingtons are house-made with the freshest ingredients.
Kale + Coco
18 Grangegorman Lower, Dublin, D07 WF44, Ireland
This is the best place to have a healthy start to your day. For breakfast, they specialize in smoothie bowls and smoothies, and at lunch, the bowls take a savory turn with favorites like You Guac My World or #Gainz. With names like that, how can you resist? Their goal is to bring healthy food to the busy people of Ireland.
Gluten-free options available
V-Face
30 Brunswick St N, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, D07 TP64, Ireland
This is an amazing spot for vegan junk food in Dublin! Indulge in a Hot Chick burger (charcoal bun loaded with rocket, pepper jack, avocado, siracha, mayo, and nacho sauce) but don’t forget to add on a side of loaded French fries or Cauli Poppers! The menu here is seriously mouthwatering.
Gluten-free options available
The Saucy Cow
19 Crane Ln, Temple Bar, Dublin, D02 R891, Ireland
One more spot for vegan junk food in Dublin! This spot has a 70s psychedelic vibe that it pairs with its lineup of veganized fast-food. You can’t go wrong with a double cheeseburger but their Hot Pappi is something special — fried oyster mushrooms with buffalo sauce and mayo on top of a sesame seed bun.
Veggie Vibe Café
Blackrock Market, 19a Main St, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland
The vibes at this vegan café are delicious! Their menu features a great mix of healthy globally-inspired bowls, including a full Irish breakfast bowl — I don’t think there is a better way to start the day.
Sova Vegan Butcher
Carman’s Hall, The Liberties, Dublin, D08 V22H, Ireland
This fine-dining vegan establishment will delight you with an array of items you would never think are vegan — scallops, schnitzel, steak, kebabs! They take great care in making things tasty as well as healthy. Just make sure you leave room for dessert.
Vegan Sandwich Co.
6 Queen St, Smithfield, Dublin 7, Ireland
Vegan sandwiches for breakfast and lunch!
Vegetarian & Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Dublin
It’s definitely easy to see why Dublin was rated as such a vegan-friendly city with all of these amazing options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
Govinda’s
83 Middle Abbey St, North City, Dublin 1, D01 EV91, Ireland
Vegetarian Indian food with many vegan options.
Blazing Salads
42 Drury St, Dublin 2, D02 T210, Ireland
Vegetarian café and deli with vegan options for takeaway.
UMI Falafel
13 Dame St, South City, Dublin, D02 HX67, Ireland (multiple locations)
Vegetarian Middle Eastern cuisine with many vegan and gluten-free options.
McGuinness of Camden Street
84 Camden Street Lower, Dublin Southside, Dublin 2, D02 DH36, Ireland
This vegan-friendly restaurant has an outstanding vegan menu featuring pizza, burgers, and gluten-free options.
FLIP
George’s Street Arcade, Dublin, Ireland
Vegan-friendly burger spot with a healthy spin. Their burgers feature their house-made patties made with organic grains, seeds, and veggies. You won’t feel guilty about indulging here!
Vegan Bakeries, Donuts, & Ice Cream in Dublin
While savory bowls and burgers are great, you’ve got to have a treat every once and awhile! Check out these Dublin spots for vegan donuts, ice cream, and cake.
The Rolling Donut
Multiple locations throughout Dublin
Cute donut shop with nine vegan donut options — raspberry jam, Ferrero Rocher, coffee and walnut, peanut butter chocolate — just to name a few!
It’s a Trap
81 Aungier St, Dublin, D02 DK50, Ireland
This vegan café has way more than just coffee! Make sure you pair that oat milk latte with one of their sticky cinnamon buns or flaky pastries. They also serve sandwiches.
Sun Bear Gelato
24 Dawson St, Dublin, Ireland
This vegan-friendly spot is scooping up multiple flavors of creamy vegan gelato!
Buttercream Dream
Home delivery, markets, and wholesale
This is Dublin’s first vegan bakery, specializing in a fantastic array of flavors of sponge cake, like Nutella, Biscoff caramel, lavender earl grey, and so many more, as well as whoopie pies, lemon curd, and many other treats.
Indigo’s Vegan Bakery
Online shop
This online cake shop is making gorgeous vegan cake creations! If you happen to need to order a cake or cupcakes while in Dublin, make sure you check them out.
Vegan-Friendly Hotels in Dublin
At the moment, Dublin doesn’t have a fully vegan hotel to add to this guide. But, these two spots are vegan-friendly and The Wren is incredibly eco-friendly. Both would be amazing spots to base yourself to explore Dublin.
Wren Urban Nest
St Andrew’s Lane, Dublin, D02 P9K0, Ireland
This modern, net carbon hotel is aiming to be the most sustainable in Ireland! The property has undertaken a laundry list of eco-friendly initiatives — using 100% renewable energy and recyclable or biodegradable materials, fighting food waste by partnering with Too Good To Go, utilizing local, seasonal, and “wonky veg,” in their kitchen, a rooftop garden, and many other green activities. On top of that, their dining menus have vegan options and all of their toiletries are vegan and cruelty-free.
The Merrion Hotel
Merrion St Upper, Dublin 2, Ireland
This five-star, luxury hotel in the center of Dublin offers a great vegan menu. The menu was created by Holly White, creator of the cookbook, Vegan-ish.
What To Do & See in Dublin
Take a bus or walking tour
I’m sure there are a few eye rolls upon reading this, but although Dublin is a small city, it still packs in a lot to see, do, and learn. Taking one of these when you first arrive is a great way to learn the lay of the land and decide what you really want to explore – it’s one of the best things to do in Dublin for first time visitors.
Wander Grafton Street
This charming pedestrian shopping street runs from Trinity College to St. Stephen’s Green and is lined with great shops, cafes, live music, and street performers. Even if you’re not interested in shopping, it’s an excellent area for people watching.
Grab a beer in the Temple Bar area
I know this looks pretty touristy, but even though this area is notorious for bachelor parties and partiers, it’s more than meets the eye. Aside from having great pubs with spirited Irish music, there are also many independent shops and it’s a great area for street art in Dublin. Also, I recommend grabbing a beer somewhere here; you might make a new friend — I once did!
Enjoy the beauty of St. Stephens Green
In the center of Dublin sits the most beautifully manicured park. It once was a place for those in high society to meet and stroll. Today it is still an excellent place for an afternoon stroll and to seek shelter amongst the shady trees. Even if you only have one day in Dublin, this is still a gorgeous place you should explore.
Stroll the open air Moore Street Market
This cute cobblestone street is lined with vendors selling beautiful flowers, fresh produce, Irish products, and more. If you’re staying somewhere with a kitchen, it’s a great place to stock your fridge. Otherwise, it’s a great place to enjoy Old Dublin and maybe find a souvenir.
Must Do Day Trip from Dublin
Visit The Cliffs of Moher
If you are considering getting out of Dublin for the day, I highly recommend visiting the Cliffs of Moher, a UNESCO Global Geopark. These 700 feet tall rugged sea cliffs stretch for 5 miles along the Atlantic Ocean and provide a dramatic backdrop to the rolling green hills of Ireland. In May and June, visitors may also be delighted with a visit from Atlantic Sea Puffins which nest off the cliffs. Even though it is just over 3 hours from Dublin, it is worth the car ride. There are multiple tour options for visiting the Cliffs if you prefer not to drive yourself.
How To Get Around Dublin
Coming from the Dublin Airport
If you’re coming from the Dublin airport, it’s easy to get to the city center by bus or taxi. There are multiple bus options. First, grab the Aircoach; tickets are €9 one way and can be booked ahead of time at Aircoach. As a side note, Aircoach can also help get you to other cities in Ireland if Dublin isn’t your final destination.
A second bus option is the Airlink Express (747 and the 757). Airlink tickets are €9 when purchased online; they are more if you buy them on the bus. All bus options can be found outside the arrival halls of terminals 1 and 2.
If you don’t want to mess with the bus, a taxi (or Uber — Uber is only available in Dublin in Ireland) will run you for about €20 – 40 to the city center.
Getting Around Dublin
While you’re in the city, Dublin is best experienced by walking or biking. Dublin is very bike-friendly and has a bike share system—a great way to get in some exercise and see the city.
If you need a break from walking, there is a good network of buses and trams to help get you around. A bus ticket will run you between €1.30 – €3 depending on where you are going and if you’re paying in cash or using a Leap Card. Tram tickets are available for €1.70 in zone one; day passes are €8.
Tickets can be purchased at vending machines, from the driver (exact change only), or online by purchasing a Leap Card.
Driving in Ireland
If you’re coming from the States or anywhere else that drives on the right side of the road, you’re going to have a bit of a learning curve, but it can be done! If you’re just visiting Dublin, I don’t recommend driving or renting a car, you don’t need it, and it will be an unnecessary headache and expense. Parking is expensive, and driving is a pain in Dublin. But if you plan to visit other parts of the country, a car can be helpful. We started on the west side of the country, which is much quieter, making adjusting to driving easier. I suggest starting your trip somewhere less congested and going from there.
Before you leave, check with your insurance company to see if you are covered outside your home country. If not, rental insurance is expensive and might change your mind about driving. I also highly recommend renting a small car; roads are small and sometimes don’t feel large enough for a full-sized vehicle. Getting around in something larger than a Kia Rio is terrifying!
The Dublin Pass
A Dublin Pass is a good option for tourists who plan to see many of the main attractions and would like to do a hop-on hop-off bus. The pass provides free entry to over 40 of Dublin’s most popular attractions, discounts, and fast track entry at select attractions. The pass is available for 1 -5 days and starts at $82.
Need More Vegan Travel Help?
If you’re planning other vegan adventures don’t forget to get out all of our other vegan travel guides! Here are a few to get your planning juices going!
The Best Vegan Travel Guide to London
Comprehensive Vegan Travel Guide to Lucerne
The Best Vegan Travel Guide to Paris
The Complete Toronto Vegan Travel Guide
6 Can’t Miss Restaurants for Vegan Breakfast in Edinburgh
The Ultimate Vegan Travel Guide to Brighton, UK
