Pearl Brasserie

You'll find yourself on one of Dublin's most buttoned-up streets, but step inside this snug brasserie and the formality melts away. The dining room feels properly Parisian – all dark wood, soft lighting, and closely-set tables that somehow manage intimate rather than cramped. Sebastian Masi runs this place like he's cooking for mates, which explains why the menu changes with whatever's best at the market. The cooking is French through and through, but not the sort that shows off. Think perfectly executed coq au vin that tastes like someone's grand-mère made it, or duck confit so good you'll be thinking about it on the walk home. Book well ahead – between the limited covers and the fact that half of Dublin 2's legal eagles have adopted it as their local, getting a table can be a proper mission.