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PROUDLY SPONSORED BY BITESIZE POPEYE’S BEEFY SPRI
NG TREATS AT HAWKSMOOR With ‘the stretch’ well and truly underway, these longer spring evenings are the ideal excuse for enjoying even longer dinners, especially with Hawksmoor leaning all the way in with a brace of leisurely offerings. First up is Steak After Eight, a three-course sharing feast built around a Chateaubriand with all the trimmings, plus starters, desserts, a martini or sour-cherry Negroni and a glass of red. Designed for lingering, this late-night dining special is served from 8pm daily and priced at €75 per person. Book it for 2, 4 or 6, let the night unfold and take you where it may. Meanwhile, those who prefer their evening dining slightly earlier, can avail of an Early Evening Set Menu featuring two courses for €25 or three for €30 (Mon–Sat). Choices include potted beef, 35-day dry-aged rump, sticky toffee pudding and a packed Royale Burger - perfect fare for pre-theatre or prewhatever-you-fancy-yourself in this everdiverse city of ours. In addition, weekends see the stylish College Green stalwart dishing up what they’re billing as ‘an Elevated Sunday Roast’ piled high with towering Yorkshires, crispy roasties, cauliflower cheese and gravy, upgradeable to dry-aged rump or sirloin. All this and what they tell us is their best burger yet, crammed with two luscious layers of beef and bone marrow patties - smashed, salted and grilled, topped off with two slices of cheese, ketchup, mustard, spiked mayo, raw onions and chopped pickles all sandwiched between a soft buttered bun. What’s not to love? @hawksmoordublin With the recent closure of Krewe Street South, fans of fried chicken from America’s deep South are consoling themselves with the opening of Popeyes, which makes its debut at Blanchardstown Centre this spring. The Louisiana-born brand’s first opening in Ireland sees it bringing its legendary ‘Shatter-Crunch’ chicken to Dublin, fuelled by Southern hospitality and bold New Orleans flavours. We’re told their crunchy chicken special features a signature blend of New Orleans seasonings, marinated for 12 hours, then hand-breaded and hand-battered, and finally tossed in the air to create that famous shatter crunch. In addition to their iconic Chicken Sandwich, offerings include Hot Wings, Tenders, Hand Spun Shakes, and original Southern Biscuits with Cajun Gravy, while those looking for a meat-free experience are also catered for with their 100% plant-based vegan sandwich. Plans are also afoot for the opening of a second spot in Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2 - keep an eye on their socials for more. @popeyesire RUBY HEARTS Dublin animal lovers, this one’s for you... Petmania has just opened nominations for its 2026 Ruby Heart Awards, with winners ultimately receiving national recognition for their positive impact in supporting pets, their owners and local communities. This year sees the awards celebrating the work of rescue centres saving vulnerable animals, workplaces supporting employees through pet-friendly policies, and venues rolling out the red carpet for dogs and their owners. From a hospitality perspective all eyes are on the Dog Friendly Venue, a category that sees award organisers encouraging nominations for the cafés, pubs, hotels and hangouts that genuinely welcome wagging tails. Whether it’s water bowls at the door, treats behind the counter, or staff who greet your pup before they say hello to you – if your local always goes the extra mile, now’s the time to shout about it. With other categories including Best Pet Friendly Workplace and Best Rescue Activity, winners will be selected through a combination of public voting and a judging panel, with the 2026 recipients announced at a special awards ceremony later this year. Meanwhile entries for all remaining categories including Golden Oldie, Bravest Pet Favourite Feline, Family Pet and Petfluencer 2026 will open on Wednesday, April 15th. Nominate your favs before May 6th and help build a city that’s better for pets and their people. petmania.ie/ruby-heart 32 WE’RE LOVIN’ The Daily Cut at Darwin’s, featuring 250g of Irish grass-fed beef with hand cut chips and a sauce for €19. With Steak Frites available from Tuesday to Saturday in the bar of the recently reopened Aungier street tavern, throw in an additional fiver and the generous hosts will happily serve you up a refreshing pint or a small glass of wine to go with it. A great value pre-recession buster if ever we saw one. @darwinstavern