Dublin Budget Hotels, Hostels, Apartments and B&B's

Although Ireland may not be very well known for its fine cuisine, Dublin is no longer a centre for cheap and simple food. These days, a walk around Dublin city will take you from Italian restaurant, to Lebanese, to International and to Chinese, possibly all on just one street. You won't go hungry in Dublin city, nor will you go without great choice, and with prices ranging from cheap and cheerful to rather expensive and classy, visitors will be pleasantly surprised with the number of great food joints to be found. Starting with a bit of Irish cuisine, try the excellently named Druid's restaurant, in Ballsbridge. With a typically Irish decor of Celtic sculptures and tapestries from the Book of Kells, this restaurant is definitely worth a visit. Head for Gallagher's Boxty House, in Temple Bar, which serves up traditional stews, boxty, bacon and cabbage and champ, which are all Irish recipes. Boxty, from which the restaurant takes its name, is an Irish potato pancake, or the Tea Room at the Clarence Hotel on Wellington Quay in the city centre. Take a stroll alongside the River Liffey and once the cool wind and exercise have increased your appetite sufficiently, you can pop into the Tea Room for a simple yet delicious meal inspired by Irish, French and international cuisine. For a taste of America, go to the Elephant & Castle, in Temple Bar, where you can find trustworthy dishes such as Caesar Salad, spicy chicken wings, plus char grilled Dublin bay prawns, or Mediterranean, Italian and Mexican dishes at the famous Bad Ass Café, a central feature in Dublin since 1983. For all the vegetarians out there, the excellent Cornucopia, on Wicklow Street (close to Grafton St.) offers a wide range of wholesome and tasty food for a reasonable price, as well as juices, teas and coffees. That is by no mean the end of the list; merely a taster to whet your appetite