Afternoon Sea At Cliff Townhouse In Dublin, Ireland

The restaurant

Head chef, Sean Smith, is working with Cliff Townhouse Executive Chef, Martijn Kajuiter, to make sure all the dishes are perfect. Martijn is a Michelin Star holder at their sister restaurant, Cliff House in Ardmore. He has been working with Cliff Townhouse in Dublin since 2010.

The restaurant is a popular meeting place for Dubliners. Here they can enjoy a delicious brunch, lunch, or dinner every day of the week. There are three-course and two-course meals available as well as an a la carte menu including light bites. The most popular items include dressed Yawl Bay crabs, eggs Benedict, Galway oysters, Hereford rib eye steaks, Irish lobsters, salads, and wild sea trout. On many occasions, several locals and tourists will come into the restaurant to enjoy a glass of champagne and a dozen oysters before going to the theatre for the evening.

The tall front windows allow the restaurant to fill with sunlight during the day. If you are sitting in front of one of them, you can watch busy people passing by or look out onto St. Stephen’s Green Park. The grand mirrors inside reflect the sunshine throughout the restaurant, while the chandeliers add style and sophistication. The high ceilings and parquet flooring will remind you of the Georgian building’s past. White walls, table cloths, and blue chairs add a comfortable style and elegance to the restaurant.

Afternoon Sea

Cliff Townhouse has placed a stunning and impressive twist on the popular afternoon tea and re-named it Afternoon Sea. There are no sandwiches or sweets on this three-tiered dish. It is filled with a selection of items found in the sea around Ireland. It includes crab claws, Harty oysters, Irish smoked salmon, lobster, and potted monkfish. It is served with a pot of mussels and toasted sourdough croutons. Forget the tea or coffee, you will start with a small cup of lobster bisque. Afternoon Sea is best complimented with a glass of white wine.

Afternoon Sea is only offered from May to September. It is available from 12:00 noon until 2:30 pm every day. The price is 38 EUR (45 USD) per person.

The history of the building

The 17th-century Georgian building has been owned by several of Ireland’s most well-known families including the St. Ledgers, the Ormsbys, and John Pratt. The home, located on the north side of St. Stephen’s Green Park, was also once owned by the Earl of Shelburne. The original house was demolished in the late 1790’s and replaced by two homes, becoming number 22 and 23.

In 1884 house number 22 became the oldest private members club in Ireland, the headquarters of The Friendly Brothers of St. Patrick for the county of Dublin Knot. Throughout the 20th-century, several interesting and famous people have stayed in the house. They include writer Samuel Beckett and chef Richard Corrigan. The O’Callaghan family has owned the property since 2010.