As one of the most elegant and historic streets in Dublin, Dawson St is a jumble of student deals, classy meals and proudly thriving independent stores.
But change is afoot, and it’s not just the new Luas line. Indeed, last November The Ivy Collection began construction at 13/17 Dawson Street with the intention of opening a brasserie in time for summer. Part of an exclusive group of restaurants, brasseries and cafes, the London landmark’s move is a vote of confidence in the future of Dawson St.
Beside The Ivy, Le Pain Quotidien, though technically on Molesworth Street, is due to open around the same time, doubling the number of Le Pain stores in Ireland.
Further up the street, supreme optimist David Hennessy has just opened Sun Bear Gelato, selling gelato, frozen yogurt and sorbet. Though he admits that, due to the snow, the first few months of trading have been tough, he is decidedly resolute. Speaking to The University Times, he said: “I’ve handed out thousands of samples, but that’s okay, people like it.”
Hennessy’s introduction to the gelato industry is more unorthodox than most. In the mid-1990s, Hennessy was working in Saudi Arabia for an Italian company manufacturing gelato equipment. The then Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, wanted his own gelato laboratory on his dairy farm to produce the perfect gelato. During this time, Hennessy spent a lot of time testing different methods of making gelato. Each Thursday, the samples were sent up to the palace for royal approval.
Fast forward to 2016, when (after a lot of tinkering) Hennessy decided to set up his own gelato company. Sun Bear is undoubtedly the smallest retail unit on Dawson Street, even smaller than the miniscule burrito bar, Pablo Picante, close by. It was the “fantastic location” that was the decisive factor in the timing of Sun Bear’s opening.
The difference between Sun Bear Gelato and other brands is that it does not use palm oil. Indeed, Hennessy named the company after the sun bear, the smallest bear in the world, to highlight how the palm oil industry is endangering the life of the creature. It’s heartening to meet such a responsible business owner like Hennessy. “But at the end of the day, it’s all about the taste!”, he says. Sun Bear also produces a selection of vegan gelato, most notably chocolate vegan ice cream. “It is coming together slowly but surely”, he says with a laugh. The plan is to franchise the brand as an add-on to coffee shops and delicatessens. A couple of weeks ago, Sun Bear officially joined the very classy Marqette Food Hall at Terminal 1 in Dublin Airport.
Located opposite is an elusive Michelin-starred restaurant, The Greenhouse, sister restaurant of One Pico, owned by Dublin restaurateur Eamonn O’Reilly. Housed in one of the few unremarkable-looking buildings on the street, it’s been making waves in the Irish food scene for a number of years. It initially started as a joint venture between O’Reilly and Finnish head chef, Mikael Viljanen. The Greenhouse is one of a number of upmarket establishments on Dawson Street, including Fire, Marco Pierre White Steakhouse & Grill and Amuse.
Replacing the now-closed National Bible Society of Ireland bookshop last year, between Café en Seine and Dolce Sicily, is The Bestseller, a coffee shop and wine bar. It has the added advantage of having one of the most iconic shop fronts on Dawson St. The distinctive red and white striped awning obscures the floor-to-ceiling windows of what is a beautiful, detailed space.
Cosy armchairs in the bay window offer the perfect location to hole up with a laptop and a mug of coffee or a glass of wine (which start at €6) for a couple of hours. While the bookshelves may still stand and the Bibles remain in the cellar, for general manager Chris Walsh, a job veteran of two weeks, Bestseller represents a chance to do something different. From April 8th they will be launching a breakfast menu, and opening at an earlier time of 8am. For now, he is focussed on building awareness of Bestseller. “A lot of people still walk past and think we are a Bible shop. We are trying to build it slowly and organically”, he tells The University Times. Their wine licence also allows them to serve low alcohol cocktails all priced at €12. Bestseller stays open to “whenever” from Thursday through Saturday, making it an ideal location for a post-library glass of wine. As a singer and musician, Walsh is looking to introduce an open-mic night and poetry readings at some point.
Dawson St has become one of the most coveted addresses in the capital and is continuing to develop at a rapid pace. It contains some of the best examples of Georgian architecture around and represents thriving Irish business. We should realise how lucky we are to study on its doorstep.
