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Picasso Restaurant

Just a stone’s throw from the coast, Picasso is a family-run restaurant that’s found favour with the locals for its quality Italian fare.

This Dublin restaurants red brick and wood interior sets a warm tone that’s carried through to the pleasant service and authentic cooking. Despite finding the tables a little too low for the chairs, both upstairs and downstairs rooms are comfortably and attractively laid out.

The menu is extra long, and offers a vast selection of Italian classics, alongside interesting daily specials, many of which feature seafood.

Highlights include polpette alla casalinga – stuffed meatballs with mozzarella in tomato and basil sauce – and linguine carbonara. Veal dishes are a popular choice, and regulars rate the gamberi piccanti – marinated fresh prawns in chilli, garlic and white wine. Many dishes are pricey, but the pasta offers good value.

A broad dessert menu includes their hugely popular tirami’su.

The mainly Italian wine list includes a few half bottles, but nothing is available by the glass, which seems an oversight.

Reservations are recommended, especially at weekends when two sittings are in place.

Seats 60; toilets wheelchair accessible. L Mon-Fri, 12.30-3pm; D Tue-Sun,6pm-11pm (Sunday, 5-10pm).

Directions:

On Clontarf seafront at the bottom of Vernon Avenue