Weafer & Cooper

Lucky Glasthule has another great restaurant offering yet another style of cooking in this little foodie enclave. The unusual name, Weafer & Cooper, alludes to the two families who lived in these converted buildings a century ago. Their homes have been turned into a split-level, open plan industrial-style restaurant that’s comfy, bright, roomy and stylish.

Exposed brickwork, concrete ceilings and duct pipes are balanced with chocolate brown banquettes, indigo metro tiles and warm woods to create a modern and well-designed bistro. Despite the abundance of hard surfaces and high ceilings acoustics are surprisingly good, with large tables well spaced to allow privacy.

This County Dublin Restaurants front area is overlooked by a slick deli counter and beautiful retro coffee machine while diners down the back on a lower level can enjoy the theatre of an open kitchen complete with wood-fired oven that turns out some of the finest pizza around. Thin dough, wonderfully crisp, is dressed with rustic ingredients to turn out an authentic traditional-style pizza.

Diavolo, with roast tomato sauce, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, pepperoni, chilli and oregano is deliciously piquant and flavoursome. Combinations like Maiale’s roast tomato sauce with mozzarella, minced pork, fennel and beef tomatoes or Chevre with roast tomato sauce, mozzarella, goat’s cheese, toasted pinenuts, roasted red pepper and basil pesto showcase how good authentic pizza can be in the right hands.

These hands are overseen by the very capable Eleanor Walsh, formerly of Eden Restaurant, Mackerel and Cafe Bar Deli, who has ensured her trademark smokies are on Cooper & Weafer’s menu too. They sit alongside delicious starters like pan-fried mushrooms with thyme garlic and crème fraiche on toasted sourdough and perfectly spiced prawns pil pil.

Early risers will find an appetising breakfast menu with choices that include like porridge with Drambuie and cream, Poached eggs on potato cakes with grilled tomato and house relish and French toast with maple syrup.

Lunch offers pizzas alongside light offerings like original salads or Ciopino, San Francisco fisherman’s stew with house-baked foccacia. Side dishes are especially creative, like the crisp and zingy Asian slaw while jugs of tap water with cucumber and mint are a thoughtful touch.

The wine list is well chosen to match the style of cooking and offers decent value. Although there are just 4 whites and 4 reds by the glass (as well as port, sherry and bubbly) these are all interesting, thoughtful offerings.

In the Guide’s experience it’s hard to fault Weafer & Cooper, especially as staff are wonderfully attentive and service is perfectly pitched for a friendly neighbourhood bistro that wants to foster loyalty – although we’d like to see them as well trained in coffee making, to ensure the beautiful looking machine delivers the kind of latte you’d expect from it.