A relaxed wine bar with serious sass, Allta is an exciting venue that’s bringing cool vibes, imaginative food and a great wine selection to Dublin 2. A partnership between Derry-born Niall Davidson, who recently returned from London, and Hugh Higgins, ex-Luna, the combination is a high energy offering with gutsy food and impeccable design credentials.
The fit out looks low-key and simple, but closer inspection reveals a serious design brief: cool terrazzo floors, high ceilings, native Irish elm tables, an arresting oyster fisherman mural by Subset and gorgeous Toby Hammond speakers, handmade in West Cork, and pumping out cool vinyl tracks. Dishes are served on organic looking, tactile tableware by Fermoyle Pottery on the Ring of Kerry and the handmade steak knives come from Sam Gleeson in Clare.
Just as much thought has gone into the raw ingredients, with Davidson and Higgins trawling the country to source quality and sustainable Irish ingredients. The carefully considered menu runs from snacks to sharing plates, each as delicious as the next. From Cromane oysters with rhubarb vinegar to crispy skate lollipops with seaweed cream, the exciting opening dishes declare Allta’s culinary intentions.
Dishes are made for sharing, and offer powerful and thoughtful flavour combinations that are good enough to interrupt the conversation. Everything is made in house, including the bread, charcuterie and excellent pasta. Dishes like birch-smoked organic Lleyn lamb from Belmullet, with seaweed pappardelle, wild marjoram and Cáis ne Tíre cheese are as delicious as a signature dish of whole wheat spider crab bigoli in a rich sauce made from salt-baked spider crab and finished with toasted malt oil and juniper smoked egg yolk.
The wine list presents lots of revelations. Overseen by sommelier Ian Fitzpatrick, who worked at Adare Manor, it features quirky categories – ‘interesting’ and ‘outlying friends’, for example – and is full of good surprises. Alongside over 100 wines, and 30 by the glass, you’ll find gems like Killahora Orchards Rare Apple Ice Wine and Fukuju Plum Sake, as well as unusual beers, and Aperol spritz on tap. Water is filtered, served in carafes.
As well as an à la carte offering you can choose the 4-course Table Menu, a sharing menu which includes most of the dishes from the à la carte, and can be ordered with matching wines.
Staff are friendly, on point and efficient, with chefs bringing some of the dishes to your table themselves. Booking is recommended, although a few seats at the long, high table in the middle of the dining room, are held for walk-ins. A bookable small private dining room, downstairs, is perfect for an intimate group of 6-12.
Allta isn’t cheap, but the quality of the cooking and ingredients speak for themselves. Fun and buzzy with delicious food and interesting wines, it’s a fresh and exciting fit for the capital.
