In an imaginatively renovated Georgian townhouse just off St Stephen's Green, this was the original of Erik and Michelle Robson's 'series' of Ely wine bars and restaurants. Since it first opened in 1999, they have built on their commitment to offer some of the greatest and most interesting wines from around the world. They have maintained an unrivalled reputation for their unique list and, most especially, for the quality, value and breadth of range of their wines by the glass, which include champagnes, ports and exceptional value sherries.
The wine always came first here, with the food playing support while following a similar commitment to careful sourcing, but executive chef Ryan Stringer has brought some imaginative touches to delivering the kinds of food we want to eat today (whether you're tempted by healthy sides like chard with buckwheat, chia and yoghurt or indulgences like spuds and sprouts with a jamon brown butter).
Two decades on and this pioneering pair and their excellent team continue to innovate and adapt to changing times, with a significant investment both in expansion beyond the city centre but also a major revamp of this original outpost. The effect is to free up more space for hosting regular wine tastings, courses and other events in the cosy basement and to allow the bar itself to become more of a central feature. Indeed, those broad bar-side stools are arguably the prime seats in the house, where you can engage directly with knowledgable and passionate staff as you meander through the labyrinthian wine list, either grazing on bar snacks (think charred Irish chorizo with tarragon mustard and gherkin) or diving into the main menu.
The dining room proper comprises of two contrasting spaces, one full of nooks and booths in that buzzy basement and the second in a light-washed ground floor reception room with Georgian cornicing, sash windows and marble fireplace.
Regularly revamped menus always feature organic produce, notably organic pork and dry-aged beef from Erik’s father’s farm in the heart of the Burren in County Clare, and lamb from a neighbouring farm. Their signature Ely beef burgers have long been stars on their menus, featuring bacon, truffle celeriac remoulade, pickled onion and Coolattin cheddar with perfectly crispy hand-cut chips. You’ll also find that excellent beef turning up as tartare, carpaccio or juicy rib-eyes and other prime cuts. Vegetarians are well-served too, with imaginative main course dishes like hen-of-the-woods mushrooms with cauliflower, saffron velouté, goji berry, almonds and gnocchi, or lunchtime salads of fior di latte, Young Buck blue, buckwheat, chia, egg, sun-dried tomato and romaine.
Value-focused menus include an innovative rugby weekend lunch menu, which has the option of Eccles Cake and Irish coffee ‘to go’. Meanwhile the Bar Bites menu addresses a multitude of appetites, from those snacks through well-curated Irish cheeses to ‘smalls’ like Crown Prince pumpkin risotto with sage, cavolo nero, hazelnuts and Cratloe Hills sheep’s cheese.
The exceptional and extensive wine offering – which includes an innovative section of red wines served cool (“not because they can be drunk that way, because they should be drunk that way”) – is backed up by a list of craft beers, premium whiskeys and gins, Cognac and Armagnac, and classic cocktails.
Besides serving great wines, the Ely team help their customers dig a little deeper with a range of fun and educational events headed up by award-winning sommelier, Ian Brosnan. These range from informal, region-focussed weekly tastings and month-long wine appreciation courses to wine-maker dinners and the annual Big Tasting at sister establishment, 'ely bar & grill IFSC' which opened in the IFSC in 2006.
More recent additions to the family include Ely 64 Wine in Glasthule and Ely Wine Store in Maynooth. While each establishment has its own personality (and following), all share the core values of commitment to an exceptional and constantly-evolving wine offering, with an unrivalled selection offered by the glass – and to quality food based on well-sourced ingredients handled well. A pioneer in Irish wine bars, and still a leader in a class of its own.
