Stoneybatter, Dublin, The Soul Side of Town

Sarah Boland Takes 3

Mar 19, 2026

There was a very private enjoyment for us in filming the trio of suggestions which Sarah Boland, of Vada, gave us for the first Take 3 Substack, a series where we make a short film of three favourite destinations chosen by a food professional.

Vada is on the edge of the Smithfield-Stoneybatter zone, and Sarah’s choices are all close-knit around Manor Street. Thirty five years ago we lived around the corner, on Halliday Square, in a lovely wee house on a lovely wee square. It was charming, and more than a bit rough.

The area was solidly working class, with houses, pubs, chippers, and some good local shops, where you could buy butter cut straight from a big boulder of the stuff which sat behind the counter.

Our favourite shop hung hams from the ceiling – San Sebastian how are ya! – and had cakes of spotted dick in the window alongside the gur cake, sold by ‘oul fellas who wore stained white work coats. There were pubs aplenty and then, one day, there was a restaurant.

It was called Ta Se Mahagoni Gaspipes, and was opened by a couple called Roy and Drina Kinsley, who did a heroic job. They sourced carefully – meat from the great Danny O’Toole; organic Wicklow venison – and some of the food was really decent. Roy was a great character who loved balling out the very many people who leaned in the door and asked: “Do you do chips?” They didn’t, and Roy loved the fact.

The Kinsleys referred to Stoneybatter as “The soul side of town” and they occasionally even got some jazzers to play in the room in the evening. Their American background explained why their burgers were “char-broiled” but in the early 90’s what a treat to be offered Monkfish tandoori, Moroccan lamb, and New York striploin.

Now that Stoneybatter is the epitome of Dublin gentrification, with lovely places to eat and drink, surely a little wall plaque on Manor Street, and an annual street party, should recall that this food phenom’ began with Roy and Drina, this dauntless couple whom we described back in 1993 as exhibiting “an endearing brand of lunacy.”

Their lunacy is their legacy, and Sarah’s Vada restaurant continues that legacy, a livewire restaurant offering great, idiosyncratic cooking, a style that could be described as the signature of modern Stoneybatter.

So, we asked Sarah Boland, where do you go to eat in Stoneybatter? This was her response:

(Watch our Instagram Video of these three special places here).

Favourite brunch spot in Stoneybatter?
Slice Cafe
“Gorgeous dishes made with local produce. The sausage scramble is hard to beat.”

Favourite coffee in Stoneybatter?
The Little Cactus for an oat flat white.
“They also sell cactus plants and make really nice homemade sausage rolls.”