You only drink coffee brewed by a bearded, hat and plaid shirt wearing barista; you know where the best vegan restaurant in town is, your favourite directors include Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach… You may not think you’re a hipster, but your friends certainly think you are. Lee Zheng Hao, our TU Dublin City Campus (formerly DIT) and Malaysian Ambassador, shows you how to embrace your hipsterness in Dublin with the best places to eat, drink and shop…

Eat and Drink

There’s no shortage of hip cafes and restaurants in Dublin, and the offerings are only increasing with the rise of hip culture in the city. The Fumbally, located close to DIT Kevin Street, has been crowned the “Mecca” for hipsters in Ireland. From the decor to the staff and the food offered, nothing comes without a sprinkle of hipsterness. The food offered feels rustic but extremely delicious, especially the falafel wrap. They even make their own vinegar and yoghurt! Brother Hubbard one of a few decent cafes located on the northside, you’d be lucky to secure a seat on a busy weekend! They do excellent brunches and pastries, with hands down the best scones I’ve ever had (no exaggeration). Jo Burger, Skinflint, Crackbird, no no no, these aren’t one restaurant but three different restaurants run by the same folks. One obviously serves burgers, and the other serves pizzas and the last one serves fried chickens. The holy trinity of hipster dining, each has lively environment with doors as tables, children books as menus, vases as beer jugs. But they’re not all about style, the eye-opening, awe-inspiring food choice and combinations alone are worth your visit. The Bernard Shaw, what’s better than pizzas and beer surrounding with like-minded people? Making and cooking pizzas on a BUS, Yes, you read that right. Just go!

Wear and stuff

Every once in a while, there’s gonna be some sort of flea market popping up in various places in Dublin. One can find random antiques, old vinyl records, books and clothing. Apart from flea markets, second-hand shops like Oxfam, Enable and Siopaella also has a wide range of random stuff for your choosing, and most of all, it’s super cheap!

Entertainment

Now for the film lovers, Irish Film Institute located in Temple Bar is the place to go to get your indies, foreign or art film fix. With up to date showings of award-winning films and movies they don’t show in major cinema chains. Plus, they have their own cafe and book/DVD shop. Another place to check out is the Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield, they host film fests regularly including works of Hitchcock, Kubrick, Lynch and more. For drama lovers, there’s Gate Theatre and the Abbey Theatre which show not-so-mainstream world class performances in a state of the art facilities. Chapters is one of the biggest independent bookstore in Ireland, with two floors of new and secondhand books, you’ll definitely find something for you to read on the weekends.

So, whether you’re a self proclaimed master of the art of hipsterism, or you just like to hang out with unique people at unusual places, there’s definitely something for you in Dublin!