Quick answer: Stoneybatter is a small Dublin 7 neighbourhood of red-brick artisan cottages, old pubs and good cafés, right next to Smithfield. Come for a pint in Walsh’s or L. Mulligan Grocer, pasta at Grano (book ahead), coffee on Manor Street and a walk to Phoenix Park or Collins Barracks. There is no Luas stop in the village itself, so get off at Smithfield or Museum on the Red Line and walk from there.
If you want to see where Dubliners go out away from Temple Bar, Stoneybatter is one of the first places we’d send you. It is small enough to walk in an afternoon, with a short main street and terraces of cottages running off it. Time Out put it on its list of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods back in 2019, and people still call it Dublin’s hipster quarter, though most of what you’ll find is old pubs, cafés and family homes.
A short history
The name comes from the Irish Bóthar na gCloch, “road of the stones”. This was the old route into Dublin from the west and north-west. Some of the street names go back further still. Viking Road, Olaf Road, Sitric Road, Ivar Street and Ostman Place recall the Ostmen, the Norse settlers who lived north of the Liffey in what was called Ostmantown. Today that name survives as Oxmantown.
Manor Street got its name in 1780, after the Manor of Grangegorman. Most of the small Victorian artisan cottages date from the area’s time as a working-class quarter tied to the cattle trade around Smithfield, and some still call it Dublin’s old “Cowtown”. Stoneybatter turns up in the ballad “The Spanish Lady” and in James Joyce’s story “The Dead”.
Pubs and bars in Stoneybatter
For a neighbourhood this size, Stoneybatter has a very good run of pubs. These are the ones we’d start with.
Walsh’s
6 Stoneybatter. Walsh’s has been trading since 1826. It has a snug, a proper old-pub feel and trad nights. If you only have time for one pint here, have it in Walsh’s.
L. Mulligan Grocer
Stoneybatter. A pub that takes its food as seriously as its drink: craft beer, a long whiskey list and seasonal Irish cooking. Condé Nast Traveller has named it Dublin’s best neighbourhood pub, and it takes part in the Stoneybatter Festival’s long-table feast. lmulligangrocer.com
The Glimmer Man
14 Stoneybatter. Open since 1989, with a beer garden that comes into its own on a dry evening.
The Belfry and Hynes’ Bar
Two more locals worth a look if you are doing a slow crawl of the area.
Brindle Coffee and Wine D7
Coffee by day, then it turns into a wine bar later in the evening. Handy if you want a glass of wine rather than a pint.
The Cobblestone and Fidelity are in Smithfield, a few minutes’ walk away. For more ideas across the city, see our guides to the best traditional pubs in Dublin, the best trad music pubs and the best pint of Guinness.
Restaurants and cafés
Grano
Norseman Court, off Manor Street. Calabrian cooking and house-made pasta. Grano books up weeks ahead, so plan for it. grano.ie
Vada
30 North Brunswick Street. Listed in the Michelin Guide, and it has won Best Casual Dining in Dublin at the Irish Restaurant Awards in recent years. A good choice for a proper dinner out in Dublin 7.
Slice
Manor Place. A favourite for brunch. asliceofcake.ie
Social Fabric Café
34 Stoneybatter, in the old post office. Another good brunch and coffee stop on the main street.
WUFF
Benburb Street, on the Smithfield edge of the neighbourhood. wuff.ie
Weekend-morning coffee queues on Manor Street are part of the scene, so don’t be put off by a line. Our best coffee shops in Dublin guide has more.
Things to do in and around Stoneybatter
- Walk the cottage streets. Sitric Road, Oxmantown Road and Kirwan Street are lined with the small red-brick artisan cottages the area is known for.
- National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks. The museum’s decorative arts and history collection, in a former army barracks. Entry is free.
- Arbour Hill. The cemetery here is the burial place of the executed leaders of the 1916 Rising.
- Phoenix Park. Walk in from Parkgate Street or the North Circular Road. At 707 hectares it has room for deer, the Wellington Monument and Dublin Zoo.
- The Stoneybatter Festival. Look out for the long-table feast, which L. Mulligan Grocer takes part in.
Smithfield is next door, with the Jameson Distillery on Bow Street, the Light House Cinema and The Cobblestone, so it is easy to do both areas in one day.
Getting there
- Luas: there is no stop in Stoneybatter. The nearest are Smithfield and Museum on the Red Line. Phibsborough on the Green Line is also nearby.
- Train: Heuston station is close by.
- Bus: several routes serve the area. Route numbers are changing under BusConnects, so check the TFI Journey Planner before you travel.
- On foot: about 10 to 15 minutes from O’Connell Street.
Check our live Luas and train times or read our getting around Dublin guide.
Where to stay
Stoneybatter has very few places to stay. Stoneybatter Place is at 20 Stoneybatter, on the main street. Otherwise, stay in Smithfield on the Luas line, at the Maldron Hotel Smithfield on Smithfield Square or The Hendrick on Hendrick Street, a few minutes’ walk away. See more on our Dublin places to stay page.
Local tips
- Book Grano as far ahead as you can.
- Go early at weekends if you want brunch without a long wait.
- Pair Stoneybatter with Smithfield: Smithfield has the Luas, the hotels and the big attractions, and Stoneybatter has the high street.
- Opening times change, especially for cafés, so check before you go.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: William Murphy (CC BY-SA 3.0); Eric Jones (CC BY-SA 2.0); William Murphy (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Stoneybatter FAQs
Where is Stoneybatter in Dublin?
Stoneybatter is in Dublin 7 on the Northside, between the Liffey, the North Circular Road, Smithfield and Grangegorman. It is about a 10 to 15 minute walk from O’Connell Street.
How do I get to Stoneybatter by Luas?
There is no Luas stop in Stoneybatter itself. Take the Red Line to Smithfield or Museum and walk a few minutes from there. Phibsborough on the Green Line is also close, and Heuston station is nearby.
Which buses go to Stoneybatter?
Several Dublin Bus routes pass through Stoneybatter, but route numbers are changing under BusConnects, so check the TFI Journey Planner for the current options.
What are the best pubs in Stoneybatter?
Our picks are Walsh’s, which has been trading since 1826, L. Mulligan Grocer for craft beer, whiskey and food, and The Glimmer Man, which has a beer garden. The Belfry and Hynes’ Bar are good locals too.
Do I need to book restaurants in Stoneybatter?
For Grano, yes, and well ahead, because it books up weeks in advance. We’d book Vada too. Brunch spots get busy at weekends, so go early.
What does the name Stoneybatter mean?
It comes from the Irish Bóthar na gCloch, meaning road of the stones. It was the old road into Dublin from the west and north-west.
Is Stoneybatter a good base for visiting Phoenix Park?
Yes. You can walk into Phoenix Park from Parkgate Street or the North Circular Road, which makes Stoneybatter one of the handiest neighbourhoods for the park and Dublin Zoo.
