Brunch and the Botanic Gardens: A Perfect Morning in Drumcondra and Glasnevin

A lovely brunch and a walk around the Botanic Gardens is one of the best ways to spend a morning on the northside of Dublin. Our café is at 94 Drumcondra Road Lower, and the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin are about a 20 minute walk away, most of it along Botanic Avenue.

This guide puts the whole morning together in five easy steps: what to eat, how to walk there, what to see in the gardens, where to go next, and how to finish the day. The opening hours and details below come from the gardens’ own website and our current menu.

Step 1: Start with brunch in Drumcondra

Eat first. The Botanic Gardens don’t allow picnics, so a proper sit-down brunch before you set off is the way to do it. We open at 9am on Saturdays and 10am on Sundays, and breakfast is served until 1pm at the weekend. On weekdays we open at 10am and serve breakfast until 12.30.

A few favourites from our brunch menu before a walk:

• The Lovely Irish, €15.50. Free range eggs, rashers, Wicklow black and white pudding, sausages, vine tomatoes and a portobello mushroom sauté, with sourdough toast.
• Eggs Benedict, €14.95. Bacon and poached eggs on a brioche bun with greens and hollandaise.
• Avocado Toast & Eggs, €13.50. Avocado smash, poached eggs, spicy peanut ragu, pomegranate and radish on toasted sourdough.
• American Style Pancakes, €14.50. With berry compote, orange vanilla crème fraîche, salted caramel and toasted almonds, or with streaky bacon and maple syrup.
• House Favourite Eggs & Potato, €14.50. Poached or scrambled eggs with garlic baby potatoes, parmesan, bacon crumb and sourdough.

Bringing children? Our Little Adults menu is served all day, with sausage and eggs (€7.50), sausage and potatoes (€8.50) and little pancakes (€7.50). For more on our fry, read what goes into the full Irish.

Step 2: Walk to the Botanic Gardens

From our door, head north on Drumcondra Road towards the River Tolka. Just before the bridge, turn left at Fagan’s pub onto Botanic Avenue. Follow Botanic Avenue all the way to the end and turn left at the T-junction, as the gardens’ own directions advise, for the entrance to the Botanic Gardens.

It’s an easy walk of about 20 minutes, which is just enough to settle a big breakfast. If you’d rather not walk, Dublin Bus routes 4, 9, 83 and 155 serve the gardens. There’s also a car park, where the first two hours cost €1 an hour, but spaces are limited at busy times.

Step 3: Explore the National Botanic Gardens

The National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin are about three kilometres from the city centre, and they’re free to enter. The gardens hold more than 15,000 plant species and cultivars from all around the world, and their main job is as a scientific collection. For visitors, that means there’s always something new to find.

Don’t miss the two famous glasshouses: the Turner Curvilinear Range and the Great Palm House, both beautifully restored. They’re also the perfect place to be if the weather turns.

The Botanic Gardens are open every day except Christmas Day. According to the official opening hours:

• Summer: 9am to 5pm on weekdays, and 10am to 6pm at weekends and on public holidays.
• Winter (from early November): 9am to 4.30pm on weekdays, and 10am to 4.30pm at weekends and on public holidays.

Entry is free, but guided tours are paid. A few things to know before you go: the gardens don’t allow dogs, picnics, bicycles, ball games or jogging. It’s a place for a slow walk.

Step 4: Add a riverside walk

If you still have energy, the River Tolka is right on your way. Griffith Park runs along the river between Glasnevin and Drumcondra, with riverside walks, a flower garden and a playground. It’s a nice change from the formal beds of the Botanic Gardens, and a good stop for younger children.

Step 5: Finish back on Drumcondra Road

Walk back the way you came and finish where you started. On weekend afternoons, a coffee and a slice of something sweet is a good end to the morning: a flat white is €4.10, and our cakes include banana bread, lemon or marble cake (a gluten free option) and cinnamon buns.

On a Saturday, you can make a full day of it. From 6pm, our café becomes The Lovely Wine Bar, with small plates, sharing boards and wines by the glass. Read our guide to small plates in Drumcondra to see what’s on.

Planning tips for your Botanic Gardens morning

• Book brunch at the weekend. It’s a good idea to book a table for Saturday or Sunday. Use the Book a Table button or call (01) 830 9549.
• Check the season. The gardens close earlier in winter, so leave enough time after brunch.
• Wear comfortable shoes. With the walk from Drumcondra, about 20 minutes each way, you’ll be on your feet for a while.
• Mind the rules. No dogs, picnics or bikes in the Botanic Gardens.

Frequently asked questions

Brunch, a walk and the Botanic Gardens: a perfect morning, and all of it close to home. Have a look at the menu, book your table, and we’ll see you on Drumcondra Road.