Luncheonette Dublin – School lunch with a creative twist

College canteens rarely serve up thoughts of affordable, healthy food and delicious homemade cakes and desserts. Yet this is exactly what you will find in this vaulted basement café in Ireland's National College of Art & Design.

The college campus couldn't be more centrally situated on Dublin's tourist trail but it still manages to remain one of the city's best kept secrets for food lovers. And thank goodness for that. It can of course get pretty busy during lunch time but outside of that grabbing a bite here is a fairly laid back affair. Located halfway between the medieval Christchurch Cathedral and the world famous Guinness Storehouse Luncheonette is the perfect pit-stop for anyone visiting Dublin.

The menu changes daily but during my most recent visit some of the dishes on offer included Azerbaijani spinach and split pea soup with pomegranate and Bulgar (€ 3) and sourdough sandwiches with baked ham or cheddar, house mayo and dill pickled cucumber (€ 3.50). Other personal favorites include Kerala curry and cashew pilaf and their beetroot burger with avocado. Whatever you decide to opt for make sure to follow it with coffee and either a slice of their chocolate & almond brownie or lemon & thyme pound cake (both € 2).

Non students are of course welcome and you will often find a very mixed bunch here. And who could blame them? With such nutritious, flavoursome food and equally appetising prices Luncheonette could teach other lunch spots in Dublin a thing or two.