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"Francis Street café Two Pups has cleverly evolved since it opened on a corner spot in the up-and-coming Liberties a decade ago. A second outpost in the northside suburb of Fairview has since been added, as well as a micro-bakery upstairs in the original spot. And now that Dublin 8 address has a fun after-hours alter ego in the form of Notions, a neighborhood restaurant and wine bar with the same laid-back attitude. The name is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Hiberno-Irish term for having ambitions above your station. However, the ambition is proudly on display in the set evening menu ($63 per person), which might include ferments and pickles, followed by Connemara oysters with jalapeño granita, veggie-forward small plates featuring oyster mushrooms and cabbage with gochujang, and large plates of gnocchi with preserved lemon and Comté. Good-value natural wines by the glass are ranked from “elegant and playful” to “mad funky.” The menu is ever-changing, showcasing local producers, so no two visits are the same—and that’s the beauty of the place." - Aoife O'Riordain