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Cornucopia
Categories: Restaurants Vegan Restaurants Vegetarian Food Coffee & Tea Vegan, Vegetarian, Coffee & Tea [Edit]
19 Wicklow StreetDublin 2
(01) 6777583
- Hours:
Mon-Tue 8:30 - 21:00
Wed-Sat 8:30 - 22:00
Sun 12:00 - 21:00
- Good for Children:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking Garages:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
€€
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
67 reviews for Cornucopia
Review Highlights
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"Yeast free, dairy free, gluten free and wheat free." In 3 reviews -
"...I am just in danger of eating here every day for every meal." In 4 reviews -
"I even bought their cook book so I can cook their stuff at..." In 4 reviews
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67 reviews in English
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Review from Gerry W.
Blackrock, Co. Dublin
18/4/2012
Although i am NOT a Vegetarian ( and love a great rare stake ) this has got to be my favorite place in the city to eat. As soon as you walk in the door you are hit with the lively buzz of the place, its always busy. Since their expansion a while back and winning the restaurant of the year 2011, business seems to have gone through the roof. From time to time you may have to share a table with other customers. Which for me I don't mind, its a sign of success in a since. I visit here at least once a week and must say I have never had a bad experience.
The food is always amazing and changes daily. Normally there is about five main courses ranging from curries to casseroles to filo wrapped wonders, pies, baked dishes......... always a varied choice. With the main course you have a choice of two salads and rice, Of which the soaked barley salad is my favorite. The one thing that always amazes me is how every mouthful can lead to a different taste. There is so much flavor when you combine the different salads leading to explosion of tastes on the palate. Portions are always very generous i.e. rustic and piled high. At €12.95 you do get your money's worth.
The service on the counter and on the floor I have found has always been very friendly and my god they work hard.
My only pet hate about Cornucopia is having to Que after you select your main course to get to the salad counter and then have to look around the customers in front of you so you can choose your salad. I don't feel i should have to apoloigze to the customers in front of me to order my meal. The layout of the restaurant need to be looked at. Despite this i still give it a 5 out of 5 LUV it.
And if anybody wants to get me the Cornucopia cookbook I'll gladly accept :) -
Review from Lindsay L.
Dublin
4/4/2012
Let me start by saying that you do not need to be a vegetarian to love the food here. I have had both bad and good experiences eating at Cornucopia, but my overall experience was a positive one.
A few things that set Cornucopia apart from many of the other restaurants in Dublin is the menu offers options for vegetarians, vegans, those who have gluten free and coeliac restrictions. They offer a variety of soups, breads, salads and mains. The portion sizes are generous so you know you won't be leaving unsatisfied.
I have only had the wrap and two of the soups, although I have eaten here with friends who have enjoyed a few of the mains and salads. With the exception of one time, my wrap has been delicious, crunchy and a flavor explosion. I did have an experience with the wrap on one occasion where it was soggy and lacked flavor, almost had the taste and texture as if it had been prepared the day before and had been sitting. Since that experience, I have not received another soggy wrap again.
Although I have only had 3 options from their wide range of meals, I have enjoyed my overall experience and have brought friends along each time and they have all had great things to say about their meals. -
Review from a.tamiko l.
9/3/2012
I visited Dublin last month and fell in love with Cornucopia! I ate here twice in five days and had such delicious food. The portions are so generous that the second time, my mother and I each got a large bowl of soup (celeriac, chickpea and chili that night) and shared a main course with three salads.
I wanted to bring Cornucopia home with me so I bought the cookbook. The girl who rang up my purchase gave me a little coupon good for a glass of wine or a dessert during my next visit. I told her I was visiting from the United States and probably wouldn't be back for another year--would the coupon still be good? She packed a dessert to go and my mother and I ate it on the plane on our way home the next day.
I intended the cookbook to be a birthday gift for my mother later this month. I've been enjoying reading it and want to try so many of the recipes. I finally decided I need my own copy, so I just purchased another one and am having it shipped directly to my mother.
Cornucopia will be at the top of my list of places to eat the next time I visit Dublin. It made such an impression on me, it inspired my very first Yelp review! I love you, Cornucopia! -
Review from Aaron S.
16/5/2012
I've only been once to Cornucopia, but my first experience has me wanting more. I tried their special: three salads of your choice, a soup, bread, and juice of your choice. So I had mixed greens with cucumber, a lentil with beats and squash, and bowl of fruit. The bread I didn't eat. Then the soup was a cold and it was my favorite... though I can't remember for the life of me what was in it. They forgot to bring my juice initially, but upon reminding them they gave me apple, melon and grape combo. It was all so fresh and filling... it was exactly what I was looking for. I may go back tomorrow if I have time.
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Review from Nick M.
22/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
I think all of this wheat and barley went to my brain...
Inner dialog...
My god it is crazy busy around here and loud, I can barley (ha ha, I make myself crack up) hear myself think!!
Is this the right line? Is this even a line??
(Looking at the menu) Ok, so I'm eating like a rabbit for lunch.
Are we going to have to eat standing up?! Oh there is a table, damn those people saw my looking at the table and split up in line to grab it. Curses!! Oh, wait there is... on no that's gone too. Feck it, I'll sit on someones lap if I have to.
I don't understand this menu at all and the items in this display case don't match the items on the board. What the hell am I going to order?! (Panic is starting to set in)This line is moving too fast, I can't make up my mind. Gluten free, lactose free, Nut free, Oats, Beetroot, Aaaaggghhh!!
I wonder if I'm going to need a sandwich after this?
Holy Molly, the drink menu is just as complicated!!
I'll take the sweet potato soup please and she will have that plate of... uh... pasta, spinach, leek, chickpea, sweet potato, feta and mint thingy (shrugs shoulders). Drink = water
Inner dialog...
What just happened and what did I ordered!?
You want how much?!? (hands guy money)
Dear god thank you, there is bread that comes with it.
(Sit down and look down at the massive plates) I feel like I should have a trough bag around my head or something, with all of these vegetables.
Well this will clean me out for sure. Oh! Did I say that part out loud. The soup's nice and so was the bread (blushing a bit because people are staring at me).
I really did feel healthier eating there and I'm glad that Dublin has some options for us non (semi) meat eaters. I think I need more time to get settled before I attempt to order again though.Listed in: Travel -IRELAND II
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Review from Leah C.
21/3/2012
A vegan haven in the middle of Dublin! The moussaka is divine -- it's cleverly brushed with fennel, which works well with the aubergines and courgettes. The savory scones, especially the carrot, are fantastic as well. Great juice selection. Service: eh. They also really push the prepared salads, which vary in deliciousness. Soups are solid. Generous portions. Cosy environs. Wish they had a vegan buttery substance (they just offer real butter and Flora).
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Review from Amanda G.
3/1/2012
There are times when I like to have a yummy vegetarian meal and this place rocks!!
The two of us decided to swing by here for lunch. We were slightly taken back because the line reached the front door, but I understand why. I decided on the spinach, leek, and sweet potato bake and was able to choose two salads. The pasta with sundried tomatoes caught my eye, as well as the chickpea salad with feta and mint. If I had a larger belly, I would have eaten the entire lunch, but was impossible. We also had the sweet potato soup with a piece of tomato basil bread. I cannot believe the amount of tasty food we got for less than 20 euro. We felt slightly wrong for leaving some food, but we had nowhere else to stick it!!
What a vegetarian gem in Dublin!Listed in: Going Green (Ireland) for New…
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Review from Jessica W.
4/3/2012
Cornucopia is another must-eat for vegetarians in Dublin. The biggest problem you'll encounter is how on earth to choose when everything looks so delicious. (It's not made any easier by the fact that items taste as good as they look.) The portion sizes are large, which worked to my advantage after skipping breakfast. As long as you make it two meals rather than one, you're set.
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Review from Carrie O.
16/11/2011
Cornucopia is A-OK, even though I have to agree with others that their portion sizes are WAY too big!! I found that to be true at a lot of restaurants in Ireland... But really, when food waste is a huge issue in the world today, I would expect an environmentally friendly restaurant to be careful to not serve too much to their patrons.
All complaints about that aside, the food was pretty delicious! I forget exactly what I had, but I remember it was quite good. My husband also loved what he got. I felt really guilty, though, because I ended up only eating like 1/3 of my meal there because the plate was HEAPED with food.
Overall, three stars. The counter staff were not all that friendly, either. Kind of a bummer. Oh well! -
Review from R G.
Dublin
21/3/2012
I have quite a mixed view about Cornucopia: Every time I eat there, it annoys me so much that I tell myself I'm never coming back. Yet, I do, because the food (even as a non-vegetarian) is just so good!
The food (if you can find a table to eat at) is usually on the heavy side. Barley, lentils and potatoes seem to be in nearly everything, and portion sizes are also very large. Best to arrive hungry, but if you ask, the staff have tinfoil boxes you can take your leftovers home in. Yet, it's really very tasty and feels very good for you. I've only had a few things there that were genuinely bland. The price is reasonable and the staff are lovely, and the ambience is friendly.
However- the canteen-style ordering system really annoys and stresses me out. I've walked out of Cornucopia on several occasions rather than go through it again. Basically, the way the food counter is (dis)organised, if there is any kind of queue (which there usually is), it is just impossible to see any of the food. Especially the salads, which are at the very top. So, you stand and balance your tray and your bag, everyone in front of you is in your way, and you're blocking everyone behind you. You squeeze and shuffle and bump into people whilst trying to see what you might order, as they all do to you (it can't be helped). You look at the chalk board for help. It is illegible, and anyway none of the food is labelled. When you order and go to collect and pay your food, your way will be blocked by people trying to see the salads. (It's a hairpin turn.) Then you balance your tray (now with plates), your bag, and squeeze and shuffle and bump your way to the cutlery-and-napkin table (which is really in the way), and someone else will then bump into you. (Like I said, it really can't be helped. There is no room!). Finally then, you can go and find yourself a table; if the place is busy, this can also be a bit of an ordeal.
Basically, I think the food is brilliant, but the Cornucopia 'experience' would be so greatly improved by menus and table-service that it's difficult to understand why they just don't do that. Don't plan to eat there, but if you're walking by and it's quiet(ish), it's very much worth checking out. -
Review from Kevin T.
13/11/2011
This has got to be the best restaurant in Dublin! You don't have to be a vegetarian to like this restaurant. I came here twice with my girlfriend while we were on holiday and we both wished that we had a place restaurant like Cornocopia.
They have different soups every day and all four that I've tried the two times that I've been here were great. They have numerous different types of salads and I tried six different salads. And again, all were great!
What more can I say? Their menu is wonderful and fresh. The staff is friendly and helpful as well even though they are usually very busy. At least they were the TWO times that I came here. :) -
Review from M m.
20/2/2012
I've been here a few times over the years. It's decent. Always very crowded but I always manage to find a seat (when alone) and usually sharing a table with other diners.
Would prefer if it was a table-service establishment, rather than the cafeteria-style place that it is. -
Review from Elle V.
13/8/2011
Aside from the fact that they cater to those with special diet needs (which I don't even have) I don't see the fuss about this place.
I don't like the cafeteria style way of ordering but I'll let that slide. Last nite I got the hummus plate which came with pita bread, olives and a salad of my choice. I wasn't turned on by any of the salad choices but opted for the kidney bean and aubergine. It came with 4 salty olives (I'm Itallian btw and love olives usually) and a massive helping of hummus with two half moons of pita bread that were hardly enough in comparison .
It was such a shame to waste all that hummus! Seeing as how a bottle of water was over 2euro, I didn't want to know how much extra pita abread was.
My date had the same salad as me, with leafy greens, rice and ragout which he said was just 'ok' and didnt finish.
The place was full, though so maybe i'm missing something but i wont be going back to find out -
Review from Maire B.
27/4/2011
you know I want to like Cornucopia, but I recently reminded myself why I haven't been there in 10 years. For some reason I find the food combinations awful. As a person with various food allergies I like the idea of a place that caters to specific types of eaters, but whatever it is that goes on here I just don't like the taste of the food. Maybe its just that me and the chef have an entirely different palate, but 12 euro for a plate of pasta I didn't eat really was not worth it. And it doesn't help that the food is luke warm.
The service counter is nonsensical, the bottle neck means that one person (or in my case the two indecisive girls in front of me) can hold up everyone so that all the staff can do is smile awkwardly while you wait for them to move on before you can get close enough to order. And is it just me or is the chalkboard menu confusingly disordered? What comes with salad and what doesn't? what counts as a main and what counts as a salad? What do I want? why are we here? If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
As a person who has difficulty making a decision when given 20 minutes alone with a written menu, chalkboards are a nightmare. I panic and then order whatever looks vaguely recognisable, which in the case of cornucopia is almost nothing. It's a couple of trays of saucy mush... this is probably why I ended up ordering pasta with a side of potatoes - because I know what these things are!! Just as well I got the potatoes because that was mainly what I ate. I was hungry when I got home :(
Maybe this is all just a horrible catch 22 situation caused by the lack of menus.. maybe if they had written menus I would actually order something I liked and have a better experience. Table service would also remove the angry impatience, followed by panic, followed by hypocritical dithering, followed by panic, that I experienced at the counter. Or maybe it would not help at all, because me and chef cornucopia just don't like the same food.
Or maybe I'm just bitter because they ran out of cake.Listed in: Over-rated in Dublin
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Review from Hazel M.
27/4/2011
I had the makhani, two salads and on organic cola which came to a slightly stunning 15.90 but it was pretty good. This ordering at the counter stuff has to go though, it's slow and annoying and the place has expanded to the point where table service would be faster and more efficient.
The makhani was really delicious. Recommended, if you don't mind queueing for your food. But it's worth it.Listed in: Foodliness is next to…, Vegemania
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Review from Karina M.
Dublin
18/2/2011 ROTD 1/3/2011
I go through a sad cycle when it comes to food: I gorge on some heavy, greasy, delicious meal then feel awful about myself and eat like a rabbit for a week before I can't stand the pressure anymore and eat my body weight in food again.
This is where Cornucopia comes in to save the day! The food is healthy AND delicious - a rarity in my opinion. So I go here and stuff myself silly with a heaping plate of salads and leave still feeling awesome.
The soups are delicious, the salad variety is exciting, and the portion to price ratio is perrrrfect -
Review from Lee L.
20/3/2011
The bottom line is that Cornucopia is pretty good...but I was disappointed to not have the great experiences I read in other reviews.
Let's start with the positives. The menu offers a really nice variety of tastes and textures using fresh ingredients. Mains come with two sides/salads, which makes for generous portions. The juice combos are excellent. I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and the staff were all very friendly and helpful.
The unfortunate negative was that all three of us came away with pretty bland dishes. My spicy root vegetable stew didn't have any spice to it at all. The Caesar salad had an original mustard dressing, although a garlic potato salad showed no evidence of any garlic.
I would love to have a regular, healthy alternative for eating out - and will try Cornucopia again in the hopes that we just caught a bad night or something. Hopefully I will be able to update my review with a more positive rating. -
Review from Laura N.
14/12/2010
I've only lived with a dietary-diva for three months now, but I can tell you that finding food that's gluten-free and lactose-free without being flavour-free is quite an uphill battle. Call me a supportive significant (or just a stubborn cow), but even when he's not around to appreciate my, erm... research, I'm on a mission to find delicious, healthy and dietary-diva-proof dishes.
Apparently they've all been hiding in Dublin.
Cornucopia was just that - a pile of different wholefood options from salads and soups to dessert and home-baked breads. I was that annoying person in line who couldn't make up her mind, so I ended up getting the plate with the most items on it: roast squash & fennel layered with olive polenta with romescu sauce, plus two salads: Beetroot, watercress and grapefruit salad and bulgur, roast pumpkin & baby spinach salad. Heaven.
Listen, I know sometimes you just want a massive, processed, grease-ball of a hamburger or a proper hangover-curing diner fry up. I'm not above that either. But if you're on the prowl for wholefood goodness (or, I don't know... if you have a point to prove with your significant other that he should stop being a baby and put an end to his whining that "there's nothing good to eat"... or something) put down what you're doing and immediately make your way to Cornucopia. It's a heathy-eaters dream.Listed in: Lunch in Dublin
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Review from John W.
Blackrock, Co. Dublin
26/1/2011
I'm not veggy but I enjoy their grub. Expensive but delicious and warming
like a slow fire burning in your heart - and that's not the heartburn!
The food is very fresh and always different, tastes of very high quality - all organic they claim.
The only thing that really drives me crazy and really seriously crazy is the tiny compact size of the serving and till area. They need to redesign big time. One of these there will several trays aflying through the air defying gravity and avoiding peoples stomachs. They NEED to expand that area and not just the seating which they did a great job recently. -
Review from Cory D.
13/3/2011
I went here the other day with my girlfriend, we've been trying to find more Vegan friendly places.
I didn't have many options, I'm allergic to onions and everything had them which was kinda crappy. I ended up getting a carrot salad, so I didn't exactly get to try a few dishes and get a well rounded idea. My salad tasted good though, and fresh, so that's good.
It was very crowded, I was surprised to see so many people in there, but it was a good surprise. We were able to eventually find a spot to eat and sit. -
Review from Molly T.
30/3/2011
What's the hype? From the other Yelp reviews I was expecting Nirvana sans meat.
Not the case. The place is cute and cozy - lots of chicks in deep conversations and intellectual men reading heady newspapers and old books.
It was kind of confusing to order - the chalkboards weren't super clear - it was recommended to try the "main with 2 sides"
I ordered a quiche which was yummy but my two side salads were bland and boring.
It gets three stars for great atmosphere and solid quiche. -
Review from Sarah K.
2/12/2010
Dublin was my last stop for my past trip to Europe, and the previous time I was Dublin I did not have a good eating experience as I am a vegetarian. But this time I had a friend their who brought us to this gem, which was our first meal! After that, I found I had better vegetarian options, but I still wish we went back to Cornucopia every day!
When I got to the counter I couldn't decide, everything looked so great and fresh and creative! I chose a tofu and spinach casserole and then for my side dishes I got a leafy salad and chickpea salad that I can't quit remember what else was in it but it was all so great! The food was really nice, and I decided to get a the cookbook to bring back home! (When I bought it I had the choice of a complementary wine or dessert, so I tried a vanilla yogurt cake sort of thing that was pretty good, but I've had better desserts).
It was a little crowded as it was lunch, but everyone was really super friendly and it was warm inside on a cold rainy day.
I've cooked a few dishes from the book so far and they've come out pretty good, probably would be better if they were in the restaurant!
Seriously need a Cornucopia in the states!Listed in: Vegetarian Bliss List!
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Review from Amber L.
5/4/2011
I bookmarked this place before our trip to make sure we went. A vegetarian specialty place in Dublin, I knew I had to try it!
Maybe living in Seattle has spoiled me with amazing veg restaurants....but I found the food rather bland. I even tried a piece of their vegan chocolate fudge cake, and it was surprisingly dull! I have had many vegan cakes in my time and this was nothing special. The food was good, but not fantastic, overall an "ok" experience. -
Review from Sean G.
29/1/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I was a little worried about finding decent vegetarian restaurants in Dublin during my visit, but Cornucopia settled my fears!
Most of my meals were here during my stay, both lunch and dinner. Entrees rotate every day, and there's usually 3-4 mains to pick from. My first meal there was the best: black bean enchilada with mushrooms, corn, spicy and delicious enough spice to keep the taste buds happy. Also included were two salad sides of my choice (chickpea salad and Spanish rice) - and all of it for about €12.50. The portions were surprisingly generous (which was very welcome!).
The restaurant is a popular place, as it was busy every time I visited. On a Friday night that I was there, they had a harpist playing in one of the dining rooms.
There's no table service, so you pick your entree and sides at the counter in the back. As one reviewer mentioned, the server and till area are cramped, and trying to figure out what side salad you want with your entree from the awkwardly placed refrigerator case can be a neck craning experience, especially when it's super busy. But this is a small price to pay for such yummy food. -
Review from Bevin M.
23/3/2011
Cornucopia topped our list of places to eat in Ireland. Not only was it hailed as a great vegetarian restaurant (yea!), it was named one of the best period. Now, I can see why.
Trying to eat when you've been up for over 36 hours is a real drag. Thankfully, everything on the menu looked great. I had the lentil and polenta cake with onion dressing, a green salad, and garlic new potatoes with hazelnuts. Whoever decided hazelnuts should be in potato salad is a genius! The polenta cake could have used a better dressing, the onion was a bit bland, but I ate most of it. They give you so much food we were able to take half home and eat it for dinner. The atmosphere is very laid back and relaxed. There is good "people watching" if you can get a seat by the window. The price came as a bit of a shock, but when we factored in the second meal it was a bargain.
Overall, this is THE place to get some grub after a long day of sightseeing or if you're local and want something a bit different. Love! -
Review from Neil M.
Dublin
20/9/2010
Just headed here tonight as I was working late but I also wanted to get in a swim. Mmmm where to eat in town that won't fill me up too much but is also good value and I won't feel guilty going to after and ruin the whole point of the swim.
Well I hopped on my Dublin Bike and headed up to Cornucopia where I have headed many times before.
As usual there was a good crowd but still was able to get a seat in it no problem. I ordered the Carrot and Tomato and Tarragon Soup which was gorgeous, as Annie has pointed out in her review, many places overload on salt but this was tasty and you could fell the goodness coming from it. I also ordered a side salad of Tabouleh which I love and some chick peas. I had this with a nice ice cold glass of water and a read of the Irish Times.
Perfect early evening meal and it hit the spot and an hour or so later I was ready to hit the poo after a wander around the streets of Dublin and witnessing the antic of Freshers Week in Trinity.
Cornupopia a place that will feed you well and not make you feel guilty afterwards. -
Review from Nicoletta D.
Dublin
22/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Healthy choices and great cakes. Very informal. Love the arp on Fridays.
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Review from Jam B.
Dublin
12/9/2011
I lovelovelove the food here. And to a person with multiple food allergies such as myself (mostly gluten and soya) the staff are always really friendly and helpful. It's hard to stop ordering the same thing every time I go since it was so good the first time!
I would recommend this place to anyone... unless he/she was really picky eater. you definitely have to be willing to try new things and new food combinations. But I always love 'em and how creative they are. -
Review from Dermot S.
I'm a recently converted vegetarian who has become sick of going to a restaurant and having to choose between a goats cheese tart and some sort of pasta dish. My wife brought me here for my birthday before heading over to the Olympia for a concert.
I was thoroughly impressed with this restaurant. The prices are reasonable (not cheap, but not a ripoff either). The variety is amazing. The food is delicious. The staff is very friendly. The atmosphere is fun (in a hippie commune dining hall kind of way).
I also really like the fact that it's set up like a cafeteria. This makes it a perfect place to go before a concert, because you can get in and out quick.
I'm so glad that I finally discovered a very good veggie restaurant in Dublin.
If you have any veggie friends that are visiting, bring them here, they will not be disappointed! -
Review from Annie L.
29/5/2010 1 Check-in Here
After watching, 'The Bad Lieutenant' in IFI with my film buff friend we decided to get something to eat.
She has a few dietary restrictions and I would eat anything so that works well. She took me here, I know it's pretty poor form that I had not been prior but I seem to have a mental aversion to entering businesses that I pass everyday... Familiarity dyslexia?
I got the carrot, chickpea and coriander soup. The best soup I have ever ordered in the city, I usually make my own because stuff you buy is so salty and not filling, but this hit the spot. I got the apple & celery juice, yeah good but uber pricey for the size... Lemon Jelly is much better value for juices.
Not the full star treatment because they have that canteen system which I hate because it reminds me of being in an institution.
Interior is open and bright. Clientele are interesting and of course look healthy and zen-ed out. A young fella came in as we were about to leave to play a harp, pretty cool.
P.S
Highly recommend the film, Cage is amazing as is the rest of the cast. The humour and pathos is wonderful and well anything that depicts the South makes me happy. -
Review from Ciara K.
Dublin
24/6/2009 ROTD 20/2/2010
No longer the bastion of value that it once was, Cornucopia has nonetheless managed to maintain its devoted following of veggies, vegans and secret meat-eaters alike for over 20 years. The crowded cafe on Dublin's Wicklow Street seldom has a table free, even outside of mealtimes, but the atmosphere is communal and the regular clientele are well used to shoving up to share booths and benches with strangers - often leading to interesting conversations and a bustling, friendly vibe.
The restaurant's ethos " to achieve a happy marriage between health and taste" is clearly evident and outstandingly achieved. The salad bar contains no less than 10 salads to choose from which change daily, from moroccan cous-cous to creamy garlic and hazelnut potatoes, crisp garden leaves to beetroot and orange with pumpkin seeds. The main dishes also change daily, and include meals like baked portobello mushrooms on leek mash with onion gravy, or quiche with feta, spinach and roasted peppers. The steamy pots of homemade soups are always a good bet too, accompanied by a choice of freshly baked breads.
With such an array of deliciousness on offer behind the glass deli counter, it can be really difficult to decide on just one meal - but the soup, bread and two salads combo offer at lunchtime for 7 euro allows a little taste of a few things. There is a fantastic selection of herbal teas and fresh juices on offer too, to accompany some delicious oaty crumbles and delectable brownies.
It's a real pity the prices have almost doubled in the past few years, but Cornucopia still offers excellent value for money, accompanied by a guilt-free sense of satisfaction and wellbeing. -
Review from ambre l.
21/8/2010
Best vegetarian place...in the world!!
What a treat! Through most of the towns in Ireland we ate Indian, but Dublin provides the best place on the planet. In fact, every vegetarian we met in the the entire country, from anywhere in the world, asked Rick and I if we'd been to Cornucopia. The soups are filling and flavorful, the hummus is just dry enough, the fruit salad is perfect, the garlic potatoes to die for, and my husband loved the onion and three cheese quiche.
The menu is posted outside and it's best to look there because there is a long line and it's hard to choose when you get to the counter. -
Review from Alexandra M.
Dublin
10/7/2011
I've been here several times and generally the food is really good, but sometimes I do find the entrees a bit bland. WHEN you go, get the potatoes with garlic sauce and walnuts (its a side).
Listed in: Dublin Eateries
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Review from Annie S.
31/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you are a vegetarian or vegan people sometimes look at you in a weird impression but if I add I am coeliac too they go what and where to do you go out for dinner???
Well one of my favorite it answers is just Cornecopia, for me it is like a little food heaven adjusted to all my allergies and food restrictions. The Staff is very friendly and take you serious even you keep asking what is this or that or what is made of and if it includes this or that ;)
I really love the lunch offer it's a bowl of soup, two little salads and slice or bread with paté for a about 7 euro this definitely keeps you stuffed till dinner time.
The main dishes, soups and salads pretty much change daily which is always nice and you never get bored because they always have a new dish to look forward too.
If you have huge appetite you can enjoy the main dish for 11-12 € which includes 2 little salads too, for me its way to much so I mostly share the main dish with a friend and treat ourselves with coffee and one sweet treats afterwards. In my opinion it is one of the best coeliac friendly places in Dublin because I am able to have an entire menu from starter till the sweet end with a divine gluten free brownieListed in: Glutenfree Spots in Dublin
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Review from Makenna C.
14/12/2009
Oh my goodness! I was recently in Dublin from Portland, OR - and as great as our vegetarian options are here (we have a great selection), we were still SO happily surprised to find this gem on our trip.
Everything we ate tasted delicious - MY main course was a spinach cream cheese cannelloni with a tomatoey cashew sauce (the cashews are completely pureed and just add an amazing, nutty creaminess to the already rich and delicious sauce). It was amazing. They have a huge variety of things to mix and match, I only wish we had more time to go back and try all of it!
The one slight downside is that it is very busy and we had to wander a few to finally find a seat, and the interiors in general are nothing to really write home about. Luckily, the food more than makes up for any of this. We sat at the bar in the front window and it turned out to be great for people watching (it's busy, close to Grafton Street so you see lots of shoppers and interesting people). -
Review from susan o.
29/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
ya know, i hate to disparage a place but i'm in 100% agreement with Maire B here. i mean it's not awful food but like she said i think me and the chef have a different palette. lemme just start off with stating that i'm not vegetarian, but i play one on TV ;) no, i prefer to eat veg but sometimes aunt flo demands a steak. so i'm no stranger to quinoa and i put back a bowl of salad at home that would feed a small country.
that said, cornucopia doesn't excite me at all. the place is a confusing clusterf*ck and the menus need not only a lot of explaining by someone who has been there before, but also a bit of help with correlating containers of mush to their names.
another thing that bothers me is this "salads" thing. first off, why are they so completely hidden from view that i can't possibly make any sort of informed decision until i've pissed off everyone behind me? and secondly, why are none of them labeled? i don't want to order something that looks amazing only to discover that it's called carrot-sugar-surprise! (i hate sugar)
yes you're probably thinking "why doesn't miss complainy-pants just look at the menu?" but again, it's mostly obscured from view. it's also mostly impossible to figure out what flavor something called "sprout salad" has or what it might be drenched in without either seeing it or getting some further information.
also, if you're a place which caters to dietary restrictions and fussy diets, why not try a bit harder to include some sort of information about the ingredients of your dishes? for example, i ordered some aubergine/courgette thing which ended up oozing with secret cheese. i was going for low cal, trying to be all healthy with the veg but then there was all this dairy. hello indigestion.
so yeah, cornucopia if you're reading this, please for the love of god make the process simpler, things less obscured and put some frickin labels on your food. thanks.
i'm sure i'll go there again, but i doubt i'll go there with enthusiasm. -
Review from emma B.
Dublin
8/9/2010
LovE LoVe lOooovE this place got addicted to it back in 2005. So had to get some intervention for a while. But even after 5years of going. I still feel the same. Im not a veggie but definitely up there in my top 5 in town.
I too got the cook book, but it just doesn't taste the same.
They also have exhibitions on from time to time and give new up and coming artists a great deal and a chance to exhibit without it costing them all their profit.
Good going guys -
Review from Pia S.
Dublin
17/9/2011
I just moved to Dublin from California and was nervous about finding vegan and gluten free food...then I found Cornucopia. I've been there twice, and each time I have left feeling very satisfied. The menu has lots of really great options and the prices are sort of what you would expect: a little high, but you get A LOT of food. It's been very crowded when I've been (around lunchtime) and ordering cafeteria style is a little hectic in a crowd. Other than that, I love this place.
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Review from Aoife O.
Dublin
23/6/2009 1 photo
Cornucopia is, as they say, the genuine article.
A vegetarian restaurant, also serving vegan, yeast free, dairy free, gluten free and wheat free fare, it has long been the mainstay of Dubs in search of a 'meat and two veg' alternative. Cornucopia has been serving up hearty, nutty, leafy delights since 1986, long before most people began to wonder whether eating too much meat, from too far away, stuffed with too many chemicals was such a good thing after all!
Don't worry, you don't have to be a devoted veggie to enjoy the menu. I can thoroughly recommend the salads - full of a variety of beans, nuts and seeds accompanied by roast vegetables, herbs and spices, and tangy dressings. Main courses, such as the spinach and hazelnut cannelloni, are generally warming, flavoursome and filling. In my experience, the dishes have genuinely satisfied both vegetarians and (often sceptical) meat-eaters alike - and this is surely high praise indeed for meat-free cuisine!
At lunchtime the restaurant will inevitably be bustling with students, shoppers and 9-5ers pouring in from the surrounding city centre. Space is extremely limited so you will probably end up sharing your table (if not your seat!) and you will have to queue for your meal. A quick glimpse on the website shows that there are plans for expansion soon (so at least one builder in Ireland will be kept busy for a while...)
For a main course (including two salads) and a drink, you won't get away with paying less than €15. Some may find this a bit steep for a quick lunch but it is reasonable enough for an early dinner (closing time is at 9pm during the week, 8pm on Saturdays and 7pm on Sundays). -
Review from Louise R.
Naas, Co. Kildare
9/2/2010
I venture into Cornucopia a few weekends ago. Starving and really wanting to sit down, chill and enjoy some good food, both myself and my guy were very unimpressed with the food choice and the lack of interest in the customers!! Bummer.
I hate being negative towards a business and I will give it a second chance sometime. Perhaps the reason was a late Sunday afternoon and the staff were tired. Ill try it again, a few of you seen to think its brill!
