The signature dish here is Peking duck, and it’s more than worth the trouble of ordering ahead

This isn’t cooking, this is precision engineering in miniature

The menu in this Co Galway spot is fire-led, with cooking at its best when it’s kept direct

This is confident Peruvian cooking, produced with skill and intent in a smart room

This was a long way up for a safe dinner from a menu rooted in brasserie territory

Guinness, let the record show, cannot organise a piss-up in a brewery, writes Grace Dent

From cockles on crystal bread to red mullet over fire, these are special dishes

It’s groovy, it’s confident, the room is spectacular and the service is extraordinary

You’ll find a well-run room, good cooking and plenty of charm to keep you coming back

Full Irish is a straight-talking plate designed to feed you and perhaps even silence you for 20 minutes

Our correspondent had a joyous experience at an eccentric restaurant in Odesa

This is gloriously simple and careful cooking from an Iraqi-run kitchen with quiet confidence

From Brazilian chefs to Ukrainian bakers and Irish professionals who have worked abroad, the international influence on this year’s new spots is clear to see

From a 24-course tasting menu to a 45-year-old Sichuan spot and a Dublin classic serving famine soup, these places justly inspire loyalty

From west Cork to Belfast and Athlone to Dublin, these are our restaurant critic’s standout experiences of the year

This is the place to go for a cosy evening out in the new year, as long as you choose the right table

This is one of Chapter One chef-patron Mickael Viljanen’s favourite places for Sunday lunch so it's no surprise that the cooking is worthy of a Michelin star

Get in the queue for a reservation immediately – none of these stylish spots will disappoint

The menus here present an edible record of Dublin’s long education in Japanese food

When you’re treating yourself or others, do it properly in one of these very fine spots