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Our story
A piece of Morocco in Dublin
At Dada, we bring you more than a meal. We share a piece of Morocco, cooked with care and served with the generosity of a family table.
The name
Dada, the heart of the home
Our name is a tribute to the dada, the grandmother, who nourishes, hosts and cares for everyone around her table.
Moroccan cuisine is one of the richest in the world, shaped by Berber, Arab, Andalusian and Mediterranean cultures, and above all by the Moorish kitchens of North Africa and southern Spain. Our recipes are rooted in that heritage, with some reaching back to the 12th century.
Every dish is house-made and slow-cooked with intention. Many of our spices come directly from Morocco. Some dishes carry a subtle Irish influence, and all are made to comfort, delight and bring people together, just as a dada would.
The kitchen
Cooked the slow way
Our head chef, Jalal Belmaati, began his career in the five-star hotels of Casablanca before cooking in some of Spain's finest restaurants in Bilbao and San Sebastián, deepening his knowledge of Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine. In Ireland he cooked at the Clanard and the Herbert Park Hotel before bringing the authentic flavours of Moroccan and Moorish cooking to Dada, and back to his own roots.
The kitchen is Halal. We only use spring lamb, all our meat is 100% prime Irish certified, and every menu offers vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes.
The rooms
Arches, lanterns and long tables
Dada sits on South William Street, one of Dublin's liveliest streets, moments from Grafton Street and St Stephen's Green. Inside, carved arches, painted tiles and lantern light set the scene for anything from a quiet dinner for two to a party for 150. Downstairs, the Ziryab Room offers a private space for up to 40.
In the press
What the critics tasted
Each dish was set down with the distinctive conical tagine clay lid and then dramatically removed in a flourish so great clouds of richly scented steam filled the air.
I was delighted with my tagine of hake and ginger. It was really delicious.
Every dish, every course, had something to commend it.
Our sister in Marrakech
Stay with the family at Daba Village
Dada has a home in Morocco too. Daba Village is our luxury riad outside Marrakech, with Atlas mountain views, gardens, cooking classes and day trips to the Ourika valley. Dada guests receive a special discount when they book.