I was never completely mad about pizza. It’s lovely and all, and great every now and again, but something I very rarely went out of my way for.
This summer, my trip to Tuscany changed all that, but it’s a few meals from Don Mimi in Dun Laoghaire that has really sealed the deal. This place has been open for a few years now, serving pizzas all around the €10 mark, as well as a selection of antipasti.
A gang of us headed there a few months ago for my friend Alice’s birthday, and I was surprised to discover that they have a few tables upstairs where you can eat in. We started with a selection of mouth-watering antipasti, which set the tone for the meal to come.
I fought the good fight on behalf of capers, anchovies, and olives, while others went for meaty feasts and vegetarian classics. We were genuinely astonished by the prices; you can get a portion of lasagna for just €6.
If the lasagna is even half as good as the pizzas, it’ll be an unbelievable bargain. These pizzas are perfect. Now, regular readers will know I’m never given to superlatives. No, NEVER. But the pizzas from Don Mimi are easily the best I’ve ever had in Ireland and just as good as the best of the best pizzas in Italy. Thin base with a delicious carbonised edge, toppings of outstanding quality, and generous portions.
The service is friendly but very, very casual – you may need to pop downstairs if you want another jug of water or wish to add to your order. It doesn’t matter – the quality is so high and the prices are so cheap that relaxed service seems reasonable; there were certainly no complaints from our party of about 15 or so.
With a glass of wine, some shared antipasti, and a few split pizzas, nobody paid more than about €12. And we are all stuffed. I’ve ordered take away a few times since and I’m adding this place to my favourite cheap eats in Ireland.