Blackrock, Co.Dublin is a truly unique town. A stunning coastal setting located 8km south of Dublin city centre, it is steeped in history boasting historical residents including Éamon De Valera, James Joyce and Lord Edward Fitzgerald. Today though, it is a hub of commerce and retail haven with Zurich’s Irish headquarters sitting side by side with high end clothing boutiques and art galleries.
Something that is very prominent in Blackrock is how strong the contemporary food scene is. The epicentre of this food wave has to be Blackrock Market. The oldest market in Dublin , it has been in existence since 1994 in one form or another. Bustling during the full market on the weekend, with offerings on weekdays as well. The highlight of the market has to be the most talked about hand rolled ice cream shop, Arctic Stone. The ever enthusiastic staff at Arctic Stone make every ice cream to order right in front of the customers eyes using a Thai rolling technique. It draws large crowds every day of the week, rain or shine.
Along with the ice cream offerings there is also a Michelin Star restaurant, a super trendy Hawaiian poké bar and highly rated Indian restaurant in this curious market. Out on the main street there is astoundingly high standard of gourmet coffee houses, high end home and cookware specialty shops and cozy pubs and bars, both traditional and contemporary.