L. Mulligan Eating & Drinking Emporium - Dublin 7
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There probably isn’t a serious whiskey fan out there who at some stage hasn’t dreamt of owning their own pub, especially when travelling through Ireland or Scotland. You dream about how many different whiskeys you’d stock, how you’d enthuse guests with your whiskey knowledge, how you’d be the first to stock the latest distillery releases, etc. Well, most of us never get beyond the dream, quite content to fantasize while enjoying the hospitality of our regular haunts, but one whiskey man took that dream and made it reality.
The man is Michael Foggarty and the pub is L. Mulligan Grocer. Sounds like a strange name for a pub? Well, not if you are already familiar with Ireland and the tradition of combining small grocery shops with a public house, this being the norm in many towns and villages right up until the 1960’s. When supermarkets started appearing, most pubs converted the grocery part of their business into a front bar, which is exactly what L. Mulligan’s did. But the name remained and today you are still greeted on Dublin’s Stoneybatter street by the words L. Mulligan Grocer in big bold lettering.
Michael took over L. Mulligan Grocer in 2010 and has made it into a Whiskey, Beer and Fine Food Emporium. No panic, it’s still a pub and the interior has changed little since its heyday as an old fashioned Dublin drinking establishment, with the exception of the back lounge, which now has more the feel of a rustic eatery, with its hand carved wooden benches. The beverage choice however is a connoisseurs’ heaven. Michael has over 100 whiskies, mostly Irish of course, but with a very personal selection of Scottish, Japanese, Welsh, Swedish and Belgian Single Malts. If the truth be told, you’d probably feel quite at home if Michael served you a Scotch – Michael being a proud Scotsman himself! Mulligan’s also stocks every craft beer brewed in Ireland so if your interest stretches further than whiskey you are going to be in for quite a treat.
The quest for sourcing quality, variety and artisan produce has not remained within the confines of alcohol. L. Mulligan’s boasts an eclectic selection of food, making the best out of artisan produced Irish food. There’s everyone classic favourite, Bangers and Mash on Mondays and Tuesdays, but it’s no ordinary bangers here, these are T.J. Crowe free range pork sausages (and for vegetarians your sausages are home made in the kitchen!). The theme of organic, free range, Irish and artisan is constant throughout the menu, with a quiet nod to whiskey and beer from time to time, like the Inishowen Citrus & Garlic Chicken or the Mussels with Chilli & Cider Broth and Hoegaarden Mayonnaise. The quest for the best extends to the tea and coffee on offer and of course, Mulligan’s would not be the whiskey emporium it is without excelling in that quintessential, but often misrepresented, Irish classic, the Irish Coffee. After much experimentation with friends and guests alike, Michael and his team have come up with what they regard as the best Irish Coffee in town, using coffee from Bailies Roastery in Belfast, Kilbeggan whiskey and Glenisk organic fresh cream.
L. Mulligan Grocer opens at 4pm Monday to Friday and starts serving food at 5pm. At weekends, the pub opens and serves food from 3pm. On a nice day, try out the small querky outside area at the back with some of the herbs and salads used in the kitchen, and another thing we really like about Mulligan's is the fact that there is no TV and no music. There are regular beer and whiskey tasting events too, and if all the above isn’t already enough to tempt you, then consider the fact that this pub is only about 5 minutes’ walk from the Old Jameson Distillery. After visiting the Old Jameson Distillery and learning about Irish whiskey, stepping into Mulligan’s is going to feel like passing your Masters Degree in Whiskey, promise! Mulligan’s is also a great place if you want to enjoy an Irish Whiskey or an Irish Beer Tasting with a small group of friends – there are regular Tasting Trays available as well as dedicated Tasting events. Mulligan’s have a very good website and you can follow them on Facebook and Twitter too, so do check them out – but one word of warning, don’t do it when you’re hungry or in need of a night out, unless you are already within a reasonable radius of this unique Eating and Drinking Emporium, winner of Dublin's Best Gastro Pub 2011!
L. Mulligan Grocer - 18 Stoneybatter, Dublin 7
Tel: +353 (0)1 670 9889
Web: www.lmulligangrocer.com
Email: hello@lmulligangrocer.com
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