London restaurant The Ivy is to expand into a branch on Dublin’s Dawson Street with an ‘international brasserie’ which will open later this summer in the new building, One Molesworth, located on the corner with Molesworth Street.

The brasserie-style restaurant and bar will accommodate up to 200 diners, with menus including breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, light snacks and dinner. There will also be a private dining room, ‘The Jonathan Swift Room', seating up to 36 people for events, birthdays or working lunches. 

The Ivy Dawson Street, the company says, will serve food “from dawn until dusk”, with classics including shepherd’s pie or crispy duck salad, alongside a locally inspired dishes such as Dublin Bay prawns and Dungarvan oysters. the Head Chef is  Nick Lentini.

General manager Jamie Belton commented: “Bringing The Ivy Collection’s first international brasserie to Dublin is without doubt the most exciting point of my career. With fantastic food, beautiful interiors and consistent, friendly service, our Irish brasserie will offer a touch of glamour whilst also welcoming guests to visit us anytime, whatever the occasion. The team and I are really looking forward to welcoming our new neighbours and visitors to the area this summer.”

The London Ivy is popular with celebrities, people from the arts and media and theatregoers. The original restaurant was opened by Abel Giandellini in 1917 as an unlicensed Italian cafe in a building on the same site. 

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Legend has it that the name itself originated from a chance remark by the actress Alice Delysia, who overheard Giandellini apologise to a customer for the inconvenience caused by building works. When he said that it was because of his intention to create a restaurant of the highest class, she interjected "Don't worry – we will always come and see you. We will cling together like the ivy", a line from a then-popular song. 

The restaurant expanded into the current premises in 1929 with Giandellini still in charge. In 2005, entrepreneur Richard Caring bought The Ivy and the Caprice Holdings group.

Photo: Artist rendering of the Dawson Street brasserie interior