Author: Nancy Hands

As the days grow longer and the temperatures rise, Stoneybatter comes alive with an undeniable energy. This historic Dublin neighbourhood, known for its charming streets, vibrant culture, and proximity to some of the city’s best attractions, is the perfect place to explore during spring and summer. Whether you’re strolling through its picturesque lanes, soaking in the local history, or indulging in some of the best food and drink, Stoneybatter has something for everyone. And of course, no visit is complete without stopping by Nancy Hands. 

Explore Phoenix Park,

Just a short walk from Stoneybatter, Phoenix Park is one of Europe’s largest urban green spaces. Home to Dublin Zoo, Áras an Uachtaráin (the President’s residence), and herds of wild deer, it’s the perfect place for a leisurely walk, a morning run, or a scenic cycle. After a refreshing day outdoors, Nancy Hands is the ideal spot to unwind with a hearty meal and a perfectly poured pint.

Immerse Yourself in History at Collins Barracks

For history enthusiasts, The National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History at Collins Barracks offers an incredible glimpse into Ireland’s past. From military exhibitions to fascinating displays of Irish craftsmanship, this museum is a must-visit. After soaking in the history, continue your journey through time at Nancy Hands, a pub rich in character and storytelling. 

Discover Stoneybatter’s Art & Culture Scene

Spring and summer bring a variety of cultural events to Stoneybatter. Keep an eye out for street art festivals, craft markets, and pop-up performances that showcase the neighbourhood’s artistic spirit. Whether you’re an art lover or just looking for a lively atmosphere, Nancy Hands hosts live Irish music, making it a fantastic place to experience the city’s cultural heartbeat in an authentic setting.

Why Stoneybatter & Nancy Hands Should Be on Your Spring & Summer Bucket List

Stoneybatter is one of Dublin’s most charming and culturally rich neighbourhoods, and Nancy Hands is at the heart of it all. Whether you’re exploring the historic sites, embracing nature in Phoenix Park, or enjoying the buzzing atmosphere of local events, Nancy Hands is always ready to welcome you with exceptional food, drinks, and genuine Irish hospitality.

So, as you plan your spring and summer adventures in Dublin, make sure Stoneybatter is on your list—and when you do, we’ll be here at Nancy Hands to complete your experience. Sláinte!

At Nancy Hands, part of Valence Hospitality, we believe that true hospitality extends beyond our restaurant doors, it means caring for our environment, our communities, and the future of Ireland’s natural beauty. In 2024, we took a meaningful step toward sustainability by sponsoring three native Irish honey bee hives with OpenHive, an initiative dedicated to protecting pollinators and promoting biodiversity.

Despite a challenging year of unpredictable weather, a cold, wet spring, and the coldest summer in nearly a decade, our partnership with OpenHive ensured that these vital pollinators remained resilient, contributing to Ireland’s biodiversity, local ecosystems, and conservation efforts.

Why Protecting Native Irish Honey Bees Matters

Pollinators like bees play a crucial role in maintaining Ireland’s rich biodiversity. They are responsible for pollinating countless flowering plants, ensuring the growth of food crops, and supporting entire ecosystems. However, due to climate change, habitat loss, and environmental challenges, native bee populations are at risk.

Inspired by the iconic New York’s Golden Diner, we’ve crafted our own version of this beloved classic, celebrating the best of Irish ingredients. We’re thrilled to introduce Nancy Hand’s Tuna Melt Special, featuring Shines Wild Irish Tuna and the famous Keogh’s crisps.

This tuna melt is as much about texture as it is about tuna. Two slices of buttery bread layered with melted Dubliner cheddar cheese, tuna salad and a generous handful of salt-and-vinegar potato chips. Each bite offers a satisfying crunch, both as you press the sandwich together and as you savour it. The tuna salad is equally unforgettable, evoking the tangy flavors of a Big Mac with its mayo-based sauce laced with minced pickles, mustard, vinegar, and a touch of Tabasco. This melt combines the best of contrasts—hot and cold, buttery and tangy, crispy and creamy—making it a standout twist on a classic.

Why It’s Delicious: Our take on the Tuna Melt is all about bringing rich flavours and textures together. We start with Shine’s Tuna, responsibly sourced and wild-caught off the Irish coast, for a rich, savoury taste. It’s mixed with a creamy, tangy dressing, fresh herbs, and finely diced onions for that perfect balance.

But what makes our Tuna Melt truly unique? Keogh’s crisps, adding an irresistible crunch you won’t find anywhere else. Served on thickly sliced, buttered bread and grilled until perfectly golden and gooey, this sandwich is the ultimate comfort food with a gourmet twist. It’s our tribute to a classic with an Irish heart!

Perfect Pairings: Enjoy it with a cold Irish beer, or keep things traditional with a cup of tea. Whatever your choice, this Tuna Melt will leave you coming back for more. Available for a limited time at Nancy Hand’s Pub.

Go to: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025844-golden-diners-tuna-melt for the recipe

We are proud to partner with OpenHive, a Dublin-based beekeeping company dedicated to

sustainability and biodiversity. Open Hive’s commitment to natural beekeeping methods aligns

perfectly with our values.

By hosting Open Hive’s bee hives on our pub’s roof, we are not only supporting local bee populations but also contributing to the preservation of Irish honey bees, a vital component of our ecosystem. Join us in our journey towards a more

sustainable future, one honeybee at a time.

We have three hives of native Irish honey bees on the roof of Nancy Hands.

In the height of summer they will host roughly 50,000 bees per hive and hopefully produce 15-20 kg of honey each.

At the moment our hives are just getting started on the season. The queen bee is laying eggs which will hatch out into worker bees who will go and gather nectar and pollen (pollinating as they go).

The forage radius for a hive is roughly 5km, so they will be in Phoenix park for sure!

FLEXIBLE MENU OPTIONS

At Nancy Hands, we understand that every Christmas party is unique, and so are the tastes of our guests. That is why we offer a range of menu options to cater for your preferences.

Platters

For those who prefer a more casual and social dining experience, our platters are the perfect choice. The platters are filled with an assortment of delicious finger foods, perfect for mingling and sharing with your party guests.

Premium Platters

Take your Christmas party up a notch with our premium platters. These offerings include a selection of festive treats from pork belly bites to duck spring rolls we even include tasty vegetarian options. Our premium platters are designed to elevate your dining experience.

Three-Course Christmas Dinner with the works

If you are looking for a Traditional Christmas feast, our three course Christmas dinners are a must try. Enjoy one of our delicious starters, perfectly cooked meats accompanied by bowls of shared sides and a tasty desserts. We spare no effort in creating the perfect Christmas menu with all the festive trimmings.

Prosecco on Arrival To kick off your Christmas party in style we welcome you with a glass of prosecco on arrival. Raise your glasses and toast to the holiday season.

Live Music

To add a touch of magic to your Christmas party we offer live music for dinner bookings on, Friday and Saturday nights. This creates the perfect backdrop for an evening of joy and celebration.

Posh Spice Bag

Some of the dried herb companies make “spice bag” seasoning packs which I used in addition to five spice mix.

Ingredients, serves 2

2 chicken breasts, cut into tenders

100ml buttermilk

Salt and pepper

2 tsp five spice

For the coating

4 tbsp cornflour

2 tsp five spice

½ packet spice bag seasoning

Bunch of spring onions, sliced

1 red chili, finely sliced

For the vegetables

Approx. 500g large potatoes

Vegetable oil, for frying

Few splashes olive oil

1 large white onion, peeled and sliced

4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

1 red pepper, sliced

1 yellow pepper, sliced

Method

1. Marinate the chicken in the buttermilk, five spice, salt and pepper. Leave this for at least an hour or overnight if you like.

2. Then jump to the vegetables: boil the potatoes whole with the skin on until just tender but still firm enough to slice into wedges. Drain, cool, and cut into wedges. Set aside to cool a bit more, then heat up the vegetable oil in your fryer (or, in my case, a wok). Blanch them for their first fry in the vegetable oil until just starting to colour, then drain and set aside on paper towel until you’re getting closer to completing the dish.

3. In a large frying pan, sweat the onions and peppers in olive oil with plenty of salt and pepper until soft. At this stage, you’re nearly ready to go.

4. Place the cornflour in a bowl and season with salt, pepper and five spice, then toss the chicken in the seasoned cornflour.

5. Heat up the vegetable oil again (you may need to add more oil) and cook the wedges for their second cooking – get good colour on them, then drain and season.

6. Fry the coated chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through, adding the spring onions and chillies for the final sizzle. Drain the chicken, then toss with the cooked onion and pepper mixture and wedges. Season again and serve.

Nancy Hands is ideally located on the north of the River Liffey, just a stone’s throw away from the Guinness Storehouse, right beside Dublin Zoo, and a 15 minutes walk from the historic Kilmainham Gaol.

In one day, you can check out Ireland’s No.1 visitor attraction, dine in style with us, say hello to the 400 rare, exotic and endangered animals at the zoo, and learn some history at the jail where some of Ireland’s heroes fought for our freedom in the 1900’s.

Let’s take a closer look:

The Guinness Storehouse

Located at St James Gate, Dublin 8, the Guinness Storehouse is home to the infamous pint of Guinness, as well as offering a one of a kind tour, you can also visit the 360c gravity bar, and as the name suggests, it’s high in the sky.

Open from 10am-7pm, this is a must for all visitors to Dublin, and you can learn how to pull the perfect pint, and receive a certificate to show to all your friends and family.

Learn more here.

Dublin Zoo

Dublin Zoo is located just up the road from us in the Phoenix Park, so close we often have the animals in for a spot of lunch!

This zoo dates back to 1831, when it was said to be a small and private zoo based in Dublin city, then in 1840 London Zoo donated 46 mammals and 72 birds, which then inspired the owners to open the gates to the public. Dublin Zoo is over 28 hectares in size, with over 1 million visitors per year, and 400 animals waiting to say hello. The phoenix park is also Europe’s largest enclosed park, home to our president Michael. D. Higgins, and hundreds of deer, as well as historical monuments, walled gardens and more.

Make sure to book your zoo tickets in advance, and warm up with some delicious lunch with us after!

Kilmainham Gaol

Opened in 1796, this jail became home to some of Ireland’s historical heroes including Countess Markievicz, Robert Emmett, and leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. A visit to the gaol will bring you on a journey of Irish history, from the great rebellion, the Easter rising and the Irish civil war. Open 7 days a week, from 9.30am, this is a must-visit site for a true look into how Ireland was formed.

Nancy Hands has often been described as a museum of sorts, complete with stories and pieces of Irish culture in every corner. All our staff members are more than happy to talk you through our nearby attractions, as well as advising on the perfect Irish drink to accompany your meal.

Learn more here.

Valence Hospitality became the proprietor of Nancy Hands bar & restaurant on November 9th, 2022.

Nancy Hands has looked across to the River Liffey for almost three decades, founded and run by good friends Dom and Fran. These two men brought the essence of Dublin and Ireland’s first-ever landlady to life, with a pub that rivals any museum of Irish culture and history, complete with original pieces from the 1800’s and 1900’s, as well as stories and curiosities in every corner, on every floor. More on that in our About Us section.

We at Valence Hospitality take great pride in continuing the journey of Nancy and her patrons, and thank Dom & Fran for building an excellent establishment.

With great admiration for Nancy, we began to show her some love by giving her a fresh lick of paint outside, a distinguished blue to show her full character. We will continue to serve the best of Irish cuisine, including our famous Beef & Guinness stew, and of course the best pint of Guinness on this side of the Liffey.

Traditional Irish music will continue every weekend, as well as being your number one location for corporate events and parties, we will also be adding some more exciting features soon.

Stay up to date with us on Instagram @nancyhandsdublin, and if you have any questions, or would like to make a reservation, please email us info@nancyhands.ie.