Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin 2

Address: 41-47 Fenian St, Dublin, Dublin 2
Website: www.thealexhotel.ie
Weekend Brunch: 12.00pm – 3.00pm every weekend including Bank Holiday Mondays
Open to: Residents and Non-Residents

The Alex Hotel in Dublin is a stylish and contemporary 4-star hotel located in the heart of the city. It offers a blend of modern design and comfort, providing guests with a welcoming and chic atmosphere.

Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin 2 - The Alex Hotel — *The Alex Hotel Dublin*

Besides its well-appointed accommodation, The Alex also features The Carriage Restaurant and The Secret Garden (this is where Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin takes place) – making it a great spot to enjoy a delicious meal or a relaxing drink.

Its central location makes it convenient for exploring Dublin’s popular attractions and enjoying the vibrant city life. So whether you’re a leisure or business traveler, Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin is a great weekend choice for dining in Dublin.

Further Reading: The Life of Stuff Loves Brunch

Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin 2

To Brunch or Not To Brunch!

Twenty years ago, brunch was barely a thing here in Ireland, nowadays it’s hard to keep it from the lips of those, who, like myself, love to dine out.

But did you know that word the ‘Brunch’ originated in England in the 1890’s, and has been popular in the US since the 1930’s!

According to Jesse Rhodes for Smithsonian Mag and referencing Brunch DC, the word ‘brunch’ first appeared in print in a 1895, by means of an article titled ‘Brunch: A Plea‘ by author Guy Beringer in the London publication Hunter’s Weekly.

In the article Beringer suggested an alternative to the heavy, post-church Sunday meals in favour of lighter dining served late in the morning. And it’s clear that he much preferred the option of a late social breakfast on Sunday, with benefits that ‘Would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers’.

Brunch is cheerful, sociable and inciting,. It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.”

– Guy Beringer

Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin 2 - Brunch Menu — Brunch Menu

Roll on a hundred years and to the year 2000, and the dining option of Brunch was suddenly a bad word, not amongst diners per say but amongst chefs, and worldwide.

As Andrew Parks for CN Travel put it, ‘no one knows for sure when Brunch started to get its bad name but there are many who credit the wonderful Anthony Bourdain, and his prescient book Kitchen Confidential from 2000, which included this takedown: “Brunch menus are an open invitation to the cost-conscious chef, a dumping ground for the odd bits left over from Friday and Saturday nights.’

Now although Bourdain will always have my admiration, I have to agree with Beringer. I love brunch, a combination of breakfast and lunch. Even the word ‘Brunch’ that still sounds makey-upy after a hundred years, tickles my taste buds. In my opinion it’s an important meal to have when you’re too late in the morning for the former and too early in the day for the later, it’s the perfect option. And in my opinion, it shouldn’t be restricted to weekends either!

Further Reading: Ireland Travel Guide – 10 Best Things to Do in Dublin 1

Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin 2 - The Secret Garden — The Secret Garden

My Experience of Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin 2

As a guest, I visited The Alex for Brunch on a Saturday as a family of four, with my husband and our two boys, aged six and eight.

With a Brunch booking of 12 noon, pre-booked and secured and the rain torrential outside, dissuading us from some local sightseeing (The Alex as mentioned is a great base in the city), we decided there would be no harm to dive into the hotel out of the lashing rain, and start our Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin experience a little early.

Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin 2 - The Secret Garden Drinks — The Secret Garden Drinks

The hotel lobby is spacious with ample seating and so we found ourselves a table by the window to watch the world go by as we waited, along with our fellow Brunch diners, for The Secret Garden to open.

Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin 2 - The Secret Garden Dining — The Secret Garden Dining

Further Reading: The Blooming Best – Five Gorgeous Gardens to Walk in Dublin City

Twelve noon arrived and the doors of the restaurant opened for brunch.

We followed our host to our chosen table in The Secret Garden and began our ‘Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin‘. And although the rain lashed down on the canopy and dripped a bit on the seats beside us, we didn’t let it dampen our spirits.

Looking around the room, we were the only family there. There was a large group of friends, a small party of pals, and some couples. A nice mix. Service was friendly and warm, and attentive.

I can’t imagine Weekend Brunch at The Alex is marketed towards young families but we were certainly looked after, and if your children can ‘behave themselves’ (as much as your fellow diners) when dining out, I can recommend it for those old enough to hold and use cutlery.

Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin 2 - Family Friendly

Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin 2 - Family Dining

The Weekend Brunch at Alex Hotel Dublin really is a delightful combination of breakfast and lunch.

On offer was an array of delicious dishes, ranging from spins on classic breakfast items like pancakes, which become ‘Protein Pancakes‘, served with ‘Maple syrup, chocolate drops, strawberries, peanut butter and edible flowers’.

Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin 2 - Protein Pancakes — Protein Pancakes

And eggs which become ‘Shakshuka Baked Eggs‘ that includes ‘butternut squash, onion, coriander, feta cheese, heirloom tomato and chilli’ with sourdough bread.

Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin 2 - Shakshuka Baked Eggs — Shakshuka Baked Eggs

We did order the Lobster Roll but unfortunately it wasn’t available.

Instead of we ordered the Chicken Croissant which consisted of ‘southern fried chicken, pickled red cabbage, lettuce, roasted garlic mayo and house cut chips’.

Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin 2 - Chicken Croissant — Chicken Croissant

And the ‘Breakfast Burrito‘ which included ‘scrambled eggs, streaky bacon, potatoes, grated cheddar, edamame, coriander and jalapeno tomato salsa and Sriracha sauce’ in a burrito.

Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin 2 - Breakfast Burrito — Breakfast Burrito

For a side dish we ordered the ‘Loaded Parmesan Fries with garlic aioli’.

Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin 2 - Loaded Parmesan Fries — Loaded Parmesan Fries

Brunch is the perfect occasion to indulge in both sweet and savory treats, and so all our dishes were shared. For drinks we enjoyed fresh lemonades and an iced coffee pour moi.

Brunch is a social and leisurely meal, allowing friends and family to gather, relax, and savour the flavors while enjoying each other’s company. And that’s exactly what we did. Good food, friendly service staff, lovely ambiance and in the end ‘A Wonderful Weekend Brunch at The Alex Hotel Dublin 2‘.

Photos by The Life of Stuff