Govindas

This place got me through the misery of Dublin in November. The windows steamed over in condensation, the gentle atmosphere and the made-​with-​love vegan curries and pumpkin soups made me feel like I was in my granny’s kitchen, nurtured and safe, the perfect antidote to long, dark nights in the city. Their da’al and broccoli coconut curry is fantastic and just before they close they sell off all the day’s fare to one euro (1 EURO!!!). Even at that they still load up your tub to overflow. Govinda’s really needs to be commended for their generosity and integrity (veggies come from their farm in Fermanagh, extra kudos to them). I’m devastated that the yoga classes upstairs have been discontinued as I would hit up the restaurant after each fantastic session but this won’t stop me visiting here often. And therein lies the key… You’re not just a customer at Govinda’s. You’re a guest.

If you thought Dublin was for lovers of traditional meat-​based stews and similar fare, you’d be mistaken. Dublin has a vibrant food scene, and a wide selection of vegetarian and vegan places. Govindas is one of my favourites!
Small and very informal, the place is cafeteria-​style, where you select a plate size (small, medium, or large, but medium is plenty to feed a grown man) and choose from a selection of dishes. Choose one or try them all, up to you. All dishes are vegetarian, and many are vegan, and usually, all are tasty!
Prices are extremely reasonable, the food is scrumptious, real vegetarian comfort food, and service is friendly and helpful. My lunch go-​to place in Dublin.

Very friendly service! Affordable prices, feels like a buffet! I also love the fact they give you a glass of water for free with each meal!
Wasn’t too fond of the music that was playing but none the less, very cute little place to go for lunch.

I only came in to Govinda’s by accident as I was instructed to meet a friend there. I was immediately hit by the smell of the food and decided I’d try some.
The Hare Krishna credos is not in your face as I thought it might be which was pleasantly surprising.
The staff here will take a small plate and fit an ungodly (excuse the pun) amount of delicious healthy food onto it. They stack it high and when they hand it back to you, you wont believe the weight of the thing.
The most surprising thing for me was the cost! It was about € 4 or something for a whole dinnersworth of greens, potatoes and flavoursome cheeses.
My goal is to come here for lunch once a week and feel the goodness simmer down through my body like some kind of lavender oil massage except in food form.
Bring a friend or bring a book and you’ll be privy to one of the best cheap lunch/​dinner options in town.

I’ve been going to govindas a lot for lunch for the past year, healthy and hearty, they’ve upped their prices again and the portions seemed to have got smaller but there don’t seem to be any other changes around the place except that the staff are not really friendly. Its a pity its hard to get healthy food in the city centre.

My friend and I popped along to Govinda’s in Middle Abbey St. Great selection. Its a buffet style, whereby you choose what you want, and pay a certain price. Which is quite reasonable too. Too much hippy for my liking. One customer, although could have been a staff member thought i was a girl. Perhaps with my rainbow Scarfy. So two issues were at hand, a bit too homophobic for my liking. Like the person who accused me of being a «woman» when he says «ladys first», then the staff member BEHIND the counter said something, then the fact that its a Christain type of restaurant. The food thou, very delicious. Great vegan offering. My friend thou advised strongly that Govinda’s is very CHRISTIAN like hence «the hippy» lifestyle type. While personally I have no issues with any persons, I only take up issue, if a person actually accuses me of any sorts. So bottomline, I would not recommend Govinda’s on Middle Abbey St (Not sure about other branches thou), for ANY gay people. Too christian for my liking. If you want Vegan food, there are plenty of other places in Dublin’s Fair City.

I don’t really get why this place is so highly recommended because at least for my experience it was pretty average. You can get much better vegetarian and vegan food around the place in Thai or Chinese restaurants. No need to eat bland boring food just because you are a vego/​vegan.
Have to say that the portion size was good through, for a small you really get a lot!

This place makes me happy in ways not many things do.
If you spent any time growing up in a traditional Hindu household in India, you’d totally know that vegetarian food can be just as tasty and filling as meat when prepared well and Govindas goes to prove exactly that.
The menu isn’t all that complex – they have the usual meal with rice, lentils and a few vegetables and all you have to do is tell them if you want the small, medium, or the large plate. I went for the medium one (pictured below) and trust me, it’s so filling, you’d find it difficult to walk back home.
What’s even cooler about this place is that they have really beautiful artwork all around you’d particularly relate to if you grew up in India. They’re also super affordable at 5 euro for the small plate and 9 for the medium one.
Solid ⁵⁄₅.

Totally unpretentious delicious vegetarian food at an affordable price.
The hare krishna music in the background sets the tone, the servers are friendly hippie types, I KNOW this food is good for me. I can taste the kindness in the cooking. This place saved me while I was working in Dublin for 5 weeks.
I get the small plate just about everyday for lunch and always leave full. The servers must be really good at jenga, they pile the food SO HIGH on those little plates. I like to get a little bit of everything when I order.

This place deserves a special KIND of five star review, the kind of five star review that is earned through having been my go to for low cost, conscious, delicious, nutritious and convenient food for the past four years (i am as baffled as you!) For four year this spot has delivered the same five things every time, and every time with a friendly remark from the couple behind the counter. It was the first place I ate after first getting to Dublin to begin my undergrad at Trinity, fresh off the boat and a bad gust led me off OConnell and down past its steamy windows. Since, I have prided myself in being adventurous to the bone, travellig long distances in pursuit of hidden gems, dublins best curry chips (a place in Irishtown – bring weaponry!!!), the new-​new brother/​sister-​run michelin pitched hype etc etc but always always coming back here when the thrill of adventure was outweighed by the wish for a friendly face and a tasy hot meal that leaves you with that heightened sensation of having been home. Its the PERFECT place… It is the PERFECT place when you just dont want to battle the elements for that battered sausage someone ranted to you about at the grand social one night!!! None of that, but the five best things in the world (), the five best things (at least) when youre a malnourished student away from home just lookig for some edible love: low cost, conscious, delicious, nutritious and convenient food.

One of the cheapest restaurants in Dublin city centre. Go for the «small plate» and try a little bit of everything. Most of the food is quite good and tasty (is nothing to get crazy about but vegetarian food can be a little boring) and the value for your money is amazing.
Very much recommended if you feel very hungry and want to go for something healthier than average.

This place has the best atmosphere! Great for a relaxing, quick lunch! The food is fresh, full of flavour and served buffet style, so there’s no waiting! First time here and I’ll definitely be coming back. You get a full plate for about € 10! Great value, highly recommend it!

yeah its massive portions, the place is clean, staff are nice, food is good but not amazing! I would never go to a vegetarian restaurant but decided to buy a GrabOne voucher to see what all the fuss was about. They give you portions of everything and pile the plates high. The restaurant is nice with a good mix of people, everyone from bearded hipsters reading Ernest Hemmingway aloud so people can hear them (I know… seriously) to everyone in between. you wont spend long here the music will really get on your tits and its dark so eat your food and get out or you will be in a trance. People in it are sound enough but when you give them a voucher its almost like they have a shock on their face. you get rice, some potato dish, dhal, chickpea dish, pasta dish and tofu. The tofu can get a bit weird after a while as the texture is a bit strange but everything else is grand. In no way is this place gourmet, its very basic but tasty enough food. Now that I have tried it I wouldnt pay full whack for it and as I dont have a beard, interesting tattoos, or the need to wear a pink skirt I wouldnt be running back here, its too canteen like to call it a restaurant for me, oh and if I havent already mentioned it the music sucks!

Vegetarian food in Dublin!
I’m sorry, I’m just excited. I’m traveling abroad for a few weeks and will be trying to Unilocal as I go — mainly as a way of helping contextualize all the fun I’m having.
This place is fairly priced for the huge amount of food you get — and it is a huge amount. I should have gotten a small plate, as I left a good amount of food after eating. I would recommend the small unless you are absolutely famished.
Everything had a unique taste and texture — and the plates let you get a taste of different kinds which is good, in case you don’t really like one. You can power through and then be done with it.
Ambiance is great — it’s a nice, airy set-​up, so things go pretty well in terms of speaking with someone and generally being in a space.
This location is by a lot of hostels in the area — so you will get to have good vegetarian even when you’re on the road!

Our first dinner in Dublin, made wonderful by the huge portions and cheap price.
From what I could tell there are a few options in plate size: large (which is a gigantic plate seriously), regular, and small. We were starving so opted for the large plate which was about € 15 but totally worth it. They pile the plate high with a bit of all the dishes offered. We ended up with basically a mountain of food!
Everything was really delicious. The pasta dish that night was a bit crunchy in spots but I will attribute that to coming here an hour before closing. I really loved the squash and potatoes with the tofu in tomato sauce. Completely vegetarian yet very filling. We were barely able to finish the large plate despite being so hungry. Next time I would definitely get the regular size.

V tasty veggie food. Get a small, medium or large plate. Today I wasn’t so hungry so I got a small plate and boy do they stack it up so high they have to put another plate underneath. I love that attitude.
Haven’t tried their deserts but they look great.

Secret comfort food that is vegetarian and delicious. you only need a small plate and it costs about a fiver. Counter service is quick as they are able to serve it up right then and there. They stack the plate miles high with food and you can ask for a bit of everything even on the small plate.
The place has a sort of shabby appeal to it as well. Although in no way is it tatty, it feels well worn and completely compliments that desire for comfort food and a quick break from the real world!

This place is flipping amazing!
Like others had mentioned in their reviews, this place is a vegetarian Indian restaurant where, for just a few Euros, you’ll leave feeling absolutely full. I opted for the regular plate, but there are also small and large plates. Only get the large plate if you happen to be sharing with somebody else as the regular plate was still quite quite large. I believe that the offerings change daily, so what I had (which included a paneer dish and moussaka) won’t necessarily be offered on the day that you go. The food itself was pretty good and I was amazed at myself for polishing off my plate.
Definitely stop by if you happen to be starving and want to have some amazing food!

Stayed in Dublin for the weekend and we had so yummy food at the first evening we went there, we decided to eat there another time.
Both meals were delicious. The portions are quite big and if you choose a mixed plate you get a littlebit of everything. I wish there was a place like this in my hometown :)
Stuff is friendly and the spot makes it a good place to stop by when you’re waiting for the bus to the airport.

I love this place and eat here all the time! It is vegan-​friendly, which is handy as I am vegan. I usually just order a small plate and ask for everything vegan, plus salads (all for € 5.50). It doesn’t matter what dishes they serve that day, as I always love it!
The staff are very friendly and more than happy to explain all the different dishes, as it can be a bit daunting if you’ve never eaten here before. Govinda’s has a great, quiet atmosphere, it’s a cool place to meet friends for lunch.

I have passed this place so many times and never stopped in!
A veggie indian canteen-​style restaurant (as in, you take a tray and they slop it onto a plate for you and you pay at the till at the end of the counter)…
I got a small plate with rice and veggies (I think it was called subji?) for e5.50 and it was filling and very tasty.
Take a tray and tell them what sized plate you want and they’ll fill it with as many of the available options as they can.
They do soup too (today’s was lentil).
The guy behind the counter was really friendly.
I’ll deffo try here again.