Overview
Capel Street runs north from Grattan Bridge through central Dublin, up towards Bolton Street. Dublin City Council allows pedestrians and cyclists on its traffic-free section, and the space freed up there is shared by people on foot, people on bikes, café tables and buskers. Watch for cycles and authorised vehicles, and follow the signs where streets cross.
The reason to make a trip is the mix. Independent shops and grocers share the street with cafés, pubs and international kitchens packed into a few hundred metres. It is not a polished street, and vacant units and charity shops sit between the good spots, but that is rather the point.
A street with layers of history
Capel Street was laid out around 1680 by Sir Humphrey Jervis, on abbey land he had bought in 1674, as a grand residential boulevard lined with freestanding mansions and gardens. The name comes partly from the chapel of St Mary’s Abbey (Latin capella) and partly from political flattery of Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex and then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. In 1676 Jervis built Essex Bridge, now Grattan Bridge, to tie his new development straight into Dublin Castle and the old city.
By the 1700s the mansions had given way to commercial buildings and Capel Street became a trade route. Number 27 housed a royal mint that James II opened in 1689 to strike ‘gun money’ for the Williamite War; it kept going after the Battle of the Boyne. The actor Thomas Sheridan was born in that same building in 1719. The street had a Capel Street Theatre in the 18th century and the Torch Theatre from 1935 to 1941, and it was made an Architectural Conservation Area in 2009, which protects its patchwork of Georgian, Victorian and early-20th-century fronts. Look for the surviving ‘Dutch Billy’ gables and the 14-bay terrace at number 105, now the Outhouse LGBTQ+ centre. Look up from the shopfronts to see the mix of older brick and rendered buildings above them.
Food and drink
The street has long been known for independent grocers and for cooking from around the world, with Asian, Turkish, Eastern European and Brazilian food all within a short walk. Cafés and restaurants line much of its length. Businesses open, close and change hands here often, so check a place’s own website or social media before you plan a meal around it.
The pubs are as mixed as the food. Pantibar is a cornerstone of gay Dublin, and the Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre is also part of the street’s social life. Trad and live-music pubs sit along the street too, so it is worth walking its length before you choose.
Independent shopping
Chains are less in evidence than on the main shopping streets, and the street has a long record of independent and specialist traders, from tailors and hardware to haberdashery, vintage and charity shops. Shops come and go, so treat any specific business as something to confirm rather than count on.
The northern end has a student cast to it, with language-school students from many countries feeding the mix of languages you hear along the street.
Practical information
Capel Street is a public street. There is no admission and no set hours, and each shop, café and pub keeps its own.
- Traffic-free section: pedestrians and cyclists share it. Watch for cycles and authorised vehicles, and follow the signs where streets cross.
- Public transport: the Jervis Luas stop is nearby. Check the TFI journey planner for tram and bus connections.
- Parking: check signage and operator details at any nearby car park before you rely on it.
- Accessibility: the pedestrianised surface is flat, but check the route for your needs, as cycles and authorised vehicles share it.
The Abbey Theatre is a short walk off if you want a show at the national stage, and Smithfield Square and its market make an easy add-on. A weekday evening is usually calmer than a weekend if you want to avoid the crowds.