our story

16 years ago, ely wine bar at 22 Ely Place, is where it all began. Erik and Michelle Robson located a vacant Georgian building on Ely Place that was to become ely wine bar. ely wine bar opened in December 1999 originally offering 100 wines by the glass, including champagnes, sherries and ports and in the process changed the way in which wine was sold in Ireland. Passionate about wine and always respectful of its traditions and culture, today ely boasts over 500 wines by bottle, 100 wines by the glass along with an extensive range of craft beer, whiskeys, gins and cocktails.

Since the beginning, ely has had a commitment to food provenance, always delivering fresh, flavoursome Irish food and this seen throughout all of ely’s menus with all of ely’s organic beef, pork and lamb sourced through their own organic family farm in the Burren, Co. Clare.

ely now has 2 outstanding venues in Dublin city: ELY BAR & GRILL, in Dublin’s Docklands, is Ireland’s oldest wine venue located within beautifully restored 1821 wine vaults and ely wine bar is the iconic and original Dublin wine bar with an intimate, elegant setting in the heart of Georgian Dublin.

our farm

 ely continues to offer the very best in Irish food provenance since 1999, from “Pasture to Plate” rearing our own beef and pork on our own organic family farm in national Irish landmark, The Burren, Co Clare.

ely’s “Craggy Island” Burren lamb comes from a good friend and neighbouring farmer, the McCormacks, who live in the infamous Father Ted’s house.

Hugh Robson, Erik’s dad, farms roughly 450 acres of typical Burren land – plenty of rock, with wild flowers found nowhere else in the world. The farm is home to 120 animals that are organically sourced and farmed according to a system that’s 6,000 years old and unique to the area.

Using only locally produced seasonal ingredients, everything is traceable at ely. If we don’t know where it’s from, you don’t get it.

our people

 We want our people to make you feel special and that’s what they enjoy most. There’s not a lot that feels better than a job well done, from the initial greeting to recommending a food and wine pairing, be it an all-out-meal and ‘that’ bottle of wine or some bar bites and a glass or two. A smile, great food and wines, a proper coffee all brought together and rounded off with the good company of friends.

An ely manager has a wise head. They’re knowledgeable about food, wine and the art of restaurants. They’re constantly learning, tinkering, tasting and listening. They in turn impart that experience, know-how and knowledge onto their teams. Our team of waiters are constantly learning too. What cheeses are good for the week ahead. What seafood, vegetables and game are in season and what the chefs plan to do with them all. Team training is a constant. Visiting vineyards, breweries, distilleries and of course farms. Doing courses, attending tastings, opening bottles and having fun along the way.

Our chefs aren’t shy in coming forward either. Night-time reading seems to be cutting edge cook books from around the world. Forever with the whats ifs. Can we pair this with that and definitely that with this! Evolving and change but sometimes staying the same, after all you can’t always mess with the classics.

Together we hope to create a space where you can relax and enjoy really good food with really good wines, you bring the really good company and we’ll bring the really good service. Put it all together and that’s what great memories are made of.

meet the team

our wines

ely is a wine lover’s paradise

Since 1999, ely has been at the forefront – being the first to truly deliver great wines by the glass and by the bottle. ely has revolutionized the wine and wine bar scene in Dublin and continues to pioneer wine through its knowledge and research, repeatedly being awarded best wine bar and best wine experience in Ireland.

We love nothing more than to connect our customers with the winemakers we know and respect through a great glass of wine. Whether it’s a ‘cool climate’ Shiraz from the Yarra Valley, an intriguing Grechetto from Umbria, an eye opening Pinot from Costers del Segre or an aged Chenin Blanc from the Loire, we’ve tasted it and decided to share it. We don’t seek out the cheapest or most expensive wines, but rather those that are true to their origin, their terroir and their creators. Wines that reward.

Passionate about wine, we are always on hand to talk to customers about the wine they like to drink, and to help educate those who are interested to learn more.

 

 

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