| The Italian Quarter | |
| Native Name: | An Ceathrú Iodálach[1] |
| Settlement Type: | Area of Dublin |
| Pushpin Map: | Ireland Central Dublin#Dublin |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Dublin |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Ireland |
| Subdivision Type1: | City |
| Subdivision Name1: | Dublin |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal district |
| Postal Code: | D01 |
The Italian Quarter is an unofficially-named private development on the north bank of the River Liffey in central Dublin, Ireland.[2] The development comprises Bloom Lane, a pedestrianised alley, and the properties located along both sides of it, including an apartment complex known as Quartiere Bloom.[3] [4] In 2019, Italy Magazine named the area as one of the places to find "one of the more convincing approximations of mangiare all'italiana" in Dublin.
With "European-style" dining establishments and cafes, the Italian Quarter is one of several mixed-use quarters that have appeared in Dublin since the 1990s, promoted by the Dublin City Council and private developers.[5]
Originally developed by MEP Mick Wallace as part of an urban regeneration project on what was considered the 'decaying northern quays', the 'Italian Quarter' opened in 2004.[6] [7] His former building company M&J Wallace was the main developer.[8] Designed by architect George Morris, the development retained the facade of an older building on the quays. The frontage was cut through to create a pedestrian access route extending from the Millennium Bridge through the Italian Quarter to a zebra crossing, leading to the rest of the Millennium Walkway and the Jervis stop on the Luas Red Line.
Wallace, an Italophile who once owned property in Turin and a vineyard in Piedmont, declared bankruptcy in 2016. In February 2023, the Irish Independent reported that the holding company Wallace Calcio, which he exited but continued to advise, was associated with 10 businesses including wine bars, restaurants, and cafes near the Italian Quarter.[9]
Italian eateries in the quarter include Caffe Cagliostro, located alongside the iconic photo mural Dublin's Last Supper; Wallace's Taverna, a restaurant and pizzeria that first opened in 2005;[10] Sfuso, formerly known as Enoteca Delle Langhe, a gastronomia or deli and wine bar serving aperitivo;[11] and Bar Italia, whose pasta dishes often appear on social media.[12] Despite the name, the Italian Quarter is also home to a Thai restaurant,[13] a burrito shop,[14] and other establishments, including a hookah bar.[15]
See main article: Dublin's Last Supper. A large-scale photographic artwork by Irish artist John Byrne entitled Dublin's Last Supper was installed in 2004 covering the side of a wall within the courtyard in the Italian Quarter. Depicting a modern-day re-enactment of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, Byrne added an 'Irish twist' by replacing the Biblical characters with a cast of local Dubliners that reflected the "changing society and the growing cultural mix in Dublin" at the time.[16]
Although it stirred some controversy when it was first unveiled, over the years, Dublin's Last Supper has become one of the more popular public artworks located across Dublin.[17]