Paul Dignam literally owns The Revolution. He tells us more about his artisan pizza & craft beer restaurant in Rathgar.
Who started The Revolution?
I believe the Revolution in the Dublin restaurant scene was brought about by a younger generation who had been traveling all over Europe, The States, and Australia, and seeing more choice, better service, and higher quality local offerings. Six years living in San Diego and traveling to places such as New York, London, Brussels really opened my eyes, and inspired me to open somewhere casual, with great food, beer and service.
The development of ‘neighbourhood’ food scenes is one of the standout developments in recent years. What have you noticed about your customers and their taste/selections?
I have definitely noticed changes in the three years we have been operating, but always felt a strong support from the local community here in Rathgar and surrounding areas. In our first year, the changes were more internal as we took time to figure out who we truly were, and what we were most passionate about. Our customers have always been open to trying our different flavour combinations, or beer recommendations. When we started serving weekend brunch in early 2016, again we got great support and feedback from locals and visitors alike. I think having a great team of knowledgeable staff who have developed a level of trust with the regular customers over the years really helps.
You serve ‘artisan’ pizzas and ‘craft’ beer – how adventurous are your customers when it comes to this. What is your favourite/most popular pairing of the two?
I think pizza and beer is such a great combination. It can be casual midweek meal with a friend, or date night on a weekend. Our pizzas try to deliver great ingredients and flavour combinations, while keeping that feel good factor that a great pizza delivers.
The perfect beer and pizza combination for me is one that works together and compliments each other. One of my favourites is the ‘local’ pizza which has roasted chicken, caramelised onions, ricotta, mozzarella, rocket leaves, and lemon zest. Something like White Hags’ session IPA really works well, as the citrus hoppy undertones and aromas are highlighted from the fresh lemon zest on the pizza.
Revolution also makes a point in ensuring people know who your suppliers are from Toons Bridge Dairy for mozzarella to your chicken, beef, pork and wild boar from Donovans in Kildare. How did you go about sourcing them?
We are constantly looking to improve here, from our food, the service and the environment itself. When the guys at Toons Bridge Dairy came to us, I felt that they had a product that was superior to many others on the market, and worked perfectly with our style of pizza.
We were happy to support another Irish business, who was doing what they loved, and that shone through in the final product, great cheese!
What is your favourite pizza restaurant in the city (beside your own)?
There is some great pizza available in Dublin at the moment. Manifesto in Rathmines as well as Forno 500 both make great traditional Italian pizzas. The guys at Dublin Pizza company are putting out great pizza too.
You recently finished some renovations at the restaurant, can you tell us anything about that?
Yea, we closed the restaurant for three weeks in June to undertake some changes to open the restaurant up and create a bit more space. We also wanted to put more of our stamp design wise on the place. As well as additional seating, we feel there is a better flow to the restaurant, and a livelier atmosphere. We are also able to accommodate bigger groups which has been brilliant, especially during weekend brunches.
What does 2018 hold for the Revolution?
We are always looking for ways to improve and make the most of any opportunities as they arise. There have been some requests that we open up for lunch midweek, so that is an area we are looking into. I have already started working on a few initial menu ideas, so people will have to stay tuned to our social media channels to find out what and when is coming next!
10 Terenure Road East, Rathgar, Dublin 6
01-4064104
