Written by Melanie May
I never really get time to eat when I go to the airport as I am usually that very stressed person running through the airport late, again, for that flight.
So when I was asked to come down and have a look around Marqette, the market style eatery in Dublin Airport, I thought this was a great opportunity to check out what I have been missing.
Marqette serves up a huge variety of food, and not just any food but the best in Irish produce, sourcing the best quality produce from passionate local suppliers in North County Dublin and the menus reflect seasonal availability.
When I arrived I was instantly struck by how calm and relaxed the whole place was compared to the hustle and bustle of the terminal. The place is laid out beautifully so you can wander and browse around all the different offerings, just like you would in any food market.
There are huge salad bars with fresh, bright looking tartlets, quiches and open-faced sandwiches as well as creative mixed salads. Marqette makes ‘being good’ so easy. Well, that is until you spy the fresh artisan bakery where you can watch the bakers make delicious tempting treats right in front of you. Time it right and you can have a fresh warm scone or croissant out of the oven. Is there any greater food pleasure? Not in my book.
I wander from stall to stall wondering what to have. The hot stone pizzas and flat breads look perfectly crisp and all that oozing melting cheese is making my mouth water as is the smell of the rotisserie chicken and roast meat wafting from the ovens. But then, out of the corner of my eye, I spy a vintage Citroen ‘Henry’ van and I head over to see what foodie fayre is available there. Inside the van a chef is cooking up fresh meals to order and on today’s menu is Thai beef (or veggie) green curry with savoury rice.
I head over to the seating area, which can seat 370 people and I pick a seat by the window so I can do some plane-spotting as I eat. The super chirpy server asks if I’d like anything to drink. She tells me that the bar does really great mocktails with the specialty being the ‘Starbust’. It was delicious and I’d love to tell you what was in it, but I don’t know. But it was very refreshing and I slurped it to the end.
My meal was very tasty, cooked perfectly with crisp veg, tender strips of beef and a really well flavoured coconut curry sauce. To finish I had two desserts, yes, I know, but it was a Friday! The lemon meringue pie had a really nice shortcrust pastry base and a super fresh lemon filling. The fruit tart was super fresh with a really lovely rich cream patisserie. I washed these down with a perfectly brewed barista coffee.
Of course, not everybody has the time to sit down to a meal and drink, or coffee and cake before their departure so Maqette caters for those looking for something to grab and fly. You can fill take away containers with salad bar items and pay by weight, or they have pre-made salad boxes and sandwiches as well as confectionary and fresh fruit. To quench your thirst there are bottled drinks, including alcohol and hot beverages. Maqette even has a dedicated gluten free area with lots of GF tasty treats.
For those on morning flights, fresh crepes and omelettes are whipped up in no time and there is a hot breakfast buffet.
Marqette is passed airport security in Terminal 1 and opens at 4am and closes after the last flight has departed. Flying from T2? No problem, if you have the time, you can walk from T2 to T1 and enjoy all that Marqette has to offer, just make sure you leave enough time to catch your flight.
