Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Dublin Live
Dublin Live
Entertainment
Brian Dillon

The stunning Italian restaurant under Connolly Station you had no idea existed

The excitement of finding something so lovely in the last place you would expect is a rather thrilling experience.

If you happened to stumble across this gorgeous little Italian restaurant in Connolly Station, you'll know the feeling.

Fasta is located on the lower level of Connolly Station. Enter through the IFSC and you'll find it on your left, or enter on Amiens Street at the doors across the road from Talbot Street and you'll see the sign after the stairs up to the platforms.

The lovely little eatery is complete with an area at the front decorated with lights and plants and a stunning interior down a set of steps that offers up a little slice of Italy in the centre of Dublin.

Read more: I paid €4 for leftovers from a Dublin cafe and here's what I got

Having first opened up in September 2020, Fasta has been delighting unsuspecting commuters and travellers passing through Connolly Station, as well as pasta enthusiasts who have discovered the hidden gem on platforms like TikTok.

Dublin Live caught up with Fasta owner Noel Reilly who described the eatery's authentic Italian offering on how it came to be.

He explained: "I had the idea for it around 2016. I got really into making pasta, was looking around for a location for a couple of years and then found this place near the end of 2019."

Fasta's menu consists of dishes such as Carbonara, Amatricianna, Pesto Genovese and Arrabbiata. Additionally, customers can enjoy wine, beer or an Aperol Spritz in this atmospheric setting which features a mural by a talented Irish artist and a poster wall completed by Noel and his brother.

Noel, who is also an A&E doctor, was studying in Italy in 2015 and fell in love with the place and its food. The next year, he returned with his girlfriend and travelled to a number of places in Northern Italy.

"I was blown away by the food and how easy and casual it was. It was very affordable," he told us.

"At the time, there wasn't really anything like that I was aware of in Ireland. We had the idea for this place. We make all of our pasta fresh every morning. Because we make it fresh in the morning, it takes far less time to cook, only about two minutes.

"All the dishes stay very true to how it's done in Italy. We do some of the prep ahead of time, but a lot of the stuff is just cooked to order from scratch."

Naturally, Noel's ambient restaurant in an unexpected Dublin location has invoked some joyous reactions.

He revealed: "The whole place is based on a part of Rome called Trastevere. There are lots of awnings with leaves and stuff. It's a very cool bohemian casual area. I wanted to make it an escape so that's what the music does.

"The playlist is hours of Italian music. It's meant to transport you away from your usual day to day with a romantic notion of Italy.

"We're a big hit with the Italians. One came on a Wednesday and again on a Thursday. He said that I should take it as a big compliment."

Fasta is open Wednesday to Sunday from 12pm until 9pm.

Read more: Dublin restaurant Mad Egg to open in new location and fans think they know where it is

Read more: Dublin chipper says you can eat their food '5 times a week' and stay healthy

Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.