Starting Again On South Great George's Street

After Mint, many people expected McGrath to open another fine dining room. He did the opposite. In August 2010 he opened Rustic Stone on South Great George's Street in Dublin^[1].

It was his first venture after Mint closed^[2]. The idea was simple. Good food at fair prices, for people who had been priced out of eating out during the boom years^[3].

Hot Stones

Rustic Stone was famous for its hot stones. Guests could finish cooking their own meat or fish at the table^[3]. It was fun, healthy and easy to understand. Georgina Campbell's guide called it simple and sensationally successful from the very start^[3].

A Partnership

Rustic Stone was his first venture with business partner Vincent Melinn^[4]. Together they built a group. By 2018 they ran four Dublin city-centre businesses, with a reported yearly turnover of €17 million and more than 300 staff^[4].

The building became the heart of his world. On its top floor he set up a development kitchen, where the recipes for the whole group were created^[2]. Above the restaurant, in June 2015, he opened Taste at Rustic^[2].

From Chef To Owner

His role changed. He no longer worked a section every night. He oversaw the pass, the specials and the planning^[4]. The young chef who chased stars had become a restaurateur.

Rustic Stone ran for fourteen years. In August 2024, with costs rising across the trade, McGrath closed it with immediate effect, along with Brasserie Sixty6^[1]. It had seated 120 guests^[1].

Its legacy was clear. Rustic Stone proved that McGrath could survive the end of Mint and build something new from scratch, and it gave thousands of Dubliners their first taste of his cooking^[1][3].