The SABA WAY
It is a dream come true for me and Tao. Seeing the brand grow from strength to strength over the past 17 years is something I am immensely proud of.
17 years later, three restaurants, three takeaways, two food trucks and over 150 staff, and with lots of exciting activity in the pipeline.
Paul Cadden – Owner
The story of how Saba started over 20 years ago when Tao and I became close friends. What brought us together was a passion for authentic Thai cuisine, a love for hospitality and the fact we love being in each other’s company. A brother from another mother is how I’d describe Tao. We both grew up in our family food businesses, Tao in Bangkok and I in Westport. We both trained internationally and as a result have the same mindset, high standards and love of a challenge.
One Great Idea
In 2005, I went to Thailand to meet Tao and tell him the plan to open a restaurant. I had no team, no chefs, no money and most importantly no building, but I had a great idea! Before signing the contract on Clarendon Street, my dad and I travelled to Thailand in the hope of getting Tao to come back to Ireland and get on board the Saba dream. He said he had plans but would make enquiries for chefs on my behalf.
Familiar faces
That evening we met for dinner in a restaurant on the Chao Praya river, a beautiful spot with the longtail boats whizzing past and the river breeze providing a welcome respite from the humidity of Bangkok city. As we walked in Tao was already there and behind him were four familiar faces: Paek, Lek, Ting and Addy– all of whom I had worked with previously. Tao announced they wanted to be part of the new project and would return to Dublin. This was an unexpected but welcome surprise. The Singha beers tasted sweeter that night, there was no going back. It was game on.
Going from Strength to Strength
Since then, we have gone from strength to strength, with the Saba Restaurant Group comprising three Saba restaurants, three Saba To Go takeaway and two Food Trucks. We have won numerous awards and accolades. We import our key ingredients directly from Thailand and work with Irish producers and growers to champion our amazing produce.
Passion and Commitment
It’s our team that makes it all happen, their passion and commitment, their sense of fun and wanting to make every guest happy. They create friendships and care for each other, and their extended families.
The words ‘Sa’ and ‘Ba’ mean ‘happy meeting place’ and this sums up what Saba is all about. A place to meet friends and family and enjoy reasonably priced, delicious authentic food with fantastic cocktails and professional friendly service. I love the buzz of a busy night – the chatter, fun and laughter, the clinking of glasses, the beat of the music – people truly having a happy time.
Sanook {Enjoy}
Paul.
Our Values
SABA means ‘happy meeting place’, so our very first aim is to provide happy experiences and memories for our customers. As soon as you step inside Saba you can expect a smile, friendly, professional service, and a happy vibe.
Our chefs work with genuine, Asian-sourced ingredients. The authentic flavours are ensured by sourcing herbs and vegetables from Thai farmers in Bangkok. We also source products from local Irish suppliers and producers to guarantee high quality and freshness.
We have implemented new sustainability strategies through the Fifty Shades Greener Programme which help us measure, manage and reduce our environmental impact.
All of our dishes have been carefully selected, using the best quality ingredients. We have worked with various Nutritional specialists to highlight the nutritional elements of each dish and make improvements where needed.
Not only does Saba create a family atmosphere at work, but our team is also full of generations of families who have come from Thailand. We are proud to have 18 staff who have worked with us for over 10 years.
Awards
Saba is a multi-award-winning restaurant and takeaway. We have won numerous National Just-Eat Awards, including Best Thai in Ireland for four consecutive years, Best Takeaway to Spicebag and Curry Excellence. Beyond culinary achievements, Saba’s awards extend to the best cocktail bar, best cocktail, customer service, casual dining experience, and sustainable practices, by esteemed institutions like the Irish Restaurant Awards and Yes Chef Awards.
Additionally, Saba’s cookbook has garnered global acclaim. The Cookbook beat prestigious competition from around the globe and went on to win many awards including ‘The Gourmand Award: Best Asian Cookbook in the World’ as well as ‘Best Asian Cookbook in the World in the last 20 years’. The Gourmand Awards are otherwise known as the ‘Oscars of the cookbook world’ in the publishing world.
Saba has been an Official Partner of the Irish Women’s Hockey Team since 2019 and fuels the team’s training sessions and games.
The Saba team has worked closely with the team nutritionist and management to provide meals and nutrition for the players. The partnership with the Women’s Hockey Ireland team is something the team at Saba is extremely proud of, as not only do we get to work with highly inspirational and dedicated women in sport, but we also get to highlight the importance of nutrition and how Saba is not only tasty but also healthy and nutritious.
Our Charities
We believe in doing good as a happy consequence, so we’ve chosen to support several very deserving charities. We have worked with a range of local and International charities and hosted various fundraising activities to raise vital funds for our charity partners.
Notable among these partnerships are Anam Cara, focusing on supporting bereaved parents and families, The Saba Cookbook which contributes proceeds to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin and Thai Red Cross, supporting their humanitarian efforts in Thailand. Saba’s commitment to philanthropy is evident through its ongoing support for these impactful causes.
To help give back to the planet, we’ve teamed up with Friends of the Earth, the world’s largest network of environmental groups. For every green curry sold, we make a donation to Friends of the Earth in support of its terrific work for environmental justice and sustainability.
Anam Cara does incredible work supporting parents and families after bereavement. We’ve been privileged to help them with their fundraisers.
We created an award- winning CookBook so that all proceeds from the CookBook would go to the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit in Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin.
Christina Noble set up the foundation to help alleviate child poverty in Vietnam and Mongolia. The Foundation has held its annual fundraising dinner in Saba for many years.
Thanks to the huge success of SABA: The Cookbook, we were able to donate €3,500 of proceeds to the Thai Red Cross in 2013.
What our customers say
Eatery & Cocktail Bar
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FAQs
Need more information? We have everything you need to know below in our FAQ section.
Saba, South William Street, Dublin 2
7 William St S, Dublin 2, D02 CV65
T: 01-6792000, www.sabadublin.com
Saba, Baggot Street, Dublin 4
22 Baggot Street Upper, Dublin 4, D04 W5R2
T: 01-5631999, www.sabadublin.com
Saba, Kildare Village
Kildare, Nurney Road, Co. Kildare, R51 R265
T: +353-1-45574445, www.sabadublin.com
- Saba South William Street is open from 12 to late 7 days a week.
- Saba Baggot Street is open from 12 to late Monday-Saturday and 2 to late on Sunday.
- Saba Kildare Village opens from 8.30 am serving breakfast, until 7.30 Sunday to Thursday, and 8.30 pm Friday & Saturday
You can book directly through our website HERE
Or you can contact each location directly via phone or email.
Saba, South William Street, Dublin 2
T: 01-6792000, [email protected]
Saba, Baggot Street, Dublin 4
T: 01-5631999, [email protected]
Saba, Kildare Village
T: +353-1-45574445, [email protected]
