Brought to you by Guinness Time

The workday is done and it's time for a little tipple.

We've always loved a pint of Guinness. However, we only recently discovered that our old favourite drink is actually the perfect complement to several of our favourite foods. You might not have considered Guinness as a dinner drink before, but once you do everything will be different. We are now changed diners. Our eyes and tastebuds have been opened to a more flavour-filled world. We've been trying loads of different dishes, and here are our top five favourite foods that we'll never eat again without a pint of the good stuff. If you want to try out some of the pairings below, you should head along to the Guinness 232°C festival, happening this September and October. It's on over three weekends in three different Dublin bars (The Bernard Shaw, Bonobo and Jam Park) and is celebrating the art of cooking over a live fire. Each weekend will feature a different chef cooking the food that they cook best. Check out our previous article to read all about the festival and how you can book tickets (they're only €10 for a pint and TWO dishes!). But now, onto the food.

1. Oysters

You thought wine was the go-to drink for oysters, didn't you? And we do still love white wine and oysters but turns out we actually adore a bowl of oysters paired with a pint of Guinness. Something about the two of them together just works so well. Sorry, white wine.

2. Ramen

Yes, students. Ramen. This one may come as a surprise but the creaminess of a Guinness just goes so well with the saltiness of the ramen that we honestly can't get enough. It's completely crucial that you have proper ramen though with all the bits thrown in. We're talking seaweed, veggies, spices etc. If you try to pair a Guinness with that instant chicken powder and nothing else you're going to have a bad time. Only the best goes with the best. You will actually be able to try this unique pairing at the Guinness 232° festival that's happening soon. More on that below!

3. Shepherd's Pie

A classic combo. You can't really get more Irish than this, can you?

3. Ribs

I mean, this is just a fun time. Trying to drink your pint while your fingers are all covered in BBQ sauce is a challenge all by itself. They work a treat together.

4. Tacos

Another surprise. We're not going to lie – we did not think these would go together but we were very pleasantly surprised. The Guinness was refreshing enough to complement the spicy bite of the tacos. They are very different flavours but somehow work really well put together.

5. Chocolate pudding

Basically anything chocolate, really. We already knew that Guinness and chocolate was a winning combination so this one wasn't a surprise. We're going to go with chocolate pudding or chocolate soufflé as our favourite, though, because those desserts are just the best anyway and we think the warmth of the chocolate goes extra well with the creaminess of the Guinness. Delicious. Are any of these new to you or have we picked out a couple of your favourites too? If you've not tried any of these yet we suggest you get on it pronto. Your tastebuds will thank you. Brought to you by Guinness Time