A sweet Saturday morning

Parked at Arnotts to get some walking in the sunshine :)

Sean went to get his hair cut... 

First stop was Abercrombie & Fitch to get my future brother in law's birthday present (He wanted Fierce because he unfortunately smashed the last bottle he got!) 

Then I visited The Cupcake Bloke to pick up some of their 4th of July cupcakes. I chose Boston Creme and Peanut Butter & Jelly / Jam. 

From there I went to Kaph on Drury Street to get some new beans. 

I got myself an iced Americano and a Madeleine and sat down the back which is a great spot for people watching. Iced Americano was so nice I ended up getting a second one to take away!!!! 

Met Sean and we stopped in at Fallon and Byrne to get food for dinner that evening. 

Then we went to Parfumarija where I spent quite a while choosing my birthday present (an incredible place!) before going to Krust Bakery. 

I managed not to give in to getting a cronut or donur and tried their Nitro Cold Brew which they launched last week - really v good but might be considered a bit of an acquired taste! 

Just a v sweet sunny July Saturday morning! I'll leave you with this street art I spotted on Abbey Street. 

Midweek rambling

During the week I usually spend a lot of time typing out stuff relating to insurance claims and I don't post but I'm sat at my desk this morning drinking my Kaph Blend 3FE coffee and having my new Belvita Tops for breakfast and have realised I never posted about food at the weekend. 

Up very early Saturday morning. First stop was Bretzel Bakery on Lennox Street. Wanted to get bread rolls for dinner that evening. Bought two mini ciabatta and some healthy brown rolls. Also ended up buying an éclair and a toffee apple sponge :) 

These went very nicely with our coffee on Sunday. Sean went to get his hair cut and I went for a little ramble in the sunshine before heading to Kaph on Drury Street for coffee. 

While I was trying to decide what beans I wanted to buy I ordered an Americano and one of their Madeleines that I find always go very nicely with their coffee.

 For a change it was completely empty! 

I took a seat down the back of the shop which meant I could look along the length and people watch in between checking Twitter, Facebook and Yelp (Just joined and was looking at places to go in Munich and Berlin next month) Still hadn't made my mind up about the coffee so I ordered a second Americano and then decided on the Kaph blend. They offered to grind the beans for me but seeing as we have the machine at home that does this when we're ready to make coffee I declined. Having an Aeropress version of it this morning and it is just lovely. The only thing wrong is the view of the cream wall in front of me :(  

Left Kaph  and met Sean. We went to Fallon and Byrne to pick up fresh chillies, red onion, barbecue sauce and sausages for the barbecue that evening (it was far too cold to actually eat outside though) We chose their chipolatas, chorizo sausages and chilli sausages which were yum. "The Beef" signage above their meat counter made me giggle… The stuff of cowboy's dreams and the girls are quite partial too, it seems! 

Back out into the sunshine and had to make a stop at The Cupcake Bloke on Coppinger Row (I know, sooo predictable!) 

New to choose from this week were Boston crème and vanilla cupcakes supporting the Yes Equality campaign… 

The Boston crème was deliciously moist and they didn't last that long - which is why there is not photographic evidence of the oozy centre. The vanilla cupcakes are €2 each and 50c from each sale is going to the Yes Equality campaign. Kept the vanilla cupcake until Monday to brighten up my evening. What a yummy way to show your support :) 

Coffee!!!

(Picture taken at The Coffee Shot, Sandyford) 

This post is about my favourite coffee places but seeing as it is usually accompanied by cake I figure it's relevant here... 

I know Starbucks are popping up all over Dublin. In fact we have a Starbucks in the building I work in outside of the city centre and at last count there are another four of them in or around the shopping centre that's across the road from the building!!! My caffeine habit runs to two grande Americanos with extra shots a day - it does the job but doesn't remotely compare to any of the following places!! 

Avoca 

I've been to almost all of the Avocas in Ireland at this stage. Belfast and Molls Gap are the only two left to visit. Favourite Avoca for coffee has to be Kilmacanogue (I think I must have over 30 Facebook checkins at this location!) 

I love their breakfasts (particularly their French toast or bacon baps!) but their pancakes in Suffolk St are pretty damn good! 

I do have a terribly sweet tooth so their scones and cheesecakes are most definitely my ideal accompaniment to their coffee... 

Fallon and Byrne 

Exchequer Street, Dublin 2 and People's Park, Dun Laoghaire

Only had take away at People's Park on a very miserable day. Must return to try the restaurant out properly! 

Have eaten at all three floors at Exchequer Street by now. No matter where we went to have dinner in 2014 we nearly always found ourselves at the 

ground floor at Exchequer St for dessert!! 

Love the wine cellar for the charcuterie boards or the house chicken liver pate followed by some fab desserts and coffee!!

3fe

Lr Grand Canal St, Dublin 2 

Was that keen to try there that we sat outside in the rain barely covered by their canopy!! Got the espresso tastings and I can tell you it was bloody worth almost getting a cold for :) 

Roasted brown

Filmbase, Temple Bar

Don't let the fact that it's right in the centre of touristville put you off this lovely airy spot. Great gourmet (!) coffee and cake. They also have great brunch and lunch menus that includes breakfast burritos, pulled pork sandwich and a Reuben! 

But for our first visit we stuck with cake.. 

Two Fifty Square Coffee

Williams Park, Rathmines. Not in the city centre and parking can be tricky but this place does really great coffee & cookies. Be adventurous and get the aeropress! 

Their cookies are perfect for sharing (if you feel generous!!) 

Queen of Tarts 

Pretty sure this is a Dublin institution that needs no introduction or too much reviewing!! Amazing tarts anytime we've visited. Last visit - warm chocolate pecan tart and a lemon meringue tart. 

Kaph

Yes this is hipster central on Drury St but that should take nothing away from the cakes and the 3fe coffee they serve! 

The Happy Pear

Main Street, Greystones 

OK so it is a bit of a trek to get to but if you ever do fancy caffeine heating and healthy cake after completing the Bray to Greystones walk this is definitely the place to visit! 

Hope you enjoy discovering that there is coffee in Dublin other than Starbucks!