Saturday tour of Dublin

Woke up pretty early this morning so decided to go for breakfast rather than lunch... 

Chose Hatch & Sons at The Little Museum of Dublin on St. Stephen's Green. 

Walk down the external steps into the basement of 15 St. Stephen's Green into a v cute little courtyard. 

Really old fashioned fireplace takes centre stage as you walk in the door (you can just about make it out in the above photo!) and an entrance that's looks like it should be the front of someone's house leads you to another seating area.  It looks like a house drawn by a child as they imagine a house with windows on either side of the door.. Afraid my fiancé refused to take a photo to share as I couldn't get a good angle from my seat but if you decide to visit you'll see what I mean.

The all day menu... 

We got a pot of filter coffee. I ordered the bakers basket (brown soda bread, scone & half a blaa - all toasted & served with butter and jam or marmalade).Fiancé ordered porridge and we (rather boldly) decided to have dessert at breakfast and ordered an apple streusel cake! 

Left there & visited Sheridan's cheesemongers on South Anne Street to pick up some cheddar for a cheese & charcuterie board we'll be trying next Saturday evening. This place is amazing. They have a wonderful selection of cheeses (obv!) along with chutneys, relishes, wine, crackers and a small butchers / charcuterie place. The smells are unbelievable and if you like cheese you can't miss a visit here!

Onto Arnotts on Henry St then for a quick visit to Wines Direct for a bottle of bubbles. Lovely spot in the basement of Arnotts (Abbey St side) 

Walked across the Ha'penny bridge then into Temple Bar for a stop into Roasted Brown (Curved Street where Filmbase is and not too far from the Wall of Fame) to pick up some new beans for the (space age) bean to cupcoffee machine..

I love the space here!! Think it's how Temple Bar should be seen this morning - rather than the sights of many business owners having to clean the streets after another messy Friday night...!

From Roasted Brown we walked to Fallon & Byrne on Exchequer Street so I could pick up some bread to go with Italian Meatballs I got in James Whelan Butchers at Avoca Kilmacanogue last week. This is what you now see when you walk in the door and I think it's impressive. Bread induced drool may be a possibility!! (I chose a Ciabatta in case you're wondering) 

And as I may have mentioned I am a massive fan of The Cupcake Bloke!!! Even though I had two yesterday thanks to my fiancé picking some up while he was in town I couldn't resist another visit to try out more of the Valentine's Day 

Here are the ones we had yesterday...

Red Velvet

Chocolate / last Rolo

Coffee and Amaretto

 

Today's view 

As much as I enjoyed the red velvet and chocolate ones yesterday I decided I'd attempt as many flavours as possible so today we've picked up vanilla, raspberry, blueberry (gluten free), cookies and cream and another coffee and amaretto one! 

Last stop was Blackrock cellar to pick up some beer for the IRE v ITA six nations game this afternoon. Picked up a bottle of Founders Big Lushious (Rasbperry &Chocolate  stout) to share when we're munching chipsticks ☺️

🍀💚 !!!!COYBIG!!!! 💚🍀

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!