Author: Matthew Bergstrom
Hello Coffee People! My name is Matthew and I am the Culture Development Supervisor here at Fourscore Coffee. In October I got the opportunity to travel to Ireland for a few days, and while I was there I made it a priority to hit up a fair share of coffee shops. I was amazed at the friendliness and excitement that the Dublin coffee scene had for people to come and enjoy the awesome cafés that are found in the city.
7 Haymarket Smithfield
Dublin 7, Ireland
Upon arriving in Dublin one of the first shops I was recommended to go to was Proper Order. Located near the Jameson Distillery, Proper Order is a clean, cozy, and straight up beautiful cafe. They host a multitude of awards like the Irish Brewers Cup Champion, the Irish Barista Champion, and the Best in Dublin award. Proper Order is a multi roaster serving Square Mile Coffee roaster from London and consistently has some of the best filter coffee, served alongside pastries like Guinness chocolate cake. Aliona and Sian, two of the amazing baristas, warmly welcomed us in and gave a fantastic rundown of the essential spots to hit up while enjoying Dublin. They plan on opening a new shop at the end of 2018 that will have a full kitchen and serve breakfast, lunch, and brunch on the weekends.
15 Leinster Street South
Dublin 2, Ireland
Coffeeangel is a highly successful coffee spot boasting multiple locations and is a perfect way to start a busy day. It can be found just around the corner from some of the amazing spots in Dublin. The TCD location is only a three minute walk from the Dublin National Art Gallery and the National Museum. The SAS location is perfectly placed between Grafton street, a lively and popular shopping area in Dublin, and St. Stephen’s green, one of the amazing parks in Dublin that allow you to escape the the hustle of the city. While I was there, we tried some of their pour over options including, a Morang’a Gonna Peaberry from Kenya which melted with flavors of honey and peach. If you are looking for a perfect spot to stop in and grab a pick-me-up, Coffeeangel is certain to satisfy.
54 Abbey Street Middle
Dublin 1, Ireland
Located inside of Wigwam, a Brazilian Rum bar, Vice Coffee is a fun coffee shop that blows the lid off your expectations. Low lighting and neon lights makes this a perfect place to just sit and sip. The baristas were excited to have us and gave a full rundown of the offerings, including some of their specialty coffee cocktails. We started with a natural process espresso called, “Sweet Shop” from Square Mile Coffee (which is owned by James Hoffman, author of the World Atlas of Coffee) as well as, a natural and washed process Honduras Geisha that was bursting with tangerine. As we worked through their menu, we concluded by trying some of their cocktails, which are made possible by their location inside of a bar. If you come here, their Espresso Martini (which boasts house made chocolate infused vodka) and the “Fancy Frankie” (with spiced blood orange cream) are must! Vice Coffee is a great place to go as an evening pick me up since they are open longer than most other shops, and sets you up as a launching point to the great bars and pubs for a night on the town.
Food and Play
Dublin has plenty of things to see and enjoy outside of coffee shops. Hard to believe but, I promise it’s true. One of these is Phoenix park, a massive park that is the largest enclosed recreational areas in any European City. Loaded with history and beautiful open spaces, Phoenix Park is a perfect place to spend an overcast Irish afternoon. For food, one of the hidden gems I found was Crackbird. Located near Trinity College. They serve amazing chicken wings paired with delicious sauces that is sure to satisfy. A trip to Ireland wouldn’t be complete without visiting a pub… or two… or three. While there are plenty of fantastic options like, Madigan’s, in my opinion The Brazen Head is a must. Established in 1198, it is the oldest pub in Dublin and you can feel the years as you walk in. A great place to enjoy a Guinness and a good time. We had the opportunity to attend a special event called Food, Fairies, and Folklore where we got to listen to the history of the Irish people, hear the old folk stories, enjoy classic Irish dishes, and hear the old folk songs.
Galway
4 Quay Street
Galway, Ireland
If you make your way over to the west side of the Island, Coffeewerk & Press is an amazing shop that had to make the list. Situated in a three story building that took my breath away, they are the perfect blend of aesthetic design and friendly neighborhood vibe. Located in the midst of some amazing restaurants, pubs, and sweater shops (although if you want to be accurate they’re known as “jumpers” on that side of the pond). Coffeewerk & Press is a white building with yellow accents, subtly standing out as a place of respite and relaxation. The bottom level is the coffee shop, where they serve up pour overs from Calendar Roasters and espresso from Coffee Collective in Copenhagen. On the second level there was an area for sitting with a beautiful window seat, a record player that was playing French jazz at the time, and displays with locally made artisan products. At the top of the shop is a small art gallery that displays work from local artists and prints available for purchase. While you're in town, it’s also essential to check out Murphy’s Ice Cream, a family owned shop with locations sprinkled all around Ireland. With flavors that are sure to delight such as, “Gin” as well as, “The Garden” which is whatever happens to be growing in their garden at the time.
Dublin is truly a rich city full of culture and life, and deserves to be enjoyed slowly. The Locals are friendly and usually willing to help get you where you need to go or offer a suggestion on the best ways to enjoy the city. The only issue with traveling to Dublin is that you won’t have enough time to do everything!
Honorable mentions: 3fe, Meet me in the Morning, The Fumbally
Cheers, and stay classy coffee tribe.