Ciara McQuillan finds bakeries with extra oomph…
ELLIOT’S
When the sandwich legends behind Oxmantown Café in Dublin 7 opened Elliot’s Microbakery in 2022, it was a gamble that paid off in spades.
THE SCOOP Get there early for buttery brioche buns with rhubarb and vanilla compote and vanilla crème légère, famous pistachio maritozzi, or brown butter and sourdough treacle tart. Don’t miss the lunchtime baguettes filled with slices of Irish salted butter and ham for under €5 which leaves more money for buns, pies, pastries, bread and cakes.
WHAT ELSE Elliot’s also stock a range of fresh salads each day from Oxmantown. Elliot’s, 330 North Circular Road, Phibsborough, Dublin 7, Tuesday-Saturday from 8:30am-3pm (or until sold out); www.elliots.ie.
RUSSELL STREET BAKERY
It’s enough to know that the same baking talent and skill that brought us Tartine Bakery is behind Russell Street Bakery, so you can rest assured that you are in good, butter-soaked hands. Thibault Peigne took over the space in 2023 and has been showcasing his skills ever since.
THE JAM Bread, pastries and cakes change daily but rest assured, everything is very good. On a rolling basis you will see buttery pain au chocolat, and in fact pain of all kinds; au raisin, and Suisse. You’ll also find classic croissants, addictive almond croissants plus lemon meringue pies. Filled bread rolls, lavash, focaccia, quiche and excellent breads are also worth making the trip for, whatever the distance.
WHAT ELSE Open Monday- Sunday from 7am-3pm and weekends from 7.30am-3pm. Russell Street Bakery, Unit 2, Behan Square Street, Dublin 1; @russelst.bakery
COOKIE BOY
Cookie Boy opened its doors in Dublin city in February this year and cookie lovers everywhere have been rejoicing ever since. It’s a niche market limited to only selling cookies and coffee but it’s a winning formula.
THE JAM There is usually a choice of five or six cookie flavours on the counter each day, at €4 – €5 each. Flavours include strawberry cheesecake, Biscoff, blueberry cheesecake and the addictive dark chocolate pecan. Coffee starts at a reasonable €2.50 for an Americano.
WHAT ELSE Cookie Boy is open Tuesday-Sunday until 5/5.30 pm or until sold out. Cookie Boy, 20 Stephen Street Lower, Dublin 2; @cookieboydublin.
SCÉAL BAKERY, GREYSTONES
Scéal Bakery was founded nearly eight years ago, the brainchild of dynamic duo Charlotte Leonard Kane and Shane Palmer who met on the first day of their Culinary Arts degree and “haven’t left each other’s sides since”. Scéal’s first permanent café and bakery opened in Greystones at the beginning of the year and is a beautiful, light-filled space that, if possible, makes the baked goods look even more beautiful than usual.
THE JAM Scéal bakes are all about seasonality so while the flavours might change frequently, the quality remains the same. The house specialities are sourdough and laminated pastries, choux au chaquelin, fruit buns, and lemon meringue danishes among other delicious concoctions. And bread, lots and lots of bread.
WHAT ELSE Charlotte and Shane both honed their bread baking and pastry skills during time they both spent in sourdough central, San Francisco. Scéal Bakery and Café, Unit E, The Bracken, Marina Village, Greystones; www.scealbakery.com.
BREADMAN WALKING
The pandemic resulted in some inspirational food businesses, one of which is Breadman Walking, a micro bakery in Dublin 8. The “Breadman” is Gerry Godley who was swept up in the Covid-era baking mania and now bakes and sells his goodies from his home in Dublin 8.
THE JAM Menus change weekly; savoury delicacies include the house sausage rolls, and scallion sourdough focaccia sandwiches with chicken thigh, Frank’s hot sauce, crema and frankenschmaltz (rendered chicken fat). In the sweet category, not to be missed is the chocolate babka, Basque cheesecake, brioche, cinnamon buns and Flavours of Istanbul buns with pistachio, sour cherry, cardamom and cinnamon – and there are a variety of excellent breads too.
WHAT ELSE Orders are placed via DM each Wednesday for collection the following Saturday from a secret (to newbies) location in Rialto. Slots are limited so make sure to set an alarm each Wednesday so you don’t miss out! Breadman Walking; @bread_man_walking.
ARTY BAKER, VARIOUS LOCATIONS
How lucky we are that French baker Roman Tessier and his Canadian wife Suzanne Hodgkinson chose Dublin to be their home (and bakery location) in 2020. Ex-head baker at the Savoy Hotel and Hotel Café Royal in London, Roman was a contestant on Channel 4’s Bake Off, The Professionals in 2018. Now he bakes luxury breads and viennoiseries here.
THE JAM The bakers at Arty Baker bake twice a day, which means, unusually, you can pick up fresh bread in the evening. Plus, goodies such as honey and sea salt croissant, the crookie (a cookie croissant), moreish honey butter brioche toast, ham and cheese croissants and jalapeno poppers.
WHAT ELSE Roman and Suzanne have just opened a French wine and tapas bar in Kimmage called Le Petit Renard, named after a wily fox who caught the couple’s attention while walking through Dublin one evening. Arty Baker, has shops in Dalkey, Kimmage, Sandymount and Grand Canal; www.artybaker.com.
PLÚR BAKERY, CARLOW
Seamus Jordan and the team at Plúr Bakery in Carlow have taken the art of baking further than most. Wheat is sown, grown and harvested in the fields beside their bakery, before being milled into flour. This is then used to bake some of Ireland’s best bread, among other, very delicious things.
THE JAM While bread (rye, seeded sourdough, bagettes, country white) might be the star of the show, at Plúr pastries don’t exactly play second fiddle. Those with a sweet tooth will find Plúr’s miso cookies, morning buns and flaky almond croissants suitably seductive.
WHAT ELSE Plúr is stocked in a variety of shops in the Carlow and Kilkenny area and click and collect is also available as is a Bread Head subscription club. If you want to up your own bread game, Plúr stoneground wheat flour is also available to order, and Plúr runs bread-making workshops. Plúr Bakery, Carlow; www.plur.ie.
MAISON GOURMET, KENMARE
The appeal of Co Kerry should never be underestimated, considering it had the power to lure Patrick and Emma Puech from the south of France, to set up Maison Gourmet in Kenmare. And so, since 2016, Maison Gourmet has been tempting locals and visitors with its stunning range of baked goods, sandwiches, coffee and gourmet groceries.
THE JAM The selection of freshly baked breads include sourdough boule, baguettes and brown breads while pâtisserie stars include pear amandine, strawberry, lemon and apple tartlets, flan pâtissier, eclairs and congolais (coconut macaroons to you and me).
WHAT ELSE Visit at lunchtime to sample one of the excellent sandwiches on offer. There are occasional pop-up evenings too. Maison Gourmet, 6 Henry Street, Kenmare, 064 664 1857; www.maisongourmetkenmare.com.