Looking for a special spot where you can enjoy good coffee (and treats) while you work (or simply watch the world go by)? …
Sometimes, it’s time to step away from the office (or kitchen table) and into one of these cool coffee hubs to convene with like-minded people. Just remember to be aware of your surroundings and taking up too much space, plus be respectful and don’t hog the plug! Here are some of our favourite spots around Dublin.
Shoe Lane, Tara Street, Dublin 2
Step into vintage vibes with Singer machines and traditional shoe-making materials in the window of this special café, which were donated by nearby Tara Leather, the last of a row of cobblers that made up Shoe Lane, now known as Tara Street. Smack bang in the middle of Dublin city, the Tara Street location opened in 2016, with a second spot in Dun Laoghaire opened in 2018. The vintage timber you can admire in both locations is over 150 years old, salvaged from a nearby warehouse and used to handcraft the floorboards, seating and counter. Instead of fashioning footwear, Shoe Lane now crafts speciality coffee for the fleet of commuters and caffeine lovers that flock here in search of a quality cup. Open seven days a week, they also specialise in organic pastries, cakes, healthy treats, sourdough toasties and artisan sausage rolls (with vegan options too), some secret menu items and a secluded upstairs area for working. Plus, they’re dog-friendly. Just don’t tell anyone or it’ll be swamped!
The Fumbally, The Liberties, Dublin 8
Aisling and Luca took over a vacant building on the corner of Fumbally Lane in 2012 after years of working together in festivals and travelling the world to bring back ideas. The Fumbally Stables was created in 2015, an old stables building next door to the café that allowed the couple to explore more of the cultural and education based work they’re interested in. From yoga and meditation classes to talks, film screenings, small weddings, food event series and fermentation workshops, The Stables means that The Fumbally is more than just a café. In 2020, they reinvented as The Fumbally Shop where they now sell seasonal fruit and veg or wine, if you’re in the mood for a liquid lunch! The Fumbally operates a circular kitchen, meaning that everyone shares responsibility and creative input, with a profit share scheme for staff. The perfect place to work in convivial surroundings, if you ask us.
Clement & Pekoe, South William Street & Blessington Street
This independent Irish business has locations both north and south side to serve up our two favourite cuppas, tea and coffee. The flagship café and retail emporium is on bustling South William Street, with their production HQ and café on Blessington Street. To say that they’re passionate about high-grade loose-leaf tea and direct-trade coffee is an understatement! Their tea stockists include Avoca, Bread 41, Irish Design Shop, Uno Mas, Daha Wellness, Scéal, Ballyfin, Adare Manor and even Trombone Coffee in Paris and Portobello Market in Budapest. Coffee roasters include Imbibe and Upside in Dublin, Pinecone in Wicklow, Climpson & Sons in London and The Barn in Berlin. If you can’t get enough midweek, their resident tea sommelier Jenna also hosts 90-minute Saturday tea classes discussing the history of tea, tea varieties and guided brewing with a goodie bag to take home that would make a great gift for tea lovers in your life.
Mind The Step, Strand Street, Dublin 1
Joined through dancing and coffee, Marta and Seán grew this dream together of creating a home for both, housing a social café on the ground floor, and two dance studios in the mezzanine and basement for when you need to let loose! Refuel with toasties and sausage rolls, plus vegetarian options. It stays open late, but be warned that it can get busy as dancers arrive and leave or students stretch and have meetings. If you don’t mind some chatter, it’s a lively place to watch the locals come and go, and you may even learn a few new moves for the dancefloor.
Hatch, Blackrock & Glasthule, Co Dublin
From Melbourne inspiration to Dublin success, Mealla Tarrant’s Hatch Coffee is thriving. Two neighbourhood coffee shops serving tasty treats by the sea in Blackrock village and Glasthule, THE GLOSS team has been big fans of Hatch since it opened during the pandemic. It’s always busy, but welcomes those who need a perch to work. Get that document started over Hatch’s incomparable scrambled eggs or one of their cinnamon buns. If a suburban setting is what you are looking for, then Hatch in Blackrock is for you. They also sell their own line of flasks and reusable cups with gorgeous illustrations you can buy instore.
SEE MORE: 6 New Immersive Food And Drink Experiences In Dublin
Do you have a favourite spot or know of any hip new openings? Email details to digital@thegloss.ie