For every sweet-breakfast lover – this is the ultimate list of the best French toast treats across the country …
Neighbourhood Café, Belfast
At Neighbourhood Café in beautiful Belfast, you can enjoy sweet and sticky maple brioche French toast with seasonal fruit and vanilla cream. Top tip: hover over any of the dishes on the menu to see the real deal as there’s nothing worse than expectation not meeting reality. It will not disappoint … especially with a tiramisu French toast we hope too see on the menu again. www.neighbourhood.cafe
Salt, Cork
Salt café wine bar serves three types of French toast, so tough decisions will need to be made unless return visits can be guaranteed. Choose between the triple berry French toast with brioche in house-made batter served with fresh berries or apple and cinnamon compote with Chantilly cream, or Canadian French toast with artisanal smoked bacon and maple syrup. Order all three to taste test or bring some home for a late night snack! www.saltcork.ie
Grangecon Kitchen, Wicklow
Grangecon Kitchen serves homemade brioche with vanilla baked plums and a custard brulee with mascarpone, flaked almonds and organic maple syrup. It’s the perfect warming treat after a frosty winter walk. www.grangeconkitchen.ie
Little Acorn Café, Baltinglass, Wicklow
At Maggie Roche’s Little Acorn Café in Baltinglass, the seasonal French toast is served with blackberries and lemon curd. I strongly suggest you pick up some of Maggie’s famous banana bread to take home, should you find it on the counter before it sells out! @littleacorncafe
Ard Bia at Nimmos, Galway
French toast with cinnamon stewed apple, Chantilly cream and toasted pecans is on the menu at the legendary Ard Bia at Nimmos in Galway City. If that is not temptation enough, the Wexford blackcurrant prosecco spritz or a hot cloudy apple juice and sea moss tonic should seal the deal. www.ardbia.com
Two Boys Brew, Dublin
Choosing what to order from the extensive brunch menu is a tough call at Two Boys Brew, but their French toast on homemade brioche with fresh blackberries, cinnamon oat crumble, crushed pecans, brown butter crumb, vanilla mousse, apple and cinnamon compote, and their delicious TBB salted caramel sauce is always a good choice. What’s better, it’s available all day, every day. www.twoboysbrew.ie
Brother Hubbard, Dublin
Various locations across Dublin might offer a different twist on ‘the Frenchie’ at Brother Hubbard, but don’t miss the festive edition at the Harrington Street outpost – a fluffy bread and butter pudding-style French toast topped with chocolate and hazelnut crème, with a fig and cranberry crumble with clementine sauce. Previous incarnations include a version with poached quince, rose mascarpone, pistachio, lemon balm, pomegranate and mulled wine syrup. www.brotherhubbard.ie
Jean-Georges at The Leinster, Dublin
If you fancy kicking things up a notch, book a table in the rooftop Jean-Georges restaurant at The Leinster Hotel for traditional French toast with caramelized apples and maple syrup. Counteract the warm sugar rush with a cold green juice. Hitting all the spots. www.theleinster.ie
SEE MORE: The Ultimate Christmas Dining Guide