At my core, I’m a savoury person, but dangle a treat in front of me on any given day and, depending on the mood, all that could change. These are the places that could easily turn my head and plunge me down the sweet and sugary rabbit hole.

Russell Street Bakery, Dublin 1

It’s all about the bakery classics here. There are pain of all kinds – au raisin, au chocolate and Suisse – and, of course, you’ll find the classic croissant and addictive almond croissant. Considering the same baking talent and skill that brought us Tartine bakery is behind Russell Street, you can rest assured that you are in good, butter-soaked hands. Bring home bread and focaccia for those deserving.

Lisboa Pastelaria, Dublin 2

It appears that all of Dublin has gone pastéis de natas crazy and it’s not difficult to understand why. Bite-sized custard tarts in flaky pastry are always a good idea, but there’s so much more on offer here. There are queques, Portuguese filled muffins, biscoitos, giant Portuguese cookies and bolas de berlim, eye-catching giant donuts filled with whipped cream and jam or custard that are a fan favourite. For something savoury, the francesinha is famous in Portugal for good reason. While the filling of steak, ham, sausage, chorizo and cheese topped with a rich port sauce might sound hearty to say the least, it’s the ultimate comfort food for those in need of comforting.

Elliotts, Dublin 7

The self-proclaimed ‘bakery baby’ of renowned sandwich supremo Oxmantown in Phibsboro, this micro bakery’s take on the famous Roman sweet bun – the pistachio maritozzi – means a taste of Rome in Dublin is now a realistic option. The savoury bakes are equally delicious and leaving without taking home a stash of bread and some emergency sweet treats would be a mistake. Huge.

Kai, Galway

Galway’s famous restaurant might not be the first place that springs to mind when considering cake options, but that would also be a mistake. The image upon image of their cakes online should quite possibly be gracing the cover of some fanciful baking magazine. I spied a stunning layered sticky salted caramel bake, the most ethereal lemon meringue, a pistachio and rose concoction that looked too pretty to eat, and a macadamia and roasted white chocolate tart tempting me to hop on a train!

Established Coffee, Belfast

Pie and drip. Two words that have never before inspired such fanciful daydreams. That is, of course, until Belfast’s Established Coffee came into our lives while on a trip to the city. Both change frequently, which only adds to the mystique. Past incarnations have included classic banoffee with espresso cream, cherry Bakewell, key lime pie and the most indulgent peanut caramel pie. There are no wrong choices here.

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