This time of year, it’s lovely to truffle around in a food shop festooned with panettone and smelling of spices, picking up the ingredients for a holiday feast. Discover the Best Food Shops in Ireland …
Earlier this year, THE GLOSS X TheShopkeepers.com released the Best Shops Ireland 2023 list which can be found through this link, to celebrate unique retailers all around the country. With so many incredible shops across different specialties to include, a diverse range of food, coffee and wine shops around Ireland were worthy of their own Best Shops list. Keep scrolling to discover the Best Food Shops in Ireland for 2023 …
While every effort has been made to ensure the information reflected in the list below is accurate, up to date and correct, please email digital@thegloss.ie with any issues, corrections or queries.
OUR FAVOURITE GROCERS
BREAD 41, 41 Pearse Street, Dublin 2
An organic bakery in the heart of Dublin. Specialising in long fermented breads using traditional methods a few simple ingredients; flour, salt, and water. Alongside Bread 41’s loaves there is a range of pastries and sandwiches. BREAD 41 also offers bread-making workshops and free starter kits for those who want to try their hand at home. Photography by Daisy Stewart and Phil Traynor. www.bread41.ie
BRINDLE, 34 Lennox Street, Portobello, Dublin 8
Super dog-friendly coffee and wine shop serving organic, low intervention wines, single origin coffee, and local, artisan produce. BRINDLE COFFEE & WINE is located on a picturesque street of pretty storefronts in Dublin’s Portobello. They offer seasonal in-store wine tastings and kits for at-home tastings. www.brindlecoffeewine.com. Photography by Rachel Lynch
CAVISTONS 58/59, Glasthule Road, Co Dublin.
From its modest fish-shop origins in the mid-1940s, this family-run business has expanded into an impressive emporium packed to the gills with super-fresh seafood, delicious delicatessen items, good cheese and excellent bread. A few doors down, Cavistons restaurant serves the freshest fish in pretty surroundings. www.cavistons.com.
COSGROVE & SON, 32 Market Square, Sligo, Co Sligo.
A fabulous olde worlde shop, this family business is one of Sligo’s treasures. Having opened in 1898, the store is now in the hands of the fourth generation of Cosgroves. Its forte: sourcing innovative ingredients from around the world, home-cooked meats, salads, fine cheeses, cut freshly off the block, and exotic fruit by the kilo. www.cosgroveandson.ie.
COUNTRY CHOICE, 25 Kenyon Street, Nenagh, Co Tipperary.
“Good, clean and fair,” were the principles on which owners Peter and Mary Ward founded this popular delicatessen in 1982. They have remained faithful to this mission, promoting artisan and local producers as well as running a busy café, where all food is made from scratch. Mary still makes all the jams, chutneys and salad dressings herself. As a certified organic trader, the Wards have evolved their offering to include occasional (unmissable) masterclasses in wine and food as well as special lunches and launches. www.countrychoice.ie
FALLON & BYRNE, 11-17 Exchequer Street, Dublin 2.
Four floors of food and wine await visitors to Fallon & Byrne’s beautiful building in Dublin city centre. On the ground floor is the exceptional food hall, championing the best Irish seasonal and artisanal produce and exotic hard-tofind- elsewhere ingredients from afar. The basement Wine Cellar and first floor Dining Room, both draw inspiration – and ingredients – from the food hall. www.fallonandbyrne.com
FARM SHOP, Killruddery House & Gardens, Bray, Co Wicklow.
Killruddery Yard at the 400-year-old Killruddery Estate is home to Lord and Lady Ardee’s Farm Shop as well as The Grain Store (venue for Seasonal Suppers), Pizza Shed, Coffee Shop and Saturday Farm Market. Killruddery’s bio-diverse farm and walled garden supply the Farm Shop with organic produce, cut flowers and free-range meats. www.killruddery.com.
FUMBALLY, The Fumbally, Fumbally Lane, Dublin 8
Aisling Rogerson and Luca D’Alfonso co-founded the FUMBALLY café in 2012. After years spent travelling and working together, they wanted to create a venture embodying their shared experiences and learnings. In 2020 lockdowns required a business pivot so The Fumbally became a shop selling fresh produce, artisan pantry items, bakery goods, Fumbally Ferments, and take-away dinners. Today, both the café and the shop are thriving, each complementing each other. Photography by Aisling Rogerson. www.thefumbally.ie
KATE’S KITCHEN, 3 Castle Street, Abbeyquarter South, Sligo.
Sisters Kate, Beth and Jane O’Hara’s food emporium is a local gem where shelves are packed with everything from gourmet goodies and posh store cupboard essentials to fine wines and fabulous gifts. There is a small café area at the counter where top notch Fixx Coffee is served as well as lunches and light bites, also available to takeaway. Their excellent online shop also facilitates nationwide deliveries. www.kateskitchen.ie.
Lennox Street Grocer, 38 Lennox Street, Dublin 6
Originally a pop-up, Lennox Street Grocer opened in November 2020. Three years later, the shop conceived by siblings Claire and Chris Arnold (with a combined 20+ years working in various aspects of the food and beverage industries in Europe and North America) is thriving. The shop marries a delicious selection of products from local and international suppliers with a beautifully presented shop. The classic, smartly painted shopfront with its colourful display of produce and the creative signage hand painted by artist Darragh Mulryan. www.lennoxstreet.ie
LILLIPUT STORES, 5 Rosemount Terrace, Arbour Hill, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7
Artisan grocery store Lilliput was founded in 2007 by Brendan O’Mahony and Aoife Cronin. The shelves are packed with all manner of gourmet goods, including sister company Lilliput Trading Co. products. Lilliput Stores has a coffee bar and a daily menu of breakfast and lunch items, with a back room and outdoor bench for enjoying on-site. Lilliput Stores has curated cheese boxes and creates custom hampers. www.lilliputstores.com
LOCO GROCER, 20 Lower Main Street, Arklow, Co Wicklow
On returning from living in California, chef Sarah Reid saw an opportunity to open her own neighbourhood coffee bar, food store and casual eatery in her own home town. She set about establishing LoCo Grocer, named for an acronym of “Local” and “Coffee”, the “Grocer” is a nod to her maternal and paternal grandparents who both owned and lived above grocery shops.
LOTTS & CO, 7 South Lotts Road, Beggars Bush, 46 Clontarf Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3 & 12 Rathfarnham Road, Terenure Dublin 6
LOTTS & CO is a modern, community-based local grocery shop offering the best of Irish products alongside fine goods from around the globe. Brothers Barry and Paul McNerney partnered with John Byrne to open the first Lotts & Co in Beggars Bush in 2015, building on its success by opening two more stores, one in Clontarf and the other in Terenure. Prepared food is made in the Lotts & Co kitchen. www.lottsandco.ie
MC NALLY FAMILY FARM, Balrickard, North County Dublin.
In August 1997 the McNallys started trading in Temple Bar Food Market with a small range of produce. Since then, they expanded into growing a wide range of vegetables, salads, herbs and fruit, all of which they sell directly to customers, from the farm in rolling North County countryside. If you want to shop sustainably and seasonally, this is how it’s done. www.mcnallyfamilyfarm.ie. @mcnallyfamilyfarm
PAX WHOLE FOODS, 9 Market Lane, Westport, Co Mayo..
Owner of Pax and eco advocate McKinley Neal grew up in Kentucky, settled with her family close to the sea in Mayo and founded PAX in December 2018, its mission to dramatically reduce waste by enabling customers to refill existing containers, and to support organic agriculture and local producers of all kinds of goods. As well as a fantastic array of pantry staples, from Irish flour to brilliant condiments, you’ll find everything required for efficient and eco-friendly household management. www.paxwholefoodssecogoods.com. @paxwholefoodesecogoods
ROUNDWOOD STORES, Main Street, Roundwood, Co Wickow.
Since it opened three years ago, this grocery store and bakery has thrived, promoting local and organic food in a sustainable way. Sourdough bread, made with neither yeast nor improvers, is a triumph. Vegetables are sourced from the best organic grower in the country, Dermot Carey. @roundwoodstores
SELECT STORES DALKEY, 36 Tubbermore Road, Dalkey, Co Dublin
A corner fruit and vegetable store, founded in 1959 by husband and wife, Paddy and Margaret McCabe, was transformed by their son Oliver McCabe in 2004. Oliver built on the traditional, family greengrocer business, adding a juice bar and evolving it into the organic, eco-friendly, health food store and café it is today.
SHERIDANS, South Anne Street, Dublin & Churchyard Street, Galway
The iconic green and white branding of Sheridan’s cheesemongers is familiar to Irish shoppers. A visit to one of Sheridan’s cheese shops is always a joy, the variety of cheeses a sight to behold. The Dublin shop is as petite as the Galway shop expansive, both helmed by a knowledgeable staff. The Sheridan brothers, Kevin and Seamus, got their start in Galway market in 1995, their business growing quickly to encompass 21 retail outlets and a wholesale business. www.sheridanscheesemongers.com
Siopa Uí Lúing, Ventry, Tralee, Co Kerry
A fifth generation family-run business, Siopa Uí Lúing is the only Post Office still open West of Dingle. Serving a wide radius of customers, the post office also operates as a grocery and one-stop shop for general sundries. A passionate supporter of small Irish producers, the shelves are stocked with a variety of goods including vegan cheeses, incense, organic sun cream, cashew cream, natural wine, sliced pan and artisan goods. www.instagram.com/ventryposiopauiluing/. Photographs by Ciúin Tracey
SUGAR PLUM SWEETERY, 19 Dominick Street, Mullingar, Co Westmeath
SUGAR PLUM SWEETERY is a candy lover’s dream, like winning a golden ticket to visit Willy Wonka’s Factory. The purple shopfront is home to a wall of colourful pick and mix sweets, the opposite side houses the chocolate selection. Chocolate is handmade in Ireland by master chocolatiers and presented in signature purple boxes. The vision of Denise Buckley and David Quirke, Sugar Plum Sweetery opened in June 2022. www.sugarplumsweetery.ie
THE BEST OF ITALY, Dunville Avenue, Ranelagh, Dublin 6.
An oldie but a goodie, The Best of Italy never falters in delivering the best of Italian pantry staples as well as fresh veg and an excellent dried fruit and fancies section. There’s a deli counter for Italian cheese and charcuterie. Look out for frozen Italian desserts and tiny pastries and lots of lovely crystallised fruit. It feels Christmassy, year round but come December its wall-to-wall amaretti, cantucci and panettone. Heaven! www.kcnortonfoods.ie. @thebestofitaly
THE BLUE GOAT, The Quays, Rathmelton, Co Donegal.
Mouth-watering homemade pastries, pasties and patisserie, cheese, chocolate and cakes distinguish this busy little shop in Ramelton. It’s also a cafe (and the coffee is excellent) but we like it for its takeaway temptations, picnic-builders and boxes of A, cheese and B. special sweet things to present as a gift. Do not miss it if you are passing that way. @thebluegoatramelton
THE LITTLE CHEESE SHOP DINGLE, Grey’s Lane, Dingle, Co Kerry.
Mark Murphy believes that Ireland is home to some of the best cheeses and cheesemakers in the world. So, he features a great selection of Irish goat, sheep, and cow cheeses The Little Cheese Shop, which he took over in 2018. Mark also carries a selection of tasty accompaniments to complement his cheese – olives, crackers, chutney, and wine. Photography by Fiona Morgan. www.thelittlecheeseshop.ie
TOONSBRIDGE DAIRY, The Old Creamery, Toonsbridge, Co Cork.
This family-run dairy in West Cork uses unpasteurised buffalo, sheep and cow’s milk to make a selection of cheeses informed by Southern Mediterranean traditions. Having its own herd of Italian water buffalo helps! Owners Jenny-Rose Clarke and Toby Simmons also run a pizzeria, Toonsbridge Café, and a shop in Sandymount, Dublin 4. www.toonsbridgedairy.com.
WAREHOUSE FOOD MARKET & CAFÉ, Unit 14A, Greenmount Avenue, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 12
Chris Chapman started a seasonal, fresh, local produce delivery service to the Dublin area in January 2020. A very much in-demand business model when Covid hit two months later. By the end of 2021 Chris found a permanent home for his food business in Harold’s Cross, suspending his delivery service now customers shop in person. There is a café serving coffee, breakfast, and lunch and international gourmet pantry items. The space offers workshops and is available for private family-style dining. www.warehousefoodmarket.ie. Photography by Liam Murphy.
EXPERT COFFEE SHOPS
Brother Coffee, 1a, Market Square, Ballinapark, Bunclody, Co Wexford
Husband and wife, Roscoh and Jess Anthony, learnt the coffee trade in South Africa and Australia. In Ireland their first foray into the coffee business was opening a window hatch coffee shop from inside their friend’s pub, Cherrytree, in Walkinstown. Building on the success of that endeavour and the demand for good coffee they opened their second coffee shop in Bunclody when the perfect corner store location became available.
CLEMENT & PEKOE, 50 South William Street, Dublin 2 & 24-25 Blessington Street, Inns Quay, Dublin 1
Smart black shopfronts, arched windows and yellow accents are the unmistakable design trademarks of tea and coffee purveyors, Clement & Pekoe. The design signature is continued inside where shelves of large black tea canisters hold high-grade loose-leaf teas from around the world. Coffee selections are from both Irish and International roasting houses. The latest addition to their lineup is their own brand of in-house brewed kombucha. www.clementandpekoe.com
COFFEEWERK + PRESS, 4 Quay Street, Galway
A tall 400 year old building on a cobbled street in Galway is home to COFFEEWERK + PRESS and owned by Dan Ulrichs. There’s much to love about this award-winning, design-driven coffee shop that not only offers delicious coffee but the perfect edit of Japanese and Scandinavian homewares and printed goods. Bright yellow accents feature on the windows and door of Coffeewerk + Press and a carefully edited selection of yellow products punctuate the interior and website. Coffee beans are sourced from roasters in Pennsylvania and a partnership of roasters in Copenhagen that features artwork by local artists on the packaging. www.coffeewerkandpress.com
HATCH, 13 Main Street, Blackrock & 4 Glasthule Road, Sandycove, Dublin
Inspired by the hip Melbourne coffee scene, amongst the world’s best, Mealla Tarrant opened HATCH coffee shop, first in Sandycove in 2016 followed by a Blackrock store in 2020. Great graphics and a minimalist, well-designed interior, Hatch serves 3FE coffee, award-winning treats baked in their own kitchen and a small breakfast and lunch menu.
MARLOWE & CO, 9 Sandford Gardens, The Tenters, Dublin 8
A corner shop serving “coffee, groceries and nice things.” Husband and wife, Patrick Fagan and Danielle Farelly along with Danielle’s sister Lisa Farrelly opened MARLOWE & CO in 2019. The colourfully painted shopfront is by local artist Claire Prouvost, who also designed the illustration on the coffee cups. Inside there is an assortment of fresh produce, bread, pantry items and a selection of books and gifts. www.wearemarlowe.com Photography by Mark Stedman
SØREN & SON, 1 Dean Street, Dublin 8
SØREN & SON established in 2021, is a brightly lit corner coffee shop serving Stillers Coffee and Tea and the Gang teas. The Scandinavian influence interior is stocked with coffee related goods and paraphernalia. Photography by @photography_by_reda_ and @Ruthmariaphotos.
WINE MERCHANTS
64 WINE, GLASTHULE, CO DUBLIN.
A former member of An Garda Síochána, Gerard Maguire made the move to follow a long-held personal passion in 2006 and opened 64 Wine. “I was tired of drinking massproduced wine, wine that had a regional distinction on the label but tasted like wine made all over theworld,” he says. Maguire supports small artisan producers through his careful selection and over the past two years, great efforts were made by the 64 team to keep the heart of Glasthule beating. 64’s Twitter account is a window into the world of Gerard’s sharp and charming wit; its blackboard messages are always sure to raise a smile on the face of passers-by. Among other thoughtful pandemic-period initiatives, a children’s art competition brought colour to the village Anthony Robineau, now a co-owner, brings charm and a depth of experience while focusing on developing the dining experience. The shelves are packed with characterful wines, all of a very high quality. For those seeking rare treats, a visit to the fine wine room is a joyous experience. www.64wine.ie
BLACKROCK CELLAR, BLACKROCK, CO DUBLIN.
After Oddbins went into liquidation in 2011, the locals were delighted that Joël Durand, formerly one of the Oddbins’s team, had reopened their off-licence. “The locals have been continuously supporting us since the start. Many of our staff over the years came from the area and we have been active in the local business network.” Blackrock Cellar is renowned for its superb wine selection, largely dedicated to smaller, environmentally conscious producers. From experience, Durand also knew that there was a growing market for craft beers. Starting out with around 70 offerings, the shop now sells approximately 500 different craft beers as well as traditional European classics from Germany and Belgium. Ask for advice. Their knowledge is second to none. www.blackrockcellar.com
ELEVEN DELI, GREYSTONES, CO WICKLOW.
In addition to delicious sandwiches and coffee, worth a journey in themselves, Eleven Deli offers a selection of artisan cheeses, meats, olives, vinegars, pasta and condiments. Owner Barry Hargadon explains that inspiration came from the Italian delis he visited with his wife while travelling through Italy in 2015. The wine selection started off small, with around 20 different offerings, and has grown close to 300 wines with a focus on organic and biodynamic at a very fair price point. With only tight space available, every bottle which makes the cut is there because Hargadon and his team are very excited about it. Expect vibrant wines with personality and great drinkability. www.elevendeli.ie
ELY WINE SHOP, MAYNOOTH, CO KILDARE.
The first Ely Wine Bar, opened in 1999, was a precursor in making “finer wines” available by the glass. In 2019, Erik Robson and his team brought the “Ely Wine experience” to Maynooth, Co Kildare. Ely Wine Store is a shop, wine bar and neighbourhood café; if dining in, the corkage model applies. Ely has been working for many years with local wine suppliers and are now also importing exciting organic wines (“displaying freshness and finesse,” says Robson) directly from Spain, France and Italy. www.elywinebar.ie
GREEN MAN WINES, TERENURE, DUBLIN 6W.
In 2015, David Gallagher and his late wife Claire O’Boyle realised their dream of opening a small shop specialising in wines produced as naturally as possible. They also wanted to offer wines bythe glass and some small tasty bites in a relaxed environment which offered good value and a perpetually evolving list to keep things fresh and exciting for regulars. They quickly established a loyal customer base, many of whom have become friends as well as customers. When Claire sadly passed away in 2020, the Irish wine industry lost one of its brightest aficionados. who brought a great depth of knowledge and vision to GMW. Today, David continues their common business dream with the support of his open-minded, knowledgeable and wonderfully personable team. GMW carries a superbly eclectic range and you can be sure that if there are only a few bottles knocking about of something very special, GMW is likely to have nabbed a few. www.greenmanwines.ie
H2G WINES AND ARTISAN MARKET, GLASNEVIN, DUBLIN 9.
The H2G food market was founded in 2009 by Brid and Colm Carter, both evacuees from the corporate world. From the very start, their ethos has been to shine a light on off-the-beaten-track regions and grapes. They also like to work with producers who have a more natural approach. Ninety per cent of their wine range is made from organically farmed grapes. “We like to try to take the snobbishness out of wine without diluting the excitement. After all, we are just a conduit for farmers selling their produce!” says Brid. Discover top class examples of Xinomavro, Bonicaire and Bovale, alongside more familiar styles. A broad selection of food from Ireland’s top artisan producers offers all you need to round out the perfect supper. www.h2gwines.ie
LOOSE CANON, Drury Street, Dublin 2.
Named by Condé Nast Traveller as a must visit when in Dublin, LOOSE CANON serves wine by glass or bottle, cheese and charcuterie boards, and Irish cheese toasties. The space is small with limited indoor seating but perfect for people watching. www.loosecanon.ie
MACCURTAIN WINE CELLAR, 11 MacCurtain Street, Co Cork.
A family-run independent wine shop that doubles as a wine bar in the evenings. MACCURTAIN WINE CELLAR specialises in natural, biodynamic, organic, and sustainably farmed wine. Established in Cork’s Victorian quarter in 2022 by husband-and-wife team, Seán Gargano and Trudy Ahern. The historic, classically painted black shopfront is accented by the smart gold and black lettering on the window. www.maccurtainwine.ie
NEIGHBOURHOOD WINES, Upper Leeson Stree, Dublin 4, Churchtown Dublin 14, and York Road, Dun Laoghaire.
NEIGHBOURHOOD WINES, offering a selection of fine, natural, biodynamic, and organic wines, imports many of their wines directly from growers with whom the founders, Mick O’Connell and Shane Murphy, have personal relationships. A testament to the success of their range of wines, NEIGHBOURHOOD WINES has expanded from their first store opening in 2020 to four outlets in 2023. www.neighborhoodwine.ie
PETE’S PROVISIONS, 61 St Assams Park, Raheny, Dublin 5 and 328 North Circular Road, Phibsborough, Dublin 7
PETE’S PROVISIONS is the shared vision of friends, Connor Higgins and Darren Thompson, both veterans of the restaurant industry. They have selected an interesting collection of wines and suggest “packs” of three to seven mixed bottles to try and discover something new. Darren is often on hand in the Raheny store to help you find the perfect bottle. To complement their wine offering they have a selection of pantry items and gourmet snacks. www.petesprovisions.ie
SWEENEY’S D3, 117 Philipsburgh Ave, Fairview, Dublin 3.
Customers come from far and wide to this third generation family off licence. Not only for its interesting selection of wines, spirits and craft beers but also for its impeccable range of deli treats. Other attractions include its freshly baked bread, scones and focaccia (made by the Sourdough Sisters) and gift ideas. The range of tempting non-traditional hampers mirrors the handpicked produce. www.sweeneysd3.ie.
THE WINERY NAVAN, 38 Trimgate Street, Dillonsland, Navan, Co Meath.
With a vast shared breadth of knowledge and experience of all aspects of wine and the winemaking industry, Jean Baptiste Letinois and Laurent Caubet opened THE WINERY NAVAN in 2021. Their mission is to source and stock delicious wine at great prices, so they work directly with winemakers across Europe. The Winery Navan features wines from small vineyards if France and Italy, and a small wine bar. www.thewinery.ie
SOME MUST-VISITS OUTSIDE DUBLIN…
Le Caveau (Kilkenny), Green Acres (Wexford), Sheridans Wine Bar & Shop (Galway), The Lamplight Wine Bar and Shop (Clifden), The Winery (Navan), The Black Pig Wine Bar (Kinsale), McCurtain Wine Cellar (Cork), L’Atitude 51 Wine Café (Cork).