Dublin's My Cup of Tea

Like many people in Dublin, I enjoy going out for a pint every now and then or attending a live music session at one of the local pubs. But when it all boils down to it, I’m really much more of a tea person. So the other day, when a gentleman I met was telling me about the many different pub crawls operating in the city, I thought to myself, “Why not make a coffee shop crawl?” And that’s exactly what I did! This past week I headed out to five of Dublin’s most talked about coffee shops, and for anyone planning a trip to Ireland in the near future, have laid them out for you here.

Clement & Pekoe

Clement & Pekoe was the very first café that I stopped at on my little coffee tour, and I guess it was a pretty good place to start! I decided to keep it simple, and not too filling, since it was my first coffee shop of the day so I opted for a double shot of espresso. It was delicious! I know not everyone is a fan of straight espresso, but this was a beautiful smooth and rich shot that I think any coffee lover could appreciate. I also snuck in some Man of Aran fudge from George’s Arcade next door (shh!) to pair with it, and the combination of the dark espresso went perfectly with the sweet fudge. Another cool thing about the coffee shop is that they have books around the store that you can pick up and read while you’re visiting. Good coffee AND books? Yes please!

A smooth double shot of espresso, whiskey and sultana fudge, and bailey's fudge. Yum!

Joy of Cha

Out of all the places I went to, this coffee shop definitely had the biggest selection of tea! Before I came to study abroad in Ireland I would have said I was much more of a coffee drinker, but like with so many other things, the Irish really know their tea! After being here for a little over a month I’ve become a tried and true tea drinker and I absolutely loved the enormous wall of teas and blends that Joy of Cha has to offer. Another great thing about this café is that it’s right in Temple Bar, so it’s very central, but it’s also tucked away in a little alley so you don’t have to worry about running into too many tourists.

3fe

The reason I originally went to 3fe was because I walk past it on my way to work every day. I always seem to see people sitting outside in the sun, enjoying their coffee and chatting, and I couldn’t resist popping in to see what it was like for myself! When I went in, I saw all kinds of interesting options on their menu. The first thing that caught my eye was their “trio” option. When I asked what it was, it turned out it was a little coffee sampler. The café served a cup of brewed coffee, a single shot of espresso, and a macchiato all in the same roast so that you could try the same bean and see how it varied in each drink. Naturally, I decided to go for it. The coffee was delicious, and if I had to pick a favorite of the three I’m not even sure I could! Well done to 3fe, this was an excellent café.

The trio! I got a lovely Brazilian blend and enjoyed it with one of their homemade cheesecake truffles.

Network

Network was suggested to me by my boss, who is friends with the owner, so naturally I had to go take a look. The coffee shop was opened a year ago and has been doing a fantastic job! They’re a cozy, tucked away little place on a busy main street, which makes them a very convenient stop on your way through the city. Network also had some of the best iced coffee I’ve ever tried. It was strong, but not overpowering, and I didn’t feel the need to dilute the strength of the coffee with cream and sugar like I do at Starbucks. They also have the friendliest staff ever, and it’s great to go into a place where the baristas are clearly loving their job!

Queen of Tarts

Tough as the decision was, my number one pick for a coffee shop in Dublin would have to be Queen of Tarts. This café is absolutely adorable! They have two locations, one tucked away on Cow Street and the other right by Temple Bar. Both locations are equally lovely, with old wooden chairs and beautiful mismatched china teacups. Queen of Tarts’ menu was fantastic, with some of the best cakes I have ever had. In fact, their cakes are so good, that when I asked which was their most popular, the waitress listed three! If you have an afternoon to spare, I would absolutely recommend stopping by Queen of Tarts for a cappuccino or a pot of Earl Grey.

A pot of black tea and a wonderful apple and blackberry crumble with fresh whipped cream. Swoon!