If you’re anything like me, you love to stop at cafes around town whenever you can to get a break from all the noise, catch up on some study or with your best friends. Especially with it being autumn now, there’s nothing more cosy and tasty than grabbing a hot chocolate and living it up like Lorelai and Rory Gilmore. If you’re from Dublin or if you’re new and don’t know where to stop to engage in some of these café activities, then have no fear! Here are some of my top recommendations for coffee shops here in Dublin.
If you’re out for a stroll at Europe’s largest park, don’t hesitate to make a stop at the Tea Rooms, which is an authentic Victorian coffee shop experience that has been around since the 1800s. Located along Chesterfield Avenue, the Tea Rooms provide a welcoming atmosphere with a plethora of cakes and warm drinks to choose from. It can get a touch busy when the sun is out; my personal favourite time to visit is when it is a bit overcast, so that you can sit inside and have a warm cup of coffee while you watch the leaves fall outside. Another pointer for the Tea Rooms is that they are environmentally sustainable, sourcing most of their food and other products locally, with fresh fish sourced from Howth.
Located on Prussia Street in Stoneybatter, The Little Cactus is home to a wide selection of sandwiches and delicious matcha. This is a fun place to stop by with a furry friend or your friends and family for some breakfast toasties and a warm cup of tea. The Little Cactus is also bigger than it looks, with a short hallway leading to a back seating area, which is perfect for catching up with some friends over a cup of coffee. Not just this, but you can even take your own cactus home! The Little Cactus houses a shelf collection of mini cactuses for sale, so that you can bring home your own little spikey friend.
Another must see café in Stoneybatter would be Mooz. Mooz is an Italian grocer home to a variety of sauces, wines, pizza and sandwiches. You could even discover a new pastime when you sit in Mooz, as the walls are lined with flyers for so many different hobbies, choirs, courses, dance classes, anything! Mooz also makes what I would say is my favourite hot chocolate around Dublin! Stop by if you’d like to pick up some authentic Italian products or even if you’d like to catch up with a friend with some of, in my opinion, the best hot chocolate around.
You’ve probably seen the Tram Café before, but the story behind it is certainly an interesting one. One day, owner Dave Fitzpatrick stumbled across an abandoned tram in a field in Co. Cavan. He had a vision of turning it into a place of enjoyment and good food; with the help of some archaeologists to restore and renovate the tram, it is now home to delicious sandwiches, warm drinks, baked goods, 1920s swing music and a place where groups of friends can gather to chat and laugh, just like Fitzpatrick had first envisioned.
Today, the Tram Café now has more locations around Dublin apart from its Jervis Street original. Some of these locations include Clonmel Street, St Patrick’s Park on Bride Street (a personal favourite spot) and even a lovely spot in Albert College Park, situated just next to DCU! If you’re looking to get a break during your classes, catch up on some studies or even some friends and share some laughs, then the Tram Café is the perfect spot!
If you’re a bookworm like me, then you’ll love Books Upstairs! Located on D’Olier Street in all its Georgian glory, Books Upstairs was originally established in 1978 on South Kings Street. Finally settling down on D’Olier street near College Green, Books Upstairs is an original Victorian style store with many books and second-hand books to choose from.
Books Upstairs also has a lovely café above their bookstore section, which offers a fabulous view of College Green from their large window. If you’re really looking to get some work done, the café is perfect for this, as it is strictly a space for writing, thinking and discussing. Events for Books Upstairs are also held in the café occasionally! If there’s anywhere in Dublin you’re looking to cozy up for a chat or want some writing done, Books Upstairs is the place to do so.