Pull a shot of Ireland’s vibrant coffee culture

Ireland has fallen in love with quality coffee. All over the island, gourmet coffee shops are popping up, celebrating the bean and serving innovative brews that meet the most sophisticated tastes. 

So no matter where your Irish journey takes you, it’s good to know that a great cup of joe will be easy to find. 

With a myriad of excellent independents to choose from, coffee lovers in Dublin are spoiled for choice. Among the top picks in the thriving café culture is 3fe on Grand Canal St Lower, run by champion barista, Colin Harman. One of the first Dublin roasteries and now supplying coffee to gourmet cafes across the island, 3fe is a must for serious coffee drinkers, and synonymous with a quality brew. 

Cork is also a coffee hot spot. Dukes Coffee Company uses local roasters including Golden Bean, Badger & Dodo, Roasting House and 3fe and trains its baristas how to get the personality out of every bean. Cork Coffee Roasters has two city centre locations and you'll also find them at farmer's markets and street festivals, while it’s also worth checking out Soma’s high grade speciality coffee alongside food, cakes and pastries in a chilled out contemporary setting.

In Galway, Urban Grind is a landmark on the city’s coffee map while Coffeewerk + Press offers top class espresso to be enjoyed in a charming gallery space. 

The Wild Atlantic Way town of Dingle is a popular destination, where travellers will find Bean in Dingle, with its own roastery, the perfect stop for a double shot. The specialty coffee shop’s first blend is named 'An Fear Marbh' (The Dead Man) after one of the six Blasket Islands that lie off the tip of the Dingle Peninsula, where traditions of ancient Gaelic culture still survive. While in Bean in Dingle, sample some of County Kerry's best locally produced artisan foods, including Ashe's famous Annascaul pork and black pudding sausage rolls.

In Derry~Londonderry, the Coffee Tree and the Quirky Raven Coffee shop are just two of several great coffee haunts, while in the wilds of nearby Donegal coffee lovers travel far and wide for the awesome espressos and top class cappuccinos in The Shack, sited on a beach near Dunfanaghy. 

Meanwhile, the number of coffee shops in Belfast has risen by a third in recent times. Caffeine lovers looking for a fix should head to places like The Bake House on the fashionable Lisburn Road or Established Coffee in the vibrant Cathedral Quarter. In addition to serving great coffee in a multitude of forms, Established runs classes on how to brew perfect coffee at home. 

The buzzing coffee culture scene extends right across Northern Ireland. If you like your coffee to be planet friendly head for one of the 20 Ground espresso bars serving up not only quality coffee but also a commitment to comfort, friendship, happiness, quality and ethics. 

There are an infinite number of different ways to serve and drink coffee, but don’t forget the speciality that belongs especially to Ireland. Coffee, sugar, cream and a dash of whiskey – an Irish coffee. Check out our guide to making a traditional Irish Coffee below.

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