A Coffee Conquest Abroad
Being from the UK brings a lot of travel advantages, one of them being that you’re on the doorstep of so many wonderful destinations. Whether that be due to a concoction of cultures on one island or the easy access to all of Europe, there’s always somewhere for you to go. My birthday was fast approaching, and a trip was quickly suggested. However, we were spoilt for choice! In the end, we aimed for Dublin and, of course, I had to be the mastermind behind our coffee conquests.
Vice Coffee
We arrived in Dublin early on the Saturday morning and, to be honest, the Manchester Airport coffee didn’t cut it. I had been hunting the blogs for the must-see spots and I made sure to leave no stone (or coffee bean) unturned. Vice Coffee is just a hop, step and a jump over the Ha’penny Bridge, which is quite convenient for our tired little heads.
If you have a gander at their website, and other’s that speak of Vice, this eclectic coffee shop/bar speaks of “brews, bants and beats” and I couldn’t agree more. Firstly, the brews, with shelves filled to the brim with their variety of blends, you can try just one or multiple at once! I opted for the 3 way. A cheeky selection of three blends in differing coffee formats. If you grab one of these, you’ll receive an Espresso, Piccolo and Cold Brew, and a quick explanation of the flavour profiles for each. These change regularly so make sure to ask the barista!
What I love about Vice is that their food is simple but heart-warming, which is perfect for those chilled chats with your friends. I, myself, grabbed the quintessential ham and cheese toastie, which came out piping hot! I must say I was glad to be having this before the heat really kicked in and the sun baked us!
Brother Hubbard
The next café of choice was visited on the sunny Sunday morning. To the possible dismay of probably the majority of you readers, we were up at the crack of dawn. In all fairness, it was my birthday and I make the rules on this day, I’m afraid. In all seriousness, a friend that I used to live with in Madrid is from Dublin, and she recommended that I should visit in the morning. The earlier, the better!
Only a couple of streets away from Vice is Brother Hubbard, probably one of the most prominent coffee spots in the city (amongst others…). Brother Hubbard currently has four locations, and we chose their shop on Capel Street. We got ourselves quickly sat down and got straight to ordering – a filter coffee for me and an iced chai for my friend, with a slight sprinkling of raspberry powder. Both drinks smooth to the taste and the perfectly sized portions to start the day.
If you read their website, Brother Hubbard pride themselves on ‘creating a delight for their customers & their team’ by providing simple and pure food which, I believe, is quite innovative! I say this as the food I ordered wasn’t your typical brunch food in my opinion. My delightful dish consisted of the traditional French Toast with a twist – a good old dollop of clotted cream and Turkish delight-like raspberry pieces. It may have been the fanciest looking breakfast I’ve had for a while, that’s for sure!
What about my friend’s dish, you ask? Well, he had a slab of toast perfectly piled with pickled cabbage and pork. Another unique choice! In my opinion, I would suggest maybe booking a table closer to lunchtime here. Gotta be hungry enough to tackle these dishes!
3fe
Did I mention other prominent coffee spots in the Irish capital? Well, here is your second! 3fe (aka Third Floor Espresso) is a staple spot in the Dublin coffee scene. With multiple locations around Dublin and even some shops using their blends, you are sure to spot them lurking around somewhere. When I was researching, I couldn’t find a page that didn’t recommend 3fe, and I’m happy to confirm I 100% agree.
As it was, of course, the place to be, I set my sights on the flagship store on our final day. I really enjoyed the vibes this place gave off as soon as we arrived. To me, this isn’t your typical hipster coffee shop with its exposed brick and plethora of plants. Instead, it gives off a more modern vibe with its sleek diner-like tables and clean colour-blocked walls.
Another filter coffee this morning was definitely the right decision. I was instantly struck with the pride that they have for their coffee. Heck, they have so many blends on the shelf that it would be hard to choose! Luckily, I didn’t have to, and they even offered free refills. You read right! The generous and welcoming staff offered refills whilst at the table as well as a free refill to take away. Now, that’s something you could never expect in this cost-of-living crisis. I was very tempted, but I knew I still had some possible coffee conquests ahead of me.
However, I did take a bag home. Why wouldn’t you take some of that iconic Irish coffee home with you? The aroma their Malarkey Blend left in my bag will be a souvenir long after I consume the coffee. Okay, I’ll say it – probably one of the best blends of coffee I’ve had!
You can find the full post here for your perusal!
The verdict
To sum up this jam-packed weekend, Dublin has a coffee shop on almost every street you turn. I wish I had the time to try out even more, but I don’t think I will have ever been able to get through all of them! However, I am most definitely relieved to tick the best of my coffee bucket list and you never know, I may go back and try out more soon enough!
Enjoyed my weekend in Dublin? Well, have a look at my Weekend in London too!
