The best coffee shops and cafés in Dublin

From the boutiques of Drury Street to the museums around Merrion Square, the city centre has plenty to keep you occupied. If you’re hopping from the National Gallery of Ireland to St Stephen’s Green and need to keep yourself energised, you’ll have your pick of coffee shops to choose from.

On South William Street, Clement and Pekoe is a place that takes its coffee (and tea) seriously. You’ll find a wide range of beans and blends behind the bar as well as a retail area stocked with high-end filters and accoutrements. The little bench at the front of the café is perfect for people-watching too. Just around the corner at Kaph, the baristas whip up wickedly strong coffees for people on the go, who’ll often pick up a little sweet treat alongside their flat white. 

Coffeeangel earns its wings with Belfast-roasted beans, a great variety of specialty brews and friendly, helpful baristas. You'll find locations dotted throughout the city, but the café on Anne Street South is great for people-watching and situated right across from the Dublin Barista School, where you can learn to brew like a pro.

In Temple Bar, Cocobrew serves coffee with a superfood edge, so you can expect to see drinks like their namesake brew blended with MCT oil and cacao butter as well as cold-pressed green juices. They also roast their own specialty coffee on site. 

Media captionStop for a coffee at Cocobrew in Temple Bar.

Media credit@cocobrew_

On Pearse Street, Bread 41 has a legion of fans thanks not only to their homemade loaves and pastries but their excellent coffee from 3fe. Just down the street you'll also find Cloud Picker Café, the devoted shopfront of Dublin original micro-roastery, whose beans you'll find in excellent bakeries and restaurants around the city. They've got a huge wall of specialty equipment, beans and other coffee gear to shop from, too.

Media captionGet a pastry (or four) from Bread 41.

While the Liberties might be known for its distilleries, it’s also a neighbourhood filled with excellent coffee shops. In Two Pups Coffee, you’ll see friends gathered on street tables for a catch up over a cold brew, usually with a dog or two at their feet. Their brunch menu makes it a popular spot at the weekends. 

Media captionGrab a table at Two Pups.

Just around the corner from Teeling Distillery, Hen’s Teeth is an arty event space that also sells vinyl and artwork, with coffee and pastries from Naked Bakes during the week and pop-ups on weekends. The Fumbally has long been a community favourite, where locals hang out on long tables to enjoy a cappuccino while tapping away on their laptops. Their homemade slabs of focaccia are a lunchtime favourite, along with their creative salads. 

On Thomas Street, you can’t miss Container Coffee. Set inside a bright blue shipping container in front of the distinctive St Patrick’s Tower, this spot is a great place to grab a coffee before heading to the Roe & Co Distillery or Guinness Storehouse. 

Media captionGet your caffeine fix at Container Coffee.

Whether you’re popping into the shops on Henry Street or killing time before watching a play in the Gate Theatre, there are a surprising amount of indie coffee shops around O’Connell Street. Parnell Street Bakery is great for sipping an on-the-go espresso alongside one of many excellent pastries and freshly-baked treats, from pistachio rolls and opera cakes to savoury focaccia and sandwiches.

On Middle Abbey Street, Vice Coffee works with roasters and suppliers from Ireland and around the world, so there’s sure to be something that takes your fancy. They also specialise in coffee-based cocktails and they serve three kinds of Irish Coffee, if you’re in the mood for something a little stronger. 

There are a few branches of Brother Hubbard around the city, but their Capel Street café is the biggest. They roast their own beans on site and there are outdoor tables available, which are always popular on sunny days.  

Media captionGrab a cuppa and a bite to eat at Brother Hubbard.

Media credit@brotherhubbardcafes

Cross O'Connell Bridge and pop into Copper + Straw on Aston Quay for even more specialty brews. In the summer, they offer a truly decadent menu of iced drinks, from classic cold brew to frothy Vietnamese iced coffee and strawberry coconut matcha. (They have another location on Arran Quay, too.)

The Docklands is a neighbourhood that spans both the north and south side of the city but whichever side of the River Liffey you’re on, there are loads of places where you can grab a cup of coffee. 3fe is recognised as one of the finest coffee brands in Ireland, with their beans sold in the best cafés and shops all around the country. Their café on Grand Canal Street is the place to be if you want to try their new blends and the outdoor seats are great for an al fresco coffee break.   

Just over the river from Epic The Irish Emigration Museum, As One is a bright and airy café with a sustainable ethos. All of their cups are compostable and the coffee is sourced from Cloud Picker. There’s a similarly wholesome vibe in the nearby Nutbutter, where you can get a house-made mocha with plant-based milks.   

Media captionEnjoy a healthy lunch at Nutbutter.

Media credit@nutbutter.ie

There’s a strong neighbourhood feel to Smithfield and Stoneybatter, with plenty of cafés, vintage shops and pubs alongside attractions like the Jameson Distillery and the Phoenix Park. In Stoneybatter, you’ll always find people milling around Joli, a coffee shop by day and wine bar by night. They serve Roasted Brown coffee alongside packed toasties and acai bowls.

In Smithfield, the friendly Third Space is a place where friends meet for a catch up, or before heading to the Lighthouse Cinema. Their beans are sourced from Dublin’s Imbibe Coffee and there’s a great community feel to the place. 

Media captionWatch your barista pull a great shot.

Just around the corner, Proper Order is great for a takeaway coffee, with cool latte art and wide range of blends. They also serve excellent pastries and cakes from sister establishment No Messin’ Bakery, including the cult favourite Cardi B, a sticky cardamom bun that’s often sold out by lunchtime. 

Explore Dublin’s outdoor dining scene

Fancy sipping a coffee in the sunshine or having an al fresco brunch? There are plenty of outdoor dining spots in Dublin.