Farmgate Cafe ★ 4.5
Cork's most important lunch counter above the English Market, serving the city's native dishes with produce bought from the stalls below each morning.
12 cafe restaurants worth the trip across Ireland, editor-ranked. All cuisines in Ireland.
The Fumbally ★ 4.5
The Fumbally on Fumbally Lane in Dublin 8, Aisling Rogerson and Luca D'Alfonso's open-plan day cafe and fermentation lab, the Liberties' working kitchen.
OrderThe daily soup with house sourdough at lunch; Friday Dinner if you can grab the booking window.
TipCommunal seating; arrive before 12:30 to get the long table to your group. No reservations except Friday Dinner.
Low Lane ★ 4.4
Low Lane on St Kieran's Street opened in 2022, Robyn and Mark Butler bringing 3fe-trained coffee skills home in a walk-in-only specialty cafe.
OrderFilter coffee and the seasonal brunch plates, which rotate with local supplier arrivals.
TipWalk-in only, no bookings. Opens at 08:30. The room fills fast from 10:00 at weekends so arrive early or be patient.
Low Lane ★ 4.4
Low Lane on St Kieran's Street opened in 2022, Robyn and Mark Butler bringing 3fe-trained coffee skills home in a walk-in-only specialty cafe.
OrderFilter coffee or espresso with the all-day breakfast bap; the seasonal lunch plates are consistently strong.
TipWalk-in only. Opens around 08:30. Arrives fast to a queue on weekend mornings so plan accordingly.
Soup Dragon ★ 4.3
Soup Dragon on Capel Street in Dublin 1, a fifteen-seat Northside cafe running ten daily soups, the city's most balanced sub-€10 lunch you can find.
OrderTwo-soup combo with house bread and a smoothie; Thai chicken soup if it's on the board.
TipWalk-in only and counter seating only; arrive before 12:30 or after 14:00 to find a stool. Takeaway runs all day.
Greenwich ★ 4.2
Cork's winner of Best Brunch Destination at the Georgina Campbell Irish Food and Hospitality Awards 2025, operating behind Brown Thomas on Caroline Street.
OrderWeekend brunch plates, House granola, Open sandwiches
Greenwich ★ 4.2
A daytime room behind Brown Thomas on Caroline Street, winner of Best Brunch Destination at the Georgina Campbell Irish Food and Hospitality Awards 2025.
OrderWeekend brunch plate with house granola and seasonal fruit.
TipBook a table for weekend brunch; walk-in seats are rare from 10:30 on Saturdays.
The Gourmet Store ★ 4.1
The Gourmet Store on High Street has been Kilkenny's best deli since 1997, with farmhouse cheese, locally sourced meats, and sandwiches on artisan bread.
OrderFreshly made sandwich on sourdough baguette with the local farmhouse cheese of the day.
TipOpens at 08:00 daily, closes around 16:00. The cheese counter rivals anything in the city at a fraction of restaurant prices.
The Gourmet Store ★ 4.1
The Gourmet Store on High Street has been Kilkenny's best deli since 1997, with farmhouse cheese, locally sourced meats, and sandwiches on artisan bread.
OrderSandwich on sourdough baguette with the local farmhouse cheese selection; the coleslaw is homemade daily.
TipOpens at 08:00, closes around 16:00. The cheese counter is worth a dedicated visit before heading to the farmers market.
Wildflower Cafe at Butler Gallery ★ 4.0
Wildflower Cafe at Butler Gallery serves plant-based soups, bowls, and vegan raw cakes in a walled garden, Kilkenny's most dedicated plant-forward cafe.
OrderVegan soup with sourdough; the seasonal salad plate or gluten-free cake from the rotating bake selection.
TipTuesday through Saturday 10:00-17:00, Sunday 11:00-17:00. The glass outdoor pods in the walled garden are the best seats in Kilkenny on a clear day.
Cafe La Coco ★ 3.9
Cafe La Coco is a small, independent Kilkenny cafe serving in-house baked goods, specialty coffee, and a seasonal superfood salad, open Monday to Saturday.
OrderBasque cheesecake; the seasonal vegan salad or the chai latte with oat milk.
TipOpen Monday to Saturday 08:00-16:00. Walk-in only; the room is small and fills quickly at lunch.
Cafe La Coco ★ 3.9
Cafe La Coco is a small, independent Kilkenny cafe serving in-house baked goods, specialty coffee, and a seasonal superfood salad, open Monday to Saturday.
OrderBasque cheesecake; the seasonal vegan superfood salad or the chai latte with oat milk.
TipMonday through Saturday 08:00-16:00. The room is small; walk-in lunch is first-come, first-served.
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