Well fed at the Pavilion

Well fed at the Pavilion

Chicken wrap

Many of you will, when travelling in the Carrigaline area and on the Kinsale Road, have seen the signs for the Pavilion in Ballygarvan and will know it is a large garden centre. But did you know that they have a very busy cafe there and also a well stocked food shop?

Smoked salmon sandwich

Called there for lunch recently. In plenty of time, I thought. But, having taken a browse amongst the plants and garden furniture, got quite a surprise when I returned to the cafe area about 12.30 to find a big queue for the goodies.

Olives, pesto and tapenade for sale in the food shop

Took time to study the menu, printed over the serving area on a large blackboard. Decided to go for the Delicious Dill sandwich: Open smoked salmon on homemade bread, with cream cheese, cucumber and dill and a choice of two salads.

Plants and water feature in garden centre

Quite a feed, as was that chosen by CL: Tasty Tarragon, a wrap of Chicken, bacon, tarragon, mayo, lettuce and tomato, not forgetting your choice of two salads. Each cost €8.50. Great value. And value obviously appreciated as many of those in the café came from nearby factories and offices – it’s just about two miles or so from Cork Airport. Service is friendly and efficient – that queue moved quickly.

Also had a look at the food shop. Couldn’t leave without a loaf of Arbutus bread and a pack of those fantastic smoked rashers by Ummera but there is much more there, a lot of it by local producers.

They also have a country store where you may buy unusual items for the house. One display that caught my eye was the unusually shaped soaps crafted by Mianra from Carrigaline.

The garden centre is a big one and much of it is undercover. Hard to resist making a purchase here. In truth, there was no resistance and more was spent on the garden than on the food!