Bakestone’s new café on Perry Street exceeds expectations.
Great sandwiches and oh, those pastries!
While travelling on the continent a few years back, I was introduced to the amazing bakery culture, not just bread, of course. No, the town bakery was much more than a shop. Of course, you could get your bread and pastries, but you could also have your breakfast or more here.
Europe is, of course, well known for its diverse and delicious bakery culture. Many countries boast unique pastries and cafe experiences. AI tells me that Arán Bakery in Budapest is known for its sourdough bread and Hungarian pastries. Just wonder where that Arán came from.
![]() |
Bagel |
Ireland is fast catching up with bakery cafes, and I visited one, Bakestone, last week. Or, at least, I visited their latest opening, the superb 120-seat café in Perry Street; they are already well established in Fota Retail Park.
Arán agus cácaí, le croí is anam
In Fota, their expanded bakery creates fresh, innovative bakes every day. “Our breads are at the heart of our kitchen and menu. Baked fresh in-house every morning, our bagels and focaccia are the foundation of our signature sandwiches, layered with the finest ingredients and bold flavours. When our bakery and kitchen come together, the result is something truly special—quite possibly the best sandwiches in Cork!"
It is a well-based claim. For the past few years, I have been missing the superb bagels created by Bread and Roses. So I was already sold when I noticed a bagel on the Bakestone Menu. With chicken, avocado, salad, and a superb relish, it made my day!
Meanwhile, CL was relishing her Quiche, packed with grilled Mediterranean Vegetables, a side of leaves, and, of course, the Bakestone House dressing. The quiche, well priced at 9 euros, was so much better than two recent disappointing examples; it was just outstanding. Morning specials on the day included American-style buttermilk Pancakes, French Toast, and the Bakestone Brekkie.
Specials from 11.30 am included:
Fish Finger Bap with Homemade Pickles, Tartar Sauce, Baby Gem Lettuce & Crispy Potatoes
Warm Chicken Salad with Smoked Cheese, Creamy dressing & Croutons
Crispy Portobello Mushroom with Bakestone onion marmalade, poached egg, Balsamic and honey dressing, and crispy potatoes. They also have a kids' menu!
By the way, not all the breads are their own. They also use the renowned Arbutus sourdough (in that brekkie, for example).
Hugely tempting pastries
We couldn't leave without tasting a couple of their hugely tempting pastries, all on display on the left as you enter. CL is something of an expert on apple tarts, and here, she gave top marks to the Bakestone version, loving those chunky pieces of fruit.
As I inspected the line-up at the counter, my eye was immediately caught by the colourful Mousse Dome. Love at first sight—or, should I say, at first bite, second bite, third…. Go on, get in there, and treat yourself. It went down very well indeed with my large cup of Badger & Dodo coffee.
Bakestone GM Neil Muscheidt has been preaching “Support Local” for many years—not just preaching but practising it. The restaurant suppliers include East Ferry, Arbutus, the Allshire family Rosscarbery, Salmon from Ballycotton, Coffee by Badger & Dodo, and Tea from Barrys.
Like the Fota Retail store, it has a wall of Irish products proving very popular with locals and visitors alike. American visitors love nothing better than bringing home a gift with an Irish name on it. In that regard, the newish Kinsale Sea Salt should be a winner when the touring liners are in Cobh!
Restaurant Reviews (mostly local).
Dozens of current restaurant reviews here.
#invite