Discover the Captivating Bakestone: A Colourful and Culinary Delight in Cork!

Discover the Captivating Bakestone: A Culinary Delight in Cork!

Hot Nashville Chicken

Nestled in an old city centre building, now with a vibrant  mural greeting passersby, Bakestone Café is a must-visit destination on Perry Street! After twelve successful years in Carrigtwohill, Joe and Maura Carey have shared their beloved café, pantry, and bakery with the diners of the city in a building that once housed firkins for the Cork Butter Exchange and which now "hosts" that spectacular mural.

Step inside one of the largest dining rooms in Cork city, where the inviting atmosphere is steered by General Manager Neil Muscheidt. Bakestone is not just a café; it's a celebration of local produce! The menus are a tribute to the bounty of local farmers and growers, and their pantry is brimming with top-notch Irish goodies. You’ll find everything from artisanal jams to zesty sauces (and Christmas Hampers currently), all crafted with love and care.

Brunch Bliss! 🥞
Call in for breakfast which can include the famous Bakestone Brekkie! Choose from hearty porridge, award-winning granola, or a variety of egg dishes that will make your morning sparkle. Don’t miss out on the fluffy pancakes, or savoury sausage rolls. And let’s not forget  the exceptional coffee—roasted locally by Badger & Dodo in Fermoy - it's the perfect pick-me-up!

Lunchtime Delights!

Nashville Hot Chicken and decadent French Toast
When lunch rolls around, prepare to relax and enjoy! That’s just what we did a week oir two back. They had a few specials on the board but my pick came from the regular menu: Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich packed with delicious Southern style fried chicken in a Bakestone Brioche Bun, Baby gem lettuce, Bakestone Hot Sauce (not overly so!), Pickles & Mayo with Crispy Potato Bites.

Across the table, CL was enjoying her decadent French Toast: Pan-fried egg-soaked bread with a topping of Fresh Berries, Mascarpone and Berry Compote. Other topping choices were Smoked Streaky Bacon with Mable Syrup; Poached Pear, Salted Caramel and Mascarpone; and Banana, Maple Glazed Pecans and Mascarpone.

A few months back we also visited (again at lunchtime) and then CL indulged in a delicious quiche with Grilled Mediterranean Veg, served with a side of leaves and Bakestone House Dressing. She could have opted for ham and cheese instead. 

I like my bagels and Bakestone’s (loaded with Tender Grilled Chicken, Avocado, Jalapeño Mayo, Rocket, Tomato and Emmental Cheese) on the soft toasted bread is one of the best around.!

On this visit, we were so full that we gave the desserts a skip, even passing the massive display of cakes on the way out! Next time! Another lovely visit to Bakestone and the helpful friendly staff in Perry Street.

Bakestone Timeline

2013: founded by Joe and Maura Carey in Fota Retail Park (near Carrigtwohill).

2017: The pantry began with a small collection of items and has grown to feature over 150 Irish-made products, including their own jams, chutneys, and cakes, curated by general manager Neil Muscheidt.

2023: A brand-new scratch bakery was opened next door to the Carrigtwohill café, serving as a hub for pastries, breads, and occasion cakes.

2025: Bakestone opened its first city-centre location on Perry Street in May. The move created 18 new jobs and brought the the team total to 67.

Mural by David Shillinglaw, part of the Sounds from a Safe Harbour week last September, paints
donated by Pat MacDonnell. The mural won Best in Tourism & Arts at the Cork Better Buildings Awards. 

Cork to Host Aeropress Championship. Skilled coffee makers to compete at Bakestone Café

Cork to Host Aeropress Championship for the First Time

Bakestone Café to Welcome Coffee Fans and Competitors this August

The Irish Aeropress Championship is coming to Cork for the first time this August, with the national event set to take place at the newly opened

Bakestone i gcroí na cathrach. Perry Street's the new and impressive venue

press release

Bakestone i gcroí na cathrach

Bakestone Launches New Café, Bringing Confidence to the City with 18 New Jobs and Locally Sourced Products

Pictured at the launch were (left/right;) bakers Sarah Patterson and Dave Kinsella, with co-founder of Bakestone, Joe Carey (centre). Top picture (l to r): baker Dave Kinsella; Neil Muscheidt, General Manager at Bakestone; Heather Doody, restaurant manager; Sara Tucci, baker Sarah Patterson; Joe Carey, co-founder of Bakestone, and Suzi Krupa.

Twelve years after first opening its doors in Carrigtwohill, Bakestone, the independent Cork café and pantry brand, has officially opened a new location on Perry Street. This marks its first expansion into Cork city centre, with a new café beside Emmet Place that brings Bakestone’s locally sourced, high-quality food offering into croí na cathrach (the heart of the city).

Founded by husband and wife team Joe and Maura Carey in 2013, Bakestone began with a simple idea, to create a space serving great food made with local ingredients. Starting from humble beginnings in a former car showroom in Carrigtwohill, the original café has grown from 55 seats to 240 and developed a thriving in-house bakery.

The opening of the new café on Perry Street has brought 18 new roles to Bakestone’s growing team, which now stands at 67 in total. The new café features dishes that have become favourites at the original location, all made from scratch each day. The team, led by Head Chef Pat Kiely and front-of-house manager Heather Doody, well known to many on Perry Street, bring years of experience and local knowhow, helping to make the space feel instantly familiar.

With this move, Bakestone is not only strengthening its ties with local suppliers but also creating new jobs in the city and investing in Cork as a vibrant place to live, work and eat. The location carries a meaningful link to the region’s food history, once housing butter firkins for Cork’s Butter Exchange, so the building sits near the end of the old butter roads that connected rural producers in places as far as Listowel, Co Kerry to the city.

“The space on Perry Street felt right the moment we saw it,” said co-founder Joe Carey. “There’s real history in the building, tied to Cork’s Butter Exchange and to our own family’s roots in dairy farming. It felt like a natural next step, like things coming full circle. We’ve dreamed for years of bringing Bakestone into the city, and to now be part of this community means a great deal.”

Maura Carey, co-founder of Bakestone, also added: “We have always admired the independent food scene in Cork city, so to now have a place among so many great local businesses is something we’re really proud of. Our hope is that this café becomes part of the everyday rhythm of the city, a space where people can pause, connect, and enjoy food made with real care.”

Bakestone has always backed Irish producers and cared about serving food that’s real and well made, which is what led to the launch of the Bakestone Pantry in 2017. What started as a small collection of around 20 items has since grown into a range of over 150 Irish-made products, curated expertly by Bakestone general manager Neil Muscheidt. From honey and hot sauce to their own jams, ketchups and cakes, the pantry brings the quality and flavour of the café into people’s homes and reflects Bakestone’s ongoing connection with local food communities.

Not content with sitting idly, Bakestone opened a brand-new scratch bakery in November 2023, right next door to their café in Carrigtwohill which now serves as a hub for everything from all-butter French pastries to occasion cakes and breads, with a highly creative and passionate team led by head baker Dave Kinsella.

In addition to breakfast and brunch, the team has plans for Bakestone on Perry Street that stretch beyond daytime service. With space to host up to 100 guests, the café will double as a venue for community events, live music, launches, and creative collaborations with other local businesses.

Bakestone on Perry Street is now open and serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch seven days a week.

Visit www.bakestone.ie for more information, including full opening hours and menu updates

Bakestone’s new café on Perry Street exceeds expectations. Great sandwiches and oh, those pastries!

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

BAKESTONE CAFÉ & PANTRY CELEBRATE 10 YEARS THIS WEEK AND LAUNCH A NEW EXCLUSIVE COFFEE BLEND, COMMON GROUNDS

 BAKESTONE CAFÉ & PANTRY CELEBRATE 10 YEARS THIS WEEK

AND LAUNCH A NEW EXCLUSIVE COFFEE BLEND, COMMON GROUNDS

Proprietors Joe and Maura Carey with, left, Neil Muscheidt (Bakestone)

Bakestone Café & Pantry was founded by Cork natives Joe and Maura Carey in 2013 in Carrigtwohill. It offers an all-day menu with a focus on high-quality locally-sourced ingredients.

Brunch is popular in Bakestone and you can expect all the classics, Eggs Benedict, Eggs Royale and Eggs Florentine, plus family-friendly posh Buttermilk Pancakes with Poached Pear, Salted Carmel and Vanilla Mascarpone, or traditional French Toast with Maple Syrup and Bacon. At the weekends the Bakestone Full Breakfast with locally sourced produce is the cure to all ails. 

The lunchtime offering changes daily, depending on what's seasonal and what’s fresh. Expect homemade quiches, six different types of salads each made daily in-house along with  Arbutus sourdough breads and in-house relishes and pickles.

In 2018, Bakestone Café added a new retail element to the business in the form of The Pantry which sells a wide variety of local artisan products and baked goods. The Bakestone Pantry highlights over 150 Irish producers including many of the best Cork producers plus a whole range of homemade Bakehouse chutneys, jams, pickles, relishes and dressings.

In 2018 Bakestone also opened in Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens. Bakestone in Fota House is open from March until the end of September 7 days a week and weekends from October until the end of February.

Happy Birthday!!!

Owner of Bakestone Café & Pantry Joe Carey is delighted to be celebrating ten years of following his passion for great food and for supporting local producers “We feel very honoured to have served the people of East Cork and beyond over the past 10 years, we cherish the relationships we've built with our wonderful food producers and suppliers, and we feel very lucky to have our wonderful Bakestone team collected around everything we do.”

To mark the celebration Bakestone has announced a very special partnership with Badger & Dodo by launching a new exclusive house coffee blend called Common Grounds.  This exclusive coffee blend only available to Bakestone, consists of washed Peruvian and natural Ethiopian beans that boast flavours of vanilla, milk chocolate and orange. Medium body with a smooth round finish on the palate. Founded by Australian Brock Lewin, Badger & Dodo has roasted coffee in Cork since 2008. The brand sources only the best beans available, from quality single-origin estates, with all blending done by hand. 

Common Grounds is available at Bakestone Café & Pantry, Fota Retail Park in Carrigtwohill, County Cork and Baketone @ Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens Fota Island also in Carrigtwohill, or buy online at www.bakestone.ie

Bakestone will celebrate its 10th year with a series of events taking place in Bakestone including a Meet The Makers event in Autumn. Keep up to date with the latest news by following Bakestone Café & Pantry on social @bakestonecafe

BAKESTONE CAFÉ & PANTRY CELEBRATE TEN YEARS IN FOTA RETAIL PARK

BAKESTONE CAFÉ & PANTRY CELEBRATE TEN YEARS IN FOTA RETAIL PARK

Common Grounds: Neil Muscheidt, Bakestone, Brock Lewin, Badger & Dodo,
and Joe Carey, Bakestone 

East Cork’s Bakestone Café & Pantry is celebrating

its tenth birthday in Fota Retail Park this month.

Bakestone Café & Pantry was founded by Cork natives Joe and Maura Carey in 2013 in Carrigtwohill. It offers an all-day menu with a focus on high-quality locally-sourced ingredients. In 2018, Bakestone Café added a new retail element to the business in the form of The Pantry which sells a wide variety of local artisan products and baked goods. The Bakestone Pantry highlights over 150 Irish producers including many of the best Cork producers plus a whole range of homemade Bakehouse chutneys, jams, pickles, relishes and dressings.

Joe said he is delighted to be celebrating ten years of following his passion for great food and for supporting local producers “We feel very honoured to have served the people of East Cork and beyond over the past 10 years, we cherish the relationships we've built with our wonderful food producers and suppliers, and we feel very lucky to have our wonderful Bakestone team collected around everything we do.”

All Irish at the Bakestone Pantry

To mark the celebration Bakestone has announced a very special partnership with Badger & Dodo by launching a new exclusive house coffee blend called Common Grounds.

Common Grounds, a house blend, is the result of a collaboration between the much-loved Cork café, which has outlets in Fota Retail Park and at Fota House, and Fermoy-based coffee roasters Badger & Dodo. Founded by Australian Brock Lewin, Badger & Dodo has been roasting coffee in Cork since 2008. The brand sources only the best beans available, from quality single-origin estates, with all blending done by hand. 

This exclusive coffee blend only available to Bakestone, consists of washed Peruvian and natural Ethiopian beans that boast flavours of vanilla, milk chocolate and orange. Medium body with a smooth round finish on the palate.

Common Grounds is available at Bakestone Café & Pantry, Fota Retail Park in Carrigtwohill, County Cork and Baketone @ Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens Fota Island also in Carrigtwohill, or buy online at www.bakestone.ie

Bakestone will celebrate its 10th year with a series of events taking place in Bakestone including a Meet The Makers event in Autumn. Keep up to date with the latest news by following Bakestone Café & Pantry on social @bakestonecafe.

Press release

Tastes and Producers of the Season. Christmas & New Year Treats

Tastes and Producers of the Season

Christmas & New Year Treats

Okay, let us start with bread. Make that cake! The arrival of Angela Nöthlings

German micro-bakery in Cork, specialising in organic artisan sourdough breads, especially rye, was a highlight of the year 2022. 

Her Stollen, the traditional German Christmas Cake, was a highlight of our festival days. And we can't forget her sweet "little" stuff: the decadent Berliner Brot, her shortbread fingers and her Salted Rye cookies, and more.

Stollen

The Germans have no shortage of sweet wines to pair with their Stollen. They also use Schnapps (which often has apples in its ingredients) and that put me thinking of something far closer to home.  

Pom’O is an apple aperitif made from rare apple varieties by Killahora Orchards in Glounthaune. The fruit is grown "in our 200 year old orchards on the south facing slopes of Ireland’s County Cork. We mix the juice from our bittersweet apples with the finest apple brandy, then age it in Irish whiskey barrels for at least a year."

They recommend serving it lightly chilled as an aperitif, with cheese or in a cocktail, with strong, nutty cheddar, fruit desserts. No mention of Stollen but I carried on regardless and the pairing was just perfect.

No bother in finding highlights. Another mega one was the Heritage Ham by James Whelan Butcher. And since we weren't entertaining on the big day, we had most of this beautiful piece of cooked meat all to ourselves (not all on the one day!). This award-winning Heritage Ham has already been lovingly cooked low and slow for over five hours. All we had to do was slice, serve and savour.  Our favourite accompaniment came via the Bord Bia recipe pages and was/is a Redcurrant sauce or glaze. You'll find a few variations here.

The perennial favourite Cashel Blue Cheese was again enjoyed, Wicklow Blue also and some Knockanore Cheddar. These were enhanced by our own Autumn Tomato Chutney made with some excess tomatoes from the back-garden, the recipe from BBC Good Food. 

Lomo

We've still got a few jars of that but will have no shortage of opportunities to use it. Another great match is the cold cured sliced Pork Fillet (lomo) from the Heart of Spain at Fota Retail Park where I had gone to get some of their Spanish wines and also to get Serrano (which was sold out). Here too I bought their Smoked Sliced Duck "Ham", another meaty gem. You could also have a mixed platter of cheese and charcuterie and the chutney will also do the business here! 

Also in the Fota Retail Park, I got myself a jar of the award winning Wild About Sloe Jelly from The Pantry at Bakestone. Very versatile indeed and it too goes very well with the cured pork, if used sparingly, and they also say it is great with duck or pate, so I'll be trying it with the duck. If you warm it, just drizzle it over desserts and ice cream and you have another winning combination thanks to this Wexford producer.

While I think of it, The Pantry was also my source for the Killahora Pom'O. That too was put through its paces with various bits and pieces and proved quite a match with the Stollen and also with our the cake and even more so with the pudding (from Barnabrow). 

Barrel aged beers tend to go well with Christmas pudding and we tried a few. Perhaps the best were the Brehon Oak & Mirrors BA Imperial Porter (7.5%) and the 9 White Deer Stag BA Export Stout (7.4%). Whiskey is almost always a winner with pudding - there was already some whiskey in the Barnabrow one - and the new 7-year old Single Malt from West Cork Distillers was a treat with it.

Barnabrow House Christmas Cake

We regularly get our hands on the Christmas double by Barnabrow House and got the cake and pudding in early this year when we bought them from the hard-working owner Geraldine Kidd who was selling them at the Ballymaloe Craft Fair. They are as good as ever!

Of course we had some other sweet bits and pieces around for the Christmas including regulars Mella's Fudge, Miena's Nougat and Turkish Delight, all bought on that visit to The Pantry at Bakehouse.

I'm thinking that this blog post may well be my shopping list for Christmas 2023. In the meantime, Happy New Year to you one and all.