Cuppa by Cuppa in Dublin.
Three Unheralded Cafés Worth Noting in or near Museums
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| This is the narrowest point of the huge CHQ dining area. It widens considerably as you walk further in with generous seating and a choices of cafes eager to feed you. |
Just back from a whirlwind 4-day trip to Dublin, and my feet are still in recovery-mode, but my heart (and stomach) is full.
If you are planning a catch-up tour of the Fair City, prepare yourself for either a serious step-count or an enhanced Uber bill. We found a healthy mix of both worked a treat. Staying near St Stephen’s Green, we kept our radius manageable: wandering down through Temple Bar, crossing the Liffey to O’Connell Street, and dipping into the cultural gems of Kildare Street (including the nearby National Gallery that has its own bright and airy café).
Our longest trek was out to the spectacular EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum on Custom House Quay. We split the difference—smoothly cruising out there via a €12.83 Uber and enjoying a lazy, scenic stroll back to the centre.
When you're on the move between Dublin's heavy-hitter attractions, it does no harm to prepare a lunch plan. Did you know that some of the city's best culinary surprises are tucked right inside its modern museums?
Here are three smaller spots that served us incredibly well.
1. Tír Deli at EPIC (The CHQ Building)
The Vibe: A soaring, glass-roofed cathedral of casual food.
The History: This massive space once hosted a "Great National Banquet" in 1856 to honour 3,600 veterans of the Crimean War, while 1,000 civilian onlookers watched from a gallery above!
The Food: Today, the "battle" is simply choosing a lunch spot. Surrounded by strong competition like Seven Wonders and Bakehouse, Tír Deli got our vote for its dedication to seasonal Irish produce. Despite the post-museum rush, their efficient queueing system had us sorted in no time. We grabbed a piping hot tomato soup and a killer chicken sandwich, scored a seat right outside their door, and ate while the Dublin sunshine flooded through the glass overhead.
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| Green Kitchen's not too far away from The Spire! |
2. The Green Kitchen Café at the GPO Museum
The Vibe: An oasis of pure joy hidden right off bustling O'Connell Street.
The Mission: This isn't just a café; it's a brilliant social enterprise partnering with the charity WALK. They provide meaningful training and employment opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities and autism.
The Experience: The GPO Museum downstairs delivers a powerful, compact history of the 1916 Easter Rising. But when you step upstairs into this light-filled courtyard café, you are greeted by lots of space and smiles galore. We stopped in for a quick cuppa, but it was worth the visit just to catch a whiff of the absolute happiness that abounds here. Great food, great community, great cause.
3. The Commons Café at MoLI (Museum of Literature Ireland)
The Vibe: Literary elegance meets lingering lunchers.
The Secret: Tucked on the edge of St Stephen’s Green, this impressively renovated building features its own hidden entrance to the beautiful Iveagh Gardens out back. While the museum itself left us wondering exactly what the grand budget was spent on (it's beautiful, but light on exhibits unless you are a die-hard James Joyce fan), the café is an absolutely relaxing spot.
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| Reuben & soup at The Commons |
The Food: Managed by Gather + Gather (whose Culinary Lead is Corkman Jack O'Keeffe), the service here was exceptionally warm. I thoroughly enjoyed a rich tomato soup paired with a classic Reuben, while CL found the Irish-sourced Kish smoked salmon to be just the job. Open 10am to 5pm daily, it's a perfect sanctuary from the city noise. And, if you fancy a post-prandial stroll, you've got the Iveagh Gardens at the rear, St Stephens Green at the front.
What About a "Big Lunch"?
A full sit-down lunch wasn't on our daily radar, though we had a spectacular one lined up at King Sitric in Howth until a sudden bug scuppered our plans! If you are looking for a heavier midday meal back in the city centre, add these to your notebook:
Lucio’s: (by Ross Lewis). Brilliant, but note they only do lunch on Thursdays!
L’Gueuleton: A fantastic French bistro option open every day.
The Vintage Kitchen: A beloved local gem for exceptional Irish cooking.
Urban Brewing: Located right next to EPIC in the CHQ vaults, serving up fantastic O’Hara’s brews and hearty bites.
Dublin is a city best devoured one neighbourhood—and one café—at a time. We barely scratched the surface in four days!
* We'll have info on evening dining in Dublin, including La Maison, in a soon to be published post.
** Also on this trip:
The lively Bouef & Frites in Temple Bar.
