Best place for coffee in Cork

Loire · 18-10-2011 01:38PM #1

I usually try and head into town for an hour at the weekend with a magazine. Usual haunts of mine are Idaho Cafe, Cork Coffee Roasters and last Sunday I went to Costa Coffee. Idaho is probably my favourite for overall setting. During the week I pick up coffees at Italee on Oliver Plunket Street...fab coffee!

Where's you favourite place for a coffee in Cork?

foxyboxer · 18-10-2011 02:57PM

LA Bagels on Oliver Plunkett St.

Get a window seat and watch all the characters of cork walk by.

Dermighty · 18-10-2011 06:43PM

Gusto on Washington Street has the best cappuccino.

Butlers has a nice americano.

Owen · 18-10-2011 07:53PM

Love the coffee in Butlers, but starting to like Gloria Jeans' Coffee Pod now just to sit for a while and watch the world pass by.

Bogsnorkler · 18-10-2011 08:20PM

Cafe Depeche, the one beside the gate cinema. Really like everything about it.

headmaster · 18-10-2011 08:31PM

Dunnes, Tesco, Super value, they all have excellent brands and most work out at between 10 to 16c per cup.

18-10-2011 08:50PM

headmaster wrote: »

Dunnes, Tesco, Super value, they all have excellent brands and most work out at between 10 to 16c per cup.

For a few euro it's sometimes nice to have a cup of coffee out and about, chill out, gather ones thoughts etc. One of life's simple pleasures.

A cuppa at home is lovely too no doubt, one deserves a little treat in today's hectic life though.

Sephiroth_dude · 18-10-2011 09:49PM

where do ye think serves the best hot chocolate? oh and the best coffee is the place across the road from finn corner on washington street,can't think of the name.

horgan_p · 18-10-2011 09:53PM

Coffee central in the English market.
/thread ends

markok84 · 18-10-2011 10:27PM

Fellini's on Carey's lane used to be a lot better than it is now. They need to service their machine I think, lots of fines in the coffee, but it's still a lovely spot to relax in for half an hour. All in all you can't beat coffee roasters though.

Alternatively you can whip into Gurmans on Fenn's Quay and get some Jamaican blue mountain, (a snip at €280 a kilo) and brew your own at home! :pac:

miss_shadow · 18-10-2011 10:31PM

I'd fully agree with having a stroll around. Little shops are doing coffee now, the likes of the english market is great for sitting and letting the atmosphere go on around you whilst you sit there supping your coffee is quite a good buzz.

There is a place at the end where smyths toy shop is. I can't recall the name but walk past smyths and past 'pisces' pet shop on the left they do very good coffee and always a good atmosphere in there and of course good coffee too.

markok84 · 18-10-2011 10:44PM

miss_shadow wrote: »

There is a place at the end where smyths toy shop is. I can't recall the name but walk past smyths and past 'pisces' pet shop on the left they do very good coffee and always a good atmosphere in there and of course good coffee too.

That's Idaho.

JaneHudson · 19-10-2011 08:12AM

I heard the new Italian place on Oliver Plunkett street opposite Milano's is good but I haven't been there yet.

kcb · 19-10-2011 09:23AM

JaneHudson wrote: »

I heard the new Italian place on Oliver Plunkett street opposite Milano's is good but I haven't been there yet.

ITALEE

Quality. Proper Italian. Proper coffee.

Those places like Gloria Jeans and Gusto and Insomnia are a disgrace. Rip-off and unfriendly.

Loire · 19-10-2011 12:23PM

kcb wrote: »

ITALEE

Quality. Proper Italian. Proper coffee.

+1

randomuser77 · 19-10-2011 12:38PM

horgan_p wrote: »

Coffee central in the English market.
/thread ends

+1

Not just my favourite in Cork but my favourite anywhere, ever.

Loire · 19-10-2011 02:27PM

randomuser77 wrote: »

+1

Not just my favourite in Cork but my favourite anywhere, ever.

Is that the smaller one in the middle or the bigger one down by the fish mongers?

randomuser77 · 19-10-2011 02:33PM

Loire wrote: »

Is that the smaller one in the middle or the bigger one down by the fish mongers?

It's the one in the middle. As seen on the interweb.

Malari · 19-10-2011 02:41PM

randomuser77 wrote: »

+1

Not just my favourite in Cork but my favourite anywhere, ever.

Coffee Central isn't somewhere you'd linger for a while with a book, or for a long chat with a friend though is it? I've stood there and had a coffee before, and it's a bit jostly

Is the coffee that good? I'm not exactly a connoisseur

but I go to coffee places mainly for the atmosphere and a nice place to sit for a while. I like Idaho and Gusto.

Vivara · 19-10-2011 02:43PM

Anyone who has any idea about coffee knows, yes, as people have said, that Coffee Central in the English Market has the best coffee in town. No doubt about it.

Any of these franchises, Butlers, Insomnia, Gloria Jeans, as people has said too, generally have mass-market coffee that really is very poor. It's mainly just an image.

Cork Coffee Roasters has excellent coffee too, but it really has become a brand and image too and it depends on who is banging away at the coffee machine... sometimes the coffee can be good, other times awful.

Coffee Central is the only place that consistently trains people who can make consistently good coffee. (And yes, it's the one that you see as you go in to the left from the Princes St. entrance. You can't miss it, because it's always packed.)

EDIT:

Malari wrote: »

Coffee Central isn't somewhere you'd linger for a while with a book, or for a long chat with a friend though is it? I've stood there and had a coffee before, and it's a bit jostly.

Know what you're saying. It may have the best coffee, but probably isn't the best 'place for coffee'!

Malari wrote: »

Is the coffee that good?

Yes. Yes it is!

BailMeOut · 19-10-2011 02:47PM

Coffee in the Crawford Art Gallery is excellent.

Malari · 19-10-2011 02:49PM

Vivara wrote: »

EDIT:

Know what you're saying. It may have the best coffee, but probably isn't the best 'place for coffee'!

Yes. Yes it is!

Ok, I'll have to try it again. Mostly though, I'm meeting friends for coffee on a Saturday afternoon and it's the last place to go if you want to talk! I'm gonna try a takeaway though next time I go through the Market

jacko1 · 19-10-2011 08:00PM

Cafe Gusto & Coffee Central

Solair · 19-10-2011 11:59PM

Café Gusto
Bodega
Cork Coffee Roasters

kcb · 20-10-2011 07:59AM

Vivara wrote: »

Anyone who has any idea about coffee knows, yes, as people have said, that Coffee Central in the English Market has the best coffee in town. No doubt about it.

You've never been to Italee so!

Milly33 · 20-10-2011 09:54AM

I was recently introduced to the Coffee in McDonals and I have to say tis yummie for €1 I think it is really nice, tasty coffee

run_Forrest_run · 20-10-2011 05:16PM

Milly33 wrote: »

I was recently introduced to the Coffee in McDonals and I have to say tis yummie for €1 I think it is really nice, tasty coffee

while it may no be cool to mention the M word I must agree with you Milly. Lately I had a white coffee at the one in Mahon Point and I was well impressed.
Recently got a coffee to go in Gloria Jeans (sorry!) and christ it was awful, just too damn hot.
RE: Cork Coffee Roasters, I've had good and bad there. Dying to try Italee and Coffee Central now.

markok84 · 20-10-2011 06:19PM

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

Dying to try Italee and Coffee Central now.

While you're in Italee get a chocolate mousse to go with your coffee, you will not be disappointed..... seriously they're amazing.

run_Forrest_run · 20-10-2011 06:24PM

markok84 wrote: »

While you're in Italee get a chocolate mousse to go with your coffee, you will not be disappointed..... seriously they're amazing.

ooh, now you're talkin'

Delaine · 20-10-2011 11:31PM

Yes to the Bodega for coffee! Friendly service, really nice place to just kick back and read a book, or chat to your pals. And the best part is they serve you the coffee on a silver platter, with a little gold bar of chocolate and a shot of water! A shot of water with your coffee, its just swish! Love it.

ncur · 21-10-2011 09:47AM

+1 for the recommendation for Cafe Depeche by the Gate cinema. Will have to check out Italee and Coffee Central based on the various posts here also.

kingtut · 21-10-2011 09:47AM

As someone who drinks a lot of coffee and has a slight obsession

I was always a big fan of Cork Coffee Roasters and O'Briens. The places I always hated were Gloria Jeans, Insomniac and the majority of the shops like Centra that do coffee.

Solair · 21-10-2011 11:39AM

Try Italee on Oliver Plunket St. One of the few very genuinely Italian cafes in Ireland. Really nice food too.

Loire · 21-10-2011 01:17PM

Solair wrote: »

Try Italee on Oliver Plunket St. One of the few very genuinely Italian cafes in Ireland. Really nice food too.

italle also do an Italian Hot Chocolate for 3 euro. It's a million miles away from a regular hot chocolate (which they have for 2 euro). Seriously the nicest hot chocolate you can get. As much as I love their coffee and hot chocolate for take away it's not the best IMO as a spot to chill with the paper....is it Idaho or Gusto then?

Dermighty · 22-10-2011 03:20AM

Coffee central used to be my usual haunt.

Their (regular size, strong strength) americano is very good. I find anything other than this exact coffee is not.

For the record: A cappuccino is not 90:10 milk to coffee with half a centimetre of milk at the top, that's a latte at best. The bodega (and coffee central) serves this kind of cappuccino (ie: a cup of lukewarm milk with an espresso in it).

I cannot stand the Bodega!

Cappuccino wise the best I've had would be Gusto followed by Cafe Bar Deli or (believe it or not) Gourmet burger bistro on Bridge street.

langdang · 24-10-2011 09:47AM

Dermighty wrote: »

Coffee central used to be my usual haunt.
Their (regular size, strong strength) americano is very good. I find anything other than this exact coffee is not.

Based on all the votes in this thread, I tried out Coffee Central when I was back home at the weekend. Standard americano and latte were only average. I know even good places have off days, but I was very disappointed after all the hype!
Back in Cork next weekend too, if it hasn't washed away in the meantime - will have to try Italee

Loire · 25-10-2011 12:26PM

Popped into Coffee Central at lunchtime to see what all the fuss was about. Had a strong (nice to be offerred the choice) americano and all I can say is that it was DELISH. Good God, it was amazing. I love Italee too but found the coffeee in CC to have more depth. I loved the way the oul pair running it were chatting to people washing the used delph in the sink at the same time....kinda like the way the mammy does it when I'm on the phone to her! A great spot indeed.

It's a great place for a quickish coffee but not somewhere where you can sit and chat to friends or read the paper. In this regard, I think Idaho is probably the best place for a coffee rather than the place with the best coffeee....the search continues...

Dermighty · 27-10-2011 07:21AM

Loire wrote: »

It's a great place for a quickish coffee but not somewhere where you can sit and chat to friends or read the paper. In this regard, I think Idaho is probably the best place for a coffee rather than the place with the best coffeee....the search continues...

Woodford > Idaho

Vivara · 28-10-2011 10:07PM

Dermighty wrote: »

For the record: A cappuccino is not 90:10 milk to coffee with half a centimetre of milk at the top, that's a latte at best. The bodega (and coffee central) serves this kind of cappuccino (ie: a cup of lukewarm milk with an espresso in it).

I am always perplexed when people seem to really distinguish between a cappuccino and a latté and then start talking about ratios. The only difference between a cappuccino and a latté is the ratio of steamed milk to milk foam.

A cappuccino is quite simply this: 25% espresso, 20% steamed milk and 55% milk foam. So at least 75% of it is milk. I find it hard to believe that 90% of it was milk, but if it was any less it seems about right to me.

Then, surprise, surprise, a latté is 25% espresso, 55% steamed milk and 20% milk foam.

It's literally just a swap in the ratio of steamed milk to milk foam... and most places get it wrong so they end up being quite similar, just in a different glass/cup. But there really is no great distinction like people go on about.

And, I can't believe I forgot to mention my new favourite place:
Café Eco which is quite new on Winthrop Street. It's from the same people that bring you the Webworkhouse (on the same premises) and Eco Douglas restaurant. You'd half miss it, but it's beautiful.

Absolutely superb coffee (specially trained baristas) and dozens of speciality teas. Real nice and cosy too, you can go there with a paper, laptop, iPad, book, and you won't be moved on for a while once you top yourself up every so often!

This is my new 'sit-down' place... Coffee Central is still my place if I want to get something on the run or just want to sit on a stool for five minutes.

FTGFOP · 29-10-2011 12:31AM

Vivara wrote: »

Café Eco

Sounds good, I'll have to try it.

run_Forrest_run · 29-10-2011 07:03AM

as long as Café Eco is town isn't ask crammed as Eco in Douglas I may give it a try. I might try to make it into Italee later today...does anyone know if they sell packets of the coffee they serve in the cafe?

wolfpawnat · 29-10-2011 07:11AM

Sephiroth_dude wrote: »

where do ye think serves the best hot chocolate?

Gloria Jeans, Med White Hot Choc, I don't go down home often, but when I do I make sure to go! Miss it so much

Loire · 02-11-2011 10:19AM

Tried Cafe Eco yesterday in Wintrop Street. Nice place, but I got a take-away and I must say it was the worst coffee I've drank in a long time. After 3 sips it found itself in a bin. So bad I went to Italee to wash away the taste. Pity, as the place looks great for just chillin for a while.

munchkin_utd · 02-11-2011 10:31AM

the only decent coffee I can remember getting anywhere in Ireland was in the "Bakery Union" place on Marlboro st.
Im a fussy bugger and actually like to taste the coffee rather than gallons of tepid frothy milk.

proper segafredo coffee and only €2 for cappucino or a latte.

they don't do any fancy pants crap, but what they do do is damn tasty!
Its as near to the way you get coffee in italy as I've seen done by non Italians.

FTGFOP · 02-11-2011 01:54PM

Loire wrote: »

Tried Cafe Eco yesterday in Wintrop Street. Nice place, but I got a take-away and I must say it was the worst coffee I've drank in a long time. After 3 sips it found itself in a bin. So bad I went to Italee to wash away the taste. Pity, as the place looks great for just chillin for a while.

How would you say it rated against a black coffee (that's what we're talking about here, yeah?) from Costa?

Loire · 02-11-2011 03:09PM

FTGFOP wrote: »

How would you say it rated against a black coffee (that's what we're talking about here, yeah?) from Costa?

I had an Americano in both and found Costa's perfectly fine.

Loire · 02-11-2011 03:10PM

munchkin_utd wrote: »

the only decent coffee I can remember getting anywhere in Ireland was in the "Bakery Union" place on Marlboro st.
Im a fussy bugger and actually like to taste the coffee rather than gallons of tepid frothy milk.

proper segafredo coffee and only €2 for cappucino or a latte.

they don't do any fancy pants crap, but what they do do is damn tasty!
Its as near to the way you get coffee in italy as I've seen done by non Italians.

I know the guy who owns/runs this to see so will check it out and "report" back!

soundsham · 02-11-2011 09:12PM

Gloria jeans coffee pod
Location location location
Nice coffee too :-p

run_Forrest_run · 09-11-2011 04:35PM

so, I purposely got up early on Saturday morning (with a hangover) to drive to Park & Ride to grab a bus into town all in order to sample a coffee in Italee.
It was very tasty and the staff were nice. I will definitely return (without hangover next time:D).

Dermighty · 10-11-2011 02:43PM

soundsham wrote: »

Gloria jeans coffee pod
Location location location
Nice coffee too :-p

I actually hate this place, their coffee is so bad!

EyeSight · 10-11-2011 07:41PM

Italee and butlers are my favourites.

the Pavillion also do a nice coffee surprisingly enough

costa is good(good portions too) for a americanos, however some of their other drinks are poor. for example on a hot summers day this year i shelled out 5 euro for a smoothie, it was just frozen youghart and a lot of syrup. they over-do the syrup on everything else

stay away from marks and spencers cafe also, i ordered a black coffee there once and it was so watery and weak that i could see through it.

Best place for coffee in Cork

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