Dublin has quietly become one of Europe's most exciting coffee cities. From neighbourhood cafés roasting their own beans to baristas serving carefully selected guest roasters, great coffee is no longer hard to find if you know where to look.
This guide brings together some of the best cafés across the city, from the Liberties and Smithfield to Phibsborough, Ranelagh and the Docklands. Whether you're chasing a perfectly dialled in espresso, a standout flat white, or a filter coffee worth slowing down for, these are the places that consistently deliver.
Every café featured here has been selected for the quality of its coffee, the experience it offers, and its contribution to Dublin's growing coffee culture. Consider this a starting point for your next great cup.
The flagship on Grand Canal Street is bright, welcoming and dog friendly with a full brunch menu made in house alongside their own roasted coffee. Known for rotating single origin espresso and filter options that change regularly. Reserve a table or drop in for a flat white and pancakes. Open seven days a week from early morning. One of Dublin’s most reliable spots for a genuinely great cup.
A bright specialty café on King Street South in Dublin 2 serving well crafted espresso drinks and filter coffee. A welcome addition to the Creative Quarter with a loyal neighbourhood following.
Serving specialty coffee and organic seasonal brunch on City Quay. A gorgeous space with genuinely warm staff and superb food. Their porridge (yes, you heard that right) is to die for! One of those places that just feels right from the moment you walk in. We love the industrial chic vibe inside. Highly recommend.
A high energy specialty coffee shop in Howth Market, open since 2017 and built for speed, consistency and genuine hospitality. Organic single origin beans alongside fresh cakes, pastries and sourdough toasties from local suppliers. Weekends get busy and the queue can stretch but standards never drop. A second location in George's Street Arcade in Dublin city centre. One of the most consistently praised specialty spots north of the city.
An organic sourdough bakery and café tucked beneath the railway arches on Pearse Street. Eoin Cluskey is the founder who mills his own flour on site. Known for incredible coffee, outstanding pastries and seasonal dishes made with care. Their almond croissants are heavenly!
Brew Lab Specialty Coffee Located on Aungier Street in the heart of Dublin 2, Brew Lab is a specialty coffee bar dedicated to serving exceptional coffee. Our coffee selection rotates regularly, featuring carefully sourced single-origin coffees from leading Irish and international roasters for both espresso and filter coffee. Driven by a passionate team and our signature Brew Bar experience, Brew Lab is a place for coffee lovers and curious newcomers to explore the world of specialty coffee. Alongside our coffee menu, we offer a selection of pastries in a welcoming atmosphere. Our goal is simple: to serve great coffee and make everyone feel welcome. Whether you are new to specialty coffee or you are already a coffee lover, we are here to help you enjoy it.
Clement & Pekoe is a stylish Dublin 2 café celebrated for its expertly brewed specialty coffee, exceptional loose-leaf teas, and fresh pastries. Sourcing high quality direct-trade coffee and distinctive teas from around the world, it offers a refined yet welcoming experience where there’s always something new to discover, all within a bright and relaxed setting in the heart of the city.
Pull up a stool at the slow bar on Pearse Street and let the team walk you through what's on filter. Alternatively, grab a flat white and a pistachio croissant to go. B Corp certified, zero waste ethos and some of the friendliest staff in the city. They also run a hands-on Roast Your Own experience on Saturday mornings where you use professional machines to roast your own small batch coffee and take the beans home. One of those places that rewards curiosity.
Tucked away just off the busiest streets of Temple Bar, Cocobrew offers a welcome escape from the crowds. This independent specialty coffee spot roasts its own coffee and focuses on quality, consistency, and a relaxed atmosphere. Whether you're grabbing a quick flat white or settling in for a slower morning, you'll find expertly brewed coffee, friendly service, and a menu packed with wholesome treats and smoothies. A hidden gem in the heart of the city, Cocobrew is the kind of place that reminds you why independent coffee shops matter.
A neighbourhood favourite from Coffeeangel on Pembroke Street Lower in Dublin 2, serving a full menu of espresso and filter coffee alongside freshly baked goods and bagged beans for the aspiring home barista. Champion barista pedigree and award winning coffee in a relaxed, professional friendly setting. Free WiFi, street parking and outdoor seating make it a popular spot to recharge in the heart of the city.
Brewing specialty coffee in Dublin since 2004, making them one of the city's longest running independent coffee operations. They now boast nine locations across Dublin and one in Monaghan. Their Trinity Street HQ is housed in a stunning Victorian red-brick building that dates back to 1896. Award-winning and champion baristas.
A specialty coffee shop with locations across Dublin and Bray, They Worked with world class roasters including April, Bailies, Bell Lane, Square Mile, Five Elephant, La Cabra, The Barn and many more. The guest roaster lineup changes regularly keeping things genuinely exciting for serious coffee drinkers. Pour over focused with a calm considered atmosphere. One of Dublin's most respected specialty coffee destinations.
Creed roast their own coffee and serve it the way it deserves to be served. A no-fuss specialty café where the quality speaks for itself.
Opened by David Smyth in 2015 on the Clontarf Road. Serving Full Circle coffee as their house coffee alongside a rotating monthly guest roaster. Fresh sandwiches, cakes, and sweet treats are made in-house daily. Dog friendly with outdoor seating too. It's the perfect stop before a scenic, seaside stroll with a specialty coffee in hand.
A micro bakery and specialty café in Smithfield, with a second location in Phibsborough on the North Circular Road serving the same Cloud Picker coffee and bakery menu. Busy, beloved and worth the queue, especially on weekends. These guys are killing it with quality coffee paired with amazing pastries. Another one you won't regret. Treat a loved one, they'll thank you for it.
A micro bakery and specialty café in Smithfield, with a second location in Phibsborough on the North Circular Road serving the same Cloud Picker coffee and bakery menu. Busy, beloved and worth the queue, especially on weekends. These guys are killing it with quality coffee paired with amazing pastries. Another one you won't regret. Treat a loved one, they'll thank you for it.
A newer arrival on the Dublin specialty scene with a loyal, local following. Serving their own house blend roasted exclusively to their spec. by Full Circle Roasters in Dublin. A bespoke coffee you won't find anywhere else.
A specialty café and artisan bakery on Cork Street in the heart of the Liberties, run by a trio with serious coffee and baking credentials. Serving 3fe alongside rotating guest filter coffees from around the world, all backed up by home baked cakes made with seasonal, local and often foraged ingredients. Family friendly with a play area, vegan options throughout and a retail corner stocked with beans and equipment. One of Dublin 8's most characterful neighbourhood spots.
Grindstone started in Dundrum beside the Luas stop and now boasts three locations including Dublin Landings and the newly opened Bolands Mills. Serving 3fe coffee alongside guest roasters like Blind Monkey. The Bolands Mills location inside Google's historic docklands redevelopment is their most impressive yet.
A specialty roastery and café in the heart of the Liberties founded by Andy and Mark. Roasting single origin beans on site and serving seasonal food made with local ingredients. They also run yoga classes in the café space in the evenings.
A specialty coffee and brunch spot with three locations across Dublin, Bull Island, Donnybrook and the Dun Laoghaire Baths. Serving Roasted Brown as their house coffee alongside rotating guest roasters, with the seaside settings at Bull Island and Dun Laoghaire adding to what's already a genuinely good cup. Toasties, brunch and a relaxed, beachy atmosphere across all three spots. Reservations available at Donnybrook and Dun Laoghaire.
Two neighbourhood coffee shops by the sea in Glasthule and Blackrock Village serving excellent coffee and homemade treats seven days a week. A local institution with a loyal following and a relaxed seaside atmosphere.
A specialty café on Kevin Street Lower in Dublin 8 that opened in early 2026 and has wasted no time establishing itself. The flat white has been getting serious attention and the early signs point to something worth paying attention to. One of Dublin's newest additions to the specialty scene and already one worth seeking out.
A neighbourhood café in Portmarnock village, steps from the Velvet Strand beach. Serving Bailies specialty coffee and homemade food since 2018. A saunter along the coast followed by brunch here is one of those combinations that's hard to beat. Now with three locations across north Dublin.
An independent specialty café on Drury Street in Dublin's Creative Quarter, open since 2013. Serving 3fe coffee across two floors of minimalist interior with outdoor street seating when the weather allows. A first floor gallery space showcases local artists. One of the most established and consistently well-regarded cafés in the city.
Mantle Coffee is a recently opened café in Temple Bar that takes a more considered, process-focused approach to coffee culture in Dublin. Rather than treating coffee as just a quick service, it encourages customers to engage with the full journey behind each cup. From sourcing and roasting through to brewing methods. Baristas are often happy to talk through the details, creating a more conversational and interactive experience rather than a standard counter service. The overall atmosphere feels relaxed and welcoming, with a strong emphasis on quality and connection. It’s a 5 star rating from us!
A specialty café inside the Distillery Building on Smithfield Square serving exceptional coffee since 2016. Working with some of Europe's best roasters on a rotating basis, the focus is always on quality without compromise. Low-key atmosphere, white brick walls, wooden tables and shelves stocked with beans and brewing equipment. Fresh pastries available alongside the coffee. Dog friendly and card only. One of the most consistently well-regarded specialty cafés in Dublin.
Founded on Tara Street in 2016, Shoe Lane Coffee takes its name from the historic lane once lined with cobblers and leather workshops in the 1800s. The original café still features reclaimed 18-foot timber floorboards over 150 years old, salvaged from a nearby warehouse, giving the space its warm and characterful feel. Shoe Lane serves single origin espresso, filter coffee, and cold brew, all roasted in house using its own beans, alongside buttery croissants, peanut butter squares, toasties, artisan sausage rolls, and many other locally sourced cakes and treats. The cafés are lively, welcoming spaces filled with music, conversation, and people lingering over coffee. Open from 6:30am on weekdays, Shoe Lane now has locations on Tara Street, in Dún Laoghaire, and in Dalkey, with an exciting new city-centre location opening soon… All locations are dog friendly, with dogs welcome downstairs only in the Tara Street café. Toasties and sausage rolls are available exclusively in Dún Laoghaire.
A specialty coffee on the Clontarf seafront. Open daily from early morning for coffee, breakfast and lunch. Dog friendly, plus outdoor seating that catches the coastal views. A second location has opened in the Docklands at Grand Canal Dock. One of Clontarf's best loved coffee spots.
A drive-through specialty coffee container at Windy Arbour in Dundrum 14. Thru The Green Coffee was founded by Kiz and Jonny who were inspired by the Australian drive-through coffee culture. Serving Roasted Brown coffee alongside Bread 41 pastries and homemade treats. Dog friendly with puppuccinos available.
Founded by Adam McMenamin after years in Melbourne's specialty coffee scene, Two Fifty Square brought that same obsession back to Dublin. An in-house roastery, wholesale operation and neighbourhood café all under one roof. The goal was simple: make it easier to get a genuinely great cup in the city.
A neighbourhood café on Francis Street in Dublin 8 serving specialty coffee, seasonal food and homemade pastries from their in-house Bold Boy Bakery. They've since expanded to a second location in Fairview, and their natural wine bar Notions operates from the same Francis Street site in the evenings.
Vice Coffee Inc. was born in 2013. A multi-roaster coffee bar located within WIGWAM just off O’ Connell Street in Dublin City centre. They boast a rotating cast of Irish and international roasters, brilliant Irish coffees, coffee cocktails, and hands-on tasting classes. This is one of Dublin’s most exciting spots for coffee lovers.
A new arrival on George's Quay from the team behind As One, including Paddy Kirk who wrote 'The Dublin Coffee Guide.' Inspired by coffee shops in Copenhagen, New York and Berlin, it shows. Clean and considered with serious coffee in a calm, riverside space. The playlist is always good and the latte art is consistently impressive.
A small specialty café on Dorset Street Upper in Dublin's north inner city. Relaxed neighbourhood vibe with a focus on quality coffee and a warm welcome.
If you run a specialty café or roastery in Ireland and think you deserve to be featured on MapMyBrew, we'd love to hear from you.