Sweetie Pies

Rockshamrover

Has anyone Been to that new coffee shop in Galway called sweetie Pies?

I was in there last week while on hols. I couldn't get over the fact that it's a one off (not part of a big chain) and Irish.

Very nice.
Very busy though.

mink_man

bad joke :P

martyboy48

mink_man wrote: »

nah creamie pies is my favourite place to go! :pac: oj

:eek: ...........

its not a one off. There is a branch in Athenry in the old Garda station and one in Loughrea

Mrs OBumble

Yup: very styley, very girlie, and ultra high-calorie. Prices to match.

Lovely stuff if you're in the mood for it (I'd had a bad day, need a serious chocolate fix!), but I can't see me being a regular.

Good luck to them though, lots of people have tried and failed in that site, at least they're managing to look busy-ish at times.

Acoshla

Deleted User wrote: »

its not a one off. There is a branch in Athenry in the old Garda station and one in Loughrea

The one in Loughrea closed down months ago. Whereabouts is the one in Galway? Pretty average place IMO.

moonflower

I haven't been in there yet, the buns in the window have looked pretty gross everytime I've walked past and it put me off. Have they got decent coffee? I'll give it a go if they do.

Rockshamrover

I didn't realize they'd 3 branches, business must be good.

The coffee is excellent, I like my coffee:D

Xiney

where is this place?

(not that it's going to change the fact that I rarely buy baked goods...)

Madame Razz

Middle street apparently:


http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/28062

Kiddies corner makes the place sound like my idea of hell:eek:

Cathal01

I think the one in Athenry is closed now too........

Rockshamrover

FUtoo wrote: »

Middle street apparently:


http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/28062

Kiddies corner makes the place sound like my idea of hell:eek:

That's a great article on the place, makes me want to go back:D

Most coffee shops don't cater for kids so that's a plus in my book.

Maybe you're too young to appreciate that kind of thing, lucky you:D

Acoshla

Xiney wrote: »

where is this place?

(not that it's going to change the fact that I rarely buy baked goods...)

But baked goods are awesome! Well, good quality ones are

Madame Razz

Rockshamrover wrote: »

That's a great article on the place, makes me want to go back:D

Most coffee shops don't cater for kids so that's a plus in my book.

Maybe you're too young to appreciate that kind of thing, lucky you:D

No, I'm not that young really; it's just that I prefer coffee shops to creches:). If I'm buying overpriced cake and coffee I like to eat said over priced cake and drink said over priced coffee in relative peace and quiet and actually enjoy it as opposed to suffering playtime noise and chaos.

I'm sure such an area in a restaurant is an absolute boon for parents and wonderfully enjoyable for children too but to me it means that I shall go elsewhere to eat over priced cake and drink over priced coffee; luckily living in Galway means there's plenty of choice on that front:p

gaeilgegrinds1

I really liked it and hope that because it's big they'll keep it as one side for Mommies/Daddies and kids and the other for ladies/gents who lunch. Sounds weird coming from a Mommy I'm well aware but when I go out without the wee man I don't want to be minding someone elses! That said I think I've become more tolerant, I just don't like when parents ignore their kids doing something wrong and expect a stranger to take over. I thought it was a nice place, very girly but my OH's salad was enought to fill his enormous appetite with all the bread they gave him!

Rockshamrover

FUtoo wrote: »

No, I'm not that young really; it's just that I prefer coffee shops to creches:). If I'm buying overpriced cake and coffee I like to eat said over priced cake and drink said over priced coffee in relative peace and quiet and actually enjoy it as opposed to suffering playtime noise and chaos.

I'm sure such an area in a restaurant is an absolute boon for parents and wonderfully enjoyable for children too but to me it means that I shall go elsewhere to eat over priced cake and drink over priced coffee; luckily living in Galway means there's plenty of choice on that front:p

You'd be hard pressed to find a coffee shop anywhere that doesn't have kids.
I do know what you mean though, it is nice to escape the little darlings every now and then:D

Thanks god for pubs after 6:D

Xiney

Spadina wrote: »

But baked goods are awesome! Well, good quality ones are

yes but yours are the only baked goods that are nicer than my own!

Alambra

I've been in twice because the people I was meeting both times had kids and were curious about it - the cup cakes look ok but when I got some for the kids even they thought they were ultra sweet and they didn't come close to finishing them. The staff were very nice though and I'd get other food there instead of the buns when/if I go in again.

oneofakind32

Girlie cafe's seem to be recession proof! There's a new one open every other week around town.

Mrs OBumble

Xiney wrote: »

where is this place?

(not that it's going to change the fact that I rarely buy baked goods...)

Middle St, former pro-cathedral building. It was an Indian restaurant. And a different Indian restaurant before that too, I think. Just across from the Amnesty International shop.

Acoshla

oneofakind32 wrote: »

Girlie cafe's seem to be recession proof! There's a new one open every other week around town.

Not too recession proof or their place wouldn't be sitting empty in Loughrea since last year.

So it's right across from Gourmet Tart? Is that still there? Quite similar places no? Although Sweetie Pies has seating etc.

Rockshamrover

oneofakind32 wrote: »

Girlie cafe's seem to be recession proof! There's a new one open every other week around town.

The only things that are recession proof are TD's, dentists, doctors and undertakers:D

Mrs OBumble

Spadina wrote: »

So it's right across from Gourmet Tart? Is that still there? Quite similar places no? Although Sweetie Pies has seating etc.

Around the corner.

Actually, GT were advertising for waitresses/waiters a bit before it opened. Clearly the didn't need them for their GT format shops (strictly shop assistants there). So it wouldn't surprise me if it's the same company under a different brand.

(I don't have ANY information either way, just making a wild-but-not-off-the-wall guess.)

brianthebard

JustMary wrote: »

Around the corner.

Actually, GT were advertising for waitresses/waiters a bit before it opened. Clearly the didn't need them for their GT format shops (strictly shop assistants there). So it wouldn't surprise me if it's the same company under a different brand.

(I don't have ANY information either way, just making a wild-but-not-off-the-wall guess.)

GT are opening a resturant in Salthill, that's probably what they wanted all the staff for.

Was in sweetie pies for sandwich and coffee, was ok but too expensive. regarding new bakeries, Bake house just opened, its beside ryans homeware (or whatever its called) got a bakewell from them yesterday and it was very nice.

bubbaloo

Haven't been to the one in Galway but if it's the same crowd running it as ran Loughrea I won't be visiting.
Loughrea was always filthy and the staff were as lazy as sin!
Their pastries were frozen and there was no facility to change a nappy in the ladies - not even a chair! :mad:

Think I might go check them out today.

Acoshla

It is the same one as was in Loughrea.

Went to Bakehouse today, very unimpressed with their cupcakes, not a bit of colour on them, not even a few sprinkles, most places throw too many on, this place don't use them at all. Not very appetising to look at, no little labels to say what all the products were, and at €2.10 a pop not good value either. The icing was nice, but too much of it.

Have a mars bar slice to taste yet. Edit: The "Mars Bar Slice" is just rice krispies and chocolate, feel really cheated, if I'd wanted Coco Pops I could've bloody bought them. Sweetie Pies doesn't have to worry about competition anyway!

apple26

I was there last Saturday and can honestly say I will not be returning. The service was really bad and the prices were extortionate.

Ok, the place was busy but that does not excuse staff mixing up orders and forgetting one person's food. We ordered 3 sandwiches and eventually after 30 minutes our food appeared, minus one sandwich. When we enquired about the remaining food we were told that the kitchen staff had "forgot" to make it and would do so straight away. We were waiting on a toasted BLT and when it finally appeared it was not toasted and the bacon was cold. We were so fed up at this stage that the sandwich was eaten and no more said about it.

When I went to pay I was charged €6.95 for my plain chicken sandwich. IMO that is daylight robbery. I don't mind paying for something when it is worth the money but there was nothing special about this sandwich.

This place needs to up it's standards and lower it's prices if it wants to succeed.

apple26

apple26 wrote: »

I was there last Saturday and can honestly say I will not be returning. The service was really bad and the prices were extortionate.

Ok, the place was busy but that does not excuse staff mixing up orders and forgetting one person's food. We ordered 3 sandwiches and eventually after 30 minutes our food appeared, minus one sandwich. When we enquired about the remaining food we were told that the kitchen staff had "forgot" to make it and would do so straight away. We were waiting on a toasted BLT and when it finally appeared it was not toasted and the bacon was cold. We were so fed up at this stage that the sandwich was eaten and no more said about it.

When I went to pay I was charged €6.95 for my plain chicken sandwich. IMO that is daylight robbery. I don't mind paying for something when it is worth the money but there was nothing special about this sandwich.

This place needs to up it's standards and lower it's prices if it wants to succeed.

TBH it's not as if they were robbing you blind. They state their prices on a menu at the door, I'm presuming also on the menus given to you inside, so at that point it was your choice to order the food and then pay for it. If it bothered you so much, you could have just walked away, like I did when I saw how much they were charging.

Eviledna

I was in Sweetie Pies for lunch and I did find the price of their sandwiches a little high for what you got. The main issue I had was the level at which the cakes are displayed. They are a child-friendly restaurant, which is nice, but I really don't like the fact that the cakes are at a 5-yr-old's level for them to touch and maul.

Now most of the cakes are covered with a net cloche but for instance the lovely yet expensive chocolate loaf cake was displayed uncovered, for flies and kids to crawl on. I had my eye on this cake to have after my lunch, to share with the OH. (At 4.50 a slice you would have to share!) Just as the waiter had walked away with my order did I see a little (potentially snotty) hand grab some of the cake only to be shooed away by adoring mammy. Suffice to say it put me off the cake and the OH profited from the result. (Maybe he paid off the kid, who knows;))

So Sweetie Pies, if you are listening, cover up all of your cakes and put them up higher, or if you want kids to see them invest in a clear glass refrigerator to display them!!!

brianthebard

Spadina wrote: »

It is the same one as was in Loughrea.

Went to Bakehouse today, very unimpressed with their cupcakes, not a bit of colour on them, not even a few sprinkles, most places throw too many on, this place don't use them at all. Not very appetising to look at, no little labels to say what all the products were, and at €2.10 a pop not good value either. The icing was nice, but too much of it.

That's cheaper than sweetie pies.

Acoshla

brianthebard wrote: »

That's cheaper than sweetie pies.

How much are they in Sweetie Pies? Do they "look" worth the price?

brianthebard

I believe they were 3e and over for the standard cupcakes, and more for the rest of the stuff. Whether they 'look' worth it or not is completely subjective, I wouldn't put a high value on cupcakes at all since I know how to make them.

Acoshla

3 euro? My God, well it'd have to be diamond encrusted for that money, imagine paying 12euro for 4 cupcakes.

Whenever I've sold cupcakes I priced them at 1.50, I didn't have Galway City rent prices but still though, that's ridiculous.

Robbo

I bought a selection of the cupcakes recently and they were about €2.50-2.80 in general and over €3 for the bigger ones.

_Whimsical_

Robbo wrote: »

I bought a selection of the cupcakes recently and they were about €2.50-2.80 in general and over €3 for the bigger ones.

Wow. Are they much nicer than cupcakes you'd get elsewhere or make yourself?Do they taste worth it??

Rockshamrover

chilly wrote: »

Wow. Are they much nicer than cupcakes you'd get elsewhere or make yourself?Do they taste worth it??

I thought so:)

HardyEustace

Robbo wrote: »

I bought a selection of the cupcakes recently and they were about €2.50-2.80 in general and over €3 for the bigger ones.

Jesus, for that price I'll come over and bake you some myself. That's CRAZY MONEY.

Rockshamrover

chilly wrote: »

Wow. Are they much nicer than cupcakes you'd get elsewhere or make yourself?Do they taste worth it??

I should mention that for that price you are getting waiter service. The prices are pretty comparable with what you'd pay in Dublin for a self service cafe.

I wish they had a branch in Dublin to be honest as there's nothing like it up here.

brianthebard

Spadina wrote: »

3 euro? My God, well it'd have to be diamond encrusted for that money, imagine paying 12euro for 4 cupcakes.

Whenever I've sold cupcakes I priced them at 1.50, I didn't have Galway City rent prices but still though, that's ridiculous.

Thought you sounded like a competitor all right....

Acoshla

brianthebard wrote: »

Thought you sounded like a competitor all right....

Definitely not a competitor to established places like that, but I'm just fascinated by the crazy prices these places charge for generally not great products and how people actually pay for them.

sunflowa

Just wondering if anyone has had one of the giant cupcakes? They look delicious! Also if anyone knows how much they cost? Cheers!

Lensbaby89

I helped to organise a charity event not so long ago and with absolutely no sponsorship of raffle prizes, Sweetie Pies owner jumped right in and gave us a voucher and then a box of super fancy cakes, she even gave my co organiser a free coffee at the end of a particularly hard day trawling the streets of Galway.
Lovely, lovely people and I really hope they succeed.

SparKing

sunflowa wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone has had one of the giant cupcakes? They look delicious! Also if anyone knows how much they cost? Cheers!

giant cupcake = cake?

DRakE

Rockshamrover wrote: »

Has anyone Been to that new coffee shop in Galway called sweetie Pies?

I was in there last week while on hols. I couldn't get over the fact that it's a one off (not part of a big chain) and Irish.

Very nice.
Very busy though.

how long ago did you open this shop?

ben.schlomo

found that they are ok for once in a blue moon, i wouldn't dream of eating in there either as the prices are even dearer than takeaway which is dear. €4.50 for some of the stuff is just ridiculous. You can get desserts which of similar if not better quality in places like Gourmet Tart and La Petit Delice for half that. Always found the tables, chairs etc a bit weird too, doesn't fit with the image of a cupcake cafe, wheres the comfy seats and cushions and bright colours?

dazzday

Takeaway prices are not too bad, with the current offer 6 cakes for price of 4 for takeaway...so roughly €2 each.

However sat in to eat a few days ago and was charged €2 for water! Tap water with a slice of lemon in it. :eek:

Nice food, great cakes... but as mentioned nothing you can't get better for cheaper elsewhere

toadfly

6 of us went to Sweetie Pies few weeks ago and never again.

Worst service ever, had to ask 4 times for cutlery, had to get it myself. Asked what flavour cupcakes they had was told she didn't know to go for a look to the front of the shop. Lights not working could barely see what we were eating.

Charged €50 for 6 tea/coffee, slice cake, 2 cupcakes, salad and 2 waffles.

Madame Razz

TillyGirl wrote: »

6 of us went to Sweetie Pies few weeks ago and never again.

Worst service ever, had to ask 4 times for cutlery, had to get it myself. Asked what flavour cupcakes they had was told she didn't know to go for a look to the front of the shop. Lights not working could barely see what we were eating.

Charged €50 for 6 tea/coffee, slice cake, 2 cupcakes, salad and 2 waffles.

I would agree that their service isn't hectic. On a recent visit, I waited ages for them to bring milk for our coffee and ended up going and taking it off one of the other tables as it was easier. The milk arrived about 5 minutes later:rolleyes:

Tried getting a table in there a few weeks previous and they were going to put us sharing a table with another couple, but it was a tiny table, and we would have been like sardines at it, yet the girl who seated us did not see a problem with that. We opted to go elsewhere and apologized to the people at the table for the cafe's 'bad crowd management'.

They could also do with investing in some of those electric fly killers as there are always flies buzzing around in there. Better quality tables and chairs would be good also, ones that matched, and didn't look like they came from the hock shop.

I sound like I'm nitpicking here, but they charge a premium price yet do not deliver a premium product/service in premium surroundings(or just proper surroundings). Their cakes are nice(I cannot comment on their other food as I have not tried), but they could badly do with improving their service and adding a bit of polish to their interior. It's only right at those prices.

Also, their bathrooms still whiff and they should really pay more attention to the hygiene of same.

Cupcakes are soooo fashionable right now, and it's clear that they are 'packing them in' down there but that is no excuse for sloppy standards.

ben.schlomo

Madame Razz wrote: »

I would agree that their service isn't hectic. On a recent visit, I waited ages for them to bring milk for our coffee and ended up going and taking it off one of the other tables as it was easier. The milk arrived about 5 minutes later:rolleyes:

Tried getting a table in there a few weeks previous and they were going to put us sharing a table with another couple, but it was a tiny table, and we would have been like sardines at it, yet the girl who seated us did not see a problem with that. We opted to go elsewhere and apologized to the people at the table for the cafe's 'bad crowd management'.

They could also do with investing in some of those electric fly killers as there are always flies buzzing around in there. Better quality tables and chairs would be good also, ones that matched, and didn't look like they came from the hock shop.

I sound like I'm nitpicking here, but they charge a premium price yet do not deliver a premium product/service in premium surroundings(or just proper surroundings). Their cakes are nice(I cannot comment on their other food as I have not tried), but they could badly do with improving their service and adding a bit of polish to their interior. It's only right at those prices.

Also, their bathrooms still whiff and they should really pay more attention to the hygiene of same.

Cupcakes are soooo fashionable right now, and it's clear that they are 'packing them in' down there but that is no excuse for sloppy standards.

might be wrong but i think they are the same tables and chairs that were in the Indian that was there before them :eek:

Madame Razz

ben.schlomo wrote: »

might be wrong but i think they are the same tables and chairs that were in the Indian that was there before them :eek:

Some of them look like they may have been in an Indian restaurant right enough, but they have added in a 'haphazard' selection of extra ones also, and they all look 'interesting', and not in a good way:p