Writing Cafes

dyl10

Hi,

Using search, I couldn't find a recent topic on this. I am back Ireland for a few weeks and was wondering if anyone had recommendations of good writing cafes?

Much appreciated,
D

Brian Lighthouse

What is a writing cafe?

Dortilolma

Accents on Stephen Street Lower is a nice environment for both reading and writing. It's furnished with armchairs and sofa's.
It can get a bit crowded downstairs towards the end of the day but if you have earphones and music you can drown out any excess noise.

Brian Lighthouse

What is a writing cafe?

Ficheall

Shall we assume OP is in Dublin?

dyl10

Yes sorry, Dublin. I thought I had mentioned that. Thank you for the Accents recommendation, I will check that out.

I don't know the formal definition for a 'writing cafe' but I am referring to a cafe where professional, amateur and recreational writers (and often people who work from home) frequent, for relatively long periods, to work on their material on a laptop or paper. In these places, the staff are usually receptive to people doing this once they make a purchase now and then, there might be outlets for laptops and the cafes are not excessively noisy.

Brian Lighthouse

Thanks for the explanation dyl10.

EileenG

I usually do most of my writing in McDonalds.

Dave!

Hi OP,

I'm eternally searching for a cafe that might meet these criteria:

–Good coffee
–Friendly staff
–No music
–Excellent wifi
–Plug sockets
–Comfortable seats

I guess that would qualify as a 'writing cafe', though I'd also like to use it for general work (I'm a programmer).

I've found some decent places, but you'd pretty hard-pressed to find one that meets all the criteria!

Accents – Nice place, seats, staff and coffee. The wifi can be quite sh*t, and there's music playing (though it's quite good music). And there are no plug sockets at all.
Kaph – Staff are nice except for one bloke, wifi is very good (you just have to check in on Facebook), and the coffee is my favourite in Dublin. The seats are quite uncomfortable, and there is music playing (though it's also quite good!).
Dean Hotel – Was only there once to try it out a couple of weeks ago. Staff are nice, coffee is nice, wifi is very good (they want people to work there), comfortable seats. I can't actually remember if there was music! But from what I read on LovinDublin.com they want to create a good 'buzz' there, and they also have a DJ's turntable, so I imagine there will be music They were still doing some assembly when I was there, so tonnes of tradesmen were walking all over the place. There was a big table being assembled in the middle of the room, and it had a bunch of plug sockets in it, so I guess it should tick that box too. Looks like a good place, but Harcourt Street is a bit out of the way for me.
Library Bar – meh coffee, staff not friendly but they do leave you alone, wifi not great, seats comfortable, nice ambience (old furniture, books, fire), and has plug sockets. No music either! Generally not very busy, not very loud.

I've tried a few other places, but they'd be the ones that come to mind anyway.

Let me know if you find some writers' nirvana!

Jellybaby1

I was going to suggest a nice quiet local library, however some libraries are more like railway stations and very noisy with kids' entertainers and music etc, and people using their mobile phones. Why the staff allow it I can't fathom! However I have done a lot of studying and research in libraries, you can be lucky and get a nice quiet one during school hours when the darlings are in their classrooms. They don't allow beverages naturally. Also, is McDaid's pub still known as a 'literary pub'? I don't know if present-day Brendan Behans still attend there and I don't frequent the place myself so don't know what its like these days. Others here may know better.

Dave!

Books Upstairs are moving to a new place on D'Olier Street, and they say they'll have a big cafe there.

Yay!