Best Coffee in Limerick

gotasmoke

With the addition of Starbucks, it's started a conversation on where is best cup of coffee in Limerick. Are there any strong opinions here? I like Pónaire down in the Milk Market

Jofspring

Are Ponaire back at the milk market? I thought they were gone a few years?

Special Circumstances

Best coffee in limerick is my lavazza pod machine at home.

Said I'd get in there before the inevitable coffee grinding evangelist got in there with his aeropress and beans he buys direct from some lad in Guatemala.

;-)


If people have real suggestions than I'm willing to try them in the name of research. No scaldy dishwater please.

I thought Ponaire was long gone from the market. Who's in that unit now?

gotasmoke

Jofspring wrote: »

Are Ponaire back at the milk market? I thought they were gone a few years?

Shows how much I know! I used to go to their shop in Annacotty but they've moved out to Newport last week.

sioda

Maria Harper is in that unit now good coffee great atmosphere .

Canteen has great coffee.

I like the latte from Carlton.

Crappy coffee Gloria Jeans and not a great Costa fan.

When it comes to Starbucks the coffee is OK but open until 10 is a huge addition to the inner city.

highlydebased

+1 for canteen

Also like arabica. Costa is rotten.

Red King

Cafe Melt is nice.

Starbucks being open until 10pm is great

Special Circumstances

Yeah happy with Canteen coffee. I had the aeropress guest coffee there recently - beyond the scope of my palate to say if it was better than their regular coffee tbh.
I've had good things to say about the americano from Bake1. Good lavazza coffee there.
Butlers in the Crescent.

If I was in Costa I'd have the cortado.

sioda

Bake ones coffee is a disaster no consistency

Papaz do a good latte as well tbh

Bill Noddy

Only been in in there 2 or 3 times but O'Connor's restaurant on Thomas St does a fine mug of coffee

stefanovich

Hook and ladder do nice coffee I've heard.

sioda

stefanovich wrote: »

Hook and ladder do nice coffee I've heard.

I used to get takeaway from there every Sunday but the temperature was always all over the place thus even though more expensive Starbucks gets my business on a Sunday before work

bigpink

Amazing starbucks are the ones doing late opening so thats a positive

maryk123

Cafe melt fab coffee

Red King

Bill Noddy wrote: »

Only been in in there 2 or 3 times but O'Connor's restaurant on Thomas St does a fine mug of coffee

I think that place has really gone downhill. It also seems to be stuck in a time warp from around 1998.

Poxyshamrock

Red King wrote: »

I think that place has really gone downhill. It also seems to be stuck in a time warp from around 1998.

That's what appeals to me! :pac:

feargale

I go to places that pay their fair share of tax to the state, not leaving it all to the poor mugs on a near subsistence wage.

I don't go to Starbucks.

Red King

feargale wrote: »

I go to places that pay their fair share of tax to the state, not leaving it all to the poor mugs on a near subsistence wage.

I don't go to Starbucks.

Good for you. Personally I would find that approach to be rather exhausting and make my life very restrictive.

I mean large corporations have such a massive presence in everyday life it is hard to boycott them.

I think if you look at where your food,clothes, technology, medicine etc comes from and boycotted products from unethical companies that avoid paying tax and treat their workers with contempt you'd probably end up like that old naked man living in the hole in the ground in the Life of Brian.

I enjoy a starbucks every so often, it is nice to have a late night coffee shop in the city. The nearby places all close at 6pm or thereabouts so I can't exactly give them my business even if I wanted to.

feargale

Red King wrote: »

Good for you. Personally I would find that approach to be rather exhausting and make my life very restrictive.

I mean large corporations have such a massive presence in everyday life it is hard to boycott them.

I think if you look at where your food,clothes, technology, medicine etc comes from and boycotted products from unethical companies that avoid paying tax and treat their workers with contempt you'd probably end up like that old naked man living in the hole in the ground in the Life of Brian.

I enjoy a starbucks every so often, it is nice to have a late night coffee shop in the city. The nearby places all close at 6pm or thereabouts so I can't exactly give them my business even if I wanted to.

Boycott is the tidiest and most effective way to bring those guilty of bad behaviour to heel. Right, you cannot take on the whole lot at once. But you can pick them off one by one. On a higher stage, witness Apartheid South Africa. Sadly, many of those who were most assiduous in that case were too selective to use it against other equally pernicious regimes afterwards.

davo2001

feargale wrote: »

I go to places that pay their fair share of tax to the state, not leaving it all to the poor mugs on a near subsistence wage.

I don't go to Starbucks.

They employee local people, would you rather they were not their at all and had another 10-15 people on the dole and leave another unoccupied building?

All this "tax dodging" BS is smoke and ladders.

Get off your high horse.

feargale

davo2001 wrote: »

They employee local people, would you rather they were not their at all and had another 10-15 people on the dole and leave another unoccupied building.

I'd rather they were employed by firms that pay as much tax as small native firms, as will happen if we give our custom to the latter. Nature abhors a vacuum as much as nightowls abhor an absence of coffee. Those who are not afflicted by the slave mentality look to the long game.

davo2001 wrote: »

All this "tax dodging" BS is smoke and ladders.

Aye. Nobody dodges tax. Take your smoke and ladder to Panama.

davo2001 wrote: »

Get off your high horse.

You get off yours. I'll drink coffee where I want,

zulutango

Are Starbucks known to be an unethical employer?

It's expensive and the food is ****e, but I really like the fact that they open late. At long last there's an option to hang out in the city centre in the evening in a place that isn't a pub or a junk food shop.

martyc5674

zulutango wrote: »

At long last there's an option to hang out in the city centre in the evening in a place that isn't a pub or a junk food shop.

This is so true... the only other place i can think of that opens till 7 or 8 is the ice cream shop on william street.
If you have kids and would like to walk in around the town of an evening grab a coffee/cake etc with the kids your options are really limited to pubs or full scale restaurants.

Marty.

bigpink

Havent been into Starbucks yet but the late opening seems good
Every other cafe arounf it shuts down around 5
Went into Glasta at 4.50 last week to be told sorry take away only so no sympathy if they are not even trying

Parchment

bigpink wrote: »

Havent been into Starbucks yet but the late opening seems good
Every other cafe arounf it shuts down around 5
Went into Glasta at 4.50 last week to be told sorry take away only so no sympathy if they are not even trying

Gasta will do well - all the Limerick folk who think they are the new Conor Mc Gregor or Roz Purcell will happily frequent it.

stefanovich

feargale wrote: »

On a higher stage, witness Apartheid South Africa.

I'm pretty sure the situation has deteriorated for everyone in SA. The racist whites were gotten rid of and replaced with violent thugs like Mandela. Swapped out bad for worse. At least the Afrikaners knew how to maintain order and run a country. It is now a complete mess for everyone. Good job.

feargale wrote: »

I'd rather they were employed by firms that pay as much tax as small native firms, as will happen if we give our custom to the latter.

Smaller native firms need to do a better job at competing. Alternately the country needs stronger regulation. With increased regulation companies are dis-incentivized to come here. If it weren't for foreign companies coming in and showing us how to do things your coffee would consist of half a spoon of gold blend with tepid water in the pub.

zulutango wrote: »

Are Starbucks known to be an unethical employer?

It's expensive and the food is ****e, but I really like the fact that they open late. At long last there's an option to hang out in the city centre in the evening in a place that isn't a pub or a junk food shop.

Starbucks is fine. Coffee is nice and the food is a damn sight better than Costa.

Parchment wrote: »

Gasta will do well - all the Limerick folk who think they are the new Conor Mc Gregor or Roz Purcell will happily frequent it.

My god the food in there is pretty bad. I can see how the hipsters love it though.

Special Circumstances

Parchment wrote: »

Gasta will do well - all the Limerick folk who think they are the new Conor Mc Gregor or Roz Purcell will happily frequent it.

I was in there the other day and I'm far from mcgregor and I'm pretty sure roz indo is an alien. The healthy pancakes were maybe too eggy for non mma animals like myself. Lol.

Walked outta Starbucks, the acoustics are terrible in there, very echoey and noisy?

Gasta was a lot more civilised. Even cage fighting beasts need a chill out every now and then.

panda100

stefanovich wrote:

My god the food in there is pretty bad. I can see how the hipsters love it though.

I love the gasta food! It's one of the few places you can get healthy food with decent vegetarian options. The bulletproof coffee and protein pancakes will fill you up for the day.

black & white

1. Papa's (formerly Paparazi) on Denmark Street.
2. Canteen on Mallow Street.

stefanovich

panda100 wrote:

I love the gasta food! It's one of the few places you can get healthy food with decent vegetarian options. The bulletproof coffee and protein pancakes will fill you up for the day.

Maybe I got them on a bad day but I wasn't impressed. Burnt overcooked sweet potato is not healthy.

Red King

stefanovich wrote: »

Maybe I got them on a bad day but I wasn't impressed. Burnt overcooked sweet potato is not healthy.

It seems to be a trend though. I've got them in a few places recently and they were all overcooked.

zulutango

The sweet potato fries are consistently overcooked in The Buttery.

If you like sweet potato fries and fish, then Rene Cusack's is the place to go.

jbkenn

zulutango wrote: »

The sweet potato fries are consistently overcooked in The Buttery.

If you like sweet potato fries and fish, then Rene Cusack's is the place to go.

+ 1

feargale

stefanovich wrote: »

At least the Afrikaners knew how to maintain order and run a country.

So did Hitler ( cue Godwin's cliche.)

stefanovich wrote: »

I'm pretty sure the situation has deteriorated for everyone in SA. The racist whites were gotten rid of and replaced with violent thugs like Mandela. Swapped out bad for worse.

I mentioned SA only to demonstrate the effectiveness of boycott. If you had chosen to criticise Mandela's successors you might have had a point. In describing Mandela as you did while remaining silent about his persecutors and their predecessors such as Rhodes you have undermined yourself. My case rests.

feargale

zulutango wrote: »

Are Starbucks known to be an unethical employer?

I have nothing to say about how they treat their employees. I'm simply saying that they are too mean to pay tax on the same basis as others who make profits here.
Anyway this thread is about good coffee and if I have been guilty of taking it off topic that was not my intention.
Enjoy your coffee wherever. I'm outa here.

zulutango

I think your comments are valid. It's important to weigh up these kind of arguments when choosing to spend our money. Thanks for that.

Red King

feargale wrote: »

I have nothing to say about how they treat their employees. I'm simply saying that they are too mean to pay tax on the same basis as others who make profits here.
Anyway this thread is about good coffee and if I have been guilty of taking it off topic that was not my intention.
Enjoy your coffee wherever. I'm outa here.

You could start a boycott campaign on Facebook...except they avoid tax just like Starbucks so...

stefanovich

And here I was biting my tongue hoping not to derail the thread on another anti Mandela rant. Anywho... Too late for coffee now?

sioda

stefanovich wrote: »

And here I was biting my tongue hoping not to derail the thread on another anti Mandela rant. Anywho... Too late for coffee now?

Not in Starbucks sorry couldn't resist

zig

Didnt see the point in starting a new thread!

Im gonna be right picky here and ask does anyone in Limerick serve coffee the same way you get it in France or Italy. I.e an Americano is still quite small and served with a small jug of hot water (not to mention the absolutely ridiculous high quality taste off the coffee)?

Berty

Can't imagine you'd get Coffee served that way unless they knew what you were asking for. There are places that sell good coffee beans but make it the "Irish Way". I know from selling Coffee that people make it their own way, customers have gotten used to it, and when you show them the correct way to do it they get cagey, decline and continue their own way.

I know the way you want it like a French Cafe au Lait in a very small cup or Americano with Hot water(if you ask for it). I like a good 12oz Latte myself so I don't know the places you're seeking.

The French Table restaurant maybe. The Chef is definitely French anyway. The Old Fire Station Cafe on Thomas Street. I only say that because they've good beans from 3FE so why have good beans if you can't make a good Coffee.

L.T.P.

3FE coffee is excellent, I know the Old Firestation restaurant sell it, I'm not sure if anyone else does...

phill106

Couldn't you just ask for an espresso and a small pot of hot water?

sioda

L.T.P. wrote: »

3FE coffee is excellent, I know the Old Firestation restaurant sell it, I'm not sure if anyone else does...

Have they got real milk up there last time they only had vegan alternatives

colm_mcm

L.T.P. wrote: »

3FE coffee is excellent, I know the Old Firestation restaurant sell it, I'm not sure if anyone else does...

I think Tuscany at the Granary do too.

zig

I've never heard of that coffee ! Must check it out !

Maz2016

I know this mightn't be a popular one but I actually love Frank and Honest coffee in Centra O Connell Street. Nicest take away coffee in a shop. Beats bewleys insomnia and all the others hands down

zig

phill106 wrote: »

Couldn't you just ask for an espresso and a small pot of hot water?

Sounds like a bit of a pain tbh.

Firstly you'd have to ask for an espresso inside an small Americano cup. Then the hot water separately.

I guess it's the overall quality I'm looking for. My assumption would be (possibly naively) that if they are serving it the way they do on the continent then they really know it's quality coffee too.

Mc Love

Only started drinking coffee lately and to say coffee i mean caramel latte, never really liked coffee but I think this is a good way to get in to it. I've tried LaCucina Centro, Arrabica and Starbucks and I think Arrabica is the best one yet.

Berty

Maz2016 wrote: »

I know this mightn't be a popular one but I actually love Frank and Honest coffee in Centra O Connell Street. Nicest take away coffee in a shop. Beats bewleys insomnia and all the others hands down

That's where Coffee becomes subjective I guess. I prefer Insomnia over Frank and Honest. Granted it's better than the previous Centra coffee but still not for me.

Carlton Coffee make a good coffee, it's Java Republic. Thing is, like having 3FE, it means nothing unless the person is a good barista.

jonders

frank and honest is lovely coffee.