Dublin // Where to Buy Sweet Treats

Dublin is becoming an excellent place for food. The range of places that offer vegetarian food, different countries' produce and fresh, artisan creations is rapidly expanding. Or else I didn't really look before! However, over these past couple of years I really have gotten to know a number of places in the city that offer truly delactable dishes, places with character that were born out of enthusiastic ventures. Today, I'm going to talk to you about three places that I particularly love to go with friends and family for cakes, biscuits, donuts and coffee (though I always go for hot chocolate myself!)

T H E  R O L L I N G  D O N U T // 34 BACHELORS WALK, DUBLIN 1

Pictured you can see the Banoffee Donut and the Rosey Lee which my good friend got. Also, if you live in Dublin, you can get these doughnuts freshly delivered! 

The Rolling Donut started out as a cute little kiosk in 1978. This kiosk sold and continues to sell fresh doughnuts midway up O'Connell Street. There you can request a cinnamon sugared, sugar, or chocolate dipped doughnut for as little as 80c. I must admit to never having actually eaten one myself, but that little place frequents conversation more than one might expect!

In May 2016, The Rolling Donut opened up a new shop. Located along the quays on Bachelor's Walk, this shop is much bigger, selling a much wider array of doughnuts. They're each around €3, and are a bit bigger than the kiosk ones. Some are filled, others dyed red and blue. And most importantly, no matter what time of day you go in, the doughnuts are fresh and fluffy. These sorts of shops have begun to pop up all over Dublin over the past year. I haven't been to the other two that I can think of right now, but I must admit that I have no desire to, because I doubt these ones can be matched.

The staff are really friendly. You can buy a selection of hot and cold drinks too. The doughnuts can be handed to you in a bowl (which looks a bit like a tiny boat) or a paper bag. The last time I went I got the Banoffee Donut, which was really delicious and had a banana creme filling, and the time before I got Bailey's Bliss, which is probably quite an Irish doughnut, as it contains Bailey's Liquer and is topped with ground coffee. I also tried the Molly Malone, which one of my friends chose, and it was probably the best. It was a sourdough doughnut that tasted like apple crumble, with an apple compote sort of thing in the middle.

 UPDATE: The Rolling Donut now has yet another location, this time on the south side of the River Liffey. It is at 55 South King Street, Dublin 2. Both main outlets also offer a variety of vegan donuts, great for your vegan needs & for those with allergies to dairy and eggs.


L E  P E T I T  P A R I S I E N // 17 WICKLOW STREET, DUBLIN 2

If you're looking for a French style patisserie in Dublin, look no further. This place is perhaps my favourite café ever. It has a real French feel. You genuinely do not feel like you're in Dublin, but rather in some beautiful café in Paris! My Dad and I stumbled upon it by chance about a year ago, and I have since brought my friend there with me, who then brought her dad with her a few weeks later. It's noisy, it's cramped, it's dark and it's wonderful. They sell a lot of single-serving tarts and they give you a little Madeleine with every tea, coffee or hot chocolate that you order. I recommend this place with all my heart. Again, all of their treats are fresh, can be indulgent or not depending on what you choose.


B U T L E R S  C H O C O L A T E  C A F É // MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

So I don't think it would be right for me to recommend you sweet places to eat without even mentioning Butlers. This is a place that is truly Irish. Basically, Butlers make chocolates which you can buy up and down the country in most supermarkets. Irish chocolate, if you've never had it, is really delicious and creamy. I don't doubt that I'm biased, but we genuinely have the best milk. Our cows and climate work together beautiful to create really fresh tasting creamy milk which then goes into Butlers! But it doesn't stop there. Butler's also have numerous cafés in which they sell pastries, tea, coffee and most importantly, luxuriously rich hot chocolate. It's also not as expensive as places like Starbucks and Insomnia, and it's much better for hot chocolate, and I've heard their coffee is also good! Plus, you get to pick out a physical chocolate to go along with your hot drink. Definitely somewhere I'd recommend to tourists. You can't sit in all the locations, but in many of them you can, such as the Wicklow Street (D2) one I have pictured above.

L A D U R É E // SOUTH WILLIAM STREET, DUBLIN 2

yes. i was creepin'

Ladurée and I have been friends for a while. (I've a feeling the friendship is one sided, but alas). I knew it first when they had a little macaroon stall in Brown Thomas, downstairs, and then we still greeted each other when they moved upstairs. In their café, you can actually sit down and eat and order really really expensive coffee. Not saying it's not worth it, but I'm talking €8.90 for an Irish Coffee.  They sell all kinds of brunch foods and their very famous and very delicious macarons. This place is really one that you would go to for celebration purposes only, unless you are v. rich, in which case, please go here every Sunday.
 e.t.a The brunch is actually pretty reasonably priced, considering the fact that I went there as a post-exam treat and literally could not finish anything- there was so much food! This included a drink of choice, tiny little cakes, bread, and the killer French Toast. Everything was delectable, but I was so full. So. Full.

I L  F O R N A I O // MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

Il Fornaio and has a few locations around the city. It looks to me like the Italian answer to Le Petit Parisien. Although they don't just sell sweets. They also have a bakery and restaurant (maybe more than one?) which provide authentic Italian food. My friend S. has recommended this place to me, and I actually do believe that I've had some of their pastries before, but I can't be sure!

What's the best place for sweet treats in your city? x

part 1 - temple bar // part 2 - the south side // part 3 - the quays // part 5 - the north side

Dublin // The Quays

Dublin city  is divided into North and South by the River Liffey. There are a total of 24 bridges across it, with everyone's favourite being "The Ha'penny Bridge". It's really very long and has all kinds of things on  it such as the Convention Centre and the 3Arena. Too many shops and businesses run along it. Seeing as it is so. wide., I'm only really showing you a very small section, the area that you are likely to see when you're crossing from North to South in the city centre, and vice versa.

The Ha'penny Bridge

Stumbled across this really cool bookshop called "The Winding Stair" which is apparently one of Ireland's oldest surving independent bookshops!

Have you discovered anywhere new in your locality recently? x

part 1 - temple bar // part 2 - the south side // part 4 - the sweet stuff // part 5 - the north side