5 of Dublin’s Cosiest Cafés to Snuggle Up In This Winter
Words: Hannah Lemass
Featured Image: Alisa Anton Via Unsplash
We’ve put together some of our favourite cafés to escape the gloomy weather and enjoy a rich, restorative moment of warmth and relaxation.
Cold, grey, wet days can easily leave us feeling low. Those seasonal blues are no joke. That is why it is important to focus on the positives and fully embrace the comforts of the season. Instead of letting a grim, soggy day get you down, you can choose to see it as an opportunity to settle into a warm, welcoming café with a steaming pot of tea or cup of coffee and a good book or chatty pal to gossip with.
Bestseller
41 Dawson Street
There are few places on earth better suited to a rainy afternoon than Bestseller. It is not just a café; it is also home to a theatre, so the walls seem to breathe with culture and echo with artistic spirit, filling the room with creative energy. Lined with shelves of books, the space feels like a delightful blend of bookshop and café, the perfect spot to while away a grey Dublin day with a steaming cup of coffee or a glass of wine in hand.
Mind the Step
24 Strand Street
A true hero of Dublin’s café scene. While many spots close by mid-afternoon, Mind the Step keeps its doors open until 11 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and 8 p.m. on Sundays, ensuring your caffeine cravings are met well past the usual hours. Its intimate interior, soft lighting and inviting atmosphere draw you back time and again. There is even a dance studio upstairs, perfect for channelling all that coffee-fuelled energy.
House of Read
4 Parliament Street
Not all small places are cosy, and not all cosy places are small, but this one happens to be both. You have probably walked past House of Read countless times without realising that behind its door lies a café steeped in history. The shop dates back to the 18th century and is said to be Ireland’s oldest retail space. Lovingly restored in 2017, it feels like stepping back in time, with its wooden accents and glass displays brimming with pastries and treats. Still home to a working silversmith, the café gleams with beautiful wares that add to its old-world charm.
Tea Garden
7 Lower Ormond Quay
Nobody does tranquillity quite like the Tea Garden. They take the idea of cosy and launch it into the stratosphere. It is a bastion of relaxation. As soon as you walk in, a wave of calm envelops you. The atmosphere is truly unique for Dublin; it feels as though you have stepped out of the city and been transported to another world where time slows down and you can really get away from it all. They offer an extensive selection of teas to choose from, and shisha too if that is your thing.
Gurman’s
Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre
Hidden in plain sight at Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, Gurman’s might not look especially cosy from the outside, but once you head upstairs you are met with a warm and charming space. Grab a seat by their beautiful arched windows and you will feel snug as a bug as you watch the lively flow of South King Street below. Few things are more comforting than a pot of tea and a slice of cake while you watch the world go by from this peaceful nook above the street.
