Bewley’s Grafton Street

Bewley's on Grafton Street has been part of Dublin life since 1927 and calls itself the city's oldest grand café. For generations of Dubliners it has been the place to meet friends, shelter from the rain or linger over a pot of tea, and the café associates itself with writers including James Joyce, W. B. Yeats and Samuel Beckett. Even if you only stop for a coffee, it is worth stepping inside to see the building.

The interior is the main attraction. The café is decorated with stained glass artworks by Harry Clarke, together with works by Pauline Bewick and Jim Fitzpatrick. Sit near the windows to see the colours at their best on a bright day. It is a traditional grand café rather than a small specialty coffee bar.

The menu runs through the day. Breakfast ranges from a full Irish to a healthy bowl or a freshly baked treat from the in-house bakery. Lunch can be a long, leisurely affair or a quick stop, and in the afternoon there are snacks with a glass of wine. Afternoon tea is served as a tiered selection of sweet and savoury bakes with master-blended loose-leaf tea. The drinks list covers Fairtrade coffee, the house teas, handcrafted hot chocolate, wines and cocktails, so it works equally well for a morning coffee or an early evening drink.

The café is open every day from 08:00 to 18:00. Tables can be booked through the café's website, and afternoon tea is booked through OpenTable, which is wise at weekends and during school holidays. Walk-ins are often possible on weekday mornings. Bewley's suits families, older visitors and anyone who wants a comfortable sit-down break while shopping, and it is a good place to try a traditional Irish breakfast in the city centre.

Bewley's Café Theatre is linked to the café; see its own website for the programme. Bewley's is halfway along Grafton Street, so St Stephen's Green, Trinity College and the shops and pubs of the surrounding streets are all a few minutes away. For questions, contact the café on +353 1 564 0900 or at [email protected].

If you are visiting Dublin for the first time, Bewley's makes a good orientation stop: sit with a pot of tea and plan the day, since most of the city's central sights lie within a short walk.