Going to Ireland in the spring. What's their coffee like? Is it strong and served in very small cups, expresso style? Do you get free refills?
Thanks!

ttt

I only drink tea in Ireland...

Thank goodness. I was sure this post was about looking for the San Francisco invention -- Irish coffee, which only exists in Ireland in bars filled with Americans.
The regular coffee in Ireland is really pretty bad in my opinion -- usually weak unless it has been boiling all day. Although these days there are more and more good coffee places for lattes, cappucinos, and espresso.

I had really good cappucinos in Ireland, after dinner and at cafes. I also had some bad ones, just like any other country I have ever visited. There is a great coffee shop just off Grafton St. with tables outside, trying to remember the name..... it was always crowded and had wonderful coffee and hot chocolate and cakes and light meals, I had coffee there dozens of times in my month in Dublin. Sorry I can't remember but will ask my daughter if she remembers. Have a look at the map http://www.softguides.com/dublin/maps/l49o51.html

If you walk down Grafton street away from St Stephens Green, on your right is Anne street, then Lemon st, then Duke street, it's one of those and if you turn right into the street, it's almost immediately on your left. You can't miss it!!
It's a pedestrian street to start with. Hope I'm not just confusing you

Well, there's Bewley's--probably the best known cafe in Dublin. The main one is on Grafton Street. Before my first trip to Dublin I had read in so many guide books about the sticky rolls that I couldn't wait to try them. Well, they disappointed. Dry and not very sweet. The coffee was good, however and the stained glass windows are gorgeous.

Full of tourists, of course.

If you're drink coffee in a pub, or a small cafe in the middle of nowhere, you're bound to get a horrible cup! However, there are plenty of places in Dublin that serve nice coffee. Here's a few to start with:
The Heavenly Coffee Company in Temple Bar
The Joy of Coffee in Temple Bar
Gloria Jeans Coffee Shop in the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre
Butler's Chocolate Café on Wicklow Street
Cafe Java on South Anne Street
Kaffe Moka on South William Street

some of the above are take-away only, some are sit-in only...but they all do lovely coffee!

Joy of coffee has beeen around for years in Temple Bar and is good. The best I have had so far is in the cafe at the Chester Beatty Library (Asian Art Museum) in the cafe. Its located behind Dublin Castle and it is superb. Gloria Jeans was one of the Worst cups I have had. There are a few chains called West Coast Coffee and Cafe Col that do the usuals Mocha, lattes etc and are good. Bewleys I feel is ok, nice to sit down and have a coffee and cake but I would not go miles for it either.

The best capuccino is at the Epicurean food hall on Liffey/Abbey Street. It a great food hall with various stalls and restaurants. The Italian pannini place makes capuccinos like heaven.

No one does free refils, I have only seen this in America.

Agree that free refills are only in the US - have not seen this anywhere else. Bewley's is a great institution for tea and snacks or very light meals - i would not recommend their coffee though. I have found that unless you go to a specialty coffee shop in Ireland it is almost always dreadful - pale, watery, very little taste.

If you ask for an Irish Coffee you'll get a 1970s drink which comprises hot black coffee with a shot of whisky added and cream floating on the top.

CalgirlSusan - I didn't know this was invented in San Francisco? We've been drinking it in the UK for decades.

CalgirlSusan - Irish coffee IS Irish!! I found this bit of information about its origins:

The Port of Foynes, which is located in County Limerick, was a major hub for for air traffic between the United States and Europe during the 30's and 40's. Travel was by Flying Boats. One flight that took off in 1943, encountered some really bad weather and turned back. The weather was equally as nasty upon their return and the passengers headed towards the terminal restaurant. Realizing how miserable these passengers were, Chef Joe Sheridan grabbed a bottle of Irish and prepared the comforting drinks. Legend has it that one of the passengers asked, "is this Brazilian coffee?", to which Sheridan answered, "No, that's Irish Coffee."

The Buena Vista in San Francisco helped to bring this renowned drink to the States in 1952. Owner, Jack Koeppler, made his way to Ireland to learn the secrets of Irish Coffee from the horses mouth; Joe Sheridan.

Thanks so much for the good info. Unfortunately, we will not be going to Dublin. Guess however, that the coffee elsewhere is the same. From the really strong stuff of Germany and Italy, we go to really weak in Ireland. Maybe I'll drink Guiness for breakfast!

the tea here is usually good if you'd rather that to Guinness!!

Coffee here has finally become drinkable. A lot of coffee houses have sprung up across the country in the last several years. And even the instant coffee isn't too bad (definitely better than the instant coffee in the US), which is what you'd typically get in a B&B.

I see Irish coffee in a lot of restaurants here.

You tend not to get free refills, but I do have an Irish friend who, after visiting us when we still lived in the US, fell in love with idea of free refills of coffee, so now she demands it here in Ireland, and usually get it.