A guide to the best coffee roasters in Dublin, who roast amazing producers and the most incredible coffees.
The best way to get excellent coffee every time is to buy fresh beans. Freshly roasted beans make a big difference in the taste of your coffee. Stale coffee tastes terrible. And freshly roasted beans are better than pre-roasted ones as they retain the flavor and aroma of the coffee beans when roasted. If you're a fan of specialty coffees and high-quality brews, you'll want to source the best product for your morning cup of joe.
Apparently, Dublin is the second most coffee-obsessed city in the world in terms of population. A recent survey pointed out that while there are more cafes per head of population than almost anywhere else in the world, we don't spend a lot on beans. And for specialty coffee fans and lovers of good quality products, this is bad news. There are a lot of low-quality beans out there. Bigger, industrial roasters use the same coffees as everyone else. Sticking to the smaller (can we say “boutique”?) roasters will help ensure you get a much better quality of coffee.
Tips:
- Buy in small batches so you can enjoy flavoursome beans right to the end of the bag
- Figure out what region of the world or country offers beans that suit your palate. Ask your roaster what they recommend and get some samples
- Grind beans just before serving. Coffee loses its taste profile minutes after grinding
- Try to choose single-origin beans where possible.
- Light to medium roasts tend to work better for home brewing (dark roast suits espresso machines)
- Go for 100% Arabica. Robusta is cheaper and stronger and generally has a more bitter taste.
- Keep it cool! Beans start to lose their flavor within a few weeks of roasting, but if you know where they were grown then you can extend that by up to three months with proper storage conditions. The best bet for storing your coffee? A dark, cool cupboard at home or office.
To ensure you get an awesome brew, we recommend sticking with smaller roasters who roast their own coffee as well as selling it wholesale to other coffee houses around Dublin
There’s a new wave of coffee brewing in Dublin and if you’re a fan of quality brews, you might want to know where you can buy delicious coffee beans in the city.
We have never been spoiled for choice like we are these days with new roasters seemingly popping up every month. There are now a lot more small-batch coffees being sold out there compared to a few years ago which has also enabled us to get access to some awesome micro-lot and single-origin coffees, each one different from the next one.
I think I have tried most of the best coffee roasters in Dublin over the years. I've put together a list of my favorites. It was hard to narrow it down to only a few but it had to be done. And don't forget to try the local third wave cafes and specialty coffee shops where you can enjoy freshly roasted coffee beans in Dublin. Here's where to buy the best coffee beans in the city.
Imbibe Coffee
Imbibe has a few things that make it a standout coffee roaster worthy of your hard-earned cash. Not only does the brand have a cool name, but the roastery also offers some cool coffees you won't find anywhere else.
And we've been ordering all of our coffee from Imbibe recently. They haven't let us down yet.
Of course, like the rest of the businesses on this list, the menu changes – beans come in and out of season, and supply and demand vary – but you can be sure that the selected coffee beans will please every coffee lover this side of Vienna. Imbibe also has a coffee club and gift vouchers for sale in the online shop.
Check out the Kenya AA Siret. It's not the cheapest, but it's good. Our fave is the Ethiopia Guji single-origin beans.
Imbibe is a zero-waste business that also contributes to Women's Aid and participates in a direct buy scheme to benefit farmers.
Full Circle Coffee Roasters
Our favourite coffee roasters in Dublin. We love the single-origin small-batch coffees and there's always something new to explore. The customer service is excellent (other companies should take note), delivery is fast, and you are guaranteed a good brew.
Ask the Full Circle team for their advice. As coffee nerds, they're happy to answer your questions. They will help you pick the perfect bag for your morning cup. You can also buy coffee grinders, filter papers, and other products you might need to do your own home grinding.
Cloud Picker Coffee
Next up is another standout specialty Irish coffee roaster, Cloud Picker. With a large selection of beans and equipment, this is the place to go if you are searching for something different or you're simply a fan of great coffee.
The beans are roasted on Sheriff Street since 2013 and The Cloud Picker coffee shop on Pearse Street is where you can sample the roasts. You can also order takeout or sit-in cups, and enjoy some breakfast, lunch, and snacks. The helpful staff are full of knowledge and will help you select a cup of coffee to drink in-house, help you choose a bag of beans to try, or buy some equipment to grind and brew your own great coffee at home.
Velo Coffee
offering beans from Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Brazil, Congo, Colombia, Nicaragua, Rwanda, and even India
Velo also offers a coffee subscription service so you never have to run out. Feed the addiction, folks!
As a matter of interest, Velo uses a Probatone 12 roaster, designed by Probat, who have been delivering roasting equipment to the most discerning businesses since 1868.
Badger & Dodo
Winning the award for the funkiest name in Coffee Roasting, Badger & Dodo also does more than just good business names.
B&D has a coffee subscription service and some popular blends such as “Blackwater”, which boasts a flavour profile of milk chocolate, praline, and orange. We like the sound of that.
3fe
Colin Harmon is a bit of a coffee celebrity in Ireland. Colin owns and operates Third Floor Espresso, an Irish company that sells machines that make great micro-batch coffee in small quantities. Dublin-based Colin Harmon was part of Team Ireland at several of the World Barista Championships. He's also a four-time Irish Barista Champion, so let's just say he knows a thing about coffee. Irish baristas continue to win international awards for their coffee skills while being given more and more opportunities to demonstrate their talents.
Since 2013, 3FE has been roasting coffee in Dublin and supplying the cafe on Grand Canal Street as well as cafés and restaurants all over Ireland (and the world).
The online shop sells a wide range of single-origin beans and blends including some lovely Ana Sora from Ethiopia, Bolivian Rosendo Melgar, and Costa Rican Farami. There are also decaffeinated beans, coffee pods, and coffee subscriptions to enjoy.
Upside Coffee
Northside coffee roasters Upside have gone for a unique style in packaging their range of coffee. These days it's common to see old-school style brown packets or deep-colored, impactful branding on a coffee bag. Upside has chosen a more subdued look. But the coffee is anything but subdued. In fact, Upside coffee is delicious.
Silverskin Coffee Roaster
Since 2012, Silverskin has been roasting small-batch specialty Arabica beans on the Kylemore Road. Here's where you can find beans from less common (for Ireland) origins such as Indonesia, Burundi, and Tanzania. There's also Whiskey-aged, Swiss-water decaf, and experimental micro-lot beans. A true connoisseur's coffee roastery.
Urbanity Coffee
Roasted in the hipster-hangout of Smithfield, Urbanity beans are used in the modern cafe in the Glass House on Coke Lane. Unfortunately, they haven't figured out how to drive a website yet (come on guys, it's 2021!) so you'll have to order and pick up your beans or grab some at the counter. It's probably worth the effort though.
Altitude Coffee
A newer roaster in Donabate, Altitude offers a limited choice of African varieties (one) and Central and South American (four). Choose from Costa Rican (Catuai and Obata), Brazilian (Catuai), Guatemalan (Sarchimor), and a Kenyan SL28/SL34.
Prices are very competitive, coming in at around 25% cheaper than most other roasters in Dublin.
The Altitude Coffee website has some really interesting information on types of coffee processing, the roasting process, grinds, and brewing. Wannabe coffee nerds will find it fascinating but it's also great for everyone else to understand their morning brew a bit better.
The choice of coffee roaster is something that can be a very personal decision, as each person has their own ideas about what they want in their cup. This article features some of the best-roasted beans across all Dublin, and if you're looking for where to buy quality coffee beans then this list will help.