#4: Top 5 best looking things to eat in Dublin this week

“Oh me oh my you make me sigh
You’re such a good looking food item” – Joe Dolan

Today has been dubbed “a day of freedom” by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar. Freedom is a bit of a stretch, but certainly, we can now travel beyond our county lines, see more people and do a lot more than was previously allowed. Over 12,000 businesses including hairdressers, barbers, beauticians and retail shops have reopened their doors with an estimated 100,000 people returning to work countrywide. It’s a step in the right direction for Irish business and a hopeful sight for the hospitality industry as their start date for outdoor dining glints on the horizon. While we all sit tight until that freedom is further extended, here are five Dublin businesses that are doing something a little different this week:

5.

Bold & Brass’s Edible Coffee Cups

There’s a lot to be said for getting something free with your coffee (shout out to Bewley’s free chocolate service), but Bold & Brass have surely stepped this enjoyment up a gear. The Clontarf-based coffee trailer are serving coffees in edible coffee cups, the first cafe in the country to do so. The cup is vegan and free from preservatives and can be ordered with coffees, hot chocolates and even babyccinos. This isn’t a novelty item for the Bold & Brass team but an ethical one, they wrote “using these cups instead of single-use disposables can make a huge impact on our planet and will seriously help lower our carbon footprint”. The coffee trailer is based out in Clontarf’s Scoil Ui Chonaill GAA Club, follow them on Instagram for more information.

@boldandbrasscoffee
4.

Kahuna Pops’s Oreo Pop

While bobbing amongst the waves during a sea swim, Ian Downes, “had a mad idea” to “buy a bashed up little van, do a Macgyver on it and launch a popsicle business”. Downes did just that, launching Kahuna Pops which operates out of a converted Subway van. The family-run business sells handmade ice pops, in flavours like strawberry cheesecake, orange pineapple, rainbow, strawberry mango, but the most intriguing flavour has to be the oreo pop. Using organic milk the team at Kahuna Pops have somehow managed to suspend an entire oreo in the ice pop. The pops have been appearing at Terenure’s Bushy Park Market and the Wren’s Nest Market in Chapelizod, follow them on Instagram for more information.

@kahunapops
3.

A Do’s Pop’s Potato Curry Box

The new cafe on the block has proved that they can sling a lot more than just good coffees and croissants. Combining some incredible global influences, A Do have been serving the people of Malahide some incredible bites, like their Durban Potato Curry Sandwich. Fresh to the menu is their Pop’s Potato Curry Box, made up of fresh roti served with potato curry, coconut yoghurt, chilli mint chutney and homemade slaw. The curry box can become vegan on request, simply by removing the yoghurt. Compact and portable it’s the perfect box to grab and mosey down to the seafront with. The makeup of the box lends itself well to sharing- if you are so inclined. You can find A Do on Malahide’s New Street, follow them on Instagram for more information.

@ado_coffeetogo
2.

Grove Road’s Affogato

The Grove Road cafe may have created the perfect treat for a sunny summer evening, a dulce de leche affogato. Using a dulce de leche and vanilla ice cream base, the Roasted Brown double espresso is poured over then topped with a toast coconut and walnut crumb. The best part of affogato is the speed at which it has to be eaten before it melts. Luckily Grove Road is a stones throw from the canal, where there’s plenty of spots to perch and gobble the affogato in two seconds flat. You can find Grove Road at yes you guessed it on Grove Road, Rathmines, follow them on Instagram for more information.

@groverroad
1.

Treehouse Treats’s Duck Doughnut

Something called duck doughnuts was bound to pique some interest, further investigation has shown them to be something that sounds excessively delicious. A glazed doughnut exterior is filled with a pulled duck interior and then accompanied by a brown dipping sauce. Their duck doughnuts aren’t the only delicious-looking thing being served out of the Treehouse Treats trailer, with their hazelnut choux buns looking nothing short of legendary. Photos of the Treehouse Treats’ location in Knocknashee Estate, Goatstown, show the trailer to be underneath the bow of a tree, making it seem all the more magical. Follow Treehouse Treats on Instagram for more information.

@treehouseie

Have somewhere to recommend? Send it onto me on emily.mullen@districtmagazine.ie