Your guide to 20 of the best coffee shops in Northern Ireland
3 Berne Road, Portstewart
A trip to the North Coast would not be complete without a visit to Lost & Found. In their Portstewart cafe you will find some of the most stunning views from a coffee shop anywhere in the world with views of Portstewart strand beach and the coastline of Donegal. Lost & Found offers filter coffee of the highest standard with regular guest roasters on offer from the likes of Nomad and Coffee Collective. Their brunch menus and bakes are top class making this an essential visit for anyone interested in the Northern Irish coffee scene.
2. The Copper Lab
53 Bridge Street, Banbridge
The Copper Lab in Banbridge is a small speciality space that offers you the best speciality coffee available in the town. Their filter and espresso coffees are expertly brewed and regularly feature Belfast roaster Lucid as well as European roasters such as The Barn, Berlin. The food cabinet is always a hit with some incredible buns on offer.
3. Sojourn
6 Barrack Street, Armagh
A relative newcomer to the speciality scene, Sojourn has filled a much-needed gap for the speciality coffee scene in Armagh. A well-thought out clean minimalist seating area makes this a great spot to grab a coffee and catch up with friends. On the bar you will find a pour-over coffee menu which showcases some really special coffees from the likes of DAK from the Netherlands and Severn from Bristol, UK. For food, you will often find a stunning freshly baked cake to complement their excellent range of cinnamon swirls with various styles of frosting.
4. Middletown
60-64 Lower Mill Street, Ballymena
One of the earliest speciality coffee shops in Northern Ireland, Middletown in Ballymena has been offering exceptional coffee and food since 2015. The seating area is a cool minimalist area with plenty of plants and one of the most beautiful copper-toned Victoria Ardunio coffee machines I’ve ever seen. Their coffee menu is solid with Belfast coffee shop/roaster Established coffee their house roaster. Alongside Established you will often find some of the finest roasters from around Europe on retail. Their food menu is top class with local ingredients at the fore of what they do. Make sure to check out their current French toast offering and stop by their deli counter before making the trip home.
5. Trait
33 Castle Street, Comber
The original Trait coffee in Comber lead the way for its sister stores which have opened in Belfast over the last few years. The comber store
Jumps out at you as you approach with the incredible artwork up the side of the building. Once inside you are welcomed by some beautiful design with all the wood and tables specially hand built for the trait store. On the bar you will always find some of the finest speciality coffee from around the Uk and Europe with Square Mile coffee a regular and plenty of others of retail rotation. Trait does all of its baking in-house and are offering some of the finest pastries you will find in NI coffee shops.
6. Founded coffee
4a Bendooragh road, Bendooragh, Ballymoney
Founded coffee is a hidden gem, located in Bendooragh near Ballymoney, Co.Antrim. Founded is regularly bringing in some of the top roasters in the world with La Cabra, Denmark and Uncommon, Amsterdam recently on the bar. While the North Coast is spoilt for speciality coffee shops you definitely want to add Founded to your list to check out.
7. Vittle Bakeshop
66 The Promenade, Portstewart
Vittle Bakeshop is a small speciality bakehouse on the Portstewart promenade with stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean. Vittle jumped to fame while supplying numerous coffee shops throughout Northern Ireland before opening their own shop and focusing on their own production. You will find baking of the very highest quality here with with their Cronuts and chocolate Hazlenut cookies being particularly good!
8. Finnegan and sons
9 Kildare Street, Newry
A regular feature in The McKenna’s guide, Finnegan and Sons in Newry is a must-visit for brunch lovers. Their coffee rotation is not to be missed with Bonanza, Berlin recently featuring on the bar. Local roasters are also frequently featured with Bailies, Lucid and Cloud Picker.
9. Babushka
South Pier, Portrush
Set on the South pier at Portrush Strand, Babushka is a cosy shelter from the Atlantic coast wind. Featuring Koppi coffee roaster, Sweden on the bar you will also find a delicious food menu with the likes of apple crumble French toast and some fancy Danish pastries behind the counter.
10. Third day coffee
29 Church Street, Antrim
Third Day in Antrim has recently been refurbished into a chilled Scandinavian-inspired cafe with beautiful clean wooden finishes. There is a strong brunch menu and quality speciality coffee rotation. Don’t miss out on one of their bakes from Bolo Bakehouse with their almond croissants being particularly special.
11. Folk
Forthill Street, Enniskillen
Folk Espresso Boulangerie is one of the finest speciality bakeries you will find in Ireland. Well worth a trip to Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Folk often has a queue down the street which tells you all you need to know about the quality of these bakes. Once inside the hardest decision is which variety of croissant or cruffin to choose to pair with your All Press espresso coffee.
12. Haptik
29 Frances Street, Newtownards
One of the earliest established speciality coffee spots in Northern Ireland, Haptik in Newtownards is consistently a quality brunch experience. Whether you are after avocado toast or sweet waffles you will find a quality coffee to pair. Check out their Barista breakfast which consists of a single espresso, flat white and a filter coffee.
13. Fidela
9a Lower Newmills Road, Coleraine
Fidela coffee in Coleraine opened in 2019 bringing the best of Colombian speciality coffee to the North coast of Ireland. Fidela is a really beautiful space to enjoy a coffee with their own roastery attached to the coffee shop itself. They offer a great range of their own Colombian coffees on retail and frequently run brewing courses to improve your home coffee experience in their coffee school.
14. Coffee Rustler
30 Central Avenue, Bangor
Coffee rustler is a small minimalist coffee haven in the North Down town of Bangor. You won’t be disappointed by the standard of coffee which perfectly compliments their bakes by Manmade and Bolo Bakehouse. Make sure to check out their beautiful orange Victoria Ardunio coffee machine on their bar.
15. Bridewell coffee
19 High Street, Donaghadee
Bridewell is a minimalist coffee shop located in Donaghadee on the Ards peninsula, County Down. Serving a great variety of guest roasters and delicious bakes by Fjord Bakery you definitely have to check out their French toast specials.
16. Ursa Minor
45 Ann Street, Ballycastle
Ursa Minor, in the beautiful coastal town of Ballycastle, is a stunning speciality bakery which is producing some of the finest pastries you will find in Ireland. Whether you are looking for one of their many varieties of sourdough bread or something sweeter like an Irish blueberry Danish you will not be disappointed. Their coffee game is also strong with plenty of delicious filter and espresso options. Ursa Minor has recently opened a smaller coffee spot at Balintoy Harbour which is not to be missed if you are checking out this Game of Thrones location.
17. Bron
5 Bishop Street, Derry/Londonderry
Bron is a a multi award winning cafe located in the North West of Northern Ireland. With a chilled scandavian inspired decor and quality food menu you can wash it all down with coffee from one of their rotating guest roasters.
18. Seashed
5 Springbank Road, Downhill & Benone Beach
Sea shed started out with a small takeaway coffee shack on the beautiful Benone beach on the north coast of Ireland. Sea shed has more recently opened a surf-inspired sit-in coffee shop at Downhill Forrest which is well worth a visit after a trip to Mussenden Temple.
19. Awaken
53-75 The Promenade, Portstewart
Another newcomer to the North Coast, Awaken is expanding into two cafes set on Portstewart promenade with amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean. With Whitestar coffee, Belfast on retail and rotating guest roasters such as Manhattan, Amsterdam you are sure to find whatever coffee you fancy.
20. Twighlight
54-56 Harbour Road, Carnlough
Twilight is a chilled-out coffee spot in the coast village of Carnlough, on the County Antrim coast road. Serving Bailies coffee on the bar, Twilight is a great spot to refuel on their comfortable sofas while enjoying the scenic views of Carnlough Harbour.
